Heath Town and other signalling diversions

[5BarVT]

I've been quiet on this thread for far too long: looking at the date, it was just before the whole family descended for Christmas.  A flat big enough for us and three single girls is a bit more crowded with two hangers on (husbands) and three grandchildren.  Chaos and fun all at the same time.  They had all departed by New Year and builders arrived for the second week of Jan with four rooms plus hall needed to be empty.  "I didn't realise how much stuff you had in that train room." was the comment made!  Anyway, the 'backscene' is now a tasteful grey rather than a brighter blue and the other rooms have been redecorated too.

While it was all packed away elsewhere I decided that the layout of the yard was too restrictive.  Although the impression was of double track, it wasn't possible to pass trains on the layout so I have added another crossover which allows some passing of trains in the station with careful choice of the workings.  It doesn't help that the long platform and the long storage roads require routes across the whole layout.

 

 

While I was at it I extended the board by 1" (it makes a difference!), relaid the temporary track in the yard and put in almost all of the missing sidings.  The black is existing, yellow has been relaid, red is new and blue will at some point become a cassette area.  White fill is the only track left to add.  I've also settled on some home designed/built modules for I/O to the control system.  I'm on MkIV for the train detection, MkII for the point drives and I have a universal design for the connector boards.  Still no scenery!

 

 

Who said "only two wires" ?  This is for five straight tracks.

 

Adding points becomes more complex, but the rat's nest is colour coded so it's not too difficult to trace through.

 

Photo of the next board soon.

 

Paul. 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by 5BarVT
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[St Enodoc]

20 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

I've been quiet on this thread for far too long: looking at the date, it was just before the whole family descended for Christmas.  A flat big enough for us and three single girls is a bit more crowded with two hangers on (husbands) and three grandchildren.  Chaos and fun all at the same time.  They had all departed by New Year and builders arrived for the second week of Jan with four rooms plus hall needed to be empty.  "I didn't realise how much stuff you had in that train room." was the comment made!  Anyway, the 'backscene' is now a tasteful grey rather than a brighter blue and the other rooms have been redecorated too.

While it was all packed away elsewhere I decided that the layout of the yard was too restrictive.  Although the impression was of double track, it wasn't possible to pass trains on the layout so I have added another crossover which allows some passing of trains in the station with careful choice of the workings.  It doesn't help that the long platform and the long storage roads require routes across the whole layout.

 

 

 

While I was at it I extended the board by 1" (it makes a difference!), relaid the temporary track in the yard and put in almost all of the missing sidings.  The black is existing, yellow has been relaid, red is new and blue will at some point become a cassette area.  White fill is the only track left to add.  I've also settled on some home designed/built modules for I/O to the control system.  I'm on MkIV for the train detection, MkII for the point drives and I have a universal design for the connector boards.  Still no scenery!

 

 

Who said "only two wires" ?  This is for five straight tracks.

 

Adding points becomes more complex, but the rat's nest is colour coded so it's not too difficult to trace through.

 

Photo of the next board soon.

 

Paul. 

 

 

Very good Paul. An extra inch is always a good thing.

[5BarVT]

Not a lot of modelling going on this week. 

 

 

 

Get up, have breakfast, cycle 14 miles sea level to 800’ and down again, sit in the shade a bit, have lunch, sit in the shade a bit, possibly crazy golf, sit about a bit, shower, dinner, sleep.  Repeat. 

Paul. 

Edited April 3, 2022 by 5BarVT
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[5BarVT]

My world has fallen apart . . . One of the Wombles  has left recycling and moved into construction. 

 

 

What goes up must come down. Especially if he wants lunch!

 

 

Paul.

Edited April 3, 2022 by 5BarVT
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[5BarVT]

A train moved on Heath Town for the first time this year. Track testing was underway in the new part of the storage yard. All went well, one wiring fault to trace, but the layout will work in the interim.

Paul.

[5BarVT]

The third yard board is now sorted – it was a faulty point drive module so another has been built and is working fine.  The faulty one has been put aside for future analysis/repair.  Not sure if it is a solder connection I can’t see or a failed opto isolator.

 

Now for some decoder fitting and set up.

Paul.

Edited April 2, 2022 by 5BarVT
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[5BarVT]

Decoders fitted. Here is the new fleet almost ready for service. 

 

 

They all need fine tuning and setting up.  I tend to run with a max speed of 40mph as that is plenty for my layout, acceleration and deceleration set to zero as that works better with Traincontroller.  I have an alternative set up with higher speed and proper acceleration characteristics should they ever be used on a different layout.  D6506 needs further work as there is an intermittent fault: it was working fine before the lid went on but won't budge now.  Lid off and try a different connector I think.

 

 

D1072 (not that you'd know) needs name and number plates fitted, fortunately Dapol have a dotted line to show where.  I don't get on well with paint or glue so I'm holding back through fear of spoiling things.  Any suggestions for type of glue and tips for not getting it everywhere? 

 

Paul

Edited April 2, 2022 by 5BarVT
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[Clive Mortimore]

1 hour ago, 5BarVT said:

Decoders fitted. Here is the new fleet almost ready for service. 

 

They all need fine tuning and setting up.  I tend to run with a max speed of 40mph as that is plenty for my layout, acceleration and deceleration set to zero as that works better with Traincontroller.  I have an alternative set up with higher speed and proper acceleration characteristics should they ever be used on a different layout.  D6506 needs further work as there is an intermittent fault: it was working fine before the lid went on but won't budge now.  Lid off and try a different connector I think.

 

D1072 (not that you'd know) needs name and number plates fitted, fortunately Dapol have a dotted line to show where.  I don't get on well with paint or glue so I'm holding back through fear of spoiling things.  Any suggestions for type of glue and tips for not getting it everywhere? 

 

Paul

Hi Paul

 

Double sided tape. Stick the name and number plates on it, cut around them, peal off the backing and you have self adhesive name and number plates. If they go on wonky the tip of a craft knife lifts them off easily. Best to remove the sticky bit and reapply some new before bunging it back on.

[5BarVT]

Many thanks Clive. I like that, it’s within my skill set.

Paul.

[5BarVT]

TAPPS AFF

It is indeed ‘tapps aff’ weather in Glasgow, but this is D6506 which has had the body off again to chase decoder faults. No decoder fault has been found but a discovery has been made that programming using the wrong decoderpro template results in successful programming but no running!!!

To make life easier I invested in a decoder tester. A bit of a luxury and I could have bought the parts and made one myself, but it did make fault finding easier and now I can programme up decoders and test their leads without going near a loco. Then it’s just lid off, decoder in, and go.

Happy Bunny.

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

TAPPS AFF

It is indeed ‘tapps aff’ weather in Glasgow, but this is D6506 which has had the body off again to chase decoder faults. No decoder fault has been found but a discovery has been made that programming using the wrong decoderpro template results in successful programming but no running!!!

To make life easier I invested in a decoder tester. A bit of a luxury and I could have bought the parts and made one myself, but it did make fault finding easier and now I can programme up decoders and test their leads without going near a loco. Then it’s just lid off, decoder in, and go.

Happy Bunny.

There's your problem. Suvvern locos don't like being so far from home...

[5BarVT]

Temporary track in platforms 1 & 2 has been lifted and the formation marked out. Today’s task was to lay the new formation: currently covered by learned journals (IRSE Proceedings) and assorted Railway books.  I have taken next week off as we have decorators in, so I’m hoping to get some track down in the final position before more “testing”.

Paul.

[5BarVT]

The snail's pace progress on Heath Town is going to get even slower . . .

 

The last three and a bit weeks have been somewhat hectic!

The new house has an area allocated for Heath Town in which it will fit without alteration initially so train operation should be possible soon after entry.  Thereafter plans are afoot for expansion/modification .  .  .  .    🙂

Paul.

Edited April 2, 2022 by 5BarVT
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[St Enodoc]

6 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

The snail's pace progress on Heath Town is going to get even slower . . .

The last three and a bit weeks have been somewhat hectic!

The new house has an area allocated for Heath Town in which it will fit without alteration initially so train operation should be possible soon after entry.  Thereafter plans are afoot for expansion/modification .  .  .  .    :-)

Paul.

Will you have to change your shed code again Paul?

[5BarVT]

Indeed so.  8C is closest (just) but as it’s the wrong side of the water I will be going for BHD.

Paul.

Edited April 2, 2022 by 5BarVT
Correcting shed code

[Mulgabill]

Have finally found time to catch up with this Paul.

 

Only to find its on hold! Strikes me the class 22 won't like being so far

from Western metals. Doesn't bode well as they didn't seem to

exactly like work when on home teritory.

 

Will be following from now, most remiss of me not finding this before.

 

All the best

 

TONY

[5BarVT]

Happy Christmas all,

Wonderful daughters have bought me a framed Lowry print: the one with the LNER 0-4-0 tank.  It’s going to stay wrapped in its protection until after the move but if you want to see the print search for “Level Crossing (1946) Fine Art Print”.  Once we are moved it will be hung in the new railway room.

Paul.

[5BarVT]

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all (delayed from yesterday!)

 

No physical modelling has happened for some time, however, lots of 'paper modelling' (thanks to St Enodoc for the term) has happened.  Once (if?) the move happens, Phase 1 is installing the existing Heath Town in the new room.  The entrance door being in it's own recess means that I can put railway to the edge of the main space without blocking emergency access.  Thank you Clive M for that design 'requirement'. 

 

It fits! - mainly because the spec for the house included a room at least 10'6" x 8'.  (Temporary) supports for the layout will be needed as the framework is currently supported by spur shelving and free standing supports have been defined as required in future.

 

The extra 3 feet in length gives the opportunity for an extended station area and I'm still dithering between bolting extra on at each end and the back or to start again with something 'new'.  One possible version of 'new' is an heavily rationalised (and slightly modified) Wolverhampton Low Level South: I would have liked to keep one of the flat crossings between the (former) Goods Lines and the Heath Town Jn branch (at x below), but the geometry just doesn't work.  I can get in two crossovers which gives the same (lack of) flexibility as a rationalised layout.  The dotted lines round the outside are a long route round to the 'rest of the world'.  One possibility is that they are on a viaduct to represent the High Level station (even though the trains will be LL services!) but that requires them to cross the LL station platforms, so they may stay 'below ground' as shown.

So, in my world, the fledgling WMPTE managed to prevent the closure of Snow Hill to Low Level and retained the local train service to a Low Level terminal station with stop blocks at the N end of the platforms.  Wolverhampton is an important destination in its own right and so the Paddington-Birmingham service was kept through to Wolverhampton (avoiding the slow route to New St and the generous lay over there means that no extra sets are required for this extension).  And being an important destination, Low Level kept its service to Stourbridge and also had an occasional Cardiff service.  Adding some parcels services (including DPU from Chester via High Level and the Heath Town Jn spur) means that this 'little' station will be quite crowded at times!

All of this has come about from joining the RW Carrol BRCS group and finding Paddington Station Working books, WR and LMR Carriage Working Notices plus buying some relevant WTTs to go with my 1970 LMR Section D.  The main area where I am short of information is on parcels workings but as I am keeping lines that actually closed I think I will just have to make up or 'divert' other services.

The main 'disadvantage' will be that some of my WR loco fleet will be less likely to have appeared at LL.  Rule 1 will intervene!

 

[Just to give some background to the '(if)' right at the top, contract exchange is being delayed by uncertainty over the impact of Estate Rentcharges (a Victorian device recently discovered by major housebuilders which still exists in the 1925 Property Act and permits instant repossession of a property without warning under certain circumstances).  The impact on us is that mortgage providers have become very wary of properties where the title deeds don't rule this out so I am insisting that ours be amended to do so.]

 

Hopefully the next posting will bring news of successful resolution of these issues and a new railway room by Easter will be possible.

Paul.

Edited April 2, 2022 by 5BarVT
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[5BarVT]

DMU DIAGRAMS

I have been having lots of fun doing “What ifs” for a Low Level layout.  I have a 1970 WTT bought from Collectors Corner probably 1975ish and a 1968 LMR PTT bought new.  Michael Clemens website gives access to 62 WTT (SBJ services still running) and 63.  I have invested in a 66 WTT (last with through services) and 67 (Snow Hill services and a few peak hour to and from the west).

Being a captive fleet it has been possible to work out likely diagrams.  The timetable in 67 is rather inefficient as it is the Leamington/Lapworth to Wellington service with the ends chopped off.  There are rather long layovers, particularly at Snow Hill so it takes four units to provide the service.  One comes from a High Level and does a couple of peak trips before going back empty whence it came.  Via Stafford Road/Oxley was the booked route, but as I’m truncating the line ‘early’ it will come and go via the Heath Town Spur.  A unit appears at a Snow Hill to work an evening express to WVL then empty to WVH so I’m going to have it come down the spur and run empty to BSO.

Two units lay over at WVL to form two more morning services and the final unit comes off Tyseley to Snow Hill.  One of the WVL units goes off to Tyseley after the am peak and returns for a 1400 working  (I’m assuming for fuel), leaving another unit doing nothing for two hours until the evening peak services.  The off peak (hourly) service can be run with two units.  Two units remain at WVL, one from early evening and the third goes off to Tyseley.

 

Now comes my problem! I only have two three car units at present!  However, apart from the overnight and long afternoon layovers, the only time there are two units in the station is when the Chester line set is operating.  So one ‘Tyseley’ unit is going to pretend to be three and the Chester unit is going to arrive early to allow the ‘Tyseley’ unit to layover.

 

So those are the real services that continued to use Low Level.  Next update will be some of the made up services, starting with the DPUs that mysteriously continued to serve Low Level rather than High Level.

 

Paul.

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, 5BarVT said:

I only have two three car units at present!

Get some more! You know you want to...

[5BarVT]

Hi John,

That’s the long term plan. Unfortunately Tyseley had 116s not 117s and I don’t think I’m ready to take a file to nearly £300 of Bachmann as a first attempt at modification!

Paul.

[Clive Mortimore]

6 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

Hi John,

That’s the long term plan. Unfortunately Tyseley had 116s not 117s and I don’t think I’m ready to take a file to nearly £300 of Bachmann as a first attempt at modification!

Paul.

Hi Paul

 

The Lima one likes being cut up and made into other types.

 

OK this is a 125 cab end but some 116 are the same.

Motor second, cab needs attacking.

 

Trailer second.

Go for it.

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by Clive Mortimore

[5BarVT]

7 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

The Lima one likes being cut up and made into other types.

 

13 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

I don’t think I’m ready to take a file to nearly £300 of Bachmann as a first attempt at modification!

As I was writing this I thought of your multi coloured creations.  That’s what I’ll try when the time comes providing I can get originals at less than the silly prices some ask.  I think I saw one that was available for ‘only’ £180!

Paul.

[5BarVT]

ON THE MOVE

 

New railway room is coming on. Plasterers have been in, final finishes and decoration to come. C-19 excepted, entry date has been set at 30 April.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul.

Edited April 2, 2022 by 5BarVT
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[Mulgabill]

Nice and pristine to start from, thats always good.

 

Plus a few awkward corners to make life interesting.

 

Out of interest whats the approximate size?

 

I'm sure there are more cunning plans already gestating.

 

All the best

 

TONY