Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae – Newport Model Railway Society

Week ending 14 July 2024

11 July 2024 / Bachmann, Hunslet, Pavilion End, Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae

Monday at the club had the usual tidying up theme. Inevitably lots of bits were thrown in my workbox at the end.

The only major problem with Pavilion End at the show was the failure of a point mechanism. Its position was too difficult for an immediate fix so the drive has been positioned to come from the rear of the layout instead from under the platform. The next steps are to connect a servo onto the other end, connect the drive, disguise the tube and reposition the ground signal.

On Tuesday Luke came with some lovely NG stock from Bachmann. The loco represents the Alice class from Dinorwic Quarry and the wagons are very good too.

We took the cliched opportunity to contrast two locos, both to 7mm scale – Dave’s 42xx and Luke’s Quarry Hunslet

Friday and a much better attendance than the usual four. There were 8 of us plus one visitor.

On Pavilion End the wire-in-tube drive has been connected up and hot glued in place. It curves around so that the servo can be close to its controlling circuit board to make plugging in easier. The turnout has been tested and all is satisfactory.

When he wasn’t installing point servos TAFKASTYS spent some time grinding away on the goods shed for T’yn y Coedcae blending in some new stonework. With 9 bodies present space was at a premium, so the corridor is being used to work out how to recycle ex-LMJ legs into supports for Luke’s shunting layout, advised by Wagonman.

Week ending 14 July 2024 Read More »

Week ending 16 June 2024

13 June 2024 / 2P, ABB, Goods Shed, S&D, The Bailey Arms, Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae

An all-clubroom week this week.

Not many model photos from Monday, despite a good attendance.

TAFKATYS has made some progress on the Goods Shed for Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae and it is seen here in situ. Don’t be misled by the cerise hue; it’s an effect of the light passing through the curtains during a rare spell of sunshine.

A review of period images of south Wales’ pubs, principally here showed that rendered pubs were generally painted a very pale colour, probably while with the lowest 3-4 foot being a dark colour, probably black. Hence the repainting we see here and the mock up of the finishing,

The regular reader will notice the name change, chose to reference the Abergavenny location and its association with Crawshay Bailey, Junior.

Mike E brought along a whitemetal kit for a Midland 2P – a typical S & D loco. it was something unearthed from a cupboard. You can see the date on the wonderful instructions. Mike claims probably bought it about 20 years ago.

On Tuesday Mr Chairman continued to battle with the 4MT. A new hole has been drilled in a more convenient spot for the wires and leaving space for the connecting plug and socket. (under the centre axle)

But bits keep coming adrift. The black locating tab by the rear axle came off and resisted both butanone and superglue. It’ll have to be araldite next.

By Friday the low level light black paint had been applied, but it’ll need to be toned down before we’re finished.

And the lean-to, which will eventually be at the other end of the terrace, gained corrugated-iron roof.

For the row of houses a start has been made on some of the details. The chip shop frontage has been put together and awaits priming.

The ‘fret’ to the right are the parts for doors and windows of a single house. The door is three layers and the windows two. The glazing will be two separate pieces attached to the back, and I haven’t worked out yet how to do an open window.

The wiring is nearly complete on the 4MT with a plug attached to the tender sub-chassis. Having done some fiddly soldering in there I was keen to give it a test run. I thought trying to get the last two wires in (from the tender pickups) was pushing my luck. The test was successful, it still runs smoothly.

Week ending 16 June 2024 Read More »

NEWGOG update

14 April 2024 / NEWGOG, Pavilion End, Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae

Pavilion End made its third appearance at NEWGOG but improved by additions to give more of a South Wales feel since its first outing. The coal train is headed by 4248, shedded at Ebbw Jct, the mixed freight is behind 666, and ex-ADR Victory tank, and the workman’s train now has three 4-wheeled coaches with real (or dubious) stories.

Ty’n-y-Coedcae was also at the show and also sported a Victory tank from an earlier era (and dubious colour). There is plenty of stock to make the yard look busy. What is stored in the fiddle yard is always of interest, particularly the Cambrian brake van – a very nice model.

*A little damage to the fiddle yard track was repaired quickly before the exhibition opened.*

*Since its last outing the halt has gained a lamp.*

*The two B&MR dropside wagons in the Engineering train are Luke’s first essays in Scaleseven.*

*TAFKATYS’s Cambrian stock looked and ran well*

And the surprise event of the day was the 1200 mm free-fall plummet.

The Ty’n-y-Coedcae entry was a Minerva Victory tank, which despite the fall, the most serious damage was this dent to one buffer. It says volumes for Minerva’s build quality.

NEWGOG update Read More »

Are you sitting comfortably . . .

10 April 2024 / autocoach, Dapol, Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae

Reports this week might well be minimal as layouts are prepared for the NEWGOG show on Saturday. And what is more typical of preparations than grovelling under the baseboard trying to find out why it’s not working properly. This was Tuesday and the drive to the point blades was eventually fixed by careful adjustment.

By the end of Wednesday the electromagnets for uncoupling were operational too.

Friday before the show and some last minute preparations. The GWR autocoach is without a bogie as it is being fitted with Scaleseven wheels. The other bogie has already been done but work has stopped on the second as one of the wheel bearings is missing. A search of the floor and clothing, by a couple of people found nothing. The bearing is a special shape so TAFKATYS started to bodge one out of brass tubing and a Dremel. On asking ‘Show me what the wheel looks like’ the missing bearing was revealed. The coach from Dapol is a cracking model.

Are you sitting comfortably . . . Read More »

First outing.

11 February 2024 / Monmouth, Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae

11 February saw Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae’s first exhibition at the Monmouth Rotary Club Exhibition.

Click the settings cog to pick the caption language. You may also view a similar video on YouTube here (mp4 file) or here (ogg file).

With a little help from my friends ..

Just in this view we have an ex-ADR loco and three wagons borrowed from Peter Drost, GBV and platelayers’ hut built and painted by MrC, backscene designed by Bernie, running-in board and chairs painted by Fred, old backscene removed by Paul 🏅, Andrew made the FPL cover.

So a bit more than just a little help!

A GWR Pontypridd to Newport service rattles through Rhyd-y-Gwern Halt.

First outing. Read More »

More Preparation

9 February 2024 / GBV, PBV, Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae

The NDR brake van is just about finished and ready for duty on Sunday at the Monmouth show.

*Luke’s suggestion of a private siding behind the wall looks good.*

With the goods shed not yet available a quick mock-up was made to block the view of exit to the fiddle yard.

Meanwhile Wagonman has started on a NE 6 wheel brake.

By the end of the evening the Goods Shed had acquired a rough coat of paint and a wooden FPL cover was fitted (Andrew N also made a hinged metal cover which will be fitted after the exhibition.

And Luke finished building and painting the layout nameboard.

Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae Lineside

5 February 2024 / control panel, Lineside, Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae

Andrew N turned up with a couple of items for Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae – a gradient post showing how the line climbs from the valley floor towards Caerphilly and a milepost in true B&MR style denoting 5 3/4 miles from Bassaleg.

Also from Andrew, but not photographed, were some components for the Facing Point Lock.

Elsewhere, out of shot, Rhobat continued with the yard crane and LBH wired up the west fiddle yard.

MrChairman worked on the cabling from the control panel to the Alex Jackson coupling magnets.

The relative simplicity here contrasts with panels 20 plus years ago when one could hear the phrase “knit me a control panel, Nellie” when work was in progress.

A bit more linesidary sprouted up on Tuesday, in the shape of a fixed lamp, that was installed at the halt to show drivers where the halt was in the hours of darkness.

Fred produced a running-in board for the halt, setting it off well.

Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae Lineside Read More »

Further brake van progress

3 February 2024 / GBV, Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae

The full brake gear can be seen with the pull rod running to the handbrake wheel. The folded up long footboards have had the brackets strengthened with wire, though if you look carefully some of the very delicate riveted fixings have broken off. After fixing they are quite strong though. there are short upper footboards too along with the hand brake column and safety loops which were bent up from wire as none were provided in the kit. with these components fitted the van is nearly ready for painting.

Further brake van progress Read More »

After the mess

31 January 2024 / cassettes, Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae

With the Evostik cleaned off the floor more of the cassettes could be assembled. At the front are three loco-sized ones, properly weighted down while the glue sets. The long cassette to the back only has one of the aluminium angles glued in so it can be left to set. It is much easier to check and guarantee the correct gauge over the 1.2 m length if both aluminium strips are not able to shift on the glue.