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Sunday, 25 June 2017
Sunday, 4 June 2017
Modifying the extension (already)
So after only two public appearances, we're modifying the new extension!
We acquired a goods depot during our last outing and concluded that it needed to be included in the layout and the only logical position was within the new extension. We also had some minor issues with the position of the right-hand engine shed, longer locos tend to hit the side of it when using the rear set of sidings. To install the goods depot, the front tracks would all have to be moved forward so this will resolve the issue but of course all the ballast and gravel has to come up.
The track and most of the ballast removed, ready to start work on installing the goods depot.
By adding a quarter and eighth rail, this gives us sufficient room to add in the goods depot. One siding will be reduced in length so that it can only accommodate one small locomotive but this is the only sacrifice really.
The new, small siding stops beside the depot. LED yard lights have also been sourced - five installed in this section with another five to be added in the turntable section.
Glue pot is not to scale!
The ballast had to be dug out to install the lights.
As with the rest of the buildings, LED strip has been installed in the roof of the goods depot. The doors are missing (I have some somewhere!)
Really happy!
So after more ballast, glue, paint and greenery, the extension now looks like this:
Just need to wire up the lights!
Some flowers appearing along the side of the engine shed, also in Dublo colours!
Hopefully this will last slightly longer than two exhibitions!
Deltic revamp
Having now restored six super detail coaches using my own vinyl overlays to create a rake of blue & grey mk1 coaches, I was looking for something more appropriate to haul them.
I have the Royal Scots Grey Deltic, the body of which I acquired some time ago but the colour scheme isn't quite right, the windows are missing and the loco numbers don't look right.
Having also recently restored the green Deltic by buying a scrappy two rail version, I found myself with a spare body and decided to have a go at producing a blue version. As I also have a lovely prototype version complete with working lights, I also decided to have a bash at installing some directional LEDs as well.
First job was to drill the holes for the LEDs
The pillar drill made this task quite easy, two 2mm holes drilled in each end.
Then it was time to strip the body to bare metal, one hour in a bag of drain cleaner and the body was completely devoid of paint. Wire brushing removed any final traces of leftover paint, leaving a shiny metal body ready for primer.
After being left to dry and harden, the yellow ends were painted. Father Christmas very kindly brought me an airbrush kit, which I hadn't got around to using, so this was the first real test of airbrushing using Railmatch paint.
With the yellow paint applied and left to harden, the front ends were then masked ready for the blue paint.
And then two coats of blue were added.
The masking was then carefully peeled away to reveal this:
Normally I would buy transfers but this time I decided to experiment using the vinyl process, so after finding a suitable Google image of the Gordon Highlander name plate, I then made up the running numbers and data plate, finally finding a high quality British Rail logo to use as a template. These were then cut and fixed into place. The body was then given several coats of gloss lacquer.
The result is reasonable - the graphics aren't completely straight but it's acceptable.
The LEDs were then installed and wired, the LEDs at the other end being wired so that only the driven end illuminates.
Then the side frames were painted.
After wiring the LEDs to the chassis and rebuilding the motor, the cab windows were refitted and the whole thing is now ready to run.
So 55016, Gordon Highlander will be making its debut during our next outing.
Royal Scots Grey may get the same treatment...
Monday, 22 May 2017
Yeovil Railway Centre
One of our favourite venues!
An easy setup on Saturday morning and only a few minor tweaks required before everything settled into reliable operation.
For the turntable, the sensor has been replace for an infrared detector instead of the LED & LDR, this proved far more reliable, except in direct sunlight, which is not generally going to be a problem.
The new extension performed well, its integration is practically seamless and the level crossing operated without fault all weekend.
The usual mix of locomotives were in use, with almost every loco being out on the layout somewhere, thanks to the extra storage space.
City of Liverpool resting in one of the sheds, with Sir Niglel Gresley.
A few niggles with interference from the signal sequencer affecting the shuttle control. A temporary fix using a separate power supply cured the problem. There is a spare power supply feed in the control panel that can be used to power the signals in future.
The diesel & electric locos lined up in the fiddle yard, all took their turns on the layout.
The upper loop, with double-headed 0-6-2s, 2-6-4s & 8Fs, along with the Blue EMU, all running without fault.
Most pleasing of all, Ludlow Castle is finally restored to proper running order as it hauls the chocolate & cream coaches and TPO coach on the back.
And this is a view that won't be seen for much longer...
We're very grateful to one of our "groupies" Tony Robinson, who turned up with a box of goodies that included a goods depot. We need to incorporate this into the extension somehow, so we reckon it'll fit about here:
So having "finished" the extension, we'll shortly be ripping up the tracks again to install this permanently!
With thanks to the folks at Yeovil Railway Centre for their hospitality.
Tuesday, 2 May 2017
Somewhere, in a field in Somerset again
We were back again at the Abbey Hill Steam Rally.
When we originally came up with the idea of the extension, we gave ourselves a deadline of October but then (stupidly) decided to bring that forward by six months, meaning that all work had to be completed, which we just about managed four days prior to setting up here!
So here's the layout making its first public appearance in its new 21 foot glory...
It wasn't an easy setup - never before has the layout taken nearly all day to setup and get working. Not all problems associated with the new section either, or the uneven ground associated with running in a marquee, that was probably the easiest bit to overcome!
I managed to blow up the Arduino controlling the turntable during the final building session, so that was the first job to resolve after setting up, and took far more work than originally perceived.
The walkabout controller failed, thankfully just a dry joint inside and a quick fix once the fault was traced.
During the construction work I finally got around to installing the Arduino signal controller. This actually worked really well after some major gremlins during testing but led to some unexpected problems elsewhere.
On day two, it was noticed that the shuttle, which has been the most reliable part of the layout since being modified to Arduino control, began to behave erratically, with the points flicking from side to side and locos getting stuck. After checking the signal connections it was realised that the Arduino chip had been damaged, so a new one was fitted and programmed. It worked for about half an hour at most before it failed again.
It's difficult to fault find when you're running four tracks but eventually and after about two hours of detective work, I discovered that the problem was being caused by the new signal control system - to operate the semaphores properly I had to install a CDU and this was causing electrical feedback through the common return wiring. Pretty simple to resolve, the signals just require a separate return connection but a tad difficult to do while the boards are in use, so the new controller was simply unplugged for the rest of the weekend.
To commemorate the new extension, I produced three more SD coaches in the blue and grey livery to give me a six car rake - these refused to stay together in any formation and ended up sidelined until day three!
While spending so much time looking for faults, I hadn't spotted that one of the locos had become stuck due to a derailed coach. By the time I'd spotted it, the damage had been done. Sadly the locomotive involved is Clan Line once again, having only recently been returned to the layout having cooked the previous armature. I'm starting to think that Clan Line is jinxed!
A couple of other minor loco failures that were resolved either by resoldering or oiling, apart from Clan Line I have very little to work on.
By day three, and with most of the gremlins resolved, there was more time to focus on running and finally get the SD coaches running properly. After some tweaking of couplings and light oiling they then stayed together perfectly. Things were starting to come together finally after so much grief...
...and then it started to rain!
Last year, rain brought the show to an early close. This time it sadly leaked into our marquee and onto the layout. Whilst the other exhibitors were unaffected, we had no choice but to stop and cover up to avoid the risk of damage. Some minor damage was caused to the scenery and Dorchester got a little wet. By day four however all these issues were resolved.
Thankfully on the final day, the rain eased off and the sun came out. We were able to run faultlessly for the entire day, and then it was time to pack down.
It probably was a little too ambitious to bring the build forward by six months but having four days to properly run everything was ultimately more beneficial and far better to iron out the problems well in advance of the Warley show.
The extension, once fully stocked, looked seamless. A number of people asked which part was the extension!
One of two illuminated engine sheds.
The automated crossing worked perfectly, even after crashing a loco into it!
Ray Burrows' Dinky collection was put to good use!
New addition - home made GWR TPO coach makes its first appearance on the end of a rake of chocolate & cream coaches.
Looking east from the new extension, it's hard to believe that this wasn't part of the original plan!
The I 'Ad That sign used to be mounted on the centre board using Velcro. Of course there is no longer a centre board, so it's been modified to hang on the back scene. Should we need to exhibit at 16ft in future then it'll still hang on the back.
The EMU sets were briefly doubled up to form a twelve coach rake.
GWR tank coupled to a Lima push-pull coach.
The blue & grey mk1 coaches make a proper appearance after lots of tweaking.
And they looked pretty impressive. I'd like to think that Dublo would have made these had they survived long enough!
City of Liverpool - a genuine one!
This home-made LNER tank normally lives in the stock box due to lack of room. The new extension gave me a chance to give it a run, it performed quite happily on the shuttle goods train, also resurrected after some time. The usual DMU & Railcars were also used but their duties were regularly swapped due to this being a four day show.
The tank wagons also made a brief appearance, here being hauled by the GWR tank again.
And finally, another loco that hasn't seen any use for months - the one that started it all off again, the 80054 that I had bought all those years ago as a scrapper to fix up Dorchester but ended up repairing and keeping. This one also ended up sidelined as it was quite sluggish and would never run well double-headed. During some quiet time on the final day it was given a decent run, and after a few initial laps it started to run really well.
Some minor tweaks to be made to the layout before our next outing in two weeks but the layout is fully functional and was very well received in its new format.
With thanks to Brian Phelps & the organisers of the Abbey Hill Steam Rally for an excellent weekend.
Hopefully we'll be allowed back next year...
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