Monday 30 March 2020

NBR Waverley 2

I suppose everyone is feeling a bit restricted during the current corona virus epidemic but at least it gives us extra time for modelling!
I am currently building a 2mm layout based upon the NBR Waverley route and I am posting a few pictures which show progress so far.

As you can see there is still a lot to do. Please excuse the BR vans!

It is based loosely on Newcastleton but due to space constraints in my loft I have had to make so many compromises that I cannot call it Newcastleton. Instead I have used the name 'Copshawholm' which is the alternative name for this location. I am trying to create a winter scene but the picture for some reason shows a more garish green than it is in reality.


The locos are all scratch-built along with the NB bogie bolster wagon carrying timber which was a major traffic handled in the yard.

The layout is fed by a cassette based fiddle yard at each end so I can run through trains as well as pick up goods which can shunt the yard. DG couplings and electro-magnets allow hands free shunting (well most of the time!)

This one example of a non-stop passenger working. This one is south-bound, working wrong road.

This is the cattle dock. Not sure the vet's car is in period. The scene looks a bit bare at present.

There is nothing electronically sophisticated about this layout. The points and signals are worked mechanically from this home-built lever frame. I wanted to try to capture the feel of a signal box....
The switches visible in the picture control feeds to the various track sections.
Under-baseboard push rods and revolving shafts connect each lever to its corresponding point or signal. The signals are all scratch built lower quadrant lattice post types as used by the NBR.

Hope the above is of interest and I can post further updates.

Geoff




5 comments:

Mick S said...

Geoff, there's a fair amount of time gone into this - looks good so far. Can I ask what material you intend using for the ballast?

cheers
Mick S.

Geoff Hodson said...

Hi Mick,

Thank you. I always regard ballasting with some trepidation as I have seen many fine 2mm / N Gauge layouts (including my earlier efforts) spoilt by ballast that is too coarse. It really has to be very fine (almost dust-like) grains. I think the the commercial ballast sold for 2mm is too coarse.

I was thinking of using a mortar and pestle to grind down commercial ballast or alternatively visit a pet shop to see if anything they have is fine enough or that could be ground down easier than the granite chippings.
Do you or anyone have any suggestions?

Geoff

Mick S said...

Geoff,
On both Wansbeck Road and Callaton I have used silica sand which came from a foundry in Newcastle many years ago. It's pretty fine and I think aquarium sand is similar but if you want to get something closer to North Eastern ash ballast I would suggest Rayburn ash or the ash that's left after using briquettes on a BBQ. Always sieve them so you will finish up with a consistent finish. Trouble is, the finer you go, I find, the more difficult it is to 'deep ballast'.

I have also done some experiments in the siding on Callaton using artists water colour paper infilled between the Easitrac sleepers so replicate the smooth appearance of ash/muck ballast almost to the top of the sleepers. What I have is 0.46mm thick which when glued in with PVA and pressed in comes up to just below sleeper height. The identifying dimensions on my 'sketch pad' which is how you buy it are "140lbs 300GSM". I understand the GSM but have no idea what 140lbs means in the context of paper. Always go for water colour painting paper because it's designed not to swell up and deform.

I don't know if there's a decent picture of the siding anywhere but if it's not possible to find one in the 2mm Magazine I'll take one and post on the blog when I get a couple of minutes.

Hope this helps.
Mick

Geoff Hodson said...

Thank you Mick, much appreciated.
I thought of using paper or card between the sleepers but the size of my layout may make it a very tedious job! However I will investigate aquarium sand -I'll have to see if my local pet shop is open!
Next time we have a BBQ I will see if the ash is suitable - however I suspect it will float away when you apply watered down glue - we will see.

Kind Regards

Geoff Hodson

SK said...

Hi Geoff,

One material for fine ballast that I have heard recommended, and seen good results with, is Chinchilla dust. Also from pet shops...

Great progress and work so far.
I look forward to seeing it in person one day.


Best wishes,

Sam.