vulcanbomber Posted January 20, 2021 Author Share Posted January 20, 2021 Trains passing through the station 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted January 31, 2022 Author Share Posted January 31, 2022 (edited) Time to get this thread going again. I had got bored with using automation to control the trains, and also didn't like the idea of sitting in front of my control panel. I have now discovered a wifi based controller called Engine Driver of which I have included some screen shots. This means I can now follow the trains around the layout and have no need of any automation to guide the train into storage loops etc, since I can now get close enough to the trains to do it myself. I have installed JMRI on an laptop which acts as an interface between my ECoS and my android phone which runs the software. This has freed the laptop up so I can display a schedule using Excel which is easy to change and can now be kept open all the time for reference. The main throttle, which I have set to control two locomotives, which are selected from the train roster held in JMRI As well as controlling trains I can also control all the points and give them real names This is what I think is the clever bit. Using JMRI I created a list of routes. Then using one of the Panelpro panels I added sensors to the panel, which I discovered can be shown as text, eg Loop 1, loop2. and can be operated just like switches. These can then be made to reference the routes in JMRI and the colour changes as the route is selected. Not only that I can also add text to detail the loco stored in each loop , which is obviously easy to change. There is a route page built into the app, but I couldn't get it to work and it wouldn't show the trains in each loop anyway. So there you are from my phone I can control locomotives, points and routes and therefore no longer need any other control panels. The ECoS now only acts as an interface to the DCC system and I don't use it to control the layout. I gave the system a full test this afternoon and it was much more fun, so expect more pics of Barkham shortly Edited January 31, 2022 by vulcanbomber 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponthir28 Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 Nice to have you back posting. Need more gwr layouts. 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted February 3, 2022 Author Share Posted February 3, 2022 (edited) Trying my new phone camera Pannier going to collect wagons from gasworks Parked the Brakes van Collected wagons Coupled back up to goods van Edited February 3, 2022 by vulcanbomber got pic inserted wrng 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted February 3, 2022 Author Share Posted February 3, 2022 Had real trouble remembering how to post pics, in future I will probably do one at a time The pics got posted all wrong and I had to do a major edit, and it didn't let me post much comment What I was going to say Well I have discovered that using my new controller I can park the trains more closely together in the loops which means I can now get a small coal train in loop 5 as well as the Auto coach and B set, just need another new loco that's all! ( borrowed loco off Auto coach) It also means I can do some shunting, so decided to make up a new train schedule of on collecting and delivering coal wagons to the gas works. I did briefly toy with the idea of using Kyadees for the wagons which have to be uncoupled but decided it was too much faffing around and a bent paper clip works very well! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted February 13, 2022 Author Share Posted February 13, 2022 In view of the diabolical weather outside decided to run with lights on, including B set 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted February 13, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 13, 2022 Same weather here, but those views undo it. Very pleasing. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted February 16, 2022 Author Share Posted February 16, 2022 With the locomotive disconnected from the Autocoach I realised how big the coupling was. I had assumed it was a one piece coupling and had cut it off the other end, but at the time decided to leave well alone. .Coming back to the problem and doing a bit of research for a replacement, I realised that if you just pulled the coupling it would unclip and could be replaced by Hornby part R8099 Only problem you have to buy an expensive bag of 10. I have found a home for another one on an old Hornby brake van with similar problem. W 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Graham T Posted February 16, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 16, 2022 That looks a lot better! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallpaul69 Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 Good to have you back Richard, What is on your modelling agenda for the near future? At my end Lower Thames Yard has gone through a number of changes mainly due to Covid's effects on the folks building my layout, and now consists of two sections:- 1) an end to end fully scenic fully DCC operation 8ft layout bought as a stopgap a year ago to have something to operate, and called Wycombe End, 2) a 12ft x4ft non scenic but fully DCC roundy round set on the GW&GC line north of High Wycombe at Bradenham, which in reality never had a station, which was delivered c6 months ago by my builders. So I do now have trains running, and a full set of signals made for me by Stephen Freeman have just been delivered. Next I have to work up a project to get them installed and working! The second current project is a 9inch by 3ft section to fill the gap between Wycombe End and Bradenham, which may sound easy, but has its challenges. More anon! Cheers for now, Paul 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted February 17, 2022 Author Share Posted February 17, 2022 Autocoach now coupled up again and going past the gasworks at dusk 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted February 18, 2022 Author Share Posted February 18, 2022 Etarre on the viaduct with it's pullman coaches. I supported the phone on the track in front of the loco, and then used Google Assistant to take the photo for me whilst I held the phone steady 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted February 19, 2022 Author Share Posted February 19, 2022 Couple of views of the long goods trains still need to get some GWR stone paint to finish water crane 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted February 19, 2022 Author Share Posted February 19, 2022 View of the scenic area in front of the storage loops, all of this is detachable from the main baseboard The Perspex is for grandchildren fingers prevention! The storage loops themselves . The area below the camera bends around to the left to form a right angle and holds the church. The area to the right is open. this means that with my mobile controller I can judge the stopping point for trains entering the loops. Either by the position of the loco or in the other direction by the position of the last carriage or truck in the train. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted February 21, 2022 Author Share Posted February 21, 2022 When I took the picture of Etarre on the Viaduct, I noticed how clean the stonework looked, so I started adding a bit of weathering today, This is the first pass 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallpaul69 Posted February 21, 2022 Share Posted February 21, 2022 Are you going to treat the watermill in the same way? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted February 21, 2022 Author Share Posted February 21, 2022 Probably not since it's not quite so exposed to the Steam engines.Might try and add a bit of green slime growth close to the river,if I can come up with the right method.Might have a look at how Little Muddle have done the harbour wall,but it's a lot of pages to wade through! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted February 22, 2022 Author Share Posted February 22, 2022 Completed 7 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted February 25, 2022 Author Share Posted February 25, 2022 New locomotive brought off Rails of Sheffield via eBay for £41, as returned stock with faults A few problems which I have managed to sort out. Missing step which I prefabricated our of plasticard, why don't they make this part of cast chassis, it's very easy to break off Poorly running motor, I managed to adjust the brush pickup and it appears to be running alright now. However I think the motor is off very poor quality wouldn't be surprised if it has to be replaced at some point Fitted real coal and moved cover for lamp iron. Gave all the black plastic a coat of grey black The loco number is missing on the other side, but since it will always run in this direction not a problem at the moment, but will be solved by fitting brass ones. I'll let it run in for a while before any more tweaks I see the new one will be be over £150, so a bargain I think 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted March 4, 2022 Author Share Posted March 4, 2022 View of the hotel in the early evening sun 8 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulcanbomber Posted March 11, 2022 Author Share Posted March 11, 2022 City of Bath just pulling into the station. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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