SRman's Current Layout - Newton Broadway

[SRman]

I have taken a little bit of video footage to show just how smooth and quiet my Hornby class 92 is with the more modern Hornby class 60 chassis fitted to it (see my workbench blog for more details on how I did this). This is the lowest quality clip to keep the file size down a bit, so is a little grainy. My faithful companion, Toby, wanted attention while I was videoing as well - I left the little squeak in! Next, I'll consider getting sound for it! Both Howes and Legomanbiffo (through DC Kits) offer class 92 sounds, and from the YouTube clips, both sound good. I'll have to see if I can find an 8-pin LokSound to have reblown.

Note also I have experimentally rearranged the walls to fit the signal box in down at track level. What does everyone think of this position?



As usual, apologies for the shaky camera work.

Edited December 29, 2013 by SRman

[Gwiwer]

That looks good and runs very well Jeff.  

 

An eclectic mixture as ever on the layout with the 92 passing CP stock and a class 07 but Rule 1 always applies

[SRman]

Yes, not to mention the LT pannier and a Warship diesel, and the Maunsell diesel shunter and Z visible on the upper level! Then there's the Siemens class 450 in the foreground in some shots too!

Because I can only have five usable trains on the lower level at any one time, it limits my abilities to keep everything to one period while still being able to test run the items I am working on or simply acquiring.  

 

p.s. There's a Clayton just outside the camera's view as well. Shhh! Don't tell anyone.

[d winpenny]

Looks good

 

David

[SRman]

After initial experiments with a printed track diagram. laminated and mounted behind clear acrylic sheet, I have worked out the signalling requirements and switches, which meant redesigning the diagram with a little more space between tracks. I have used 8BA bolts to hold the laminated sheet to the back of the acrylic.The result:

I have mounted some switches which will be wired up for the two aspect colour light signals. I have already wired up four signal heads, hence the holes where those switches will go; they cannot be mounted until I screw the panel into its final position. It will be hinged to allow easy access to the back.

Point control will be stud and probe, although I am considering changing that to sprung toggle switches (sprung on - off - sprung on). The signals will be manually operated for now but I will add some automation and interlocking for the future.

Also in the diagram are two ground signals. I have a couple of brass kits on order but I am not sure if I will be able to make these operate. 

I may also add a few dwarf colour lights in the parts of the tunnels that are visible, in which case I'll have to add some more switches to the panel. The beauty of using the printed track diagrams is that I can easily modify and reprint them - the are simply done using Microsoft Word and its shapes.

The switches are on-on SPDT types but the two switches above the line of all the others will operate the 'feathers' that indicate a branch route, and will be on-off only, to be operated only on the green aspect of the switch below.

Edited January 6, 2014 by SRman

[DougN]

Looks great SRman I'll have to search for the LEDs for you as this is great progress on the signals.

[SRman]

I may add some LED mimics to the control panel at a later stage too - it will add a whole lot of wiring though!

 

Those four signals at the right hand end of the platform will be on a gantry. Not sure what to use for that yet but I'm thinking that with LT's minimalist approach to these structures, I could make something using some Plastruct I-beams and a few T-section angled supports from the side walls and viaduct walls. Some I-section cross braces with holes for the wires and some Wills wooden planking for the walkway , all painted light grey, would give a reasonable representation of real life.

[SRman]

The LT control panel installed using hinges to allow it to swing up for easier wiring.


 

 

Only four of the signals have been wired up so far.

The panel sits at an angle resting on two right-angle brackets, with some heat-shrink tubing dded to cushion them.

Edited January 7, 2014 by SRman

[SRman]

Having worked on two Hornby 2 BILs and my Ayjay Models 'Tin' 2 HAL with the yellow paint and transfers, I decided to pose them on the layout, just for a bit of fun.

The first two photos show just the 2 BILs, including the third, as yet untouched, NRM version of unit 2090, unit 2147 with full yellow ends, and unit 2134 with small yellow panels. The third photo shows the 6BIL formation with the 'Tin" HAL added. this will receive unit number 2694.

 

 

 

Once Hornby produce their 2 HAL units from the 2014 announcements, the possible formations will be even more interesting.

Edited January 8, 2014 by SRman

[Gwiwer]

Looking good Jeff.

 

Have you resprayed the green on the units?  They seem to be much closer to the correct shade of green, to my eyes, than Hornby plastic is on the 2Bil.

[SRman]

Thanks Rick. No I haven't done anything to the green at all. I noticed that the centre unit (2147) looks darker still, but all appear darker than the original shade, and I can only put it down to a combination of the darker roof, the contrast from the yellow bits and the lighting conditions. The 2 HAL was painted with a mix that was supposed to match the Bachmann EMU green (observe the 4 CEP unit on the upper level) but turned out a shade lighter.

[SRman]

I have been working on the Bratchell class 319/1 a little more and it has actually run in service. I added the third rail shoe beams (or, more correctly, height limiting bars) to both this and the earlier Bratchell class 455/8 I was building. While I had the 455 out, I also finished off the front handrails and jumper cables/receptacles.

With all that going on, I decided to have a Network SouthEast (NSE) running session.

In the two photos below, the trains at Newton Broadway are, from left to right, the Hornby class 92, 92 022, on a Speedlink freight (the rear of the train), the Bratchell class 455/8, 455 835, the Bratchell class 319/1, 319 174, and a Bachmann class 416/2, 6225.

 

 

From the other end of the station, looking under the rail overbridge, from left to right are  319 174, 455 835 and 92 022.

 

Edited to correct the photo descriptions.

 

Edited January 13, 2014 by SRman

[P.C.M]

Hi Jeff,

You have been busy, I really didn't like the NSE livery when it first came out but over the years it has grown on me. the 455 does look very good, though the 416s are a great looking little unit.

 

Cheers Peter.

[Gwiwer]

Hi Jeff,

You have been busy, I really didn't like the NSE livery when it first came out but over the years it has grown on me. the 455 does look very good, though the 416s are a great looking little unit.

 

Cheers Peter.

 

Hasn't he just!  And Chris Green's toothpaste livery never cut it with me.  After seeing some of the abominations that bus deregulation threw up this was an accident in a paint factory to my mind.  But the short-lived L&SE Express livery a/k/a Jaffa Cake I liked a lot.

[SRman]

One thing about my platform construction and finish didn't look quite right to me and that was the light grey edging extending down the ramps at each end. A thin white line will be added to the edges of the level surfaces later but there always seemed to be a discontinuity at the ends of the real thing. I have corrected a couple of spots along the edges of the platform where particular items of stock rubbed or caught, most notably the Dapol Western at the curved edge on the right of the platform. I also levelled a couple of bits, before painting te ramp edges coal black (Humbrol #85) and touching up the light grey elsewhere.

However, while doing this I  noticed there was some distortion at two of the section joints, one at each end of the platform. This seems to be a result of the plasticard base expanding in the heat (we are now on our fourth day of 40+ degree Celsius heat, with evening and night temperatures in the high 20s and low 30s). I am hoping I won't have to cut and trim anything after it all cools off again over the weekend (cooler change on the way).

 

 

[Gwiwer]

Looking good Jeff.  Plastic platform sections don't like the sort of heat we are enjoying at the moment.  I found mine, which are well stuck at the edges, were blistering just in from the joins.  I traced the problem to tiny voids of air between the solid wood substructure and plastic surface and have had to create "breathing holes" by slicing along the joins with a knife.  That has resulted in the blistering going down of its own accord though I need to make good across the joins once it's cooler.

 

Stuff striking platforms?  Yes that's another eternal frustration.  The Westerns were not a problem here but the Dapol silver bullet and Heljan Cargowaggons are.  Some discreet shaving of coping stone edges has been required.

[SRman]

Hi Rick. For the Dapol/Kernow Silver Bullets, I actually modified the ladders. I removed each ladder from the wagons then trimmed approximately a millimetre from each of the projecting lugs that mount at solebar level, then glued the ladders back in position. This mod renders them slightly more vertical and makes the whole wagon nearly 2 millimetres narrower than the out-of-the-box state.

[SRman]

Another job I have been putting off for some time is fitting some sort of interior detail to the Hornby Dublo signal box that masquerades as an LT box.

It should probably really have the Westinghouse electro-pneumatic style of miniature levers but after much thought, I realised that no one would be able to see such a system inside the box anyway, so opted to use the old style levers. With this in mind, I ordered the Smiths/W & T etched brass levers. These were duly assembled over a couple of evenings, with many pauses to cool off again from the heat. I can't say I did a brilliant job with these, but once they are painted they will look OK. The frame was stuck to a small rectangle of 40 thou plasticard acting as a sort of plinth. This was trimmed down a bit once I had the final size of the frame.

I cut a false floor out of 40 thou plasticard, designed to fit the shaped end of the signal box and overlap the recess in the floor/roof at the other end. Onto that I stuck a floor cut to exact shape from Wills' wooden planking.

The wooden floor was stuck to the false floor with solvent, while the lever frame/plinth was then glued towards the front windows of the box, roughly centrally along the floor planking. A small rectangle of black plastic was glued to the shaped end of the box to allow the floor to rest against it and prevent me from pushing it too far upwards.

I will draw up and print a track diagram to mount on the back wall of the box, and add some more furniture for the signalmen to use (desks, chairs, etc.).

Anyway, here are some photos to show what I am talking about.


 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2014 by SRman

[Gwiwer]

 

This mod renders them slightly more vertical and makes the whole wagon nearly 2 millimetres narrower than the out-of-the-box state.

 

 

1mm either side (2mm overall) is about what I found was the problem.  Mine were treated to a firm adjustment with the pliers and had the lower rungs of the ladder bent closer to vertical as you did but in situ rather than after removal.

 

Just been outside for a short running session.  It's warm but everything is fine.  Slight warping of the platforms panels but they'll revert to flat once it cools down.

[SRman]

I worked on a miniature track diagram for the signal box last night, partly of the layout around Newton Broadway and partly fictional tracks, signals and stations on either side of the "known" bits.

I created the diagram in Microsoft Word, using the line and shape tools. I then took a screen snapshot using the snipping tool built into Windows and loaded the resulting image into Paint Shop Pro (Photoshop would be just as good!) for a little 'fettling' and adding the green background.

I then loaded the image back into word and resized it to suit the 40 mm width available on the back wall of the signal box, printed it on the colour laser printer, then cut it out. I cut a 40 thou plasticard panel, slightly over-depth, and glued the printed panel onto the plasticard, then glue the whole panel into the signal box. The result is rather pleasing, I think.

Edited January 18, 2014 by SRman

[Markeg]

Like the minature track diagram.  Looks good.

something different in NSE.  To me it stands for Not so exciting, but thats my preference.

 

The heat this week has caused some issues.  My layout in the shed seems to have coped well.  I only noticed a little distortion of the track in the tunnel - under a lift up section.  Went to my club today and some track distortion has occured.  A little tweeking on one join and my A4 and B17 ran on Oakham okay.

 

I will be heading to Geelong next week.  Looking for an small N gauge layout for Bendigo MREx at Easter.  Otherwise we are full, though waiting to hear confirmation from one club about attending.

 

Mark

[SRman]

Thanks for the kind comments, Mark.

 

I won't see you if you are only going to Corio as the BRMA meeting has been relocated to Peter Mantle's place on the other side of the bay, due to Graham's hospital visit. Any chance you will get to Peter's as well?

[Markeg]

Unfortunately no.  I have been following his thread and it looks excellent.  Worth seeing sometime.

 

Mark

[SRman]

Mark, I have been asked to host the August BRMA meeting (the 16th, from memory but check closer to the time). Regardless of that, you are welcome to drop in at any time you are in Melbourne.

 

Continuing wit the LT signal box, I have painted the interior floor and put the first coat of paint on the levers - these are mostly either black for points or red for home signals (which are all 2-aspect here). I made a high bench from scrap bits of plastic. I'll add some printed matter to it as I proceed with the project.



 

[d winpenny]

Looking brilliant

 

David