Jump to content
 

Modular Meet #2 - Hampshire - Sunday 19 May 2019


cromptonnut
 Share

Recommended Posts

​*** Head over to this thread now... ***

 

Hi all

 

​I've just come back from measuring the hall and I think it's a goer.  So I'm going to chuck out a proposal for a meet to gauge interest.

 

LOCATION: Grateley, near Andover, Hampshire.  Approx 15 minutes from the A303.

 

HALL SIZE: Usable hall space approx. 32ft x 28ft,

 

PARKING: for approx. 20-25 cars

 

CONTROL: DCC, I have a Lenz base unit and JMRI through WiThrottle enabling handset and phone/tablet control.

 

BOARD STANDARDS: "Dave" (Britmod, RMweb modular) OO standards.  http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/88537-rmweb-modular-project-standards/&do=findComment&comment=1533866

 

TRAINS: Steam, diesel or electric (not running via overheads).  Maximum train length 6ft (constrained by fiddle yard).  Each participant may bring two complete trains (and several locos as required) to run, however there may be opportunities to run more depending on the final configuration and number of participants.  All locos must be DCC chipped.

 

DATE: TBA but looking at Spring 2019, likely on a Saturday or Sunday (this will be put to a vote once some dates are chosen).  Hall would be 8am - 6pm with the intention of running between 10am and 4pm.

 

COST: Dependant on numbers (as last time, there is no profit made, just a covering of costs) however we are looking at probably somewhere between £10 and £15 per head.

 

ACCOMMODATION: For those travelling some distance who wish to stay over, there is a Premier Inn at Andover, a Premier Inn at Solstice Services (near Amesbury) and a Travelodge at Amesbury all on the A303.

 

DRIVING​: The location is about 15 minutes from the A303, easily accessible from all directions.  The last few miles of road into the village are generally rural and some are better than others so full instructions on the best route in will be given to attendants in their final information pack.

 

​TRAVELLING BY TRAIN:​If you have a small very portable module, there is an hourly service to Grateley on the Waterloo - Salisbury - Exeter line, the station is about 1 mile from the location and we could arrange to collect you with prior notice unless the sun is out and you fancy a walk.

 

TRAVELLING BY BUS: There is a bus (the number 5) but unless you are a real die-hard bus fan (with a small portable module) I wouldn't recommend it as it's not very frequent.

 

FLYING IN: A local farmer has a grass runway in his field which, if you have a small enough plane, we could probably arrange.  Old Sarum and Popham airfields are within 30 minutes, and if you fly something much bigger you can always try contacting Southampton International...

 

REFRESHMENTS​: The venue has a small but well supplied kitchen with a microwave.  Bring your own lunch, and tea coffee and squash will be provided.  There is a local pub which we could go to for something to eat afterwards if there was interest.

 

 

To get things going, ​I will provide a fiddle yard and at least one other module, possibly more.

 

As the hall is smaller than our previous meet we will need more corner type boards but will accept anything, single or double track, as long as it's to the standards.

 

​If you are interested, please simply reply "Yes" to this thread and we'll see what happens.  Obviously I'm in :)

 

 

​If you're new, or don't remember the early attempts to get "Dave" functional, a report of our first meeting in June 2015 can be found here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/100628-secag-modular-meet-27615-final-report/

Edited by cromptonnut
  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

I've​ asked the hall to provide availability for Saturdays in April and May 2019, so will then seek opinions on a couple of dates.  Depending on numbers we are looking at £10-£15 a head, and if there's any left over due to more attendants then a refund will be given on the day of any split up surplus.

 

I've also mentioned in the main standard discussion thread a suggested change which removes the uniformity of board widths with a minimum of 5" each side of the track allowing longer runs of narrow scenic boards between stations, junctions etc  taking up less space for transportation; a single track can fit in 10" and double track 12".  One thing seriously lacking last time was double track running so I'm building two halves of a 180 degree curved passing loop (using narrower boards) that allow other double track modules inbetween to extend if necessary (and for practical reasons to make it fit in a proposed home layout, a 5" long river bridge board to go in the middle, or elsewhere).  Nobody seems to have any opinion positive or negative so far (despite it being a 57 page thread and loads of people would have had the notification) so... I guess it's up to us little group of intrepid trailblazers to make it all work again :)

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Depending on work yes and I can always bring up the Freemo yard which is 15ft long as another end. It's got a runround and three 10ft dead end tracks alongside.

 

Give​ how close geographically we are, it would be interesting for us to meet up at some point with one of my Dave modules, and one of your Freemo modules, and just see how easy they go together without modifications to run a train between them.  I'm not 100% sure what the differences are between the two standards and how had they would be to overcome.  I guess the larger profile of US trains in HO v the smaller profile of UK trains in OO would mostly cancel each other out in order to avoid any issues with clearances?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think the technical differences are pretty trivial. Dave wants code 75, UK Freemo wants 83; module widths are different (18" for Dave, 18 or 20" for 1 & 2 track Freemo) and that seems to be about it.

The only pitfall I can see is the double track spacing - IIRC it's 2" for Freemo and 50mm for Dave. But single track connections look likely to work.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Ref double track spacing; I'd always imagined if I'd ever progressed with a double track module that the track would be roughly set to the 50mm Peco spacing (I even bought the spacing tool!) but not soldered permanently in place. instead I'd have some method of adjustment to help line it up with other double track modules. So, there's not much difference between 50mm and 2", it would have been able to compensate for that. Maybe rail ends soldered to a piece of PCB with a screw in a slot in the middle to provide side to side adjustment.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Wel​l, after arranging to meet PaulRhB (above) for a separate issue this afternoon at 3.30pm, I was slightly surprised to see the message above at 3.00pm!

 

​A hasty rummage through a pile of bits in the spare room (pending shed arrival) I unearthed "Brockhole Curve" and its legs.  I assembled this on our front patio (somewhat uneven paving slabs) and dug out my Kernow 205 and DCC setup from other boxes, and about 10 minutes later Paul arrived clutching a small curved module.  Five minutes later the two boards were clamped together and the train ran between the two quite happily (the only problem being dirty track - couldn't find the track rubber - and not a 'standards' issue) so it proves that "Dave" and "Freemo" modules will work.  Interestingly, although his board was typically American in scenery, as we both used Woodland Scenics scatter they didn't look too silly next to each other (the addition of a few items of construction machinery, and overlook the fact there's no fence wouldn't have been an issue at a meet), he used code 83 track whereas I used code 75 track.
 

post-8328-0-85248600-1523977778_thumb.jpg

 

Obviously anything 'too American' might look a bit silly, however it does at least prove that there is potential for interoperability.  Unfortunately we didn't get to test much further given that the weather looked as if it was going to rain any moment so a hastily "unassembled" and within 30 minutes we had finished the test.

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

:) Good to meet you at last Nut :)

 

 

Looks like you exhausted the operational possibilities of that set up, at least.

;) oh I dunno it certainly gets the heart racing with momentum and a 45" drop ;)

It also proved just how versatile the standard is though as we managed to set it up on uneven slabs and run over the joint fine.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Looks like you exhausted the operational possibilities of that set up, at least.

 

We attempted all possible moves.

 

Left to right, and right to left.

 

But the point was to test compatibility, and even on a "less than perfect surface" we managed to get everything to line up and work adequately.  I'd call it a success.  So hopefully that means anyone with a Freemo module that looks "British enough" and wants to come along for the fun, can.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok​ have checked with the hall for availability for Saturdays and sundays in April and May 2019 and will report back with a poll in due course.  We can then vote on our availability and once we have a date set I can start registering interest.  Now what was the password for that email address..?

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I still have the layout from last time and only used it once since last time. Can’t commit at the moment as I already have a show with Sturminster Halt in April but once you have a date I can review. Thanks for the prod Crompton. Not been here for a while ..

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi​ GRC

 

​If you'd like to pop over to this thread and do wot it says... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/133565-rmweb-modular-meet-2-hampshire-pick-a-date/

 

​Please mark your availability on the poll, and hopefully there'll be something that you can meet that's a popular date and we can go from there.  Your layout would only be 43 miles from "home" (less in a straight line!)

 

​'Nut

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...