Georgeham operational and DCC headaches

First operational train through Georgeham

Over the last 24 hours I have had some time to devote to getting Georgeham operational. An additional incentive was I managed to get down to Taw Valley models to pick up my fixed Bachmann DCC sound class 25/3, which had a faulty sound chip from new. And I was also going to use my new NCE powercab to power the test track/micro layout, so this would be the first test of this controller, and hopefully a step into a bigger DCC world.


The coach lights are on....we have power!

I spent the day gluing down the track and soldering up the powerbus. I re-read the powercab manual last night and took all bits out of the box, only to find I was missing the leads to connect the power to the track. So first task of testing out/learning to use my new NCE DCC system was a fail. How annoying, I am going to have to wait to next week to get this one sorted out now.

So instead I wired up my EZ DCC controller and everything worked first time, testing the layout with my class 33/2. Excitedly, I put my class 25/3 on to test the sound functions. Alas, even after a trip back to Barwell for repair, the sound functions are still not fixed. Gutted - another trip down to Taw Valley Models this week to return the locomotive again!! How annoying. Taw Valley Models are excellent and I am going to ask for a straight replacement for this locomotive this time. The fixing of this locomotive obviously has not worked and something is seriously wrong with the chip. Some of the sound functions simply just do not work.

Hopefully, all this issues will be resolved this week. I plan to get the track painted and ballasted this week and am about to start work on building the platform this evening. The backscene was given its first coat today, hopefully I will a second coat on it tomorrow as well.

Weathered VAA van and a class 31

Weathered VAA wagon

Tonight I managed to finish off a VAA wagon. The wagon has had three link couplings added and has been weathered. The rivet seams along the van body have been picked out in track dirt and rust, before a general weathering of the body and chassis. It has all been done with life colour acrylic paints and sealed with acclad varnish. I am pretty happy with this effort, I think it looks the part!! Another small wagon for running on the upcoming Georgeham layout.



The photographs were taken on the scenic section of Georgeham. This is just a plain baseboard, with a fibreboard back scene. This has a gloss surface and with the light shining from behind the camera, makes the photographs look pretty poor, with a distinct orange hue. It makes me realise that a good scenic section is essential for being able to photograph rolling stock. I am not entirely sure why though, possibly the ability to absorb light and also provide a scaled context.

Following a theme from an earlier post this year, I have recently got a weathered BR blue Class 31. Looking at the photographs I am not sure what to do about this weathered finish. Should I strip down the whole model and start the paint job again or try to blend in this factory weathering? As it stands the weathering is monotone and not particularly effective. I think in the first instance I am going to attempt to blend it in. A filthy BR blue class 31 is the order of the day, as some of the examples were in the early 1980's running passenger services into Barnstaple. This is the plan anyway.....


Hornby class 31 with weathered factory finish


Another view of the factory finish

Georgehamm DCC programming track

The senic section of the programming track. The 'layout' is a single track section

This week I had big plans for progressing on my DCC programming test track. Although forward movement was made, it was not as far as I hoped. My son and I did manage to get up the backscene over the weekend and decide on the track plan.....plan is probably to grand a term!! The layout will have a single line passing a small platform and derelict signal box. The scenic section has two heights, a lower floodplain and the slightly higher railway line, like the lines following the Caen and Taw floodplains in Devon. This line will be the main track with a 6ft running length. Behind the scenes is a 2ft programming track. Then on either side of the scenic section is a two foot fiddle yard, each with two sidings. This layout will allow me to start programming decoders with my new NCE powercab DCC system, which since being purchased has languished in a box under my Amberleigh layout. This is all exciting to me and I hope to get the layout back scene painted, track laid, painted and wired this week or so. Fingers crossed progress will be rapid....!!!

Class 33 signed off and a new non shunting micro layout

Tweaked class 33/2

I have had an absolute brilliant weekend. Not a lot of time for modelling, but I really can't grumble, having had an epic bike ride to Exeter amongst other things. However, my modelling time has been limited all week, and my layout modelling has not progressed as I had hoped. I have finished the class 33/2 off and this is now fully functional and has been running on Amberleigh.


The solebars were toned down a little with some weathered black

However, earlier today Amberleigh was packed away indefinitely (for the second time!!). This was the first test track for my EZ dcc controller and my first layout. This is due to be super seeded by Pottington Quay. However, although a curved back scene has been added and painted to Pottington, little other progress has been made.....


The curved back scene on Pottington Quay

So this weekend I thought I would make a little 2ft scenic plinth. I have just purchased a static grass applicator, so I thought that a little scenic plinth would be a good test of this, and provide some impetus for getting on with Pottington Quay. However, at the same time, I also need a test track for programming decoders with my new NCE powercab controller. So I have combined these aspirations to produce a through running DCC micro layout.

The entire layout has a length of 6ft 4 inches, built on a single baseboard. There are two 2ft fiddle yards at either end and a scenic running length of 2ft 6 inches. The scenic section is c. 18 inches wide. The aim of this little layout can be summarised as:

a) A dcc programming test track
b) A through running DCC layout
c) Something small and quickly achievable
d) A chance to scratchbuild a new station
e) Somewhere to run a growing collections of DMU's
f) A 'pointless layout'

This morning I got keen and the main part of the layout baseboard was constructed. I will finish building this tomorrow night, and hopefully make some serious progres on this over the week. This will mean it is ready for my son coming next weekend, so we can do the scenery together - fingers crossed. This means there are now two layouts end to end in the modelling room, waiting for detailing, amongst a hundred other projects!!

Class 33/2 weathered (almost) and ready to go

New driver added


33211 at Amberleigh at night

Tonight I finally got the class 33/2 back together. It was quite a slow process of putting all the bits back in place. The cabs controls were painted and a driver inserted. The solebars were stuck back on and the chassis and the cabs reinserted to the body. Finally I put it all back together and had a look at it. Taking some photographs of a model really help to identify areas that you are happy/not happy with.


The new footsteps added


An atmospheric night scene with 33211

Well this one I am 95% happy with. The solebars have come out too light. I had a little issue with the airbrush whilst painting them and the varnish is a bit too gloss, so tomorrow I am going to re-spray the solebars with some matt black and tone them down a little. The steps need another coat of paint also. There is also a little bit of light bleed in the cab somehow - I am not sure how. But I will sort this out too. None of these jobs are major and all should be ready after an hour or so.


Profile of the body weathering


Another shot of the new footsteps

I am pretty pleased with this one. It is definitely my best effort so far. In my minds eye the weathered finish was heavier, but putting it back together it seems relatively moderate. This is fine and I think it is turned out well. I have put up quite a few photographs of it - I hope you enjoy them....


Note the weathered windscreens


Elevated view showing the weathered black on the roof

Class 33/2 nearing completion....

The body shell almost finished. Further weathering of the roof is required this evening to disguise a couple of paint flaws

I have been 'working hard' recently on the detailing of a BR blue class 33/2. This project is one of several class 33's I want to get detailed for my forthcoming layouts. The last post I wrote described a gradual improvement in my locomotive weathering abilities. This post is in a similar vein, hopefully taking further steps to a more realistic weathered finish.


The end of the 33 after weathering

The next class 33 I do is going to have DCC sound fitted, so this has been a test bed for a more elaborate upcoming project. A little bit of cosmetic surgery was undertaken on the solebars, removing the original cab steps and replacing with the PH designs ones. These footsteps are etched brass and a four stage construction. They are fiddly and mine are not perfect. I glued mine together with superglue, being too much of a chicken to solder them up (I don't consider my soldering skills to be anywhere good enough!!). The end results look pretty good. I superglued the steps to the solebars, primed and weathered. The details were also fitted to the ends of the locomotive and the locomotive was weathered separately to the body and the solebars.


The replacment foot steps, in place prior to gluing

The body has been weathered using multiple vertical passes of frame dirt, sleeper grime, weathered black, track dirt and roof dirt. I reckon over ten coats have been applied. I had varnished the body yesterday, but then found a couple of imperfections on the roof, so this will require some remedial work and another varnishing. The one task still to do is add the glazing masks on the front windscreens and weather these. I very frustrating broke one of the windows when I removed it, so I need to cannibalise this from another of my class 33's. Fingers crossed, I will finish this project tonight/tomorrow night, and then I will put up a post of the finished product.


The finished weathered solebars