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Thanks Jack. I must finish the detailing work as it is already operational.

 

A 7mm model will be a real beast - there is something about the larger scale that captures the mass of the stock much better than the smaller scales. I'll look forward to seeing that when you are done. Who knows: you are only a few hours away from here so maybe we'll get to meet up and compare G16s at some time in the future!!

 

:)

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Hi Glenn. The whole layout is on castors and has been wheeled out from the window and wall to allow me to work on it from behind.

 

The 205 didn't run brilliantly on Frank's layout as it needed a tad more voltage. It runs very nicely on mine and I have posted a video in the DCC section, under sound videos. The camera work was a bit shaky as I was driving and filming simultaneously (Look Mum - I'm multi-tasking!!!!).   :)

 

Ah, forgot about the castors. My wife would love that from a vacuuming point of view!! Just watched your 205 video, sounding great. You mentioned something about modifying the speaker installation, just wondering what you did there? G

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Thanks Jack. I must finish the detailing work as it is already operational.

 

A 7mm model will be a real beast - there is something about the larger scale that captures the mass of the stock much better than the smaller scales. I'll look forward to seeing that when you are done. Who knows: you are only a few hours away from here so maybe we'll get to meet up and compare G16s at some time in the future!!

 

:)

 

 

Is it to be finished in BR livery, or will you be going with wartime black? Will you fit sprung buffers? I think that's a very true there is simply more there in 7mm, but 4mm is obviously quite alright in my book too!

 

That would be nice! I'll have to find one first, or scratch-build it. I had thought i'd found one, but it turned out to be an H16, although, you could just build an H16 too :jester:

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Jack: the H16s weren't quite as imposing as the G16s but would still make a very nice, and desirable, model, especially in 7mm scale.

I did fit sprung LSWR buffers from Markits. They are visible in a couple of later photos.

 

 

Glenn: I tried a few different speakers, including two different sizes of bass reflex speakers, a bass enhanced one and a QSI hi-bass one and none sounded any better than the existing 40mm rectangular one fitted. However, I did replace the mounting with a fully enclosed and deeper chamber from another speaker in my collection, and that did improve the sound quality somewhat.

I'm still convinced I can improve it further but that will involve a little more work, including soldering extra connections and fitting a smaller additional speaker to improve the treble end of the spectrum (eg for the turbo whistle) and also boring out the speaker opening in the chassis to allow more of the sound out. I am not after more volume (I turned it down to 90) but I am after the best quality output I can get.

 

Having said all that, it's not bad at all but I think the 'chuffing' noise at idle is a little overdone. The irregular idle itself is well captured - something I always remember observing at Three Bridges station where the whole DMBS would vibrate in time to the drop in revs on each cycle.

Edited by SRman
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Jack: the H16s weren't quite as imposing as the G16s but would still make a very nice, and desirable, model, especially in 7mm scale.

 

I did fit sprung LSWR buffers from Markits. They are visible in a couple of later photos.

 

No they weren't. But then again, The H15's were pretty damn imposing compared to the other #15's. My favorite Big southern tank would have to be the Z class though, i'm not sure why, just something about the simplicity of 0-8-0 and that huge bunker.

 

Ahh yes, Markits parts are fantastic, it really is a nice model, you should be well pleased with it, did you have any trouble modifying the 8f chassis?

 

Jack

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I was expecting to have difficulties with the 8F chassis but I followed the very clear instructions and all went according to plan. I did have to file the resin chassis mounting and sandbox moulding at the back to get it to sit level but that wasn't too much of a problem.

 

The biggest problem was getting the pressure on the front bogie right to get it to go around the tightest curves without derailing.

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A couple more shots from slightly different angles - these give more idea of the track and point alignments to come.

 

FiddleYardTrackLayingCommenced3_zps70517

 

FiddleYardTrackLayingCommenced5_zpsd0b1b

 

These were taken last week. New progress shown below.

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Some further progress with track laying in the upper fiddle yard, done today. The track spacing may look a little odd but I have deliberately left extra space towards the back (the right of the photos) since if something needs to be reached my arms will be at a more awkward and acute angle in relation to the tracks (trying to think ahead, here!).

I am also proud of the fact that I had trains running on the Underground tracks and I didn't disrupt any services while I was doing the work above!!!

 

UpperFiddleYardProgress1_zpse3b6d467.jpg

 

UpperFiddleYardProgress2_zpsed458c86.jpg

 

UpperFiddleYardProgress3_zps7c804ca5.jpg

 

The track is only lightly pinned at this stage so the alignments will be refined a little later. I may yet swap one of the curved points for a straight one to improve the flow of the design.

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I decided to do just a small bit of grass and weeds, pending much more extensive scenic work later on. This area will have a little bit of a grassy embankment eventually rather than just being flat as it is now. However, for photographic purposes, I think it looks better for posing trains for the time being.

This is a two unit 2 EPB set running past.

EPBandGrassyArea1cropped_zps40636808.jpg

EPBandGrassyArea2cropped_zps2633d18b.jpg

I must do something about that temporary brick paper walling - it is starting to wrinkle a bit and it shows in the photos.

 

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Yet another new arrival: my second 'Thumper' from Kernow Models arrived today. This one is in Connex livery (not my favourite livery by any means but the model is superb!). I tested briefly on DC before fitting a TCS EU621 decoder then set it off for an hour or so of continuous running. It is still barely run-in and needs a bit more to free it up further.

 

KernowConnex2H-1_zps0433fc87.jpg

 

KernowConnex2H-2cropped_zpsf8bfb537.jpg

 

KernowConnex2H-3cropped_zpsdfcf3575.jpg

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Hi Jeff,

Some nice progress on the upper level, the Thumper looks good too though I would like to see a Blue grey one, thats how I remember seeing them.

 

Cheers Peter.

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Thanks, Peter.

 

Kernow have still to confirm delivery dates on their remaining 'Thumper' liveries of BR blue and NSE. No mention of blue and grey at this time but it's obviously yet another option for future production. I'm still awaiting an announcement that they will produce some centre coaches to make up the three-car units.

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Hi Doug and welcome home again!

 

I am looking forward to being able to run a few full-length trains with more variety available at any one time. That is still a way off yet as I need to do more carpentry at the other end of the layout as well as a whole raft of electrical work.

 

Will try to catch up with you and the family very soon. :)

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  • 1 month later...

I decided to replace the temporary 'place holder' bridge for the upper level over the underground lines. I found a piece of MDF that was exactly the right width for what I wanted and cut it to fit the location. I also cut a new support to run parallel to the underground tracks.

The next stage will be to cut the plate girders to suit the new configuration and mount some 'H' girders underneath those. There will also need to be a middle support and all supports will need to be covered in embossed brick sheets (Vollmer card or Slaters plastic - either will do but all support piers will need the same textures).

Here are some initial views of the work in progress. The side girders are only propped there to gain a rough representation of the final appearance.

OverbridgeWorkStarted1_zps63b9020f.jpg

 


OverbridgeWorkStarted3_zpsa7fc7888.jpg

 


OverbridgeWorkStarted2_zpsf4cbcdf1.jpg

 

This will lead on to a brick arched viaduct along the front of the layout, which will then join on to the embankments and viaducts at the other end.]

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Thanks Peter. Yes, I hope to catch up then. We had visitors from Brisbane (a nice lunch and afternoon with old friends)  at the last meeting time so I had to miss that one.

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My second Bachmann green 4 CEP unit arrived from Hattons today - one of their bargains I couldn't resist at £69. This one is numbered 7128 while the previous one was unit 7126. 

I also purchased a Lenz Silver 21-pin decoder to go in the new unit so, after a quick test on DC, I fitted the decoder and set 7128 off in multiple (consist) with 7126, with the green Motor Luggage Van (MLV), 68006 bringing up the rear.

8CEPgreenMLV1_zps38e5eeeb.jpg

 

8CEPgreenMLV3_zps5e12b743.jpg

 

Of course, this train is really too long for the Underground tracks but will look more at home when the main lines on the upper level are complete. This isn't the first time I have done this though: here is a much earlier shot of a similar train made up with blue and grey stock, this time with MLV 68009 leading units 7113 and 7114.

8CEPbluegreyMLV_zpsc17d688e.jpg

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At the same time as the new CEP unit arrived, I had also ordered three of the Bachmann 1930s semi-detached houses, to complement the Hornby Skaledale detached houses already in the village.

 

Things are starting to gel for the village layout. The contours are still to be refined and adjusted but the basic plan is almost there now. There will be a level crossing in the foreground of the first pic.

 

Note that everything is still just planted and posed - the tracks in the foreground are pinned in only a few places to show the approximate alignment.

 

Villagedevelopments1_zpsfc9d1031.jpg

 

Villagedevelopments2_zpsc0864205.jpg

 

Villagedevelopments3_zps3cbde4af.jpg

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As I said last week things are really starting to come together at this end of the layout. Once I think this end has appeared from the mists of the creative process I can see the other end almost comming together almost too quickly :O

 

I can't wait to see the trains running on the upper circuits in the next well... um.... few months... or is that pushing the friendship :jester:

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