York station in the 1950's.

[Michael Hodgson]

2 hours ago, Harry Lund said:

Roger and I have settled on iTrain software to drive the system.  Routes and signals only, no automation.

 

 

Excellent decision.  Definitely the best software on the market, very well designed.

[rockmonkey]

14 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

 

Excellent decision.  Definitely the best software on the market, very well designed.

I agree, iTrain is excellent software with so many features.  I would recommend considering dabbling with automation, for example you can arrange a layout so that some parts assume automatic operation, while perhaps the slow lines or the depot are worked manually, or driving under Semi-automatic control - the program will only reduce the speed of a train when the train needs to stop and so protect trains from collisions which should remove human error over the junctions.  

[Michael Hodgson]

1 hour ago, rockmonkey said:

I would recommend considering dabbling with automation, for example you can arrange a layout so that some parts assume automatic operation,

Yes I agree, but you need to get the basics working first - there is a big learning curve with iTrain, but Bob Fuller's Tutorials are excellent, they don't assume prior knowledge and they run in a fairly logcal sequence.  I think once you've got it it running well, you will then see the advantage of automating some of the running. 

It is somewhat time consuming to watch the whole series, as there are 63 youtube videos so far (typically 10-20 mins each) plus about 35 supplementary ones relating to changes in release 5.1, and he hasn't yet started on the signalling!

[Harry Lund]

Thanks both.   Scary stuff!      My priority is route setting and signal head logic, reflecting routes and occupancy.  Hence setting up the hardware that enables the software for that.   The Scarborough line will lend itself to automation, out from and back to Platforms 6 and 7, with 4 storage loops in the new section of the layout.  But I need to get the basics up and running first.

[Harry Lund]

More on progress form Paul Bambrick who has been beavering away on the Leeman Road diorama, and the backscene behind the loco yard.

 

This is Peter Smith's original, photographed by Tony Wright.

 

 

This is how it looks now.   Paul was given a clear steer to treat Peter's original models as if they were Grade 2 listed buildinggs, and their setting in a conservation area.   For those familiar with Planning policy, only alterations that enhance listed buildings and their settings will be permitted.   I think Paul has done that admirably!

 

Paul's notes: In progress detail of Hanover St Chapel, and Peter's foreground terraces and Co-Op re-instated into the original foreground, with their vehicles and figures.  Garnot Street, Rosebery Ave, and Swinerton Ave rooftops appear in the middle distance, with Victoria Park and the River Ouse just out of sight beyond.

 

 

Note the skyline.    

 

The next two photos are of the map from which the relative placement of the buildings has been deduced, and a panoramic view of the skyline generated from a website that Paul uses.

 

 

 

 

Zooming out, this is the Leeman Road diorama again, but with the skyline more prominent, and starting to pan towards the NW. 

 

Paul again: Looking to the left, this view of the 3D section shows the houses along Garfield Terrace, Stamford St, Hanover St, with the Chapel, (now demolished). St Barnabas School on Bright St (also now demolished) is just to the right of centre, and beyond are the newer houses along the northern half of Livingston St, and Salisbury Rd.  To distance, we are looking to the North West over the Clifton Reach bend in the River Ouse, just out of sight beyond the rooftops.   

 

 

Panning round, another photo of the loco yard and carriage sidings behind which the backscene will sit.

 

 

And finally for this post, the skyline of the panel behind.   Just roughed in for now, but will have Far Hill Top , High Rigg, Crayke Hill, and Yearsley Cross visible at skyline.

 

If you look carefully, you will see the River Ouse poking out between and above the treeline in the middle distance.   Compare this with the map, and the Panoramic diagram.

 

 

A lot going on now: joinery for the southern end of the layout, trackwork, DCC hardware (feedback modules), signalling, iTrain prep by Roger, and Paul's 3D backscenes.   Hope I can keep up.

 

Giles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Fishplate]

Superb.

 

I asked Mrs FP to spot where 2D became 3D in the second picture. She was amazed when I showed her the first picture as she thought the change was further back.

Edited January 8 by Fishplate
Missed a bit. . . .

[Michael Hodgson]

14 hours ago, Harry Lund said:

More on progress form Paul Bambrick who has been beavering away on the Leeman Road diorama, and the backscene behind the loco yard.

 

This is Peter Smith's original, photographed by Tony Wright.

 

This is how it looks now.   Paul was given a clear steer to treat Peter's original models as if they were Grade 2 listed buildinggs, and their setting in a conservation area.   For those familiar with Planning policy, only alterations that enhance listed buildings and their settings will be permitted.   I think Paul has done that admirably!

 

 

 

 

I see the Co-op van's got back from his deliveries but the Morris Traveller hasn't moved in all this time - I expect the constable will be along shortly to check his road tax is still in date! 😉

 

Very impressive.  The changes really do add depth taking the perspective out to the horizon.

 

 

15 hours ago, Harry Lund said:

A lot going on now: joinery for the southern end of the layout, trackwork, DCC hardware (feedback modules), signalling, iTrain prep by Roger, and Paul's 3D backscenes.   Hope I can keep up.

 

 

There's a lot of baseboard work in the baseboard changes and track laying, before you even consider electrics, but I wouldn't worry about keeping up as the iTrain effort is pretty big too.

 

The feedback modules should be fairly simple but repetitive to connect up, and there's quite a bit of work defining the layout to iTrain.  That needs some thought to things like naming conventions to facilitate support, and you'll also have to define the rolling stock to iTrain.

[Harry Lund]

I couldn't believe how much dust the 'heavy engineering' to realign the southern approaches would generate.   Time for a general clean to keep the railway in working order: dusting, hoovering, and a light polishing of the rails with a track rubber.

 

Most easily done with the station hotel slid out in its casters, and the roof removed.   Here is a photo of York station undressed.

 

If you look at the canopy over platform 14 which is to the left of the 'inner' wall, the lighter sections (ie most of it) is pre-hoovering, the darker section post-hoovering.

 

   

Giles

[Michael Hodgson]

10 hours ago, Harry Lund said:

I couldn't believe how much dust the 'heavy engineering' to realign the southern approaches would generate.   Time for a general clean to keep the railway in working order: dusting, hoovering, and a light polishing of the rails with a track rubber.

 

There's got to be an easier way!  My thoughts for what they're worth.

 

I've tried prevention using dust sheets of cloth or polythene when not in use, but it's difficult to put them on/take them off without doing some damage to smaller details.  One layout I built on top of a bookcase had a fold down boxed lid, which I found did help keep down dust, but I don't see that as a solution here.

 

You can't use a powerful vacuum on the layout itself without damaging scenery. and a weak one doesn't do the job!  I've tried things like the Dapol track cleaning wagon and similar, but they're not very effective.   Within reason, I don't worry about dust on textured scenery (grass etc) as it tends to tone down any bright colours, so if anything it has a slight weathering effect.  It's only on the electrics that it's a real problem, though it can look bad on rooves or platforms.    One thing I have found useful is running a train with a large magnet underneath, maybe once a year - it's surprising how many track pins or the like can accumulate unnoticed on a large layout over time.

 

I don't like track rubbers as they seem to generate more dust as the rubber wears down.  Some people say their abrasive effect leaves microscopic scratches on the surface which then attracts more dust in future, and I prefer using IPA.  But the best I've come across for rail cleaning was an O gauge 3-rail (stud contact) layout which picks up from a brass skate tapered upwards at the ends.  The solution to cleaning the studs was a coarse file used as a skate under a wagon packed with lead - though apparently bending the file for the taper at the ends was quite a challenge.  To clean the running rails, the approach was to couple 3 old 0-6-0s together, two chimney first, the middle one tender first.  Being a 3-rail system this meant they ran in opposite directions, but two overpowered the middle one so it moved forward with the middle one's wheels spinning!  Made something of a noise, but it did polish the rails.  Wouldn't work on 2-rail analogue control, but it ought to be possible under DCC, though probably less effective in OO than O because of lesser weight.

 

Where does the dust come from?  Most household dust comes from human skin that we all shed, or so I'm told.  But it doesn't explain why you get such a build-up as a result of working on a layout.  Obviously if you're using a power saw that will generate dust, but that can be contained to some extent as you work.  Not sure what your floor is, but my impression is that concrete floors give rise to dust when you sweep up  (not as bad as carpet of course!).  Lino is difficult to fit once the layout is in place - garage floor paint is probably the best alternative.

[Harry Lund]

Thanks Michael.   The main problem with track on York is not dirt or even dust, but tarnish.   I find it gradually tarnishes when not run for a while.   The lightest pass with a fine track rubber, an old one which I bought from I cannot remember where, but no longer available, removes the tarnish and polishes the rail.   It takes about an hour to give the whole layout the treatment, which I do about once every 6 months.

 

re dust, its a fact of life in the outbuilding in which the layout resides.   The scenery so far, ie buildings and track/ballast texture are quite robust enough to be hoovered.   The scenery being put together by Paul and Neil, particularly the Scarbrorough section, will not be less so so will need to have some sort of curtain/dust protection when the layout is not in use.   Hence pressing on with the joinery and the mess creation now.

 

Over time, the scenery will degrade.  C'est la vie. 

 

Giles 

[Harry Lund]

The sad news.

 

The article in yesterday's Saturday Telegraph

 

And, in contrast:

 

The enthusiasm shown by Cat Cowan yesterday for our hobby on her Saturday morning show on BBC Radio York.    From 2:39 to 2:47 in.    Kat Cowan on BBC Radio York - 13/01/2024 - BBC Sounds     (Couldn't work out how to copy the link, but just cut and paste into Google takes you to the show recording).

 

Giles 

 

 

 

[Harry Lund]

Its been too cold to work in the railway room for the last few days.   The boards are more or less done, just the supporting framework to go.   So I have moved operations into the house and have been building the trackwork for the southern end.   Most of the pointwork is recycled from either a previous layout, or the redundant storage sidings from the Scarborough branch.  I have only needed so far to make two new crossings.    Although there is a gale raging outside, the railway room is at least habitable, so I spent the last hour mocking up the trackwork.   A few photos below.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giles

 

 

 

 

 

[David Bell]

Very impressive Giles. I can just imagine the trains sweeping through the curves in that junction.cheers

David

 

[Harry Lund]

Thank you David.   So sorry to hear of our RM Web pal Jonathan Oldfield's passing on 9 Jan.    Derwent Spa is a fabulous layout, and he was a wonderful correspondent, and such a positive supporter of both York and Glasgow Queen Street.   Giles

[David Bell]

2 hours ago, Harry Lund said:

Thank you David.   So sorry to hear of our RM Web pal Jonathan Oldfield's passing on 9 Jan.    Derwent Spa is a fabulous layout, and he was a wonderful correspondent, and such a positive supporter of both York and Glasgow Queen Street.   Giles

So sad to hear of this. Derwent Spa is indeed fabulous.

David

[Harry Lund]

Paul Bambrick spent today on site.  We fitted the Leeman Road 3D backscene.   Peter's original buildings front and centre, with the 3D backscene tucked behind.   The terraces and larger buildings are about 3cm in depth.    Clifton stretches out into the distance.

 

And one of Paul at work.

 

 

There are just a few finishing touches to go.  Next stage will be along the section behind the loco yard with carriage sheds and parked coaching stock in low relief, and open countryside beyond.   The two larger buildings to the right of the scene are just placed temporarily, so that Paul can size up the carriage sheds, and adjust.  

 

Giles

[AdeMoore]

Morning Giles,

all looking handsome.

I don’t want to detract from the magnificent work of Paul’s but is the 3 storey low relief building on the lean?

the verticals don’t seem to align with its surrounding buildings?

Could be in temporary as you described the others.

[David Bell]

Very impressive.

[Harry Lund]

The leaning building has nothing on the half relief coaches!   The backscene isn't fixed yet, so its all a bit wobbly.   Giles

[Harry Lund]

Its been a couple of weeks of dull but necessary work on the non scenic boards, trackwork (Peco) and electrics.   This is the Hull Fiddle Yard looking down (1st pic) and down (2nd pic).   The Hull yard is directly under the stairs; the yard by the wall is the Down Main, with a relatively sharp decent down into it.   You might just make out the Up Main ascending a rather gentler incline.    I had originally planned for 4 up and 4 down lines for the Hill yard, but the geometry would have been challenging given the curving space, the hole through the wall, and the stairs.  And running quality must be top drawer a) in principle and b) as these are hidden behind the backscene, and monitored by a combination of cameras and occupancy modules.   Going for 3 in each direction just frees everything up.

 

 

In this area Track Bus, Accessory Bus, 12v DC, 16AC are fed from the centre to 'service' boards, with feeds taken off to the fiddle yard in sections.  Occupancy status is reported through Lenz LRB08 feedback modules fitted to the service boards, like this one.

 

 

The numbers 36, 24 and 23 are the board  numbers, with feeds out.   #91 is the DCC base address for the feedback module.  

 

Giles

[Harry Lund]

Sorry.  1st pic looking in the Down direction; 2nd pic in the Up.   

[Harry Lund]

The Down Main, Up Hull and Down Hull Fiddle Yards are all operational now.    Just need connecting into the rest of the layout at the 'south' end, ie through the hole in the wall.

 

To that end, the last weeks activity has been to finish the three lifting sections and fit the hinges.   

 

The closest flap will carry the Up and Down Mains, and the Up and Down Hull, although at the point at which they duck through the wall they become the Down and Up Normanton respectively.   Don't ask!

 

The second, and lowest flap carries the Down Scarborough line through to a 4 road fiddle yard, round the reverse loop and returning as the Up Scarborough.

 

The flap in the distance carries the York Station southern throat.

 

 

And with each open in turn

 

 

I learned with the temporary lifting section that it was very easy to knock it, so it would come crashing down and the stock would come merrily off the rails.  Like me some say.   So I've experimented with a gas 'soft close' strut.   This one is 200N, not quite string enough to a 'hard landing', but good enough to hold at about 30 degrees from the vertical.   I might add a second and see how that works.

 

 

Once I've fitted the gas struts to the two nearest flaps, it will be time to get to work on the track.

 

Giles

 

[Michael Hodgson]

Great progress there is such a short time.  I particularly like the way you got as much track in through the hole in the wall/under the stairs with the reverse curves looking gentle enough to avoid problems in a hidden area. 

 

There can't be many layouts that have gone to the trouble of building three lifting flaps, but it does seem like the right answer given the topography of the building.   I would have been thinking of some sort of latch to keep the flaps from crashing down, but the gas struts seem like a better idea.  Adding track and any scenic work on the flaps will alter the balance slightly, so I suspect final adjustment of the strut arrangement might be better left till you've done that.

 

 

[Harry Lund]

After 3 weeks away over Easter, I'm back on tracklaying at the southern end.

 

 

 

Lines left to right:

 

Normanton Up & Down

 

Doncaster Up and Down

 

Leeds up and Down, which almost immediately join the Doncaster lines - not enough room to carry both through

 

Line into the south shed, which will be a 2 road representation

 

Leeds goods up and down.   These join the southbound main lines just round the corner.    

 

 Looking norh.

 

The left hand pair, Leeds down and up goods will branch off into a much, much diminished representation of Branches yard.   

 

progressing ....

 

Giles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 11:39 by Harry Lund
error in the first place

[AdeMoore]

Good to see more progress Giles.