Ian_H

Alternatively, you could use one of these; A drop of pop and a banana skin will really make things fly.

It was your posting of : thats caused me to think of "Is vic there", I think its almost the same tune!

Is Vic there? Been a long long time since I heard that:

As Mick has mentioned, the DDC Concepts Powerbase seems to be an answer to gradients down to 1 in 30, here's a video that I've seen before, you may find it of interest. I've no experience of DCC Concepts Powerbase ................ but I am interested.

Hi John, I like the video’s but I can’t quite make out the number on the Brit but I assume it is the same as the one you posted a photograph of in post #740, may I ask is it an off the shelf Britannia, or kit built? If off the shelf (Hornby) was it easy to modify for EM gauge? Thaks Ian

Hi Jeremy, To my knowledge the Rapido 00 gauge ATP-E was released in 2016, there are a few vidoes APT-E on RMWEB and here is another one that I found on Youtube of the APT-E at Everard Junction ... dig the music, I'm sure Lady Penelope and Jeff Tracy are on the train

Are the jigs just for BH rails or are they also used for FB rails?

I hope you will remember to take some photographs and post them here, I think there is a lot of interest on the layout! Have fun Ian

Hi Martin, With my 1970s ‘O’ level physics I can just about cope with the electronics for the TCC system but if we are to throw a Raspberry Pi into the mix then I suddenly find myself outside my comfort zone. I am okay in using a Pi as a media system but programming a GPIO ............. don't know what to do. However, wouldn't the processing power of a Raspberry Pi be a little bit over kill in this instance and perhaps the same could be said of the arduino microprocessors which again I know nothing about. Perhaps a PIC could be a better choice and perhaps easier to follow. In this instance, I am aware of a video for Everard Junction automatic signalling system which I think is immensely interesting and could perhaps be used to recreate a TCC system. The video is over 50mins long but I think very informative, of course I’ve gone over it a couple of time. Here’s a link for it: One further thought, since we are no longer discussing Basingstoke should this discussion be moved over to the Electrics forum? Regards Ian

Hi, I've spent a couple of hours on it and have come up with the following (With reference to the above circuit diagram - post #218); Start: All signal are green, all relays are in NC condition. The train moves from left to right! T1 is grounded, R1 is energized and will remain latched through R2A, signal S1 switches from Green to Red. T2 is grounded, R2 is energized and will remain latched through R3A, signal S2 switches from Green to Red. T2A is grounded, R2A is momentarily energized through R2B which will release R1, signal S1 switches from Red to Yellow. T2B is grounded, R2B is energized and will remain latched through R3A, R2A is released, +track power at S2 (from B wire) is disconnected. T3 is grounded, R3 is energized and will remain latched through R4A(???), signal S3 switches from Green to Red. T3A is grounded, R3A is momentarily energized through R3B which will release R2 & R2B, S1 switches from Yellow to Green and S2 switches from Red to Yellow. T3B is grounded, R3B is energized and will remain latched through R4A(???), If there are any problems with the above then please advise. Regards Ian

I think it is very sad that the topic has come to an end, I was particularly interested in 71000s TCC system, the circuit is here; but I don't have the explaination, perhaps somebody can add it, ie 71000? Regards Ian

Hi Dan, I think the Bastille plans are very interesting and will provide a lot of enjoyment if you proceed with these designs. I can get a great deal of pleasure watching the shunting movements of ECS and have spent a couple of hours watching a few videos this afternoon that John Elliott (Leeds City - The Midland Side) produced of his last model "Bradfield Gloucester Square". Perhaps you are familiar with the videos but if not here a link for the "6.35am Preparing mainline departures"; There are quite a number of Johns' videos on YouTube but I guess they can also be found on RMWeb Bradfield Gloucester Squaretopic ...from say page 21 onwards. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/28198-bradfield-gloucester-square-br-1962-ish/page-21 Ian

We had a fairly large playmobil trainset for my children, it was composed of three trainsets with additional track and points. The children would spend an hour or so building the trainset but quickly get board of playing with it unless the budgerigar showed an interest which it quite often did. Ever so funny to see a budgie sat on top of a playmobil train tootling along, of course the kids would get silly and see how fast they could make the train go without the budgie falling off and flying away. We didn't train the bird to do it, it just flew down one day totally out of the blue and proceeded to walk up and down the train while it was going round the track. Anyway, back to Basingstoke, what you are achieving it is very impressive, also you mentioned that you were planning to run a track building demonstration at an exhibition, if you decide to make a pictorial account of that I would be very interested to see how you construct your turnouts. Best regards Ian

Wait till you get to the picture book ... I'll guarantee you'll want one, we all do!

You should write and let your nephew know

How does the new peco BH track compare with C&L? ........ probably the wrong forum to ask the question but since track is being discussed;)

The square panel with a hole in it, is this what the turntable sits in, or is it something else? I'd assummed that you would just cut a hole with a jig saw at the correct diameter for the turntable .... is it just a plywood square, for clarity, next time you have your camera out could you take a photograph of it? Thanks Ian

Good idea Andy, put me down for one as well ....... we are talking about the same thing aren't we, the "Eastwood Town - A 10 year celebration " Book? I imagine Gordon could make a killing, maybe help pay for the turntable

Hi Gordon, Thank you very much for sharing your memories of ET, I've been a follower since your posting of the traverser back in 2009, thought it superb, the same with the Eastwood Town Mk3 design with the folded figure of eight, I didn't see the earlier designs, a bit before my time and probably on the old RMWeb site but I almost cried when you took the Mk3 to the tip but of course I understood the difficulties with the gradients. I haven't actually built anything myself yet but I did fancy something similar to the Mk3 and have made rather extensive tests of gradients and found that most if not all of the Bachmann steam locos that I have can pull eight coaches up a 1 in 80 incline without wheel slip but throw in a curve and everything goes out the window, you had the same problems with the Mk5 design and there were lots of discussions and mathematics about gradients on a curve. I've thoroughly enjoy watching your design and construction of complexed track formations and have a number of them bookmarked for reference, the same is true of your forte into weathering particularly the Mucky Duck and the 9F and adding extra weight so that it could handle the gradients, I didn't really follow or is it understand the complexities of wheel quartering but nevertheless it was all interesting stuff that I thank you for. In that time you've had bouts of ill health, a stint in hospital and bereavements, a loss of "mojo" and one chap who was contemplating walking away from his model railway because he couldn't hope to build anything to the same level as you, I think he was joking ... hope he was joking. A few days ago you said that you have tried to explain "your" philosophy with regard to ET but seem to have failed, I'm not too sure that's the case, I mean the failure, I like to think I get it and I think the other 380 followers also get it perhaps to varying degrees but get it nevertheless. Of course some discussions have become unpleasant through misunderstandings and I can understand you walking away from the thread and devoting more time to the actual construction of ET and that other thing you do with little balls and a stick (whatever floats your boat) but when your ready to share with us the future developments of ET then we'll be here ready and waiting, well I will be anyway;-) Best regards Ian Ps I do remember a post way back in the early days along the lines of "why bother building a model railway when you can have almost as much fun watching ET develop". Perhaps now some of us, namely me, might pull our fingers out and actually build something!

Gordon good luck and best wishes Ian Ps by the way did your nephew actually call by over Christmas;-)

Hi Gordon, Is your nephew visiting this Christmas? .... It has been a while, I guess he's married with kids of his own now. No doubt he'll be pleased to see the recent progress on ET;-) Joking aside, I think you do terrific work and I've enjoyed all the versions of ET. As for speed, I wouldn't worry to much about it, in the time that you have almost built four different ETs I haven't got past the planning stage! Merry Christmas to you and yours Ian

Looking good Gordon, will your "six year old nephew" be visiting this Christmas? I'm sure he will be very please to see the progress but perhaps he'll more interested in girls now;-)

Hi John, I see what you mean, it looks like your room has fallen over! Ian

B7 and C10 ... I've forgotten what these numbers and letters mean, can somebody provide a link please. As for the B52 - Boeing B-52 Stratofortress - a strategic bomber, considerably larger than a B7 turnout but probably unable to carry a class 55 whereas the B7 would have little problem.

Hi John, Thanks for getting back to me, Leeds City is very impressive, are you sure you won't ever take it out on the road, it would be lovely to see it but as I recall with BGS you're pretty good with the video camera so I guess we can look forward to that! Ian