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West Kirby Town: Parcels traffic has increased.


Dmudriver
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I model in 2mm finescale where there are limits on what you can do - keep forgetting that you 7mm boys sometime have to also make compromises!

 

Agree with Aldi - its not gone down well with some folks around here. Not helped by them leaving it as an eye saw for a year after pulling down what was there.

 

The church is nice, but as with the backs of the shops, its full of lots of bits sticking out. Its also where the Merseyside History Railway Group holder their monthly meetings.

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Just a bit of an update. I've not done much work on the layout, unfortunately, as I've been tidying up after the landscapers had finished. Now they've gone and the dust has (literally!!) settled, I have laid carpet tiles in the shed. Have got some stuff back into it, too. Still a fair bit to do, though. Hope to get back to the layout soon: off to the G0G show at Halifax tomorrow; it's half term next week and as my grandkids parents are teachers they're off, too, so I won't be called on for Granddad duties, and I can get some work on the layout done.

 

In the meantime, I've been preparing dropper wires and have sourced some more rigid operating wires for the Tortoise motors and have bent about 10 to shape. One has ended up on the floor behind the modelling desk - it will have to wait to be retrieved!!!

 

More soon.

 

Rod

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Hi Dmudriver

Layout looking good i am useing cobalt point motors could you please tell me what size operating wire you are have got for your motors.

Thanks Steve

 

HI spenc.

 

It's 1.1 mm piano wire. All I know, other than that, is that it came out of a box behind the counter in the model shop and felt pretty rigid. It does do the job, though! Cutting it is a bit difficult - you need bigger wire cutters than I've got - but I managed!! Sorry I can't be more technical than that!!!!

 

Rod

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Hi all.

 

AT LAST - Progress!! After getting the garden sorted, shed-type stuff back in the shed, house returned to normal after some "shed-type stuff" shifted and the Bank Holiday weekend gone, I've been able to do some work on the layout. The FIRST LOCO has run tonight!! Admittedly only under DC control - the controller attached to the track with crocodile clips - but it has proved the electrical side of things is OK. I fitted the bus wires and droppers today and so far have no shorts.

 

As a matter of interest (hopefully!) I've attached a photo of how I attach the droppers to the bus wires.

 

post-7571-0-10295600-1339108617_thumb.jpg

 

I solder the droppers - the thin wires top left - to the rail sides and then fasten them into a single 3A chocolate block (with the tail long enough to be screwed down by both terminals). At the other end is a piece of wire which is from the earth wire in the 3 core cable I use, again screwed down by both terminals. The bus wire goes through a 15A chocolate block screwed to the baseboard and the thicker earth wire is then screwed into the 13A block, again, both terminals. It works really well!! Inside and outside the shed. I started doing this after struggling to solder the thin dropper wires to the thicker bus wires - they needed a lot of heat and working under the baseboard made it even more difficult.

 

I still need to wire up the DCC controller and wire up and fit all the Tortoise motors, but I feel that, at last, I am making progress again.

 

Once that's done, it will be time to cut the hole in the shed wall and start building the outside track - providing I can tear myself away from playing with sorry, testing, (!!) the station area.

 

I've said before that the shed lighting is superb for the layout and it is (a dull, murky day today has proved it) but underneath the layout is a different story!! Still, a table lamp helped!! I'd also forgotten how useless varifocal glasses are when you're looking up at wiring under a baseboard!! Maybe I should get some Denis (Dennis?) Taylor reverse varifocals!!

 

More soon.

 

Rod

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I have trialled two methods so far for wiring. On one board I took all the thin track droppers into chocolate blocks (up to six at a time) and then from there another single wire goes to the switch gear on the outside of the diorama. On another board I have trialled feeding all the droppers into brass junctions and taking a single wire to the switches. For ease of working out what does what under the board, the brass junction works better but at a significantly higher cost. At no time was I ever tempted to solder upside down!

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Hi all.

 

A bit more progress: the layout is now wired up for DCC operation and I've had a couple of locos running. I've had to hold the points over with various implements (like coffee stirrers and old sleepers) and, after sorting one or two minor problems - electrical and track - it works fine. Even with the frogs still dead, there were few problems: fortunately my 03 has a match truck attached so that spanned the dead frogs. Tortoise point motors next on the agenda.

 

I had hoped to have got more done by now - being retired means (you'd think) more time available. Don't you believe it!!! I'm as busy now as when I was working!!

 

Will update when the points are working.

 

Rod

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Hi Rod

 

I've just found this thread.

 

It's looking very good - and quick too. Reading between the lines, you seem to have had some problems with 31.5mm clearances. Did that arise from commissioning someone else to do them? I spent far longer building my own track that a commissioned builder could possibly do and still make money, and I think it shows. Are you sorted now, or do you have to put the Heljan wheels on the lathe? I noticed Jim Snowdon's article in the Gazette and thought it very timely. Safely put away until my Deltic comes out of its box!

 

Cheers

 

Richard

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Hi Rod

 

I've just found this thread.

 

It's looking very good - and quick too. Reading between the lines, you seem to have had some problems with 31.5mm clearances. Did that arise from commissioning someone else to do them? I spent far longer building my own track that a commissioned builder could possibly do and still make money, and I think it shows. Are you sorted now, or do you have to put the Heljan wheels on the lathe? I noticed Jim Snowdon's article in the Gazette and thought it very timely. Safely put away until my Deltic comes out of its box!

 

Cheers

 

Richard

 

Hi Richard.

 

It's good to hear from you. As far as your reading between the lines is concerned, the answers are "Yes" and "Yes", but I don't want to say too much on an open forum. I am beginning to think about making my own for the preserved railway depot, but when/whether I'll have the time is another matter!! I'll use the Peco ones for now, but that depot is to be done after I've extended the railway outside, which is the next job after motorising the points. The fiddle yard points will be solenoid operated as I've plenty of solenoid motors and push button switches left from the old layout.

 

I did get the 37 wheels turned and it has certainly helped.

 

How is your layout going? Did I read that it was at an exhibition a few months ago? Somewhere in Lancashire? Which sound system did you fit in the Deltic?

 

Rod

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How is your layout going? Did I read that it was at an exhibition a few months ago? Somewhere in Lancashire? Which sound system did you fit in the Deltic?

 

 

Hi Rod

 

The layout progresses well, but slowly. We're doing a lot of fiddly bits at the moment - forming setts in the yard and installing point rodding. I'm still working on the signals, but all the details take an age. We've got the Dinghams working, so hands-free shunting is now possible and that will add to our enjoyment. We have a sequence, but need more Dinghammed stock before we can operate properly.

 

Heyside went to Manchester last October and behaved itself very well, and its next outing is Aylesbury 2013, so just under a year to go which is certainly focussing my mind.

 

The Deltic has not been run. I haven't found a sound chip yet that seems right to me, so it's on hold. I'm hoping to have a chat with Laurie Loveless and Cliff Williams at Telford to see what they think. I'm sure someone will produce a decent sound chip sometime.

 

Cheers

 

Richard

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Hi all

 

A bit of an update: work progresses - slowly at the moment. 6 point motors are now fitted but not yet wired in. I have wired in, though, a programming track which I needed: it's actually the headshunt to the preserved railway site.

 

I've also been spending time maintaining/repairing various locos and changing chips, together with further work on the pointwork I had built. So, while there's not a lot to show on the layout, things are progressing.

 

Rod

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Hi Rod

 

How are you finding the Tortoise motors. I don't have any practical experience myself having always used SEEP. Cheap to install and replace if they go wrong and they go over with a satisfying if unrealistic thump!

 

Are the Tortoise motors better for DCC

 

Keep up the good work

 

Paul R

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Hi Rod

 

How are you finding the Tortoise motors. I don't have any practical experience myself having always used SEEP. Cheap to install and replace if they go wrong and they go over with a satisfying if unrealistic thump!

 

Are the Tortoise motors better for DCC

 

Keep up the good work

 

Paul R

 

Hi Paul.

 

I've found Tortoise motors to be extremely reliable. I've fitted about 20 to the Club layout and they make a very positive switch blade to stock rail contact. They also have 2 microswitches built in which are very easy to use. The only problems we've had with them not working have been traced to either a wire joint coming unscrewed or unsoldered. In addition, they have a nice smooth movement which, I believe, can be adjusted by the voltage used to operate them. The Tortoise motors replaced Peco and Seep ones on both theClub layout and on my own. Whereas Peco and Seep are solenoids and operate on a instant burst of power from a CDU, Tortoise motors are permanently on: once they reach a certain point, the motor is switched off but a small current holds the motor and therefore the blade in place. As I said, they have a smooth operation, unlike the CDU operated ones which, whilst they make a thump as they go over (so you know they've changed!!) do eventually have problems due to that thumping (broken vertical operating rods being one and microswitches coming off being another! Although, in thelatter case, it is often poor glueing that is a contributory factor). Although they are more expensive, I wouldn't go back to CDU operated ones where they are on view. I say that, because I am going to use some in my fiddle yard - but only because I've a lot left from the previous layout and they are out of sight. Plus, I can hear from the shed if the've changed!! They are bigger than Peco (extending about 8.5 cm below the baseboard) or Seeps so that may be a consideration for some people.

 

Are they better for DCC? Frankly, I don't think it matters: on my layouts - from DC to DCC now - (and on the Club's layout) I've always had a seperate circuit for the point motors. I know you can operate point motors via DCC hand held controllers but I operated on a layout a few years ago that did that and it was so time consuming as to become annoying. Setting routes can be done from a computer and I operate now on a layout that has that feature but the programming might be a bit complicated for me!! As for changing the polarity of frogs on either DCC or DC, the Tortoises have 2 switches built in: with Peco you can buy microswitches to fit the point motors and some models of Seeps come with the feature built in: I've found no particular problems with any of them, other than human error.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

Rod

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Hi all

 

Just a bit of an update - things are happening, but slowly. The 6 Tortoise motors I fitted are now all wired up and operational. Of course, I wired every one back to front, didn't I???!!! They are now all lying in the correct position, however.

 

I've now got to resist the temptation to shunt my parcels stock around and get on with fitting and wiring up the next 7. Then I can play a bit and then get the extension into the garden going.

 

Having said that I had 3 grandsons playing on the layout on Saturday - admittedly just pushing wagons about as I wedged points with coffee stirrers, bits of cork, etc!! And this was part of my birthday party! Mind you, they're all well impressed with the sound of my 50!! [Would you believe it's 50021 "Rodney"!!!!]

 

Rod

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Another update and this time the layout is up and running!! I got help to get the last 7 Tortoise motors fitted to the boards and then wired them up yesterday and this morning. Again, I got most of them back to front, normal was reversed, etc!!! However, quickly sorted by swapping the feed wires round. Peco and Seep are easy to do: does anyone know a simple way of setting up Tortoise motors so that normal is normal first time??

 

I'm still having to tweak this pointwork a bit: the locos are OK now, but each piece of rolling stock seems to find a new tight spot!! Yes, I'm checking the stock, too!!! And it depends on weight, rigidity of bogie settings, etc.

 

Next job is to electrify the frogs - mind you, there's only the 03 that needs that (even with a match truck): the other locos are long enough and pick up on both bogies so they bridge the dead frogs. DMUs, too. Then spray paint the tracks before the signals get fitted and then ...... outside!!!

 

Then build a platform, ballast, build the preserved railway depot, scenery (not my strong point - or even an interest, come to that!!). Then I've got to fit in fitting a couple of chips, including to the new 3-car DMU, maintain and repair a couple of locos. Good job I'm retired!!!

 

No modelling this weekend - visiting Wirral OGG on Saturday and driving a 12": 1 foot DMU on Sunday - so more next week.

 

Rod

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I'm still having to tweak this pointwork a bit: the locos are OK now, but each piece of rolling stock seems to find a new tight spot!! Yes, I'm checking the stock, too!!! And it depends on weight, rigidity of bogie settings, etc.

 

 

Always a good excuse for a "play"!!!

Enjoy!

JF

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Hi Rod,

 

great to meet you yesterday and chat about our respective Wirral projects, I'll keep you informed of progress and hope to see you again at our future Open Days - a few pictures I managed to take before it became busy!

 

post-6951-0-51537000-1341129345.jpg

 

Lionheart pannier and Tower Colletts on the Fairford train

 

post-6951-0-46760200-1341129348.jpg

 

mixed tank train that ran all afternoon

 

post-6951-0-35604000-1341129351.jpg

 

the Jury becoming restless for more stock to discuss

 

post-6951-0-06873600-1341129354.jpg

 

EasyBuild Mk1s to BR (SR) EMUs

 

Hope you have an enjoyable day on the ELR playing with 12" to the foot DMUs

 

cheers

 

Mike

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Hi Rod,

 

great to meet you yesterday and chat about our respective Wirral projects, I'll keep you informed of progress and hope to see you again at our future Open Days - a few pictures I managed to take before it became busy!

 

post-6951-0-51537000-1341129345.jpg

 

Lionheart pannier and Tower Colletts on the Fairford train

 

post-6951-0-46760200-1341129348.jpg

 

mixed tank train that ran all afternoon

 

post-6951-0-35604000-1341129351.jpg

 

the Jury becoming restless for more stock to discuss

 

post-6951-0-06873600-1341129354.jpg

 

EasyBuild Mk1s to BR (SR) EMUs

 

Hope you have an enjoyable day on the ELR playing with 12" to the foot DMUs

 

cheers

 

Mike

Hi Mike. It was good to meet you too, and some of the lads. I enjoyed my afternoon and we'll certainly keep in touch about our Wirral projects. Sunday was good, too: the 104 DMU behaved itself, the weather wasn't the best in N Wales, but not too bad, either. All in all, a good weekend:now it's back to WKT!!

 

Rod

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Time for another update, I think!! I've been playing so I've not got much done to the layout!! By"playing" I mean shunting around and having great fun with it!! I've had to tweak an item or two of stock to deal with the points but all in all things are running OK. I do need to fix the dead frogs as my Ivatt 2-6-2T is stalling on them as is the 03 but all the DMUs and big diesel locos are happy over them.

 

A couple of chips are playing up and need some attention/sending away, but I can live with that for a while.

 

Anyway, for a change last night I decided to do some wiring. I've had my fiddle yard control panel fitted to the layout by a friend who likes doing woodwork and I've done the tape for the layout, fitted and wired up the push buttons. The points in the fiddle yard will be Peco as I've loads left and they can go on top of the outside boards, under covers: I didn't fancy Tortoises outside, even though they'd be under the boards - and, as I said, I've ooads of Pecos left. Here's a couple of photos of the panel fitted:

 

post-7571-0-71192600-1341493491_thumb.jpg

 

The buttons have not got arrows on them, that's just the light catching on them!! Also, all the tape is black, the lighter areas are the light, again!

 

post-7571-0-30367300-1341493569_thumb.jpg

 

This picture just gives an idea of where the panel fits in relation to the overall layout. The chocolate block on the end of the wires will be screwed onto and under the baseboard framimg.

 

I use yellow wire for pointwork, green for signals, blue and red or brown for bus wires, droppers and track feeds and white for feeds to lights. Black is for common returns. I label every wire, too - just using masking tape with the appropriate annotation on - on both ends!!

 

I've taken a couple of photos of the layout with some stock, the signal cabin and a bridge on, just to give a flavour of how it will look. I'm not sure about the position of the bridge yet: I need to leave room for the heritage railway site, but I'd also like to have it on the station side of the trailing crossover if I can, but I think, due to the shape and width of the base boards, it will probably have to go further back still. The final one will be based on the actual - this one is from the old layout, where it spanned 3 tracks:

 

post-7571-0-33824800-1341494150_thumb.jpg

 

post-7571-0-75414100-1341494189_thumb.jpg

 

post-7571-0-62142700-1341494223_thumb.jpg

 

Next jobs on the "To Do" list will, I think, have to be the dead frogs, sort out the 2 chips and then start the extension outside - when we get some decent weather!!

 

I realise that I need more shelves in the shed for tool boxes, stock boxes, etc, but they'll come with time. I'm also beginning to realise that, with a bigger layout, there's not always much progress to show as it's a bit like a duck on water - everything happening underneath!! I keep checking the dates on posts when I look at other layout threads just to remind myself that others take time, too!!

 

Enough for now: more soon.

 

Rod

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Rod

Your layout is looking superb. What stuff do you have for the preservation side?

 

Hi Steve.

 

At the moment, only an Ivatt 2-6-2T and a 3 coach push/pull rake , modelling the "Welsh Dragon". I don't know if you know of it, but it ran Mondays to Fridays in the 50s and 60s during the summer months along the coast between Rhyl and Llandudno. I used to see it a lot when I was on holiday as a kid. I want an excuse to run it on a late 70s/early 80s layout, so I'm assuming BR were a bit more receptive in my modelling world and I'll run it as a steam special West Kirby to New Brighton.

 

After that, who knows? Possibly an ex LNWR 2-4-2T as the Wirral Railway bought 4 from the LNWR in 1913, 1919 and 1921. Ex LNWR Coal Tanks appeared on the line in LMS days. I like the LNWR, as you might realise! [As you may have seen earlier in the thread, I sold a largish LNWR collection to fund this shed and layout]. Otherwise, anything that would have run in the area - tank engines mainly, though possibly a small tender engine. Rolling stock? - not sure yet, I'll have to do more research!! It's a bit strange, imagining a preservation depot in the 70s/80s!! - but it will give me an excuse/reason for some older stock - which will, of course, all be fit for main line running!!

 

Rod

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Hi Steve.

 

At the moment, only an Ivatt 2-6-2T and a 3 coach push/pull rake , modelling the "Welsh Dragon". I don't know if you know of it, but it ran Mondays to Fridays in the 50s and 60s during the summer months along the coast between Rhyl and Llandudno. I used to see it a lot when I was on holiday as a kid. I want an excuse to run it on a late 70s/early 80s layout, so I'm assuming BR were a bit more receptive in my modelling world and I'll run it as a steam special West Kirby to New Brighton.

 

 

Rod

 

Sounds vaguely familiar!

 

Got that one on our layout...

 

post-7179-0-91041600-1341529406.jpg

 

Cheers

JF

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