Tetbury

[Harlequin]

4 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Sounds very good Phil. What sort of cost?

Since it's still a bit experimental, nothing except materials and postage costs. I'll send you a PM.

[Chris Chewter]

Since the last post, I’ve been working with Phil to replace the signal diagram. He’s redesigned the diagram and I’ve run this off on the plotter. I’ve replaced the Perspex as the LEDs will be in different positions and anyway, one was cracked. So, after some careful drilling taking the holes up by 0.5mm each time, here we are this morning.

 

Edited March 3, 2019 by Captainalbino

[Harlequin]

Wow! That looks great!

 

Did you have any trouble printing the PDF? And was the drilling pattern any use? I guess you probably didn't need it.

 

[Chris Chewter]

The only problems was with the plotter clipping the border, but not with the actual PDF. The PDF was spot on. I did wonder whether there would be the odd black border around some of the LEDs, but that dosnt appear to have occurred.

 

The LEDs to point 8 and 9 were a bit tight and I cautiously drilled those praying it wouldn’t split, but seemed to have been successful.

 

I didn’t use the drilling template and worked from the top with the Perspex protective tape in place. I did think about sticking the drilling template to the back so that you can identify the point from the rear when replacing LEDs. I’ll probably print this on a series of A4 sheets and fit the LEDs this afternoon, as I don’t have access to the plotter until Wednesday.

 

Ill let you know how I get on.

[Chris Chewter]

Well another step closer with the points diagram. LEDs fitted and wiring loom sorted. I just need to reconnect it to the layout to get it working.

 

 

[Chris Chewter]

Well its wired into the layout and it’s looking good in my opinion.

 

Just got to iron out oddities such as back to front operation and why point 8 isn’t working.

 

 

A job for another evening I think.

 

It certainly looks better than my effort, with grateful thanks to Harlequin Phil.

 

Here’s my original attempt for comparison:

 

Edited March 3, 2019 by Captainalbino

[DLT]

A cracking good layout I've not seen before.  And a lovely location.

Cheers, Dave.

[Chris Chewter]

One of the frustrating things of modeling a real location, is that sometimes new information comes up that could result in redoing a part of the layout. 

 

The grassed area by the pre fab, known as the rope walk, rarely got in any photos. However I recently happened across this image showing a barn on the area in question. There is also the glimpse of a cottage in the distance that’ll need investigating.

 

[Chris Chewter]

Just found a 1950s plan which I think shows the barn, and its a fairly huge structure! In case your wondering, I presume its the large nearly rectangular structure to the bottom right of the image.  The hatched building with the Ordnance Benchmark symbol on it is, I think, Turnpike Cottage.  Given its size, it appears to be in its original shape before it grew what appears to be a 1960s stone extension to its side!  I understand that Turnpike Cottage is now a B+B.  I really didn't want to compress things too much, but if i put that barn in its original position, then I think some of it may be laying off the layout with the roof chopped at an awkward angle.  I also need to get some basic dimensions for the cottage to see if that'll fit. In case you're wondering how I missed it, the area is blank on the 1920s plan I used to set out the layout, because it showed a greater level of detail concerning the setting out of the running lines. 

 

 

 

[Harlequin]

The large building is plotted more accurately on the 1978 OS 1:2500 map:

Still not labelled, unfortunately, but seems to be related to the builder's yard perhaps...???

 

[Chris Chewter]

Taking a quick photo from a similar angle shows that the hill is too high. Thankfully I think it’s a fairly easy fix in an easily accessible part of the layout. As you can see, I always knew there was a corrugated structure up there, it’s just that photo was the first time it was clearly a large barn.

 

 

The aerial view is also interesting, although how to join the back of the old quarry the prefab sits in against the lower hillside could be tricky, which may be one of the reasons for this error.

 

In fact, studying Phil’s OS extract, I think the quarry is further down the layout with the prefab sitting in a lower hollow. 

 

 

Looking at the photo above, I’m not sure there’s enough space for both the barn and cottage. Looks like I’ll need to get busy with the card and make some mockups!

 

This has always been the most difficult part of the layout due to lack of access, it’s currently the most developed area in reality, and a lack of historic photos. However I feel when modeling a real location, it’s got to be worthwhile to try to get it right.

Edited March 4, 2019 by Captainalbino

[Chris Chewter]

After lots of fine tuning, changing LEDs, tidying wiring plus the occasional gnashing of teeth, the signal diagram is finally working in its entirety!

 

 

I can now turn my attention to the barn without knowing there was another job to finish elsewhere on the layout.

Edited March 10, 2019 by Captainalbino

[Mulgabill]

Had an unexpected visit to Tetbury X-Ray dept today, so took advantage of a visit to your site!

 

Do you have one of these? Right colours but seems to be Finnish.

 

 

And we are now able to get tea & cakes etc, as the goods shed is now an arts venue.

 

There is the actual shed space, which today was set up for some musical event this evening, plus

about 1/3rd of the coach.

 

Struck me that if your layout is portable, could provide a very appropriate location to take it!

 

I do have a couple more snaps which I'll add soon. Also should mention that as its an easy

20' drive, and now I'm retired, I could pop back for some more specific pics (on a better day)

if you let me know.

 

All the best

 

 

[Nick Gough]

Looks like the goods shed is Finnish(ed) now too!

Good to see that its refurbishment is complete and it has an assured future rather than the semi-derelict state it was in on my last visit to the site.

[Chris Chewter]

Sorry for the lack of updates.  Work and family life has crowded in, so unfortunately nothings been done. I've been wondering whether the layout wasn't fulfilling my love of simply watching the trains go by, which is something you don't get on a terminus layout, so I started thinking whether Tetbury had had its day. 

 

Whilst watching some model railway clips on YouTube, my son came over and asked if he could play with the model railway in the garage.  Why not, I thought, its got to be better than encouraging him to bury his nose in a computer, so off we went.  So far this weekend, i think we've clocked up 6 hours ferrying Minions about on the railway!

 

 

I did ask him if he preferred running trains back and forth or if I should rebuild it as a roundy-roundy.  He seemed to think it was great as it was, so Tetbury can stay.

 

Unfortunately the weekend then took a turn for the strange when I was cleaning the wheels of one of my 1400 tanks.  Everything was going well until the controller showed a short circuit.  So I started looking to see if something had come loose, or if a track pin had wedged itself into the motor.  The more I investigated, the more the little tank was disassembled.  Eventually I had a chassis, body and was testing all the wiring to find out there was nothing wrong with the loco, the sound decoder is faulty.  

 

I'm seriously struggling to justify spending £100 on a chip that needs hard wiring into a loco, so I think a 6 pin socket and decoder will go into this one for a bit. Until that arrives, it'll have to sit on the "shelf of shame."

 

On the positive, I can now dismantle a DJ Models 14xx, and I must have improved it in the process, because I can put it together with less screws than it was manufactured with.

 

 

On a serious note, if that weight could be removed so I can insert the wiring back in, this design of loco would be so much better.  You'll notice I've also had to label the wiring, because everything is black and red making checking the wiring a right pain. Furthermore, I cannot see how you can ever remove the motor should it fail. What an absolutely frustrating design! Hopefully with a socket and decoder, this one can turn a wheel once again!

 

 

[Chris Chewter]

I've been mulling over what to do with my failed DJ models 14xx. 

 

Firstly, to explain, I hardwired in an ESU sound chip because I wanted to use an accurate 14xx sound which I couldn't get from a provider who could sell me a 6 pin chip.  The chip is a year old.  I think that ESU give a 2 year warranty, but have I voided it by chopping off that 8 pin plug?

 

So what to do?  Well, Digitrains do a 6 pin Zimo chip which you plug in and solder a speaker onto.  The downside is that I'd have to use a pannier sound file.  Would that honestly sound that different from a 14xx?  The big advantage is that if the chip fails, I haven't modified it significantly enough to prevent it from being returned.  That sounds like a better option to me!

 

Currently I don't have the cash to buy another sound decoder just yet, and with the kids off on their summer holidays, I need every penny I can scrape together!  So I calculate that'll give me a month to solder in the 6 pin socket.  I think that sounds achievable (no pun intended!) 

 

 

[The Great Bear]

28 minutes ago, Captainalbino said:

I've been mulling over what to do with my failed DJ models 14xx. 

 

Firstly, to explain, I hardwired in an ESU sound chip because I wanted to use an accurate 14xx sound which I couldn't get from a provider who could sell me a 6 pin chip.  The chip is a year old.  I think that ESU give a 2 year warranty, but have I voided it by chopping off that 8 pin plug?

 

So what to do?  Well, Digitrains do a 6 pin Zimo chip which you plug in and solder a speaker onto.  The downside is that I'd have to use a pannier sound file.  Would that honestly sound that different from a 14xx?  The big advantage is that if the chip fails, I haven't modified it significantly enough to prevent it from being returned.  That sounds like a better option to me!

 

Currently I don't have the cash to buy another sound decoder just yet, and with the kids off on their summer holidays, I need every penny I can scrape together!  So I calculate that'll give me a month to solder in the 6 pin socket.  I think that sounds achievable (no pun intended!) 

 

 

How about YouChoos, they appear to do a 14xx soundfile on zimo chip?

[Chris Chewter]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll take a look.  I've also emailed where I purchased the ESU chip to see if they can sort me out a replacement under the 2 year ESU warranty. If they can sort a replacement, I'm loathed to chop off another DCC plug to squash it all back in!

[Chris Chewter]

 

Apologies for the music, but the other soundtrack I found was a tad too long for the clips I collected from my running session.  its an experiment to see if videos with music fare better on youtube than clips without.  No doubt some other videos will go live when I get a bit more time with the layout.

[Chris Chewter]

The DCC sound chip has been returned. I've been trying to work out a way of getting it back in without having to hard wire it in.  I've managed to work out how to remove the boiler barrel and found a handy weight which can be popped out, which leaves a void big enough for the chip.

 

 

 

The only problem, is that the loco on test couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding!

 

I might try splitting the weight to see if the loco can make do with only half.  Failing that, the chip will have to find its way into the cab somehow.  However after three hours of puzzling, I've had enough for tonight!

Edited November 4, 2019 by Captainalbino
Spelling correction

[Salmotrutta]

18 hours ago, Captainalbino said:

The DCC sound chip has been returned. I've been trying to work out a way of getting it back in without having to hard wire it in.  I've managed to work out how to remove the boiler barrel and found a handy weight which can be popped out, which leaves a void big enough for the chip.

 

 

 

The only problem, is that the loco on test couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding!

 

I might try splitting the weight to see if the loco can make do with only half.  Failing that, the chip will have to find its way into the cab somehow.  However after three hours of puzzling, I've had enough for tonight!

Selling the ESU chip and moving to a ZIMO that you could plug in might be a best alternative. The new V5 chips are a pain as they seem to have a flat ribbon cable that isnt colour coded - so hard wiring is even more of a challenge! I would be wary about removing weight as it is not only needed for traction in the 14xx but probably to ensure it balances correctly! Good luck!

[Chris Chewter]

I've taken out the sound chip and fitted a standard 8 pin decoder and refitted the weight.  Its better, but not as good as my other Hattons/DJ 14xx.    Perhaps I'm just being fussy as my other 14xx can only just about handle two coaches. Perhaps its because the 8 pin socket is a replacement and the wires to the chassis are smaller and it could be affecting the current.  Not too sure but it normally only hauls a single coach and at least is working. It'll have to do. 

 

As for the sound chip, I can't help but think it'll be better buying a Hornby 14xx and fitting it in that! Another day perhaps.

[Chris Chewter]

To explain my issues, here’s a video of my two DJ model 14xx locos for haulage comparison. Both identical except for the black loco I took apart to find a fault only to find it was an issue with the decoder. By taking it apart it hasn’t been the same since!

 

Edited November 5, 2019 by Captainalbino

[Miss Prism]

On 03/04/2016 at 20:21, Captainalbino said:

• The tank to the engine shed is raised, although the date of this is unrecorded.

 

The Stephen Randolph book mentions this, but is any reason given why the tank was raised, apart from the obvious one perhaps to increase the water pressure? But in which case why the need to increase the water pressure?

 

 

[Chris Chewter]

Things have been quiet on the layout recently. Other projects have taken priority and I’ve been simply been enjoying running the layout with my son.

 

However disaster struck when a pair of my wife’s riding boots somehow landed on the end of the layout damaging a pair of Scots pines. Hopefully a new end board will put an end to that. I still need to sort out the damaged fencing.

 

 

Ive also been adjusting the landscape to accept the barn. After some chopping and cutting, the base has received a coat of plaster and is currently drying ready to receive a coat of brown umber.