Jump to content
 

Middleton Top and the C&HPR


JustinDean
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi Jay,

 

As far as coupling choice is concerned, the most critical area is the abrupt change of gradient at the top of the 'up' line of the incline. I would recommend that you do some trials with various couplings running wagons over that before you go any further. I suspect that most tension lock or knuckle type couplings will have problems there. Dinghams or Sprat & Winkle may be better.

 

On Middlepeak, I was planning to use Alex Jacksons, which on the face of it are the most flexible of all coupling types, but the problem there was actually at the incline foot, where the change of gradient replicated the action of uncoupling the wagons, leaving one of the two in the run stranded at the bottom! Hence my decision to stick with three links. That actually worked very well, as apart from them being functionally very reliable, it also drew attention to the process of attaching the wagons to the incline rope, which the viewing public seemed to appreciate.

 

Regards,

 

Geraint

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
10 hours ago, Gordon A said:

Beware of an electromagnet that strong grabbing the steel axles on the wagons.

Thanks for pointing that out Gordon - I hadn’t considered that. I think some testing is in order!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
9 hours ago, Middlepeak said:

Hi Jay,

 

As far as coupling choice is concerned, the most critical area is the abrupt change of gradient at the top of the 'up' line of the incline. I would recommend that you do some trials with various couplings running wagons over that before you go any further. I suspect that most tension lock or knuckle type couplings will have problems there. Dinghams or Sprat & Winkle may be better.

 

On Middlepeak, I was planning to use Alex Jacksons, which on the face of it are the most flexible of all coupling types, but the problem there was actually at the incline foot, where the change of gradient replicated the action of uncoupling the wagons, leaving one of the two in the run stranded at the bottom! Hence my decision to stick with three links. That actually worked very well, as apart from them being functionally very reliable, it also drew attention to the process of attaching the wagons to the incline rope, which the viewing public seemed to appreciate.

 

Regards,

 

Geraint

Hi Geraint - first of all regarding the incline. Being as wagons and tenders were moved in pairs I’ve considered using 3 links for connecting the pair then Dinghams at the font and back of the pair. 
I am still open to trying out some different couplers and had forgotten about the Alex Jackson type (I’ve not built a model railway for 30

years!). I seem to remember these needed a lot of adjustment and were unreliable on tight curves according to folk that were using them. In my searching  around for couplers I have come across the ‘Burford coupler’ which maybe a contender. I’m thinking that I’ll have to take the plunge and try some of these out and also experiment with electromagnetic uncouplers also. 
Cheers

Jay

Edited by JustinDean
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I started off using Gaugemaster electromagnets, but have switched to using the DG ones which Wizard Models sell.  I've found them to have a slightly stronger pull than the Gaugemaster without being powerful enough to attract the steel axles.  In my case that's with AJ couplings and operating the magnets at 12v DC.

  • Informative/Useful 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
47 minutes ago, Mark Forrest said:

I started off using Gaugemaster electromagnets, but have switched to using the DG ones which Wizard Models sell.  I've found them to have a slightly stronger pull than the Gaugemaster without being powerful enough to attract the steel axles.  In my case that's with AJ couplings and operating the magnets at 12v DC.


Thanks Mark - that looks ideal!

 

 

A71A80F6-6402-45D0-A0AA-85B9C3284DC9.png

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

So going back to the incline - maybe the door closer type electromagnet is powerful enough to stop a pair of wagons rolling off down the incline. I know Geraint used a mechanism to act as a stop on Middlepeak but I’m not sure my engineering skills are up to constructing something like that!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Base boards are starting to come together. End panels are located with pattern makers dowels and 10mm bolts. Track beds need to be fixed down and the front edge will get jacked up next for fixing. 

A28D61C9-5CE5-407C-AE78-CACD950B6006.jpeg

  • Like 7
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 16/05/2020 at 11:27, JustinDean said:

So going back to the incline - maybe the door closer type electromagnet is powerful enough to stop a pair of wagons rolling off down the incline. I know Geraint used a mechanism to act as a stop on Middlepeak but I’m not sure my engineering skills are up to constructing something like that!

 

Jay, Here are some photos I took for an MRJ article on Sheep Pasture Top. I have used the same operating arrangement as Geraint for the scotch blocks on the top of the incline. The vertical pulley wheels were 'borrowed from my sons Lego.

 

Incline Fiddle Yard with wagon on down line. Operation of the incline is by rotation of the black pulley wheel using fingers or 'digital' operation.

1925144052_Inclinefiddleyardwithwagonondownline.jpg.c4b50ddcca22f0493a555914ac7d79c1.jpg

 

Top of incline showing vertical pulley wheels [ Lego]. The Up scotch block is visible on the right

1494516144_Inclineverticalpulleyswithcoversremoved.JPG.92b309ef21f8758425a435dd77586705.JPG

 

Geraint's design for operating scotch blocks. Cranked brass tube sits in the slots with the other end attached to the scotch through the baseboard.

431134214_Scotchblockoperatingmechanism.JPG.527ea56ae8008e6dd991116cc456522b.JPG

 

Pulley wheels at the top of the incline.

770068001_Twoverticalpulleysandreturnpulley.jpg.60c3ebfe263be6cd57573e8364b961f4.jpg

  • Like 3
  • Craftsmanship/clever 7
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
12 hours ago, barrowroad said:

 

Jay, Here are some photos I took for an MRJ article on Sheep Pasture Top. I have used the same operating arrangement as Geraint for the scotch blocks on the top of the incline. The vertical pulley wheels were 'borrowed from my sons Lego.

 

Incline Fiddle Yard with wagon on down line. Operation of the incline is by rotation of the black pulley wheel using fingers or 'digital' operation.

1925144052_Inclinefiddleyardwithwagonondownline.jpg.c4b50ddcca22f0493a555914ac7d79c1.jpg

 

Top of incline showing vertical pulley wheels [ Lego]. The Up scotch block is visible on the right

1494516144_Inclineverticalpulleyswithcoversremoved.JPG.92b309ef21f8758425a435dd77586705.JPG

 

Geraint's design for operating scotch blocks. Cranked brass tube sits in the slots with the other end attached to the scotch through the baseboard.

431134214_Scotchblockoperatingmechanism.JPG.527ea56ae8008e6dd991116cc456522b.JPG

 

Pulley wheels at the top of the incline.

770068001_Twoverticalpulleysandreturnpulley.jpg.60c3ebfe263be6cd57573e8364b961f4.jpg

This is great - thanks for that! 

The only part I’m struggling to grasp is the movement of the stoppers relating to the brass plate with the slots in. I’m assuming the rods passing through these slots move left - right depending on the direction of the plate?  There’s four slots for one track and two for the other with varying movement. I guess my question is how does this relate to what’s happening on top of the layout?

thanks

Jay

Edited by JustinDean
Link to post
Share on other sites

Jay,

 

The four slots relate to the four stop blocks at the top of the down road. Each block has a brass wire pivot that passes through the baseboard in a length of brass tube. The wire is then cranked in a Z shape so that the wire is offset from the centre line of the block pivot. The 'tail' thus formed then runs in the slot, which is shaped to turn a longitudinal movement of the plate into a rotational movement of the blocks.

 

Note that the slots are slightly offset. This is to ensure that the blocks are moved in the right order. The main blocks across the rails were held up by a smaller block to brace them against the weight of the wagon. To start the run, the Hanger On would knock the small block to one side with a sledgehammer, which would allow the larger blocks to be pushed away from the rails by the wagon as it moved under gravity.

 

Hope this makes sense. I think I retrieved the mechanism from Middlepeak when I dismantled the layout. I can dig it out if that would help.

 

Regards,

 

Geraint

  • Like 1
  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

A little off topic but trawling through boxes at the cottage today I found a hoard of railway bits, photos and articles which I’d stashed away when I was 18!  Loads of interesting kits which I’m going to sort through. Also found some very crumpled pages of Railway Modeller articles I had written at 16 along with the letters informing me I’d won and come runner up in the Junior Modeller cup. I seem to remember being paid the princely sum of £8 per page which in 1990 and being a teenager seemed amazing. 

59D5589B-0D71-43A0-9CB9-2E2C6DBC8C5C.jpeg

B750AC64-E9B8-4488-82D9-C9C98BE0C1B6.jpeg

  • Like 7
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
5 minutes ago, Middlepeak said:

Jay,

 

The four slots relate to the four stop blocks at the top of the down road. Each block has a brass wire pivot that passes through the baseboard in a length of brass tube. The wire is then cranked in a Z shape so that the wire is offset from the centre line of the block pivot. The 'tail' thus formed then runs in the slot, which is shaped to turn a longitudinal movement of the plate into a rotational movement of the blocks.

 

Note that the slots are slightly offset. This is to ensure that the blocks are moved in the right order. The main blocks across the rails were held up by a smaller block to brace them against the weight of the wagon. To start the run, the Hanger On would knock the small block to one side with a sledgehammer, which would allow the larger blocks to be pushed away from the rails by the wagon as it moved under gravity.

 

Hope this makes sense. I think I retrieved the mechanism from Middlepeak when I dismantled the layout. I can dig it out if that would help.

 

Regards,

 

Geraint

That makes things much clearer thank you Geraint. I’ll also have another look over the article you sent me and sketch this up. 
Hows Friden coming along? 
Cheers

Jay

Link to post
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, JustinDean said:

That makes things much clearer thank you Geraint. I’ll also have another look over the article you sent me and sketch this up. 
Hows Friden coming along? 
Cheers

Jay

 

Slowly but surely! Maybe another post towards the end of the week when there's a bit more to photograph.

 

All the best,

 

G

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

I’ve been trying to find out more about the JR Birtley & Son siding (later Redhill Quarry) at Middleton Top along with trying to find decent photos of the stone crusher there. The crusher appears in the background of many photos but it’s difficult see much detail.

While scouring the internet I did come across this chronological history of events on the Cromford & High Peak Railway and is a fascinating read for anyone interested in the line -

https://rchs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Cromford-High-Peak-Railway-Nov-2001.pdf

  • Informative/Useful 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Picked up a couple of future projects for this layout. The CDC 3D printed ex NLR class 75 body and M&L kit which I’ve got specifically for the LNWR Dock Tank (although I’ve only seen evidence of these at Cronford). This is a ‘dual’ kit and also contains an LNWR 5’6” tank. I’m on the lookout for a suitable chassis for the ex NLR loco now. Branch lines are not responding to emails - do they still exist? The other option is a chassis off Hornby’s B2 Peckett. 

9050D59C-A2AE-4C5A-9BF2-C0C963B720D7.jpeg

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I’ll have a look around for their number cheers Gordon. 
 

Im about halfway getting track down on Middleton Top. Living next door to a great pub has its pros and cons. 4 pints of great stout delivered to the door earlier...the down side is its time to pack up for the night and crack on tomorrow with a clearer head.

E3D751BC-872E-4757-8119-1DD8BB56953C.jpeg

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 18/06/2020 at 16:01, JustinDean said:

Picked up a couple of future projects for this layout. The CDC 3D printed ex NLR class 75 body and M&L kit which I’ve got specifically for the LNWR Dock Tank (although I’ve only seen evidence of these at Cronford). This is a ‘dual’ kit and also contains an LNWR 5’6” tank. I’m on the lookout for a suitable chassis for the ex NLR loco now. Branch lines are not responding to emails - do they still exist? The other option is a chassis off Hornby’s B2 Peckett. 

9050D59C-A2AE-4C5A-9BF2-C0C963B720D7.jpeg

 

Do you have any more details of the 3D printed 0-6-0T please?

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
On 06/07/2020 at 10:50, Poor Old Bruce said:

 

Do you have any more details of the 3D printed 0-6-0T please?


hi Bruce - there’s two versions being sold on eBay by the company that prints them. I’ve not put any time into mine yet as I’m focusing on the layout but I will say it looks a fairly decent representation but there’s a few parts I’ll replace. 
Here’s the link:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324201112559

 

Jay 

 

 

  • Thanks 1
  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...