O-Gauge-Phil

Thanks Tim, the frame is from MSE, I would if I could have a purely mechanical interlocking system but time and complexity rules that out, the baseboard joints and wanting to operate from either side, but I do like that feeling with the momentum you get with a mechanical drive. The lever frame is made up of two seven way frames with brass strip holding them together. The central lever (white) was purchased separately to fill the gap. It does have a reasonable feeling, much better than a switch or probe. Micro switches are soldered to a pcb and operated by the lever. A diode is also mounted on the strip to make a compact unit. The micro switches trigger a signal to an encoder, the encoder then sends a dcc signal to all of the boards that then trigger the relevant servo. Nice and simple. The wiring looks a mess but is simple to follow. One side goes to the columns, the other to the rows. Each switch is colour coded so it’s quite simple to give a wiggle when you want to know where it goes.. The connections can be unplugged if necessary, no need to worry as they all follow the resistor colour code. Quite simple to build and nice to operate. Your grain tanker looks good now but it looks like it was a lot of work. All the best Phil

Don, hope you had a good time at the exhibition, looks like you got in just at the right time. As you can see I also use Dinghams but I didn’t want to use cassettes as the weight and length of a three coach train can be a bit precarious, so I have a fiddle yard that rotates 180 degrees. With this in mind the locos for passenger trains have a hook at both ends, therefore not being uni-directional. You only have to run round at the platform end. Some goods trains have the conventional hook and eye, so half the wagons in the yard can be shunted in the first half cycle and the others in the second half of the cycle. More on the fiddle yard later as it’s going to take me a little while to write it up. Now, have you ever been driving when you’re a little low in petrol? Well, I did that at the spring show - but not with petrol but solder. I wasn’t really going to get much but ended up buying a Tender, wheels and a decoder plus a few little bits. So I thought I would be restrained and anyway I had enough solder to last until the next show. Then of course the lockdown started and there were no shows! The Post around here is almost at a standstill at the moment, our usual postman has been off for four weeks and the replacement has a bit of an attitude. In any case there seems to only be a delivery every other day and usually only one item. A 48 hour registered letter took 2 weeks - still, these are challenging times. I have ordered some from a few sources and it won’t be wasted, I would expect lockdown to last a few more weeks/ months? Bit frustrating, can’t house hunt, layout locked away and no solder but plenty of time - how ironic. Always seems to be the same, if you have something you want to do you don’t have the time, if you have the time you don’t have the money, if you have the money you don’t have the solder! Still we must keep soldering on. Ooh that’s really bad but couldn’t resist it! Ps. I don't really speak so slowly. I think it's quarter speed ( the video) but you can see roughly how it works. Phil

Standard Telephone and Cable at New Southgate, North London had sidings off the main Kx line in the early 70s. May be a reason for running some unusual wagons? Phil

Totally agree. This is what the P. I. sorts out in the decoder. The P is how responsive it is and the I is the time it takes to respond to changes. With the stay alive you don't get any glitches either. All the best. Phil

I would get the mechanical stuff sorted first. If you look up noisy Portescap on here you will find a few bits. I assume the chassis runs free. If you can remove the motor and turn the axle and if all is well then it’s most likely it’s the motor gear. No problem if you can live with the rattle from the gears. There was someone on here a little while ago with the same problem and somebody recommended a grease, I asked if this had done the job as I have an RG7 just the same but he couldn’t hear any difference. Coreless motors do not have much back EMF and so on a dc system you have to tailor the controller to your target customer, hence Pentrollers was good for cordless but not a 5 pole motor. One advantage of dcc is the control can be set up for that motor and that motor alone. The decoders I use (ESU Zimo) have an auto tune function, the ESU on setup runs the motor at full speed for one yard then calculates the proportional and the integral, Google PID for an explanation. Zimo has a function that continues to tune the control loop. So in your case dcc would give excellent low speed running for your rtr and your kit built. My locos can take several hours to travel down my layout, about 16 feet. Think that’s slow enough for anyone. Good luck .

Hi the ramp is usually 1:8 . Keep up the good work. Phil

Morning. Who sells these PTFE bearings or what make? Thanks Phil

Very nice as always. The temperature is due to jump from 10 to 20 degrees this weekend - will soon be spring! Are any of those recent purchases for yourself? Can I bend your ear about solder - Do you have any preferences? Standard tinmans, Carr’s? I noticed a lot of differences between a low cost brand and Carr’s when I was doing some White metal soldering some time ago. Couldn’t get a nice clean joint but switched to Carr’s and straight away got a good adhesion and a smooth finish. But as I said that was low melt. Sure you must get yours on a reel and probably use very little so it lasts for years. Anyway, I am at the point of ordering some now so would value your opinion. Thanks, Phil

Maybe Solder is the new toilet roll.

Some say you only have to look at a kit for all the pieces to cut themselves free from the etch and lineup like little boys soldiers for the fire dragon to breathe flame and solder paste at them.

Thanks Alan, I think that there’s quite a bit in common in some respects between our layouts but I would prefer mine to be a bit smaller. At the moment it’s stored away and I can’t see it until this Covid 19 is over. Normally I can only get two boards out at once. When I started I had a vision of looking through trees and bushes in the foreground, just like a picture I saw of a Great Western B.L.T. This will have to be one of the last jobs, though. Must say you’ve cracked on with Blakeney and very nice. Hi Ade. I should have returned the railcar as soon as I saw the state of it but I think it is so GWR. There’s a well known picture of a railcar at Dymock. To me it just captures the essence of a Great Western Branch line. Just had to have one. Those bits I put in about soldering etc., are they any use or is it a case of granny egg sucking?

Well, thanks to China we’ve got an enforceable modelling extravaganza, I’m expecting to see lots of fabulous models. Some already within these pages. We would have put our house on the market by Easter but that’s not going to happen now. Following the exhibition I had to remove all my railway stuff so that prospective buyers could see the floor. That kept me busy for a few weeks, that and wandering around other people s houses. Still no idea where we want to move to. Anyway as the great upheaval is on hold, got some modelling bits out. First off I bought a railcar some time ago and the gentleman who sold it to me just put it in a big box and sent it by the great destroyer Hermes. I’ve been putting off repairing it for some time now but as time is plentiful at the moment I had a go at it. Then I thought I should put a few pictures on here so that some of the younger might be encouraged to have a go as a couple of the jobs are quite common and we do want some more under 60s. First up was to replace a nut that holds the floor on. The nut is fitted upside down from the inside A 6ba was placed on an 8ba screw, placed through the hole from the inside and held by a pair of pliers. Then liquid flux was brushed on. Next a blob of solder was picked up on the iron, this solder can be quite a low melting point as you might not get a lot of heat to the joint. Now when the solder is applied to the nut the flux will burn off and the molten solder will be drawn in by capilliary action. Remove the iron and after a few seconds you can lower the screw. If you time it right the screw will not be stuck on the nut. Then it’s just a case of re-threading the nut. Next was to replace the windows that had come out . I like the deluxe models window glue. In awkward places apply glue to both surfaces, leave until tacky then hold in place until set. To get inside the cab I used a clothes peg, the rounded end on the glass , a spacer at the other end and a clamp in the middle. No spacer in picture but just something that wouldn’t damage the model. Fitted compartments, cleaned motor and gears, added driver and guard etc. " Didn’t repair the shafts as I wanted to use an ABC diesel drive but they are closed until the end of May - does anyone know if they still make them? Also any recommendations for a Zimo sounds file. Next up 4000 gal Tender bought at the spring show. Just got started on it.

It was taking the woolly hat off that done it for the shoulder. Someone had to grasp said hat with both hands and putting both feet on his shoulders give it good tug. Glad you are back keep safe. I was starting to think I could finish this tender before you built that Jubilee.

After I cleaned it I gave it a light oiling with clock oil. I removed it from the chassis so I think it had a good soaking, then I cleaned off the excess. I didn’t oil the motor though! Thought that they would be sealed for life. It could just be me as I’m a bit fussy, with a short memory, I’m not entirely sure if it’s louder or not. It’s not very loud but you can hear it sounds like gears rattling irrespective of the speed. I suspect the dirt on the gears was keeping it quiet. Someone else remarked on how quiet it was compared to a worm. I think the oil is much thicker when you get it out of the box, quite sticky. Once the sound is on you can’t hear anything. My main concern is this wearing out the gearbox. Many Thanks Phil

Hi Ray, Can I just ask if you have used the grease and if it had the desired effect of reducing the gear noise? I have an RG7 that’s become a little noisy since I cleaned the gearbox with brake and clutch cleaner. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks

Bet it does. I also have one to build, after the 57xx,and the Hall, got the Harris wheels too, so I'm looking forwards to that. I think that it can be far easier not quicker but a lot less grief to build a Malcolm Mitchell kit even for someone relatively new to kit building, though it's more complex than some of the cheaper kits (once you have mastered the art of soldering) because everything fits. Jazz - what is your take on that? Can't think of anyone more qualified to comment on that one.

It was great to meet you yesterday, well done for spotting us - I am usually too engrossed in the stands to notice anyone! I could be standing next to a naked Britney Spears! It was nice to hear about your exploits, hope we can meet up again sometime.

Nice to spend a bit of time with like minded souls. Me Shez and Ade, (sounds like those singers Chas and Dave!) I wasn’t sure if it was worthwhile making the journey as I didn’t really want anything other than some magnetic couplings for some gangway coaches. Just the job to save all that flapping around trying to couple/uncouple under the gangways. In the end I forgot all about them but I didn’t come home empty handed.. Just a little enlightenment for the wallet, only wanted some couplings. Sure not alone with that one. Anyway was really nice to meet you. When will you start on your purchases, do they go to the back of a long list or a very long list. Still some nice builds and hope you had a good journey home, hope to meet up again sometime. Phil

I would like to give it a " like " but it's far to good for that. Marvelous, really looks the biz. Phil

Thank you for your kind remarks. The point rodding stalls are MSE, now part of Wizard. Bourton seems to be coming along very nicely, really like the buildings, station, signal box. I’m following with great interest. One more pack of stalls should see it done but I’m going to have to take a break for a little while as we are looking to move this year. Cheers Phil

Everywhere you look there are jobs to do. So, now I know where I’m putting the un-couplers I thought I would do the one at the end of the platform, (signal end), two coaches down from where the loco’s are uncoupled. Then I can remove the odd van, etc. Couplings are Dinghams. When I started I didn’t know what type of coupling I was going to use but I was fully intent on using three-link. However, I did install Spratt and Winkle magnets under the track just in case. This turned out to be a good thing. They are all at the end of sidings where trains are unlikely to pass. The un-couplers on the main line are all going to be Dinghams electromagnetic, and I’m just starting to tackle them. In the first picture you can see my revised method of mounting electrics. As much as possible is fitted to a 10mm piece of ply, this piece is an off-cut from the tunnel mouth. Luckily just about the right size. One side has a piano hinge and the other has a magnetic door catch. If there’s a problem I can simply pull it down rather than laying on my back in poor lighting - and without my arms aching. All points and accessories are controlled by a DCC system - this is completely separate from the DCC system for the locomotives. Each board has a decoder and only seven connections are required per board. The track power is two, plus one more for a point that is very close to the edge of the board; isolating the frog would have weakened the track. Then there’s a 5-pin din plug that carries the DCC signal and a 15 volt supply. In the picture you can see the eight-way decoder, (only one way used on this board), ringed in green. When the yellow button is pressed on the control panel, a transistor turns on, starting the timer ringed in blue. The un-coupler will stay on until you release your finger, it will then stay on for a further 6 - 10 seconds, giving you time to put your hand back onto the controller and drive off. The power supply (yellow) has an On/Off pin - this is used via an opto-isolator (red) / timer to energise the un-coupler. I bought lots of these from China, cheap as chips. The timer is from an electronics wholesaler and is really meant for school children - again very low cost and convenient. Also in picture two you can see 12v power supplies for the station building and an SD card player that plays nice, relaxing sounds of the sea - breaking waves and gulls. Total electric uncouplers four, marked with a green centre - permanent magnets are marked with a yellow centre. The other job this week was to find a way to attach the skirts quickly. The skirts were ordered by ‘Mrs O Gauge’ Julie, (her domain), specially made for the layout. They have 2” Velcro strips at the top. I had a corresponding Velcro strip on a 3” wide piece of ply that bolted onto the legs. In my quest to reduce set-up time I have bought a pair of hinges - spring loaded, just the one pair for now, just to try it. Seems ok, so I’ll order some more. Happy Modelling Phil

To clean out the debris from inside the buffers try running the drill in reverse, it wouldn't bite into the casting proper. I normally just use a drill in a pin vice. Holding nuts on, I use a drop of paint on the thread, won't come loose but is easily removed using some pliers. Phil

Hi, Well, it has been two week since I exhibited my layout and what an experience. In the past months I have been concentrating on finishing it but now I have realised that if I am going to exhibit the layout again I need to make some changes. None of us is getting any younger and I think the average age of members in our club is over 70. There are only two under 65. It was a good experience, though. I had planned to set up with an hour to spare as the guys Sam and Roger are new to the layout and I knew we were at the beginning of the learning curve. Originally there were to be two others helping us but they had to pull out at the last minute. I was the only one who knew anything about the layout so I started to write a manual. That was going to take a lot longer than the time I had available but still I think it will be a useful exercise for the future. Unfortunately the hall was an hour late at opening up, which cut into our time so we hadn’t finished setting up before the public came in. This meant I didn’t have time to explain how anything worked as we were so busy putting everything together. I then had to operate it until Sam was on board and only then had the chance to explain how the Control Panel and DCC system operated. There were inevitable teething troubles; the Fiddle yard required levelling, some coaches just rolled to the other end and it was a while until we could catch up on some things we should have done before the show opened(levelling, test run). Roger was really good throughout at engaging with the public, answering questions and handing out leaflets about our exhibition and so on. Of course Mrs ‘O’ Gauge was helping out with everything, including lifting, assembling and talking to visitors, must say all the family are very supportive. The stock is all arranged by train, (one loco and three coaches), in a Really Useful Box. There are seven boxes, one for each road on the Fiddle Yard. Each box is divided into four sections using foam board and dress lining is used to protect coaches and locos. It took a lot of time to assemble the boards and the Fiddle Yard plus lots of nuts and bolts, so I think in future I’m going to build a box to hold two boards. The third board will have legs pre-fitted and sit on top of the box, and the fourth board will be independently standing. The Fiddle yard will be already assembled and will just require lifting in to place it is very light for its size due to the hollow box construction. This will mean I will have to hire a Luton van with a tail lift. Hopefully this additional cost can be met by the exhibition, about £5. I would like to take it out again once I have made the box. What do you think? I would be very interested in hearing other people’s experiences and tips as there doesn’t seem to be very much written on RMWeb about exhibiting a layout. We managed to pack up the layout in under an hour so I’m fairly confident but now more of us know how it goes together in future so teams of two will easily assemble it all. Photos by Mrs O. All the best for now. Phil

Yep, I used to use tyre weights until the chap in the tyre shop got fed up with me - "what do you do with them all?" he enquired. When I told him ~~~~ well, I haven't been back for any more! I do believe he should have used all his expletives by now, but I wouldn't chance it in case he's thought of a few more. They do stick well on a clean surface. For white metal buffers also consider Northants Model Supplies NMRS, they have a large range, no connection, just a happy customer. Phil

Hi. Just wanted to say that Dillmouth will be at the Witham show this Sunday, fingers crossed. It would be nice to see other RMWEB-ers, so if you are there please say Hallo. This will be its first outing away from home, so off we will go, travelling to Essex, wish us luck! i thought this might be of interest - obviously the back of one of the boards. Quite often you can see daylight where the backscenes join, so I have run a strip, about 13 inches x 1 on one board, and at the other end a piece about 2 inches long x 1 in at the top. Then when the boards are placed together the two pieces interlock, stopping daylight showing through and ensuring the two line up. You can also see the small clear plastic pocket that I put notes to myself in on each board, so that as I think of things, or if something doesn’t work properly, I slide a little note inside. Handy for dopey me. Again, hope to see some of you at the Witham exhibition on Sunday. Then after that I can get on with another entry and video on the Fiddle Yard. Phil