End of year review

As 2015 draws to a close I think its time to reflect on the year. Way back in January Pix Valley was one floor down and discussions were in place to create a hobby room. On return from Australia in the beginning of June I commissioned a company to convert the loft space. Work started during the second week in June by the 19^th of the month work was finished. Although Pix Valley was not reinstalled until mid July and work steadily progressed during the year new stock was added 73086 BR standard class 5 bought second hand in Skegness in March and some stock sold on; my most memorable purchase was “Tornado” acquired when I visited the Severn Valley Railway in October. However I am still waiting for my J94 “Royal Engineer” and USA tank in LMR livery both on pre-order. Work is still very much work in progress.

Oakington pillbox revisited 75 years on.

Oakington pillbox revisited 75 years on.

75 years have taken there toll roof collapsed and brick work over grown with vegetation. What would Capt Mainwaring say about it, possibly “If anyone approaches you shout 'halt, who goes there' and take down their credentials. “

Rail Built Buffer Stop Bending Former Part 2

Rail Built Buffer Stop Bending Former Part 2

The 2mm Allen screws which I was waiting for arrive today enabling me to assemble the tool. My suspicion was proven the nickel silver rail was to hard to accept the tight bend and has cracked. All is not lost I will try again after annealing another piece tomorrow. However  they can still be used in the cracked state the uprights and horizontal rails will strengthen it. 

tool with the top plate removed

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Rail Built Buffer Stop Bending Former

Rail Built Buffer Stop Bending Former

OK imagine this; the blue 5mm piece of aluminium forms the base of the former. the short silver piece is fixed to the blue base. The longer of the two silver pieces will slide between guides along its longest side. Another 5mm piece of aluminium forms the top which is fixed to the base piece.

 I hope that a 70mm section of code 75 rail is inserted against to short fixed end and the longer sliding piece is forced against it in a vice it will bend the rail to the shape of the former. A bit more work to do before testing stay tuned!

Oakington pillbox

Oakington pillbox

A reinforced concrete and London brick company brick circular structure and partially subterranean and was designed to be covered with earthworks to prevent detection from the ground and air.  The pillboxes are approximately 18 feet in diameter and have a reinforced concrete, disc-shaped roof supported at its centre by a brick cruciform-shaped, anti-ricochet wall. A curtain wall finishes approximately 1 foot below the outside lip of the roof giving an open observation and firing slit around the entire structure.

Oakington was the base where my final interviews were conducted prior to my demob in 1979 as the pillboxes still survive its fitting I should model one for my layout.

Component parts cut from 3mm millboard; the dome roof was wetted and pressed into the base of an aerosol paint can to form the dome.

Cruciform-shaped anti-ricochet wall and the external wall covered in http://www.modelrailwayscenery.com/ brick paper.

The dome roof in place covered with distressed concrete textured paper.

The final resting place all that is required is banking up the earth works. After 60 plus years time and the weather has battered the pillbox causing the roof to collapse on railway side

I intend to blend it in to the allotments which will behind the houses. Very much still work in progress.

Western Hill Terminus part 2

Western Hill Terminus part 2

Tarmac topping and platform edging all complete, the track bed is ballasted and electrics tied in all works just a little tweaking cleaning up PVA from track.

Western Hill Terminus

Western Hill Terminus

All the track work is laid and turnout motors (Cobolt ip digital) fitted and tested ballasted up to the platform section. Platform constructed from a sandwich of 3mm 12mm and 3mm MDF

Fixing to the baseboard complete and brickwork applied. I decided to go for tarmac topping rather than paving. However I am using paving for the edging.

Peppercorn A1

After my visit to the Severn Valley Railway last week I brought back a souvenir. Tornado in Brunswick green duly chipped and now running at default values. One minor hiccough was the pin on the tender failed as it happened the only polystyrene rod I did not have was 2.5mm a quick trip to the model shop and all is well.

Remove the rear wheel set and unscrew the 3 retaining screws holding the tender body 

Under the weight there is provision for a speaker

Remove the blanking plug and insert the chip

Fitting sound should be a doddle

That should not be there!

That's that sorted

All that remains is to set the CV's 

Another new toy

I was bidding on fleabay for a Dapol track cleaner only to be out bid in the final seconds patience prevailed and I eventually got one for £35. Ok it’s missing the instruction sheet and wet foam pad and the vacuum fan removal tool but that’s no show stopper all tested on DC and stripped to chip it Well I never look what was inside it was chipped to boot with a Bachmann 8-Pin 3 Function 36-553. . 

A little extra weight

A quick run behind a J94 to the end of the track and back just look at the rubbish it collected

Finally the new signage applied in line with Pix Valley theme.

Scenic Progress

I spent a couple of hours in the loft adding some landscaping to Pix Valley

Gronk waiting for the Sunday 11:26 to pass

Linda at rest thats a lot of coal to pull for a little loco

Arlesworth

Arlesworth shed with light moved

More track laid past the bridge over Pix Gorge

Q2 passing LMR 157