87 101 Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Ac lines is my current exhibition layout and is made up of a series of small modules that bolt together. Each module is a self contained scene with the advantage that trains can run run right the way through them. Some of you will be fimilar with Potters lane this has now been joined by Trent valley based on Rugby flyover and the next module currently in planning is a small viaduct based on one near Tebay. My friend Gary will be building a section of the LTS that will also link up with the AC lines project. As well as representing different sections of the UK 25kv network we will also be running all the different types of stock seen over the past 50 years. Here's some video of the first two modules in action at Shildon show All the OHLE on the modules is cosmetic and all the pantographs are fixed just below the wires. The pans are all fitted with small LED's that flash when the loco/unit passes over a fixed magnet buried below the track. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan452 Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Awesome! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leestepr Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Thanks for an exciting and well-produced video--much to inspire and teach us North American electric modelers (all three or four of us). Steve http://updunesjunction.blogspot.com/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Really really nice - will be watching out for this one on the circuit - notice there are a couple of "proper" (DC) electric locos in the foreground siding though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartb Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Nice idea for a layout, any update on the new module yet? John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
87 101 Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 Hi everyone and apoligies for not being as active over the past couple of months. Currently im recovering from a hernia opperation and the reason for mentioning it is that hopfully I should be taking AC lines to NRM Shildon in June provided that I fully recover. TBH not much has happened with the project over the past 12 months as I have been busy with other projects and at one point I was going to scrap the layout. Thankfully this never happened and once things settle down again I will be moving the project forward. One of the big things that will be changed will be the fiddle yards as at the moment they are a bit restrictive. The plan is to increse the current 3 roads to 7 at each end giving us the opitunity of having 13 complete trains on the layout at any time. Once this is completed I will be looking at building the viaduct module. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartb Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 It would have been a shame if you had scrapped the layout after so much hard work, especially as the Bachmann 85 is coming soon. Hope you feel better soon , and I wait for more progress on AC lines. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
87 101 Posted May 4, 2012 Author Share Posted May 4, 2012 AC lines will be out again next month as its due to appear at Locomotion Shildon on 9th-10th June. Currently im working on finishing off the Trent valley module including the handrails on the flyover and planting a few trees. Unfortunatly the backscene never recovered from taking the layout to tanfield last year and has bubbled quite badly in places. With time running out I will have to postpone replacing it untill after the Shildon outing. I currently have my fingers crossed that the 85 I have on pre order arrives before the show as I expect it will turn a few heads hauling my rake of white roofed mk1's. Next march the layout will be at perth green show Jarrow hopfully in extended form with the new viaduct module. The plan of the module has changed slightly as it will now be curved to give me an L shaped layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartb Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Any chance of some new pictures Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 One of the biggest exhibition layouts using catenary was the MRC's New Annington which used a mixture of Sommerfeldt and hand built cross spans. the pantographs actually touched the wires too be the wires didn't carry current as they ended in the tunnels for the hidden loops. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash39 Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 87101 - the arcing pans look superb. Can you give some more details on the system? I'm struggling to work out how the magnets activate the LED's. Also how have you fitted the LED and associated wiring so it doesn't detract from the model when stationary? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 One of the biggest exhibition layouts using catenary was the MRC's New Annington which used a mixture of Sommerfeldt and hand built cross spans. the pantographs actually touched the wires too be the wires didn't carry current as they ended in the tunnels for the hidden loops. How big was New Annington? I don't think I saw it, just curious as we have Deepcar, 26'x11' and Carstairs/Law Junction at 28'x9'. Carstairs is a folded 8 viewable on three sides, just one end is not scenic. The whole layout has to have overhead as some of the locos have scratchbuilt cross arm pans which, if de-wired, just go vertical. Also some of the locos are set up for overhead pickup only. Deepcar uses the ramp system, although at first we did have a couple of roads wired as one member had his locos wired for overhead pickup only. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Working very much from a flaky memory here but NA was circa 35x15, visible both long and one short side. Nice to watch but a beast to cart about! Like the modernisation plan station buildings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted March 7, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 7, 2013 Working very much from a flaky memory here but NA was circa 35x15, visible both long and one short side. Nice to watch but a beast to cart about! Like the modernisation plan station buildings. Hi Martyn It was fun to watch at a show in Bletchley, organised by Rail. The three of us operating Pig Lane stopped playing trains and told those viewing to look across at New Annington. Something major had gone wrong there was bodies dashing about everywhere, far more entertaining than my little train set. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon H Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 How big was New Annington? I don't think I saw it, just curious as we have Deepcar, 26'x11' and Carstairs/Law Junction at 28'x9'. Carstairs is a folded 8 viewable on three sides, just one end is not scenic. The whole layout has to have overhead as some of the locos have scratchbuilt cross arm pans which, if de-wired, just go vertical. Also some of the locos are set up for overhead pickup only. Deepcar uses the ramp system, although at first we did have a couple of roads wired as one member had his locos wired for overhead pickup only. Actuallly, Carstairs is 28' x 10'. Originally, ALL electric locos used on it were expected to be set-up for overhead pickup only, as they had been on High Gill previously. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 New Annington was originally 26' x 16', designed by Frank Dyer as a steam age layout. It was modernised with revised trackwork and overhead electrification, fully interlocked colour light siognals, and eventuially a push button entry/exit panel fopr the hidden loops. The loops were extended outwards over the years from the original 4 each way to something like 4 up, 4 down, 6 reversible, and 6 dead end roads on the local lines. The last addition was a ramp from the main lines to connect with the branch terminus at Dyers End. This would see the occasional "hauled" dead electric set on diversion! I was in charge of the layout from day 1 in about 1978 through to about 1990. I recently found some pics of the original trach under construction and the original track plans. I also devised the automatic gismos that put the signals back to red using RS light activated switches. all clever stuff for its day! NA wasn't that bad to cart around. following one show in London, we had the layout knocked down, transported bak to Keen House, re-erected and running by 9 o'clock! (not with all the scenics and stock I hasten to add).. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 I've recently found the original Frank Dyer plan for New Annington, steam era, prior to the 1986 rebuild with electrification and colour light signals. If ever my scanner works, I'll put a copy on here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
87 101 Posted June 11, 2013 Author Share Posted June 11, 2013 Hi all first my apoligies for the lack of updates ! AC lines has been booked to appear at this years Hornby mag live at hartlepool july 13th-14th. I was also asked to submit some pics for the mag so both of the modules were set up in the front garden for picture taking. Heres a couple ... As you can see I have been a bit busy with a few loco projects. My scratchbuilt 89 has been backdated to its original livery whilst my scratchbuilt 82 & 83 are almost finished both just requiring buffers to be fitted. The loadbank loco was scratchbuilt using an applegreen body and bogie sideframes I bought off ebay. The sideframes are grafted onto lima 87 trailing bogies and the pan is fitted with an led in line with the rest of the AC fleet. The flash effect requires a reed switch to be fitted under the loco. This opperates when the loco passes over a magnet buried under the track and switches the track power to the led via a 1k resistor. To enable the flash effect to work in both directions a bridge rectifier is used with the ac legs connected to the pickups and the + - wired to the flash circuit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
87 101 Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 AC lines is no more as it has now been scrapped. Some of the structures have gone to new homes whilst other bits are being reused on my new show layout curently under construction in the garage. Called Wemblesden Park the new layout is my take on the WCML in north London and features a smaller version of Willesden shed and a modified version of Bletchleys signal box. I will start a new thread soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Will Wemblesden Park have DC NLL and Underground as well? XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
87 101 Posted January 6, 2014 Author Share Posted January 6, 2014 Will Wemblesden Park have DC NLL and Underground as well? XF Yes a front extension is planned featuring DC / underground lines. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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