Popular Post gordon s Posted February 27, 2020 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 27, 2020 (edited) Well on a day when I should have been golfing, I spent most of it on my back soldering another stack of wires onto the new fourth loop. If ever I were starting again (no chance now) all the wiring would be run at surface level in a trough round the outside of the boards. Thankfully there were only around forty wires to connect, but the job had to be done. I have two pairs of glasses, one for reading and one for close up. Laying on the floor, the focal point is just outside the 3' or so to reach up under the board. Pull yourself up with every muscle aching and there comes a sweet spot about halfway up when the close up glasses kick in. Needless to say every muscle and bone in my back and shoulders is screaming out enough, enough.... Where have I got to? (nearly started with so!) The track work is in and up and running. Yippee, but I have all the ballasting to do. No matter, trains are running again. Still just two lines running as I have yet to 'bridge the gaps' on the other two. Had fun with the Heljan Class 26 as it seemed to stick a bit through my pointwork. Keep calm, I said to myself as other loco's are fine. Needless to say the B2B's were under 14.25mm, so that will have to be stripped out tomorrow and 'widened'. I managed to tweak it a bit, but it will need more attention before being allowed out to play again. Funnily enough the Bachmann Full Brake had a similar problem, but of course that was easy to deal with. Here the new layout in and out of ET. I bought this 2 car Cravens Unit years ago, from Graham Varley (who built all my other loco's) and added a Lenz Gold decoder. The unit still looks the part, but really needs some detailing work re lights etc. Not sure I'm up to that, but you never know. I'm assuming it was kit built, but not sure who the supplier was. Anyone know? Either way, it brings back fond memories again of trips to KX once the Quad Arts were phased out. Funny how 00 can look quite wide at some angles. Not P4 of course, but acceptable, rather than it's narrow gauge reputation. Final shot is of the errant Class 26, which will be heading to the works in the next few days. I have an idea there are no lights in this model, so that will need sorting as will the no pick up on the rear bogie. It still runs well, even with the narrow gauge wheelsets. Still a lot of wiring to be done on the back straight so the furthest board from ET will soon be upside down on the bench to add the track bus and connect all the droppers already in place. Whilst the 8-10' of baseboard is out, I will take the opportunity to build the up and down gradients which have been left when the possibility of running trains emerged. I shall probably also start thinking about the traverser shortly as that will go in place before the shed board. The shed may have to be built from steel shelving components (Dexion equivalent) so that the large span over the 8' traverser won't show any signs of the shed board sagging. Still not really happy about the shed layout, so that also needs to be revisited. Other than that, I am surprised just how much has been done whilst golf has been cancelled, but give it another couple of months and the season will get under way. It's probable that I won't play so many comps this year, so there may be more progress on ET during the summer.... Edited February 27, 2020 by gordon s 38 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted February 27, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 27, 2020 Here's a good reason for not buying cheapo ply from the sheds (I know Gordon doesn't) - a friend was cutting this piece on his bandsaw today. And yes, that's a piece of gravel embedded within the sheet during manufacture - you'd never know from the outside - not even a bump in the surface. The Bandsaw didn't like it either - it totally trashed the blade..... 1 1 6 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lezz01 Posted February 27, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 27, 2020 Ouch!!! Regards Lez. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted February 28, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 28, 2020 Gordon If its plastic it could well be a dc kits one. If its metal it may be a very well put together MTK kit. Baz 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted February 28, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 28, 2020 4 hours ago, Barry O said: Gordon If its plastic it could well be a dc kits one. If its metal it may be a very well put together MTK kit. Baz Anbrico? MIke. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted February 28, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 28, 2020 As far as I know the anbrico ones were sold "built up" Baz 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted February 28, 2020 Author Share Posted February 28, 2020 Of course I should have looked underneath, but there are no markings. Both cars are plastic, but the power car does have some folded brass pieces added to represent battery boxes etc on the under frame. The second car is all plastic, so from Baz’s info, I suspect it may be a DC kits model. If I still have the invoice from all those years ago, it may give more details. Either way, it’s very well built and a good representation of what I travelled in as a youngster. Raining again. Perhaps I’ll build an ark rather than a railway.... The other job is to try and repair a circular plastic moulding that came with my car to unscrew the centre wheel cap to access the wheel bolts. The outside of the cap has a moulded M12 nut to accept a socket. I had to change my rear tyres on Wednesday and I can’t prove it was them and not the dealer, but the fitter came to me and showed me the plastic moulded nut had been rounded, probably by using the high speed air guns. Checked on line and a new one is £28 and of course it will still be just as fragile. Always one to fiddle with bits that don’t work, I think I’ll drill it out and fit an M12 bolt and then epoxy a nut in the recess inside the plastic moulding. At least that will provide a metal to metal contact and then I can keep the new one for when I sell the car. A rubbish design that could be much improved..... 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted February 28, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 28, 2020 The Cravens set will be DC kit one then, there were some brass fold up bits with it. Looks well built as you would expect from GV. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted February 28, 2020 Author Share Posted February 28, 2020 (edited) Found the invoice and it was from 2003... It just says 'basic kit, plus interior, buffers, couplings, and motor bogie etc', so I guess that confirms a DC kit. Never run in 17 years. Where did the time go? I suspect it will be happy to happy the cobwebs blown out and do what it was designed to do. Edited February 28, 2020 by gordon s 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted February 28, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 28, 2020 1 hour ago, gordon s said: Raining again. Perhaps I’ll build an ark rather than a railway.... You have enough scrap wood to build one. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denbridge Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 5 minutes ago, BoD said: You have enough scrap wood to build one. No he doesn't, but the guys at the tip are building an epic ark 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted February 28, 2020 Author Share Posted February 28, 2020 Many a true word...... Todays engineering exercise. Stupid design.... 4 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manna Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 11 hours ago, gordon s said: Many a true word...... Todays engineering exercise. Stupid design.... G'day Folks On/Off Rain Tap ! manna 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trustytrev Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 Hello Gordon, A piece of wood with two nails or screws spaced to engage with the ribs of a suitable length to afford sufficient leverage? trustytrev. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted February 29, 2020 Author Share Posted February 29, 2020 (edited) Funny how simple jobs can give you a lot of pleasure. It was back to the old days and 'make do and mend'. Drilled out the centre hub to the tapping diameter for a M12 bolt that had been cut to size and chamfered with a grinder. With some care, I managed to turn the bolt into a self tapper and gently inserted in into the hole. Glad to say it formed a half decent thread, so out it came again. The rear of the moulding had an octagonal recess, so back to the grinder with the M12 nut held in Mole grips and after a while managed to get a hexagonal nut into an octagonal recess. Bodgers are us, springs to mind.... Once the nut was secure it was out with Araldite to cover the nut and all down the thread of the bolt. Woke this morning to find it had all set rock hard and hopefully job done.... Hope the worry didn't keep you awake last night.... Now the good news... It's raining again and the course is closed again and probably will be for several days yet, so back to ET today. The back straight board has now been fully wired and the Tortoise motors fitted and wired. I'll probably play trains again today and then take the board out again next week to get the two gradients finished. Probably a dozen or so bridging tracks to add and you may see four trains running. Watched a BT documentary on one of my all time Spurs heroes last night, Jimmy Greaves. Great to also see Cliff Jones in the film as he lived at the bottom of our street and I was always knocking on his door asking for his autograph for fellow Spurs fans at my school. If you are a football fan and it crops up on TV, it was an enjoyable 90 minute watch. Was that really 60 years ago?.... Edited February 29, 2020 by gordon s 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gordon s Posted February 29, 2020 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 29, 2020 (edited) Just for the hell of it, still some fettling to do, but it all seems to work... Edited February 29, 2020 by gordon s 45 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted February 29, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 29, 2020 12 minutes ago, gordon s said: Just for the hell of it, still some fettling to do, but it all seems to work... https://youtu.be/1JSzqusc_ig That deserves more than just a simple like, Congratulations. Mick 1 15 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted February 29, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 29, 2020 Some great running there, Gordon. Is it all as loud as it come across in the video? You'll need some ear defenders and a barrier wagon between the steamer and the tanks. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted February 29, 2020 Author Share Posted February 29, 2020 (edited) Well it is loud, but I don’t plan to run four trains at once very often. The reason for it is ballasted track on cork underlay glued down with PVA. Once I’m happy with every element of running quality, then I plan to add some sound deadening material in the void created by the mdf side plates and 12mm trackbed. I’m in the process of selecting a locomotive from each category of RTR and kit built plus the loco’s with Ultrascale wheels. I will inspect and check the back to backs to ensure they meet the 00-SF spec and then use them as standards for all rolling stock. Only then will I know that if there is a problem with smooth running, it is a build problem and will then check the dimensions of the turnout with the correct gauges. If I build to spec and the rolling stock meets the requirements for back to back measurement, then all will be fine. The danger as always is that you can jump to conclusions and ‘adjust’ pointwork to suit a loco and just create a problem for all your other stock. Been there and done that...... Edited February 29, 2020 by gordon s 10 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium eldavo Posted February 29, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 29, 2020 Now we're cooking on gas! Cheers Dave 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trustytrev Posted February 29, 2020 Share Posted February 29, 2020 Hello Gordon, The noise is brilliant. Maybe lubrication of all those dry bearings would make a big difference. Then again the real thing suffered the same issues. trustytrev. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwordsmith Posted March 1, 2020 Share Posted March 1, 2020 Hugely impressive ! is that Crompton there under rule 1? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted March 1, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 1, 2020 12 hours ago, Rowsley17D said: Some great running there, Gordon. Is it all as loud as it come across in the video? You'll need some ear defenders and a barrier wagon between the steamer and the tanks. If you think that's loud, wait until the DCC sound chips kick in! Mike. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted March 1, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 1, 2020 12 hours ago, Rowsley17D said: Some great running there, Gordon. Is it all as loud as it come across in the video? You'll need some ear defenders and a barrier wagon between the steamer and the tanks. You don't need a barrier wagon for class B (black) tank wagons - in fact they could themselves serve as barrier wagons for class A tanks . 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted March 1, 2020 Author Share Posted March 1, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, bigwordsmith said: Hugely impressive ! is that Crompton there under rule 1? Guilty! Just needed another loco fitted for DCC. Diesels are a bit of an unknown to me as just as they came along, so did motor bikes/cars/karting and women, but not necessarily in that order.... Rule 1 will kick in occasionally, but I suspect that if it never went near the Eastern Region then it will be eBay bound once the next rationalisation kicks in. Edit: I will now change my plea to Not Guilty as later posts have provided an alibi...... Edited March 1, 2020 by gordon s 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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