Dean Park Model Railway 337 | December Update 2023 | Station Upgrades

[@MartinFutter70]

Very nice overhead line work. My kind of fiddly heaven. 👍

[@JulianSaunders]

Looking forward to developments in 2024.

[@anthonymizen9095]

I like the rubbish being determined by which way the wind is blowing - great attention to detail!

[@OTRWA]

Merry Christmas and best wishes for the future 🎄🎄

[@PondersEndModelRailway]

wonderful modelling

[@martf9875]

Brilliant 👏 👏 👏

[@Mapplewell_Park]

Great update, you must have the patience of a saint with those over head wires 🫣. Loved the class 90 running around with the short rake of VGA’s…….. have got me searching for VGA’s now!! The new Hornby wagons look great they will be a good seller!! Haven’t spent much time on my layout last few weeks, but watching this has given me some motivation 👌 all the best for 2024!!

[@DeanPark]

I do have patience when it comes to model railways lol. The other areas of my life maybe not so 😝 VGA is a decent wagon! I like it.

[@Mapplewell_Park]

I meant to ask aswell, where did you get your ‘Dean Park’ station boards?? They look great and can’t seem to find anything quite as good anywhere. I have printed station signs but am struggling for the actual posts for the station name if that makes sense…….!!

[@frankkie3849]

Nicely done and great details,,thanks for sharing…😊

[@DeanPark]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@michaelwhite8031]

Excellent work. Happy new year.

[@trainmanbob]

Always an interesting video and this is no exception. You will absolutely hate me but I have to say the station looks so much better without the roof...sorry!! The catenary is excellent and your ideas of dealing with obstacles are great. Thanks for all your efforts producing these videos through 2023 Dave, which have kept this N Gauge fanatic enthralled. Have a great festive period. Cheers, Bob

[@DeanPark]

Cheers Bob. I did enjoy it without the roof, but for me there was just something missing. Who knows… in years to come I might scratch build a massive glass roof like Edinburgh Waverley and transform it once again. But that won’t be getting done for some years yet :-) Dave

[@trainmanbob]

@@DeanPark But that would have to be a complete Edinburgh Station with approaches. Cheers.

[@aflyingscotman]

Love the video very interesting video and good to see the how things have changed since last time

[@onnomulder9775]

Merry Christmas Dave and a good and healty 2024, for you and your loved ones!!!

[@DeanPark]

And to you Onno. Cheers. Dave

[@Keeganpassmore2011]

I love the videos and the trains which are amazing

[@DeanPark]

Thanks Keegan. Glad you enjoy watching. Merry Christmas 🎄

[@Keeganpassmore2011]

@@DeanPark Merry Christmas 🎄

[@brucewelsh1969]

Thanks for the update. It's looking amazing. Have a merry Christmas :-)

[@DeanPark]

Thanks. You too :-)

[@johnwalker9750]

And here was me thinking that retrospectively installing telegraph wires was fiddly and challenging! The OHLE looks great.

[@DeanPark]

It was navigating 7 tunnel entrances or bridges that was the challenge. I’ve a few extra grey hairs now!! But it looks good I have to admit :-) cheers. Dave

[@smeghead7698]

Amazing modelling 👍 I used to maintain the points heating on the southern network, so it was great seeing that detailed. All the best for the new year.

[@DeanPark]

Hi thanks. I like to add as much detail as I can, even around the points. Lineside detail elevates a layout in my opinion. Have a great new year. Cheers. Dave

[@brianstewart3594]

Wishing you all the best for Christmas

[@DeanPark]

And you Brian. Merry Christmas 🎄

[@tramdriver123]

Love your layout and the explanation how you tackle the challenges. Merry Christmas. Greetings from the Netherlands

[@DeanPark]

Cheers Rob. Glad my style of video is clear and enjoyable. Merry Christmas 🎄

[@richardtaylor8165]

Exquisite attention to detail... a real pro at work.

[@daviemaclean61]

Got to admire your attention to detail with the catenary masts and overhead wiring. Those jigs are a great help. It's one of those jobs you have to do in stages or you'd get scunnered with it. (Picture Chewin' the Fat angry man!!!). Have a great Christmas. Cheers

[@DeanPark]

Cheers. Yeah… I had to navigate 7 tunnels or bridges on the lower line… it was a lot of design work and engineering to get it all done. It’s been a busy 6-8 weeks. But I’m glad I did it! Now the entire upper mainlines to do and two inclines lol. That can wait until the new year. Marry Christmas. Dave

[@mels1811]

Brilliant trains and layout

[@mikehumphrey7413]

Hi Dave, great update, yes a lot of work to install the masts and wire. Great work in all the updates during 2023. To you and your Family, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Mike HO from Australia.

[@DeanPark]

Cheers Mike. Thanks for your support of the Channel this year. It has been a lot of work, but I’m glad I finally bit the bullet and did it. A lot more OHLE and wiring work next year.. but at least I dont have any tunnels or bridges to navigate on the upper level! All the best for ‘24! Dave

[@davidcook380]

Dave ,You have doing a great job of the overhead wiring , Regards Dave

[@richardserridge2767]

The OHLE masts and wires really do elevate the scene. The stone retaining walls and cabling details etc look fantastic too! What a brilliant looking layout.

[@DeanPark]

Cheers :-) I agree… the wires do make such a difference… now to install wires on the upper mainline lol!! That can wait until 2024.

[@billyjohnesterhuizen6340]

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SETUP MY FRIEND. I REALLY LOVE IT.

[@barryturner2916]

Many thanks for sharing your build of OHLE with the wiring alterations, another enjoyable watch. A very Merry Christmas to you Dave and your family and best wishes for 2024, regards Barry..

[@DeanPark]

Cheers Barry. I think I deserve a wee rest over Christmas after all of that wiring lol. All the best. Dave.

[@darrylmeredith7895]

As always an informative, entertaining and educational video. Thanks for all the vids throughout the year. Hope you have a great Xmas and a fantastic 2024. Regards Darryl

[@DeanPark]

Cheers Darryl. Thanks for your support of the Channel this year. All the best for ‘24! Dave

[@HauntedRailway]

Great video and merry Christmas for Monday

[@DeanPark]

Thanks. All the best for the festive season!

[@HauntedRailway]

@@DeanPark ur welcome and thanks

[@georgethomas7814]

Merry Christmas to you and yours..... thank you for the years of Master Modelling and setting a brilliant scene of Scottish Rail Services..... I have seen other's who model HO scale presenting a disused spurs/turnouts and an area of Railway infrastructure junk. The rational is always it show what the real world looks like. But what if the Modelling world was to be a Utopian example of a clean world. Every station has a dedicated team of workers that spend all day picking up those bits of rubbish. Line side workers cut the grass and level off mounds of excess ballast. They even have dinky little cars (some with trailers) that are set on the side of the track while they clean up various area's of the Network. (might be dreamland but worth a try) Happy Modelling in the New Year.

[@DeanPark]

Cheers. Yeah we can but dream of clean and well kept railways! That belongs back in the days of steam when they kept the lines and surrounding areas tidy. Thanks for your support of the Channel this year. All the best for 2024! Dave

[@thelibrarian46]

An amazing-looking layout. It looks like Scot Rail has quite a few passengers. I hope they appreciate the updates.

[@ewoodrailway]

Incredible update Dave, looks great, merry Christmas

[@DeanPark]

Thanks, you too! Dave

[@railwaymechanicalengineer4587]

Catenary masts have to be planted slightly closer together if the sprung pantographs try to "dewire". Further the catenary wire can only go in a straight line between each mast realistically. Something some modellers seem incapable of grasping. You can however realistically have an angle part way along a section of catenary, if you provide what is called a "pull off". This is simply a Post (no brackets) with a horizontal wire from the post to the "catenary wire" to pull it slightly to one side to provide the angle. This wire obviously needs a dummy insulator on the wire end nearest to the post. I'm not sure what catenary parts Peco provide. As I'm used to using the large Somerfeldt or Veismann German ranges. Both of which provide many unusual catenary items as accessory's and also include various designs of mast, for different European Railway catenary systems. Both in N, HO/OO & HOm. The real fun begins when you energise the catenary and run locos from the overhead. All sorts of electrical tricks become available as you have now effectively 3 rails per track to play with !!!!

[@cedarcam]

So you changed mood to wanting overhead wires and what a challenge it was with all the tunnels. It does look good though so worth the weeks of work. I see you will put cages round the signals. Not all were entirely enclosed like they do today, just a screen on one side and over the top at an angle so a bit less of a challenge. The trees look really good very realistic bark on the silver birch. Best wishes for Christmas and the new year looking forward to seeing what else you do around Dean Park

[@DeanPark]

Cheers, i did change my mind about the wires after all. It’s far from a cheap or quick upgrade but work will start on the inclines and upper mainline in the re year to concert and install wiring. Not a quick job, but I’ll take my time. All the best. Dave

[@cedarcam]

@@DeanPark Thanks Dave. It will keep you occupied for hours Dave. Must say I was impressed with Pete Watermans layouts overheads which are all scratch built using fine wire tensioned with springs, using Peco will be easier. Take a look at the real thing on your travels and consider making a switching station if you can to add a focal point.

[@marksinthehouse1968]

Just outstanding Dave ,have a Merry Christmas and have a wee dram or two ,thanks for some inspirational work they say the young should learn from the older but in your case for me it’s the other way round Merry Christmas Mark 🎅🏼

[@DeanPark]

We can all learn from each other. Great thing about this hobby is that there are elder experiences and more youthful ideas. It’s all good. All the best 🎄 Dave

[@leewall8230]

Amazing work with the OHLE masts 👏. Looks fantastic 👍

[@DeanPark]

Thank you! I’m really chuffed with how they turned out! Dave

[@going2thedogs]

Merry Christmas Dave & thank you for your video’s & inspiration throughout the year. PS - Those Hornby tankers do look good….

[@DeanPark]

Hi, thanks. The wagons are good. I’ve got 9 now, thanks to Santa! Cheers. Dave

[@JPoulAndersson]

An HBO/Dean Park co-production apparently ;-) Nice update thanks! Happy Xmas - Joachim

[@DeanPark]

Haha. Yeah.. all the best for Christmas. Dave

[@ShelfburyModelRailway]

Wow, those wires, so fiddly but the end result well worth the effort, not sure I would have the patience to do that 👍🏻

[@DeanPark]

I decided to go for it while I was in the mood lol

[@NicholassTrainChannel]

Nice update Dave. I like the addition of the overhead wires in the station it adds another level of detail. Those Hornby TTA tank wagons look great. Merry Christmas. - Nicholas.

[@DeanPark]

Cheers Nicholas. Yeah they are nice wagons.

[@garylong7599]

Pantograph wires do not run along the centre line of the track they are at a slight angle across the track and back to ensure the wire doesn’t wear a slot in the pantograph and allow the pantograph to wear evenly

[@DeanPark]

Yeah I know. But they have to remain within the tracks to maintain contact with the pantograph! I know about the zig zag fashion of the wires to give more even wear of the panto head.

[@garylong7599]

@@DeanPark ok wasn’t sure. As you have soldered the wires together do think expansion could be an issue in the summer? Something which is not normally modelled although the rail nuts did is the return connector wire have you thought about adding that

[@TheDaf95xf]

Good evening Dave. I must of said years ago about putting wires on the OHLE and you saying no ………. 🤔 Well I must say it’s a 100% improvement on what is already a fantastic model railway 👍🏻 Your attention to detail and sharing information is fantastic Dave 👍🏻 Have a fantastic Christmas 🎄 and hopefully Santa 🎅 will bring you something in his sack for you lol 😜 Happy new year and cheers for all the fantastic videos Stevie 😀

[@DeanPark]

Yeah I decided in needed to take the detail to the next level! The wires have really made a difference. I’ll be fitting wires to the upper mainline and inclines in 2024. A lot of work to come!

[@clivecobbold6815]

Hi Dave a great video mate the ohle really look great mate I am waiting for the Mk2b coaches to come mate merry Christmas to you and your family Dave

[@ClydebridgeStation]

Brilliant update as ever! Your drains have gave me an idea, for my depot upgrade, and for when I put the correct ballast in the station, sometime in 2024. The scotrail branding on your station signs started to be replaced in 1991, when the Regional railways style Scotrail branding started to creep in. In fact, Inverurie was the first station to get the RR scotrail signs!

[@Gregory-g5j]

Hello Dave, thanks for all your great videos during 2023 and I will look forward to more in 2024. In the meantime have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. Cheers Greg

[@DeanPark]

Cheers Greg. Thanks for your continued support of the channel. I always enjoy reading your comments. Have a great festive time. Dave

[@garylaker4335]

Hi Dave OHW looks fantastic 👍 You must have a steady hand - enjoy that while it lasts ! 😉 In case you didn’t already know…. Top wire = catenary wire Bottom wire = contact wire Tensioner = dropper (has a couple of other names) Merry Christmas 🎄

[@clipperrail8988]

Great update Dave and that night shot of the station at the beginning is impressive. Wishing you all the best for Christmas, Colin

[@davidstrains4910]

A great update overall here Dave, some good work overall done round the layout and the hornby TTA tankers do look very good, I am on the lookout for some tankers myself as I would like to have a big tanker train on my layout at some point, overall excellent work, have a good Christmas and new year.

[@DeanPark]

Cheers David. These tankers are excellent wagons. All the best. Dave

[@titch7444]

Fantastic mate. I have followed some of ur advice in my layout b4. Unfortunately I had to dismantle it, cause of moving. Plse keep up the great informative vids. Merry Christmas

[@DeanPark]

Hi, thanks for watching my videos and for your comment. All the best for the new year. Dave

[@maringarvanovic8011]

As always love your layout and what you do. Hornby missed a trick with the TTAs. I cannot believe they have only done one of each. It's like they have not caught up with where the hobby is now. Happy New Year to you and take care.

[@DeanPark]

Hi, thanks. Yeah…hopefully with new marketing people now at Hornby we will see modern approach to product releases….in particular multipack of wagons at good value. However, not all the previous regime did was poor. They got a lot right, especially when releasing full fakes of mk3 coaches to go with HST’s, etc etc. All the best for 2024.

[@SprattyHeath]

The new TTA tankers do look the part, Sam has definitely done a fab job with the underframe equipment there. The only thing I will say is that Hornby really haven't produced that many liveries for the new TTAs only THREE liveries have been done of each brand (and there are still many others to cover too) not to mention the lack of unbranded variants which were common to see in rakes too. Plus heavily weathered variants. Hopefully in 2024 we'll see those make an appearance.

[@DeanPark]

They’ve time to release a lot more variants. It would be good to see this wagon a permanent feature in their range going forward, so that they can make the most out of their investment and new tooling. I’d be interested in a couple more Esso ones if they did.

[@class50thrasher]

Hey there, watched a few videos of your's and have loved them just a suggestion on your overhead wires i see you want them perfectly centered but if your going for perfection of look you can do that but if you waant it to be more realistic then the OHLE dont need to be perfectly centered as they variate in where they are above the train to reduce wear on the panograph so that instead of being in one spot reducing the life of a pantograph having it in several spots ultimately reduces the ammount of wear on the pantograph and means less maintenance costs.

[@DeanPark]

Hi thanks for watching :-) yeah I know the wires should zig zag. But the peco arms are all the same, so getting them to zig zag isn’t as easy, as really there should be a long and short arm masts. They aren’t perfectly center on the curved sections but you have to keep them within the rails or the wire will go off the edge of the pantograph.

[@class50thrasher]

@@DeanPark Ah ok thanks for letting me know.

[@ethankerr05]

the hbo intro sound got me expecting the opening of the sopranos

[@DeanPark]

haha. I was thinking more of 'Band of Brothers'...but no D Day invasion in this video.

[@MrVinnyh]

Enjoyed watching the layout improvements Dave, pity it's taken so long for Hornby to produce a decent TTA tank, but it looks great. I worked at Parkeston Quay depot of Railfreight Distribution during the 90's and can recall seeing the Euro liveries on the class 90's on their release! Have a great Xmas & New Year

[@andydavidson9440]

Thanks for the update Dave. Love the pin vice tip, and the extra detail dimension you add month by month. You are a wealth of information and expertise that a returning modeller values as we get back up to speed more rapidly. Rate your views on Primo trees for instance. Happy Christmas to you 👍🎅

[@DeanPark]

Cheers. It’s a handy tip and allows you to get small holes in tighter spaces! Merry Christmas.

[@peterkazmierczak7273]

Just found your KZbin site. A really excellent layout; very well observed with nice subtle colouring. Love the light stone retaining wall behind the station; ace. Do you plan to upgrade the Airfix plastic footbridge at some point?

[@DeanPark]

Hi. Thanks. Welcome to the channel! I considered it, but it is hardly seen under the station roof so it will stay for now. :-) Dave

[@tractorman810]

do you have a link for the trees please dave ,liking them a lot

[@DeanPark]

primomodels.co.uk/ If you buy any, can you let him know that you saw them in the video on my channel …. I’m not on commission or anything. But it would be good for him to see his excellent product being used on layouts. Thanks. Dave

[@tractorman810]

@@DeanPark will do thanks dave

[@rogerwolstenholme2710]

The signal near the mast has got to go ... too near the wires

[@DeanPark]

Glad you enjoyed the video. Signal will remain as I’ve no where else to put it. Cage will eventually do around it.

[@rogerwolstenholme2710]

@@DeanPark It might be the camera angle but it looked like if an engineer went up for maintenance on a wet or foggy day he might be a bit close to the power mast and maybe lines.... but i cant see what you can do either... always problems .. lol. But you've got a Fabulous layout.

[@cedarcam]

@@rogerwolstenholme2710 It looks far enough away to me but as Dave says there needs to be a cage around. Some signals are pretty close to the live wires or above them the cage is not only to stop you accidently coming into contact with the wires it also acts as a shield from the high voltage taking stray voltage in the air to earth through the structure rather than the body of a maintainer.

[@rogerwolstenholme2710]

@@cedarcam Yes your right, its called a "Faraday Cage " named after Michael Faraday the farther of modern Electricity, A car struck by Lightning is the same, although I wouldn't fancy being in the Car lol.

[@cedarcam]

@@rogerwolstenholme2710 Thats right. I did not put that in my reply though. I saw on TV years ago the effect demonstrated on a car using a high voltage and water spray. The car kept going and only a warning light flashed on but like you I would not fancy trying it out myself. As a trainee we had a mechanical signal right under CEGB high tension power lines. Up there you felt very strange tingling through your body. The man in charge showed me there was 50 volts going to earth by connecting a volt meter to the signal post and the other lead into the ground a few feet away. That was the reading on the meter but the actual voltage would be higher if you could measure it properly, it was just his way of showing me why I felt odd up that signal. Another thing we did as kids was go to an old quarry where there were fluorescent tubes tipped. Someone showed us they could light one up by holding it at arms length under the pylons there.

[@thescrapline4905]

Blimey, overhead wires!. 10 years from now and you'll be installing the last section, totally bankrupt and on your knees 😂 Happy new year.

[@DeanPark]

I’ll get it all done in 2024 if I can. Then I can go on begging at Exhibitions for money!

[@thescrapline4905]

@DeanPark full credit if you get it done in 2024. I'll keep my eyes open for a scruffy looking bloke with his hat on the floor and sling a quid in for you! 😆 Keep up the grand work, it actually looks the business with them overhead now.

[@claptnei]

Man down middle platform😯

[@DeanPark]

He saw the bill for the peco OHLE system I’m installing and went a little light headed! Or was that me…both of us probably.

[@peterkitts8815]

I guess if you can't afford a mature tree you can buy a sapling and wait for it to grow

[@DeanPark]

Yes. That’s true. Some water and a heat lamp and it would sprout up quickly!

[@georgethomas7814]

Dean Parth Model Railway 534 did not load correctly.

[@DeanPark]

Technical issue with the intro music. It will be uploaded again tonight.

[@124Outdoor]

Dude’s passed out on the platform and no one’s helping. Your eye for realism is off the scale.

[@kevinhickson8099]

Dave that’s a great layout and the detailing is 2nd to none.great rolling stock.i find that this hobby is now becoming way way expensive.

[@DeanPark]

Hi, yes it has become too expensive. There is no doubt about it. I’ve trimmed back on many of the models I would have gone for in the past I’m just not prepared to fund these companies profits. I’m lucky…I’ve got most of what I ‘need’ but treats are certainly fewer these days. Glad you enjoyed seeing the layout. Cheers Dave