steve W Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 For the Open Day we want trains running! It will be on a limited basis on the basic track only. Yesterday we completed the pointwork crossing the board joint (now in the correct position!) it still needs missing sleepers etc. and fine tuning. We also got some plain track laid along the rear platform face. It's great having full size printed templates. We used a pounce wheel (Hobbycraft) to pierce the plan then rubbed talc powder through the holes giving a clear pattern for the track. To hold it to the foam underlay a few spots of Gorrilla gel super glue (Easy to remove with a blade if necessary) and once happy with the position a few fine fillets of Evostick 'Serious Glue' against the sleeper base to hold it until ballasting. Serious Glue is great stuff as it is a gel that cures in about 5minutes and stays flexible. Below are a few pics of the activities from a $60 Chinese smart phone, sorry for the quality marking the track position rubbing in the white powder the result with paper templates removed Track laid a stupid place to put pointwork! Cheers 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve W Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 Just two weeks to the Open Day. We should have trains running on a couple of tracks. It's not a lot but will give a good opportunity to test stock over the joints. Cheers Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCML100 Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 Some more pics on where we are at the moment - we plan to get something in place and running (even if a slightly temp setup) for the open day on the 22nd! Please come along and say hello if your free and can make it! We would love to see you all. Anyways here are the pics from where we were at Friday night. **PICS NOT UPLOADING WILL DO SO IN DUE COURSE** Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCML100 Posted July 12, 2017 Author Share Posted July 12, 2017 Here are the pics from the above post that didn't want to upload at the weekend... Thanks for looking and we hope to see some of you at our open day on the 22nd!!! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCML100 Posted July 21, 2017 Author Share Posted July 21, 2017 Our open day is tomorrow please come along Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted July 23, 2017 Share Posted July 23, 2017 Did any RMwebbers come to our open day and if so what did you think of EASTGATE? Positive thoughts only please! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve W Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 We said we have it running for the Open Day and we did better than expected, albeit with some temporary track. Three running lines powered and a couple of temporary sidings. More stock than layout! That leaves the loco stabling to lay - where the paper templates are showing and at the other end the double slip in lieu of the points to join it all up. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCML100 Posted August 21, 2017 Author Share Posted August 21, 2017 After a successful open day (as can be seen above!) We set about the front loco stallings siding and the two front wagon sidings. This all being held together (in plan) with a double slip. Heres a few pics of us planning out angles and aiming to get realistic curves in our track plan. This was our near enough final result. thanks for checking in... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve W Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 Sorry, no pics at present but work has been continuing and the fiddleyard traverser now has permanently installed tracks, four of them. we have also been able to add a couple of loco pockets in this area which will help operations. Main track work is also ongoing mostly the loco refuelling area and goods reception road to complete. Will get a few pics of progress next Friday with a bit of luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve W Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 (edited) I now have a couple of pics of recent work. Only two more board crossings after this one (freight reception road) taken a couple of weeks ago This work has gone well and a smooth run over the joints is being achieved due to the care taken. the board joint is spaced with some card to offset the gap created by the track cutting The traverser tracks are laid and for a narrow baseboard are reasonably versatile Track 1 aligns only with the first outgoing track, but connects to access the two platforms. Track 4 will allow access the freight line and one platform. Tracks 2&3 will both access either outgoing track. The entrance to the fiddleyard will have an angled bridge and the space occupied by this has allowed a couple of loco pockets at the end of tracks 3&4 suitable in length for up to a class 66 to be added. On the right are two sidings and the double slip is now permanently fitted. Completion of the loop beyond the slip completes track wiring and then it's electrics whilst the artists design the backscene. We have quite a small team on this project and the advantage is that it allows everyone to try new skills and have a go. New members who previously never used a soldering iron are getting on just fine and increasing in confidence all the time. That is what this project was intended for and why club membership can worthwhile. Cheers Edited October 9, 2017 by steve W 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shandres Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Sorry for the recent lack of updates but we have made good progress! We were on the baseboards, then the track laying and now finally the point motors! Pics and further updates can be seen on the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TwickenhamMRC/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve W Posted December 17, 2017 Share Posted December 17, 2017 Indeed, progress has been so good we are considering extensions before we even have a running layout! But, back on earth and with track laying finished, other than the 'Golden Spike' ceremony, attention has turned to the underneath regions and wiring has started. Just a few of the common rail droppers connected so far, but it's a start. When we get bored using black wire we'll move on to red, blue etc. and of course green for the point crossings ('cause frogs are green) The green strips are file binders hot glued in place, these are great for holding the wires. You sometimes hear complaints that these don't work as they suffer from UV degradation; but under a baseboard they don't get much UV and last for years. cheers 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve W Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 More droppers added last week. To avoid confusion only the common return wire is installed to begin with. Control will be MERG CBUS, the first (of two) control panels has been started, the CANPAN built and a mimic designed for the front. this isn't complete yet, but will look very close to this pic. The blue outlines are for illuminated push button section switches. These are mounted directly to a piece of Vereo board. The other switch positions are centre off sprung toggles that will go in the front plate. Hopefully this will be laser cut by my son in law (perhaps in return for laying his kitchen floor recently!). This panel is intended to be mounted at the front of the layout, the other will be at the rear and will approximate to this sketch: Lots of work needed on this one, the two connections to the traverser are on the left and simple route selection using a combination of the yellow switches will operate the points. It is hoped that the signals (starters only) can be automated into this panel and experiments are ongoing. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwall Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 Looks like good progress Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve W Posted February 13, 2018 Share Posted February 13, 2018 It's making some progress, having had a session putting the common return black wires on one board we decided we needed a change so have now got most of the red track feeds in on the same board. We won't complete everything, but hope to have a bit of operation for a club promotion at Twickenham Library in the Spring. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve W Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 Time for an update. The wiring continues, board 2 is almost complete, a block of 16 relays has been installed, most are switching sections on or off and a couple for the three points on this board. We have taken care to label each of the red wires! One servo point motor has been fitted. At this point we discovered it's too close to a baseboard stiffener and adjusting the micro switches will need an access hole for the screwdriver. 7/10 for that one! The team have spent some time getting to grips with soldering up a couple of MERG pcb's for driving the relays and having completed them this week they have both had basic testing and all is good. Time to turn attention to board one and face up to the horrors of the double slip! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCML100 Posted March 13, 2018 Author Share Posted March 13, 2018 (edited) While work on Eastgate continues, more purchases for the eastgate fleet have taken place! More class 68’s will feature (up to 5!) than we first thought as well as a more unusual engine type in the form of the railtrack bubble! Not forgetting a range of class 66 locomotives! A must for todays morden image modeller! Edited March 13, 2018 by WCML100 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Track laying on Twickenham MRC's new D&E layout now complete! So we're on track (sorry!) to be running at the club's 'pop-up' exhibition at Twickenham Library on Sat April 21st (10am to 4pm). This mini exhibition is designed to take our hobby to a new audience, people who might not attend a full-blown show on the outskirts of town so we have taken our hobby right into the centre of Twickenham. Why not come and see the layout there and meet the team behind it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve W Posted April 23, 2018 Share Posted April 23, 2018 We made it! a tight call but some 'midnight (literally) oil' and the basic Eastgate is up and running on three tracks for the Library event. The wiring has gone from a lonely single black wire to a full set with a few loose ends to tidy up. Point motors are next on the list and the control panels. Board one is fairly light with wiring concentrated near the baseboard join. Four point motors to add, a MERG node to go in next to the relays and a few loose ends. Much more on board 2. The impromptu buffer stops at Twickenham Library event. This was a good day and we met a great bunch of people. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Crawford Posted May 28, 2018 Share Posted May 28, 2018 Look forwards to seeing it at exhibitions in the next few years. Hopefully permanent buffers will be in before the open day? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve W Posted July 7, 2018 Share Posted July 7, 2018 Development of this layout compared to many on this site would appear to be lesiurely in the extreme. In truth we have been fairly busy, considering it is a Friday evening only activity for the most part. As a learning project we have tried to involve as many of the team as possible in it's build but eventually the wiring becomes a drag, so recently we have moved the installation on with additional work at home. The control panel for the small yard area is now complete and follows the ideas shown earlier - MERG CBUS is used with a CANPAN module giving 32 switch and LED possibilities. The next few pics gives some idea of this unit, which can be connected at the front or rear of the layout. the completed panel is approx 250mm x 100mm x 50mm deep. The enclosure is a simple mdf box with the CANPAN on the base the blue illuminated switches are for track sections (primarily a DC layout) and the centre of toggle switches are for the points. the spacings were drawn to match the pitch of the holes in the vereo board and the whole gubbins was built on that. connections on the back use a mixture of the board tracks and wire links, a bit of a rats nest to be honest, but there are good drawings of the interconnections. The top plate is made from thick plasticard laser cut for the switches to poke through and that sits on a 4mm stripwood spacer surround to give an almost flush finish. Before assembling, the mimic was printed on paper and glued (spray mount) to the plasticard then covered in clear self adhesive book covering film, the leds shine through the paper and do not protrude. The next job is to configure the switches to the CBUS boards driving the relays on the layout, a few LEDS have been done to test colouring and visibility, which is better than in the picture. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted July 8, 2018 Share Posted July 8, 2018 Just let everyone know that this exciting new project will be running at Twickenham MRC's open day on July 21st............. Twickenham MRC have a very positive attitude towards D&E modelling and wanted to attract new members to the club by building a privatisation era layout ........... Eastgate is the result! And in the future, the more D&E modellers we attract the bigger Eastgate can grow! And so, if you like what you see, please come down on July 21st and see the layout in the flesh. Open day details are on our website www.tdmrc.org.uk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve W Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Production of Eastgate continues. The fine weather has permitted quite a lot of work out of doors and having completed the configuration for the first board last Friday, it's time to get the wiring on the other one moved on a bit this week. Here's a pic of the underside of the first to be completed: We had a stroke of luck after moving one of the turnouts; it ended up with the tiebar position almost fouling the baseboard transverse member where we had a wire run. Fortunately the MERG point motor brackets are dished at exactly the right place! For this one we used a relay rather than microswitches for the frog switching. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 This layout thread has 50 followers on RMweb - which makes it the TDMRC's most followed layout on this forum - and it hasn't even been to one exhibition yet! It's first REAL showing will be at our open day this Saturday - hoping to meet some of our RMwebbers at the weekend! If you're reading this and planning to come along please introduce yourself to the team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 (edited) Apologies for lack of new postings on this thread. Anyway the BIG news is that Twickenham club's ANNUAL OPEN DAY is coming up again on July 13th and EASTGATE will be given pride of place. So forget the lack of news here on RMweb and come down to our clubroom and see the progress for yourselves! You can find full details of our open day here www.tdmrc.org.uk . Now don't tell anyone I told you this .................. ……………… but if you're thinking of joining us, why not bring along some of your most interesting locos to show the team and maybe have a little run on the layout yourself - you'll find us a very friendly bunch! Edited June 30, 2019 by TEAMYAKIMA Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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