The Club builds and operates layouts in a variety of scales.
Orchard Wharf – fleet of 15s
James has been busy with his ‘late period’ class 15s locomotives. They have all been converted to EM gauge conversion plus had new couplings fitting. DCC has been installed including stay alive just in case our trackwork isn’t quite up to scratch. And of course the slightly fiddly pack of detail parts added. Now he’s …read more.
Aug 28, 2022
Orchard Wharf’s Trackwork bubble working party
This piece of trackwork was under construction for an eternity — long, long before lockdown had been thought of — and it was finally attached to the baseboards during an all-too-brief working session in early October. It’s the crossover at the London end of the high level lines. The plain track for the running lines …read more.
Jan 3, 2021
Stayin’ Alive
A closer look at improving running reliability in DCC using capacitors A long-standing irritation in railway modelling is the tendency of powered model rail vehicles to stall owing to a momentary loss of electrical contact between wheel and rail. This is annoying in any circumstances, but is particularly problematic for sound fitted locomotives, exhibition layouts …read more.
Sep 5, 2020
Signalling Orchard Wharf – Updated
Here’s work in progress on a signal controlling the ramp track between the upper and lower levels of our new EM gauge layout “Orchard Wharf”. It’s my first attempt at a signal in brass. This signal is a MSE kit with a 20ft height. I have gone away from prototypical a couple of times for …read more.
May 1, 2020
A new test track – Home working for Orchard Wharf
Converting a lot of OO locos and rolling stock to EM gauge is the sort of job that is best done at home. I’ve had an EM gauge test track for some time, but it’s only a 5ft straight track. This is no good for checking, for example, clearances on curves and points, of which …read more.
Apr 25, 2020
Quintart Build – Part 2
The bodies all follow the same principle for construction and just to confuse things these pictures aren’t all of the same coach. A reminder, this is how they come: As well as sanding off the pips where the elements are joined in the printing, there was a small amount of filing of some window frames. …read more.
Apr 23, 2020
Converting a Hornby Class 101 to EM Gauge
I’ve already got a blue Class 101 DMU for Minories. which was re-wheeled several years ago. This is the equivalent model in green, which I bought at a price it was difficult to refuse as part of a batch of stock that looked a bit mucky, presumably after being left out for a long time …read more.
Apr 21, 2020
Quintart Build – Part 1
Our new club EM gauge layout “Orchard Wharf” is in need of some stock, and one of the items asked for the peak hour passenger service is a Gresley Quintart set. Why and what is a Quintart – because they are rakes of 5 coach bodies, with only 6 bogies with the coaches articulating and …read more.
Apr 19, 2020
Busy on the Wharf
Inspired by the sight of us slaving away to get Orchard Wharf fit to show to the expectant public at the London Festival of Railway Modelling (usually known around here simply as ‘Ally Pally’ — we all know the mega life event to which we refer), one of our EM colleagues suggested it was high …read more.
Jan 1, 2020
Orchard Wharf July 2019 update
It’s been a year since news of Orchard Wharf last appeared on here. While we were not updating the blog, we have been busy in the club. We’ve become a team of around half a dozen or so meeting regularly on Friday evenings. We designed and build transport storage boxes that double up as supports …read more.
Jul 30, 2019Orchard Wharf July 2018 update
In June Empire Mills was sold. Following its departure the space it occupied was cleared out and the baseboards for Orchard Wharf moved in. Thanks to the Lacey Dale team we now have a space for both groups to work in. NB look out for the writeup of Empire Mills in the August 2018 BRM …read more.
Jul 23, 2018Orchard Wharf May/June 2018 update
In the last month we’ve had several good meetings, including a ‘kick-off’ to refresh everyone’s acquaintance with the project, two meetings focused on aspects of the design, a site visit to Poplar, Canning Town and Silvertown, and a much-needed clearout of the space we need to start work on tracklaying and electrics. I would like …read more.
Jun 10, 2018