4mm Stonehouse St James - EM Covid layout

ullypug

Western Thunderer
So as a result of the whole Covid thing and a couple of other issues, I decided to have a play with the new EM turnouts and track. Result is an inglenook style layout on a 4’6” piece of extruded polystyrene foam. Plan is for a small terminus ams shunting plank somewhere in the West Country. Bit of GW and SR thrown in, possibly in the Plymouth area and an excuse for some ex PDSWJR locos too. Or maybe not. I haven’t decided. I’m also trying to use proprietary kits where possible to use as a potential demonstration of what can be done. I was originally going to have a deciding wall down the back of the platform to have three distinct dioramas. I still may add something. Or I may not...
Turnouts are controlled with sliding switches and a home made expansion sprung type thing. Nowhere near finished but it’s wired, it works and it’s ballasted.2DED1EE4-4BE7-46BA-A0E0-D7641F1FDE78.jpeg9666AC15-A8DD-443C-AE62-58725D54FFF4.jpeg931B2C61-BF30-4066-98B7-628C35E35E1B.jpeg583B4A3F-776A-44FF-93C3-F519F51A2CEE.jpegA20CB9BB-3CC5-4749-997D-6E52D244CF4B.jpegDE9C9D86-A621-4E37-9FEB-FE0895676673.jpegA08D21EE-BCF3-4ED4-9ECE-26A8AF900879.jpegD4DA4873-6D15-45F2-99A2-1306D66E0FDB.jpeg8AC9CD0E-6C90-4AEE-AB40-C9F14840935C.jpeg8948C05F-0911-44B5-8AEE-FC9CA21DF1FF.jpeg
 

AJC

Western Thunderer
Cor! Someone's been busy! My ex-LSWR effort has stalled through decorating demands (and the need to build something for it to sit on before I can start tracklaying). What's the fiddle yard arrangement there?

Adam
 

ullypug

Western Thunderer
Morning!
I’m sure you’ll find time sometime!
The FY was going to be the run round loop originally and the layout just the goods bit but I figured I’d make the whole thing scenic and take it from there, meaning the layout could be one of two halves if I put a dividing wall down the back of the platform
 

AJC

Western Thunderer
Howdo!

Sounds ingenious. I've built most of the turnouts (three will need making in situ - a pair of Ys and the lead from the loop to the industrial line as it's slightly curved). Saturday is booked for woodwork so watch this space...

Adam
 

ullypug

Western Thunderer
626855B4-5648-4DA4-B889-6A156826EB98.jpeg 458B1C86-E427-4BF0-9528-D1D9C7164C4C.jpeg A05E6C95-AA9A-4FBB-863B-34F8F9B17E4F.jpeg A1A9CFE0-3D5E-4D3A-8028-43AB90B1C784.jpeg 3DD200DB-4E4B-496C-A685-FC9A6EDA544F.jpeg 3695F30C-A4FB-4125-A882-592C245787EC.jpeg So I’m sitting in a cafe in Patterdale waiting for the rain to stop and realised I hadn’t updated this for a month. I’ve got the other end of the layout underway and just need a bit of a shove to get on with it. The plan was always to use rtr kits where possible so a footbridge, canopy and ticket office have been fashioned into something resembling something like an overbridge station. Need to get the paints out and colour all the stonework etc but we’re getting there. Cheddar has been relocated to where I’m now living so I should be able to restart work on that over the coming months.
 
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ullypug

Western Thunderer
Modelling has slowed somewhat of late due to other pressures on time. I have made a start painting some of the intended structures for the layout. As I've said previously, the plan is to use proprietary kits where possible for speed and to demonstrate what can be done with readily available items.
I'm using Vallejo acrylics and MiG washes for painting and I'm really impressed with both. Nothing earth shattering to write home about but a little progress is being made. And no, before anyone asks, the platform edges are just masked off while I paint the platform surfaces!
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steve50

Western Thunderer
Nice looking layout Andrew. Are the point switches attached to the front of the baseboard? I like the way you've done that, I've just built a layout and couldn't work out a way of doing it!
 

ullypug

Western Thunderer
Nice looking layout Andrew. Are the point switches attached to the front of the baseboard? I like the way you've done that, I've just built a layout and couldn't work out a way of doing it!
Hi Steve
yes, the turnouts are attached to switches which change the frog polarity. Runs in the 5mm foam which the track sits on.
 

ullypug

Western Thunderer
The layout finally has a name! I'd always intended to set somewhere in the Plymouth area. Maybe the prototype was part of a LSWR plan to take over a spur of the little known and undocumented PD&SWJR line which fed Royal William Yard? Who knows. I'm not sure I do either.
Anyway, the layout has had a bit of scenic work done today and various yard loads have been painted too. No, the grass isn't that vivid a green in reality.

The plan has always been to utilise RTR and readily available kits as well as the EMGS track work to show what can be done. It's also kept me sane this year which has been both challenging from a Covid and personal point of view. Hopefully 2021 will be better on both counts.

I really must think about some prototypical motive power next. First up will be a 1361 chassis for the Kernow Models GWR saddle tanks. There are others in the pipeline too including both the o-6-0 and 0-6-2 PD&SWJR Hawthorn Leslies.

I must finish off that brake van too. It's still very shiny and needs re-wheeling from P4 to EM.
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ullypug

Western Thunderer
So in a rare alignment of planets, stars, work and other more domestic arrangements I've actually had a couple of days at the modelling bench. Must be a holiday or something...

Stonehouse St James needs more motive power and what started out as an optimistic attempt at converting a DJM/Kernow 1361 GWR saddle tank has turned into a full kit build. The DJM tank is impossible to convert to EM. It's hard enough to get apart. No fault of the model, but the way it's been designed means a replacement chassis cannot be done.
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So having optimistically opened the CSP models chassis kit, I've actually taken it further and started building the kit which I had anyway. It's always been a favourite loco, ever since I saw Bob Haskins's one on his Cornwallis Yard layout. It'll look nice with a shunter's truck when it's done.

The origins of the body kit certainly are Peter K and I think the chassis is a shot down 7mm etch from Pete Stamper of Agenoria vintage. I've built one of these chassis before in P4 for a 1366 tank and they're really quite straightforward.

The chassis has been built with full springing via CSB's so an additional secti0n was cut out from the frames for the rear axle horn block. I decided to use EM frame spacers instead of those in the kit as they were too narrow. Hornblocks are High Level and wheels Alan Gibson. The gearbox comes with the kit and is a High Level Road Runner driving the rear axle.
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I had a bit of a disaster when one of the rods sheared at the half depth layer when I was enlarging the holes but thankful I had a universal rod set in the spares box from Alan Gibson so a new rod was made up without bother. Quartering was by eye viewing through the spoles and all is rolling well so far. I forgot to take a piccie of the chassis with the rods on but you'll just have to trust me on that one.
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The slide bars and cylinders bolt to the front of the chassis and can be removable.

The brake shoes and rods are removable using a spigot for the top hanger and pivoting about the rear shaft. Something I've copied from High Level kits.

The footplate is made up of a basis carcass with overlays for footplate top, buffer beams and valences.
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With just the coupling rods to fettle and connecting rods to add, I'm not far off a working chassis. Hopefully the body won't be too complicated but that's for another day.
 
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