john dew

January 16

Hi Colin

Very promising back scene. I see the revised Ordnance Survey map shows how the goods yard sidings terminate at the rear of the High Street - I guess some of these buildings will be represented in the back scene. I know there is no space for the river at that end of the layout but I wonder if you could suggests its presence by creating a low relief version of the bridge?

I had not realised how close the Engine shed stop block would be to the river - good job the rear doorway of the shed is bricked up!

December 22, 2023

Thanks for the good wishes Neal and I hope you have a very Happy Christmas

John

November 25, 2023

5 hours ago, Graham T said:

I've got a cigarette and chocolate vending machine and a weighing machine from Dart Castings to go on the platform at Chuffnell R - can anyone tell me what colours they would have been please?

I am certain (as in I remember) weighing machines were red. I am less positive about vending machines but suspect red - its how I have painted mine.

This may help

https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwro1020.htm

Regards

October 3, 2023

2 hours ago, Nigelcliffe said:

Yes, that is correct. But its very odd that your system won't just do things "normally". Just maybe there's something around a stay-alive or similar in the loco that's pulling the power down, and your programming setup can't then cope with rapid sequences of several CVs associated with a single action.

If the supplier is a reputable one, go back to them and ask what's happening. The MN series decoders are new, and there have been a few small bugs in the firmware, most of them now fixed, but if you've got an earlier example if may be buggy. They can be upgraded, but it requires a Zimo programmer, or a Roco Z21 system to do the update.

Ah that may be it - Accurascale have stay-alive wired into the Manor PCB

October 3, 2023

Thanks Paul that is very useful.

Cv 17 and 18 read out as 222 and 121 but I guess I need to set Cv 29 to 34 before entering the 4 digit number?

I can read the 4 digit number when on the programming track but when I switch to DCC running the throttle will not recognise the recently entered 4 digit number.

What is so strange is that I am very familiar with Zimo decoders and have Next 18 Zimos in the Dapol Manor, two Dapol Moguls and the Bachmann 94xx all were installed with 4 digit numbers without any issue at all.

The Next 18 I am attempting to install is brand new albeit not from my usual source. I will keep trying but I guess the last resort is to buy a Lokpilot from Accurascale.

Thanks again for all your advice

October 3, 2023

Thank you - I think I follow the logic although I havent come across this problem before - how do I programme the decoder to operate off 7801 with 28 speed steps on Lenz DCC?

October 3, 2023

I think Lenz stores the loco#s in memory somehow. I always get that message if I enter a number that has not been set up - I have to turn the power off to get rid of it.

If the default Cv 29 value is 14 does that mean long addresses are enabled? Its not something I have ever previously had to worry about.

October 3, 2023

I can enter 4 digit loco #s not on track without a problem. "Fetching Data" only shows for numbers not recognised by Lenz - typically when I make an errot keying in a number

I dont use railcom and I disconnect DC hence the 34.

I wondered if it could be the Accurascale PCB? have a Next 18 in my Dapol Manor maybe I should swap them over and see what happens?

October 2, 2023

I have programmed many Zimo decoders and this is definitely a first.

I have fitted a Zimo 618 (non sound) Next 18 to my new Accurascale Manor. On the Lenz programming track I can read the address as 0003 - when I change the address to 7801 the loco does the usual little shuffle and I can subsequently read the address back as 7801. However when I enter 7801 in the Lenz throttle the number is not recognised - "Fetching data" message ie unrecognised number!

The default CV 29 setting is 14 - I changed this to my normal setting of 34 but Lenz still failed to recognise 7801

I have reset the decoder a couple of times and if I do not change the default address of 0003 the Lenz throttle accepts that number and operates the loco perfectly (its amazingly smooth in fact)

I suspect I am missing some very simple step but right now I am totally baffled - any help would be much appreciated

Best wishes

September 18, 2023

Ah - now I understand why a 2016 post of mine just got acknowledged😀

Good for you Neal replacing the wiped photos - I am afraid I gave up about 2018, anything earlier is buried in a semi moribund laptop - maybe you will shame me into doing some more digging

Best Wishes

John

PS so sorry to hear about the Manor decoder- will the replacement have to through your customs wall again?

September 12, 2023

Hi Neal

My you have been busy!

I will not be removing the body but the shots of the tender are very helpful - thank you! You make no mention of any snags when removing the coal load so I assume all was straight forward? Others have reported problems with the fire irons holder and I was a bit concerned

Best wishes

September 12, 2023

Back to Granby:

Finally we can see the freshly marshalled Up Parcels leaving Granby for the Midlands:

The four leading vans run as a fixed formation whereas the two rear siphons and SR 4 wheelers rotate with each run of the routine. I have a couple of Lima/Hornby Siphon Hs and I may substitute one for two SR vans

The three new AS siphons are separated by a Hawksworth PBV. As I have said before, I know such a van in this livery is pure fiction but needs must! You may have noted there are two in this train. Both have been weather, "WR" removed and twin city decals added. I dont think they look too out of place hopefully before not too long I will attempt to convert a Collet suburban or, better still a Toplight will arrive

In the foreground the pilot can be seen pulling the recently released SR vans to the King St Parcels depot for unloading :

During the course of the day the two vans will be shunted out of the depot building into the adjacent siding ready for the Down train.

Next, at the other end of the train room and after manipulating tripod and DSLR under the duck under:

7807 Compton Manor hauling the 6 van Up Parcels over Granby viaduct:

The LNER ran into Wrexham although I am not sure how often one would have see an LNER van on a southbound train? Regardless I do like that teak livery particularly in this setting followed by the contrasting GWR liveries. .

To finish, some closeups of Compton Manor (Dapol) :

The reverse slope of the firebox is a bit obvious. The brass safety valve cover would still pass muster on Horse Guards Parade - despite numerous applications of dullcote. Other than that, on the whole, I think she scrubs up rather well

Usual treatment : Crew, Head lamps, Fire Irons and real coal. Wheels blackened, lightly weathered and for the first time I applied Pledge to the boiler and firebox. I think the experiment was rather successful. The depth of colour has been enhanced and I find the overall effect quite pleaasing.

The running performance is superb, she handled all those slow (scale 10 mph) shunting moves without faltering - if my Accurascale Manors, when they arrive **, perform equally well I will be a very happy camper.

** I am afraid it will still be a few weeks before the, no doubt eagerly awaited, Canadian review is posted. Anthony Manor went into my Hatton's trunk on August 21 but, thinking Hinton Manor was imminent, I left it there. Now that I know Hinton Manor is unlikely to be at Hattons until early October I have bitten the bullet. Anthony Manor is now winging its solitary way across the Atlantic to Vancouver - continue to watch this space - but with patience

Best wishes

September 11, 2023

Belated thank yous for all those nice posts congratulating us on our 60th anniversary - they were very much appreciated.

It was definitely a memorable week end. We have only just recovered from Saturday's lunch. What we thought would be a quiet meal, with our two daughters and their spouses, turned out to be a multi course, four hour lunch with our entire extended family plus in-laws and a pair of old sailing friends. Our kids are masters of deception - we were totally flabbergasted when they lead us into the dining room and saw such a crowd. They had surreptitiously (I had to spell check that one) purloined photos taken over the 6 decades of our marriage and had a lot of fun devising captions and trivia questions - some of you can probably imagine the hilarious shots from the seventies - was my hair really that long, were flares ever that wide?

When we finally got home it was time to watch England v Argentina which I had had the foresight to tape - the second time for me to be amazed that afternoon! Not a result that I expected, particularly after the red card. Not approaching the standard of France v New Zealand but as an example of how to win with only 14 men it was brilliant - super finale to a truly memorable day!

Not often I go completly off topic but celebrating 60 memorable years should be a reasonable excuse.

Best wishes

September 11, 2023

1 hour ago, Graham T said:

I think it would be worth paying that little extra John (but then I am not renowned for my patience...)

You and @Neal Ball have convinced me - I did not need much persuading - its on, or just about to be on, its way.

Have you chipped yours Neal? If you have was it relatively straight forward?

September 11, 2023

Super photos Neal - definitely worth the "faff" of setting up the DSLR on this occasion.

I am very envious. My Anthony Manor remains in my Hattons trunk - it seemed sensible to combine it with, what I thought was, the imminent arrival of Hinton Manor! Hattons tell me Hinton is now expected early in October. What value do I put on an "earlier" arrival of Anthony - Air freight looks about $20 cdn - decisions, decisions.

Best wishes

September 6, 2023

Continuing shunting the Up Parcels from Chester.

It has taken far too long to tell this tale. Apart from the usual summer diversions I am afraid I have wasted too much time experimenting with an Iphone camera app. The aim was to introduce more variety into my photography - view points for tripod mounted DSLRs on Granby are somewhat limited. Sadly the experiment failed, or at least stumbled, at the first hurdle - more on this next week.

Back to the shunting:

Approaching from Chester (Storage), the routine is designed to drop one van in the Bay Siding and then pick up two vans previously stabled by the Pilot in the Up siding

I left you with the incoming train headed by Compton Manor (Dapol - I still have a long wait for my Accurascale) leaving the main line to enter Bay P3 - thus allowing access the Bay Siding.

You can see the Bay siding, marked by a magnet, in front of the Signal Box. Immediately to the right of the box you can catch a glimpse of the leading Siphon on the Up siding.

Here is the reverse view of the train entering P3. An LMS Ordinary Passenger with a Lanky Tank is in P2. On the extreme left is the Station Pilot waiting for Compton Manor to drop off the rearmost van(s)

This is my single Iphone shot - not great, definitely a box brownie effort - but does demonstrate my need for alternative photo angles. The drunken hydrant has been reprimanded and now stands properly to attention.

Compton Manor stops just short of the Stop block with the rear van clear of #50 which willl be thrown to access the Bay Siding

The train reverses into the Bay Siding:

and uncouples:

I have had to substitute these two 4 wheel SR vans for for the intended SR bogie van. For whatever reason the latter proved to be an unreliable uncoupler.

Once uncoupled the shortened train clears the Bay siding and advances further back into into P3 so that the rear van clears #50:

During this segment, you may have noticed that Compton Manor and the two vans immediately behind , do not actually leave P3. They merely shuffle up and down P3 while the rear of the train enters and leaves the Bay siding. This makes automatic operation a bit tricky because RR&Co relies on Block Occupancy signals to activate brake and stop markers. Fortunately close attention to individual schedule rules - plus a local innovation that might not meet with Herr Freiwald's approval -make it all happen!

Once #50 is thrown, Compton Manor can push the train back on to the main line and via #47 into the Up Siding and couple with two Siphons:

I mentioned the lack of photo viewpoints - despite moving a building and a couple of locos this is the best close up I can manage:

The six van train is so long (or my siding is so short) that the Manor is still trapped in P3!

It now has to draw forward into P3 yet again so the train can completely exit the Up Siding and clear #47. Once #47 is reversed the Manor can push the train clear of the Bay area and on to the Up Main ready for departure:

I had hoped to conclude this drawn out post with a couple of shots of Compton Manor with the train leaving Granby and the Pannier collecting the 2 SR vans from the Bay Siding. Unfortunately I will have to leave that until next week.

As you can see from the last shot the evening sun is now pouring through the train room window making decent photography quite difficult.

More importantly tomorrow is September 7th:

We got married on that day in 1963 - 60 amazing years! Dinner for tomorrow is set up and a romantic week end in Tofino later but all this will be worth nothing if I dont get a move on - I have just realised I have forgotten to get a card!

In haste from Vancouver 😳

August 26, 2023

12 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

That’s an interesting dialogue @john dew and @checkrail you are both having.

I use Afinity v2 and to be honest think v1 and 2 are almost the same. Although I am sure the developers would disagree! I use it to manipulate all my photos, having switched from Photoshop many years ago. (I refused to pay for a new licence when photoshop was upgraded - it didn’t seem worth the extra money).

Typically I use my iPhone for photos, although by comparison they will be a “quick snap”. When I get out the DSLR, set up the tripod, that’s when I can mess about and do image stacking. Mine is a Pentax with a manual selection of the focus point.

The photos are better, but it’s such a faff getting “the big camera” set up! However, I also think I need to upgrade my lighting in order to increase the quality of my photos.

With a Manor and Siphon on their way, the DSLR will be in front of Henley very soon!

Hi @Neal Ball

We appear to have more in common than a liking for Panniers! I too switched from Photoshop to Affinity because of the upgrade. Furthermore my DSLR is a Pentax and I can relate to the faff of setting up. I find the manual selection of focus points for image stacking rather unsatisfactory, my tendency to nudge the camera when selecting the next focus point is rather counter productive!

So yesterday, in an effort to achieve the crisp focus of John's shots I spent the princely sum of $15 cdn. $10 for an Iphone remote control which will be delivered, courtesy of Amazon, later today and $5 for an Iphone app. "Camera Pixels" has a bunch of features including both exposure and focus bracketing. Initial testing looks promising - definitely worth a five buck punt. I will report more on my Granby thread - my apologies @checkrail for prolonged gatecrashing - I blame those recent Manor photos of yours!

Regards

August 25, 2023

3 hours ago, checkrail said:

Hi John

I'm afraid the answer is, "I don't know'. There are three elements to my new set-up - Mac, ffworks and Affinity Photo 2. I had to buy Affinity again when moving to a new computer so it seemed logical to buy the latest version. But with I've only scratched the surface with Affinity. Focus merging is all I do with it, though I must learn how to clone and 'paint' to edit backgrounds in due course.

The focus merging is now an incredibly quick process compared with before, but I'd guess - and it's only a guess - that it's the ffworks software that's made the difference rather than the updated version of Affinity. Unfortunately I don't think it's available for Windows but there are probably equivalents that are better than Windows Media Player.

For cropping, colour adjustments etc. I just use the photo editing tools that came with the pc rather than try to do this with Affinity.

Regards,

John.

Hi John

Thanks for the swift response. It was actually very useful - I have long admired the clarity you achieve with Focus Merging, I have tried a few time with my 15 year old DSLS camera but it was so clunky (before each shot individually select each focus point!) I gave. Your comments made me start investigating an app (Camera Pixels) for my Iphone which is probably a better camera - certainly more flexible.

This is a very diffident suggestion but it might be worth experimenting with the Affinity Crop tool - its very user friendly - it has to be for me to use it! Likewise for the 4 Auto buttons : Level/Contrast/Colour/White Balance . Probably the only other tool I use is the Un- do button.

Best wishes

August 24, 2023

On 22/08/2023 at 02:17, checkrail said:

Well, a couple of people were kind enough to exhort me to "keep them coming", and with this new combination of iMac/ffworks/Affinity Photo 2 processing layout photos has never been so quick or so easy. You have been warned!

Hi John

I missed this earlier reference to Photo 2. I wonder if you could outline the advantages you have found over Version 1? I am very happy with V1 although I only use it for cropping and auto correct/ Colour balance etc. Is it now easier to remove unwanted backgrounds for instance?

Best wishes

August 23, 2023

Well I guess we suffer together - no spoilers I promise.

August 22, 2023

9 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Well, I'm certainly not an RR&Co addict but I do enjoy reading anything about operating model railways, regardless of the technology or protocols used!

Thanks John - I am not sure if you will approve of my proposed solution to dropping 1 van and acquiring 2. I doubt if it is at all prototypical but needs must. As you know, I am an avid follower of your thread - at times its quite painful as I admire your meticulous planning and subsequent execution - I wince and mutter to myself if only..................

Talking of painful dare I ask who you will support in the upcoming Rugby World Cup? In my case, I dont have a problem as Canada did not even make it (for the first time). Normally, as you may recall I am invariably optimistic about England's chances but this time I am quite anxious about their ability to get out of what is supposed to be the easiest group. I dont fancy them against Argentina and Japan could pull off a surprise!

Worried in Vancouver

August 22, 2023

13 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

Probably because my interests lie in that area too, I look forward to your posts describing operations. Also educational as I will have these things to solve when I have reached to point of having a railway to operate. (Memo to self: get on with it and don’t get side tracked by other things!)

Thank you for posting.

Paul.

Hi Paul

Its always good to have a fellow Train Controller enthusiast to compare notes with. The principal issue with this exercise is uncoupling (separate most right hand van) from a 6 van train when part of the train is still in the original start block. There can be issues with the return schedule but so far all seems to work.

When I started with TC I had a test track (which I incorporated into the layout) and I used to devise and test schedules there while building the main layout elsewhere. Its well worth trying to do something similar yourself. You can learn a lot about limitations and work arounds which can be applied to the main layout while constructing this is particularly true of block construction. What works in the simulator sometimes doesnt in practice.

As an example, although you may well already know this, you can save occupancy indicators (and money), by only using flagman indicators in stub sidings- the contact indicator in the connecting block trigger the flagman.

p.s. My signature is incorrect I now use V10.0 B1 - I eventually installed the update and after an initial scare with the turntables all appears to be well.

Best wishes

August 22, 2023

12 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

That’s an interesting run through of the layout and part of the automated operation @john dew thank you.

Incidentally, talking of drifting smoke - we were in the Alps a couple of days ago, where a helicopter was seen drawing water from a lake and disappearing over the closest peak. Presumably and thankfully it must have been a training exercise as there was no smoke.

I hope your smoke clears soon, although I guess you will be waiting for days of continuing rain for things to get better.

Good news about your A/s Manor, I’ve not heard anyone talking about the orders for the EU yet, they will arrive when they are ready I guess.

Regards, Neal.

Thanks Neal - the fires are fortunately hundreds of miles away but we live on the lower slopes of the North Shore Mountains only a couple of miles from heavily wooded slopes and it only needs some idiot with a cigarette to start something- we had some rain a couple of weeks ago and there is a 50% chance of rain tomorrow but only 1mm but a week from now we should get a much needed downpour. Its a bit bizarre living in the rain forest and praying for rain.

Looking forward to comparing notes on our respective Manors - I suspect yours will be first past the post!

Best wishes

August 22, 2023

17 hours ago, trw1089 said:

Those siphons look really good John, and love the series of shots showing how the shunting works. I've even managed to get a siphon for myself in BR crimson, surely one strayed far enough to be seen oop norf!

Those Accurascale Manors do look very nice, they have certainly raised the bar on what top shelf manufacturing can deliver and still at reasonable prices.

Cheers
Tony

Thanks Tony - good to hear from you. So glad you like these shots, I am never sure how interested non RR&Co addict will be in describing these routines. Isn't the siphon a super model? Both the detail and the running are brilliant. I also like the back story about the war service of some of them.

I guess you are going to be stretched to come up with a legend about a Manor in Yorkshire?

Best wishes

August 21, 2023

Thanks for all the ticks guys. I am glad you like the photos and hopefully my description of the routine. I enjoy devising these operational schedules but sometimes worry about being both boring and confusing. In an attempt to alleviate the latter I thought this week I might try an experiment:

Here is Granby's track plan from last years BRM article:

I still find it totally amazing that AndyY could produce this very accurate schematic just from a bunch of photos and a few brief comments .

Here is an enlargement of the track area involved in the current routine which involves getting two Siphons from the Parcels Depot leaving them ready for pick up in the Up Siding:

I left you with this shot of the pilot coupling to the first Siphon in the lower siding of the Parcels Depot with the other Siphon in the siding immediately above the depot building

The Pilot pulls the coupled siphon back to clear #90 . The track leading from the foot of this turnout is just long enough to accommodate a Pannier and one Siphon but as a precaution #67 leading to Bay P1 is thrown prior to the start of the schedule.

The Pilot propels the Siphon into the upper siding to couple with the second siphon.

The ultimate destination of this routine is the Up siding which can be seen top right between the Signal Box and Water Tank - an uncoupling magnet marks the spot!

In the time table, I think I will probably split this routine into two. The movements I have described can be done at any time without interfering with any other schedules. In fact while the pilot and siphons are stabled here I can run the daily schedule of the Parcels Rail Car into the depot.

However a condition for running the Up Parcels is that its pick up vans are stabled, ready for pick up, in the Up Parcels Siding - so now for the second half of the routine.

As you may have guessed from the turnout # the parcels depot was rather an afterthought. The original single siding was designed as a head shunt for Platform 1. Now roles are reversed and I use P1 as a head shunt to access the Parcels sidings - not sure how prototypical that might be.

So here, in a particularly poor photo, you can see the Pilot propelling the two siphons across #67, out of the Bay complex and on to the Up lime

The shot is hand held from an Iphone - and it shows. But I rather like it - to my mind it captures the look and feel of a box brownie photo taken, from a footbridge, by a 10 year old in 1947!

The magnet somewhat spoils the effect but it is a genuine "mark the spot" as I struggle to identify the perfect uncoupling point for another routine!

Below the pannier uncouples, leaving the siphons in the Up siding while it reurns to the Bay area:

With the Siphons ready for pickup the Up Parcels from Chester can now approach Granby :

I did promise @Edwardian an LNER variation!

This post has gone on for far too long - next week (or thereabouts), I will explain why the the Up Train is leaving the main line and entering the Bay Area - can it possibly be hoping to enter the Parcels Depot?

But hang on - that looks like a Manor ?

It is indeed 7807 Compton Manor.

Before Andy Y ( I am not surprised I cant I @ tag him) and @McC are overwhelmed with another shoal of complaints - this time:

"how could an ex pat in the wilds of Canada have possibly received his Accurascale model before a Birmingham post code"

I should explain: this is a Dapol manor.

One Accurascale Manor, with my name on, is in a suitcase in Liverpool and I am patiently waiting the arrival of the second before pressing the send button. Loyal followers can expect a detailed unboxing review, with luck, in mid September.

Best wishes from, sadly, a very smoky Vancouver - the smoke has drifted 400 miles from Kelowna, a city of 150,000, where 10% of the population have already been evacuated.

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