Charlton Bridge - 4mm BR(S) - Building Bridges

[ikcdab]

14 minutes ago, ISW said:

Ian,

 

I went with MegaPoints controller boards. On the Lower Level I have 2x 12-servo boards + 3x 4-servo boards and the Controller Board. For the Upper Level I'll need 5x 12-servo boards (I think) and, probably, another Controller Board. I'm thinking of keeping the 2 levels separate from a MegaPoints perspective.

 

I did consider the MERG option, but it just seemed a 'tad' too complicated for me.

 

How did you find the building process of the MERG servo4 boards? I ask as I have 4x Kit#57 (short circuit protection) boards to build.

 

Ian

i used megapoints boards on my "test track" and found them excellent. Highly recomended and the support from Dave Fenton is first rate. But with the new layout i have turnouts that are widely spread out and i wanted to minimise servo cable lengths. As servo4 boards are so cheap, i can have lots spread around where i need them.

I found the build process very easy, but i like soldering. i made up the first two from MERG kits, thereafter i just bought the PCBs from MERG (46p each!) and bulk bought the components from Rapid. This is as recomended by MERG. There was very little cost saving and to be honest i dont know how MERG do them so cheap! I suppose its the bulk buying. 

[ikcdab]

4 minutes ago, ISW said:

Ian,

 

Yep, it's 5x 12-servo boards. The drawing below shows the Upper Level layout, and the numbers in the corners of each baseboard represent the number of servos required on that baseboard. Thankfully, the MegaPoints system is nice and modular and so it's not as complicated as it could have been.

 

 

Ian

wow thats some layout. You must have some long servo cables somewhere, how do you get on with those?

[ISW]

1 hour ago, ikcdab said:

wow thats some layout. You must have some long servo cables somewhere, how do you get on with those?

Ian,

 

This is my 'one and only' layout that I've always promised myself once I retired (which I managed early ...). As I grew up just south of Burton-on-Trent it was the obvious place to model. 

 

Actually, I don't have any really long servo cables. The longest I currently have (on the Lower Level) is around 1m in length and that includes a jumper cable bit between baseboards. Not had any problems with servo operation at all. Even on the Upper Level I should be able to keep to that 1m length maximum.

 

Like you I tend to buy all the 'bits' separately and make up all my own cables with PCB type plugs / sockets. My Lower Level mimic panel uses the MegaPoints Controller board, but all the push buttons, LEDs, and cables I bought and made up myself.

 

Ian

 

[ikcdab]

More activity.

I have spent a few days laying track through the storage sidings. Each of the mainlines has two loops, each approx 3m long, so should be able to store a full length train and a slightly shorter one on each loop.

The pointwork here is copperclad such is so much quicker to build than using cosmetic chairs as I have on the scenic sections.

Anyway, the points and in and working at one end. 

I have used the megapoints servo mounts here, and I'm pleased with them.

Of course, had to run some trains and the sidings began to fill up..

 

Next job is to complete the loops and then the pointwork at the other end.

 

[down the sdjr]

Great thread.

Love the look of the copper clad track work.

Hope you dont mind if i join in.

[ikcdab]

11 minutes ago, down the sdjr said:

Great thread.

Love the look of the copper clad track work.

Hope you dont mind if i join in.

Maybe it's some primeval love of bright shiny things! Here are the sleepers at the other end of the loops glued down and gapped ready for the rails....

[ikcdab]

Finally got the baseboards around the room... Now just have to lay the track on the new section and we're away.

Then to build the central section across the room.

Ian

[ikcdab]

A lot has been going on! I have now completed the full circuit and can now run some trains.

Here is a video showing operations to date

 

 

Let me know what you think

Ian

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ISW]

59 minutes ago, ikcdab said:

Let me know what you think

Ian C,

 

Some glorious sweeping curves in there. Very nice. I can't tell from the video, so have you incorporated any cant / superelevation into the curves?

 

Ian W

[ikcdab]

2 hours ago, ISW said:

Ian C,

 

Some glorious sweeping curves in there. Very nice. I can't tell from the video, so have you incorporated any cant / superelevation into the curves?

 

Ian W

Hi Ian, yes, 2mm cant on the curves...

[ikcdab]

So I have had a bit of a break from track laying (though it will resume soon).  Open frame baseboards are very good, but unfriendly for derailments. My school's class took a trip to the floor and the body broke into pieces. Much cussing, but now largely glued back together.

I have had an interlude finishing some wagon kits and then decided to make a signalbox. I had seen some drawings of a typical type 4 LSWR box which I liked. I created my own kit on Coreldraw using the techniques from Scalescenes kit. 

 

It's pretty much done, but no interior yet. The staircase is the only kit bit, I found it in my scrapbox.i think it might have been from an old ratio kit.

I'm quite pleased with it.

So now I'm doing another based on Lymington pier box.

 

[ikcdab]

A bit of a shock to realise that its two months since i have done any updating on this thread. But we have not been idle. So today is time for some updates.

The last thing i mentioned was the construction of a signalbox for the harbour branch. Having done a bit of googling, i decided that Lymington Pier box was the one for me. Not only was is a harbour signalbox, but it was also a nice modern design and of a size suitable for my location. Luckily i found this website which had a drawing and some pictures. 

My approach is to draw up the building on CorelDraw, which is a package i have used for many years. Once happy, it can then be broken up into various layers and built up using various thicknesses of card and the Scalescenes methodology. Its also Scalescenes brickpapers. I did try cutting the windows on the cricut, but to be honest its not that good at cutting very small shapes and in the end it was just quicker and better to cut them out with a very sharp scalpel.

It is now finished, but as yet no interior. This is getting to be a habit, i now have three signalboxes with no interiors (and hence loose roofs so that they can be fitted later).

 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by ikcdab

[ikcdab]

Im stepping back in time a bit now, but keeping on the theme of signalboxes - of which i need four in total.

Back last summer i came across a photo of Tulse Hill signalbox in Pryors Southern Signals. I immediately liked the design and, again, using  Scalescenes techniques produced this one. It has been lying around for a little while now and last week it was finished off by the addition of the name along the front - slaters 5mm lettering carefully applied by my wife who is more dextrous than me for fiddly things.

No interior yet so the roof is still loose and i have lost the chimney stack - so a little bit of finishing off required. Charlton Bridge station is modelled with colour lights so this box requires an operating desk rather than a lever frame. 

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by ikcdab

[ikcdab]

So the main work over the last few weeks has been laying out the harbour branch. This curves off the main line via a single lead junction and runs for approximately 12 metres to a terminus that is planned to sit on a stone pier jutting out into the sea. It is inspired by Weymouth Quay, but as you will see, in reality bears little resemblance except in my own mind. 

The branch curves outside and rises at a slightly steeper gradient than the mainline and ends up around 45mm higher than the mainline and its storage sidings.

My approach to this whole layout has been to design it completely first, then build the various switch and control panels so that when the track is laid everything can be just plugged in and it should work...

So the first stage was to complete and mount the control panel. Handy as this gives you an idea of the very simple track layout.

 

 

 

 

The mistake i made was that i originally had the goods siding with a right hand turnout but after i had the panel graphic printed out, i changed the siding to that it sits to the "north" of the branch line. Hence the patch on my nice neat diagram correcting this.

 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by ikcdab

[ikcdab]

Once the panel was in, i could start tracklaying, wiring and testing as i go. The first harbour infrastructure encountered is the goods siding. The turnout was made from ply sleepers and C&L functional plastic chairs. In this case i decided to ballast the turnout before installation, hence i now have my only ballasted section of track on the layout!

 

This is an overall view of the goods siding in its embryonic state. Warehouse is just a placeholder at the moment, the plan is to have a large low relief warehouse with loading platforms...just not been built yet.

 

 

 The height difference of 45mm with the main line storage loops is evident here.

Edited November 14, 2022 by ikcdab

[ikcdab]

so now to the harbour station itself. This is set on a gentle curve and the idea is that the station is on a stone pier with sea on both sides.

First the station building. I saw a picture of Fordingbridge station and also i like the design of Winchester. I therefore designed a building that took elements of both amalgamated into one structure. This is the result:

 

 

The canopy was put together fairly quickly to match and an island platform building too:

 

 

The edging is peco concrete platfirm edging.

Dock walls are from Scalescenes as are the fishing boats made as a christmas project. Obviously at some point i need to create sea over the plywood for them to float on.....

Here is an overall view of the station in its incomplete form:

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by ikcdab

[ikcdab]

And here is a close up of the Clyde puffer in the harbour with a non-prototypical j50 in the engine stub.

Edited November 14, 2022 by ikcdab

[ikcdab]

So now the harbour station is up and running, I can think about the main terminus, Charlton Bridge. The track plan is an enlarged version of Freezer's Minories. Enlarged in that it has additional goods and loco sidings. The baseboards for this run diagonally across the room and the whole station is around 5.5m long.

First things first for me, here's the control panel.

 

 

Cab control from either the red or green controllers with 9 sections. 

The routes are switchable from the rotary knob at the top. "Hand-worked" points are operated by either simple on/off switches or, in the case of the goods sidings, by s rotary switch.

The two white LEDs to the left are for the "link sections" between this panel and the next. There is a shared portion of track that can be switched to either panel. The LED shows who has control.

The control panel is linked to a switch panel underneath the baseboard:

 

 

This holds the diode matrix for the route switching and relays for polarity switching on the turnouts. The chocolate blocks at the top will link to the track power feeds.

The control panel is up and running, just no track yet!

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by ikcdab

[ikcdab]

The approach to the main terminal is via a tunnel that passes under the main running lines. Last Sunday's job was making the portal...

[ikcdab]

Next stage is to build the track in the main terminus, Charlton Bridge.

After much adjustments i have a template of the track designed through Templot. It really is the best software package there is for this sort of thing.

Printed out onto A3 paper, stuck together and then fixed down to the cork underlay.

This is a general view of the station.

Here it is from the station end.

First job will be to build the four points that make up the two crossovers. Hope to make progress on this over the next week or two...

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2021 by ikcdab

[ikcdab]

This morning has see four crossing vee assemblies made up. 

[ikcdab]

today has been a day of hacking up 0.8mm ply to make sleepers. I bought 300mm x 300mm pieces of ply and painted these first before chopping up into 4mm strips. Once cut to length, these are then pva'ed to the templates.  This is actually quite time consuming, and it took me all day to get to this...

next job is to drill oval holes for the point actuation wires. Best way to drill oval holes???

[Michael Edge]

I drill a big round hole and then cover it with paper before laying the track, easy to leave a slot in the paper and it's all covered by ballast later. You can get drills which are designed to cut sideways though.

[ikcdab]

So several sets of point blades to make now.

There's lots on here about how to make these so I won't repeat it all. I don't use any jigs, just simple tools. I can make a pair of blades in a few minutes.

Above are the tools. The square aluminium tube is what I fix the blades to for fileing. Blades are handed and my main mistake is to make two of the same hand. Having cut two pieces of rail, I mark the side for planing with a marker. I mark for the full planing length.

 

I then clamp the rail to the aluminium tube. I then file from the "thick" end to the toe, increasing pressure as I go. No more than ten strokes to just break into the web of the rail at the toe.

 

 

Here's the result above.

 

Then, below, I turn the blade over and file the inner edge.

 

And then a trial fit against a test piece....

 

 

I haven't gone into detail as there is no point repeating what others have reported. 

It's not difficult to get a decent pair of blades like this. 

 

[ikcdab]

And after several days work, the main running lines into the main terminus are complete.

 

Dummy peco point machines fixed in place.

Track then wired up, tested and some trains run!

 

Now I have the up and down side sidings to make. There are 13 turnouts in this section, so that's 6 done so far...