Tempfix Rich Papper Posted February 12, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted February 12, 2021 Hello I've no idea on compatibility I'm afraid, I've only ever had the NCE kit. I've also not done power districts, although as more of my home one becomes operational I might have to rethink this. I've been thinking of joining MERG too. Will have to investigate. Good luck. Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted February 12, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted February 12, 2021 (edited) Birthday present! Didn't pick one up when they originally appeared from Kernow but they still had a few. I'd half a plan to backdate it slightly as I first clocked it in summer of 1991 at Paddington, when I think it still had the ScotRail branding on. So much effort gone into this effect though it seems a bit mean to neaten it up! Already hard at work. Really need to weather those Mk2s, but perhaps not as much as 47706. Rich Edited October 15, 2022 by Rich Papper Replace photos 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISW Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 3 hours ago, Rich Papper said: Hello I've no idea on compatibility I'm afraid, I've only ever had the NCE kit. I've also not done power districts, although as more of my home one becomes operational I might have to rethink this. I've been thinking of joining MERG too. Will have to investigate. Good luck. Rich Rich, I think power districts are a must with DCC or else a simple passing through of a wrongly set turnout stops the whole layout. Really annoying. As I have a roundy-roundy, but with some brewery sidings and an MPD, I plan to have some trains running continuously while I shunt in the Brewery Sidings and/or move locos around the MPD. Therefore several power districts were deemed necessary, 6 on the Upper Level and 2 on the Lower Level (storage sidings). I went with the MERG kit #57 for the short circuit device (SCD) that you have to build / assemble / solder yourself. Not too difficult. Here is a photo of the SCDs installed on the Upper Level: The SCDs are 'quicker' reacting than the PowerCab (thankfully) and auto reset once the short is removed. The PowerCab just carries on as if nothing happened. I did have to set some delay on the SCDs (the minimum allowed) to avoid the SCDs detecting wheels shorting out the turnout frogs. Apart from that no issues. Ian 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
9C85 Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 On 12/02/2021 at 15:59, Rich Papper said: Birthday present! Didn't pick one up when they originally appeared from Kernow but they still had a few. I'd half a plan to backdate it slightly as I first clocked it in summer of 1991 at Paddington, when I think it still had the ScotRail branding on. So much effort gone into this effect though it seems a bit mean to neaten it up! I have just found this thread after your kind words on mine. My layout is firmly in the BR Blue/Grey era but I would happily invoke Rule 1if I had that 47. Happy birthday indeed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted February 13, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted February 13, 2021 22 hours ago, ISW said: I went with the MERG kit #57 for the short circuit device (SCD) that you have to build / assemble / solder yourself. Not too difficult. Here is a photo of the SCDs installed on the Upper Level: The SCDs are 'quicker' reacting than the PowerCab (thankfully) and auto reset once the short is removed. The PowerCab just carries on as if nothing happened. I did have to set some delay on the SCDs (the minimum allowed) to avoid the SCDs detecting wheels shorting out the turnout frogs. Apart from that no issues. Ian Wow that is some impressively neat wiring. I really must have more of an investigation into MERG. Since fitting the one circuit breaker I've not had any other notable problems with shorts - usually thy can be easily traced to wherever my 3 year old daughter is! I think curt-outs are most noticeable at shows that have a lot of sound fitted stock. Only about 10% of mine is sound fitted to date, but I don't always run a lot of it at once as the layout is only in a single garage conversion that is underneath my son's bedroom. Top labeling above too. Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted February 13, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted February 13, 2021 1 hour ago, 9C85 said: I have just found this thread after your kind words on mine. My layout is firmly in the BR Blue/Grey era but I would happily invoke Rule 1if I had that 47. Happy birthday indeed Very kind, thank you. Funnily enough the more layouts I see like yours the more I am tempted to go slightly earlier. It would save a lot of time on repaints not doing NSE so much! Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
9C85 Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 2 hours ago, Rich Papper said: Very kind, thank you. Funnily enough the more layouts I see like yours the more I am tempted to go slightly earlier. It would save a lot of time on repaints not doing NSE so much! Rich You will find that there are always a load of bargains on Ebay just outside your era. At one point I was sooooo tempted to go two tone green. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted March 1, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted March 1, 2021 On 13/02/2021 at 19:56, 9C85 said: You will find that there are always a load of bargains on Ebay just outside your era. At one point I was sooooo tempted to go two tone green. Frighteningly true! Picked up a copy of Jane's Railway Year 1985 from there the other day for £2.50 with free delivery! Just 1 year out... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted March 1, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted March 1, 2021 (edited) Good Evening All. A bit of work on the car park this week. Need to get signals wired in, and to do that I need to take three baseboards out and rotate one that's about 3 foot by 5 and weighs about as much as I do. As such I'd like to get all the wiring done I can while it's out. So some LED strip - ebay £4 for 5m - yellow to replicate grubby sodium lights in an 1980s car park. Wish I'd thought of wiring them in before building it. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. All wired together and attached to a 9V battery to test. Fairly happy with the positioning - you can't see them from most angles. Probably a little too bright, but I need to paint in the LED strip and wires before I fix it properly so am intending to run a wash over the LED's themselves, and if that doesn't work perhaps I'll just paint over every other one with the grey - would nicely represent the number that would likely be vandalised. Resting in place for now there are a few other bits and pieces falling into place at the back here to get the rear lines a little closer to being ballasted. The carriage platform at the back has now been concrete painted with suedecote and then weathered with Humbrol brown wash and a bit of dry-brushing. When in place and ballasting done it will get the occasional bit of greenery growing up a leg. Towards the back of the picture I'm working on the signal at the end - have had to scratch build a gantry here, still a work in progress. Cable trunking etc has been extended as well. Still need some drains doing, and a low retaining wall of some sort to the left of the car park. Annoyingly, having read Simon Paley's excellent book on signalling, I've come to the conclusion that the signal to control the exit from the front platform will need a post mounted shunt signal - and I'm pretty sure nobody makes one. Creative thinking needed. More soon hopefully. Rich Edited October 15, 2022 by Rich Papper Replace photos 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 5BarVT Posted March 1, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 1, 2021 10 minutes ago, Rich Papper said: Annoyingly, having read Simon Paley's excellent book on signalling, I've come to the conclusion that the signal to control the exit from the front platform will need a post mounted shunt signal - and I'm pretty sure nobody makes one. Creative thinking needed. Depends what era of signalling you’re modelling - could be considerably older than the NSE era. You could do a ground mounted shunt signal (preferably red/white not two reds) from the days when drivers sometimes had to play ‘hunt the signal’. Paul. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISW Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 24 minutes ago, Rich Papper said: Fairly happy with the positioning - you can't see them from most angles. Probably a little too bright, but I need to paint in the LED strip and wires before I fix it properly so am intending to run a wash over the LED's themselves, and if that doesn't work perhaps I'll just paint over every other one with the grey - would nicely represent the number that would likely be vandalised. Or you could buy a simple 'dimmer circuit' like this one off theBay to tone down the brightness. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-DC-Motor-Speed-Control-Driver-Board-3V-35V-5A-PWM-Controller-LED-dimmer/163091515028 Ian 34 minutes ago, Rich Papper said: Frighteningly true! Picked up a copy of Jane's Railway Year 1985 from there the other day for £2.50 with free delivery! Just 1 year out... Didn't get that from Bill Hudson Transport Books in Matlock did you? Ian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted March 5, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted March 5, 2021 On 01/03/2021 at 21:32, 5BarVT said: Depends what era of signalling you’re modelling - could be considerably older than the NSE era. You could do a ground mounted shunt signal (preferably red/white not two reds) from the days when drivers sometimes had to play ‘hunt the signal’. Paul. A good idea, thank you. It may come to that. Story is that the station used to serve two lines, but one has since been lifted, so when finished there may be some realignment evident. Not sure if this would have warranted a new signal or a repositioning of an original for this bit though. I do need to make a decision soon as when I've done the final low relief building I need to lift the board out to do some wiring, and I'd like to get it all done at once because it's heavy! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted March 5, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted March 5, 2021 On 01/03/2021 at 21:44, ISW said: Or you could buy a simple 'dimmer circuit' like this one off theBay to tone down the brightness. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-DC-Motor-Speed-Control-Driver-Board-3V-35V-5A-PWM-Controller-LED-dimmer/163091515028 Ian Didn't get that from Bill Hudson Transport Books in Matlock did you? Ian Don't think it was Bill Hudson, but I'm sure I have got some there before. Have just picked up the 1984 one though - this is getting risky! Also got one of those dimmer circuits - thanks for the tip. I'll have a bit of a play with it before I get the board out. I'm sure once upon a time I used to vaguely understand what PWM was and how it dimmed LEDs, but it's long since gone. The more I've added DCC bits to stock though, the more I've operated on the principle of 'if it works, I don't need to know how'! Thanks Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISW Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 14 minutes ago, Rich Papper said: Don't think it was Bill Hudson, but I'm sure I have got some there before. Have just picked up the 1984 one though - this is getting risky! The reason for asking, if it wasn't already obvious, was that I had a couple of old Janes Railway books I bought in Singapore in the late 1980s, including 1985, and rather than just throw them out I just gave them to Bill Hudson for him to sell. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted March 6, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted March 6, 2021 Always possible I suppose - thank you if so! 1984 arrived today. Nice picture of Gatwick Express stock on the front - another thing on the 'to do' pile. Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted March 30, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted March 30, 2021 (edited) A little mid week running. First up my oldest Lima 117. Has been weathered and had SE Flushglaze fitted many years ago. Will end up on the upgrade pile one day, but still not in a rush to get on the Laserglaze again any time soon. Does run surprisingly well. 4TC has made it back out onto the layout without any more bent couplings too. This and a Hornby 4-VEP need some weathering and attention. On the list after the station and third rail are in. 73101 was on the other end. Finally, Thing 1 has a new obsession. Seems a galaxy far far away is somewhere near Bath. Stay safe folks. Rich Edited October 15, 2022 by Rich Papper Replace photos 13 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted May 2, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted May 2, 2021 A little light running this evening. Not much being built at the moment as buried in workbench projects. Newcomer 58014 has a light load of 1 HEA. Meanwhile 47706 has the parcels. Rich 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted June 13, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted June 13, 2021 (edited) Good Morning, Not much to report in the last month as I've been a bit distracted with the backlog of rolling stock projects that had built up over winter and needed painting. Have now started on the last area behind the station on the upper level. Idea is to get all of this in place before track ballasted and detailed so I can get on with the platform itself so I'm not then reaching over something delicate. As the picture shows it is a bit of a dumping ground at the moment! The red building will be a supermarket - drawing a bit of inspiration from George Woodcock's Llewyd Town here. Street scene in front will then comprise of station building (just about visible chalk outline), parking area, bus stop, and some low -relief shops on the opposite side roughly where the unpainted piece of ply is standing. Need to get the lower level sorted too - this is the only bit of the main lines not yet ballasted. The walls are not yet fixed in place and there is a signal to go in the cutting. A little running too while I'm in here. A view from the footbridge of 50035 and 50032 running light. Stay safe folks. Rich Edited October 15, 2022 by Rich Papper Replace photos 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JN Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 On 08/01/2017 at 21:54, Rich Papper said: Your layout plan has clarified things for my layout design... Good layout, too, thanks for sharing. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishplate Posted June 14, 2021 Share Posted June 14, 2021 Hi @Rich Papper Have read through your topic over the last week or so, drawn in by the Southern location of Catford. Really like the plan and the way you are developing it. Your experiences with 'Thing 1' and 'Thing 2' have made me laugh out loud on several occasions and share with my wife. I also shared the picture of your wife holding a tape measure over the block work at Bath. Strangely, my wife has had similar experiences *. I also have a slowly developing layout and recognise the timescales you have been working through, not assisted by a house move at the end of last year. The video rides showing the developing scene are also very informative. There are very prototypical arrangements emerging. I will be following with interest in the future John *Or should that be 'my wife has had similar strange experiences'? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted June 15, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted June 15, 2021 On 13/06/2021 at 18:28, JN said: Your layout plan has clarified things for my layout design... Good layout, too, thanks for sharing. Thank you. It's a bit of a glorified train set, but it keeps me and the small people happy. Rich 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted June 15, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted June 15, 2021 On 14/06/2021 at 09:41, Fishplate said: I also shared the picture of your wife holding a tape measure over the block work at Bath. Strangely, my wife has had similar experiences *. I also have a slowly developing layout and recognise the timescales you have been working through, not assisted by a house move at the end of last year. The video rides showing the developing scene are also very informative. There are very prototypical arrangements emerging. Thanks. An understanding wife is a rare and valuable person. Thing 1 and Thing 2 have their moments too! The timescale on this hasn't quite been at the pace I initially thought, but I did suspect that the arrival of small people would have an effect. I think I said in the initial post 10 years, which will be sometime this Autumn. Still happy with it though, and Thing 1 is starting to show an interest in how things are put together, glued, painted etc. - and he's probably more dexterous than me so worth training up. I will do another drivers eye video soon. I'm waiting to get the station area ballasted. Rich 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JN Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 2 minutes ago, Rich Papper said: Thank you. It's a bit of a glorified train set, but it keeps me and the small people happy. Rich My general layout design (hard to explain in much more detail than that as I don't want to turn your layout thread in to 'my layout problems' thread) is an oval too, but I'd like to fit in somehow an industry/port siding(s). I did try using your idea, but the redesign didn't work out... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted June 19, 2021 Author Tempfix Share Posted June 19, 2021 (edited) On 15/06/2021 at 20:31, JN said: My general layout design (hard to explain in much more detail than that as I don't want to turn your layout thread in to 'my layout problems' thread) is an oval too, but I'd like to fit in somehow an industry/port siding(s). I did try using your idea, but the redesign didn't work out... Sorry to hear that. I get a lot of inspiration from other threads on here too, but I confess all of my layout planning has always been 'build a baseboard and then shuffle bits of spare track around on it until something looks right'! Good luck with it. Rich Edited June 19, 2021 by Rich Papper 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JN Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 13 hours ago, Rich Papper said: Sorry to hear that. I get a lot of inspiration from other threads on here too, but I confess all of my layout planning has always been 'build a baseboard and then shuffle bits of spare track around on it until something looks right'! Good luck with it. Rich You can see my thoughts via https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/165285-layout-design-struggles/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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