MOH

Hi Signal Engineer, Finally got a reasonable attempt made of a scale drawing of the principal station and its approaches etc., the scale is 1 inch to 1 foot and the grid is shown as dotted lines in the attached photo.. Apart from the main continuous running lines all others are bi-directional, the continuous running lines run off scene and return in a loop, this pictured area does not include the freight yard and tmd sections which I will hold off on for now, many thanks for your interest and help and if you feel this is impractical to signal that's fine also.

Thanks Signal Engineer, I realise that the signaling, and other aspects of the layout, should have been addressed much earlier, however I will try to fashion a scale drawing to try and clarify things, the layout was fashioned very much on the hoof as you can probably make out. If my error in not dealing with the signaling in a proper building sequence makes it now unrealistic I will have to live with that, the layout is purely for fun and the grand children to enjoy, perhaps it may even encourage their interest further.

Hi all, Apologies for the delay and that the attached videos were taken on a mobile phone, you may notice white number boards at spots on the layout, these are for me to try and keep up with what points do what and where, necessary for me to keep account of the more than 50 points on the layout. Hopefully the link will open okay, many thanks. https://1drv.ms/f/s!AiHi2sMMA6fAjTVeylQiidDqZQYQ

Thanks Signal Engineer, I am relying on my daughter to do the video for me in a decent fashion and hopefully that will be done over this weekend.

Many thanks to all respondents, I have taken some photos but just using my mobile phone, however I feel a short video may also give a better overall aspect of the entire layout and I hope to get that done asap and uploaded, maybe along with some photos, hopefully the video/photos will clarify what the passenger station has to offer. By the way the 1 metre baseboard width includes scenics of about 300mm wide at the back of the boards and I can reach any derailments at worst by using a simple mechanical hand grabber, Overall the signals at Bury resonate with what I am after, again purely for visual effect but meaningful if that makes any sense.

Thanks Signal Engineer, I have tried to answer your queries as best I can below. "Have you laid any track yet?" Alas all track is laid down and ballasted but no thought of any trap points were previously considered I am afraid, it may be possible to retro fit those but not a job I would want to rush into. "Regarding the main station, is it intended that the two outside lines are for passenger use? If that is the case you will need five trap points." The two mainlines are one directional and continuous running lines but all other platforms can be deemed to be for bi-directional use and will be continuous line running lines also, I omitted to include the signal boxes at either end of the mainline platforms (the ones with the arrows) but they are in place, I had not planned to include signal boxes any where else in the drawing area. "How long are the platforms and what is the approximate date you are looking for? These will have a bearing on whether the main station would have one box or two." The longest platforms will take 7 coaches plus a loco so those are approx. 8ft long, all other platforms reduce in length and get progressively shorter, all platforms can be used for passenger traffic. There is just one terminal platform and that is to the far left of the drawing as a single line which I should have drawn in with a platform, all other buffered lines are for storage and sidings. "What is the traffic pattern for each platform, do passenger trains terminate and turn back to where they came from? Do you want them depart in either direction from all platforms (other than shunt moves)?" The full layout is, I believe, what is called a dog bone shape with the continuous running mainlines disappearing from view at various points and then of course reappearing, I have full access to the lines which are out of view and those lines have no points in those areas. "What is the approximate date you are looking for? These will have a bearing on whether the main station would have one box or two." The date is the ubiquitous late steam-early diesel in what was the LMS region. The overall size of the railway room is approx. 5 x 3.5 metres, the baseboards are approx. 1 metre in width all round with an operating well in the centre of the room where I can access the room via loft stairs. There is a connected freight and loco servicing area not shown on the drawing but if it is of any help I may be able to upload some photos or perhaps a short video of the entire layout so as to give a better perspective. Again all of this was arbitrarily laid out and probably breaches all prototypical rules but I am okay with that, the signaling will be for aesthetics and visual purposes but I would like those to be as visually "correct" as possible given the layout as it is, but perhaps that may not be possible.

Thank you Signal Engineer, That set up rhymes with what I have in my minds eye, remember this will not be a working signals project and the layout is fictionally based, in the meantime I have "drafted" a sketch of the relevant layout area I believe needs to be signaled and hopefully that will be uploaded with this post. Hopefully that will be clear enough for suggestions and please bear in mind this is meant to represent a mainline through station with multiple platforms, the main through lines are those with the arrows showing the direction of travel.

Thank you Grovenor, I am afraid it is going to have to be Ratio or similar plastic products, my skills do not run to brass soldering or anything of that nature, however thanks for the links, the range of items being offered to scratch builders is phenomenal in those catalogues especially the Gibson one! I need to check with some of my more techy kids on how to upload photos to share the layout on here and let you good people educate me on this signaling minefield🙏

Hi folks, Just did a further quick search and came across a Ratio 478 model of an over track signals set up, anyone got any experience, views or opinions on those please? Hattons are showing them as in stock, possibly a reasonable configuration could be achieved from a multiple combination of those and the Ratio post kits?

Thanks to all respondents, I rather fancy the over track style of gantry if I can achieve those, are there off the shelf products in that area or has scratch build to be used to construct whatever configuration is required? Those Ratio types seem decent for what I need if I can get those up above the tracks, I am aware of the wide range of opinions on signaling and grateful for any advice offered, I may follow up on 5BarVT's suggestion of posting a couple of layout photo's, or sketch, on here if that is okay.

Apologies if this has been done to death earlier but can any kind soul please point me to where I can purchase semaphore signals and gantries, self assembly kits will be fine for me, I don't need the signals to work, these will be static and just to add a small touch of realism, while the market seems well supplied with motorised and colour signaling the old school stuff is not as plentiful or am I just looking in the wrong areas? My layout is 00 gauge and the gantries will need to cover multiple platforms but I reckon I can hack/bodge what I need from a multiple of kits. I reckon I will need just 2 gantry locations - one at either end of my station platforms, the layout is LMS based and, given the space, I am not sure distant signals would be appropriate and I am assuming only home and and or starter signals will be needed? You will gather that my knowledge of signaling is zero by the way.

My gratitude to all who have generously responded and posted instructions/manuals etc., I really appreciate your giving your time to help answer what must, to you, be blindingly obvious queries but proves again the terrific comradeship on this forum and the hobby in general. Many thanks Martin

Thank you both Bill and David, in fairness I bought the model knowing it was not the latest version but as I said before this is my first go at DCC sound and I am really pleased with the loco so far, Again pardon my ignorance, but what do the "Latch" and "Trigger" terms mean and how do I use those please? Also my NCE Pro Cab is set at 0-28 speed steps but having read some of the stuff posted on here by you good people I believe it's recommended to switch to 0-128 speed steps, if so how do I go about making that switchover on the NCE and what are the benefits? Many thanks Martin

Thanks Dungrange, This is the code on the box: 32-678DS, is this the one you mentioned might be helpful? Also it says: Class 45 Diesel D55 Royal Signals BR green with sound Many thanks

Thanks Pete for your very swift reply and recognising that I haven't much idea on al of this, I have just had a little test run of the loco and it seems to be performing well, I have rechecked with Rails just now and they confirm the decoder is ESU Loksound version 3 or 31/2? If anyone can post a functions list that would bea real help. Many thanks

Hi, Took my first leap into DCC sound by purchasing a pre-owned Bachmann class 45 from Rails of Sheffield, unfortunately no list of function capabilities wasn't included so I am hoping some kind soul out there might be able to supply a copy that I can download, as far as I know the sound decoder is of the factory fitted type. Also, as a complete novice in sound decoders, are there any extra functions on my NCE Power Pro controller? Is there any other advice I should have? I know there are far better types of sound decoders but I just wanted a reasonably decent version to start with and if I want to I can consider upgrading later on. Many thanks.

Hi, I hope this does not infringe RM rules but I rang Westhill yesterday and got speaking to Chris Hunt, he of the couplings production, and he told me he will, hopefully, be launching a new product at the upcoming exhibition in, I think, Milton Keynes. This product is aimed at people like myself with older coaching stock without NEM pockets and apparently will provide a hassle free method of conversion without a total butchering of the stock. I will be getting back in touch with Chris when that exhibition has taken place and perhaps the new product will answer my, and others, dilemma.

Thanks, Dungranges' conversion option is very interesting and may be worth at least a trial attempt, however Michaels' point on possibly having to get into replacement with new stock may be nearer the final outcome I am afraid, the amount and variety of my current rolling stock may be prohibitive I fear. Unlike years ago when starting off and impulse buying stock without any real research or definition of what the final culture of the layout may become I may well settle now for a much reduced array of stock of modern manufacture and just use the old stock for background and atmospheric purposes, I suppose we ought to be grateful for the modern advances in technology, which should ensure hassle free train running, and fork out the cash!

Again many thanks to all respondents, Here's the kicker, most of my 00 gauge rolling stock is quite old and does not have NEM pockets, fully aware that there are multiple versions of Hornby, Bachmann etc. couplings involved here are there conversion kits that will allow me to retro fit NEM couplings and has anyone done that type of project, how successful was that and where does one buy the conversion kits from, if available?

Many thanks, Has anyone any idea on the availability of both Hunt and MagNem products and where they can be bought from? Also, most of my rolling stock is not NEM compatible, is that a deal breaker for these types of couplings or can the rolling stock be adapted/modified somehow to take these couplings?

Hi, Apologies if the terms in the title are amiss and if this is not in the right forum location, my query is if there is an area on RMW dealing with couplings or can anyone point me towards some previous topic discussion please. My interest is in achieving better and more secure couplings on fixed rakes rather then swapping around rolling stock so the Hunt's products appears to be suitable. Also seen a while ago mention of what I believe are called MagNem, which are a further refinement on the magnetic coupling theme with greater flexibility if one did wish to swap stcock around, from last experience I believe the Hunt's were out of stock.

Thank you for that info.

Thanks to both of you for your prompt responses, good that the Power Pro will be compatible, that demo on the video is very impressive and I will delve into that.

Hi, I have an amount of credit with Hattons' and fancy purchasing my first ever DCC sound fitted loco, probably in the Bachmann/Hornby/Heljan 1950's to 2960's diesel range, can anyone suggest any particular 00 gauge model(s) which have good quality performance in general and in particular the sound aspects? Also can anyone confirm whether my controller - NCE PowerPro - supports the full range of sound features, the model is circa 10 years old now.

Apologies, I meant to reply earlier and thanks to those who offered their advice, the solution was of course simple, a little push in prong on the gangways at each end did the trick, job done and the lights look great. I know folks consider these lights are expensive and to do a large amount of coaches would run dear but they work very well with no flickering, for my use they fit the bill.