What’s at the ESNG show?

Posted on April 8, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

With just three days to go, and with a number of last minute changes to the line-up, here’s what there is to see on Saturday.  Despite the changes, I think it will be a good show!

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Layouts

N-Mod (x3)
From its inception in 1997, ESNG has adopted the N-Mod system whereby individual members are given freedom to design their own modules, generally 4ft by 2ft to their personal liking, subject to an agreed specification for the interconnections to the four track

We have three N-Mod layouts on display today. These are our own modules, and layouts from the West Sussex and from the Berkshire groups of the N Gauge Society. These three layouts show a wide variety of modules, showing just what can be done in this format.

 Bleak Moor – Neil Cocksedge (ESNG member)
Based on the Settle to Carlisle route, the layout shows the railway in the wild and bleak Pennine landscape. A wide variety of trains will pass by, so settle down for a bit of train spotting or just watch the trains go by.

Oakhurst – Ian Sparshott (ESNG Member)
Oakhurst is a terminus station on an a ficticious preserved line. The line is home to a fleet of both steam and heritage diesels, with the mainline connection at Newbridge adding further traffic from incoming railtours.

Earl’s Wood – Jon Bartlett (ESNG Member)
Earl’s Wood is a Lehigh Valley branch in the NE USA. It has a new fiddle yard since it’s last visit to the show. Operation may be sporadic, as Jon will also be doing the Exhibition manager’s job!

Dawes Creek – Dave Dawes
We’re pleased to catch Dawes Creek before retirement. Based on Victoria State Railways, ‘down-under’, the layout catches the undoubted character of Australian railways and scenery.

Kuritu – Ian Milroy
Kuritu is unusual in three ways. It’s Japanese, it’s an inter-urban railway, and it has been designed to be viewed from both sides. A simple design, but it just ‘oozes’ Japan.

Kato Racetrack – Paul Rowlett (ESNG Member)
Paul is an avid collector of high-speed and bullet trains. So we’ve given him some space to show them off! Paul is also populating ‘Eric the Roundhouse’ on our N-mod layout this year, with Japanese locomotives.

Trade

BH Enterprises
BH Enterprises are a manufacturer and supplier of an extensive range of quality brass, whitemetal and plastic N Gauge model railway kits, scenic items and accessories suitable for modern image and steam era layouts.
Internet: www.bhenterprises.freeserve.co.uk
email: bhengauge@googlemail.com
Tel: 01923 672809 (calls after 7.00pm only please)

Invicta Model Rail
We are pleased to welcome Invicta Model Rail, Kent’s newest model railway specialist. Visit their shop beside Sidcup Station, for a personal in-store service. They also offer a world wide mail order service.
Internet: http://www.invictamodelrail.com/
email: invictamodelrail@btconnect.com
Tel: 0208 302 7774

 NscaleCH – John Brightwell
NscaleCH offers a range of new and previously-owned items of Continental outline, especially for the Swiss enthusiast.
Website: www.nscalech.co.uk
email: enquiries@nscalech.co.uk
Telephone: 01732 460387

WINCO
And a welcome too, for WINCO, well known on the exhibition circuit, and who have imported and retailed European model railways since 1988.
Internet: http://www.winco.uk.com/
Tel: 0196 286 9301

JB’s Model World
JB’s Model World specialise in storage boxes for model railway stock. I’m told that you will get their products cheaper than from Ebay!

Neil Grace
Neil is established on Ebay, and is trying his hand at a ‘live’ show, offering a mixture of military and railway models.

Second hand sales
For a pre-loved bargain we have two second hand sales stands – our own club shop, and Ray Hansen’s stand, with all sorts of items for sale.

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Bullet trains for India?

Posted on April 7, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

India’s train system is a remarkable piece of engineering, with some 71,000 physical miles of track, 41,000 miles of network and 7,172 stations – a colossus which carries 23 million passengers each day and 8.4 billion every year.  All at soil-scraping prices which keep its carriages within financial reach of much of the population. It is India’s veins, arteries and capillaries – and many of its vital organs too.  But it can’t exactly be described as ‘fast’.

This is my, completely unfair, image of modern Indian railways…..

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This might indeed be unfair, as this streamlined DMU looks as up-market as anything in the UK.  Pity about the windscreen wiper though.

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However, this could change.  There are reports that India is considering a bullet train system based on the Japanese model.  The Daily Telegraph reported that:

India is gently shuffling towards a radical rail overhaul. A feasibility study (involving Japanese expertise) is underway. And while a series of what Modi has referred to as “Diamond Quadrilateral” lines would take decades to complete, there are plans for a halfway-house “semi-high-speed” service which would be a huge improvement on the status quo. Last July, an experimental version of this compromise covered the 140 miles between New Delhi and Agra at 100mph. And there is tentative chatter about forging such a connection between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Delhi which would see trains manage the 923-mile odyssey in nine hours. The current time for this route, using the existing infrastructure, is closer to 36 hours. On average, Indian trains “move” at around 31mph…..

However, it is enormously antiquated – a very literal legacy of the Raj era in that much of it was laid down while India was under British control. Only 6,000 of those 40,000 miles of network have been built since independence in 1947. The other 85 per cent of the system is rather older.

Such an upgrade would be a gigantic task.  However, I suspect the engineering and indeed the finance is the least of it.  Google around the subject, I found that the Mumbai Mirror reported that…..

India’s first bullet train project planned between Mumbai and Ahmedabad has already been shown the red signal. The project that was planned to start from Bandra-Kurla Complex run parallel to the Western Railway all the way to Ahmedabad will face problems as the MMRDA has refused to part with its land at Bandra-Kurla Complex.”We have indeed written to the railways informing them that we will not be able to part with our land at Bandra Kurla Complex. The railways should look for some other alignment,” MMRDA’s joint project director Dilip Kawathkar said.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad project is on the priority list of the Modi government and has been projected as India’s first bullet train project….

Railway officials said that the project already has a back-up plan, but the issue will be discussed at the highest levels before taking a final decision as this is one of government’s flagship projects.

The UK has had enough strife getting CrossRail, through London off, or rather under, the ground.  The HST2 link to the north probably depends on the result of the coming election.  However, India has refined red tape to an art form even beyond the UK.  I wish them luck with their bullet train!

Still, Paul will be relieved – he’d have to buy a whole load more bullet train models…..

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Jon’s modules – ‘Earl’s Wood’ progress

Posted on April 5, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Progress on Earl’s Wood continues, aided by a week off work.  The photos below show the exit from the layout with scenery and ballast complete (apart from a hoover to pick up any odd debris).  The trees hide the exit well, and even the odd end to the viaduct is not obvious from most viewing angles.

There’s a little wiring to do under the board, and that point motor to fix in place, and then I have to put a fiddle yard together.  At least the layout will get to the show as a static exhibit – though it would be quite possible to use it as it is without storage to just shunt the three sidings.  This may be a good option, as I won’t have much time to operate as well as playing as Exhibition Manager.  I could just retreat and use the layout as my ‘worry beads.’

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ESNG meeting – 2 April 2015

Posted on April 3, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Last meeting before the show!  And a good turnout, with 11 people at the meet.  We obviously all preferred running trains to watching politicians go head-to-head on television – what a no-brainer.  Had the Hon. Treasurer had stayed in to watch the debate?  Then we remembered that he was on holiday in Norfolk, spending the show profits before the event!

A good selection of trains were on display.  I ran my new Farish 4F 0-6-0, and it ran like a watch out of the box.  I understand that it runs on more or less the same chassis as the Jinty tank engine, as the LMS used a standard wheelbase for these two locos.  I had a very nice rake running, with the 4F, three Farish crimson BR suburban coaches and the N Gauge society inspection saloon.

Derek was running a pair of Class 73 electro-diesels heading up some modern ballast wagons.  Perhaps the train needed a couple more wagons, but it was a neat consist.

This clip is just like real trainspotting – four trains pass in quick succession.  All different eras and from three countries, but it’s fun to see them go through.  Pity about Derek’s hand, that appeared to recouple a couple of coaches.  And that train of his has no colour sense – an orange and yellow Colas Rail 57 followed by a train of ‘Barbie’ livery purple and pink coaches.  Even the Great Western would be preferable to this!

Paul was breaking no records for long goods trains tonight, as we only had a small circuit set up.  Even so, this train of oil tankers looked long enough!

Talk turned to the show.  It’s looking OK at this stage, although I have the usual Exhibition Manager fears – will anyone actually turn up?  Final instructions have been issued, the rooms are planned, the exhibition guide is off to be printed.  All we need is a queue of punters at the door – on the 11th!

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Book review – “The ‘Booster Locos’ CC1/CC2/CC3”

Posted on April 1, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Apart from a few trees, my only purchase at Alexandra Palace was the ‘Southern Way Special Edition No 11’, on the early Southern Railway electrics, CC1, CC2 and CC3.  I can recommend this book as an excellent read, and especially interesting was the driver’s comments, and the ‘political’ history.  Bullied built CC1 in 1941, during the war, and if it wasn’t for the hostilities, there would have been more of this class of locos to displace steam on both steam and goods workings.  Perhaps the end of steam would have been a lot earlier than 1968, and we would have missed out on steam’s Indian Summer with Bullied Pacific’s hauling expresses out of Waterloo. These slab-sided locomotives are one of my favourites.  Trips up to Victoria from Petts Wood as a teenager would all too quickly pass Stewart’s Lane depot, just outside Victoria.  And if one was lucky, one of these locos was visible.  They were still being used on the Newhaven boat trains, but I think I only ever saw one out on the mainline.  They even survived to carry BR blue livery and whole yellow ends – and were the REAL Class 70’s – not one of these new fangled engines! The photograph below shows CC2, renumbered 200o2 in British Railway days in very neat plain green livery.  Third rail collector shoes and the pantograph for use in sidings are clearly visible.

EPSON scanner image

“Eastleigh Works geograph-2383942-by-Ben-Brooksbank” by Ben Brooksbank. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eastleigh_Works_geograph-2383942-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg#/media/File:Eastleigh_Works_geograph-2383942-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg

The third loco, CC3 / 20003 differed in having a square end to the roof, rather than the more complex curves of the first two locomotives.  Easier to model, despite the complex curves of the roof profile.  This earlier picture shows the marker lights still in place, and no headcode box fitted.

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20003 – Photo Steve Roffey collection

This last photograph, take at South Croydon, shows CC3 in the early BR black livery, hauling a long rake of Bullied coaches in plum and custard (or carmine and cream) livery.  A tempting N gauge model, with the coaches provided by Farish.  Both BH Enterprises and Worsley Works do bodies for the locomotive.  Add it to my endless list of models to be built ‘one day’.

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20003 – photo Mike Morant collection

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London Festival of Railway Modelling 2015

Posted on March 30, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

My usual companions couldn’t make this year’s trip to Alexandra Palace for the London Festival of Railway Modelling, so I was undecided whether to go.  But Derek said that if two of us were going, it was worth him driving, so I agreed to go.  I could doze in a car rather than battle London’s railway system. It was an easy drive up there, despite the sat-nav (me) going to sleep and missing a turning, so we circumnavigated Alexandra Park before getting to the show.  Car parking was very well organised, but no-one told us the you needed a team of Sherpa’s to get from the Paddock car park to the Palace.  At least two aging gentlemen got their cardiovascular exercise for at least the coming week! A good range of layouts was on display, from ‘Z’ to Gauge 3.  Not a lot that stood out, though.  Copenhagen Fields is always worth a view, but little progress seems to have been made recently on the ‘bare’ bits.  I did enjoy ‘Star Lane’.  This is just a layout to watch the trains go by, with a looped-8 layout.  It can be viewed from four sides and the storage sidings lie inside of the visible layout.  Best of all, it is Southern Electric, and based on the Star Lane overpass just up the road from us in Hooley.  I have seen a similar concept for a single track USA layout, and it always seems to work.  There was a nice group of 3mm scale layouts, and one of overseas layouts, included a couple of American ones.  Sometimes it’s so hard to find the layouts amongst all the trade stands. The trade were there in force.  Nothing new on the Bachmann and Dapol stands, but some of the forthcoming Bachmann Farish items, like the Merchant Navy 4-6-2, the SR bogie utility van, and the Southern N class 2-6-0 all look excellent.  The N class and a re-run of the Jinty are booked for a boat from China in June/July, so we’ll look forward to them.  There were the usual interesting selection of specialist traders, with ‘bits and pieces’.  I came away with a book and some trees for Earl’s Wood.  Derek spent rather more…. Overall, a good day out, but as ever with this show, it all seemed not quite as good as I expected.  Perhaps I have seen too many of these layouts before, either in concept or in the flesh?  It’s good to have a few layouts that are ‘different’ in some way.

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Copenhagen Fields (photo Craig Tiley)

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This would make a good model!

Posted on March 28, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

This has great potential as a set piece on a preservation-era layout.  I can imagine a locomotive, broken trailer, police cars in attendance, and the curious Great British Public looking on.  And a good way of using up a non-working (or any GWR) loco.

A 65-tonne steam train caused traffic chaos when the lorry transporting it collapsed under its weight and broke the road.

The 95-year-old locomotive was being carried from the Swanage heritage railway, in Dorset, to a steam gala to be hosted by the West Somerset Railway in Taunton.
The low-loader truck had only gone two miles when it buckled under the weight of the former Great Western Railway tank engine.

For more, see here.

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At least you can’t see the details in ‘N’….

Posted on March 26, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

The Daily Telegraph has come up with this gem of a headline:

“Model railways showed an idealised England until ‘sexy scenes’ came along – Forget housewives in headscarves or children waving from the road, the latest figures from Buffers Model Railway will shock you “

It bemoans how idyllic scenes of rural Britain with bucolic yokels leaning on the farm gate have been replaced by……  SEX:

I’d always considered the world of model railways to be the last surviving example of a rose-tinted Britain that no longer exists. Enthusiasts of this quaint and captivating hobby invariably seem to use 1950 as their cultural template when designing their layouts.

But now you can add nudists (and more) to the layout.

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Of course they’re actually a bit out of date, as the Continental manufacturers have been making such items for a number of years.  And frankly they’re a bit of a waste of time in ‘N’ gauge, as realistic anatomical details are too small to notice!  But the article is also an exercise in missing the point.  It concludes:

So will this be the start of a revolution in model railwaying? Will the idealised world of Betjeman give way to a warts-and-all depiction of modern Britain in all its glory? If so, why stop at sex? There’s so much more you could add if you really want to give your layout that extra touch of verisimilitude.

How about miniature fly-tippers dumping stained mattresses by the side of the track; wind turbines and fracking machines surrounded by tiny protesters; badger cullers and hunt saboteurs? Why not go the whole hog and simply cover your green and pleasant landscape with a vast industrial estate complete with out of town superstore and parking for 3,000 Matchbox cars?

Hang on guys.  Some of the best model railways I have seen don’t have a blade of grass (except perhaps between the tracks) and are covered in grimy industry.  The USA are experts in such things.  Even here in the UK, ‘Minories’ is a far more interesting layout than ‘Ashburton’.

I hope they don’t do a parallel article on ‘violence’.  I am old enough to remember the Triang rocket wagon, that was armed with a nasty spring loaded rocket…..

And while we are being excessively tasteful, I was amused by this news item…

England’s first bio-bus (but nobody will call it that) will hit the streets this month, operating four days a week on Service 2 (yes, really). If the route proves a success, the company will consider introducing more buses. Sewage will be turned into biomethane gas, which powers the vehicle. I believe it can also run on political campaign promises.

Once a designer of sewage works, always a designer of sewage works, I suppose!

 

 

 

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Jon’s modules – ‘Earl’s Wood’ returns

Posted on March 24, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Over the past couple of months I should have been getting my modules into a viewable condition for the show.  But work and life in general has conspired against me.  And more to the point, I was having a general lack of enthusiasm.

Perhaps I have been a little slow to apply the best modelling advice – if you are stuck with one project, go and do something else.  Well, I did that after a fashion, sorting out my old trains, and also with my wallet, building up my collection of UK stock.  I looked again at my little ‘Earl’s Wood’ layout.  A 4′ through station, then terminus, I nearly scrapped it, but didn’t have the heart, is it still looks good.  Its problem has been the fiddle yard, that lies behind the layout under the viaduct.  I’ve had 3 fiddle yards back there, and none of them have been very successful.  Partly because the layout stands up against a wall, at home or to exhibit, and the fiddle yard isn’t accessible.

So I’ve done what I should have done a while back, and punched a hole into the outside world at one end of the layout.  I was delighted to find that the PECO curved point that turned away under the viaduct could be simply replaced by a PECO large radius point.  I also bought some new strip lights to illuminate the scene.

Progress after a couple of days is shown below.  The new track bed and the filling to repair the scenery have been added.  The new exit and the non-sequitur with the viaduct will be hidden by vegetation and trees on the bank to the right.  It shouldn’t be too visible from normal viewing angles.  Next jobs are to paint out the new bits, put some scenery on the old main line, and then lay the track.  The same point motor can be used, just moved a inch or so.  And two wires are needed for power.  The challenge will come with the fiddle yard design.  Do I use points, the cassettes left over from a previous try, or build a new train turntable?  I’m not sure at the moment!

I have to admit, I’m enjoying this rebuild.  Earl’s Wood may just reappear at the ESNG show to fill a corner, as I will probably be too busy to operate it.

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New trains for old

Posted on March 22, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

The HST125 must be one of the railway design greats.  But their 40 year reign as an iconic sight on British tracks is coming to an end.  The BBC reports:

A new Japanese train is arriving on British shores today to replace the much loved InterCity 125. Will people take it to their hearts in the way they did its veteran predecessor?

Pendolino probably, perhaps a Javelin, possibly even a Voyager. Not many modern trains are household names in the manner of a Rocket or a Mallard.

A new train is arriving from Japan with big shoes to fill. An early prototype Hitachi Class 800 Super Express will be unloaded at Southampton docks as a first step to replacing the familiar InterCity 125.

Over the next 30 years, 122 of these high tech trains will be assembled at a new plant in County Durham. All will be electric and almost half will be able to switch between running on overhead wires or – where a line has not been electrified – as diesels.

The first trains will run on the Great Western main line from 2017 and the East Coast main line from 2018.

Rail writer Christian Wolmar says the new Hitachi will become the standard UK train over the coming decades. “It is due to become the 747 of the railways.”

IN…..

The Hitachi 800 training carriage is lifted off a boat

OUT….

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Read the full article on the BBC here.

(I suggest the first one should be named, ‘Jeremy Clarkson’, perhaps followed by, ‘The Stig’.)

And more from the BBC on Chinese ideas for hyper-speed trains.  There really must be a rail fan on the editorial staff somewhere!

UPDATE.  Thanks to Glenn for pointing out that XPT’s (or HST’s in disguise) are still running in New South Wales.  Looking  at Wikipedia, these units are a little different from their UK cousins:

The High Speed Train design was significantly modified with the power cars being 50 cm (19.7 in) shorter, the Paxman Valenta engine down rated from 2,250 to 2,000 bhp (1,680 to 1,490 kW), gearing lowered for a top operating speed of 160 km/h (99 mph), suspension modified to operate on inferior track and air filters and the cooling system modified to cater for hotter and dustier Australian conditions. A different light cluster was fitted along with three high beam spotlights mounted to the roof. The passenger trailers cars were based on a Budd design, rather than the British Rail Mark 3 trailers, which were considered unsuitable.

CountryLink_XPT_2007 CountryLink_XPT_2018_at_Junee_01

And a little PS for Paul.  Bet you don’t get these on the greens in Selsdon?  Working in Florida may have the occasional downside!  Brings new meaning to ‘lost balls’?

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