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Gill Head: Kirkby Luneside's neighbour


Physicsman
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49 minutes ago, Peter Kazmierczak said:

Looking forward to signals and telegraph poles in due course. Will you be having wires running from the posts I wonder?

 

Very good questions, Peter.

 

Definitely no wires between poles!

 

I have some lovely poles that I bought about 12 years ago (when Blair was still PM!!!!), but I may MAKE my own for GH and use the old ones on the "Ais Gill" plank.

 

Signals - I only need 4 for the Layout. Thought about making MSE ones, but may save time and buy Dapol product of they ever re-stock.

 

I DO like scratchbuilding but I can't build everything!

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20 minutes ago, Peter Kazmierczak said:

Will you be able to include the distant signals Jeff? They'd probably have been colour lights in your period.

I make it a minimum of five ground discs.

 

I think the distant will be skipped.

 

Your estimate of 5 is in agreement (for the region I'm covering: underbridge to Up headshunt) with Anderson & Fox, though interestingly the ground disc clearly visible on photos (mine and in the book) between the platforms adjacent to the slip isn't marked on.

 

I actually have a pack of Ratio ground discs and - given their size - they are probably adequate. Any larger and I'd make my own. And no, I'm not motorising signals or discs. The track record for reliability of those Dapol signals (when operated via a DC or DCC system) is not especially good. But they do look nice.

 

 

Edited by Physicsman
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I'd understood the Dapol signals had a very good reputation if operated by DC or DCC.

  Almost 100% of them let the magic smoke out at a most frustrating time :)

I've been moving around the bits of Long Marton, getting them back where they belong.  I suspect that I'm going to have to undo it all, as I have finally got around to arranging for quotes on the furnace replacement...

James

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5 hours ago, peach james said:

I'd understood the Dapol signals had a very good reputation if operated by DC or DCC.

  Almost 100% of them let the magic smoke out at a most frustrating time :)

I've been moving around the bits of Long Marton, getting them back where they belong.  I suspect that I'm going to have to undo it all, as I have finally got around to arranging for quotes on the furnace replacement...

James

 

James, one of these days you'll get sorted and have a "mega surge" on Long Marton. Problem is, you enjoy playing with "real world" things too much! 

 

I must admit, I think I'd get side tracked if I was installing a furnace.

 

Still, you're are younger than I was when I started the original KL layout, so you've many years of "play" left in you yet!

 

And btw, I liked the advice you have the other day, in the DCC section, to the person with the sound locos and the basic controller.I

 

J.

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Hi Jeff,

Love those panoramas.  Your work, not only passes close scrutiny but also looks superb at "normal viewing distances".  I had to take a second look at the Kirby Stephen pic thinking it was one of your layout (I tend to speed read threads, searching for interesting pics before reading the corresponding words - sad or what?).  The thing that clinched it as prototype pic to me was the carpark full of cars.  Edit those out and I would really struggle to tell the difference.

On the subject of Dapol signals, I bought one to use to control trains leaving my colliery (the main line is controlled by colour light signals).  I duly installed it, skimming over the instructions as I do :rolleyes: and about two weeks later it failed and I sent it back.  When the replacement arrived, I thought I better fully read and digest the instructions.  It said you had to use a "smoothed" dc input which I had previously assumed the accessories output on my controller was.  In fact it wasn't.  After some research I found that if you wired a capacitor of a certain size in parallel to the positive feed then this provided the necessary smoothing.  So I duly wired one in and I have had no problems ever since (2 years, I think).  Hope this helps.

Regards,

Brian.

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Brian, thanks very much for the positive comments. As regulars will know, I detest the "likes" system on this Forum as I think it is grossly unfair to modellers, as against threads full of woffle. HOWEVER, positive comments, constructive criticism and very helpful advice are a treasure. So thank you.

 

Fitting signals isn't imminent but would happen sooner rather than later if Dapol LMS Home signals were actually currently in stock somewhere. I use a smoothed DC power supply for my Cobalts - it was acquired from the site of my former employ, but don't tell anyone! :) The story you recall seems typical of comments I'd read in a Dapol review thread elsewhere on this forum. Thanks for the tip regarding the capacitor - did you use electrolytic or ceramic, and how many microfarads was it?

 

I don't intend to use the signals in their working capacity - initially - but always good if they work properly!

 

Jeff

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Colour balance is a bit off - making panoramas with phone images and widely varying reflective surfaces is a bit tricky. But....

 

I'm my own worst critic - the walling looks ok in situ, a bit "clinical" on the photos, but it will suffice.

 

20211125_151134.jpg.49ce317cbee727a320b264d5d29ca519.jpg

 

622567051_20211125_151148_stitchcrGcur.jpg.09b4f757bdc7a3e4f4dd5c33ae48bb4a.jpg

 

1981009848_20211125_151158_stitchcrGcur.jpg.b70aef45aca6125ea5908418d02bac44.jpg

 

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Re the Dapol Signals Jeff, I had a major issue with 9 out of 14 failures on Kings Moreton when wired to 16V AC as first recommended, they then changed it to 12V DC, and all 14 were fine PLUS another 8 on another couple of Layouts, so I would use them again if I were doing Semaphore.

 

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28 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

Re the Dapol Signals Jeff, I had a major issue with 9 out of 14 failures on Kings Moreton when wired to 16V AC as first recommended, they then changed it to 12V DC, and all 14 were fine PLUS another 8 on another couple of Layouts, so I would use them again if I were doing Semaphore.

 

 

Thanks Andy.

 

I was a bit alarmed when I read the reviews on the relevant thread and wondered how a major company could produce something with so many failures.

 

It seems that, providing you use alternative procedures to those initially suggested (which is ridiculous!) that the devices work fine. I do think they look the part and - when they're available again - I'll try them.

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Hi Jeff,

Apologies, I was speaking out of the wrong orifice (again) in my earlier post about the capacitor being in series.  It is actually wired across the feed (positive) and Return (negative) 12 v supply to the signal, see below.

 

IMG_20211125_131128.jpg.99e9501a7646948fab7bfa53307ddcf3.jpg

 

Hopefully you can read the print on the side of the capacitor which gives its size and max voltage rating. The "near" vertical lines can be ignored being the ruled lines of the notepaper I used as a background (this gubbins hangs underneath the baseboard which is a very dark place :().

 

Here is a short dodgy phone video showing the signal in action.

 

 

If you turn the volume up you can hear the mechanism which is quite noticeable in my 10.5 x 7.5 foot shed, maybe not so noticeable in your bunker.

 

Regards,

Brian.

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Brian, you DID say to fit the capacitor in parallel, so your orifice WAS working properly.

 

Electrolytic, 25V rated, 100 microfarad - I may have one in stock, though it'd be wise to buy some new ones if/when I get the signals.

 

Always useful to get info "from the horse's mouth", as you and Andy have supplied.

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6 hours ago, Physicsman said:

Colour balance is a bit off - making panoramas with phone images and widely varying reflective surfaces is a bit tricky. But....

 

I'm my own worst critic - the walling looks ok in situ, a bit "clinical" on the photos, but it will suffice.

 

20211125_151134.jpg.49ce317cbee727a320b264d5d29ca519.jpg

 

622567051_20211125_151148_stitchcrGcur.jpg.09b4f757bdc7a3e4f4dd5c33ae48bb4a.jpg

 

1981009848_20211125_151158_stitchcrGcur.jpg.b70aef45aca6125ea5908418d02bac44.jpg

 

 

I wonder if people would prefer it if I Photoshop the walls in, rather than actually building them?

 

Time for a break, I think.

 

Jeff

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No keep building them they look the business

 

Just a question, do you add your fascia panels after you've created your scenery... if so what colour are they going to finish up as...

 

All food for thought as I work out ideas for Exhill Works

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Hi Jeff,
Firstly, I must apologise for this lengthy post, and secondly, for not properly following Gill Head as planned; I was sad to see the unfortunate demise of KL2, but was excited to see its replacement; once you were settled into the new house and had your new bunker fitted out! Then life got in the way...

 

... what actually reminded me to check up on your progress was that I needed to model a small section of dry stone wall for a diorama (I was going to post a photo of it here, but this message is long enough, and besides; this is your thread!) - and what better place to come than to the master himself! I know you've said before that you merely copied the technique from elsewhere, but I really appreciate you showing the details of how you built yours. I think it's fair to say that your walling has reached new heights/lengths... or rather new levels of dedication/insanity (delete as appropriate)! For what it's worth, I wouldn't worry about the potential for it to look "clinical". Compared to the earlier parts of the layout, I think it's solely because there's no change in vegetation and no bushes to break it up a bit. In any case, I love your walling and even given my patience I don't know if I would ever manage on a scale this big!

 

I actually spent last night looking through each page in an effort to catch up on Gill Head. I was certainly glad to see you insulating the bunker - I did something similar in our garage to make a studio and it's been worth every penny. Elsewhere, I found it interesting that from the very start you knew the exact contours of the layout - I've never seen that before, and I wonder how you came about working it all out.

 

Speaking of contours, it's amazing what a difference the static grass makes, and I love the textures you've been able to build; especially around the lane under the viaduct. Of the latter, I really enjoyed your article recently in BRM about building the viaduct; cracking stuff. I'm glad you went with the (more) sensible(?!) option of cladding with DAS blocks rather than literally building the whole thing out of them! The final result is really quite striking to be honest, it must be a thrill to see trains traverse its lofty heights. When I first saw the plywood base I thought to myself "that's incredibly high", but these structures are just that, and the dramatic fell either side really gives a sense of space that you just don't get in many other regions of the UK (nor many model railways to be honest!). Makes me want to go back to Yorkshire for a holiday again... I really enjoyed my trip in 2008 scrambling up Ingleborough!

 

Anyway, enough rambling... top stuff, Jeff - and I've now hit the follow button so I'll have no excuse not to keep up with your progress.
P.S. That goods shed is a work of art in itself!

 

2 hours ago, John Besley said:

Just a question, do you add your fascia panels after you've created your scenery... if so what colour are they going to finish up as...

 

I know this wasn't directed at me, but it might help; I add fascias as soon as the basic terrain shape (usually polystyrene/rigid insulation) has been carved. That way, you can plaster over not just the terrain, but also the edges of the fascia (whether it be thin ply or hardboard). This helps keep everything smart, and avoids an unsightly edge of wood showing. Otherwise what ends up happening (as I have had to do often!) is attempting to plaster over the edges after the scenery has been complete; and that can be an absolute nightmare because you'll never be able to fully match colours (say; if you built a road near the edge). Fascia colour is personal preference; I go for a dark grey just to help the scenery 'pop', but I only paint it once all the scenic work has been completed, for obvious reasons!

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13 hours ago, Physicsman said:

 

 

I wonder if people would prefer it if I Photoshop the walls in, rather than actually building them?

 

Time for a break, I think.

 

Jeff


Careful, you making statements like that, the share price of DAS would crash over night. :jester:

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