Well hello again my friends and welcome to the Corkscrew-Lines and to all my weird and wacky adventures. Okay, maybe a little over-hyped. It's just me again talking about toy trains and stuff!
There is so much to get through this time I don't really know where to start. As some of the senior Corkettes will already know, I have recently had some very significant news regarding my career and my future which will have a direct impact on where we will now be able to live. Until everything is finalised and changes actually take place (probably well into next year) I won't say any more. One thing which you'll all no doubt be pleased to hear is the Corkscrew-Lines now has a secured future and it is definitely remaining in OO gauge....Hellfire!
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| "Give a Little Whistle"...Too Loud Man...Too Loud! |
Visiting Corkettes
I have recently developed a strong friendship with a fellow signaller on the Alton Line..."Danny Levers". Now Dan, who works at Ash Vale Box, has many similar interests to me including UFOs, Military History and crucially...model railways. Dan's railway modelling days were a long time ago but as so often happens, once we started discussing what was possible these days with DCC, modern rolling stock and the huge range of accessories available these days, his enthusiasm was rekindled. I told Dan about the Corkscrew-Lines blogsite and the rest as they say is history. With plans to convert his loft and build his own OO Gauge empire, Dan arranged to visit me in the Fens and have a play on the Corkscrew-Lines! I have agreed to help Dan with baseboards, tracklaying etc, etc and he in turn has agreed to help me with some of the more artistic elements...it's great the way modellers adopt the "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" for mutual benefit approach. I'm very happy with the arrangement because Dan is a very talented artist....Oh My Lords! See his work on his excellent website at...
www.mandelli-art.co.uk
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| "Levers" with the essential cuppa |
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| "Levers" using my patented portable tea mug stand...Sorry "Napier Boy"...couldn't resist! |
So having had a go on the layout, "Levers" headed home with big plans for his own layout and shared all the details of his adventures with his wife, who it just so happens is also very creative and enjoys a spot of dolls house modelling. Well it seemed only right that Mr & Mrs Levers should go to a Model Railway show to see what's possible and get a feel for the hobby. Therefore, a few weeks ago, we all went to the Spalding show and a good time was had by all...Hellfire! Now "Levers" is very fortunate in that his good lady..."Dreadful Debs" was so intrigued and inspired by the show that she simply cannot wait for Dan to get started so she can lend a hand. Yes my Corkette chums you did read that right..."Dreadful Debs" is one of those rare beasts - a wife that wants to build a model railway! Oh My Lords!...Hellfire!
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| "Levers" & "Dreadful Debs!" at their first model railway show..it all makes me quite emotional! |
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| Looks like "Levers" may struggle to get a go at this rate! |
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| All set up and working - the "Alton Bench" |
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| The Military Train project has begun! |
I have been thinking for a long time now that I need to take a far more structured approach to my rolling stock and in particular my locomotives and multiple units. I have been collecting appropriate stock for this layout for about 5 or 6 years now and as is so often the case, once purchased they remain in their as manufactured state without actually ever being properly prepared for use on the Corkscrew-Lines. As there may be a hiatus in track laying and construction work on the layout itself for a few months, this is a great opportunity to start setting minimum standards for the locos and making strides to get at least a few completely finished.
What I have in mind is a series of stages that locos have reached and a process to ultimately have every item of rolling stock complying so everything on the layout not only looks right but runs reliably and works properly with everything else. In true Corkscrew-Lines style this is an initial idea on what I mean;
"Dreadful!" Specification
DCC chip fitted
"Oh My Lords!" Specification
DCC chip fitted
Kadee couplers fitted
Headcodes fitted
Traincrew fitted (both cabs)
"Hellfire!" Specification
DCC chip fitted
Kadee couplers fitted
Headcodes fitted
Traincrew fitted (both cabs)
Weathered
Extra pick-ups if required
"Totally Bald Headed!" Specification
DCC chip fitted
Kadee couplers fitted
Headcodes fitted
Traincrew fitted (both cabs)
Weathered
Extra pick-ups if required
DCC soundchip fitted and CVs adjusted as appropriate
I think it should be relatively easy and inexpensive to get all my locos to "Oh My Lords!" spec'. The next step up will be more problematic as I am not currently set up to weather my locos and rolling stock. However, if I can get all the locos to "OML" spec' then when I do begin to weather I can really go to town and do multiple locos at a time and hopefully deal with the whole fleet quickly.
With regard to "Totally Bald Headed" spec' the main stumbling block is not time but cost. However, I have made a start as you can see below.
It was time for yet another birthday earlier this week. I have now moved into my last year as a 1-Co-Co-1 and this time next year I will become a Duff or if I continue eating too many biscuits, a Heljan style Tubby-Duff! Anyway, I digress! The wonderful Mrs Corky suggested as a birthday treat that I invest in some sound-chips rather than continuing to follow the trains around the layout and making my own appropriate thrash sounds (just kidding...honestly). Therefore, last Tuesday I paid a visit to Digitrains in Digby and departed with 3 Zimo sound-chips ready for my sound-chip installation adventures to begin.
Having stocked up on heat-shrink tubing and purchased a selection of appropriate speakers and wiring, I removed the body from my first chosen victim...a Bachmann class 40. Now a class 40 may seem an odd choice of loco considering the Corkscrew-Lines is a joint WR and SR layout but I anticipate having numerous freights from the LMR and ER running onto the layout as well as rail-tours, excursions and troop trains so the Class 40 stays! Having spent a few happy weeks in 1982 and 1983 chasing, photographing and bellowing from North Wales coast trains hauled by Whistlers it seemed an appropriate first choice.
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| Components assembled, it's time to make some noise! |
An option on this chip I have yet to explore is Multi-Drive which allows you to control the loco sounds independently of the motor control. It will take a lot of concentration and skill but this means you can completely replicate the sounds an actual loco would make when dealing with loads and gradients. In essence, you can apply full thrash at very low speeds to simulate the effects of a heavy load or steep grade. I'll be practising with this in the next few weeks but for now the "auto" mode still produces pretty convincing sounds.
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| As Jiminy Cricket once said..."Give a little whistle" |
Having established there was enough room for the speaker on the locos chassis, I fitted it in a home made blue-tak enclosure to give a bass chamber as large as possible without having to hack the loco about. I soldered up the wired connections and took the loco to the layout to see if it actually worked. Oh My Lords! it certainly worked all right! In fact, I need to tweak the volume and the CVs because it's loud man! Hellfire!
I made a video of the loco in it's as converted state before I tweaked the volume. Check it out below. I have also added it to the video Vault section.
This loco would be somewhere between "Oh My Lords" and "Totally Bald Headed" spec' and sets the benchmark for sound locos on the layout. I already have a couple of manufacturer fitted DCC sound chips but this has significantly improved on them and hopefully as my skills develop things will continue to improve.
Warley 2012
Yesterday I travelled to the NEC in Birmingham for the annual Warley model railway exhibition. I met up with Corkette, Andrew Wylde, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves looking at the trade stands and the fabulous layouts on display. There was certainly something for everybody here but I've included a few shots of particular highlights for me. I have been considering having an ex LSWR terminus station on the Corkscrew-Lines for a few months now so I was delighted to see and take some shots of the Milton Quays and Bath Green Park layouts which both have inspirational buildings to give me some ideas.
An added bonus this year was being able to finally meet Steve Copley who I mentioned a couple of months ago. Steve is the Corkette who has adopted my baseboard construction system and seems to be making excellent progress with it for his own Dymewood layout. Andrew very kindly took a shot of the two of us which unfortunately due to the lighting in the hall isn't very flattering. However, it's nothing like as horrific as the shot of Andrew and me which could not be published for fear of upsetting any children looking at this site...Dreadful, literally!
Heljan announced a class 05 diesel shunter in OO Gauge and thankfully for my wallet, that was the only significant new item I will be purchasing announced at the show. The Dapol stand had fully painted pre-production models of the Western and NBL Type 2 with indicator discs. Andrew had to drag me away and sedate me!!
Also thanks to Mike, owner of Durham Trains of Stanley for your generosity on the day. Much appreciated mate!
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| Port of Par cut down shunters |
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| Steve & Corky |
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| Milton Quays |
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| Milton Quays |
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| Bodmin |
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| Aberbeeg |
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| Bath Green Park - Wonderful! |
I took advantage of the huge number of traders at the show and collected some bits and pieces for the layout whilst walking around the hall. "Napier-Boy" also very kindly presented me with a wagon kit and a Ford Anglia van in BR livery for my birthday so all in all I've been a very lucky boy this year!
New Arrivals on the Corkscrew-Lines
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| Warley purchases and gifts from Johnny - thanks mate! |
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| Couldn't resist these beauties from TMC...Hellfire! |
The books were all less than half price and the wagons and horse-boxes will add a bit of variety to the fleet. Don't worry about the Graham Farish boxes, I'm not changing my mind and going back to N-Gauge. They are the latest limited edition Inspection Saloon models produced for the N-Gauge Society and I really like them in their own right. One of them is for Rooster and the others will probably be sold on at a later date.
Full Sized Railway Adventures
I had to go to York a few weeks ago for a work related matter and took the opportunity to take a few shots of the signal that sits in the entrance hall to the station. Fascinating to think how diverse the signalling and infrastructure was in this country and to a lesser degree still is. I thought those who have not been to York for a while might like these shots. Certainly anybody who has driven trains as I have will be intrigued by the idea of distant signals displaying a red arm and not a yellow one!
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| NER Distant signal - York |
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| NER Distant signal - York |
That's it my friends...well done for your perseverance...you have finally reached the end of this mammoth update!
Don't forget to get in touch if you want to come on over and have a play on my train set with me!
Until next time, take care and keep those kettles boiling...you know it makes sense! Hellfire!
Corky
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