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lapford34102

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Posts posted by lapford34102

    Possible to replace Peco set track points with something finer looking?

    in Modelling Questions, Help and Tips

    Posted

    Hi,

    I've made bullhead code 75 "copies" of Peco small radius point using copperclad sleepering. Downloaded the Peco template and and re-drew the sleeper spacing to match the code 75 bullhead. It is a bit more involved than that but essentially that's it.

    3rdrail3.JPG.1273ba686fc9cb29e1243b3423f9eb95.JPG

     

    One of the three I did for my parcels layout.

    I appreciate what others are saying about doing this with Setrack geometry and it looking somewhat odd but until someone tries.......

    Cheers

    Stu

     

    • Like 6
    • Informative/Useful 1
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    • Friendly/supportive 1

    Hornby 2023 - Bluetooth decoders and control system

    in Hornby

    Posted

    A couple of questions that hopefully someone may be able to answer.

     

    1/Hornby 08  with bluetooth sound on the layout over the weekend at AllyPally.  Just stopped working and had to be sidelined. Thought the chip had gone but tried it later and was fine. Do these chips have some form of thermal cutout if they get to hot.

     2/ Anyone hard wired a stay-alive of some sort to a one these chips.

    Thanks

    Stu

    Sheepcroft EM - 3 link waffling

    in Layout topics

    Posted

    22 hours ago, Dr Gerbil-Fritters said:

    How do you manage 3 links?  Is there a special tool?

    Waiting for the AA to sort things out so a hurried of mine, a bit of bent wire on a cheap LED torch

    Uncoupler.JPG.165784fd776a875e0d293175d14132b8.JPG

     

    Believe someone sells predone one's, sure Tim's got one.

    Stu

    • Like 2
    • Agree 1

    Sheepcroft EM - 3 link waffling

    in Layout topics

    Posted

    Hi,

    Firstly thanks to all those who tagged my recent post, much appreciated and makes any developments seem worthwhile so Ta :-)

    15 hours ago, sb67 said:

    The stock for Sheepcroft looks fine Stu, I'll look forward to seeing it at Ally Pally.

    Thanks, I'll bring them along but I'd like to be able to do the figures/vehicles to match. I got very politely taken to task for the first lorry I had on display as it apparently first appeared somewhat later. 

    On 03/03/2024 at 17:28, woodenhead said:

    For such a small simple layout with b%st*rd three links, it remains such a crowd pleaser.

     

    Might help that the operatives are a friendly bunch who need to talk to avert our eyes whilst they attempt to couple and uncouple stuff.

     

    Much more fun that a tail chaser...

    Wow! Thanks for that, rather neatly sums up our attitude to things.

    As for the 3 links there was a very obscure study by some university's Department of Utterly Pointless Studies that came up with Hooks Law ( No, not that Hooke, it's the other one)

    A = N+ 1

    Where A = the number of attempts required to couple two pieces of stock and N = the number of people in front of the layout. I think experience though has shown it's a bit more complicated than that.........

    To be fair to viewers thay are almost universally  understanding when things get fraught. Quite often get well meant suggestions for different systems, such as Kaydee's  though those look very out of place on a 10ft WB Van to me or Sprat+Winkle which is a fine system but needs to treated like a Faberge Egg once you've got it working. What does irk me is the very very occasional implication that somehow we've made the wrong choice, a mad choice, yes, I can live with but not wrong. At moments like that I wonder about commiting the ultimate heresy and fitting tension locks.

    Thanks and say hello at Ally if you're there.

    Stu

     

     

     

     

     

    • Like 3
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    Sheepcroft EM - 3 link waffling

    in Layout topics

    Posted

    Oh Dear! Managed to send Exhibition Manager A the paperwork for Exhibition B….  Should never be let out without a responsible adult. . Anyhow have Ally Pally coming up in a couple of weeks, it’s show I’ve never done so it will be interesting. Sheepcroft’s fiddle yard is quite small and frankly now inadequate and could do with replacement. If I thought the layout had something of a future, it is nearly 10 years old after all, I’d do that but in the meantime settled for some minor tweaks.  I’ve added a rough but useable shelf for stock storage and added a small shelf to the front. That brings the front edge in line with the layout so it’ll be easier to do the drape plus a handy spot for the layout info.  I’m quite keen on layouts having a bit of info about them somewhere, nothing too wordy just a few key points the builder feels relevant. Sometimes it can save answering the same question repeatedly. One possible benefit of putting it where it is  is that it’s a bit easier to read being on the flat.

    Fiddleyard1.JPG.2cd0f39e0773dc6a32caf956ad990fe2.JPG

    This left a bit of space on the front and I stumbled across  a graphic in what looked like a spoof wagon modelling magazine on a facebook group. It seemed rather appropriate to Sheepcroft so I’ve printed it off and blu-tac’d to the front. No idea who did it so hope they don’t mind.

    Fiddleyardnotice.JPG.b6cfa94bc25c9b37ad1d2d9056dab379.JPG

    We’re out again later in the year at Faversham and Farnham but whilst working on the front idly started mentally plotting the show’s done on a map and realising there were great swathes of the country never visited, East Anglia, the south coast and down the M4/5 corridor for example.  At a recent show had a couple of enquiries from the E Midlands area but got a rather glum look when they realised we came from the extremities of Kent and any likely expenses. I did make the point I’m prepared to negotiate. I think the current situation means as exhibitors we  could try to mitigate when it comes to costs, I did this with a show last year and  got to exhibit somewhere that would have almost certainly been off-limits cost wise.  I do though fully appreciate it may not be an option for everyone.

    I’ve got my Chief Assistant, Tim, to thank(?) for this as he suggested we widen the stock era on the layout for a bit of variety. So having had a scrabble in the unused boxes have cobbled this lot together. Sort of late 70’s and into the TOPS period stock. Getting that right involved a deal of time on Mr Bartlett’s wonderful site so I hope I’ve got things right. I’ll need some more plus a change in personnel and vehicles but it would add variety.

    TOPS1.JPG.e8bc188e7948672568287337c58f8c7b.JPG

     

    Got a couple of Panniers and GW Toads somewhere………TOPS2.JPG.5183cb9ebc6ec1f4df2b7dbeabc9a3d3.JPG

    Thanks for looking

    Stu

    • Like 19
    • Funny 1

    Albert Street Parcels - OO South East 60's

    in Layout topics

    Posted

    4 hours ago, Gilbert said:

    Do you have a track plan or an overhead photo - its pretty clear from the photos you have put up but one overall picture would be great.

     

    Thank you Chris,

    You assume correctly, the run round is via the fiddle yard, at the moment it's simply that with one siding but it will get revised with more storage space.  Hope these photo's show things a bit clearer. Space wise it's basically 2 x 4ft boards but using a traverser in the fiddle yard could shrink it a bit.

    Stu

    20230324_122237.jpg.69a08888b78e5e8e2d30d34e987b1d32.jpg

     

    20230324_122248.jpg.95b4391dd312100680d5c904f8b8482a.jpg

     

    • Like 5
    • Thanks 1

    Albert Street Parcels - OO South East 60's

    in Layout topics

    Posted

    Hi,

    Thanks for the comment Dave and thanks to all those who came and had a chat at Biggleswade. Albert seemed to be quite well received.  Layout survived the day without major issue though had a number of minor gremlins show up but considering it was it's first serious show I'd have been surprised if they hadn't. Most were/can be easily dealt with and while the fiddle yard with it's simple trackplan made life a little harder we now know what a better arrangement should be.

    Pleased with how the 350HP with it's new sound chip+stayalive performed (nod to Coastal DCC for supplying the bits)  I've been mildly sceptical of stayalive's in the past but now in the market for a few more.

    Managed to take precisely one rather hurried  rubbish shot before opening !

     

    Biggleswade.jpg.7b8e60604eb42dc0996d7ab8100e6b6c.jpg

     

    Thanks for looking

    Stu

    • Like 8

    Hornby 2023 - Bluetooth decoders and control system

    in Hornby

    Posted

    I think think problem has been mentioned before but I'm blowed if I can find it so if anyone has any thoughts it would be appreciated.

    Hornby 08, been running fine with an old Lenz 1025 chip.

    Installed an 8 pin bluetooth sound and the install went absolutely fine even on our slow 2 wire broadband.

    Running though was dire, using the slider it would move a few cm, stop then move off further, apparently running ok then stop with the chip number in blue going to red. It would reconnect, move off then do the same. Was the same with sound on.

    Tried on DCC with the same result. Replaced the Lenz and checked all wheels picking up, clean track, etc. Ran fine, replaced HM chip and as before.

    Rather exasperated put the chip in a ViTrains 37. Runs fine on both bluetooth and DCC.

    Well aware sound chips are far more sensitive to loss of power however brief but this was plain track.

     

    Cheers

    Stu

    • Interesting/Thought-provoking 1

    End of Warley National Show - but now it's not the end of a show at the NEC.

    in Exhibitions

    Posted

    A show I've visited and even exhibited at a couple of times and I can best sum it up by saying Warley was something to be "experienced". Shows, some quite notable, have come and gone but Warley was probably unique and will surely go down in modelling folklore and spawn many a tale, a few likely to be quite tall. Maybe sometime hence grandchildren will ask "Were you at Warley ?"

     

    Stu

     

    • Like 2

    Hattons Model Railways to close

    in Hattons

    Posted

    Sorry to see them go but clearly a very carefully planned withdrawl from the front line which must have taken a deal of planning. Hopefully the staff's futures were accounted for in that.

    Looking at their website today In was struck by the range of AMMO products they had stocked, not a line, or at least to this extent, that I would associate with the railway side of modelling. But it's an ill wind etc and I was happy to find a couple of unicorn droppings listed so.......

     

    Stu

     

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    Albert Street Parcels - OO South East 60's

    in Layout topics

    Posted

    Only recently been able to get back on with the layout  and just a couple of photos to show what's happened.

    The 3rd rail is now dowm and means I can run the E5000 without being embarassed :-0.  It's PECO rail and insulators and though I've made an effort to lay it prototypically  it's probably in the "brave effort" category but it looked passable. I've also added some kickboards. This is something of a token effort as the real thing would almost certainly be fully boarded and I've only done one side as a short test piece on both sides threw up a few clearance problems. What I've done works (apart from the Big ED!) with everything so I'll take that.

     

    3rdrail2.JPG.71d2845437f7dfa65f29a30bf9ee8788.JPG

     

    71-1.JPG.1071d7704a6abf03a4168215faf203ca.JPG

     

    Looks tight but it's fine - DJM loco, be interested to try the Hornby one.

     

    Thanks for looking

    Stu

     

    • Like 17
    • Craftsmanship/clever 3
    • Round of applause 1
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