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ECC Wheal Imogen: OO rebuild


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  • RMweb Gold

Another night and another step towards Yate, 2 weeks to go..... :O



Job no1 was to get on with some critical repairs under the board, one of the Tortoise motors had stopped working, while the branch and signal had not yet been wired up. Starting with the Tortoise I removed it from the board to undergo more detailed testing. The issue turned out to be nothing to do with the motor, instead it was a failed wire between the motor and the switch. After rewiring and refitting to the model (uprating the actuation arm to a thicker wire gauge while I had access)
While the layout was on its side I wired in the branch line and connected the signal to a push to make switch and powered from the points power supply.

Flipping the layout back to the correct orientation, the proscenium arch has now been installed (although it does still need to have the lettering and lighting rig adding). I am looking at installing an LED lighting bar from a fish tank behind it, just need to check that it is going to fit
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Fiddleyard / Leg construction is earmarked for Wednesday, testing should recommence tonight (with 37521 /37672 / 47338 / 47768 / 58015 /60028 ready to go), then I need to solder up a packet of Masokits screwlinks. I suspect that I will seriously regret screw couplings on a cameo layout, but its far too late now to do anything about it…
I have almost got the stock list finalised for the show, just needing to dig out some VGAs and a couple of engineers wagons to finish things off.
I will be running in DC mode (purely because it looks like I have removed the chips from 5 of the 6 locos for reuse in G*R steam),
of the locos the 37s both need screwlinks adding, as does the 47/3. I also need to add screw couplings to the Cargowaggons, bullets and clay tigers. 37521 needs rewheeling (it was a bodge job borrowing wheels from a 59 to try and get it going, instead I will now pinch the wheels out of 37667 which is not due to attend the show.) Passenger services will be in the hands of the 158 and 153 as I wont have time to rebuild the pickups on the 150.
All the wagons seem to be running well (other than the CDAs of course), so the rest of the testing will be focused on proving reliable running of the locos through the points.

Moving on to testing, this comprised of a run each way on the branch, then starting in the rear right side into the works and back, into the works through the run around and back and where possible into the slurry siding. (the latter was trickier to test without the fiddleyard).
58015 and 47768 worked perfectly from the box, 37672 needed a blanking plug adding before passing the points test (but stalled a few times so needs a wheel cleaning). 37521 was very inconsistent running, and as expected there must be a difference between the Class 66 gear and the 37 gear. As such it needs rewheeling properly. #

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60026 was ok on the branch, however was not happy going through the points, I suspect that it will benefit from my usual modification of slightly smaller middle wheels, for now its on the standby list.
Finally was 47338, putting it on the track it wouldn't work, after opening it up the reason why was pretty obvious in that there were no wires. So a good chunk of tonights modelling time was spent wiring it up (and adding lights which were missing from the new bodyshell). Testing it, the loco worked perfectly so adds another good option to the fleet.

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Back to the layout there was one final task, drilling holes in the concrete and then adding 1mm brass rod to the insides of the support pillars. Once dry it will be reinforced with epoxy. The whole thing was going to be glued into position, however after track cleaning today Ive come to the conclusion that cleaning track will be too difficult in the rear corner of the layout with a permanent roof.

Edited by The Fatadder
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This evening was all about couplings, so I have prepared my first two sets of Masokits screw couplings. The first pair took just over an hour, though the second was more like 40 minutes. I am pleased that so far I haven’t managed to solder one solid (so I’m bound to on the next one).

 

They still need blackening, but for the moment they are fitted to the two 37s.

 

By my reckoning I am one pair short of what i need, so the RES 47 may be sacrificed from the line up. The next 4 pairs are earmarked for the bullets and clay tigers.

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Time for a last minute plan b.

 

After assembling another pair of screw couplings today, I tried some test running. To keep things simple I wanted to couple a clay tiger to a class 37 on the branch line (sitting at a similar height to when the layout is set up)

 

After 5 failed attempts I gave up, the coupling looks fantastic but is just too dammed fiddly to use. They will shortly be removed and find a new home on the front of Brent’s steam locos...

 

This leaves an issue for Yate, I have two options, try a different coupling (dingham being the obvious choice) or so another test with smiths couplings to see how the larger size helps. What is really tempting given the wagons will be running in fixed sets, is using scale couplings between wagons and dinghams for the locos, even more so reading that the two can work together (though I’m not sure that counts with the finer markits book.). Will be placing an order tomorrow to test out, if it works for the 37 then I will see what else I can get fitted in time for the show

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More stock work tonight, with the first. 4 dingham couplings assembled. The plan is to make up 4 fixed rakes with screw or instanters between wagons and a hook on the end. These will later be upgraded to a latch and hook once I add the electro magnets. The locos will be fitted with loop couplings on both ends

 

So far I have fitted 37521 and a silver bullet (which gained the redundant screw link from the 37 at the other end). In all it took about half an hour to make 4 followed by another half hour to fit. Unfortunately my Carr’s metal black has alsmost ran out, so will need replacing. I miss the days of having C&L on the door step in Bristol (and the Yate model shop selling a full range of Carrs)

 

Tomorrow I want to get at least another 4 hooks made up and fitted.

 

 

After Yate I want to fit some electro magnets and have a proper go at remote uncoupling with them. I also intend to fit a pair to a King and a coach and do some testing on Brent to see if it’s a viable option there.

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Edited by The Fatadder
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Stupid mistake time....

 

Just received the vynil lettering for the layouts name, only I forgot to click white so it has arrived in black.

 

There isn’t time (or for that matter budget) to order a replacement which leaves two options, repaint the facia in a couloir that will work with black letters (white I guess) or try using the vynil as masking tape to paint white letters

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Stupid mistake time....

 

Just received the vynil lettering for the layouts name, only I forgot to click white so it has arrived in black.

 

There isn’t time (or for that matter budget) to order a replacement which leaves two options, repaint the facia in a couloir that will work with black letters (white I guess) or try using the vynil as masking tape to paint white letters

 

 

What about using yellow, as per wasp stripes?

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I have found a soloution which I think works, I have added a white panel onto which to add the name.

 

Unfortunately I ran into problems with the vynil letters, it needs a smooth surface to stick to and the facia wasn’t good enough so they wouldn’t stick. After trying adding heat without success, I resorted to the fullback option of gluing then on letter by letter. The ECC logo was then added by hand ( it still needs the white repainting to hide the pencil lines.

 

All this has come at a cost, the plan for today to result in a fiddleyard has gone out the window, and I am only just starting now...

 

I have carried on with the coupling fitting, with the pair of tigers, pair of bullets and a pair of VGA all now ready for service. The Cargowaggons will be done tonight

 

That will leave 4 more locos to fit, although while I am continuing to assemble them I need an order of a new bottle of gun blue to arrive before I can blacken them. Once blackened they can be fitted to the remaining locos. The 60 looks to be the hardest with its mega buffer beam, my thinking is to double up the rear of the hook etch, then file it down to 1mm square which should fit into the existing hole.

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A little more work this evening has seen another 2 pairs of dinghams soldered up, the extension fiddleyard for the works needs modification as the track exits the board at an angle (while the 6 inch extension board is square. The purpose of this board (more a box) which will be painted black, is to give the impression of wagons disappearing off into the works.). Eventually this will be replaced with a second traverser.

 

The temporary branch fiddleyard is a 158 length of 2 by 2 with a bracket to secure to the end of the baseboard. It needs a leg adding once I buy more wood).

 

I have also converted to P4 a third silver bullet, this may be followed by a forth. This gives an extra element to the operation and will be fully dingham fitted, the idea is that a 37 will arrive with the empty bullets in the rear siding, run around the train then separate the train, full the first tanks and deposit in a siding, repeat for the other tank, then reform the train and exit

 

The bullet was fairly easy to P4, the collars on the inside of the frame for the Dapol short axles has to be carved off then new wheels popped in. It now awaits couplings once the gun blue arrivespost-54-0-79182900-1548369862_thumb.jpeg

 

 

A little more testing with 37521

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After adding a couple more pairs of Dinghams to the pile last night, I set about rewheeling another Dapol Silver Bullet.  This prompted me to have more of a thought about how the layout is going to be operated.


 


As previously mentioned I have been forming the wagons into completed blocks, one or more of which will arrive with the loco.


 


The sequence will go something like this:


Loco arrives with silver bullets (rake of 3 or 4), separates into two pairs, shunt the first pair in to the loader and return to collect the other two wagons, shunt them into the siding, depart


 


Loco arrives with Clay Tigers (2 or 3), run around, shunt into dries siding for loading, depart


 


Loco arrives with Vans, run around, shunt under covered area, potential for splitting in two and leaving a van behind when train departs.


 


Loco arrives with mixed Slurry / Tigers and vans, run around, split with vans in lower siding and tigers or slurry moved to its position.  Reform train, depart (again this could be adjusted with the vans left behind for loading and collected on next service)


 


When the CDAs are eventually working they will follow the same process as the Tigers.


 


Intermixed with all of this are the branchline services, which will comprise 158 runs down the branch, delay then return, followed by 3 shuttles of the 153 before the afternoon’s 158 service.

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Despite big plans for today I was let down by B&Q selling out of the draw runners I am using, so no luck building the fiddleyard. The parts will arrive on Monday so this is looking really pressed for time! As a result Monday night will be fiddleyard building, Tuesday finish off the legs. Wednesday build the track And Thursday set up the layout for final testing

 

Friday is working day one for month end, so will be lucky to be home by 10....

 

 

Today’s focus was shifted to finishing off the coupling builds, with the rest of the Dinghams assembled, cleaned in IPA and currently drying after a dip in Birchward Caseys Super Gun Blue. The hardest part here is cleaning up the solder after fitting the wire. These will all be installed tomorrow evening, after which stock should be complete (bar potentially putting together a short engineering rake to run on the main)

 

While I had the gun blue out I also blackened an unused screwlinknas a test, and a batch of brass drain covers / manhole covers (S Kits) which will be fitted to be fitted tomorrow

 

 

While the parts were having a soak in the IPA I fitted loops to one end of a VGA, polybulk and a Kernow Clay Tiger, plus both ends of s Heljan Cargowaggon. The tiger was the trickiest requiring one part removed to get access to the headstock to extend the slot. These are all in need of a loop on the other end for shunting

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More progress on the fiddleyard this morning, all the plywood has been cut to size and the fixed end of the treverser has been fixed in place.

 

It now needs the 3 draw mechanisms adding tomorrow night and it will be ready for track laying. Due to a silly mistake in the track laying on the main board it needs small plates screwing in place to extend the board by 5mm at the track joints. This is because when the backsceen was added I should have added the 5mm plates to being the track out to the end of the backsceen, and lay track up to that point (the track was all built pre backsceen)

 

The idea of the fiddleyard is that it should be interchangeable between multiple layouts with minor modification, so these plates need to be removable.

 

I also checked on the couplings, all of which are coveted in a orangish crust over the blackened metal. Is this usual with gun blue?

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What metal are the couplings made from and which variation of Gun Blue?

The parts are nickel silver, and I am using Super Gun Blue

 

I realise it’s designed for steel but I’ve always used the Carr’s blackening for steel on NS and brass parts without issue, and from what I’ve read the same should be true of the Super Gun Blue. Which certainly has blackened the metal (excluding solder residue) but has left this bad crust that needs cleaning off

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That is the first job complete, all stock has now been fitted with the required couplings. Most were easy, but 60026 from Hornby was a nightmare. The problem is that Hornby use a fast Mazac chassis block which includes the bufferbeam. It includes a hole circa 0.8mm square, far smaller than the Dingham coupling shaft.

 

I started modifying the shaft , filling the holes with solder and then filing down as much as possible. This ended up circa 1.1mm

 

The hole then was drilled through with a 0.8mm drill then slowly increased with some cutting broaches, before pushing in the dingham.

 

Everything is ready for testing once the fiddleyard is finished. There is still one possible addition in the form of my res 47, but this will need another coupling making. It probably won’t make Yate as it needs some testing in layout conditions first (as this needs to be capable of running on Brent on my TPO in modern mode and I need to ensure that the dingham and coaches are happy on the curves.)

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Edited by The Fatadder
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The parts are nickel silver, and I am using Super Gun Blue

 

I realise it’s designed for steel but I’ve always used the Carr’s blackening for steel on NS and brass parts without issue, and from what I’ve read the same should be true of the Super Gun Blue. Which certainly has blackened the metal (excluding solder residue) but has left this bad crust that needs cleaning off

The crust could well mean that you left it on too long.

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That would make sense as there was some liquid on them still after I took them out the jar. Should they be rinced or dabbed clean afterwards?

Rich, I use kitchen towel to get the worst off then rinse them under cold running water before drying with kitchen towel again.

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On to the fiddleyard

 

The core is a 4 by 1 frame (could have done with being 3 by 1 to keep the bottom edge level but I couldn’t get any...)

 

The raised end plate will contain check railes track which will hopefully curve the end tracks to a square on joint with the treverser section.

 

The treverser itself uses ball bearing draw runners from B&Q, they are a bit short (200mm or so length not the 400mm shown on the website which presumably is the extended length). Fortunately one rail will into the others base allowing them to be doubled up.

 

Annoyingly my woodwork curse hit again, and while screwing the deck on it shifted so it’s not correctly aligned. The whole thing needs taking off, re drilling and screwing in the correct alignment (tomorrow’s job). Then it needs fitting to the legs and adddimg track. Some sort of raised edge for protection from derailments and prying hands is also needed.

 

Speaking of track I am quite happy with the arrangement, it looks like I will get 3 tracks for the branch and 6 for the works. That will give me space for 2 DMUs plus a through train on the branch and a line for clay tigers, silver bullets, 2 lines of vans and a line for CDAs plus one empty line for shunting.

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I am going to need to come back later on and try again to add the photos.

 

Over the past few days there has been a great deal of progress on the fiddleyard, after fixing the alignment of the runners the traverser deck now moves freely.  After marking up the top there is clearance for 5 roads accessing the yard and a further 3 roads for the branchline.  There is a fair bit of wasted space (there is approximately a 6 inch length with which will not align with tracks exiting the layout), however this is fine given the future proofing of the fiddleyard for future layouts.

It now needs track laying and the rest of the surface painting black, given I am under less time pressure now that tomorrow's exhibition in Yate has been cancelled, it gives time to add a little move finesse (so a real handle rather than the 2by2)

The plan is to build another one for the other end before the layouts new debut at RMWeb Taunton in April

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The other area of work is to add the (massive) legs, the layout sits at 4ft 1 for track level, aiming give a view at around eye level.  

Finally the lighting rig, I have a 3 tube LED fish tank light going spare which I am intending to fit to a removable hood (again designed to be transferable between layouts 

 

Edited by The Fatadder
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A very small update for this evening, having just finished gluing down the straight track for the fiddleyard.   It now needs the curved section between the treverser and scenic section adding (and any adjustments making to the straight track) 

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Moving on, jobs to complete by Taunton

- Finish fiddleyard

-Build a pair of cassettes for the other end of the branch (needed so non DMUs can be turned)

-Add curtain

-Add additional details for buildings

-Find 5 diesel models containing decoders and transplant into core fleet, getting it working on DCC simplifies the wiring on the fiddleyadd

-Fix broken wires to controller and between slurry point and switch panel

Edit: one other important job, add electromagnets for remote uncoupling

 

Edited by The Fatadder
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The curve between the end of the scenic and the treverser is proving difficult.  8 inches of track has now been lifted and will be relayed to a new curve.  I wish I had planned for a treverser from day 1 not cassettes as originally designed.  The templot was adapted to fit on the fly so I drawing was tricky (instead resorting to mk1 eyeball and flex track plus a VGA to test)

 

Managed to get half way tonight, before the weights holding the glue in place got in the way. 

 

 

I also also noticed another omission, nothing to hold the treverser in place while movements take place.  

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652A10FE-4FC2-449A-AC8B-86B5FA86684B.jpeg.eec8c7a6a5037c25d6dd112306cb4807.jpegWell the fiddleyard is done, bar some final adjustments to improve reliability.  

Rhe realigned tracks have been tested with a VGA, Class 37 and a 158 and passes the test.   The next test will be doing it fully under power rather than a push along...

 

the height levels between the treverser and fixed sections have a slight deviation between the bullhead and flat bottom track.  I will need to remove a few sleepers from the bullhead section and space up on some copper clad before soldering in place.

 

some latching mechanism would be useful to fix the treverser in the correct alignment.  

 

Finally it needs wiring (including potentially a connection between the treverser and fixed section for each track (assuming I don’t get everything running on DCC by Taunton. 

 

The other jobs, the legs need to be modified with hinges to allow it to run at two heights

 

bolts are needed between the two baseboards (which are currently screwed together)

 

Fjnally the lighting rig needs screwing in place.  

 

Scenics wise a couple of bits of guttering are still pending, and a few final details.  But this won’t be until next month at best. 

 

Once the fiddleyard is wired and tested, and the bolts are drilled the legs will be dismantled and the layout put away (getting my dining room back).  I have lots of long overdue jobs to be getting on with on Brent...)

Edited by The Fatadder
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