The North Kent Light Railway

[hobbyhorse]

Until recently I've only publicised the North Kent Light Railway on Facebook, which was OK. But it's now time for a proper thread, so I'm going to start from its beginning which started with a small test board. Apologies to those that have followed it on Facebook, but this thread will go into greater detail.

The theme for the layout will be industrial based on cement manufacturing, very freelance but using my experience working for BR visiting locations in North Kent and the Medway area, you might recognise location names which won't be anything like the real place. The idea is that most of the works and quarry's are connected by narrow gauge lines that feed a standard gauge line, and when built all the equipment was American, but as time progressed locos and rolling stock would be rebuilt making them look a bit more English. 

Why ON30/ 0-16.5, well I've done 00, EM, S4 and 0 gauges over the years and want a new challenge. My space is limited and the model will fit into my shed above my other toys (machine tools) at a track height of 55 inches for the main line. All the boards will hang from brackets fixed to the walls.
ON30 enables some quite tight radius curves, and the main line will be 24 inch. The plan gives a flavour of what I'd like located in two parts of the shed.
Next is to draw the plan full size.

One important area is the layout is being designed with operations in mind using the car card and waybills system, which should keep 5 operators fully employed.

Anyway onto the the test board, this will test out different radius points, servo point motors and the electrical control gear for power management, detection, signalling and JMRI control.

I've not built a layout in over 20 years but have been heavily involved with other areas, so this will bring me up to date as this is going to be in a new  gauge to me, 0N-30/ 0-16.5.

Using 5 different radius points will prove which locos can be run over them, one Peco, two Fast track and two Roy Link types, these are assembled up in copper clad, with the Roy Link ones having pivoting switch blades.

Initial thoughts are the hidden storage will Peco track, and the visible parts all hand made.  

With all the various boards and servos connected up and tested, no problems encounter with the electronics. A couple of issues with the point motor servos, firstly out of the five servos two have died, one with gear problems and the other with the built in circuit board. These are the servos supplied with the driver boards and are a cheap type. The other issue is the need to attach a switch to give feedback for point position, my thoughts are going towards the tortoise type. 

Simon

[hobbyhorse]

Well the complicated electronics work which is very satisfying. I've added JMRI to the test board and after a learning curve it works as well, one problem so far is if manually throwing the points it doesn't show on JMRI which if I understand correctly is because the Tam Valley decoders don't have a loconet connection, so no feed back. I have just linked up the Digitrax point unit and that does give feed back to JMRI. One bit that I was certain wouldn't work was using my smartphone via JMRI and router, and to my amazement it did.

(This section was written in April 2017 on Facebook, and after extensive testing with the sevro point throws the reliability wasn’t that good. So the I went for the Tortoise type with the DS52’s to control them, which gives the required feedback.)

 

 

Before cutting any timber I've draw some bits of the layout full size. One benefit is to check it all fits and more importantly the operating bits of the points don't fall on joints, the the motors can be located with conflicting with the cross bracing.

 

 

 

A start was made on the first two boards for the loco shed and lower yard.

Nothing complicated just soft wood frame with ply tops, the next board is a lift out board as it crosses a door way, so I've made up some pullout dowel connections, with alinement for the rest of the boards I’m using pattern makers dowels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simon

[hobbyhorse]

Progress is a bit slow because the layout is fitting around the walls in my workshop, this has some drawbacks as quiet a few benches need lowering and lots of stuff needs moving.

Any way another two boards done. These are for the hidden storage yard, plus I've made some wall brackets to support them. As you can see some of the wall lining has been removed, not pretty but once the back scenes are added it'll cover the hacked wood.

 

 

 

 

Before building any more boards I want to establish the hidden yard configuration of the turnouts and how the cement processing plant that is on top of the yard will work.

The cement plant boards will be open top as these are on two levels.

 

 

 

Good progress this week with another four baseboards, two for the cement works and two for the main line.

The next boards are going to be a bit more challenging to build as these will provide the link between the lower yard and the high level main line. It's amazing how much timber is eaten up with these boards, another trip needed to buy some more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simon

 

 

[hobbyhorse]

Some significant progress has been made with the baseboards with all the frame work complete. 

The next big job is the ply tops for those boards that haven't already been added.

 

Simon

[hobbyhorse]

The track work for the hidden sidings has take a couple of days to lay, and using the alinement jigs from Fast Tracks made things easy. With this area I've used Peco ON30 track and made a few mods to the turnouts to improve reliability, the rest of the layout will be hand built track.  A few changes have been made to the layout which should make operating easier. Originally I was going to have 7 straight sidings for the main line and one for the quarry which would have been tight if anything derailed, but with 6 it's more manageable to get to the stock without moving adjacent stock. Extending the lead of the lower yard access has given an additional siding so I've actually got 7 sidings, but have lost a dead end siding from the hidden quarry. 

 

 

Simon

[hobbyhorse]

Starting on board N's wiring.

The plan was to use a solder tag strip to localise the various wires before routing them the inter board connecter, not a good idea as the wires started getting congested and the amount for heat required to solder the heavier wires melts the insulation. As I was using screw connections with bootlace ferrules for the inter board ones it made sense to use them also for the various connections within the board. Much neater overall.I've checked over the wiring and other than one wrong connection all is good, have also made some notes that'll go into the wiring book. The switches have also been tested and connected to JMRI.

 

 

I've completed the wiring on all of the fiddle yard boards and also on the detection and power management boards for those boards, next is to make up the cable runs linking the boards together, then hopefully should be able to do some testing. On area I've been thinking about is the various local control panels that will be needed around the layout, one option is to makeup some temporary ones to enable the layout to be run and importantly see if any changes need to be made to the track layout before committing to the permanent ones. I've planned to have four operators to run the layout, one dispatcher running the JMRI panel with the other 3 running the trains between the various areas. All the local areas will use the the local panels for controlling the movements within those areas. Have the lads over to run the layout will probably give me the feedback needed, anyway that's a way off but good to get a few ideas sorted.

 

 

Finished the wiring today on the fiddle yard by adding the RJ12 connectors and cables and switched on the system for the first time, and I'm pleased to report after lots of testing it works. Only three issues that needed some attention, one was a tiny bit copper that after gaping the copper clad sleepers was enough to give the occupied indication on the occupancy detector, a gauging issue with the K27 on the grade out of the yard, and lastly is a problem with the new DCS240 command station which is randomly throwing the points, I've plugged in the old DCS100 until I've figured out what needs changing on the new unit. Next is to make the local control panel for the yard, and after consulting with those that'll be do the operating it's the preferred choice. I'm still going to build in the option of using phone/ tablet to control points, signals and routes. The basic JMRI panel works well and I'm playing around with different track colours, and working out the routes needed for the yard.

 

Also completed the main distribution boards that have the power management, detection, signalling and power supplies, and started running some of the track feeder wires around the layout.

 

It might look as if this has been completed very quickly, but in reality it took a couple of months.

Simon

[hobbyhorse]

This weeks update is plotting out the track bed and getting some track down.

I've followed the first plan that was drawn up fairly closely with a few tweaks, and using some point templates and cork underlay rapid progress has been made.

Some testing with the sleepers to get the colouring correct has helped with the base colours, so that these can be coloured once in position and distressed at the same time.

I’ve built a lot of track over the years in most scales and gauges, so with this project I’m using something new to me, Fast Tracks. With around 50 points to make the outlay on these jigs is definitely money well spent, I can construct a point with basic point in 25 minutes that’s in gauge and very accurate. I’m having to make some points off jig, some curved and a three way, these will just use the paper templates downloaded from Fast Tracks.

The spiking does look a bit daunting at first bit once you get into the swing its quite enjoyable.

Simon

 

[hobbyhorse]

Making good progress with the mainline that joins the branch at the cement works reception roads, the key point is curved so used one of the down loaded templates for it. 

Couldn't resist a couple of shots with a loco on the new track work.

For the next section towards Northfleet quarry spent a pleasant afternoon making the points.

 

Simon

 

[hobbyhorse]

The wiring although it's basically simple does require some planning because of the amount of it. Although I'm going to use JMRI panel pro I still want local panels for the various industries and a master panel as backup.

So after what seemed a long period the wiring was completed and after a bit of testing and tracing a few faults it all worked. I've not started on the JMRI panel yet, but no hurry with that.

 

Simon

[hobbyhorse]

I've been playing around with this bash on the Bachmann Porter, it's got sound and stay alive and extra pick ups from the wagon that certainly improves running. The inspiration came from a 2 foot gauge loco I used to own with 3 others.

Simon

[hobbyhorse]

The turntable which is from the Kitwood Hill range was only my second laser cut wooden kit that I've assembled, and I'm mightily impressed with how easily it went together.

I found it needed plenty of weights to keep everything flat whilst the glues set, using super glue and new glue to me called Super Phatic which is water based to assemble it.

The only other bits I've added is an old DCC chip the control the motor, and a Frog Juicer to switch the polarity.

Simon

[hobbyhorse]

Installed the pits on 2 of the shed roads, also playing around with some building mockups.

I've been looking around for some small cameras to be able to view the hidden storage sidings, a friend lent be some to test and seam to fit what's required.

 

Simon

 

[hobbyhorse]

Time to start on the Ore Bin for Northfleet Quarry, its from the Kitwood Hill range.

It goes together really well, I'm making a few mods as its going to work with servos driving the doors and chutes.

Added extra weight on the chutes to help lower them, some brass channel for the chains to run in, lighter springs for the doors and some tubing 

to run the operating rods from the servos.

Simon

 

[Jack]

On 20/11/2019 at 10:50, hobbyhorse said:

Starting on board N's wiring.

The plan was to use a solder tag strip to localise the various wires before routing them the inter board connecter, not a good idea as the wires started getting congested and the amount for heat required to solder the heavier wires melts the insulation. As I was using screw connections with bootlace ferrules for the inter board ones it made sense to use them also for the various connections within the board. Much neater overall.I've checked over the wiring and other than one wrong connection all is good, have also made some notes that'll go into the wiring book. The switches have also been tested and connected to JMRI.

 

Simon

 

This is a very impressive layout Simon.

 

Can I ask what the Tortoise connectors are and where you got them from?  The ones I got from C&L are pretty flimsy and have had to be replaced a couple of times, whereas the ones pictured seem to be a lot better.

[hobbyhorse]

Thank you Jack,

 

I'm using  Acculite snaps from Coastall DCC, just ensure the plastic spacers are fixed inside the socket on them.

 

Simon

 

 

 

 

[Titanius Anglesmith]

Entirely off-topic, but it looks like you've got a few interesting gizmos in the background, e.g. pantograph, surface grinder, shaper...... 

[Jack]

On 19/04/2020 at 12:16, hobbyhorse said:

Thank you Jack,

 

I'm using  Acculite snaps from Coastall DCC, just ensure the plastic spacers are fixed inside the socket on them.

 

Simon

 

 

Thanks, I'll give them a try.

[hobbyhorse]

18 hours ago, Titanius Anglesmith said:

Entirely off-topic, but it looks like you've got a few interesting gizmos in the background, e.g. pantograph, surface grinder, shaper...... 

Yes the layouts above the machine tools.

 

Simon

[Nile]

On 20/04/2020 at 11:53, Titanius Anglesmith said:

Entirely off-topic, but it looks like you've got a few interesting gizmos in the background, e.g. pantograph, surface grinder, shaper...... 

Have you seen this?

 

[hobbyhorse]

18 hours ago, Nile said:

Have you seen this?

 

That reminds me I must do an update on the Darent builds.

 

Simon

[Titanius Anglesmith]

20 hours ago, Nile said:

Have you seen this?

 

 

I have now. Very interesting, thank you for the link

[hobbyhorse]

Just posted a Daren't updated in the Scratch build thread. 

Starting on some Foamex walling.

Simon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by hobbyhorse
Corrected

[hobbyhorse]

Completed fitting all the servos, operating wires and chains, after some testing I found that the arm that opens the doors wasn't man enough for the job, so made some new ones in brass, this is much better and works well. I'm using some Woodland Scenic ballast at the moment, it flows quite well.

 

Simon

 

 

 

[hobbyhorse]

With the Ore bin working well I've put that aside, and made a start on the chalk walling and some of the various building around the Northfleet Quarry.

The walls are from Woodland scenic moulds, and I break them into smaller pieces to give a better random effect.

So far buildings wise I've started on the yard office, fuel tank, water tower, bridge and loco shed, still lots of detailing required on them but I can see how these fit into the scene before finalising the positions.

 

Simon

 

 

[hobbyhorse]

With the Ore Bin working, the last couple of days I've been working up the mechanical bits for unloading the ore tippers. The design needs to hold the chassis to stop it tipping and then move the body enough to discharge the ore, and also allow clearance for the loco and wagons to move through the unloading bay and it needs to fit into a fairly small space. So the two rams would need quite a bit of travel, the body ram is round and I've speeded up the movement which does clear most of the ore, ( I'm using woodlands scenic ballast at the moment.) the chassis ram is square as this gives better contact area, I did try round but it tended to wobbly a bit. The unloading area is designed to hold four wagons so these need to be reliable, which so far is looking good. The biggest problem is the design of the tipping linkage on the wagons which tends to be a bit tight, but by stripping the wagons down and freeing up the linkage it dramatically improves the performance. I've tried some crushed stone ballast in the ore bin and tippers and it runs more freely so it's probably the way forward. Time now to build the other three sets.

Simon