Update No.67 - 31.05.16

Hello everybody...here we go again. Before I get started I feel I should apologise for the lack of written content this month (many of you are probably sighing with relief!) as due to other pressing domestic matters, there has been considerably less railway modelling time available this month. In fact, to be honest, this shameless update is little more than a simple collection of photographs.  It's a disgrace really and I don't understand why you all put up with it - Dreadful!

Crompton in the best livery they carried.

On the Workbench

In the last update I briefly discussed the fitting of magnets to my steam loco fleet as part of the ongoing adoption of the DCC Concepts Powerbase system for the Corkscrew-Lines. I have been systematically continuing to fit magnets to locomotives including the beautiful Hornby S15 4-6-0 shown below.  As a typical example of how the magnets can transform a locos haulage ability, prior to fitment this loco could lift a train of only 5 coaches up the helix before slipping to a stand. Hardly acceptable when trying to portray a prototypical load. Once the magnets had been fitted behind the driven wheels (see below) the locomotive was totally transformed. The image below of the loco carrying out a test climb following magnet fitment shows a 12 coach load of Bachmann mk1 coaches. That's much more like it - Hellfire!

Hornby S15 has magnets glued to the base-plate

Maybe the previous methods of increasing traction are now redundant?

S15 powers up the helix with load 12 - Oh My Lords - Hellfire!

I will continue to keep you all updated with my progress when using the Powerbase system but even at this early stage I have to conclude all is working well and I have no regrets adopting it. Back in the Ned-Cave I have now completed the installation of the J-TTT (Jones-Towers Test Track).  A Roco 61191 Analogue track power clip arrived in the post from The Engine Shed in Ford and has now been installed. This means I can now alternate between analogue track power and digital power by simply plugging and unplugging the appropriate control system on the test track. By using an old analogue train set power pack and a couple of crocodile clips I have the best of both worlds and I am delighted with how the whole test track project has worked out.

Analogue power clip ready to be fitted under the Roco track

Clip is fitted to track and crocodile clips allow easy connection to the DC power pack

The DC control end of the power shelf with a Bachmann train-set controller

And the DCC control end of the power shelf with the Roco Multimaus controller.

The trackwork for the passing loop and the storage siding is now complete and working perfectly

Full Sized Adventures - The Jurassic Coast!

A few weeks ago Mrs Corky and I joined our great mates Jo & Neil for a couple of days on the Jurassic coast in Dorset. A splendid time was had by all and I thought I would share some of the mainly transport related highlights with you. Naturally the trip included a journey along the fantastic Swanage Railway behind a Urie U class. As you will know, I am a modeller of the ex LSWR so this was an opportunity to fully soak up the magnificently restored original buildings and provide inspiration for future modelling projects.

The Sandbanks Ferry - such fun!

Boarding the ferry with Neil driving the "Cole-mobile"! 

Swanage Railway

Omnibus action too - Hellfire!

They just don't build railway stations like they used to!

I have wanted to build a model of this goods shed for 30 years!

Partners in crime in a wonderful Bullied coach

Token received by the fireman, it's time to head along the line

Just crying out to be modelled is the compact servicing depot at Swanage

Harman's Cross signal box - Absolutely Dreadful!

Corfe Castle station

Urie 31806 runs round at Norden

A perfect scene ready to be modelled at Norden

Corfe Castle goods shed

Corky in is natural habitat - Corfe Castle goods shed

Glorious!

Superb buildings at Corfe Castle station

Corfe Castle station seen from the Castle itself

Just crying out to be modelled

Mrs Corky enjoys the kettle thrash and clag!

Urie designed U class mogul - wonderful beast

The Dorset coastline is magnificent so it would have been very rude and remiss not to visit some of the scenic highlights during our stay. The last time I visited Durdle Door was during a Geology field trip as a college student back in the 1980s. Unsurprisingly, not much has changed!

Jurassic Coast

Durdle Door

Mrs Corky has a love of boats and ferries so it was decided we would pander to her nautical crank tendencies and we would hop aboard a ferry and bob across Poole Harbour to the beautiful Brownsea Island. As some of you will no doubt already know this was the birthplace of the scouting movement and where Robert Baden-Powell arranged his first adventure for boys. I was never involved with the Scouts as a boy. I think my parents regarded it with some suspicion considering their uniforms, rituals and regalia to be tantamount to that used by some kind of paramilitary organisation! Jo and Sarah were feeling very pleased with themselves that they had at last found a location with no railway lines or trains for Neil and I to be distracted by. That didn't last long - I soon found evidence of a narrow gauge clay railway including some wagons - Hellfire!

Brownsea Island

Brownsea Island

Narrow gauge clay railway - Brownsea Island

The intrepid explorers on Brownsea Island - Dreadful!

The natives were colourful!

Just before were climbed aboard the Cole-mobile and headed back to Sussex, Neil took us to the RNLI headquarters complex in Poole. Although outwardly appearing to be a normal guy, Neil has a dark secret. A disturbing obsession which we all witnessed first hand that day. You see Neil is a secret truck spotter so despite risking being exposed for what he really is, the opportunity to "cop" the RNLI lorry fleet was just too good to miss. I took a photograph of him excitedly scurrying around the lorries like an excited puppy whilst gleefully recording all of the lorry registrations onto his dicta-phone. Despite all of my own transport related obsessions, I couldn't help feeling very uneasy about recording lorry registrations...it's just a little too far beyond the pale for me. I felt dirty being a part of it! Poor Neil, surely there is a self help group somewhere he can join. "Hello, my name is Neil and I record lorry registrations!" The final insult was being moved along by the bemused RNLI security guard who regarded Neil with a mix of suspicion, disgust and pity. I'm so pleased I am so normal! Oh My Lords! Hellfire!

Sorry Neil - couldn't resist old mate!

Neil hurries to record the lorry registrations - Oh dear!

"Chocks away Ginger!...Tally Ho Chaps!"


The other significant adventure this month was a visit to the deeply impressive Imperial War Museum site at Duxford airfield in Cambridgeshire. My great mate "Posh-Colin" is a member of the Aston Martin Owners Club and they had organised a gathering of Aston Martin vehicles at Duxford and Colin wondered if I'd like to join him for the day. I pondered on this for about a second before accepting his generous invitation. A day with a mate in a V12 powered DB9 super-car including a visit to the most spectacular collection of aircraft I'm ever likely to see...yes please! I have gathered together a selection of photographs from the hundreds I took on the day. If you ever get the opportunity to visit Duxford then take it - you will not be disappointed. The display hangers stuffed full of such extraordinary aircraft are breathtaking. To walk under the enormous wings of a B52 bomber and to stare into the empty bomb bay of a Vulcan - wonderful stuff.

The Aston Martin gathering was fascinating too. As a young boy I vividly remember having large posters on my bedroom wall of two of the most technologically advanced and futuristic machines of the time - Concorde and the wedge shaped Aston Martin Lagonda saloon designed by William Towns.  Who would have thought that 40 years later I would be able to see both machines in the metal within minutes of each other. Concorde remains a magnificent design with an ageless grace. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the Lagonda which today looks at best different but mainly awkward and ungainly. You became accustomed on the day to the near constant rumblings and howling of large highly tuned V8 and V12 engined super-cars. It was however pleasing and actually quite moving to note that everybody seemed to lose interest in their prized motor cars when the magnificent Spitfire flew circuits around the site. The sound of the Merlin engine completely trumped everything else - period.

I happily snapped anything that moved or flew whilst at Duxford and here are a selection of shots...
Thanks again Colin, it was a great day.

Cheshire Cat

Astons on parade

Now that's what you call a fire engine!

Flying Fortress

 Handley Page Victor - my favourite V bomber

Short Sunderland flying boat

Lancaster

Vulcan

Posh Colin - every inch the Aston owner!

TSR-2 Wow!

Vulcan underbelly

Corky and the Sunderland

Aston Martin Lagonda

Resident Dennis fire engine

Another Lagonda saloon - possibly it's best angle

Britain's best - MG and Bristol

As a boy I too had plastic aircraft kits hanging from the ceiling

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird and Superfortress bomber

Extraordinary B-52 Stratofortress bomber fills the hanger

Flying Fortress bomber

Mig-tastic

Bedford refueller - just like the Airfix kit

Euro-fighter

Tally Ho chaps!

AEC Matador - another Airfix kit hero

Military vehicles hall

Harbinger Yard and track laying progress

Despite my best intentions I have made very little progress with track laying. There has been an element of enhancing and fine tuning the existing track formations and a few extended running sessions where I enjoyed simply playing trains. Most of my free modelling time has been spent trying to settle on the track formations and layout of future junctions on the opposite side of the room to Harbinger Yard. I have included some shots showing the areas to be worked on next. My normal method of working when planning new areas of the layout is to simply place points and sections of track down and then keep moving them around until a formation that works is found. Then I leave the formation in place for a week or so and keep coming back to it to tweak or adjust. When I'm happy I mark out the baseboards and fire up the jigsaw and the carpentry begins. This may happen next month but I am aware that was my intention last month so we'll just have to see what happens.

Checking the location for the yard ladder

Junction track formation layouts are tested

Making sure formations will fit available space

A wonderful large blank canvas 

Peninsula section to the left and Harbinger North to the centre

Harbinger Yard tracks complete the mid yard curve

Doombe carriage sidings track ladder work begins

So there you have it my friends. I hope you enjoyed the photographs from my recent adventures as I seem to have covered every means of transportation except hovercraft, skateboard and lunar lander! I will do my best to get cracking with the long overdue continuation of track laying next month so there will be more model railway content in the next update. Take care and see you next time.


That's all for now folks!


Corky!