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West Kirby Town: Parcels traffic has increased.


Dmudriver
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6 hours ago, jcarta said:

Rod

Is that part of Trigger's broom collection you have there? 

 

Yes, jcarta, but the improved version!!  Improved in that the head screws on and off!!  Not ideal as, depending on how hard you are brushing, it can come unscrewed in service!!   The handle belonging to the 2nd head is in use as a fitness tool (work that one out!!!)  So the improved version is versatile, too!!

 

Not sure who/where I'd get my medal from, though!!

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Hi all.

 

I've talked about cleaning the wheels of all the hauled stock on the layout but I must admit that I wasn't looking forward to it - particularly having to turn each wheelset by hand!   So I've been wracking my brains for an easier way to do it rather than using a brass brush on each wheel tread.  IPA seemed to be a good solution from what I've read and then it struck me that I'd read somewhere** about putting a tissue soaked in IPA across the tracks for stock to run over.  I got some IPA from Amazon and the pic below shows the result of pushing back and forth a rake of 4x Mark 1s on the far track and 4x parcels vehicles on the near one:

 

IMG_20210126_164359.jpg.83dccba4cfabb0c82a6cd3edfc99c699.jpg

 

I'm quite impressed with that and it's certainly a lot easier than cleaning each wheel separately.   The different tracks are where I moved the tissue just to see how much muck it was picking up.   Looks like that will make the whole job so much quicker!!   One happy bunny here again!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

**   I think on John Holden's "Liverpool Lime Street" layout.

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That seems to work.
 

One could build a “wheel cleaning lathe” to sit under the track on a siding somewhere.  I could imagine some brass wire brushes on an axle, driven by a motor, alongside another axle perhaps with rubber tyres turning rather slower to rotate the wheels against the wire brushes.  It all sounds a bit complicated, but would save handling the stock.

 

Meanwhile, kitchen roll and IPA...

 

atb

Simon

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I think I have read that the same trick can be used in traffic, just split the tissue between the rails so that each side is separate.  Then you can clean as you 'test'.

Paul.

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45 minutes ago, 5BarVT said:

I think I have read that the same trick can be used in traffic, just split the tissue between the rails so that each side is separate.  Then you can clean as you 'test'.

Paul.

That's what John Holden talked about, Paul.   I think he had it just at the the fiddle yard exit/entrance.

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Time for another update, I think!  The wheel cleaning and general relubrication is progressing, albeit relatively slowly: not that I've lost my mojo again but more that the weather's not really been conducive to going out into the shed!   It can get cosy in there after a while, but it's actually getting out there that's the challenge!!

 

Doing the wheel cleaning has got me thinking - and sheepishly admitting that it must be years since I've cleaned the wheels on the hauled stock - whether that's coaches, parcels stock or DMU trailer cars.  I've cleaned loco and DMU power car wheels when pick up has been a bit erratic and I've cleaned the track pretty regularly but I've realised it's all a bit of wasted effort if the wheels of all the hauled stock are covered in muck!!   However now I've proved to myself I can do it with kitchen roll and IPA, they'll be a lot cleaner from now on!!

 

I've found that the wheels on the Easybuild bogies don't need lubricating: regardless of how dirty the wheels are, the axles run really freely in the bogies.

 

I've also been busy corresponding with Mike of Greenwood Model Railway Products** who produces point kits.  He's done some Peco replacement kits so I've ordered 3 of those - he hasn't enough stock for the Y point kits yet.  That's no problem, however, as I'll get on with replacing 2x LH and 1X RH points in the sidings.  This pic shows the Templot prints for the Peco replacement points laid on the existing pointwork:

 

IMG_20210201_153702.jpg.b279ba6ba5f8b888fec8379040ae9c85.jpg

 

The straight bits of track between the points are due to the fact that I've widened the track centres for the sidings:  Mike is giving me some extra sleepers and rail for those straight bits.  Construction of the points is very similar to making the C&L points I've done in the past.  There are 2 major differences, however:  he's using rail compatible with the Peco Streamline track and the sleeper bases for the points are produced in one piece.  In addition, he produces ready-made common crossings to 0-MF standards.   I'm looking forward to getting going on those!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

** No connection other than as a satisfied customer (platform awnings, portacabin).

 

 

 

 

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8 minutes ago, Dmudriver said:

I've also been busy corresponding with Mike of Greenwood Model Railway Products

 

I don't think you'll be disappointed when you construct them Rod, and dare i say they almost fall together and extremely enjoyable to build.

 

G

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51 minutes ago, Dmudriver said:

Time for another update, I think!  The wheel cleaning and general relubrication is progressing, albeit relatively slowly: not that I've lost my mojo again but more that the weather's not really been conducive to going out into the shed!   It can get cosy in there after a while, but it's actually getting out there that's the challenge!!

 

Doing the wheel cleaning has got me thinking - and sheepishly admitting that it must be years since I've cleaned the wheels on the hauled stock - whether that's coaches, parcels stock or DMU trailer cars.  I've cleaned loco and DMU power car wheels when pick up has been a bit erratic and I've cleaned the track pretty regularly but I've realised it's all a bit of wasted effort if the wheels of all the hauled stock are covered in muck!!   However now I've proved to myself I can do it with kitchen roll and IPA, they'll be a lot cleaner from now on!!

 

I've found that the wheels on the Easybuild bogies don't need lubricating: regardless of how dirty the wheels are, the axles run really freely in the bogies.

 

I've also been busy corresponding with Mike of Greenwood Model Railway Products** who produces point kits.  He's done some Peco replacement kits so I've ordered 3 of those - he hasn't enough stock for the Y point kits yet.  That's no problem, however, as I'll get on with replacing 2x LH and 1X RH points in the sidings.  This pic shows the Templot prints for the Peco replacement points laid on the existing pointwork:

 

IMG_20210201_153702.jpg.b279ba6ba5f8b888fec8379040ae9c85.jpg

 

The straight bits of track between the points are due to the fact that I've widened the track centres for the sidings:  Mike is giving me some extra sleepers and rail for those straight bits.  Construction of the points is very similar to making the C&L points I've done in the past.  There are 2 major differences, however:  he's using rail compatible with the Peco Streamline track and the sleeper bases for the points are produced in one piece.  In addition, he produces ready-made common crossings to 0-MF standards.   I'm looking forward to getting going on those!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

** No connection other than as a satisfied customer (platform awnings, portacabin).

 

 

 

 

I'll keep my eye on this one Rod as I have one of his point kits to try. I've never built any form of track before but the kit looks well designed and comes with all sorts of gauges and guides.

JF

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Rod can you refresh my mind why it was that you want to redo perfectly sound and working point work,

Do you intend to redo all the point work or just the 4 mentioned?

You've definitely got your mojo working again then.

 

Best

 

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36 minutes ago, Barnaby said:

Rod can you refresh my mind why it was that you want to redo perfectly sound and working point work,

Do you intend to redo all the point work or just the 4 mentioned?

You've definitely got your mojo working again then.

 

Best

 

 

Hi Barnaby.

 

The main purpose is to give me some more purpose in relation to the layout.  5 points in the sidings area are Peco - mainly because I had them available at the time I was originally track laying.  They work OK but look a bit toy-like so I just fancied replacing them.  I've built C&L kits before and enjoyed it so this will give me more interest.  The trailing crossover on the main line I again built from C&L kits but I adapted C10 straight kits and used their ready made 32mm frogs.  Stock thumps as it goes through them so I'd like to improve those.  Finally, the station throat complex is built up from separate point kits joined together as if they were produced by Peco:  if I'd built them as one unit, they would have given a much smoother ride through them.  Not that it's easy to notice, but when I look at some of my videos I can see it: they aren't all flat, the gauge varies here and there plus the point blades aren't all filed down enough - mistakes I made because I'd had no previous experience.  I don't get many derailments fortunately, but that's because I try to adhere to something like the prototype's 10 mph speed limit.

 

Basically it's to retain my interest in the layout: while it isn't finished - there's plenty of detail work I could do - it's achieving everything I set out to achieve operationally.   So I'll be able to carry on operating/playing but still have something really constructive to do.

 

 

Rod

Edited by Dmudriver
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Really enjoyed ready through this thread and watching the YouTube stuff - very inspiring for me, thank you. 

On the track building issue, i found the significant factor for smooth/reliable running is getting the blade profile and gauging right. I had no real issues with common crossings. When i'd filed my blades to profile, i gave them a few extra strokes in the wider tapered zone. Seemed to work well. 

 

Cheers

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Very interesting up date on your thread Ron reference replacing Peco points and improving the running qualities. Your spot on when you talk about having no previous experience before you started building something that we all come to understand after the event. The Greenwood range of track products is a very interesting development in the 0 gauge track market given the current shortage .....I'm glad that I have to still build my new shed before I am ready to buy any track. 

Keep up the good work Ron and keep safe 

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3 hours ago, gismorail said:

before I am ready to buy any track.

 

Just to add in respect of the Greenwood rail products, if you use Templot to produce a track plan you can send a file of the layout to Mike and he will produce it exactly for you.

 

I must state I have no ties other than being a very satisfied customer.

 

Off at a slight tangent regarding track, I recently put some of my redundant Peco track onto the floor for a "play" and ran each of my Dapol Autocoaches over every point and was surprised / annoyed to see them derail on everyone. The track was purely laid to test some locos I am currently building and each one successfully traversed each point.

I am now aware of the wheel sets on the Autocoach being different in profile and haven't had any problems on my Greenwood points, just a thought.

 

Here is a short video showing what I mean minus the autocoach running.

 

 

Edited by bgman
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7 hours ago, bgman said:

Just to add in respect of the Greenwood rail products, if you use Templot to produce a track plan you can send a file of the layout to Mike and he will produce it exactly for you.

I've seen that on his website and Mike also mentioned it in our correspondence..  The problem is I'm not up to speed on Templot yet!!!  It is an objective to learn it, though!!

 

7 hours ago, bgman said:

my Dapol Autocoaches over every point and was surprised / annoyed to see them derail on everyone

 

That surprises me - I've got 2 and have had no problems on any of my points at all: pulled or pushed they're absolutely fine.

 

I see in your video you've got an LNWR Special Tank.  Any other LNWR locos?

 

 

Rod

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15 minutes ago, Dmudriver said:

That surprises me - I've got 2 and have had no problems on any of my points at all: pulled or pushed they're absolutely fine.

 

I see in your video you've got an LNWR Special Tank.  Any other LNWR locos?

 

 

It surprised me as well to be honest but I've accepted the fact and as I mentioned previously I haven't had any problems with them going through point kits. If the track was to be wholly Peco I would have a look at replacing the wheelsets.

 

The LNWR Special Tank is a lovely runner and will be "chipped" at some point in the future. I do have another LNWR loco which is waiting to be built, it's a Mercian LNWR 0-6-2 Coal Tank and the kit looks to be well presented. Once my GWR loco kits have been built I will move onto it as my next build.

 

G  

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On 03/02/2021 at 23:32, bgman said:

The LNWR Special Tank is a lovely runner and will be "chipped" at some point in the future. I do have another LNWR loco which is waiting to be built, it's a Mercian LNWR 0-6-2 Coal Tank and the kit looks to be well presented

 

Hi bgman.   You got me going again, thinking about LNWR for the layout!!!  But I'll stick to my decision (for the moment, anyway!!) and carry on with replacing the pointwork. 

 

You said you've a Coal Tank kit to build: I made one a few years ago and had a thread about the build - mine was also the Mercian kit: you might find it useful to refer to.  The link is here: 

 

Will you start a thread for your build?  I'd be interested to see how you do with it.

 

I'm expecting the point kits this week, all being well, so I'll start on that once I've thoroughly worked out the sequence of doing it.  Certainly the Down sidings and stabling point will be OOU so I'll take the parcels stock and Mark 1s off the layout - and probably the locos as well.  This will just leave me the DMUs to play with but that should give me sufficient interest to keep going!!

 

In the meantime, I've cleaned and lubricated the wheels on all the diesel-era hauled stock and I'm rather impressed with the results.  Just need to keep them clean now - so the IPA will be used during some normal running sessions, though probably only on the outside tracks as I want to keep the vapour out of my lungs!!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

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Hello Rod,

 

Thank you for the link to your build I will have a look soon as any information on specific kits are always very useful.

 

I suppose the LNWR is somewhere in my DNA having grown up in the North West and with the Special Tank I have it got me wanting to build a LNWR kit. The Mercian kit was purchased at a "not to be missed price" so why not !

 

My thread is currently based on a Devon themed GWR layout together with all of my current loco builds etc which I would like to get to a stage where I can run some of them. Once I have reached that stage I will most probably post the various stages of the coal tank build.

 

Over and above all of that I have been dropping in on you thread for quite some time and have enjoyed the posts very much.

 

I'm not certain if this link has been posted here in the past or whether you have seen this channel but I hope you don't mind me placing it here, I find this layout most delightful.....

 

 

 

 

I have spoken with Mike today and I am hoping to receive some more turnouts at the end of the week which will be started as soon as I receive them, specifically a B7 double slip ( I already have one that I made myself but want to replace it for my new layout with his kit ).

 

All the best for now,

 

G

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On 08/02/2021 at 22:38, bgman said:

I'm not certain if this link has been posted here in the past or whether you have seen this channel but I hope you don't mind me placing it here, I find this layout most delightful.....

 

Thanks, bgman.  I've seen that layout and I'm sure I've seen that video, but with text added: I can't for the life of me think where, though!

 

That's the kind of thing that reignites my LNWR passion!!

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Hi all.

 

Yesterday was a glorious, if rather cold, day so, after I'd been out for a walk in the morning and had some lunch, I decided to have a bit of a play/operating session.   I only had my mobile to hand so videoed on that: not ideal and a bit shaky in the first section as I was holding the phone with one hand and the controller with the other!!  After about an hour, I gave up as the cold got a bit intense and overrode the fun I was having!  Hope you like it:

 

 

 

Memo to self - don't use the +/- 16 speed steps button so often as, even with high inertia, it doesn't look realistic!!

 

I had a little problem when I opened up - with one of the padlocks.  The plunger that is supposed to keep the bar in place had got a bit dry and the bar shot out, leaving me with this:

 

IMG_20210210_161740.jpg.3c2659d4c20c3061d6f6419677fac078.jpg

 

I got some oil into it and managed to get a very thin knife blade into the hole and pushed it down enough to get the bar back in - as here:

 

IMG_20210210_162215.jpg.c7b9d7378308620e09651d362430b049.jpg

 

Breathed a big sigh of relief!!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

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  • Dmudriver changed the title to West Kirby Town: Peco point replacement

Hi all.

 

You may have noticed that I've changed the thread title as the Greenwood MRP point kits have arrived.  Here's a pic of them:

 

IMG_20210218_131648.jpg.bff2f0b5d09308070ca33bf278745049.jpg

 

The first is of what you get in 5 kits.  2x Y point bases and 3x RH/LH point bases.  I get the impression the latter are reversible - ie, LH is RH turned upside down!!  Plus bags of chairs and a bag of tiebars.

 

The prefabricated common crossings are wired underneath: pic here:

 

IMG_20210218_132344.jpg.2eaab8fb6754a6d04c96c4a523245f55.jpg

 

They look good.  I'm one point blade short but Mike is sending that on. 

 

I've been in the shed starting preparations for the work - the portacabin, fuel storage tank and fuelling points have been moved (photos to follow) and stock removal from the layout is on the agenda for tomorrow.  I'll be taking off the locos and hauled stock, just leaving me with DMUs to play with - and possibly the steam specials, too!!

 

I'm looking forward to getting going on this, although getting the old track up could be a challenge as they are ballasted in, wired up and I can't remember if I glued them down!!  All will be revealed shortly!!

 

Watch this space - more soon!!

 

 

Rod

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