The High Line - N scale Dapol standard 2 tank now fitted with a decoder

[roundhouse]

The current Covid 19 lockdown resulting in way more time at home then planned with both shows and trips away all cancelled for now has given me the incentive ot commence a high level test track around the shed.

 

The shed had been planned for more than ten years but in April 2019 having got sewriously fed up with commuting etc. it started to become a reality and was largely completed Autumn 2019. Its given me a lot more space for modelling including a good sized workbench,spray booth and built in DCC programming track in various gauges. These have helped with the few commissions that have been building up since then , doing weathering, loco repairs and DCC sound decoder installations for a few people but with the virus lockdown its all come to a halt up for now as I had been collecting and dropping off local commisions and some slightly further away ones, the owners were coming over. So with even more time on my hand, now was a good oppotunity to crack on and build the high level test track especially with the new layout under construction currently being taken down for work to the underside of the boards.

 

So why the High Line?

 

Well it has to be out of the way from any layout building, the doors and opening windows. The shed is built to the maximum permissable regs for our narrow garden so its not a big as I really wanted hence it does get tight in there with a layout set up. the high line laso has to clear my head height so that I dont end up knocking myself out. It is hard to see trains moving but I can just without using step ladders or ohp ups. As many of my locos have sound installed tyou can hear them moving aswell.

 

Work commenced a few weeks ago as the lockdown came into place and I had enough meterial left over from the shed construction and also from the new layout to make a start but the closure of our local timber merhcants caught me out. Luckily the two and a half weeks delivery lead time from one of the few that would deliver was speeded up with a spare slot in their schedule and the materials arrived a week ago allowing me to completed the boards.

 

At present there is just OO / HO gauge track spaced to allow On30 narrow gauge to run on the main line but space has been allowed for N gauge track with clearances for 009 to run.  These will allow me to run any of my N scale, 009, HO and OO stock especially rolling stock that doesnt see much use at shows plus testing any future commissions hence a mixture of turnout types incuding those with live frog, and dead frog to help check for any poor pick up issues.

 

I hope to post more photos of various stock as and when it gets a run. I must set up my APT-E very soon to give it the longest run that it will have ever had.

 

Anyway a few photos during construction.

 

Track laying was much easier with the main boards laid on the ground.

 

The first section fitted on the timber brackets and tested. The ply upstand at the back stops any stock falling off the back and adds rigidity to the boards. There will be a perspex front added once the N gauge track is laid. Its along way down to the floor.

 

A few short lengths of 009 track laid in place to show the future plans.

Edited February 9, 2021 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

Below is the current track plan. There is space for two more sidings in the top right corner.

[roundhouse]

Today 34038 'Lynton' is getting a good run along with an AC rail bus. This is the first time that it has run any further than on a programming track when first bought some years ago so the High Line is doing exactly what it was built for. You only get a glimpse of anything running from sitting down but easy to see using the step ladder.

 

I now have the track diagram on screen so you can see which way the turnouts are set.

 

 

[roundhouse]

Today I have bern weathering my Bachmann C class which I renumbered a few years back just after purchasing it.

 

It's now getting a run in on the High Line.

 

Also getting a run is a Z class DMR kit that I purchased off some one who had it built for him. I have added Kadees and fitted a decoder so it's about time that it had a good run.

[roundhouse]

The last few days has seen various Steam locos being run.

 

One of my T9's has had a Peters Spares new motor cover plate fitted to replace the Hornby one that had Mazak rot. The replacement brass one does require quite a bit of filing to get it to fit properly but is well worth the effort. This was carried out last year but apart form a run on the rolling road it hasnt seen much action with my layout 'Appledore' which is currently in the hands of a friend in the North West.

 

So its been running for many hours on the circuit in the shed. At first it would only haul 4 Ian Kirk Maunsell coaches but now easily pulls 6.

This morning a Hornby Adams radial is also getting a good run in, easily hauling 6 coaches.

 

All locos that have been run on the circuit so far have decoders installed, some with sound. However DC controllers can be plugged in should the need arise.

 

A parcel from Kernow has just arrived so once unpacked I shall be running a few things in blue.

 

 

[woodenhead]

I wonder how my T9s are doing, they were beginning to get juddery before I boxed them up last year - I had put it down to lack of running as they always seemed OK when running on the rolling road.

 

A high level line reminds me of Beatties in Manchester that had a Gauge One system high up in the store.

 

[roundhouse]

1 hour ago, woodenhead said:

I wonder how my T9s are doing, they were beginning to get juddery before I boxed them up last year - I had put it down to lack of running as they always seemed OK when running on the rolling road.

 

A high level line reminds me of Beatties in Manchester that had a Gauge One system high up in the store.

 

Worth checking them whilst an alternative spare is available (havent checked today though). You will soon find out by seeing cacks in the motor cover if you unscrew the chassis from the body.

 

The high line idea came form various model stores both here and abroad - it isnt without its issues having to use step ladders to get up there but it makes use of a space that wouldnt have had much use and saves having a lift  out section etc.

[woodenhead]

I've just begun a n gauge layout at normal height and I was thinking of a slightly elevated OO layout above it, simple trackplan like you've done - probably not at the height you've gone with.

 

At least wiring accessibility isn't an issue haha.

[roundhouse]

1 hour ago, woodenhead said:

I've just begun a n gauge layout at normal height and I was thinking of a slightly elevated OO layout above it, simple trackplan like you've done - probably not at the height you've gone with.

 

At least wiring accessibility isn't an issue haha.

Yes looking up to wire is a novel thing although a fair amount was done before the boards went up in place.

 

I plan to fit an N scale circuit. I did consider putting it slightly lower but that would have made the OO higher up than it is.

[roundhouse]

Some blue (and grey) running on the High Line.

 

The 4TC set was my lucky raffle draw in the Rmweb NHS raffle. Something that i had been considering buying for some time but with our friends Southern third rail layout not having any more shows at present I didnt have much use for one but with a the 33/1 that i have had for some years and the construction of the the shed circuit its now going to be regularly use here. thanks Kernow for putting this into the raffle and such a good cause. I have fitted Kadee couplings which are now standard on all my rolling stock be it American, Czech or British. I still need to fit a decoder into the 4TC but for now the lights are switched off.

I recall seeing these 33's with the white windows surrounds on  4TC 's at Waterloo departing for Salisbury all those years ago.

 

Meanwhile as its another nice day something running on the Low Line aka the garden railway.

 

 

 

[roundhouse]

In the last week or so I have given the Rapido  / Locomotion APT-E a good run. Infact its by far the longest run its had since getting it a few years ago as its not been on any continuous run track till it went up on the High Line so its really good to leave it running for a few hours at various speeds and direction with not a single derailment despite different types of Peco and Atlas turnouts (including live and dead frogs) on the circuit. This was deliberately done so that any stock does get a good test. Its reach a speed of 150mph according to the speed check device, albiet its set for HO stock at present.

 

 

Edited May 27, 2020 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

Today has been a bit of speed testing of the APT-E. managed to achieve 152 MPH on the speed gauge and no derailments

 

[roundhouse]

Its been many months since my last post on here and more work has been carried out on the High Line.

 

The N gauge circuit was laid last November. Finding a supply of track at good prices took a little while. The OO circuit came that track Shack who have now gone. Just before Lockdown 2 I managed to collect the turnouts from Kernow Guildford but I was one N gauge turnout short so as they had a 009 mainline turnout that has been used. Having various types of turnout does allow a good test for stock to run through especially with having a few Heljan 009 Manning and Wardle locos that tend to derail on turnouts.

 

This photo shows the passing loop installed with the first section of 50mm deep perspex being temporarly clamped to the edge of the boards.

 

Prior to fitting the perspex edge protection all the way round the completed N scale circuit was tested using one of my Hejlan locos, being very careful that it didnt fall off as it a long way down to the floor. Luckily it was fine as all my Manning and Wardle locos have had alterations to the pony truck wheels.

 

The perspec edge was then drilled with oversize holes to allow for expansion along with a few millimeter gaps between each 1500mm long section. This has proved to work when I have had the heating on all day as it can get quite warm at high level. I did have to slacken some of the screws/ brass cups to allow the perspex to move. it should be fine in the summer as there is 75mm of insulation in the roof plus an air gap under the composite corrugated roof covering plus I recently infilled a 35mm gap in the lower insulation boards under the ridge with offcuts of insulation and that really has made a big difference in recent weeks when its been below freezing, just one of those tasks that I should have done a year ago but kept putting off.

 

You can just see the gap in the persepx in the photo below.

The stock can be quite varied on the High Line. The OO scale brass hoppers behind the class 33 were a commission to fit NEM Coupler boxes but on running on the test circuit the wheels were found to short on the bodies so a little bit more work was required as it turned out that the owner had not run them since purchase. It just makes having these test circuits really useful for fault finding, particularly having a few dead frog turnouts to also check for pick up issues.

 

With the N scale circuit complete the new revolution IPA car carriers had a good few hours running in. I have now had all my British outline N scale locos have a run on the circuit including my Brighton Belle set that has only seen occassional use t shows. Next will be my US N scale stock.

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2021 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

A few days ago I started going through all my N scale 1960's stick that I have been accruing for a few years to build a future South Western layout. Some have decoders fitted but a few don't. So after giving a good run on N scale circuit under DC, this Dapol standard class 2 tank has now been fitted with what I think is an Lenz mini silver decoder that I had removed from another loco some time ago. At least that's what JMRI is saying. I don't have the instructions for the Dapol lock so it took a few tries to find the correct screws to remove.

 

The coal bunker moulding was separated from the body then the inside section was filed down so that the decoder and wires would fit in the cab. Its quite a delicate job but alm now fitted with the decoder fixed in place using blacktak and a piece of black insulation tape over the top to try and disguise the decoder when viewed.

 

The loco is back together and running fine under DCC.

 

[woodenhead]

That's an Ivatt Class 2, the basis for the Standard class 2, but nevertheless a lovely loco and mine ran well in DC.

[Joseph_Pestell]

I've got one of those, my first N gauge loco. The Dapol instructions are rather forbidding saying that us ordinary mortals should not try to do maintenance on this loco and there is not room for a decoder. So very interested in this posting. Might send you mine to do.

[woodenhead]

2 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

I've got one of those, my first N gauge loco. The Dapol instructions are rather forbidding saying that us ordinary mortals should not try to do maintenance on this loco and there is not room for a decoder. So very interested in this posting. Might send you mine to do.

After the M7 (and perhaps then too the 14xx), Dapol should rework it's 2-6-2 chassis - the Ivatt and the 45xx were good bodies.

[roundhouse]

17 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

After the M7 (and perhaps then too the 14xx), Dapol should rework it's 2-6-2 chassis - the Ivatt and the 45xx were good bodies.

I have one M7 that was DCC ready but another which isnt. That is next on the list to be tackled.

 

23 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

I've got one of those, my first N gauge loco. The Dapol instructions are rather forbidding saying that us ordinary mortals should not try to do maintenance on this loco and there is not room for a decoder. So very interested in this posting. Might send you mine to do.

It does need to be good running to start with. Luckily mine was. PM me if you do.