Banbury in N scale - A great time at the Abingdon in March 2024

[Chris M]

Is yours DCC?

No, I decided analogue suited my needs better for this layout basically because I prefer to just select a track and turn the control knob. My layout is much simpler and smaller than Banbury

Edited May 31, 2018 by Chris M

[roundhouse]

Now that a fellow RMwebber produced one off set of plates for me I finally got round to painting them and adding to the DRS loco. It was decided that putting the 'Rail' in the E would have spoilt the plate and I think that was the right call.

 

Next up will be renaming a DRS loco to 68003 Astute. Just sourcing the numbers before I add the plates.

[roundhouse]

Its been a quiet few months with Banbury but with the upcoming show season I have now started work on the rolling stock especially now that I am getting more aquainted with the airbrush set up. I recently fitted a regulator to the compressor. next will be an air reservoir tank.

 

These are the first locos to receive roof weathering using the airbrush so early days but it has made an improvement ot the previously hand brushed roof dirt. There are a few in the photo that only have had the airbrush weathering. Plenty more to be owrked on and still room for further improvement.

 

The extra fiddleyard road which was added in the Spring will be tested very soon prior to its first use with my other N scale  'Santa Barabra', so that will be in time for Banburys next outing which will be Fareham, Hampshire in October. We will be having Pendolino  'drags' so I do need to sort out the class 57 so that it runs at a similar speed and acceleration.

Edited September 3, 2018 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

The first time that I have had chance to set up the modified fiddleyard albeit with the Santa Barbara scenic boards but gives me a goid chance to give my Pendolinos a goid run whilst amend g the JMRI panels to include the new road 11.

 

Pendolino is running g fine through the fiddleyard even at full speed on the 11.5 inch radius curves

[bigP]

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Edited January 31, 2021 by bigP
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[roundhouse]

Yes West Coast USA

 

 

[Gordon D]

If I bring mine along this weekend, we can have 2 running on Santa Barbara.

 

Gordon_D

[roundhouse]

If I bring mine along this weekend, we can have 2 running on Santa Barbara.

 

Gordon_D

We could have three towards closing when it gets quiet

Edited September 11, 2018 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

Unfortunately we didnt get chance ot run the Pendolinos at the weekend but they will get a run  at the Fareham show in October.

 

Work has now started on servicing the loco fleet for Banbury. The oldest loco is now 8 years old so a good overhaul is well and truly due. Our late friends Farish 66 requires a new motor so that will be ordered in the next few days as my stock of spare motors has been used up. One loco was found to have a dodgy decoder so a replacement has been ordered and another had a moulding glitch on the inside of the bogie frames so now this has been removed and the loco running well. Still plenty more to check through though.

 

Weathering the roofs of further locos including a final varnish coat on those previously weathered has continued today. I have even managed to rub off the enamel wash previously applied ot the roofs where necessary to get a better sprayed finish. Still early days using the air brush but geting the hang of it now.

 

A few photos of recently weathered loco roofs. I still need to do bodyside and grilles by hand htough.

Edited September 18, 2018 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

Work has continued on removing the hand brush applied weathering and Replacing using air brush.

Also two more block detection circuits have bern added to the fiddleyard today aswell as a few other alterations for connecting a test track which also doubles as a programming track on a shelf under these boards. Now need to order a few more of these Digikeijs units.

Edited September 18, 2018 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

A couple more locos now have completed roof grime and sealed with Dulcote. The Thunderbird needs a little more weathering lower down. Also just deciding whether to remove the motor or to try speed matching with the Pendolinos ready for the Fareham show

[bigP]

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Edited January 31, 2021 by bigP
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[roundhouse]

Paul

I will try both options with the 57 when I set the layout up before Fareham and see what is the best one. I do have an older Farish Thunderbird aswell but would need to modify it to have the Delner coupling mechanism.

Edited September 25, 2018 by roundhouse

[benjy14]

Also two more block detection circuits have bern added to the fiddleyard today aswell as a few other alterations for connecting a test track which also doubles as a programming track on a shelf under these boards. Now need to order a few more of these Digikeijs units.

 

Hi,

 

This is very interesting so a question if you don't mind...

 

I am planning a large American HO DCC-controlled layout and block detection will be a key element of it. I've just sold my old Lenz system; it gave good service for many years but with their updated versions, it seemed like a good time to upgrade. However, before I purchase a replacement, I'd like to evaluate some different systems.

 

So, my question is this... I've looked at the specification for the Digikejis block detection unit that you're using and it makes reference to "L-Net" and "LocoNet". Is the same as Digitrax LocoNet?  It is not explicitly mentioned but I can't see that they would use the same name if it was not compatible... Sorry if this is a daft question!

 

Many thanks,

 

Ben

[roundhouse]

Yes these block detection units do have LocoNet and I have successfully had the first one connected to my Digitrax system via the Loconet.

 

I will be testing the further recently installed ones next week when I get chance to set the layout up. If you do go for these then be careful to select the LocoNet versions as they do other variants that don't have Loconet

[benjy14]

Yes these block detection units do have LocoNet and I have successfully had the first one connected to my Digitrax system via the Loconet.

 

I will be testing the further recently installed ones next week when I get chance to set the layout up. If you do go for these then be careful to select the LocoNet versions as they do other variants that don't have Loconet

 

Many thanks for your reply!  I did notice there were variants that do not have LocoNet. I am also interested in using RR-CirKits SignalMan controllers for the signals, which is also compatible with LocoNet, so I am now heavily leaning towards DigiTrax as the main manufacturers' own-brand block occupancy detectors do seem to be rather expensive... I look forward to reading about how you get on with them.

 

On a different note, I grew up Oxford and went through Banbury on numerous occasions on my way to Wales via Birmingham, so your layout invokes a lot of memories; a terrific reproduction of the real place!

 

Ben

[roundhouse]

Ben

 

Thanks.

 

Yes Iwill post next week once I have tested these units. At present they just detect trains in the fiddleyard but once they are set up and tested and then with at least one show which will be Fareham, I will then move onto installing block detection on the scenic section so that we can automate the signals etc.

 

I have one Digitrax BDL 168 unit on Santa Barbara scenic section for transponding and working with the Surroundtrax sound unit but they are way too expensive to use generally where there are a lot of blocks ot set up. This layout uses the same fiddleyard as Banbury.

[roundhouse]

Today two lore Digikeijs Black sector units were set up on JMRI. There are now 33 blocks working in the fiddleyard with two more units ordered. If they arrive tomorrow then they will be fitted to the fiddleyard in time for Fareham show this weekend.

 

I have also bern adjusting the CV values for my two Thunderbird locos. So far they have run fairly well in front of the Pendolinos but the couplers are at different heights do will have a play with thrn tomorrow. I may revert to Rapido couplers rather than the Dapol Easi Shunt ones currently fitted to both the Pendolino and class 57s.

[GWRPhil]

Today two lore Digikeijs Black sector units were set up on JMRI. There are now 33 blocks working in the fiddleyard with two more units ordered. If they arrive tomorrow then they will be fitted to the fiddleyard in time for Fareham show this weekend.

 

I have also bern adjusting the CV values for my two Thunderbird locos. So far they have run fairly well in front of the Pendolinos but the couplers are at different heights do will have a play with thrn tomorrow. I may revert to Rapido couplers rather than the Dapol Easi Shunt ones currently fitted to both the Pendolino and class 57s.

 

nice photos of the pendolino drag

 

here's a link to the great video of it on youtube

 

Edited October 3, 2018 by GWRPhil

[roundhouse]

Not the best of videos.

I was hoping to do a better one today but spent most of the time fitting two more block detection units, one now fully working plus two solenoids to operate the centre reversible fiddleyard Road. These are also now fully working.

 

The current state of the JMRI track plan. The Pendolino and Thunderbird is picked up by the block detection in red.

[GWRPhil]

Not the best of videos.

I was hoping to do a better one today but spent most of the time fitting two more block detection units, one now fully working plus two solenoids to operate the centre reversible fiddleyard Road. These are also now fully working.

The current state of the JMRI track plan. The Pendolino and Thunderbird is picked up by the block detection in red.

That’s a long train it’s taking up a fair length of the fiddle yard. Cool to see the block detection in action.

[roundhouse]

That’s a long train it’s taking up a fair length of the fiddle yard. Cool to see the block detection in action.

Its an 11 coach Pendolino plus loco so yes it fill quite a bit of one track in the fiddleyard.

 

I am hoping to have more block detection working for Taunton and just maybe some signals linked to it but need to fully test the fiddleyard this weekend under show conditions first before adding them to the scenic section.

 

Another 20 or so locos have had their roof weathering re applied and are currently drying in the garage after sealing with dulcote. One Chiltern 168 is currently  being used as a testbed for weathering. Might do a few more units tomorrow.

[bigP]

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Edited January 31, 2021 by bigP
Deleted

[roundhouse]

Have fun in Farnham.  Looking forward to dragin' a Pendo down in Taunton 

 

 

Paul

Cheers Paul

 

Maybe even dragin' three if Gordon has his with him.

 

Been busy cleaning more stock today including fitting a decoder in 60081 IKB that hadn't run for some years. It had a split gear which has bern removed and hopefully tomorrow will have a replacement gear fitted.

 

Meanwhile these locos have been cleaned after having the roof weathering redone

[roundhouse]

After a few teething issues with the layout Saturday morning it then worked fine.

 

Having a big clean of the rolling stock for a couple of weeks prior to the show did also make a difference although one or two still played up.

 

We did get chance ot run a few unusual trains inlcuding a diverted DRS flask train.

 

Also the inspection saloon made an apperance.

 

On Saturday towards the end of the day we made the usual run of 73202 'Graham Stenning' in memory of our late friend who had this loco named after him at Brighton depot a few years ago. This loco is shown together with his EWS class 08 that I fitted a decoder into for him and luckily this loco together with some of his other N scale rolling stock made it into our safe keeping. Its never been a good runner but its working better after a good run in on my rolling road, so it made a trip onto the layout this show.

 

A good weekend and a very well organised show.

 

Plenty to do to on the layout and rolling stock before our next show in Taunton.

Edited November 18, 2018 by roundhouse