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I enjoyed playing trains

richbrummitt

Entry posted by richbrummitt

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I had an enjoyable but tiring weekend. I was surprised by the quantity of layouts in attendance, including some that I had not seen before (even excepting the challenge layouts). The layout was transported and erected without problems and ran pretty well too. I had problems all day Saturday transferring from the layout into the cassettes with almost everything derailing, but the so far not very scenic section only has a few niggles. The problem with the cassettes is with the haste of construction and lack of care in ensuring the gauge was not too large. Inserting some plasticard strips just less than the back to back in the centre helped enormously and made Sundays timetable more enjoyable.

 

Also on Saturday, just as the exhibition was opening ten minutes early I found that my second choice goods loco (1425) was short circuit on the track at some places and had to have the brakes removed for a cure. The reserve pannier tank was found to be permanent short circuit on the body so I was hoping for reliable service from the recently completed etched chassis replacement. Then the worm came off! The worm was specially bushed to suit the motor shaft and after finding the worm I tried to refix it with disasterous results

 

4764783784_a3b9c10092_z.jpg

 

What you see is a coreless motor with the can separated from the rear cap. I really needed reliable service from the rather lightweight 1425 now. Fortuantely she performed pretty well the whole weekend. Large amounts of wheelslip were reduced by running bunker first with a train and limiting the number of wagons handled. This was not difficult given that I had spent last week fitting three link couplings to as many wagons as possible and managing about ten. A few others that are still without hooks spent the weekend stranded in the goods yard looking pretty.

 

On Saturday evening I solved the short circuit on the body of the reserve pannier tank and even got the coreless motor back together and kind of working. Not well enough to provide a locomotive for Sundays timetable. With two working locomotives and some loan wagons from Andy Hanson I operated a second goods train on Sunday. My something like 15 year old Farish railcar providing the passenger services with little compaint throughout the weekend.

 

I got to to have a better look around when everything stopped at about half past two on Sunday afternoon. Something got too hot, possibly in the controller. I fitted an AC fan on the power supply box and that seemed to work really well. I had a couple of problems with the security of my leads, but that was not the problem this time. The controller would flash output, and then load, followed by overload and then there was nothing. After a time it would repeat this action. I gave up and took some pictures:

 

4764151833_8f684599ba_b.jpg

 

This would be the approximate view from the house adjacent to the line on the north side of the line, with the diesel railcar paused where the station building will be one day.

 

 

4764785910_513b17dee5_b.jpg

 

Another view, this time looking towards Oxford, showing the near empty yard. All the photographs show a yard brimming with wagons so I have some more work to do completing what is in my stock pile. I got some extruded polystyrene offcuts shaped into the rough shape of the landscape. There is a bit more work to do on them before they can be fixed and blended in but it has given me an idea of how it can shape up. For the moment the facia has just been cut to match and requires some smoothing when the final contour is produced.

 

4764154743_6e53991c97_b.jpg

 

Finally a view capturing the whole layout within the exhibition.

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Kris
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I liked what I saw of the layout over the weekend. I thought that there was a lot of potential.

I notice that you have only a single leg on your cassette boards. How stable is this?

 

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-missy-

Hi Rich :)

 

As Kris says it was nice to see the layout this weekend as well as yourself too of course. I really wish I had more time at the show to take a closer look at the layouts there though, it really feels like I missed out there. The way the whole layout looks is great, the way the scenery flows, and the way the track blends in, all good stuff.

 

Did you by any chance buy a flying banana this weekend? Also I forgot to ask, can you send me some details on those coaches you mentioned in an earlier post too?

 

Missy

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2mm Andy

Hi Richard,

 

Glad the wagons were of use - especially given the complete mess I made of fitting 2FS wheels to my Toad brake van!

 

I was really impressed with the way the layout folded-up to fit into your car.

 

Andy

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Bryn

Hey Richard,

 

I have to say I was mightily impressed with this and spent some time taking in the details such as point operation and your clever baseboard design. I sadly missed you on both days, but hope to catch up next time.

 

Keep up the top work!

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bcnPete
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Hi Richard,

 

As already mentioned above, the layout looked good all set up...and very neat too, in the way that it all packs together.

 

I do like the track plan for this layout and I look forward to see how you develop the surrounding scenery.

 

Good talking to you and seeing how you effortlessly dealt with the three link couplings :blink:

 

Pete

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richbrummitt

Thanks all. I received a bunch of positive comments and a lot of interest as a result of Mick's Easitrac seminar.

Kris,

It's all that could be fitted in the design. They are okay as long as the adjusters are extended so that the cassette portions are tight against the ends of the main boards, then if you knock them the whole thing moves as a unit.

Missy,

No, I've had a Worsley Works railcar for quite some time. Oxford had them early on for routes such as the Thame branch and the many others in the locale. I don't know if I'll ever get round to building it because they are relatively modern. It might be easier than it looks but I struggled to get my head around it the few times I've distracted myself to it.I think I know which coaches you refer to - I've got loads of coach fits from most of the known sources. The 4 wheelers that I've been working on are the ones that come as a set from Worsley Works - 2 van thirds a 5 compartment third and a 4 compartment first. More to come on these - I want to get them off the work bench.

Nick,

No problem. I actually think it's a pretty good solution that I hit upon in a proper light bulb above head moment.

Andy,

How many wheel sets did you try before finding the right ones? I looked up about wheels: The first disc wheels appeared on diagram AA19s (I think the Farish van most closely resembles AA24 or some other later type) in 1927 and 3 hole disc wheels were used progressively after 1930 so your van should probably have discs. Sorry. Maybe it could have had some replacements and spoked were to hand?

Bryn,

Sorry. I was around most of Saturday, forgiving 15 minutes to grab lunch from upstairs, but not so much on Sunday. My point operation could have been implemented much better but I really struggled on the design and had to fit it on after. I think it is a decent idea that could have better execution with some forward planning.

Pete,

Great to meet you. I copied the track plan straight from that reproduced in one of the line history books. I'm not the only association member that enjoys the 3 link. I was told that it was better to solder the links up once fully closed to prevent them stretching open and falling apart by someone with a bit more experience than myself.

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2mm Andy

Andy,

How many wheel sets did you try before finding the right ones? I looked up about wheels: The first disc wheels appeared on diagram AA19s (I think the Farish van most closely resembles AA24 or some other later type) in 1927 and 3 hole disc wheels were used progressively after 1930 so your van should probably have discs. Sorry. Maybe it could have had some replacements and spoked were to hand?

Rich,

 

I tried the 14.2mm and 13.7mm axle lengths - the former was way too tight, the latter was rather sloppy. It's got the latter at the moment, with disc wheels, so prototypically correctwink.gif. I need to sort out the sloppy running, which might involve getting the Farish wheels turned down to 2FS standards (apparently it can be done).

 

Thanks for the info about the wheels - I've got one of Chris Higgs' Toad brake vans to finish, so that will come in handy.

 

Andy

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Donw
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I enjoyed seeing the layout and having a chance to chat. The plastic inserts in the track worked ok then. I think I would need a large magnifying glass to couple up the three links. Keep posting on progress.

Donw

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justin1985

Hi Rich,

 

It was great to meet you on Sunday and have a chat. I am really impressed with the layout and especially the quality of your stock! I will have to get around to sorting out the pictures that I took ...

 

Justin

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Donw
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Rich

we were discussing the signalling on the Saturday and whether any trains crossed there. In my bookk on GWR stations under Wheatly (next down the line) it specifies that Thame and Wheatly were passing places and that later when Morris Cowley was added that was used for a passenger to pass a goods . No mention of that happening at Littlemore though.

Regards Donw

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Shawsysan

Nice to see your layout last week. I think the GJLC was a great success, there are a lot of brilliant layouts in the process of being built. I was quite close to you with my layout "Percy Nook" and we had a really enjoyable (if hot) weekend.

Regards

Chris

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richbrummitt
Rich

we were discussing the signalling on the Saturday and whether any trains crossed there... ... No mention of that happening at Littlemore though.

Regards Donw

 

Ah, now I know who you are ;) I didn't think that trains passed there. It was interesting to hear your thought on the signalling even though neither of the home signals are actually on the layout. I still believe that the signal at the end of the platform is an early distant signal though. Does your book tell you anything else about the station? Which book is it? Ta.

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