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23 minutes ago, MAP66 said:

Hi Steve

 

I'm just wondering about the foam board, was the layout stored in the loft where temperatures were fluctuating and not constant as moisture and temperature fluctuations may have caused the foam-board to warp or shrink and cause it to become unstuck. I read accounts of people who have used no6 screws to screw the foam board back down with glue where it has lifted. That could work with a washer as well to spread the load. Then the depression can be disguised with filler and ground cover. Maybe give that a go first before ripping it all off, if I'm not too late with the advice.

 

All the best

Mark

Used no more nails type adhesive for laminated foamboard boards with success, check out Milton Quay, great material in the right circumstances 

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6 hours ago, MAP66 said:

Hi Steve

 

I'm just wondering about the foam board, was the layout stored in the loft where temperatures were fluctuating and not constant as moisture and temperature fluctuations may have caused the foam-board to warp or shrink and cause it to become unstuck. I read accounts of people who have used no6 screws to screw the foam board back down with glue where it has lifted. That could work with a washer as well to spread the load. Then the depression can be disguised with filler and ground cover. Maybe give that a go first before ripping it all off, if I'm not too late with the advice.

 

All the best

Mark

 

Hi Mark

 

The layout is in a loft, but it has been fully converted into a room with ventilation, insulation etc, so I don't think that was the issue.  I genuinely think that it was the spray carpet glue that simply wasn't up to the job.  (I can't remember if it was from Lidl or Wilko - it is definitely a "no-brand", not even an own-brand!)

 

Thanks for the suggestions - I haven't yet removed it all so will reconsider.

 

Hours of clean, healthy fun!

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50 minutes ago, saxokid said:

Looks nice build this Steve..

 

Thanks, although "build" hasn't really happened yet! 

 

Have flipped the rear right hand point over to fake a left hand point, in order to have a siding curve away towards the back, with the factory entrance gateway acting as a view block.  The problem is that the straight siding would struggle to hold three wagons (for the Inglenook puzzle).  My latest track plan is the most efficient as the board isn't actually four foot long, but I have lost the curves of my original plan and it looks more "train set"!  As I said earlier, code 100 and set track points, but I'd like to achieve something pleasant to look at as well as function as a shunting puzzle!

 

STAY SAFE - STAY HOME - KEEP MODELLING TO PROTECT THE NHS

Edited by SteveyDee68
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Locksley (of this parish) is busily creating 3D printed buildings for his microlayout "Frost's Mill" and one picture in particular (reproduced here - hope you don't mind, Alex) provides me with an unashamedly nicked solution for the ends of my two parallel sidings, should I stick with my final trackplan!  What a great way of doing away with bufferstops!! (I had been worrying about how to avoid wasting precious siding capacity on them!)

 

Hours of filching fun

 

 

IMG_0843.JPG

photo credit : Locksley - Frost's Mill

Edited by SteveyDee68
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5 hours ago, sb67 said:

They look good Steve.

 

Thanks, Steve, but to be clear the photo is of Frost's Mill by Locksley from his thread of the same name - I agree that they do look very good, but not my work (I'm sorry to say!)

 

Steve

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6 hours ago, sb67 said:

Ok, thanks Steve, I'll have to search that. Will you build your own version? 

 

 

I've drawn out a building inspired by Locksley's, but had a delivery of a couple of points and a bit of track so had another play around with sidings to see if I could achieve a result with more interesting sidings layout than my latest attempt. At this moment, I may need one siding to run "into" a building like the above, another will go into the works entrance archway and the third will either finish in a bufferstop or through a gate in a wall (as per your layout Peckett's Wharf"!)

 

However, most of this evening was lost disappearing down a rabbit hole of research into fish vis a vis herrings, cod, kippers, bloaters etc, finding suitable photos, editing, scaling to size for 4mm, printing out, boxing up and - for some fish hanging off a rail - cutting out individual fish to glue onto a length of microstrip!  All to change a Metcalfe shop into a more appropriate fishmongers (rather than an appliance shop/shoe shop/estate agents!). I feel like I may have overdone the detailing as most of it will be difficult to see once completed, but as it is quite rough and ready in places that's is probably a blessing!

 

I was planning a bakery - this time, though, I think a Georgian shop window so the interior can't be seen!! :laugh_mini2:

 

Hours Days of fun!

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Update

 

Another track plan change, but this time this is it!

 

Back to a couple of curved sidings.  These will both continue "offscene" at the front of the layout (?!) so will need to find a way to terminate them to stop stock falling off the edge of the world when shunting! :lol:

 

The middle siding is where the train is assembled, with four wagon capacity and five to complete the consist! Front siding (kickback to quay) and rear siding (to brewery/maltings/warehouse) both hold 3 wagons.

 

Meanwhile, I stripped back the foamboard!  The white patches are where the glue actually held properly!  I then sanded down the surface with a rotary sander to get it level.

 

Trackwork was then sprayed (1) primer grey (2) primer red misted  (3) camouflage (very matt) (4) primer red misted (5) camouflage touched up.  I'd read this in an article, and didn't want to spend too long painting my track. Scraped off the top surface etc of the rails with a coffee stirrer (not a track rubber!!). It's not perfect or super detailed, but no longer looks plastic and is the furthest I have ever got with a layout (whoop!)

 

Next job - soldering power feeds.  Ambition - power each piece of track to ensure good power.  Reality - practiced for a couple of hours on scrap track, as first attempt at soldering.  Result?  Two melted sleepers (rats!), one perfect soldered dropper wire (yes!) and one badly burnt finger (ouch!). So success rate currently 25% :huh:

 

I have much to learn.  Depending upon how I fare with my practice soldering, the layout will either have all the dropper wires as planned or will revert to two Hornby power clips!! :laugh_mini2:

 

Hours of fun!

 

 

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Ever finalise a plan and then go "oops" because perhaps you didn't think it through quite as much as you thought you had?

 

Yup.  That.

 

The curve of the middle siding goes too far into the corner for me to fit an end backscene board. If I move all the track over to the left, the headshunt (engine + 3 wagons) gets tight - possibly too tight, which would scupper the Inglenook formula! If I simply shorten the siding, I struggle to fit a five wagon train into any siding, scuppering the... you get my point!

 

Hmmmm.

 

This is all using tension lock couplings.

 

I have been admiring Frost Mill by Locksley and he uses three link couplings.  They look great.  They also allow stock to couple together a little closer.  They also do away with any necessity for uncoupling devices, other than a hook held by the hand in the sky!

 

If I go down that route, I could also use manual switch throws on the points!  After all, if the hand in the sky is coupling wagons up why not do the points too?  I am not planning on exhibiting this layout, so what the heck?!

 

Oh, decisions, decisions!

 

I can envisage selling lots of couplings on eBay in the near future!! 

 

Hours of fun!

 

Steve S

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Hi Steve, I've lost count of times I've changed my mind with a plan, guess that's all part of the fun! I'd persevere with soldering and avoid just using a track clip, power to each bit of track is def the way to go. That will ensure good running and the last thing you want is to ballast or concrete your track then find out there's a bad connection somewhere, that's something I've found out the hard way! 

Have you tried 3 links before, are you familiar with buffer locking, which can be a problem using them? It's good that with newer wagons and loco's you can just unclip the tension locks and try it out with out having to cut anything off. I'm a fan of Frost Mill too, have you looked at Locksley's other work? There's some fine modelling there.

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Morning Steve. 

 

I'm really enjoying how this is evolving. Good stuff! 

 

To add to the coupling thing.....

 

I retain tension locks on my stock as I find them convenient and I'm not bothered by the appearance and they work. 

 

One thing to consider with three links is access. 

 

Once a back scene, end boards and lighting are added ( if you are going down this route ) access becomes a tad restricted. 

 

The other view to take is that in theory (!) with tension locks you only need to manually uncouple. Coupling up is 'automatic'. Less hands involved. 

 

I use a paddle to uncouple which I knocked up out of a bit of copper and brass. (picture below) 

 

Personally, I would carry on with building the layout and if you are still so inclined, convert the stock after.

 

I've also added a picture of my layout to illustrate the TL aren't always jumping out at you. One way to minimise the appearance of the TL is to weather them. 

 

Rob. 

1588923881947862881739.jpg

20200430_214742-02.jpeg

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Wow. Well, I've bought a job lot of three link couplings off eBay at a cracking price.  But Rob (NHY 581) makes a good argument for tension locks (especially his photos).  My big issue with them is that I have so many types, plus Dapol NEM couplings seem to droop badly, so there's so much fettling involved that I might as well go to three link! 

 

As for access, I have already revised my plans for buildings to ensure access to couplings from the front, whether three link or tension lock!  I'd already planned my tightest siding to disappear into a warehouse with the end of a parked wagon acting as a buffer stop (a butchered LIMA box van!) after running through the factory gatehouse, then realised that would make access to couplings tricky, so a rethink was required...  

 

HOURS OF LOCKDOWN FUN!

Edited by SteveyDee68
Correcting stupid autospell!! Again!!
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On 20/01/2020 at 08:25, SteveyDee68 said:

Update

 

Inspiration struck a short while ago...

 

The Inglenook formula requires three sidings, of capacity 5 wagons, 3 wagons and 3 wagons, plus a headshunt for a loco plus 3 wagons. What I had forgotten was that there are not 11 wagons "in play", but just 8 ... which means at the start/end of shunting, one of the 3 wagon capacity sidings can be completely clear of wagons.  

 

Originally I tried to squeeze an extra point onto the board for an engine shed but struggled to do so. However, I realised that if I put the engine shed at the end of one of the 3 wagon capacity sidings, I could model some loco facilities after all!

 

The curved middle siding started with a very short piece of straight track; by moving that to the other end of the siding, I created enough width around that end to put a loco shed (gable end) on the board in low relief. This is when my "Eureka" moment occured...

 

The pictures show a possible two engine sequence, which would work best with a "fiddle stick" attached at the right hand end of the layout.

 

1. The sequence starts with the Works Loco (WL) isolated on the engine shed siding as the train arrives behind the "mainline" loco (ML) on the arrival/sorting line...

IMG_0553.JPG

 

2. ML detaches from train, and then...

IMG_0554.JPG

 

3. ML "parks" on rear siding (not used for wagons  in the Inglenook puzzle) and WL leaves loco siding to shunt the wagons...

IMG_0555.JPG

 

4. Inglenook now in operation - loco siding used as 3 wagon capacity siding as part of Inglenook. Headshunt does take 3 wagons + Loco (clipped on photo!)...

IMG_0556.JPG

 

5. WL completes the Inglenook challenge - ML crew have grabbed a brew...

IMG_0557.JPG

 

6. Train now in correct order on "departure" line, and loco siding cleared of remaining stock and reverts back to servicing the WL...

IMG_0558.JPG

 

7. WL returns to loco siding, and ML comes off rear siding to propel train off onto fiddle stick.

IMG_0559.JPG

 

Using a cassette fiddle stick, a new 5 wagon train can arrive behind another ML (loco) and the sequence starts again! In reality, the train doesn't have to depart, but it does add a level of realism/fun to the proceedings!

 

Apologies to go on at length - this is as much for me to record my ideas for myself as to share, but any feedback or suggestions appreciated!

 

Steve S

 

 

 

 

You should be able to shunt the wagons so that the main line loco is leading the train off the board not propelling.

 

Gordon A

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3 hours ago, Gordon A said:

You should be able to shunt the wagons so that the main line loco is leading the train off the board not propelling.

 

Gordon A

 

Hi Gordon

 

I agree that would happen in reality.  As it is, getting the loco onto the correct end of the train with this track layout would require a heck of a lot of switched sections (using DC) which is way beyond my pay scale  skills set!

 

This layout was based on the classic Inglenook puzzle design; that had the loco shunt the wagons into the correct formation but never leave the yard - if it did, it would pull them out.  However, that same scenario would have the loco propel the wagons into the yard, as there was no loop to get it at the correct end to shunt.

 

As it happens, I decided I didn't like that particular design, and changed it.  As the board is just over three feet long, I can't fit a loop so the loco will have to propel wagons on stage (so to speak).

 

Unless my plan for a scenic fiddle extension including a loop comes to pass, that is!!

 

Steve S

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Gordon A - you have a lot to answer for! Have just spent three quarters of an hour rearranging the track, adding some bits in using some other points etc, all to try and create a loop to allow an engine to arrive at the head of a train and depart likewise!  I simply couldn't retain the Inglenook puzzle and by squeezing in the loop effectively reduced my train length to three wagons and left just two sidings to shunt!

 

I am now torn between retaining the Inglenook or having a loop!   Aaaargh!  :O

 

In other news, another shade of "water" has been applied that is closer to the colour of the base of the Scalescenes dock walls.  Might I finally be happy with the colour?

Edited by SteveyDee68
Water colour update!
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19 minutes ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Gordon A - you have a lot to answer for! Have just spent three quarters of an hour rearranging the track, adding some bits in using some other points etc, all to try and create a loop to allow an engine to arrive at the head of a train and depart likewise!  I simply couldn't retain the Inglenook puzzle and by squeezing in the loop effectively reduced my train length to three wagons and left just two sidings to shunt!

 

I am now torn between retaining the Inglenook or having a loop!   Aaaargh!  :O

 

In other news, another shade of "water" has been applied that is closer to the colour of the base of the Scalescenes dock walls.  Might I finally be happy with the colour?

 

The operational benefits  from having a loop will outweigh the reduction in train length, Steve. 

 

It will be fine..........

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1 hour ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Gordon A - you have a lot to answer for! Have just spent three quarters of an hour rearranging the track, adding some bits in using some other points etc, all to try and create a loop to allow an engine to arrive at the head of a train and depart likewise!  I simply couldn't retain the Inglenook puzzle and by squeezing in the loop effectively reduced my train length to three wagons and left just two sidings to shunt!

 

I am now torn between retaining the Inglenook or having a loop!   Aaaargh!  :O

 

In other news, another shade of "water" has been applied that is closer to the colour of the base of the Scalescenes dock walls.  Might I finally be happy with the colour?

 

I think you would get away with an isolating section at the end of the head shunt, providing the points isolate the sidings when not set to enter said road.

Gordon A :-)

 

Edited by Gordon A
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6 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

 

The operational benefits  from having a loop will outweigh the reduction in train length, Steve. 

 

It will be fine..........

 

Well, I can't believe that I spent another hour pondering about the loop and trying configurations with the points I have.  I know that if I was capable of using Templot and making my own track, I could probably do it easily using non-standard track geometry, but as I haven't yet made more than a single (practice) soldered joint without almost hospitalising myself, I think that should be for another day month year!

 

I simply cannot fit a loop of any usable length into the space I have without ending up with a headshunt too short for anything other than my 48DS to get around!  I wouldn't want the loop less than three wagons long, and to have two sidings - one to the quayside and one to a brewery/warehouse. 

 

Back to to my last plan...

 

Or shall I have one last try? 

 

:O

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(Oh no, not another) Update:

 

Never before have I progressed to the point of painting track, and I was all set to go with my final track plan, a simple 5-3-2 Inglenook puzzle shunting layout...

 

And then along came Gordon A pointing out that in my earlier scheme my "mainline" loco should not propel wagons away onto the "main line" (so to speak), which set me to wondering...

 

And then Rob (NHY 581) also pointed out that a loop was operationally worth a shorter train length.  I admire Bleat Wharf, Mutton & Sheep Dip so such a suggestion isn't to be taken lightly!  

 

So where am I now?  I have dug out the two longest locos I envisaged using (PLA Janus and a USA

0-6-0 tank loco) and used them to determine minimum headshunts.  I can fit three swb wagons in the loop.  Where does that leave me?

 

I can operate a 3-2-2 Inglenook, although the "headshunt" for this is restricted to loco+1 wagon unless shunting off stage into the fiddle track (top left), by using the loop (capacity 3), the brewery/warehouse (2) and the kickback siding (2).  Or I can use a "waybill" system to direct where the three wagons should end up; quay siding (capacity 3), brewery/warehouse (2) or kickback siding (1, to allow access to the quay siding).

 

By heck, Rob knows what he is talking about!! Okay, I don't have quite the number of combinations afforded by a 5-3-2 Inglenook, but I do now have two ways of playing trains operating!  Plus I can operate slightly more realistically by not propelling trains on stage (or off) (thanks for making me think about that, Gordon A).

 

Now, as long as I can get hold of a set track left hand point tomorrow, and the sun shines long enough to spray up the new bits of track, I think I may have finally sorted out a track plan!

 

Dodgy photo below showing where I am now at, including where the new point needs to be added!

 

Steve S

 

IMG_0950.JPG

 

Comments/suggestions more than welcome - even at this late stage!  I'm certain it looks like I plough on regardless but I do think about (and even try) suggestions that are made.  However, I think this is pretty close to the final throw of the dice!

Edited by SteveyDee68
Typo, and request for comments!
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Love it Steve. 

 

Looking at the photo above, am I right in thinking there will be a cassette fiddle yard behind the Janus leading off plot so to speak?.

 

 

Rob. 

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I like the new plan Steve, interesting reading about your thoughts about going with a loop or not. I've been thinking about my next layout and having similar dilemmas. There's a few layout's I like, some with loops and some without and I cant make my mind up as to which way to go. 

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3 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Love it Steve. 

 

Looking at the photo above, am I right in thinking there will be a cassette fiddle yard behind the Janus leading off plot so to speak?.

 

 

Rob. 

 

Yep, Rob, that was the plan!

 

Now, I thought I'd take another look at your layouts but could only find a thread entitled "The Sheep Chronicles"... have now reached page 26, and am thoroughly enjoying the discussions/banter!  However, I then got to a photo which literally made me spit out my tea...

 

IMG_0953.JPG

 

So, after hours of shuffling track about, buying extra points, reshuffling track, rethinking it again etc, I have basically ended up with the trackplan the same as Rob's, albeit much shorter siding lengths due to my shorter board!  (No wonder I can't get the "open" look he achieved!)

 

I woke up wondering whether I should "swap lengths" left to right, so that the right hand loco release accepts a loco + wagon, and the headshunt to the left (leading off stage) accepts just a loco, so that shunting means running "off scene"?  Any suggestions, ladies and gentlemen?

 

I have text Jim at The Locoshed in the hopes of a LH set track point, am keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't rain so I can spray the new trackage, and am girding my loins to attempt some soldering later today.  Maybe by tonight I will have power to the track at last!

 

Hours of fun!

Edited by SteveyDee68
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