Canute Road Quay

[Graham_Muz]

Hi Stu the baseboard is one piece 4ft long by 1ft deep and only 16 inches high and I therefore will transport it in the back of my estate in its usual upright position, although it will also fit across the back seat if I so wanted.  

[Graham_Muz]

Canute Road Quay had a visitor last night in the shape of a Huntley and Palmers Peckett tank via Hornby that must be on loan to the docks for some reason...

 

I am still playing with the image of terraced houses on the backscene and like the rest of the layout at the moment is still work in progress but I am pleased with the initial effect.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Graham_Muz

[gwrrob]

There's an article in this months Model Rail by Chris Nevard on his Brew Street where he mentions the use of Tim Horn baseboards.I think there's a trend being set here and we'll see quite a few of these in the near future.What do you use to support the layout Graham ?

Edited December 22, 2016 by gwrrob

[Graham_Muz]

Indeed Rob seeing as Tim's baseboards are so goo I'm not surprised that many others will be making good use of them.

 

Currently the layout is stood on top of the on end baseboards of Fisherton Sarum but I already have a pair of metal folding trestles to support it for exhibitions.

[Intercity125]

Really enjoying this layout topic Graham.  Just of interest, what metal folding trestles do you use to support Canute Road?

 

Regards,

 

Paul

aka Intercity125

[Graham_Muz]

Hi Paul

 

They are metal folding height adjustable trestles that I picked up from Screwfix in a sale similar to these http://www.screwfix.com/p/height-adjustable-metal-trestle/6561P?kpid=6561P&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&gclid=CPCt_JnHjNECFVAQ0wodVzcPUg

[colin penfold]

These look good the way they fold up. Good reviews too.

 

http://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-fold-up-saw-horse-pair/83366

[The Bigbee Line]

Hi Paul

 

They are metal folding height adjustable trestles that I picked up from Screwfix in a sale similar to these http://www.screwfix.com/p/height-adjustable-metal-trestle/6561P?kpid=6561P&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&gclid=CPCt_JnHjNECFVAQ0wodVzcPUg

Excellent choice.  I got some when they had a sale on.  There is scope for slight improvement by replacing some of the fixings, I might for some additional bracing.  But for me 10/10

[Intercity125]

Hi Paul

 

They are metal folding height adjustable trestles that I picked up from Screwfix in a sale similar to these http://www.screwfix.com/p/height-adjustable-metal-trestle/6561P?kpid=6561P&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%20Listing%20Ads-_-Sales%20Tracking-_-sales%20tracking%20url&gclid=CPCt_JnHjNECFVAQ0wodVzcPUg

Thanks Graham.  Appreciate the web link too.

 

Regards,

 

Paul

[Intercity125]

Excellent choice.  I got some when they had a sale on.  There is scope for slight improvement by replacing some of the fixings, I might for some additional bracing.  But for me 10/10

Thanks Bigbee.

 

Regards,

 

Paul

[Graham_Muz]

With the Christmas festivities out of the way for another year, I turned my attention to the fiddle yard for Canute Road Quay.

 

A package arrived from Tim Horn the week before Christmas that contained a 1ft x 1ft baseboard specially manufactured with the baseboard top dropped by 4mm to accommodate the depth of the loco cassettes from my Fisherton Sarum layout.

 

The kit from Tim is designed to have three full height sides but I wanted to modify this and also cut out a section of the front face to accommodate the little control panel and also the Din Socket for the controller. Hopefully the picture below will explain all, after allowing the glue to fully dry it will get a coat of primer tomorrow followed by a top coat of black to match the main baseboard.  The rear full height panel will then incorporate a couple, or possibly three shelves that have been made from the off cuts from the sides.

 

[Graham_Muz]

Today's update: The fiddle yard board is now painted to match the main boards, although I have still not fitted the shelves as this requires a trip out to get some brackets of some kind.

 

I have also made a start on the wiring from the control panel to the jumper cables. In the picture below,  taken looking from the rear of the underside of the fiddle yard board towards the back of the control panel housed within the front face, the left hand cable goes to the main board for the control of the four track sections (yes I am still a DC luddite, five Cobalt point motors, six uncoupling electromagnets and the power feed for the gas and building lights (yet to be installed). The right hand chocolate block will be connected to the cable that will come up from the transformer box that I also use on Fisherton Sarum to provide the required 16V AC and 12v DC supplies. 
As you can see I am using 25 way D cable connectors with one half of the plastic housing screwed to the baseboard side to hold them in place.

 

I have also soldered the 25 core cable for the main board to it's 25 way D connector (am I alone in hating doing that job?) but have not yet put in place. I still have the short jumper cable to solder to its pair of 25 way D connectors...

[Stubby47]

Graham, which model of electro-magnet are you using ?

[Graham_Muz]

Graham, which model of electro-magnet are you using ?

Hi Stu

 

I am using those from Dingham they are pretty cheap reliable, simple to install and although eventually I may well switch to their couplings, in the short term I just attached a short piece of iron wire to the dropper of the tension lock coupling which gets pulled down when the magnet is energised and lifts the coupling hook (simples).

[Tony Teague]

Hi Stu

 

I am using those from Dingham they are pretty cheap reliable, simple to install and although eventually I may well switch to their couplings, in the short term I just attached a short piece of iron wire to the dropper of the tension lock coupling which gets pulled down when the magnet is energised and lifts the coupling hook (simples).

Hi Graham

This sounds interesting and it is a problem that I have yet to solve; do you have illustrations anywhere as to where exactly you fix the iron wire and how / where you have fitted the electromagnets?

Any help appreciated.

Tony

[Graham_Muz]

Hi Tony

 

I use 0.8mm or 1mm dia soft iron wire bent into approximately an 8mm by 8mm right angle and glue one side to to the tension lock dropper. I use the same system on Fisherton Sarum and further information including a video can be seen on my blog here https://grahammuz.com/2013/06/15/controlling-interests-6-uncoupling-the-box-van/

 

The Dingham electromagnet core is an M5 bolt so I simply drill a 4mm diameter hole through the baseboard in between the middle of the rails and ideally between the sleepers (drill a small pilot hole from above to get the location correct) and essentially self tap screw the bolt with the electromagnet coil from underneath the baseboard using washers to get the height of the bolt head just below the level of the railhead as can be seen showing through the cork, spot the silver bolt, of the inset track work in the picture below.

Edited January 2, 2017 by Graham_Muz

[Graham_Muz]

Tony

 

Below is a picture of the Dingham electromagnet installed under Canute Road Quay. As the baseframe is only 6mm thick I used a couple of spare nuts to take up the additional length of the bolt rather than cut the bolt to length, the bolt is lightly tightened against the magnet and therefore the baseframe to hold everything in place.

[Graham_Muz]

I have now finished the underboard wiring I am just awiting a couple of regulated power supplies to arrive (one for the Cobolt point motors and the other for the yet to be installed gas lamps and internal lighting).

The main wiring harness is using a 25 core cable with 25 way D connectors. I have used electrical insulation tape to approximately replicate the track plan above.

Edited January 2, 2017 by Graham_Muz

[Captain Kernow]

Graham, this is all just brilliant, it's looking really great.

 

I have one question for you, as a user of the Tim Horn baseboard system - is it possible to not attach the proscenium arch and backscene parts of the baseboard kit until after the layout is finished, to facilitate full access to the scenic section etc., please?

[Graham_Muz]

One last post for today by way of a tease I have now afixed the photographic cloudy grey sky backscene. The row of terraced houses is from a black and white image that I have colour tinted in Photoshop and laser printed on suitable gloss paperstock that will be eventually also be affixed, its just resting in place at the moment.

I will post more details on the backscene later on.

So far I am pleased with the overall effect that is starting to be created.

 

[Graham_Muz]

Graham, this is all just brilliant, it's looking really great.

 

I have one question for you, as a user of the Tim Horn baseboard system - is it possible to not attach the proscenium arch and backscene parts of the baseboard kit until after the layout is finished, to facilitate full access to the scenic section etc., please?

Hi Tim (doh name corrected, sorry)

 

The rear backscene face and the front face arch (I refrained from using your fancy name for it) are cut as parts integral to the baseframe section so has to be assembled in one go.

Edited January 2, 2017 by Graham_Muz

[Captain Kernow]

Hi Stu

 

The rear backscene face and the front face arch (I refrained from using your fancy name for it) are cut as parts integral to the baseframe section so has to be assembled in one go.

Thanks for that, Graham. I might contact Tim Horn and ask if I could have something bespoke that allows me to do that.

 

Cheers,

 

Horace.

[Tony Teague]

Hi Graham

Thanks for responding to my question; your three posts and the vid on your blog are all extremely helpful.

I have a dreadful mixture of Hornby, Dapol & Bachman tension locks, 3-link and Kadee couplings on my layout, and so I have a great need to standardise, particularly where the intention is that wagons should be shunted.

There is obviously a slight overhead in ensuring that all shuntable wagons are fitted with the soft iron wire, and I wonder, does this ever catch in / on anything else on your trackwork?

I see also that Heathcote Electronics now offers a servo-based uncoupler for tension locks, see: http://www.heathcote-electronics.co.uk/uncoupler_oo_gauge.html

I will place a question elsewhere to see whether anyone has used one, because this looks to be a further alternative, albeit based on similar principles to those that you have used.

In due course I'll post something on my own thread about whatever I decide to adopt!

Thanks again!

 

Tony

[Graham_Muz]

Hi Tony

 

I would certainly recommend standardising on couplings somehow, even if not all at at once but a bit at a time picking the main items rolling stock that you shunt the most first.

On Fisherton Sarum I only have three wagons that I shunt so that's simple and I always remove hooks from my locos or use just wire loops anyway as I think this looks better.

For Canute Road Quay I will start with the dozen or so wagons that I intend to initially use and from there.

[Graham_Muz]

Tony

 

Sorry i forgot to add that long as the wire does not drop lower than the lowest point of the tension look coupling dropper then it should not catch on anything. Just as a precaution I also bend a slight uplift in the very end of the wire, like the end of a ski, so that should it foul anything it will lift itself clear.