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Ian J.

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Blog Entries posted by Ian J.

  1. Ian J.

    Snag Butter...

    By Ian J.,


    General
    ...or, in layman's terms, bu**er.
     
    I had been planning to try and get tracklaying complete during this week, as it's my annual kind-of week off. However, before beginning, last week I had a chat with model railway friends, and they informed me I was right of something I had been concerned about. I have been using cork to boost the height of the copper clad strip up to the underside of the rails for the board ends, but I felt it was really too soft for the job. My friends agreed. I was able to get hold of brass bar of the right size amazingly quickly, delivered on Friday. But on trying to put things in place, it became all too quickly apparent that my efforts to get board ends flat and level with each other weren't good enough. Even small imperfections were being shown up alarmingly by using the brass. So, I've had to take several steps backwards to examine just how off my dowel alignments are, and try and correct them. This has been disheartening, and has meant I haven't wanted to deal with the layout this week. The dowel positioning has been the most tricky part of this whole build, and I really didn't want to have to revisit it. I have started, but I think work on fixing them will be slow.
     
    A couple of pictures showing the brass bar arrangments on two of the narrow sections:
     

     

     
    😔
  4. Ian J.

    Finally...

    By Ian J.,


    General
    ...the 7mm copperclad for securing of rail at the board ends has arrived! Yay!
     
    Unfortunately the railway room is in a mess, as I had decided to try and sort out what boxes of stuff I have and try and get everything grouped more suitably in my various boxes. So the floor is not exactly clear. Being a hot weekend and all, I think I won't be fixing any track down just yet. Not so yay.
  5. Ian J.
    Currently still waiting on production and delivery of suitable copperclad to allow track laying to commence.
     
    I went to the Bristol show at the weekend and was able to buy a Dapol Class 22 in BSYP, something I'd missed out on for a long time due to money being tight and then there being none to buy. It got me to thinking about headcodes for the S&P.
     
    I've read up a bit on how such four character train reporting numbers work, and realised that though the basic arrangement itself works, what the first number means would need to be different for S&P. In conventional usage, it seems the first number is an amalgam of priority and train type. For the real railway, that works out most of the time. However, in the S&P case, having 'express passenger' tied to the number '1' makes no sense, as such. That, of course, then affects how all the rest of the numbers are understood.
     
    So for the S&P I've come up with the following. But first, note that the main change regarding the first character is that I saw that 'priority' of train needed to be divorced from 'type' of train to properly understand how then to interpret 'type' into the number:
     
    1. Commercial high prority train (freight or passenger)
    2. Commercial lower priority train (freight or passenger)
    3. Commercial lowest prority train (freight or passenger), and empty stock movements related to commercial activity
    4. Reduced stopping heritage train (passenger only) (e.g., dining specials, etc)
    5. Stopping heritage train (passenger only)
    6. Empty stock movements related to heritage activity (passenger only)
    7. Reduced stopping demonstration freight train
    8. Stopping demonstration freight train, and empty stock movements related to demonstration freight activity
    9. Special trains
    0. Light engine movements
     
    I hope this works out in practice. It will have an effect on headcodes I put on trains for S&P running, though whether any given locomotive will actually have a correct headcode on any given train is less easy to predict as it's not at all easy to implement changeable headcodes on models.
     
    -----
     
    As for the second character letter, I've yet to decide on the exact list but it would be simple destinations, something like:
     
    Main route:
     
    A. Sayersbridge
    B. Cold Holt
    C. Bere Dene
    D. Arnford
    E. Dunstow
    F. West Frith
    G. Weytonwell
    H. Weytonwell Junction
    J. Stokestone
    K. Stokeholme
    L. Sto Sands
    M. Tynworth
    N. Penmouth Waterside
    P. Penmouth Harbour
     
    Branch route:
     
    Q. Grange Knowle
    R. Steepleham
    S. Knightonmore
     
    Off line:
     
    O. National Network (that is, not necessarily stopping at Sayersbridge)
     
    Non-passenger or commercial:
     
    X. Weytonwell Quarry and S&P Stock Sidings
    Y. Penmouth Port
    Z. Arnbrook Oil Depot
     
    -----
     
    As far as how disc arrangements would be used, either on steam or diesel, that is yet to be researched.
  6. Ian J.

    Second Accident

    By Ian J.,


    General
    Second, because I'd dropped a board during build which dented a corner and bent one of the join clips.
     
    This time though the damage is a little more terminal to the recently attached barriers:
     

     

     
    Occurred during disassembly this morning when I wasn't being quite cautious enough to ensure that the board was properly supported during leg removal. Proves that the acrylic is pretty fragile, and acts as a reminder to me to be careful in all respects when assembling or disassembling the layout. I'll have to order replacements as repair would be impractical. I might make that a slight over order so as to have some spares in case of similar happening again.
     
  7. Ian J.

    Barriers to Exit

    By Ian J.,


    General
    Following on from the blog post from some while ago 'Barriers to Entry', I've now drilled and cut the derailment barriers for the 'test track arrangement'. This has been done to fill in time while still waiting for copperclad strips for board ends. I've also marked both outer rail and outside edge of cork underlay positions on these boards for eventually cork and track laying. I will be in need of some kind of 'clip' to hold the barrier ends together between boards, I've not yet researched what might be suitable:
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    🙂
  8. Ian J.
    A bit of progress to report. I'm currently waiting for a delivery of copperclad strips for board end track attachment and alignment, so in the meantime I've done some test setups of the boards; checked for alignments; put the templates on top; checked some track positioning issues; cut the cork underlay for turnouts and plain track; and started punching holes into the templates to allow marking of the board surfaces where the rails need to go:
     
    An initial set up of the ends and the primary centre board:

     

     
    A secondary set up of the ends only, templates positioned for effect:

     
    There is a minor issue with turnout position where, across board joins, I'm going to have to overlap them to get a clean cross board run:

     
    This causes a gap to be created earlier in the turnout run, and will need to be dealt with (probably by using a small cut of rail inserted into a rail joiner). This issue has been caused because the AnyRail software joins the tracks exactly, and doesn't take into account board joins:

     
    The 'test track' arrangement as it will be, where there are no intermediate staging or scenic boards. Templates and turnouts laid on for effect:

     
    Cork underlays cut for the four straight turnouts...:

     
    ...the left-hand curves...:

     
    ...the right hand curves...:

     
    ...and strips for the plain track:

     
    Punching holes in the templates to allow marking of the rail positions on the board tops...:

     
    ...done with this nifty little tool from Hobbycraft:

     
    🙂
  9. Ian J.

    Decadent Duey Decimals...

    By Ian J.,


    General
    ... as in ten boards, painted, looking 'decadent'... 😁
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    I'm now working to make space in the 'railway' room to do a first post-painting assembly to make sure all is still OK with alignments. Once done, I'll be temporarily sticking the templates to the tops to work out the precise track positions at the board ends and deal with any misalignments in the boards due to 'skew' where I hadn't been quite accurate enough in the dowel positions.
     
    As always, watch this space.
     
    😊
  10. Ian J.

    A Beer In The Dean

    By Ian J.,


    General
    A quick knock up of Bere Dene's track plan:

    Again, signals are educated guesses, rather than final arrangements. This time the passing loop lines aren't bi-directional. It is my intention to model a section of line between Bere Dene and Arnford as a simple, single straight line through a forest, on a set of 1 foot wide boards I already have. Although I don't think I'd ever have space to put it with this vignette, I like the idea of it being possible to directly connect it to the left end of this plan.
  11. Ian J.

    Penmouth Harbour Diagram

    By Ian J.,


    General
    I've knocked this up today. Took a while to get that subtle curve in, AnyRail doesn't provide any tools for quickly doing curved shapes so shape control points have to be added and aligned by hand:

     
     
    Note that, in the fiction, the 'goods yard' is a late addition to allow reworking the demonstration freights away from the main station of Tynworth. In the fiction's original idea there would have been no freight sidings for the railway as the station was for boat trains only, and the port handled all the freight. However, with the 'rebuild' of the port to use its western entrance for bigger ships, and all but close the eastern entrance (where this station is), this land was used for general storage of port equipment. The land was returned to railway use when the heritage line was able to afford the re-opening, and there was seen to be a significant tourist revenue to be had for people visiting The Pen (the large island of rock at the harbour's mouth).
     
    Note that I've attempted to add appropriate signalling, but I'm in no way sure it's right.
  12. Ian J.

    Diagram Alley

    By Ian J.,


    General
    A couple of diagrams. First Cold Holt and then Penmouth Waterside. Both featured in a thread on RMweb for signalling advice. Apologies for image quality, the files get compressed by RMweb's upload process and there's nothing I can do about it (it seems to be something to do with their pixel width, not their actual file size).
     
    Cold Holt is an interchange station between the S&P and the National Network. None of it exists in model form at present so it would be entirely new.

     
     
    However, for Penmouth Waterside some of it exists already.
     
    In the fiction it's a station that didn't exist originally when it was the site of a two loco engine shed and turntable with no loop, and just a single line through.
     
    In heritage era a sizable expansion was undertaken onto empty adjacent port land. The turntable was moved and a decent sized engine shed put in, plus a locomotive works. The area immediately offstage below the bottom of the layout is supposed to be a service road and sea front so nothing practical can go there, which is why the signals are all 'inside' the layout. The two lines to the left are both bi-directional, and all three roads through are also bi-directional.
     
    From a model and running perspective, the two central boards already exist from a previous layout build attempt, and as I only have 8 feet of operational scenic space where I currently live they have to be viable on their own without the two outer boards. Some of the track layout of that previous build is in situ and can't be moved (mainly the turnouts across the central board join) but the tracks below the shed (station and extra road) will be newly arranged (although it's going to be fun trying to lift and relay the C&L turnouts).

    Note that some of the track (notably the shed access Y) is not joined up - this is because the available track objects in AnyRail don't fit with what's actually in place, which is hand-built C&L points with some subtle curves in them. There was no suitable Y so that's just a placeholder Peco Y.
     
     
  13. Ian J.

    En Route

    By Ian J.,


    General
    Here's a first version of the diagram for the S&P's line, distances not to scale:

     
     
    As part of understanding operation and signalling, I've indicated where the passing / run round loops are with green infills.
  14. Ian J.

    Down to the Wire

    By Ian J.,


    General
    How's this for a wiring diagram...

     
     
    This is my first attempt, using LibreOffice Draw in this instance. It really doesn't like the complexity involved in the diagram, but it's what I had to hand for now.
  16. Ian J.

    Third Board Painted

    By Ian J.,


    General
    The third board (the first of the fiddleyard throat boards) now painted. I've included a series of images as the painting progressed for this posting to see the 'effect' in action, so to speak. I won't bother with the later boards as it's just outright repetition really.
     
    First white undercoat, brush painted, underside:

     
    Second white undercoat, brush painted, underside:

     
    Topside, ply delamination repaired and abuttment screw dips filled (with wood filler):

     
    First white undercoat, roller painted, topside:

     
    Second cream glosscoat, roller painted, topside:

     
    First white glosscoat, brush painted (I thought it wouldn't be suitable for roller painting at this point), underside:

     
    Second white glosscoat, brush painted, underside:

     
    Third white glosscoat, roller painted, underside (I wasn't happy with the brush finish so decided to see how difficult to use a small roller on it, turns out not as awkward as I thought it would be):

     
    First grey undercoat, roller painted, sides:

     
    (no pic of second grey undercoat)
     
    First blue/grey glosscoat, roller painted, sides:

     
    Final appearance:
    Cream glosscoat, roller painted, topside; blue/grey glosscoat, roller painted, sides:

     
    White glosscoat, roller painted, underside; blue/grey glosscoat, roller painted, sides:

     

     

  17. Ian J.

    Second Board Painted

    By Ian J.,


    General
    Second board is painted:

     

     
     
    Eight more to go. The next six boards are the ones for the fiddleyard throat, so smaller but more complex on the underside. I think only one of those needs remedial attention (for some delamination of the top surface of plywood). I'm going to leave that till last. The remaining two are the curves into the scenic section.
  18. Ian J.

    An Update

    By Ian J.,


    General
    I completed the boards enough towards the end of last year to do a test assembly in the room where they will go. It does fit with about a quarter inch of space at either end, though the window sill at one end is very 'tight' to one of the angle struts for the legs. The 'scenic' section is an old beginnings of a shed. I hope to 'complete' that enough to represent the heritage shed that would be at Penmouth. I also have in mind an additional 4 foot board each at either end of the shed to open up the area the shed sits within, but that won't fit in the room available of course. It would be for future sets ups in other places where space would allow.
     
    No more progress since as there are boxes stacked up underneath it and piles of paperwork that need sorting out on top of it, and I hate doing paperwork sorting. It could be several months before I get much further.
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  21. Ian J.

    Barriers to Entry

    By Ian J.,


    General
    As per a post on in the main forum, I've now started to sort out derailment barriers for the boards. I found a supplier, bought two test pieces and have been able to make choices as per what to get.
     
    The curved boards will be getting 2mm thick clear acrylic, and the straight boards 3mm acrylic. Holes have already been drilled to take bolts to mount the barriers in place.
     
    I've placed an order for enough strips to do the ends and up to four 4'x2' boards on both the scenic and fiddleyard sides.
     
    As far as the boards are concerned, I think the next jobs will be to fix any remaining structural issues (one or two frame elements are still loose and a couple of the top boards need regluing to the frames where they haven't sat in place properly), then to clean them up by sanding down the splintering edges, and then paint them to hopefully seal them up. I've decided against varnishing as they have too many construction marks on them. It's going to be white underside, a dark grey-blue for the sides, and cream for the tops.
     
    Some pics of the fitting of the two clear acrylic test pieces:
     

     

     

     

     
     
     
     
  22. Ian J.
    The old boards (three 4' x 2') from an aborted previous build, and the six old 'test track' boards (four 4' x 1' and two 1' x 1') have now had all their components stripped, track removed and all but one sanded to clean off the top surface. The one not sanded was a scenic board that was going to be a station, and I'd glued down a layer of cork and surfaced it for a yard area. Unfortunately this wasn't easy to remove, so there are some gouges in the surface that will need filling. The board is still damp from water used to loosen the glue holding the cork in place so it will need to dry out first, then I can sand it to remove as many bumps as I can before filling the gouges. The appearance of the top surface of all these boards is not of concern as I'm intending to put a layer of cork down to lay the track on, not for sound proofing but to keep the fiddleyard track at the same height as the scenic boards when they have cork used for the ballast shoulder.
     
    Once that's done, the next job for the old boards is to strengthen their corners with 2"x1" softwood blocks that will also be the backing for each of the boards' alignment dowels, and fit said dowels. After that, it will finally be time to rearrange the room where all this is to go so that I can test the fit (there's a notional 1" of spare space in the room for the layout on its length!), before fitting the clasps that will hold the board joins together.
  23. Ian J.

    A Small Update

    By Ian J.,

    The left and right fiddle yard boards are now fully fitted with alignment dowels, and with only a couple of places where I've had to use some cereal packet card to even out the alignment:
     

     
    Now, a couple of coincidental observations with regards to measurements, if you're into this sort of thing: the width of the minimum arrangement (as above) is 7 feet and a quarter inch. The outer circumference length of each of the old test track curves is four feet, eight and a half inches
     

     

     
     
  24. Ian J.
    The first full assembly. With the living room floor cleared, I have been able to do a test assembly of the left and right throat boards, to check their overall alignment in combination with the old curves from a previous test layout build. It was very nearly spot on. Unfortunately the natural variability of a less skilled hand made build has meant that there's a slight gap between the two fill-out boards added to the curves. I'd already added 9mm ply ends to them as I knew they'd come out short, but even that was not enough. I am going to have to add two 6mm ply boards to them to fill the gap. Otherwise, it's not far off.
     
    I thought I'd let my recently won Dean Goods do the honours of being the first loco to sit on the assembly, with the templates in place, and the first of the code 83 turnouts in possible places too.
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
     
     
  25. Ian J.
    I have taken pics as I went through the next dowel fitting so that a more complete explanation exists. I can't vouch for this being the best way, it's just a way I've come up with. Nothing here is to be taken as absolutely the only way to do this.
     
    Marked out end board:

     
    Marked lines for marrying up to the next board:


     
    Beginning drilling the recess:

     
    Test locating the female dowel for depth:

     
    Checking where the recess surface still needs more material removing:

     
    Checking again, close but still need to remove a bit more:

     
    Now it's seated just below the surface of the plywood:

     
    Clearing the centre area which sometimes is a little raised as the Forstner bit doesn't quite touch that area:


     
    Clearing space for the male dowel peg to fit:

     
    As this is a primary board no glue is required, so the dowels are screwed in directly:

     
    Checking which screw to tighten first. If one or more screws are slightly off-centre from the dowel holes, the one which is closest is tightened first, followed by the next closest, etc, etc.


     
    Checking the screw hole positions are clear of any other screws in the boards:


     
    Checking that the recesses match up OK:


     
    They do:

     
    Putting old receipts in place between the dowel parts to prevent the boards gluing together:

     
    Epoxy glue added to receiving recesses:

     
    Boards on level-ish floor, and clamped to allow glue to harden:


     
    Holes drilled for screws in the glued dowel parts:



     
    The final assembly, all OK, though not entirely perfect.


     

     
    There's a slight ledge between the two curved 'extensions', but since no track will cross that it's not an issue.

     
    The end joins are near perfect. There's a little bit of height difference, but nothing a sander can't correct and if the track still is a little out of alignment height-wise, then I'll use thin paper built up to even up the rail tops.
     
    I won't post any more on dowels now, I'll just get on with fitting them. It'll take a while as I'm only up to 8 of 22 so far.
     

     
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