Central Line

So, I hear you all ask, what's been happening on the Lakeland Railway since the last posting?

Well, whether you are asking or not, it has been quite a while since I gave an update and, as you can see from the photographs, quite a bit of progress has been made during the past few weeks.

In the first picture you will see that Manxton now has working lamps. The main station building also has lights but these are, currently, ordinary bulbs rather than LEDs and do not shine as brightly. This will doubtless be rectified in due course! 

The white area in front of the station is not snow but a layer of plaster to provide a smooth surface for the road and station car park.

The second picture shows the central area with a rough idea of the track layout marked in chalk. There is to be a new station here (the tenth one on the layout) although it is only partially shown here.

The long thing in the middle of the table is a hill that we made in the very early days of the layout and, because of its sentimental value, we would like to use all or some of it again to divide the new ballast depot, which will be to its right, from the station and its environs, to its left.

In the third picture you can see that the car park and road, in front of Manxton, have both now been painted while, in the fourth photograph, Class 53 'Falcon' takes a short test train across the first of the two removable crossings between the central section and the main line running around the side of the Shed.

The track over both crossings will be single, with a passing loop through the new station. This should make it operationally interesting as trains have to wait to enter the single line sections.

Now, you might ask why, then, is the bridge so wide? Well, this is because it is going to carry a road as well the railway to give vehicular access to both the ballast depot and the station.

The track across the bridge does have to rise very slightly (the reason for which will become clear in future postings. This made life a little awkward and the test train was more to check the continuity of the electrical supply and the smoothness of the track rather than the strength of the bridge. 

And, I am happy to report, the first crossing went very smoothly indeed.

Tree-mendous!

At the weekend we started planting trees along the embankment between the main line, running along the bottom, and the branch line, running along the top.

The trees are from a pack of Gaugemaster Seafoam Trees (GM195), which were duly treated with spray on glue and then sprinkled, dipped and coated with various shades of green scatter material.

The fencing, along either side of the branchline, is the faithful old Hornby Trackside Fencing (R537), of which we had plenty, with the bottom bar removed to make it a three-bar fence rather than a four.

More trees, bushes and undergrowth will be added during the next week or two to transform what was a plain embankment into a wooded landscape that will, almost, conceal the main line from view.

A Good Deal Better

This is Hornby's Art Deco style, Deal Signal Box (R9729) which we have used as the signal box for Davemoor Station. We chose this one because it was in-keeping with the Bachmann Art Deco station buildings used on the platforms and was smaller than Bachmann's version (44-064) so fitted better in the space that we had available.

The signal box is excellent but, as purchased, it is a bit of an empty shell. So, it has been duly weathered and fitted with interior detailing by Alex and now looks superb!

High Bridge Station

Time for an update on our progress at Anchwood Station and, as you can see, much has been done during the past few weeks. 
A prominent feature is the new bridge, which we had specially built and weathered by Alex of Mikron Models. This was the only way that we could see for passengers to exit the island platform, due to the cramped nature of its location. It is a steep old climb, that's for sure, and we are still trying to figure out how to allow access for disabled passengers!

A small waiting room which, like the canopies, is by Ratio (SS 78) has also been added to the station and this fits nicely beneath, and is somewhat dwarfed by, the steps of the bridge. According to the Ratio Catalogue, this Platform Building, as it is called, is based upon those at Clapham Junction.

Meanwhile, in the background, you will see the station has also acquired a tall signal box, complete with interior details, courtesy of Alex. This box is by Bachmann (44-172) and is, as described, nice and tall. This is both in-keeping with the bridge and, also, allows the signalman (although the signalman is actually a signalwoman in this instance) a good view down the line in both directions.

Below the station, we have also been working on the orchard and paddock area, beside the main line. The orchard now has an assortment of apple and plum trees while, in the paddock, there are a few sheep. We just need to add a rusty trailer or tractor beside the barn to give it interest and character and I think that this area will be pretty much complete.

The truncated line, emerging from the tunnel, will continue across a, yet-to-be-built, bridge to the table in the centre of the room and then rejoin the main line across another bridge, also to be built, at the other end of the table. 

Work on this area will begin in the spring now that construction work on the rest of the layout is complete, apart from the detailing.

Whistling While It Works!

Bachmann's Class 20 'D8158' in BR Green (32-033DS) is another recent addition to our loco fleet and it means that we now have two of these excellent Type 1 locomotives to call upon.

It comes with Bachmann's own sounds fitted but, as always, this is not good. The actual sound is much better than what was installed earlier, on the other Class 20 that we have, before we had it reblown at Howes. 

However, the number of functions provided is very limited. 

We are not sure if we will go with Howes again or try someone else when comes the time for a reblow. 

I have not heard what Olivias Trains Class 20 sounds are like but if they are as good as their Class 37 then maybe we should give them a try.

In the photo above, the whistler is trundling past Manxton with a rake of the ubiquitous BR 16T steel mineral wagons, all nicely weathered and carrying loads of real coal as well.

It is travelling 'wrong line' due to the Up line being closed for track maintenance - and also because it made for a better photograph! 

On the left of the picture can be seen the Shillingstone Signal Box by Bachmann (44-165) and above that is the branch line to Anchwood, seen in yesterday's posting.

Touch wood, Anchwood Is Good!

Finally, we have filled in the gap beneath the new station at Anchwood where BR meets the steam railway. 

We could not cover this gap until the lights had been wired and, although there will be one more light to fit at a later date, the wires for this can be accessed from the back, fairly easily!

This curved platform has caused us no end of problems but is now, finally, in place and ready to accept its first trains, once the track has been cleaned.

The canopy and small station building are by Ratio and have been suitably weathered by Alex at Mikron Models. 

The canopy also has lights fitted beneath the roof and these, together with the two lamps at either end of the platform, should provide ample lighting for passengers using this station.

The area between the double track main line and the single track loop, in the foreground, will be divided in to small fields or paddocks with one of them ear-marked to become an orchard.

The large hill behind the station is removable and conceals a double socket. This still has to be blended in a little more with trees and bushes added in due course.

Striking Viking

Bachmann's Class 37 37057 'Viking' (32-781DS) is another recent addition to our growing fleet of locomotives and is our second Class 37, to boot.

It came with Bachmann's own sound decoder installed but the Bachmann sounds were, quite frankly, awful so we sent it away to Olivias Trains of Sheffield to be reblown. 

In our opinion, Olivias have the best Class 37 sounds out there and, yes, are even better than Howes!

The loco was returned to us last week and is brilliant, it definitely sounds like a Tractor now! We will be uploading a video of it on YouTube in the very near future.

In the photograph above, it can be seen at the head of a rake of ventilated vans while, on the embankment above it, are some assorted wagons. These are being stored in the siding of the steam railway.

All of these wagons have been suitably weathered and, soon, it will be the turn of 'Viking' to be similarly treated.