A Room with a View

Here are some more pictures of the cabin . I've added a little weathering by using some weathering powders and a figure from Monty's Models looking over the shunting as it happens in the Station . Here he is ready to move back into the cabin as required.

Pull the other one

Excuse the stupid title, but how else to compare two signal boxes ?  I've had some time to make a final push to finish my signal cabin for Lynton station recently.
Some time ago I also made an up front commitment to buy the then soon -to -be -released Kernow model of a Southern style signal cabin. At the time of making this up-front commitment I wasn't sure I was going to be capable of producing the signal cabin myself. I did think the Kernow model might make a decent close interpretation instead of a home build. Several months passed by and no sign of the  Kernow model ( delays in China?) so I set about building my own. As you can see in a previous thread, making my own cabin wasn't as difficult as I had envisaged .
Then arrives the Kernow model and the pictures below justify, I feel, in committing to making my own. They are quite different beasts and,as my own model is based on drawings from  " measured and Drawn " I think I'm pleased with the result. The inside has a lever frame, wooden floor and a clock. I've positioned the cabin on a simple diorama base enabling me to add this to my station model and remove as I wish.The final job will be some simple weathering . Anyway, for comparison, the two signal cabins side by side.

Inspirational Diorama

Unfortunately there has not been much time for much modelling lately although there has been some progress on the Lynton Signal box. I hope to write a report soon.
This weekend I had the pleasure to help with the Lynton and Barnstaple sales stand at the Southport model show. The Lynton sales stand is organised and maintained by Bob Barnard who is a very accomplished 4mm scale modeller of the line. It was a nice model of Caffyns by Bob that graced the back of the sales table. Here to share are some pictures of this nicely detailed accurate Diorama.

Taw and Yeo test train

As mentioned in the previous post  Yeo and Taw made the inaugural runs into the station. All went well.

The previous post had not allowed me to post picture of the event so here we are ...

Track Gang

As reported in the previous post some work was required on the track alignment into the fiddle yard. The track I had laid was re -used track. This had a join in the middle of the curve. So lessons learnt. This was causing the track gauge to widen. So a new piece of  Pritchards finest was laid and progress was made. I used Tracksetta 15 inch to just fit into the newly cut baseboards. As you can see,this means the track is right on the edge of the baseboard such that I will really need to build up the edge slightly when I landscape the hillside. This did give me some heart stopping moments when I ran Taw  light engine for the first time. However all was good. Next I ran Yeo with one , then two and then three Peco coaches . Phew again.... all good . Finally as a moment to savour, I drew Taw in and she ran very smoothly at very low speed and then drawing out of Lynton with a 2 coach train and into the fiddle yard. A big moment and all is well .

It's Taw right

Fresh back from Eastleigh ( Brian loves workshop) is Taw. Brian has listed the jobs he performed to get her back in shape as follows,
1- cleaned wheels
2- cleaned and adjusted the pick ups.
3- washed out the chassis with ISO  propyl Alcohol and as a result then re painted the chassis ( colour matched mixed paint).
4- Re - soldered on the return cranks.
5- checked and ran chassis.
6- fitted foot steps under the tanks.
7- refitted chimney ( again) - came off in the post. Return however was good !
8 - straightened and painted cab roof.
9- touched up nicks and scratches on the body.
10- fiited a crew ( Dart Castings )
11 - fitted side windows in cab and blackened the side windows .

So thank you Brian, fantastic job . I gave her a test run on the newly laid track. Now up to his point only my model of Russell had negotiated the newly laid track and all seemed well. With Taw however the longer wheel base pointed out some flaws. Not only the longer wheel base was a cause. I noticed that Taw had much larger pony wheels compared to the other backwoods models of Yeo and Exe. This was causing the pony wheels to hit the front plates. However I did think that realignment of the track could be a solution. So the next job will be to post the modifications made to the track. For now a picture of Taw " back in Steam" .

Progress is made

Further progress this weekend on the baseboards. The backscene at the goods shed end and some tidying up under the boards armed with spirit level , screwdriver and plenty of tea and coffee! It doesn't look as though much has progressed but several enjoyable hours spent aligning the boards and making sure all was robust. The next stage was to lay the final piece of track into the fiddle yard. It all looks a total mess at present around the track as I've taken apart so much of the original , but in my mind I can see the road ahead. The track  is all wired up again and all working. The steam sound is working and to show progress the works diesel enters the station ( well I realise no such engine ever existed in reality) . The works train draws into Lytnon with a stranger waiting in the bay. Yes I couldn't resist digging out my model of Russell as the new rebuild of the actual Russell has just been completed in Porthmadog. I can now move back to the road alignment at the front of the station and the hillside on the station exit to the fiddle yard. Lots to do ......but a great step forward. More to follow soon....