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Andy Carter

Side Tracked 2: When Beeching took to the High Street.

Warning: This blog is likely to meander off track a few times…

How sick are you of the phrases 'credit crunch,' 'this tough economic times,' and 'austerity climate.' Well chances are I'm going to be using them a lot in the coming paragraphs. 

Last year HMV went into administration. This followed on from a loss of 'high street names' such as Woolworths, Jessops and Boarders burning up in this bleak, credit crunchy, austere economic climate (there I used them all in one go). 

Frankly, I didn't care. HMV for the majority of my student years had served me well. Providing cheap CD's and DVD's you wanted to buy in an easy to browse environment in most major towns. They even provided me with a generous student discount to keep my custom loyal and media consumption legal. Something of which the also now defunct Virgin Megastores (later Zavvi) failed to provide with the same quality and dedication. 

Then this promptly changed.

"I'm sorry we don't do student discount anymore but would you like to join our points scheme?"

I should have said no. Put down AC DC's Greatest Hits and never looked back. 

Unfortunately, my naive 19 year old self, mindlessly said "yeh OK" and spent the next 18 months eagerly hoovering up HMV points by buying full price CD's and DVD's. I even wasn't too deterred when they said that Tech wasn't included in the points scheme when purchasing my PS3.

Excited I logged onto HMV points scheme to see what I could buy…

Some badges. Or a picture of Olly Murs. What. The. F*ck.

Matters were made worse when I learned some of the points I had gathered had expired many moons ago, and that in fact my frantic gathering of points over the last 18 months had been an entirely POINTless (whey!) exercise. 

It was at this very time that I gave HMV one last chance to redeem itself. I was a loyal chump after all… And on a cold and wintery excursion into Manchester I entered the large store on Market Street to be met with a wall of T-Shirts, sh*tty Beats headphones and Jay-Zed branded iPod docks. Where are the DVD's and CD's are wondered? They were there, all be it shoved at the back all stacked on their side so I couldn't really browse for eye catching album/film artwork. 

This was the end of my loyalty to HMV.

Now you may, ask what has a long overdue rant about a failing media store got to do with model railwaying? Good question. Well a few weeks ago, and rather quietly, Modelzone - a national chain of model shops - went into administration. 

Now, this is really rather sad. For me, the demise of HMV and Virgin Megastores was well deserved. They royally shafted their customers by ditching a successful model, replacing it with badly laid out stores favouring technology no one buys and t-shirts no one wants. Now, there really is no substitute for visiting your local modelshop, you know, not a chain one. And I will get to that shortly, but there's a lot Modelzone got absolutely spot on. 

The trouble with independent model shops is they are few and far between. And I really do mean few and far. My favourite is in Chelmsford, Essex (John Dutfield if you want to know). Quite a drive from where I live in London. You may be thinking - London would surely will host a couple of properly decent modelshops. No. This great capital has merely 3 independent model shops to speak of, Janes Trains in Tooting which is more of a ball ache for me to get to than Chelmsford; The Engine Shed in Leytonstone which although is on my door step really didn't have a great supply of stock nor friendly staff when I last visited; and finally Wheels of Steel which can be described as a glorified market stool in a tucked away Antiques Centre off Bond Street. That is literally it, and I've spent the last week trying to find others…. there really isn't. 

Modelzone plugged that gap of being somewhere to 'pop down to' if you wanted the odd tree or piece of track. And they'd actually have it in stock. What's more they were well located in places like Wesfield, Romford and Holborn. Prices were not unreasonable, they have a plentiful stock of models on display (not always done in the independents) and the staff albeit less knowledgeable than in John Dutfield were always friendly and helpful. It was a great stop gap to scratch the itch of buying something for my hobby without having to do a 50 mile round trip. And what's more they were actually getting better. The one in Westfield started out quite disappointing but after prevailing a few times I found their stock was diversifying and model railway department growing. I saw this diversifying of stock as a good thing. If the range of railway products was only getting greater that must mean they have faith in it right? Opening new stores in expensive new shopping malls?… Maybe HMV felt the same way about t-shirts and headphones but maybe like HMV it was a last ditched attempt to bring in a greater range custom?

I suppose in that sense the failure of Modelzone and HMV are exactly the same. Thinking they can buy their way out of the problem with more stores and more stock. Victim of the internet world, and another high street casualty. Austerity. Blah. Crunch. Waffle.

Except they are not the same. HMV still exists on the high street. Still selling t-shirts. Still selling 50-Centphones. Still not offering student discount, and now that their online effort has been ditched - not offering points. Modelzone on the other hand have not been able to find buyers and have started systematically shutting stores. 

It's a shame I can't swap HMV for Modelzone… But the one crumb of comfort here is that for once the independents have outlived the chain. And for that reason you should continue to support, visit and buy from them… And whilst you're there, persuade them to move to London. 

Episode 17: The (Semi)-Permanent Way

There hasn't been an update for a while. Things were put on hold until I moved flat (which recently occurred). So rather than talking about wagon weathering as suggested in last episode (and I will do soon, I promise), I will be talking about moving flat and how this has affect my Main Layout and Salford Chapel.

If you want to remind yourself of some of my original objectives, especially with reference to my Main Layout, you can do so here. The main challenge I originally faced was storability, and maximising relatively low amounts of space in my old flat. I'm rather pleased and excited that this requirement has now changed and I have much more space at my disposal.*

*This was a requirement that the new place should have a facility for me not to have trains in the living room as dictated by Leah…

I now have something of an office/studio/workshop, whatever you want to call it (perhaps it should be called Man-Room) dedicated to, and amongst other things, my layout(s). 

This is all well and good, however at my old flat the boards simply went on the extended dining room table. Now I don’t have anything to put them on…

My original objective of Storability is now less important. In fact the layout can now be fitted on something semi-permanent. – I'm always reluctant to make something fully permanent in case I change my mind about something, want to move things, or actually do require space again in the future.

So I had a couple of possible solutions…

Buy a frame: A quick search of Google suggests that it is completely feasible to purchase just a frame for model railway baseboards. These are more on the expensive side and there’s a feeling of out sourcing the problem to someone else rather than coming up with a better alternative on my own.

Possible idea - frame with folding legs. (Imagine without baseboard).

Build a frame: I could build it myself. A bigger issue with a frame is it’s rather inflexible and more permanent than I'm willing to make it. I’d have to therefore factor in folding or detachable legs into the frame equation making things liable to expense and complication. (I really don't like complication). 

Now here's an idea - IKEA do various cheap tables, the beauty of these is they have detachable legs. I know this because I've got a desk in this format. They’re simply made up of a disk – mounted to the wood, then a pole screws into the disk to provide the leg. Simple! The other thing I could do is buy some trestles and be done with a frame completely, but I still think we can go one step simpler…

What about just buying the IKEA legs and attaching them straight to the baseboard itself…

The legs cost £2.50 per pack. In a pack you get one leg, one mounting disk and the necessary screws. So we’re looking at £20 for 8 packs (remember I have 2 separate boards so it’s 4 legs per board), which considering some of the alternatives is the most cost effective simple solution.

One minor setback is the screws that come as standard (right) are far too long for my board. I popped into B&Q and purchased some shorter ones (left). You’ll want to get self-tapping screws, which will ram themselves into your baseboard far easier than normal ones. The alternative is to drill pilot holes (a hassle). 

I've laid my board track side down on a blanket on the bed. This will cushion the force I will need to apply to screw in the metal disks for the legs and ultimately protect the track. Hopefully you'll not have to do this if you're building your base-board-IKEA-solution first. 

First decide where you want to place the disks. If you’re starting from scratch you can plan this hole operation from the start with more precision. Because I'm doing this backwards and my track is already laid, I want to avoid attaching the disks bellow points – where I may want to add motors, wiring and things that require drilling at a later date. This optimum location was about 6 ½ inches from each edge. I then measured and marked out each disk position. 

Using a bradawl, score out where you want to insert screws. For some reason I couldn't find bradawls in B&Q. But really all you need is any old sharp spike. Fortunately I found this…

A TWIST GIMLET. Possibly the most exiting name of any tool you’ll ever find. It did the job just as well. 

I've since learned that it’s actual job is to drill small pilot holes in wood by hand. And, well that’s what I'm trying to do. 

Next, make sure the disc is lined up with your pilot holes and simply pop in the screws. Now my baseboard is ply wood, which accepts screws, nails and twist gimletage with relative ease. If you've got a denser wood it might not be so easy. Even so, you'll need to apply a fair bit of force for the screw to take. I found a mixture of using my electric screwdriver and a ratchet screwdriver were best for the job.

After that attach the screw in leg to the disk…

…and repeat...

And that’s it. Nothing to it really!

I’ll be able to detach the legs and store the boards as before should I need the extra space for guests or need to move the boards at a later date. 

And there both boards sit in Man Room with aforementioned glass display cases for rolling stock!

In the meantime, Salford Chapel (the shelf layout) takes a spot on an actual shelf…

Episode 16: Rails

There's been a lot of talk about Salford Chapel and as a result I haven't posted on my Main Layout for a while so it's time for a couple of updates... 

A Minor Derailment 

I'm not going to lie. You're going to get derailments on your model railway... Mimicking real life? Well you'd hope not, but let's not forget we're dealing with moving parts a 76th of the size of their real life counterparts. It's bound to happen every now and then. I've even been at exhibitions where I've seen it occur, so don't worry it - it happens in the pros... You'll quickly find out that there are either certain types of rolling stock or certain areas of track that potentially cause frequent problems. There are usually some common causes. 

Above is an example of a the common Hornby Point (R8072/3). Common because the curve on it fits the 2nd radius oval standard set by Hornby and thus slots easily into most layouts. (Here you can see them littering my layout). The problem with these are they aren't really designed for trains to run over the curved alignment at (what I'd consider to be) mainline speed. 

You'd be better off using this, the Hornby Express Point. Named aptly for more appropriate line switching at higher speeds. For realism they look and work a lot better, but for the space conscious modeller, myself included, they take up more room and do not fit so nicely into the design of your layout. 

Why do the standard points cause derailments you might ask? Well, certain rolling stock have a tendency to jump the guide/check rails and/or frogs - but I will come to this shortly.

99% derailment issues will happen over points but there's usually other factors involved...

Rolling Stock Wheel Base: 

Remember these? Well I have a set of three, and in certain scenarios they are a real problem child going over the aforementioned points. Being pulled - they're not a problem - and I think this is because the loco or next wagon is providing some guidance. However when shunted/pushed the lead wheels tend to slip up and over the frog (this is the 'V' shape made by the adjoining rails). 

Different wagons are fine over the same stretch of track in the same conditions. It just so happens that the wheel base of these wagons are such that they are derailing in this scenario. Not a lot you can do in terms of altering the wheel base but there is a solution which I'll get to shortly.

Bogie Type:     

The Parcel Van pictured above has only 2 wheels at each end. In this example the axel is fixed, and this van causes me no problems what so ever. I do however have a version of a similar sized van where the axel is allowed to pivot. Just like a 4 wheel bogie setup on a coach or loco. 

This is just asking for trouble.

These unusual 2 wheel bogies slip over points regardless of push/pull formation and regardless of direction. I'm not sure if such vans exist in real life? It doesn't appear to be a very good idea. Hornby seemed to have reverted to fixing the axels on later models.

My suggestion if you have any offending vans would be to run them at the rear of your train. I've also noticed they actually prefer running at speed when being pulled. More tension in the coupling and a more precise guidance perhaps. They certainly don't work very well being pushed at speed that's for sure. 

Coupling Mismatch:

This is a new problem. All Hornby models of old had the same sized coupling components. Nice big chunky hooks  and bars with plenty of give.

Newer models though (and those of different brands) are fitted with these daintier versions. Smaller hooks and smaller catchment areas. The result means a closer coupling and better realism. Using these new couplings together, no problem. There's a slight flex in the joint for running on curves and they work perfectly. Problems start to arise when you use the old and new type together. The larger hooks tend not to fit in the smaller catchment area, and the smaller hooks often unlatch from older couplings. 9 out of 10 times though, you'll get it working, however be aware that occasionally whilst being shunted (and not surprisingly over points) the couplings may knock each other in ways that will derail your wagons. 

So now we know some derailment causes what can you do about them? 

Well, I've already outlined a few pointers. Stay away from the weird 2 wheel bogie vans, try to couple like for like wagons and be aware that some stock will cause you problems. I'm not going to say, 'Don't buy X and Y they always derail', because chances are elsewhere on your layout they'll work fine. It always seems to happen in those really specific places. 

Now, if those places are the standard Hornby (Or Peco by the way) point - here's a potential fix. 

It just so happened that a new loco I got for Christmas was frequently derailing at these set of points. This was bemusing because up until now these points hadn't caused me any problems. Unfortunately this will almost certainly happen to you. One fullproof set of points for all your rolling stock will inexplicably be a problem for that certain one train, coach or wagon!

(For the following explanation imagine loco running from right to left on the curved allignment). 

On closer examination I noticed that the wheels of the train appeared to be coming astray just after the frog on the outer rail. It was only until I observed the other side of the train on the inner rail did I realise that the check rail just wasn't doing its job properly. 

To solve this I improvised extending the check rail by introducing some unused sleepers either side. 

Success! The sleeper, now acting as a further check rail, pulls the wheels back on course. I've since read up on the internet about hornby point derailment cases and learnt that older hornby points (of which I had) were known to have smaller check rails. Newer ones have been improved but if you're experiencing derailment issues why not try this!

I applied the same method to other problem points and this even solved the issue created by the odd wheel base wagons! 

Completing The Roadway

Elsewhere on my layout this is what I've been up to...

You may remember from previous episodes that I left a gap in ballast laying to leave room for a level crossing. Well now it is time to plug that gap.

Most good model shops will stock thin cuttable plastic (normally in white). These come in a variety of flavours ranging from piping to girding and from stairways to thin strips. 

They also do fairly large sheets, and this offering from Evergreen I've have cut to shape the curvature of the track and stuck down with superglue. 

If you’ve not opted for one of the many pre-made level crossings out there and you are planning a level crossing on a straight section of track, this will be a pretty simple procedure of marking, measuring and cutting. I, however, have made things difficult for myself by locating the crossing on a curved section of track. This was initially done to save sections of straight track for points as space was at a premium. 

After a few failed attempts of cutting the plastic by simply winging it I came up with a solution...

Take a spare piece of track that matches the curve radius you are trying to mark out. Turn it upside down and then you can mark where the rail touches the plastic. This will in turn create three pieces: One piece to fit outside of either rail and one piece to fit inside (this will need to be trimmed so the wheels do not touch it). Put these in place and keep making sure a variety of rolling stock will run over it with no faults. Once you’re happy you can stick it down as I have above. I’ve then started to stick roadway and pavement down.

I opted to paint the centre pieces rather than cut out further fiddly pieces of roadway. 

The finished article both without... (The gap in the pavement by the way is to leave room for the power supply wire).

And with train.

See those grubby looking wagons in that picture? I'll get on to some weathering techniques next time!... Stay tuned...

Episode 15: Salford Chapel - More Visual Updates

Some further updates on the Salford Chapel layout:

To the left of the road bridge I've completed the laying of scenic scatter. The only area remaining in need of scenic scatter is seen to the right of the signal box (above top). This is because I'm waiting to add some maintenance steps on order from gaugemaster. I've added another small patch of painted road next to the headshunts, this plot also features a small shed with some wire drums stacked next to it. (See bellow).

The above shot shows the 'main line' diverging away into a 'tunnel' to the right and, looking back on Episode 13, heads towards the Manchester Central lines... In reality it heads towards the fiddle yard/track. The footpath providing access to the station from the road bridge has been fitted with a wall. 

I painted some cheap strip-wood from Modelzone, (which proved very easy to cut - you only need a Stanley knife!), and painted them using some matt grey model paint. Similar to the type pictured above. Miraculously the colour I chose was exactly the same as the girder bridge! Win!

Another shot showing the 'main line tunnel' and footpath linking to the steps.

I've added two semaphore signals, the one on the right is a station starter for the main or right hand siding; the one on the left services the headshunt.

They both formally started life like this Hornby example (above). I dismantled the top half and tried to glue it to the side of the footpath wall. The glue wasn't strong enough so I dismantled it further and attached the signals individually to the girder bridge. An offcut of the signal support has been used as a 'support' for the footpath bridge. (See above).

The reverse shot showing pedestrian walkway towards the station. You can also see the area above the signal cabin which still needs some scenic scatter adding. I am wondering if the station starter semaphore (left) may be slightly too high and 'out of scale' with the rest of the model, particularly compared to the car pictured... Perhaps I will move it down eventually.

This shot better shows what I mean, it just looks too high doesn't it!?

Anyway, similar to the footpath, some painted stripwood has also been added to the rest of the road bridge.

Another nice shot under the bridge.

Back in the station a wagon is loaded with two wire drums (Bachman) and some milk churns (Hornby Skaledale range). Some additional churns sit on the station. There are no shortage of wagon loads on offer in model shops, but you could also consider this neat little idea, showcased in Episode 9, for making your own.

The reverse shot from the station looking at the signal cabin. Come back soon for some more updates both on Salford Chapel and my Main Layout!

Episode 14: Salford Chapel - A Visual Update

So now it has a name I can update you on how it is taking shape...

As you can see I've added some grass scatter. You can check out my Main Layout blog and in particular This Episode to see my technique for adding scatter.

I've added some thicker clumps by the buffer stops and using my finger and some glue, smudged some scatter into the ballast to add to that authentic track-side vegetation look.

I've also painted on a roadway. I've actually used a Dulux tester pot in a matt grey finish. Now of course you can pick up proper model paints - and I have got some for smaller areas which will pop up in future episodes... However, for larger areas consider getting a tester pot from your local hardware store, you'll get more paint for your money, it drys super fast (or at least this one did) and at the end of the day it was very easy to wash off your bush! It also provides a really nice finish! 

In the background you'll notice the bridge now looks, well more bridge like...

These are plastic Peco Bridge Girders and I picked these up from a couple of quid at John Dutfield in Chelmsford, but I've since seen they are pretty common and pop up in modelzones too. You'll also notice I've laid some tarmac, this is the Noch stick on roadway stuff left spare from my Main Layout. 

For the red-brick-Manchester walls I've simply used sheets of printed pattern. Again, picked up from my favorite model shop for a few pence. To apply the sheets to the wood I created a very watery PVA mix, wallpaper paste like, and this worked perfectly - although it was ever so tricky to stick into place, especially under the bridge. You could of course consider printing your own, or even painting, but this method really is very cheap and easy to achieve something very aesthetically pleasing. I would however recommend sticking the texture sheets onto the wood first and then assembling any structures 2nd...

This is exactly what I did for the rear station walls. Was so much easier! 

Again, this wood came from the B&Q wood yard, but I've since seen that even Modelzone at Westfield's stock strip wood similar to this. Theirs is much flimsier but on the flipside - much easier to cut! 

This close up shows the pre-printed texture sheets come with a finish at the top. The figures are from Noch.

I also came across a plastic stair case pack. This may be harder to come across in Modelzone or similar so I'd recommend your local model shop or the gaugemaster website. I've trimmed to size and will eventually paint for a nicer finish.

And there we have it! More updates soon!