Superpowered 009 - Locos and train sets

After another successful running session at the local 009 Society group, I managed to do some more load tests including the first 10 coach FR trains which is the absolute maximum that I intend to run. Here's the results:-

Earl of Merioneth - 10
David Lloyd George - 10
Rhur - 9
Mountaineer - 6
Ciccirth Castle - 6
Harlech Castle - 6
Blanche - 5
Palmerston - 3
Linda - 3

The only loco out of the FR Mainline locos that didn't run was Conway Castle simply because I forgot to take it.

I've also had a think about what I'm going to run as part of my standard sets for the longer trains.

FR 10 Car set - 123, 107, 119, 14, 110, 117, 112, 114, 105, 102
FR B set - 22, 107, 119, 14, 111
FR C set - 123, 110, 117, 112, 114, 105, 102

I've also resurrected the old idea to have a small WHR set although based on what the current locos will pull, I don't think it will end up being very small.....

WHR F Set - 23, 116, 108, 2021, 2045, 2040, 2090, 2011, 2115, 2100
WHR Short Set - 2021, 2045, 2040, 2090, 2115

The problem that then follows is what locos can be used to pull them. Conway Castle has been based on the WHR for a number of years as has Upnor Castle which is a potenial 3D printed project I'm working on. Caernovean Castle is another possible but a lack of suitable chassis is a sticking point. Ideally, a NGG16 or NG15 would be the ideal loco for the set but with only a NGG16 existing in kit form, it may end up being another 3D printing project to create a NG15 if a suitable chassis can be found.

Just need to start saving up to be able to afford them all now........

The return of Alco - The 3D revolution

As the title suggests, the latest kit to be finished has been of the Ffestiniog Railway's Alco Mountaineer. I had one a while ago but frustaited with the poor running, I got rid of it. After regreting it for a while now, I managed to get a unbuilt kit from the 009 Society along with a suitable chassis. The only problem being that the cab was the eariler 1960s-1980s design, not the current version I wanted. So i decieded to remove the top half of the cab and replace it with a custom 3D printed one which included the top of the Oil tank. Its safe to say that it worked as intended which I'm very happy with. The rest of the kit fell together nicely and after a gap of about 18 months, I've got a Mountaineer again. This time with a much better running Chassis.

Mountaineer in its Black Scheme



 Also after getting hold of some more paint, I've finished off the 2 3D printed coaches in the current FR paint scheme along with most of the Earl's Green scheme.

Coaches 110, 117 and 123 in the platform/run round loop with the Earl on Shed and Mountaineer in the Headshunt

The 3D printed pair together

The Earl of Merioneth in Green

Cheers for looking,

Jon

Old Square Tanks

Finally, after nearly 18 months of waiting for another manufactour to make one for me before giving up and doing it myself, I've finally recieved the final double fairlie to complete my trio of FR double engines. The Earl of Merioneth aka the Square. I'm absolutely delighted with how its come out and after a few shots in black undercoat, I've finally started work on transforming it into its current Green scheme.

I've also had 3 new coaches arrive today as well. Coaches 110 and 117 from Shapeways (117 is currently on bogies with couplings and is under test) along with the new Peco L&B composite coach. All 3 are lovely pieces of work and I'm definately looking forward to recieving the Peco L&B Brake coaches in due course.

Peco L&B Coach

Coach 110

Coach 117

Coaches 117 and 114 together

Cheers,

Jon

Haulage ratings

One of the joys being a member of the 009 society is the area groups. My local one, Sussex downs, has a huge test track which runs around the outside of the club room. Apart from the fact its a great aid for mastering control of the Group's layout Evalight, it also has the ability for use as one hell of a long run for 'stupidly' long trains as far as 009 is concerned.

With the arrival of Blanche, I decided to take her, DLG, Rhur and the little Gmeinder loco along to see just what they could pull using my main FR corridor coaches/Bowsiders (8 Corridor and 3 Bowsiders). Despite the fact that the layout seems to have wildly variable gradients, I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

Blanche managed to pull 5 around which a lot better when compared to Linda (limited to 4 to stop the motor falling out its cradle). I did try 7 but the loco just sat their spinning its wheels. Both DLG and Rhur managed 9 coach trains which was surprising considering that DLG wouldn't even move itself at home the night before. The little Gmeinder just about managed 3 which puts it in the same league as Palmerston except it wasn't trying to pull a wheelie when running in reverse....

Overall, not a bad set of performances although I await to see what the Square will do once it arrives from the 3D printers with the other two coaches to form a full 10 coach corridor set of FR stock.

Blaencwn Rolling Stock updates

Afternoon all,

Its about time I did some work on the 009 side of things again as it does seem like its been a while.

With the relative success of the 3D printed S stock, I've moved onto a selection of 009 coaches and loco bodies based on Ffestiniog Railway prototypes. Currently Coaches 110 and 117 along with a new cab for a GEM Mountaineer and the final Double Fairlie for my collection, the Earl of Merioneth.

The Earl of Merioneth in CAD form

Also, after EXPOng I've managed to get a second Penhyrn Lady to run alongside Linda. This time, Its Blanche and unlike Linda, is a great runner most of the time. The reason it's most of the time is due to the fact that it continually derails over the points in the run round loops.

Blanche

Like Linda, Blanche was brought second hand although this time from the 009 Society second hand stall unlike that famous auction site where Linda arrived from. Following on from what the FR did, I've repainted both Blanche and Linda into matching FR Paint schemes . I've also converted Linda back from a Oil burner to a Coal Burner something which I won't be doing for Blanche/DLG simply as they're how I remember seeing them..

A newly repainted Linda and Blanche side by side

 

Also at EXPOng, I brought a Minitrains Gmeinder diesel along with one of the limited edition bogie box vans to celibrate the 40th anniversairy of the 009 Society. Both are lovely items and great runners. At home, I finally have managed to build the remaining two 009 Society Hudson Coach kits to form a small deicated passenger set for Blaencwm. Both are painted in a similar style to the one on the WHHR which I personally like. I also repainted my VoR coach and VoR Brake van into a similar scheme to form a second set to run on the layout.

 

Gmeinder in the Loco headshunt with the small Passenger set sitting in the Platform

In the above shots, you might notice to big sheds that have appeared on the layout. Both are halfs of a GWR carriage shed kit by Ratio and is the same kit as the one used for Billington Road's Carriage shed. The two sheds are the result of moving the engine shed off Blaencwm to another layout and the fact that the other half of the layout looked very bare. Now, I feel it looks a lot better plus I have extra siding space to hold 3 trains on the layout (2 Passenger and 1 goods).

The Layout as a whole showing the two sheds along with the revised platfrom end showing the additional sidings

 

Hopefully, the next part of the Blaencwm work will involve designing and then rewiring the layout to give a load of isolating sections and optional power section switches. Hopefully it'll make the layout a lot more flexible to operate and possibly a good time to install point controls/motors.

Cheers,

Jon