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The R & J Colliery Ltd. 130x45cm cabinet.


RJdeVries
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Thanks for the encouraging reply's.

 

 

I've actually build the layout over the last fortnight and it has been a blast getting the

new layout underway and getting the creative engines working.

 

Due to the lack of parts (these are currently in the mail) I've been concentrating on the

coalbunker and the loading of wagons as such, I'm actually going to load wagons

on the scenic side of the layout prior to transporting them behind the scenes for emptying.

 

I've made a test version out of a funnel and a styrene (plasticcard) slide valve and 

45 degree distributor, this to evenly load a wagon.

 

45657503985_534bdeb88b_b.jpgCoal Shute by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

32697969838_b86ec0886b_b.jpgCoal Shute by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

This seems to work fine with the material I'm using to immitate coal, a sort of hard plastic pellets.

 

The Coal loading facility will have 4 seperate filling stations and these will be mounted on

a single sheet of styrene, like the examples below.

 

31658372997_f13f8c2da7_b.jpgCoal Bunker by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

31658372137_8707157b89_b.jpgCoal Bunker by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

 

 

Well, styrene didn't perform as i would have liked and flexes to much under load, especcialy

with a servomotor attached to it, it was really pointless to continue.

That made me rebuild all of the slide valves in brass with styrene parts where possible.

 

39638203953_659c6e5110_b.jpgBrass discharge valves by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

39645843463_3ab1fc1a7d_b.jpgCoal Bunker by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

The valve body is made of brass, the ring that will be attached to the funnel is made of styrene.

 

This all results in a solid structure that will work as intended, to bad the servo decoder is still in the mail.

 

45703287695_744f75e6fc_b.jpgBunker workings by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

The arm of the servo will protrude trough the styrene from above and will power the slide valve

via a connecting rod.

 

 

Well, thats all for today! I'm up to date with the progress so far and from here on the progress will be 1:1.

 

 

Greetings,

 

Robbert Jan.

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Since no mail arrives over the weekend I've been concentrating on the coal loading facility.

 

I'm constucting it out of styrene profiles from Evergreen since this is, for me, the most 

effective and fun way to construct buildings in general.

 

32760695088_854a4300ba_b.jpgSilo building by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

I've made a start with the steel structure and this is made using 4x4mm (5/32") H profiles.

The diagonal braces and 1 size down and mesure 3,2x3,2mm (1/8") 

The corners will be and have been strenghtened with rivet plates and some extra braces on

the inner corners.

 

Since this frame carries the complete inner workings it has to be somewhat sturdy.

 

The glue has cured over night and the end result is slowly starting to appear.

 

32769250488_8d540eafb9_b.jpgSteel structure by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

45919156954_78c126a6e9_b.jpgSteel structure by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

A locomotive will not fit underneith the facility, this is not required since there is only space for 2 wagons.

If a single wagon is used it would be practice to use a repurposed conflat in between the loco and wagon.

 

45919213684_3c3d43bd5d_b.jpgSteel structure by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

And this is the frame as it stands now, the complete interior will be able to slide out in order

to fill the hoppers with fresh coal, this will happen trough a little door in the side of the cabinet.

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

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Wait a minute....

 

where did this topic come from, well, it was in the wrong section and I had it re-placed here.

 

 

No worries, I'm not that far in to building my new layout, actually it is only 2 weeks old.

 

 

So I've decided to pick up the storyline from here;

 

 

46596842712_c23467403b_k.jpgLoading station by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

The loading facility is taking shape and it coming together nicely, it obviously requires a lot of

work to complete the bare building, then there is detailing and painting.

 

The picture above didn't quite give me the right impression, the walls where to high up the building

and it seemed to be to "open", like a slightly short skirt.

 

39699621023_97d9b02669_k.jpgAndrew Barclay @ Loading facility by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

Much better I would say, the Loco will fit underneith the beam, but not underneith the actual

devider below the storage hopper. A well, minor detail.

 

39699619223_373db5b4c0_k.jpgAndrew Barclay @ Loading facility by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

The building will sit flush with the backscene so there is only room for 2 wagons underneith.

 

 

Next item to be attended is the installation of the Magnorail system to the layout, the contours have

already been outlined and the install should be relatively staight forward, say it with some bendy bits.

 

 

Hope you enjoy!

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

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Hi John,

 

 

It's a combination of holiday memory's, pictures found on the internet 

for inspiration and just a lot of imagination.

 

I'm not trying to recreate any location in specific, and that makes it more

of a fun challenge for me, I just love building from scratch and working towards

a complete small layout that is small enough to take to exhibitions.

(and it fit's my hobby room so that's a bonus as well :) )

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

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And yesterday I did finally recieve a set containing a servodecoder and 4 servomotors.

I've wasted no time installing these since I had the whole setup prepared in advance.

 

39722697073_377abee595_b.jpgCoal Loading facility by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

The servo's are used to operate the sliding valves underneith the coal hoppers.

This gives me the possibility to actually load coal wagons on the layout, as in, bringing

empty's to the facility and taking full wagons back to the main line for collection.

 

45962751004_67def8683c_b.jpgCoal Loading facility by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

The setup is not really difficult, a brass slide valve is mounted underneith the hopper and 

this is operated by a lever (with a piece of pring steel rod) mounted to the servomotor.

 

The normal position is obviously closed and that allows for the hopper to be filled with a 

certain amount, likely the contents of 1 wagon since closing the valve mid stream is problematic.

That is not really an issue since I'm not filling 10 wagons at a time, maybe 2 or 3 so no operational

problems there.

 

A short clip is also viewable on Youtube;

 

https://youtu.be/b97S2lFwQQw

 

 

 

And I've made the trip to the cold garage to install my recently accuired MagnoRail system, this will

be used to pull along a couple of cars and maybe in the future a cyclist.

 

45949616804_2f0dfaeb6a_b.jpgMagnoRail track by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

The loop runs just behind the railway and has a 180 degree turning loop that will be camouflaged

by the loading station, the track is a continuous loop and a portion is running behind the backscene.

This is also where the drivemotor is installed, this will pull/push the chain that will run in the track.

 

Hope you enjoy!

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

Edited by RJdeVries
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Hi John,

 

 

It's a combination of holiday memory's, pictures found on the internet 

for inspiration and just a lot of imagination.

 

I'm not trying to recreate any location in specific, and that makes it more

of a fun challenge for me, I just love building from scratch and working towards

a complete small layout that is small enough to take to exhibitions.

(and it fit's my hobby room so that's a bonus as well :) )

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

Hi John,

 

 

It's a combination of holiday memory's, pictures found on the internet 

for inspiration and just a lot of imagination.

 

I'm not trying to recreate any location in specific, and that makes it more

of a fun challenge for me, I just love building from scratch and working towards

a complete small layout that is small enough to take to exhibitions.

(and it fit's my hobby room so that's a bonus as well :) )

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

You've got that washery building just about right; very convincing. Andrew Barclay locomotives sometimes had a horizontal whistle protruding out of the front cabsheet, just to keep the loco height down.

 

Happy modelling,

 

Ian.

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@ PaulRhB.

 

That is indeed something I have been thinking about, I've just recieved a model of a series 1 Landrover and 

I think that a Faller steering gear would fit, this would make cornering way easyer than just dragging it along.

 

I've still got some connections with the local Model railway club and they would probably help me out with a 

steering setup if asked.

 

@Tomparryharry

 

That would be an interresting alteration, it would be relatively easy to alter the position of the wistle, I will

defenitly look in to that.

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

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After a few days at work there is again some progress.

 

I've reworked the loading facility because there where some places

where small pieces of coal became stuck and this would then jam the 

mechanism into not closing properly.

 

I've fixed this issue in the space available, meaning the divider underneith the

hopper had to be lowered a good 2mm and this did the trick without any

further problems, the wagons still fit so that is a bonus.

 

46664179492_571a8d3fbb_b.jpgFacility by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

Then there was the issue of the amount of fine debris in the "coal" that was 

also getting into the working mechanism, I therefore spend the better part

of the friday morning cleaning all the "coal" by washing it and agitating it over a 

screen of fine mesh so all the fine particles where discarded.

 

 

Another project, a Land Rover Mk1, has to be made capable to run on the MagnoRail

track and this is quite a challenge, I've ordered a steering rack so the front wheels can

actually steer, further enhancements where made to give the model a bit more appeal.

 

This means that the soldering iron was needed, 6 led's, a few resistors and some fine wire.

 

32841838248_bb85600bb7_b.jpgMark 1 Land Rover by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

The headlights, markerlights and taillights where drilled and given a drop of 

Micro Kristal Klear to form a lens where a small led sits behind.

The whole setup works on 2 1,5volt button batteries, these will last a day.

 

32841838708_5893dfaafe_b.jpgMark 1 Land Rover by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

Obviously overexposed, but it's visible :)

 

46664178802_b6a206ffbe_b.jpgMark 1 Land Rover by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

And the rear, this will do nicely.

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

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Been quite busy with some of the prepwork for the more intense stages of 

building the baseboard and the features added to this.

 

Yesterday I've been repeating myself over and over again with the all the 

parts required to make a complete Magnorail chain, all of the chain links where

cut free from there sprue and given a smooth finish to the system will run without any 

issues.

 

39787992993_1129f65f0c_b.jpgMagnorail track by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

After this exhausting endevour there was some time to install a couple of

rare earth magnets that are supplied with the system.

 

39787990173_4e8651d51e_b.jpgMagnorail track by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

2 large magnets where pushed into the chain, each facing a different direction, meaning

there is one facing north side up and the other is south side up.

The same is done with the verhicle slider and the 2 are highly attracted to one and other.

 

I've also added a 0,5mm brass rod to the end, this will hook up with the steering gear

on my Land Rover Mk1.

 

39787991113_d9d5f9f4ec_b.jpgMagnorail track by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

This is how the chain will sit in the guiderail, this will be a job for a quiet afternoon.

The sides of the guiderail will be filled in with 8mm cork and there will be a photocard layer

on top acting as the road surface, this is according to the manufacturer, the best option

being that plasticcard will tend to distort with temperature differences.

 

 

 

And then the layout, so far the only building that is actually giving some clue is the coal

washing and loading facility, this is almost in the right place, it needs some adjustment still.

 

46700538142_37b0fa00a5_b.jpgGlobal layout of the layout by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

And this a top down view, a small engine shed will be placed where the red Barclay is sitting.

Both holes will be inspection and maintenance pits.

 

39787991763_3c5c509daa_b.jpgGlobal layout of the layout by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

Obviously there will be more buildings against the back of the cabinet, some larger buildings, and a 

conveyor going across the track from the back to the washing and loading facility.

I'm also tempted to build a winding work since that is an obvious sign of a mine.

 

 

Enough to do whilst I'm also preparing my Dutch layout for the next show at Rail 2019 (Houten Expo the Netherlands)

This exhibitions normally also features a dozen British and/or British build layouts to plenty to see :)

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

Edited by RJdeVries
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Hi Gordon,

 

The headlights look very bright since the picture was taken without

any extra lighting, my room was dark at the time.

If used under normal circumstances there isn't even that much light being emitted as I would like there to be visible.

 

I'll be testing some more and May even redo the headlights with

proper sunny white one's.

 

Thanks for the observation :)

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

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Last wednesday my order of cork finally arrived so I wasted no time getting this glued
into place with ordinary woodglue.
 
46710628772_abee09607f_b.jpgKreatief met kurk by Robbert Jan., on Flickr
 
So yesterday when the glue had set there was a short period before going to work where
I took the time to install the Magnorail chain and got it correctly tensioned, in a way that it
isn't bunshing up in the guiderail. (especially when the chain is pushed rather then pulled)
 
It work's https://youtu.be/I1yZ2Tpx-gk

 

That was also the time to install the steering gear to the Land Rover, this was a challenge

in it self since the whole frame had to be cut of and I made a new one from plasticcard.

 

46733841252_eccd2db42a_b.jpgLand Rover Mk1 by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

The steering rack is a complete assembly from faller, with an adapted slider from faller.

 

46733841582_bc07f357eb_b.jpgLand Rover Mk1 by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

The body also needed a bit of work since there is no clearance for the wheels to turn.

The inner wheel wells had to be ground down with a dremel in order to make the room

for the wheels to fit inside, it should be enough, but the real test will be when the 

Magnorail track is covered with a road surface,

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

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Well I've been messing about with covering the Magnorail track with photocard and

this was with some initial troubles really do-able.

 

31862028567_33e8047b7c_b.jpgWegdek van fotokarton by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

I've used double sided carpet tape as an adhesive and placed it almost everywhere

to ensure the photocard doesn't pop up etc.

The individual pieces of photocard where taped together with clear packingtape.

 

And after a lot of trial and error a working slider was build that would fit the faller

steering gear, it is fixed underneith the steering gear and almost dead center.

This gives the most dependable turning action and since this is all solid there

is no real play in the system, for the better.

 

I've been running her for about 2 hours now and no problems at all.

 

39838252253_42c027b094_b.jpgLand Rover Mk 1 by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

Navigating a 180 degree turning point.

 

46751106542_8609523d47_b.jpgLand Rover Mk 1 by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

Coming out from under the bridge navigating a slight incline and bend in the road.

 

 

Now this is finished I finally can get to laying the track and points, installing point motors and all

the other items that should be installed prior to attacking scenery etc.

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

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Thanks!

 

 

I've been busy with the laying of the set of 6 points, fitting them with

drop wires for the Dcc current and the frog polarisation,

 

The points will be operated by Tortoise pointmotors on a fixed 9 volt Dc current

with a simple switch to operate.

 

45896991145_1843a976cc_b.jpgRail and point placement by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

I've soldered the wires directly to the underside of the rail, that includes the

frog because the attached wire snapped on the first installment after applying 

a small amount of force to pull the wire though.

 

31870560547_5eebb73dc6_b.jpgRail and point placement by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

And after a hour of soldering, alligning and cutting a piece of flexitrack the bulk of

the work has already been done and it all fits nicely after some adjustments to the

sleepers interfering with one and other.

 

The bit of flexitrack has also lost a third of the sleepers and I will space the remaining one's

out accordingly, I think it lookspretty neat so far.

 

45896989165_917a5cd91d_b.jpgRail and point placement by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

And well, there are already lot's of wires underneith the base, these will be sorted out

once the point motors are installed.

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

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Thanks!

 

 

I've been busy with the laying of the set of 6 points, fitting them with

drop wires for the Dcc current and the frog polarisation,

 

The points will be operated by Tortoise pointmotors on a fixed 9 volt Dc current

with a simple switch to operate.

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

 

Great progress Jan.

 

Assuming it is not already too late (and you may be doing this anyway of course), but Lance Mindheim (the doyen of US layout design and building) has a useful tip in the January newsletter I have just received.

 

He says that when you run your main power bus (he usually does that first), you solder your droppers to the rails (as you have done) as you install the points, but DON'T yet solder those droppers to the bus wires.  Then, connect-up the bus to your DCC booster/power supply, connecting each feeder set to the bus and immediately checking that a loco runs OK each time.  Continue connecting each pair of feeders and testing each time, repeating until they are all done.  That way, you will know which one is causing a problem (such as a short), whereas if you solder them all to the bus and then start testing, you will have no idea which one(s) is causing the problem.

 

Probably well known, but I know I would probably get on and do all the soldering first (LOL).

 

 

HTH

Edited by steveNCB7754
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Hi Steve,

 

Thanks for the tips and tricks.

 

I've yet to start wiring everything to the bus wire so I will keep the above in mind.

I do keep a strict wiring scedule as the red (rear) and black (front) wire with the

green wire for the frog (how convenient)

 

I'm currently at work and will be wiring some rails and more tomorrow and if it

all goes to plan the bus wire can then be installed and tested point by point.

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

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Well, a lot has been done since the last post.

 

I've been busy wiring the point motors and connecting all the

drop wires to the main bus wires for the Dcc system.

 

46790369782_d78b2933fb_b.jpgWiring the point motors by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

The point motors where powered up one at a time to check the

polarisation of the frog and to wire them correctly.

 

Meanwhile the other parts of the track where made ready and

an initail trail run has been made without any hickups.

 

32966989478_9bfd9eb1c0_b.jpgRunning the first train! by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

32966987218_5775f82d1c_b.jpgRunning the first train! by Robbert Jan., on Flickr

 

And ofcourse a short clip; https://youtu.be/YXrIaLlBAFk

 

 

The remainder of the trackwork will also be installed whilst the landscaping can 

also take place in order to hide the open areas.

 

 

Regards,

 

Robbert Jan.

Edited by RJdeVries
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