Phil Bullock

That is very true! thanks for reminding me of that. It does mean more wiring though. Will try current plan but could fall back on that if problems persist. Of course given that all junctions on at least the scenic section are protected by signals then there should be zero incidents… 😀

Absolutely. Have already supplied driving checklist for each train movement and will do the same for power district resets. You are right about the pressure but @Downendian tells me he keeps his eye on me! Thanks Neil 😉

Yep good plan!! Will just have to remember that when the accessory bus shorts to switch off the relevant track bus before resetting the accessory bus

Cheers! The way we have the layout wired we can easily pull apart the bus connectors to achieve the same result … will install LED for each bus on each board when rejigging so that should help too…

You are right! No seperate point decoders, integral to the motor and on the cobalt Digital the frog feed is from the same feed as the motor itself which will be the accessory bus.

Remember going to Saltley early 68 …. A lot of the early members of the class there were waiting for a tow to Cashmores on their last journey….

Cheers! And thanks for the offer, but already ordered the extra IP-CBs this morning! Switches also good idea do you use double pole ? And before or after the DCO?

Am in MERG but as I said I don’t gave the time to construct electronic units … the layout scenery, signals and rolling stock are more than enough!!!

We suffered a lot of down time at the recent Redditch show which I need to address. So a description of the layout… 27 x 12 ft, 20 boards. S1-S9 make up the scenic element, F1-F9 make up the fiddle yard and there is a joining board J1&J2. The ECoS controller sits on J2 at the south end. To protect ECoS I had installed two Cobalt IP-CB circuit breakers … one protecting a power district covering the scenic area and the other the fiddle yard. Both include track and accessory power. There are 14 cobalt digital point motors and 9 switchpilot servo accessory controllers on the scenic district and 40 cobalt Digital’s on the fiddle yard. The fiddle yard suffered worst! It felt like as we added more trains the IP-CB covering that district struggled to reboot. I discovered that by disconnecting the fiddle yard bus half way down it would reboot and stay live when fully reconnected, which suggests that even with the IP-CB set to a trigger current of 5 amps … we have a 7 amp ECoS … it was overloaded. Locos with stay alives perhaps? So my proposed action is to go from two districts to 4 … each protected by its own IP-CB. These will be : 1. Accessory bus … a ring bus encompassing all 20 boards to seperate track and accessory power. 2. Scenic bus covering track power only to 9 scenic boards 3. Fiddle yard north bus covering track power only to north end of fiddle yard . 4. Ditto to south end of fiddle yard. Will also add LED indicators to all boards for relevant buses. What do folks think of this proposed approach? Note I am Sticking to proprietary options as I don’t have the time to build anything g myself … Thanks in advance

Having spoken to the crew the after show post mortem has come up with the following jobs: 1. We had a fair bit of down time on Sunday …. Turns out we were overloading the circuit breakers . Will create a post in DCC section of forum to discuss further. 2. track relaying on north end joining board. There’s a double slip under high level lines causing problems and board to board track not good either. 3. Coaching stock behaved very badly and hardly ran at all … needs sorting. 4. Fettle a few locos … most ran well, derailments down to track issues I hope! Enough to keep me busy! As for future outings…. We are at the GWSR diesel gala again … once more in the Tim Mitchell building. Barbecue outside if anyone needs an incentive! GWSR diesel gala There is talk of an additional local show with Cheltenham GWR modellers group … watch this space … and there’s a possible return to Redditch for a big anniversary show in a few years . Open to other offers …

Yes can see the Nottingham - Cardiffs being diverted in to Moor Street. Change at Bromsgrove (northbound) or Tamworth (southbound) for New Street … or better still get on a SW-north train that still runs in to New Street . They need to stop the latter at Worcestershire Parkway if so … currently only the Cardiff - Nottinghams stop. And yes am pretty sure trains can already turn round at Malvern Wells - and Ledbury … although they may not bevtimetabled to do so

Nice job. I remember when those came in a plastic bag from Woolworths…. 😀

😀😀 definitely! P way gang working overtime last night That van had been misbehaving all day…. But it was innocent, turned out the coupling bar on D7054 just needed a tweak

Thanks Martin. Yes that 3rd rail London terminus layout …. Belongs to John Tisi I think … is a work of art. Stay safe, hope things get better for you

So we had a great weekend … thanks to the club for inviting us! @Reddibus Heres a link to a YouTube video… not staged, just represented traffic on Saturday afternoon with @Liam @Pierre Le Brun @Downendian and Brian Thomas doing the driving Abbotswood and Norton Junction at the Redditch show We had our fair share of gremlins over the weekend will talk about those in subsequent posts, but thanks to the above Saturday team plus Digby Wall, James and Chris Pate on the Sunday.

Thanks Rob…. Nice photos too. The geography is better in this version as confirmed by one resident of Littleworth … between Abbotswood and Norton … who thought he recognised the topography . Took lots of photos when I told him…

Was good to see you Martin …. You did well to stand in front of the layout for the time you did, sorry we did not have a seat to offer you! Yes new towns are no fun, especially when they are imposed on an old town!!!

DPD just delivered my two boxes … love the eco friendly postage packing. Arrived just in time to get on the van to go to Redditch show. 3 mixed diagrams to go in ti the main banana train take and 3 tadpoles for brake force on the Llantrisant - Kingswinford coke. Lovely wagons many thanks Accurascale

Good news … the cake won!!!

Ah that’s a shame! More cake for us then …

Dammit he has one more than me now!!! 😀

Big dilemma tomorrow! With the layout out at the Redditch show this weekend do I keep the board in the kitchen to do more fencing or clear out so SWMBO can bake millionaire’s shortbread?

Yes indeed …. And my good friend @Downendian is guilty too….

Wot no herrings? 😀 Looking great ! @Liam some inspiration for your current project there?

Wonder if you have steam heat pipes Eric?