Mostyn at Cardiff Exhibition 20th-21st August 2022

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Richard Oldfield
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Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2021 7:46 pm

Mostyn at Cardiff Exhibition 20th-21st August 2022

Postby Richard Oldfield » Thu May 26, 2022 3:58 pm

Hi,

We are delighted that Mostyn's first post-lockdown exhibition will also be its first ever appearance in Wales when the big blue beast heads to the new venue for Cardiff Model Railway exhibition - see https://www.cardiffmodelrailwayshow.co.uk/ for more details.

The lockdowns (and consequent loss of exhibitions) mean that there is a record number of new items expected to step into the limelight at Cardiff and the fiddle yards should be bursting with nearly 800 vehicles.

The team is all somewhat more knackered than when Mostyn first burst onto the exhibition circuit in 2002, and it is clear that the challenge of keeping such a large P4 layout in tip-top condition is getting harder but, as long as 7 tonne hire trucks are available, we plan to be out there entertaining exhibition visitors and having fun.

Cheers,

Richard
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Paul Willis
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Re: Mostyn at Cardiff Exhibition 20th-21st August 2022

Postby Paul Willis » Thu May 26, 2022 4:28 pm

Thanks Richard.

Having seen plenty of glorious pictures of Sheep Dip over on Western Thunder, I'm going to jot down the date in my diary. Just a quick trip across the Severn Bridge for me.

I may well see you and the rest of the Mostyn crew there.

Cheers
Paul
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk

Richard Oldfield
Posts: 162
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2021 7:46 pm

Re: Mostyn at Cardiff Exhibition 20th-21st August 2022

Postby Richard Oldfield » Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:15 am

Hi,

With not so long to go before Mostyn's first post-pandemic exhibition appearance, the level of activity on the layout is accelerating as new stock nears completion and needs testing. From time-to-time we also have to contemplate the withdrawal of stock that is either life-expired or superseded by better offerings.

Cardiff may well see the last outing of our venerable Class 25/3 fleet built by Dave Goodwin and myself and added to the roster in April 2002 - just in time for Mostyn's debut at Macclesfield in that year. Based on the Hornby Class 25 with Craftsman overlays and featuring the 'silky smoothness' of twin 3-pole motors, locomotives 25281 and 25307 have worked hard at every exhibition over the last 20 years.

Their replacements will come from the forthcoming SLW Class 25/3 and last weekend saw pre-production examples being extensively tested over many hours on heavy trains. Here is an image of out-of-the-box SLW Class 25/3 25324 hauling a lengthy steel train whilst Hornby-based 25307 awaits a call to action.

20220630_101715cp.jpg


I'm not quite sure I've yet got the resolve to deliver the mercy bullet to 25307 .......

Cheers,

Richard
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ClikC
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Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:15 am

Re: Mostyn at Cardiff Exhibition 20th-21st August 2022

Postby ClikC » Thu Jun 30, 2022 1:57 pm

I think I'm going to have to make a trip over from Sheffield for this one!

Regards

Matt
Matt Rogers

Richard Oldfield
Posts: 162
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2021 7:46 pm

Re: Mostyn at Cardiff Exhibition 20th-21st August 2022

Postby Richard Oldfield » Wed Aug 03, 2022 11:40 am

Hi,

We are now working flat out in our preparations for Cardiff Exhibition a few short weeks away.

It is a massive task to go through hundreds of items of stock and check that they and their formations run reliably. Some stock items are getting a bit long in the tooth and we find key components are wearing out following twenty years of heavy exhibition usage.

Examples of this include coach compensation unit failures - usually where a soldered joint between the torsion bar and sideframe fails or where the bogie pivot / torsion bar joint fails. Springs tend to relax over time causing vehicles to sag a little - not normally an issue but I have had to replace springs where the springing action itself has become compromised. Pinpoint axle wear is an another factor - causing excessive sideplay - the current record on Mostyn is held by an ex-LMS 3-plank in departmental service. Whilst investigating a running issue I removed and checked the wheelsets to find one of them measured only 25.55mm over pinpoints.

We only fit wheelsets if this measurement is in the range 25.95 - 26.05mm and routinely remove any which are 25.85mm or less when checked.

The newest vehicle accepted into Mostyn service has come from the workbench of Colin Craig and is BDV B927725 based on the Bachmann offering but with many improvements. These images show the newcomer settled into Up Trip 37 whilst the revised formation undergoes running tests.

IMG-20220802-WA0004.jpg
IMG-20220802-WA0000.jpg


Cheers,

Richard
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