Additions to my Reference Library

While viewing St Merryn at Scaleforum with my partner and having discussions with a couple the SLAG guys the book below was purchased. Unfortunately for me I had to wait until Christmas Day to get my hands on it.


We have spent the last few days away visiting family but in quiet moments I've managed to skim read through most of the book, picking out a number of helpful tips in the process. I will need to read the book in more depth but it comes across as one that any budding P4 modeller (or possibly any modeller) should have in their collection. It is especially useful for myself due to the area in which St. Merryn is based covering many aspects that I need to consider: differences in track in the area; LSWR tiebars; Bachmann 45xx conversion to P4; Airfix 'B' Set conversion/detailing; Cornish hedges; layout lighting; and stock boxes being just a few. St. Merryn is a fine example of P4 modelling by an accomplished group of modellers and the book is written in a easy friendly style that should encourage rather than discourage. If it had gone into more detail it may have become a tome of information but unfriendly, certainly to the P4 newcomer. It is one book in my library that will not spend much time on the shelf.

The second book that Santa brought me was Colin Marsden's, 'The Diesel Shunter'.


This was a book that I discovered a couple of months ago while kicking my heels in Lincoln waiting for a new timing belt being fitted to my car. Apparently fitting the timing belt was a specialised job requiring special tools which non of my local garages had, so a trip to the main Peugeot dealer was arranged. I had to wait about 4 hours and while browsing W.H. Smiths I came across the above book. Having very little knowledge of anything relating to BR shunters, knowing I will need an 03 and an 08 for Tredethy Wharf, I immediately thought 'I need that one'. Unfortunately the dust jacket was damaged so, noting down the ISBN number, it was one destined for my Amazon Wish List. Then, when searching on Amazon, I realised that it was out of print...... second hand fetching a price far higher than its RRP. After mentioning this to my partner she came up trumps again by making a visit to W.H.Smiths to purchase the book, apparently getting a good discount in the bargain.

The little lady is a true treasure.

A barren few weeks

I recently had a gentle reminder that I haven't posted an entry for a while but the title of this post says it all really. To progress the layout I needed a few items from Squires and Exactoscale. There was some confusion with the Squires order, all down to me I hasten to add, which delayed me finding the items by a couple of weeks. Then I posted the Exactoscale order which took a respectable fortnight to arrive.

While waiting for the above orders to arrive a WWII war game was arranged. This awoke some interest in looking though my mass of unpainted lead and I was side tracked a little by a couple of gaming projects. First a building that had been languishing in a box for many a year. I slapped a little paint on it and after gaining a feeling of achievement, I then picked up a second building to complete. One thing led to another and before I knew it I'd also started and finished a German artillery unit. Wargaming has definitely taken a back seat during this last year and I was gradually loosing interest in picking anything up to paint or finish off. So it was good to get stuck into some old projects that had been hanging around for far too long. I think it has also helped to clear and refocus my mind on the railway project. As they say 'a change is as good as a rest'.

With a little bit of luck I'm back on track (pun intended). I'm definitely not on schedule as I had hoped to have finished laying the track during Christmas with wiring completed and something running. I have made a start on finishing the switch blades for the second point, and now the extra bits from Exactoscale have arrived, I can start on the final point. A little progress has also been made on the 7 plank wagon but not enough to shout about. I've also been looking at some Bill Bedford W irons to see where I've gone wrong in folding them, more of which later........

May I thank all who have read this blog during the last year and for the encouragement and comments left. I truly hope you all have a happy and memorable Christmas.

Track at Baseboard Joints (part 2)

A further report on method 3 from my previous posting......

Not sure if this has been done before but it is only a twist on the plywood and rivet method. At the baseboard edge, holes have been drilled through the plywood sleepers, and through the balsa underlay into the plywood track base. Then 20mm long panel pins have then been pushed and lightly tapped into place.

Panel pins in place

Pin heads were cleaned with a light rubbing of a file and then tinned with a little solder. The underneath of the rail was also cleaned with a file and tinned before soldering the two together. I still need to apply cosmetic chairs to cover the joints. My soldering technique has been a little dodgy of late but after a little demonstration the other evening from a P4 area group member (Gordon), I'm hopeful that these joints will hold.

The start of the next point with chairs and rail in place.

As can be seen from the above photo, I'm going to trial plastic chairs glued directly to plywood sleepers on the opposite side of the baseboard joint to this point. If these fail I can always revert to another method..............

Film Show

I was at Grimsby library today to peruse a photographic exhibition put on by North East Lincolnshire Photographic Society. There were some fine photographs on display all by local amateur photographers. While browsing some posters in the entrance to the library I noticed the following event that might be of interest to some locals in the North Lincolnshire area.

At Cleethorpe's Memorial Hall on Thursday 11th November there is a 'Grand Film Show' titled 'Railways Remembered - Along LNER Lines'. Starting time 7:30pm but cannot remember who is presenting the show nor the ticket price. I remember the poster stating that the film show has a special tribute to the GCR and something about Immingham Docks, possibly the opening ceremony in 1912.

I've searched the web to check my memory and found nothing about this event.......typical.... should have taken a photo of the poster.

Sorry about only having half the information.....hope the info is of use to someone.

Track at baseboard joints

On arriving home yesterday evening I had the surprise of finding a nice bulky envelope containing two Ultrascale wheel conversion packs. One for another Bachmann 8750 Pannier (to be 4694) and other for a Bachmann Class 08 Shunter. Better get my next order placed......... AND place my order for some 08 cranks that are being etched by my local P4 area group (Hi guys... could I have three sets please?).

As for progress on the layout............. my evening modelling time has again been difficult to find recently but track laying is progressing on the plank, all be it very slowly. One thing I've been struggling with is how to secure track at baseboard joints. I've been mulling over options and it looks like I'm going to trial at least three different methods.....

Method 1) At the joint at one end of the layout I'm trying C&L's Baseboard End Track Protectors. They look like they will work well but I'm a little concerned about the width of these protectors and the difficulty in disguising them. At the end I've chosen they are the perfect width for soldering the running rail and check rail to. This end they will also vanish under a covering of hard standing. I may be able to disguise them at the opposite end of the layout but at the middle joint I'm not sure how I can without extending the hard standing area across the baseboard joint.

C & L Baseboard end track Protectors (C1012)

Method 2) One suggestion that has been made by a member of my local P4 group is copperclad sleepers and brass chairs. At the moment I'm not that keen as, so far, no matter how hard I've tried I have not yet been able to paint a copperclad sleeper to match the wooden ones. I'm still going to give this method a trial on the layout though.

Brass chairs and copperclad sleeper

Method 3) I'm also thinking about hammering some panel pins into the plywood track sub-base through pre-drill wooden sleepers. Rail can then be soldered to the head of the pin and cosmetic chairs applied.

Pin and rail test solder

I'm now going to set myself up to be shot down in flames by all those who have much more experience than me. So here goes............

Method 4) With all the above said I still have a thought about using plastic chairs glued to wooden sleepers at baseboard joints. My theory is.....as the glue joint between chair and sleeper will be a weak point any damage should at least leave the sleeper and ballast intact. The above three methods would possibly stand rougher handling but any damage might be drastic. Not only would there be damage to rail and chairs but there might also be damage to sleepers, ballast and possibly the balsa underlay. With plastic chairs any damage should only require the rail and any damaged chairs removed then new rail and chairs installed. Hmmmm..... not sure if I'm brave enough to give this a try though................ I'll wait for the sound of those guns being fired..........

Hopefully with the longer evenings setting in I'll manage a few more hours each week and a few photos of my meagre progress.

NCR timetable time/distance graph

I've recently wangled a couple of lunch breaks and managed to create a time/distance graph for my North Cornwall line timetable. It's not complete as I still need to confirm workings to/from Mawgan Porth but it has thrown up a couple of anomalies.

The first anomaly was the Up 11:30 goods train passing the ACE between Launceston and Tower Hill. This must have been a problem created by using timetables from different periods. I've altered the timing of the goods slightly by shortening its stay at Launceston so that it reaches Tower Hill just before the ACE. Not sure if this is correct so if anyone has a 1961 goods timetable for the line please let me know.

The second anomaly was with the Down 7:15 Halwill departure which, when compared to other down trains, seemed to take too long to travel between Tower Hill and Launceston. I've double checked the 1961 timetable and the times are correct. My only assumption is that the timetable does not show the arrival time at Launceston it only shows the departure time. So I've altered this to have a 13 minute stop at Launceston, to drop off newspapers and parcels.

Neither of the anomalies have affected what I'm trying to do at Grogley Junction and the surrounding area but I like to try to get things as correct as possible with what information I can find (please note I did say 'try').


The thought of creating a time/distance graph had not occurred to me until Micky suggested it in a recent comment. Creating one has shown how valuable these graphs are to confirm timings for timetables. From now on I'll be trying to use one or more time/distance graphs while creating a timetable for the local workings around Grogley Junction.

On a different scale

I've just spent a interesting day helping a friend with his layout at a small show in Aylsham, Norwich. His usual partner in crime was otherwise engaged so I was drafted in to help.

His layout is called Winterschlef-Rhb and is based on the Engadine line in Switzerland. The scale is 1:45 (Continental O) with track gauge set at 22.5mm to represent Swiss metre-gauge track. All buildings are scratch built and are based on structures either on the line or in the vicinity.


Interestingly for me is that he has recently converted the layout from DC to DCC. I can see the potential for adding operational interest on layouts larger than my Tredethy Wharf. Also, the ease of use and extra features that DCC can bring ...... hmmmm .... it's not something I can justify the investment on at the moment but will definitely have to consider it in the future.

PS - I do apologise for the spelling and grammatical errors previously in this posting. My only excuse is that it had been a long day with a 5:15 alarm call!