Witney Euston

[mitziblue]

Evening all

 

Thanks for all the comments, W E certainly seems to be generating interest at the mo and this just spurs me on.

 

Is it an English tradition to have low backscenes and work from behind the layout?

 

Ian I know what you mean Witney was never planed to be an exhibition layout. I purely built it to see what sort of standred I could achieve, I guess to start with I just went with the general flow and it evolved to this.

 

A tremendous model. I appreciate the spaciousness

 

Paul the sense of space is what i'm happiest with to it was one of my better ideas to extend the width half way through the build.

 

Seeing the whole layout up is really inspiring stuff!

 

must admit Bryn it still hits me after I first erect it

 

Modelling of the highest quality whatever the scale/gauge,

 

Stewart nothing special about my modeling you havn't got up close to it trust me.

 

One question if I may? - I presume the front fascias in white are currently in undercoat and I wondered whether you are going to paint it in the 'traditional' black or leave it in white? I only ask, because the more I look at the white, the more it seems to go with the whole wintery feel of WE?

 

Pete

 

 

I was looking at midland red once, but some body sugested white to go with the snow but what I want to try first is a grey blue from the backscene

 

 

Mark

[mitziblue]

Evening all

 

Had a bad week on the modeling front this week, after days of serching for my tub of 2mm goodies I discovered somehow I have chucked it in the dustbin Luckely my wheels are all in a diffarent box but it still equates to a fair few quid and has stopped a lot of the building prosess.

As the layout is set up a few miles away attention turned to finnish putting on D G couplings and cleaning loco and rolling stock wheels. also managed to finnish a few coaches off.

Today I visited the barn to work on the layout, the facia has had a few coats of white paint (and yes Pete it works well this colour) also fixed some trees downand sorted some gremlins with the electrics out.

Running was an absolute pig today one of the coaches is shorting the track, the compound is not running at all well and one of my goods tank engine has a reacuring problem in that after an hour or so it diss obeys the controllers instructions and makes a beeline for the buffers even hitting the stop button has no effect on it take it off the track for an hour and it's fine again, anyone have a clue what's happening?

 

Anyway took a few shots at the end of the day and this is the best of them.

 

 

 

Mark

[Chrislock]

Greetings Mark,

The layout is looking quite desolate in its wintery cloak. Good stuff.

Must be a pressure knowing you have got WE up viewing in a month or so, cos it's bad enough when things go wrong and there's no deadline! At least then you can chuck it in a box and forget it for a few months!

I'm sorry I can't help out on the motive power front, but didn't Nigel Cliffe say that Tim of Chiltern Green fame might be bringing along his Spinner?

That would be worth seeing on WE.

I forgot to ask before - is your layout DCC? Or were the rogue antics of your tank engine to do with a live section of track?!

Regards,

Chris

[bcnPete]

Hey Mark - Can't help with the sparks I am afraid because not my strong point, but don't despair, someone on here will help crack it and besides, gremlins apart, its looking great from those photos.

 

Forget about it for 24 hours and I am sure you when you come back to it, things will go better - Am glad the white fascia worked out too

 

Pete

[mitziblue]

Hi

 

Much better luck this week Over the week days when time permits I have been adding extra detail to the buildings guttering is apearing and missing windows and doors to backs of buildings. also the stable block has reapeared

and extra work to this is in progress.

The layot itself is running a lot better now, must of been all the hairspray and glue to fix the snow down. I cleaned the rails with wet n dry paper now two of my engines run really well and slow running is acheivable. The run away engine is also behaving itself a 3 hour running sesion threw up no problems. A three hour session! this is something I was not expecting to be able to do without getting bored but I really enjoyed myself, add to this banter with the public then I beleive i will enjoy running W E at an exhibition

I forgot to ask before - is your layout DCC? Or were the rogue antics of your tank engine to do with a live section of track?!

Regards,

Chris

 

The layout is DCC but will take an analouge controller to the expo in case someone wants to run there own stock on it.

 

Mark

[mitziblue]

That's it!

 

been working on the layout flat out for months now and I have had enough of it. Going to settle down and relax for a week and wait for the big weekend. things havn't gone as well as hoped but it's to late to do much about it now.As it stands the layout works and one engine will be running it as a chip blew in the other one. A goods service will be running and I will try for some passenger as well.

 

Mark

[bcnPete]

Mark - Don't worry, one loco sounds fine - perhaps park the other one in a siding?

 

The presentation of the layout looks fantastic - its been great to read your thread/blog and I really look forward to see the layout next week and say hello.

 

Pete

[Chrislock]

Also looking forward to seeing Witney, Mark.

You have really achieved a sense of space without the scenery overpowering the railway, and I like the look of the board.

 

By the way I won't be bringing my 1F as the coupling rods have still not arrived and its not running smoothly enough to grace your layout on the temp ones, though I keep tweaking it.

 

(Must remember to ask where your track plan came from when I see you).

 

Regards,

Chris

 

PS Is there just enough space on the left for the legend: " No Farish were harmed in the making of..."??!!

[mitziblue]

Hi all

 

What's all this talk of heat and track expansion at the 2mm expo in my little corner of the hall it was snow that stopped the trains

Seriously though, the weekend was a great experience for me. Going from a dodgy start with snow still covering the rails, continual hoovering, scrapeing and cleaning, into Sunday when an engine refused to obey my controller's command.

Positive comments were coming left, right and centre with reassurance that these sort of problems are only to be expected on it's first few outings which all helped to keep spirits high. I was suprised at the amount of people who worked on the actual location commenting how they remembered areas of the layout and the stories they had to tell.

A big thankyou has to go out to Steve, Bryn and Pete for their help over the weekend as the main thing I've learnt is I can't face running a layout alone all day. Also I need to express my gratitude to Nigel Cliffe for help reprogramming my locos.

Not only were the days a pleasure but saturday night as well, the meal after was a good time to relax and chat in a stress-free enviroment then onto the pub where I enjoyed the rest of the night with Bryn, Pete and my wife.

The show for me was an amazing expierence and well worth all of the effort of building W E thanks have to go to Mike and the team for giving us the opportunity to partake - I just hope I'm still around when they do it again.

 

Mark

[Bryn]

Hello Mark!

 

It was great to finally meet up after all this time, I have to say the layout really looked the part this weekend. Full marks all around. I have to admit the problems on Sunday were down to my operating session.... The Curse of Colwyn Bay strikes again

 

Looking forward to the next operating session/booze up! Keep the updates coming Mark

[mitziblue]

I have to admit the problems on Sunday were down to my operating session.... The Curse of Colwyn Bay strikes again

 

Not your doing at all,the loco is a reacuring problem. I know I said that it would get left alone now for a while but i did sort a few of the probs out tonight and running has improved, had to set it back up for saturday and couldn't tear myself away.

 

Mark

[Bryn]

Go with it mate! Once that ball is rolling, get the most out of it.

[nick_bastable]

it looked fantastic at Expo and thanks for your time in replying to my questions

[bcnPete]

Mark, Hi

 

Good to meet at last...and really enjoyed to finally see WE.

 

With all that heat in the hall on Sunday I was almost expecting to walk past the layout in the afternoon and see it set in British Summertime period

 

This is another layout that has to be seen and I hope it gets the increased exposure that it deserves.

 

Likewise, it was nice to talk with you, your wife and Bryn on Saturday evening...shame my Guinness wasn't as cool as the scene you depicted on the layout though!

 

Pete

[Guest Jim Read]

Hi Mark,

 

I've been following this thread for ages and would like to make a couple of suggestions regarding the running.

 

Firstly a controller, I have a circuit for a controller that was originally designed for the 2mm Association, it will not work with coreless motors though I'm not sure what you use. It is a pulsed-feedback variety and the output can be varied to suit the type of motor in use. The feedback works so well that poorly made points, like mine, can be negotiated at the same speed all the way through, the pulse allows slow running down to five miles a fortnight. It consists of three transistors and few resistors and capacitors, you will have to learn how to recognise the components and solder it all up, well worth it though you will have a new skill at your fingertips.

 

A lot of crap has been written about pulsed controllers burning out motors, they will do unless the output is governed and thats why Brian Tilbury designed the controller, I use it on Mashima motors which draw about 0.1 of an amp and I have limited the output to no more than 1 amp.

 

Secondly and very simply, graphite, on your rails, buy an artists graphite stick and rub it all over its quite amazing how it improves the running.

 

Regards - Jim

[mitziblue]

With all that heat in the hall on Sunday I was almost expecting to walk past the layout in the afternoon and see it set in British Summertime period

 

Hi Pete

 

there are times i wish it was summertime on the layout been causing a lot of trouble that snow. My daughters off to Barcelona in the next few weeks shame i can't sneek in her suitcase fot the return beer leg. Glad you enjoyed the expo hope to see you again someday.

 

Hi Mark,

 

I've been following this thread for ages and would like to make a couple of suggestions regarding the running.

 

Firstly a controller, I have a circuit for a controller that was originally designed for the 2mm Association, it will not work with coreless motors though I'm not sure what you use. It is a pulsed-feedback variety and the output can be varied to suit the type of motor in use. The feedback works so well that poorly made points, like mine, can be negotiated at the same speed all the way through, the pulse allows slow running down to five miles a fortnight. It consists of three transistors and few resistors and capacitors, you will have to learn how to recognise the components and solder it all up, well worth it though you will have a new skill at your fingertips.

 

A lot of crap has been written about pulsed controllers burning out motors, they will do unless the output is governed and thats why Brian Tilbury designed the controller, I use it on Mashima motors which draw about 0.1 of an amp and I have limited the output to no more than 1 amp.

 

Secondly and very simply, graphite, on your rails, buy an artists graphite stick and rub it all over its quite amazing how it improves the running.

 

Regards - Jim

 

Hi Jim

 

The layout runs under dcc comand it will be able to go analouge as soon as i put a socket in but most of my motors are coreless. I think the bad running was down to snow to high up the inside of the rails lifting the wheels off the track, also the track seems to be very dirty been scraping and cleaning tonight and the running is improving all the time,will give it a final clean with alcahol soon and hope that does the trick but will bear in mind your tip for a graphite stick

 

Thanks for the sugestions Mark

[bcnPete]

Mark, Hi

 

Just wanted to say that today I went onto the 2mm Website and was really pleased to see a great pic of your layout on the home page - Congratulations!

 

Hope the winterwonderland is helping you keep cool in the UK temperatures

 

Pete

[mitziblue]

Mark, Hi

 

Just wanted to say that today I went onto the 2mm Website and was really pleased to see a great pic of your layout on the home page - Congratulations!

 

Pete

 

Thanks Pete

 

Must admit it was a complete surprise to me , been laying off the modelling for a few weeks now Witney is under wraps a few miles away and the holidays start tommorrow. So just enjoying a bit of a brake from it at the mo B)

 

Mark

[mitziblue]

Good evening one and all

 

It's been three weeks since my last update,snorkling in the red sea off the coat of Egypt and rebuilding one of the floors at Abingdon railway club has kept me busy for a couple of weeks. But this weekend I found some time for a bit of modelling, For my birthday my nearest and dearest bought me a set of four 48'-0"Midland coaches from Warsley works,now I did start these a few weeks ago but only got two to a nearley complete stage the other day. As ussual with these kits you get floor, sides, ends and roof only ,the 2mm asoc supplied the bogies and fittings for the roof and the under frames were made from 0.3mm wireand some brass tube for the gas tanks.

 

 

Another thing I've been up to is rebuilding the chassis for my 0-4-4 passenger tank engine which gave up the goast a week before the 2mm expo this is now made of brass rather than double sided pcb and now uses the simpson springing method which is giving much better running. I have also been building a H O french engine kit for someone, this looks so big compeared to what I'm used to and I feel I should put my usual tools away and just get out a big hammer, will take some pics when it's closer to finnished.

The last thing I have been playing with is a little building to get a bit more practice in as this is the area I have never been confident with. This is made entirely from embosed plasticard with paper corner stones and ridge tiles. If i manage to pull it off it will become part of my next prject.

 

 

 

Mark

[Mulderspants]

Witney passenger station building - Nice.

[bcnPete]

If i manage to pull it off it will become part of my next prject

 

Do tell...

[Chrislock]

For my birthday my nearest and dearest bought me a set of four 48'-0"Midland coaches from Warsley works,now I did start these a few weeks ago but only got two to a nearley complete stage the other day. As ussual with these kits you get floor, sides, ends and roof only ,the 2mm asoc supplied the bogies and fittings for the roof and the under frames were made from 0.3mm wireand some brass tube for the gas tanks.

 

Mark

 

Wow you did those quickly!

At first glance I thought "wheres the clerestory bits" then I realised they must be the Bains 48' arcs, not the lavatory set I went for. Thought for a minute I had c*cked mine up!

That buildings roof looks suspiciously French or Belgian farmhouse to me...

Are you going continental, I wonder?!

 

Chris

[mitziblue]

No sorry Chris

 

David got it right first guess witney passenger station

The basic idea is to build a roundy roundy incorporating Witney passenger and goods station,a casset based fiddle yard and possibly Eynsham station as well. Havn't drawn anything up yet but it could be an 18' oval with witney Euston on the inside near the new passenger station. I would only have to build a new board for the fiddle yard end of W E and build the rest of the layout around it. This may prove to be a bit ambitous but it's only a single track line and there's no rush to do it. just thought i would give some of the buildings a go to see what happens. space shouldn't be a problem, being a carpenter,joiner I can knock the boards up in my sleep and I allready have 12M of easitrac and there arn't to many points to build.

So keep your eyes on this space and see what happens.

 

Mark

[Chrislock]

No sorry Chris

 

David got it right first guess witney passenger station

 

So I see now I've carried on and read the rest of the posts...

 

The basic idea is to build a roundy roundy incorporating Witney passenger and goods station,a casset based fiddle yard and possibly Eynsham station as well. Havn't drawn anything up yet but it could be an 18' oval with witney Euston on the inside near the new passenger station. I would only have to build a new board for the fiddle yard end of W E and build the rest of the layout around it. This may prove to be a bit ambitous but it's only a single track line and there's no rush to do it. just thought i would give some of the buildings a go to see what happens. space shouldn't be a problem, being a carpenter,joiner I can knock the boards up in my sleep and I allready have 12M of easitrac and there arn't to many points to build.

So keep your eyes on this space and see what happens.

 

Mark

And will the season change on the other side of the layout?

Regards,

Chris

 

ps Be sure to let us know what issue of Model Rail WE appears in !

[mitziblue]

will the season change on the other side of the layout?

Regards,

Chris

 

Hi Chris

 

Untill I get around to drawing the thing up I don't know what will be there, the passenger station will be along side the goods yard so the snow will still persist. Winter will still be the theme for the rest of the layout but I will probably phase the snow out towards the fiddle yard or next station.

 

 

Oh here's a little pic of what I've been playing about with over the weekend.

 

 

Mark