Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

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Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Andrew » Fri Feb 23, 2018 2:14 pm

Hello all,

As promised (well, a little later than promised really...), here's a thread about the indoor line I'm currently building very loosely based on the old Fry's chocolate factory at Keynsham. The factory was connected to the GWR London-Bristol mainline, and had its own Sentinel loco for shunting, now preserved at the nearby Avon Valley Railway. I've been doing some volunteering for the AVR (fundraising and writing articles for the magazine rather than more traditional "hands on" stuff) and developed an interest in both the loco and the story of the factory, and so this plan was conceived...

As I mention on my (WH)WHR thread, the idea is that this will be a small portable layout built on a plastic patio table, so that parts of it can live outside when I'm not using it. It will utilise Faller track and be to a "sort of G" scale, to suit the Playmobil figures who will run the factory - those should appeal to children, but the real "crowd pleaser" should be the factory's production of chocolate balls, to be delivered to punters' hands by train...

That's the theory... Having made a rough sketch I tried it out on the kitchen floor with the plastic version of Faller track to see if it would actually work:
Chocolate Factory plan.jpg
Chocolate Factory plan.jpg (241.58 KiB) Viewed 6628 times
So far, so good... The Dawson box represents the factory itself, and the other one is the factory's on-site power plant. The two will be connected by an overhead pipeline. Where the lorry is standing a road will bisect the layout, crossing the railway at the bottom of the picture, with the idea of recreating the point where the real factory branch crossed the Bitton Road and entered Keynsham station. I'll post some historical photos at some point to give an idea of which bits are based on some sort of reality and which are pure fabrication!

I thought I ought to start with the main factory building - apart from anything else it needs to be able to churn out the chocolate balls (via a sort of home-made marble run) so I needed to make sure that would work. Here's the partially constructed back (or is it front?!) of the factory under construction, with my RH Little John posing for the camera:
Chocolate factory.jpg
Chocolate factory.jpg (219.26 KiB) Viewed 6628 times
The train's obscuring the loading bay, but you can see the bottom of the ball chute, which will be surrounded by goods awaiting dispatch to make it a little less obvious. The Big Big hopper is sporting the crude modifications with which I tested the chocolate delivery mechanism...

And here's the inside, showing just how much is still to be done on this building alone:
Chocolate factory 2.jpg
Chocolate factory 2.jpg (240.13 KiB) Viewed 6628 times
The white thing in the foreground is the loading bay canopy. Those photos were taken (in very poor light!) a few weeks ago, and things have moved on a bit since then, but progress is still slower than it needs to be - I've offered to exhibit the thing at the end of April! More photos to follow soon...

All the best,

Andrew.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Peter Butler » Fri Feb 23, 2018 3:04 pm

Great idea Andrew .... perfect for exhibitions to show simple movement but with some quality structures, everyone will enjoy this I'm sure.
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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by tom_tom_go » Fri Feb 23, 2018 6:22 pm

I agree Andrew looks promising.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by LNR » Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:23 pm

Looks interesting Andrew, and good to hear from you again.
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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by jim@NAL » Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:38 pm

This looks great keep us updated

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by bazzer42 » Sat Feb 24, 2018 8:38 am

I love it! The concept is definitely worth a golden ticket.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Big Jim » Sat Feb 24, 2018 11:25 am

And a bar of Wonka's Marshmallow-triplescrumptious Delight.
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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Just Julie » Sat Feb 24, 2018 8:20 pm

What a brilliant idea, looking forward to seeing its progress.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Andrew » Mon Jun 04, 2018 1:46 pm

Hello again!

So much for good intentions, eh? Specifically, the intention to get this layout finished in time for the Avon Valley Railway model railway exhibition, and the one o chronicle that process here...

I was making good progress, but it became apparent that to finish the thing on time for the late April deadline I was going to have to stop doing almost everything else, possibly including eating, sleeping and interacting with my family... So I withdrew from the exhibition and construction is currently halted, but I hope to do bits and bobs as the opportunity arises, and perhaps display it next year...

The factory itself is almost complete now - here's a view from the front:
Chocolate Factory April 2018 1.jpg
Chocolate Factory April 2018 1.jpg (305.55 KiB) Viewed 6285 times
And from the other side, showing the chocolate ball delivery chutes...
Chocolate factory April 2018 2.jpg
Chocolate factory April 2018 2.jpg (499.96 KiB) Viewed 6285 times
Sorry, still trying to remind myself how to add images!

I'll be adding some bits and bobs to other threads too and gradually finding my way back into the life of the forum - great to see it still looking so healthy though...

Andrew.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by tom_tom_go » Mon Jun 04, 2018 2:10 pm

Glad you are still with us Andrew.

The good thing about this hobby is you can pick it up as and when time allows.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by bazzer42 » Mon Jun 04, 2018 2:20 pm

It is looking good though Andrew, you can't be far off.

Living does get in the way, I've got so many ideas buzzing through my head but just not enough time...

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by IanC » Mon Jun 04, 2018 2:27 pm

A brilliant idea, and well executed so far.

I help operate layouts at the West Lancs Teddy Bears picnic and I load up open wagons with sweets for the kids. I know all this doesn't appeal to the "serious" enthusiasts, but the children are the future of our hobby so we should encourage them. As well as planning my own garden line I'm also thinking about something small, but with interesting features, I can take to exhibitions to entertain our younger generation who don't yet count the rivets. :lol:
Ian

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by FWLR » Tue Oct 09, 2018 7:01 am

For the life of my Andrew I don’t know how I missed your thread…That’s a fantastic build and a simply brilliant idea :idea:

Have you got any further with it. It would be great if you have Andrew.

Lets see some more please…. I know just like other members, that ideas and other stuff get in the way too,
I have about 5-6 projects either in my head or in progress……… :idea: :?: :idea: :?: :idea: :?: :idea:

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Andrew » Tue Oct 09, 2018 4:41 pm

Hi Rod,

No, no progress to report I'm afraid - in act I stored the nearly-completed factory bit away under the house the other day, because it was taking up a lot of space and I'm concentrating on other things at the moment. The Fry's factory Sentinel is set to return to steam next Easter so that would be the perfect deadline to aim for really, but I don't think it'll happen. One day...

Cheers,

Andrew.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by FWLR » Wed Oct 10, 2018 8:29 am

That is such a shame Andrew, it was looking to be an layout one could be very proud of…

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Clockwork » Wed Oct 10, 2018 8:16 pm

I like the sound and look of this layout will be watching with interest.
Kevin :thumbleft:

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Andrew » Sat Dec 01, 2018 1:31 pm

Afternoon all,

The Chocolate Factory project took a small step forward with this week, with the arrival of a cheap-ish O Gauge train set from E Bay:
Big diesel.jpg
Big diesel.jpg (266.73 KiB) Viewed 4970 times

It doesn't look much like the old Fry's Sentinel at the moment of course, but most of it will end up in the bin, it was this I was after:
Power bogie.jpg
Power bogie.jpg (259.66 KiB) Viewed 4970 times

I reckon this should be just about the right size to power my model of the Fry's shunter, and if it will run well on just 2 C batteries instead of the intended 3 I should be able to fit them in the loco - if not they'll have to follow behind in a van. I can't test that at the moment because I've broken the connection between one of the wires and the motor - I'll post in the Help and Advice section about that!

I'll probably put the two tipper wagons up for sale at some point to help fund the project. They're not exactly super-detailed but would look OK painted and weathered I think, in either 16mm or 7/8ths - I haven't tested them through pointwork etc yet so don't know how they run, but when I have I'll put them in the Sale section on here. If anyone wants them untested in the meantime I reckon a tenner for the pair would be about right...

Cheers,

Andrew.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by FWLR » Sun Dec 02, 2018 9:27 am

Waiting to see the building of this Andrew.. :thumbright:

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by Andrew » Thu Dec 06, 2018 4:29 pm

Half an hour with a hacksaw and all that's left of the big yellow diesel is this - the power bogie, battery box and on/off button:
Hacked up loco.jpg
Hacked up loco.jpg (287.85 KiB) Viewed 4868 times

I've replaced one of the batteries with a dummy and it now trundles round at a much more suitable pace. The strange bogie flat wagon (with only 4 wheels, the others are moulded fakes!) will join the loco in the bin soon, but for now it's useful for lugging the batteries around because it has the same strange coupling as the bogie currently retains. I spent lunchtime today messing around with the photocopier at work to re-scale a drawing of a BR box van - that will take the role of battery tender, because they're not going to fit in the loco...

More progress as it happens, although I fear it may not be rapid, it seems to be a busy time of year...

Cheers,

Andrew.

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Re: Andrew and the Chocolate Factory

Post by FWLR » Fri Dec 07, 2018 7:34 am

My brain isn't at it's best at the moment Andrew...I have no idea how this is working...How the heck do you use a dummy battery to get it to run at a more reasonable pace.. :scratch: No doubt mate you will explain it to this simple soul.... :lol: :lol: :lol:

You are quite right Andrew, it is a busy time...I have to make Anne a Christmas Box....I know, at our age asking for a Christmas Box..... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

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