kenwards colliery in a box file

[sb67]

Nice to see some more pics Kevo. I like the Volvo, who makes that? 

[kevo]

Hi steve i havent got the original box any more . i have just looked on E Bay  there are one or to makes that do it.  one is Motorart . there are a good few still around . but i have given mine a good weather ing 

[TechnicArrow]

That track-level view from the fiddle yard looks perfect! Everything is nicely enclosed from that angle, and it really shows off the loading platfrom which isn't immediately obvious in photos from the front of the layout. Are you planning to add any figures to the scene, or leave it relatively 'quiet'?

[kevo]

yes the very last few tweeks will be to add a asortment of bits junk oil drums etc and i do have some Bachmann miners  figures to add . thanks to every body so far for the kind coments . one advantage is the front of the layout was such a tight fit i didnt have to glue it in place so it can be removed . which helps when cleaning the track etc 

[kevo]

Hi all . have ing been working at another project for the last few  months  that sudden lack of interest crept  in . i packed it all away  untill i felt like another go . so flicking through the micro layouts to try and kick start a urge again i came across luke's Cronton colliery you tube rebuild flim .brilliant stuff . i enjoyed it so much within 10 mins i had my Kenwards colliery layout out from storeage under my bench and track rubber in hand cleaned up the track and running locos again . and later that week a new loco was added  a class 24 . so i will be playing around with this and adding some more bits now and then . i guess what did it was  have ing done the same as luke rebuilding mine 2 give it a second life 

[1722]

And what a cracking little model the rebuild is. Great stuff and nice to see it again. 

[luke the train spotter]

Really nice to see some more pictures of this layout. Definitely one of my all time micro layout favourites. That 24 really suits the scene nicely too and just adds to the washed out colours of the layout .

[kevo]

Thanks 1722 and Luke for the comments . one disadvatage i have had with this micro was lack of rolling stock most of my waons went with one of the other layouts i had when sold on then i kept switching  to amercian ho and the poor old british stock was just a few old kit builds brought second hand at collectors fares which i kept for working out space ing on sideings etc . any way i have managed to throw together some wagons to get some thing running till stock is rebuilt up .as i was wanting to get some thing on the move this  weekend i have grabbed any  thing that was in the scrap box all i had was two Hornby china clay covered hoppers hoods taken off and blasted with grime from my air brush and two old Dapol coal hoppers same treatment was given to them . lucky i had some Kadee couplers at hand to fit . so now i have a few wagons to shunt under the loading hopper . the Hornby J94 is a bit of poor runner but i do want to run some steam locos . i am thinking of getting another newer one fitting dccc and a stay alive , i expect a few people have tried this and wonder what there experience  are for this model . as i really should build up some more short wheel based locos but want them to run relaible 

[sb67]

Good to see some more pics of Kenwards Colliery Kevo. The class 24 looks great too 

[kevo]

Thanks steve . i do like the class 24's and 25's  good little work horse they are . i am hope ing to fit a sound decoder in the 24 soon .

[steve1]

Excellent looking boxfile layout. Don't know how I have missed it before.

 

steve

[kevo]

Thanks Steve1  glad you like layout . i can spend hrs trawling  through this section  and still come across topics ive missed as well easy done

[kevo]

 Another addition to the loco fleet a Heljan 05 grinds in to the yard pushing a single wagon 

[Tryfan]

Really nice little layout. Any chance of a photo of the chute arrangement to the loader please?

David

[kevo]

Hi David .haveing built the shute with loading in mind i have to say i have yet to try it . doint known if you have looked on pages 1&2 .it shows the loading hopper in its build state . basically its a kit bash of a ratio coal hopper . i just added my own top part . i should have made the roof removeable but fixed it in place . one of the photos shows the small hole cut in to the back board  a bit of plastic u shapped tube  was made up to poke through in to the hopper for the coal to slide down into a waiting wagon . hope thats of help.

[Tryfan]

Thanks for that. The reason I asked was I wondered whether there was some control mechanism for the amount of coal dropping into the wagon. I would imagine it would be easier to have pre measured amounts to drop into the chute.

David

[kevo]

Yes that would have been a good idea other wise there would have been a right old mess . and i would have to make up different amounts depending on what sort of coal wagons i was use ing at  the time . 

[kevo]

I must admit  there are a few problems when running the layout that i should have put more thought in when building it . the main spur that runs under the loading hopper can take 3 wagons  the middle road was for store ing a loco or a single wagon but its proveing to  short i can only just get a short wheelbase coal wagon on if i want to use the uncouple ing magnet . things can work better if i use two locos . one loco  to bring in empty wagons under the hopper  uncouples  and reverse back on to the two track traverser . then a second loco take the wagons one at a time to the loading dock where the JCB  can load up . then it becomes a bit of a scramble  to keep things on the move with out getting grid lock . but its all good fun . but to run a smooth  session  i really need to get my stock of shunters fitted with decent stay  alives i have tried fitting two of the locos allready but it didnt inprove things 1st was my Hornby 08  and a Bachmann 03  . from what i have read on different sites it apears that some of the stay alives are just not powerful enough and what a few people recomend is fitting super stay alives so i will have to look in to this . other wise it spoils any enjouyment where the locos keep stalling  . 

[luke the train spotter]

On eBay if you search Laisdcc stay alive you can get a high capacity stay alive unit and decoder for about £20 posted and that's what I've started using and I'd absolutely recommend them. You may have to compromise some of the looks as cab details some times have to be sacrificed for the space to fit the stay alive but it's well worth it. I find the large stay alive unit fits nicely in the djm j94 boiler and the  decoder can be fitted on top of it too. 

[kevo]

Hi luke i still have the 2 six pin decoders and re tried them in my 03 one is a Laisdcc with a stay alive  and the other is a zen with a stay alive . as i havent used the loco for some time i gave it a good run on my rolling road on DC then  tried the laisdcc 1st .and nothing wouldnt even jolt . tried the zen  bit of sucess but very poor runner . from what i have seen of stay alives on u tube etc they will at least run the loco when picked up of the track for a few sconds depending on how high powerered they are mine is deffently not doing any think . so not sure what route to take go for another one and try again . thats why i thought of a higher powered one rather than buy the same one agian 

[luke the train spotter]

Those both definitely look like the lower power ones which basically make no visible difference. I think they're more intended for dummy dmu units to help reduce flickering for the led lights which obviously draw much less current than a motor. I have used this exact one to great effect. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laisdcc-8-pin-NEM652-Trailing-plug-DCC-Decoder-with-stay-alive-kit-new-UK-stock/192671932108?epid=1364785147&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item2cdc245ecc:g:OaYAAOSwmVdbg-A5

I timed it that it gave over 30 seconds of slow speed shunting once lifted off the track which is more than enough. Though it is hard to get in the UK but well worth picking up is the TCS ka4 capacitor unit which is smaller than the other high capacity stay alive units and its compatible with this decoder which can be bought seperately from the same eBay seller. 

[kevo]

Thanks luke that has putt my mind at rest over that . it can be a right mine field sometimes with decoders  thanks for the link .i will defently give that one a try and being a 8 pin one that will do for my Hornby 08 .and looking at the sellers shop i think i found a six pin decoder and the same capacitor wich will do for my 05 and 03 . is that the same capactior you fitted in your J94  as i have a Hornby one 

[luke the train spotter]

3 hours ago, kevo said:

Thanks luke that has putt my mind at rest over that . it can be a right mine field sometimes with decoders  thanks for the link .i will defently give that one a try and being a 8 pin one that will do for my Hornby 08 .and looking at the sellers shop i think i found a six pin decoder and the same capacitor wich will do for my 05 and 03 . is that the same capactior you fitted in your J94  as i have a Hornby one 

Yes it is the same capacitor that i fitted to my j94 though mine is a DJ models one which I believe has more room in the boiler than the Hornby one which is where I put the decoder and capacitor unit. A general rule of thumb with the laisdcc stay alive decoders is if they haven't got 87 at the start of their product number they won't be compatible with the high capacity stay alive stuff. Laisdcc decoders without that product number but still sell themselves as stay alive decoders are only compatible with low capacity stay alive units which are so ineffective and not worth getting. If you were to wire a high capacity unit up to one you'd blow the decoder (lesson learned the hard way). 

[kevo]

cheers luke  you have been very helpfull  with that info . as soon as i got home from work 2 day i have taken the body shells of my 08 ,03 ,05  shunters to have a measure up to see what room i would have . well with a bit of a glum face i doint think i have a chance in hell of squeez ing in one of those 4 cm high capacitor in any of those . may be the TSC KA 4 you said about might be a option .

[luke the train spotter]

32 minutes ago, kevo said:

cheers luke  you have been very helpfull  with that info . as soon as i got home from work 2 day i have taken the body shells of my 08 ,03 ,05  shunters to have a measure up to see what room i would have . well with a bit of a glum face i doint think i have a chance in hell of squeez ing in one of those 4 cm high capacitor in any of those . may be the TSC KA 4 you said about might be a option .

The TCS ka4s are very good but difficult to get. I think I bought my last couple from coastal DCC but am not too sure. There are also these high capacity stay alive units available and you can choose 3 different sizes though the smaller ones are out of stock at the moment the stocks of this seller are often refreshed fairly regularly. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laisdcc-Model-Railway-Stay-Alive-Device-Kit-three-size-options-New-UK-Stock/202854819729?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item2f3b16e791:m:mlEVg0Jr62gdGHei44dtmPw I'm not sure what DCC controller youre using but you need to be able to change cv29 to a value of 2 for the stay alive capacitors to be able to discharge power.