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West Kirby Town: Parcels traffic has increased.


Dmudriver
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6 hours ago, Barnaby said:

Liking the point work Rod, no doubt there'll soon be a video of a run through of all the new point work, yes please.

 

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Yes, there will be, Barnaby.  May be a few days, though.

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13 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

Re the bus on the bridge comments - this is the best I can d, I'm afraid.

 

A hangover from my LNWR layout!!

 

IMG_20210507_185656.jpg.077709259ec0dd2f3435697300a034c5.jpg

 

IMG_20210507_185706.jpg.76f98d44c803fc33d817d0ee37e2f095.jpg

 

 

Rod

 

A bit narrow, even for the real Bridge Road, and Crosville woudn't like it at all, Not One Little Bit!

 

(Especially as coming up on the bus drivers left was the Crosville West Kirby depot...)

 

 

15 hours ago, Simond said:

In the real thing, yes, at both ends, there’s a bonus!

 

In the real thing, by the time of Blue/Grey livery, the Grange Road bridge was long since gone.

 

image.png.80d57933be3afaf21182372130b38f55.png

http://disused-stations.org.uk/w/west_kirby/index.shtml

 

image.png.ef41bb6807ade47d20eb5b26095ab786.png

http://disused-stations.org.uk/w/west_kirby/index10.shtml

 

From t'other way, the site of the bridge, and the joint line to Hooton is straight ahead...

 

 

 

Edited by Hroth
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looks very smooth, I think you deserve to be pleased with your efforts!

 

I’d guess the stain won’t be sticky tomorrow, but you might find it has glued the blades, hopefully it’ll free off without a fight.

 

atb

Simon

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More progress!!

 

The point levers arrived from Marcway so I set about setting them up and found that the absolute minimum throw on the lever (with the internal omega loop fully compressed) is 5mm.  The throw on the points is 1.5mm - so something had to give!!  I did think about swapping them for 00 ones but then I came up with the idea of slotting the tie bar to allow for the difference.  So that's what I did!  I had an old tie bar off the original point I'd made up so I used that (cut in 2, so 1 for each point).  Here's a pic of the slot before gluing the extension to the tie bar:

 

IMG_20210512_173811.jpg.1047947cf5530866311e8e2be2a20eae.jpg

 

Next is one of the extensions glued (PVA) to the tie bar, with a couple of spare gimp pins fastened through to help with the glued joint:

 

IMG_20210512_173704.jpg.933219d2f2ca35e08eaf48d3ae59d8c4.jpg

 

The bits of sleeper are 4mm thick and help the lever peg to sit nicely in the slot.  Finally, a point lever nailed in place:

 

IMG_20210512_182550.jpg.1e8377ade90bc41006d88826122187d5.jpg

 

They both work perfectly and, with the slot, there is not too much pressure on either the peg on the lever or on the tie bar.  The internal omega look is only slightly compressed or extended.  And here is how they both look:

 

IMG_20210512_203933.jpg.9d14d44e026078f4daa3572159255ff3.jpg

 

I've run a couple of DMUs and the 08 over them and there is no problem - all nice and smooth.

 

So, next job is painting the sides of the rails, followed by ballasting, then I have to find a new project!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

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Rod said>>>

So, next job is painting the sides of the rails, followed by ballasting, then I have to find a new project!!

How about a video of WKT al singing all dancing . . .  . . . Lights - Camera - ACTION.   Yes Please.

 

Regards

 

PS -- I used to use a "slip tube" to overcome minimum throw issues from servos on my RC aircraft throttles.  

I use 2 pieces of piano wire 1 piece to the servo the other to the throttle linkage.  Then the 2 unconnected ends were slipped inside a small piece of silicone fuel tube and along side each other.

Operation was as follows:- the servo moved and the throttle arm moved as the wire was gripped by the tube. When the throttle reached its stop the servo kept pushing and the wires slid past one another with no movement to the throttle link.

Then when moving the servo back the throttle instantly moved the throttle arm because of the tube grip and would slip again when fully the other way.  

 

The main advantage of this system was that there was no dwell times when changing direction of throw and it was self adjusting.......... might be useful someday. :dancing::swoon:

1000 Words or a picture 608522918_revisedpointactuatorCROP.jpg.f9bdd2e95bffd39c58932a6d554eec0a.jpg

 

Edited by Barnaby
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On 13/05/2021 at 12:54, Barnaby said:

Rod said>>>

So, next job is painting the sides of the rails, followed by ballasting, then I have to find a new project!!

How about a video of WKT al singing all dancing . . .  . . . Lights - Camera - ACTION.   Yes Please.

 

Regards

 

PS -- I used to use a "slip tube" to overcome minimum throw issues from servos on my RC aircraft throttles.  

I use 2 pieces of piano wire 1 piece to the servo the other to the throttle linkage.  Then the 2 unconnected ends were slipped inside a small piece of silicone fuel tube and along side each other.

Operation was as follows:- the servo moved and the throttle arm moved as the wire was gripped by the tube. When the throttle reached its stop the servo kept pushing and the wires slid past one another with no movement to the throttle link.

Then when moving the servo back the throttle instantly moved the throttle arm because of the tube grip and would slip again when fully the other way.  

 

The main advantage of this system was that there was no dwell times when changing direction of throw and it was self adjusting.......... might be useful someday. :dancing::swoon:

1000 Words or a picture 608522918_revisedpointactuatorCROP.jpg.f9bdd2e95bffd39c58932a6d554eec0a.jpg

 

 

 

Hi Barnaby.

 

Doing a new video is definitely the plan before another project (ie, ripping something up and rebuilding it!!)**   However, for reasons stated in the next post, that may be delayed for a while.

 

I like your "slip tube" illustrated above.  I suppose the success depends on the relative diameters of the silicone tube and the piano wires?  I'm not sure it would work in my present situation but certainly worth filing away in the "very useful tips" section of the brain!!

Thank you.

 

Rod

 

**   I have in mind replacing the trailing crossover next to the Inner Home signal.

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More progress - of sorts!!

 

Yesterday I painted the rail sides - well the ones you can see - not the other side!! - and ballasted the points.  They looked quite good:

 

IMG_20210514_193025.jpg.c80981293730a463667e2bd8f9f59525.jpg

 

However, I made a big mistake!!  I ballasted under the tie bars, thinking that, as the tie bars rested on the web between the sleepers and under the rail, it would be OK.

 

Nooooooooo..............!!

 

Well, it was OK with the first one, but the second tie bar somehow got wetter than the first one (I had replaced the PVA/water mix by then - which may be a clue) and this happened:

 

IMG_20210514_193039.jpg.0e042c4b4a52a14425a9221e7286fbd3.jpg

 

Added to which, the tie bar has cracked just where it goes under the nearest rail - although you cannot see that from the picture.  The first question is "Why?" and, to be honest, I can't definitely say.  I did think it might be because the point lever was angling downwards towards the rail but, as shown in the next pic, that doesn't seem to be the case:

 

IMG_20210514_200939.jpg.2a997c8d1640b29ed2fc6ccbaf7c0910.jpg

 

The only off-level bit is a slight tilt down to the right which to my mind should not have caused the problem.

 

Anyway, my concentration now is how to fix it?   I've got some single sided copperclad the same width as the tie bar which could do the job rather well, I feel, but it seems to be about 1.5mm thick, whereas the tie bar is 1mm.  So I need to increase the gap between the rail and the web underneath, then got the old tie bar out and the new one, complete with gimp pins, back in.  I very much fear this means taking the point up again.  B****r!!!

 

Anyway, I'm doing nothing more tonight, I'll let it stew in my brain tonight and tomorrow and I'll watch something undemanding on tv!!

 

Oh, the ups and downs of railway modelling!!  Frustrating, but I find the challenge rather enjoyable (well ..... on the whole!!!)

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

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Rob,

 

I’d bet a pound (of my own money :) ) that you can do it without lifting the point.  I managed to replace three timbers under a single slip on my pal, John’s, garden line, on Tuesday, without lifting it.  Wasn’t the tiebar, but you haven’t got the issue of twenty years’ corrosion to deal with.

 

My approach would be:-

 

1.  copper-clad or better still plain glassfibre strip, cut to width, drill for the pivots for the blades, and your slot for the lever.  If using copper-clad, then gap it as necessary.  You can paint it on top, and give it a wipe of oil underneath, to prevent it trying to stick.

 

2.  Chisel out the remnants of the old tiebar.  Unsolder the pivot pins.  Make sure there’s clearance for the new bar to  slide through.  I guess the scenery next to the lever base will need a bit of attention from the chisel too.

 

3.  You’ll need several hands to wrangle the new bar into place with the pins through the holes.

 

4.  Solder the pins to the blades.  Check it out.

 

5.  Fit your lever & sort out the scenics!

 

I’d certainly try it before lifting the point.  Good luck!

Simon

 

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Just an aside, the location of your fuel point, is that prototypical or just convenient?

I was wondering because of the inconvenience of fuelling, topping up sands etc on pointwork, as a new little project can you fit it up on the head shunt or in No3 siding to give you more requirements to shunt in and out?

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On 16/05/2021 at 05:05, 47606odin said:

Just an aside, the location of your fuel point, is that prototypical or just convenient?

I was wondering because of the inconvenience of fuelling, topping up sands etc on pointwork, as a new little project can you fit it up on the head shunt or in No3 siding to give you more requirements to shunt in and out?

 

To be quite honest, 47606odin, it's more convenience!!   I wanted to put it on the headshunt but there wasn't room on the base board: one of the stabling point sidings could have been the fuel road but it would have cut down my storage space.  So it's in the best place I could find for fuelling a 4-car set like the 115 which needs plenty of length to get the front and rear power cars to the fuel without uncoupling.  I justify it on the basis that things were not always ideal on the real thing - but don't ask me to give examples!!!  It does make things interesting early morning and late evening with stock moving out then back in!!

 

 

Rod

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A bit more progress to share today.  I've managed to remedy the situation with the broken tie bar - pretty much as Simon suggested.  I also removed some of the slide chairs - you can see them out of position in the pics.  That just enabled me to get the new tie bar, complete with gimp pins, between the track base and the stock rails.  I thinned the track web under the rail with careful use of my little craft knife so the slightly thicker copper clad slides nice and easily under the rails.  And I did - just in time!! - remember to put an insulating gap in the copper side, as getting it out again would have seen a bit of blue air and robust industrial language!!

 

I did make a bit of a mistake when drilling the holes for those pins, making them slightly too big so that there's a bit of play in them.  Fortunately not enough to make any difference to the positioning of the blades.  Here are the blades in position against each stock rail:

 

IMG_20210517_203201.jpg.6298cb1285fa7bf75ab15ee9253f19fd.jpg

 

IMG_20210517_203207.jpg.36fa20dbf30971a612a58e14fc64ade6.jpg

 

I've run the 08 and  a  couple of DMUs over them and they run really smoothly through them.   It works that well that I'm pondering replacing the other one, too - but that is working OK so I'm minded to leave well alone!

 

I have been reminded that relying on rail joiners for electrical continuity isn't a good idea:  the 08's stay-alive just about got it over a dead section of stock rail but a DMU didn't - in spite of having pickups on both bogies!!   I've since juggled the guilty joiner about and have cured the problem for now.  However, separate feeds to the 2 stock rails will be provided in the near future.  I should have known as I've seen it enough times on the club's layout.  I just wanted to get it all finished and running again!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

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I've finally got the stabling point working as I want it!!

 

I've fitted feeds from the buses to 3 of the stock rails - the fourth I couldn't do as it is directly over a baseboard support.  For that, I bridged the fishplate, as here:

 

IMG_20210520_203946.jpg.6ba3cca7dc8c42ba0daae63fc46de4f7.jpg

 

That's a cruel close up  but from the normal operating position you can't see it and it does not affect running at all - it's basically resting on the top of the chairs.  I did consider just soldering the fishplate up but that is a bit final and would have proved difficult if ever I want to take the points up and use them elsewhere.  Been there, done that, etc!!

 

I always solder feed wires to the side of the rails - into the web, normally on the outside but I have done them on the inside, too - and usually they're virtually invisible.  I've read that a lot of people solder them under the rail but to me, that's a bit of a faff, so to speak!!  The nearest outside one I've just done is here:

 

IMG_20210520_204423.jpg.e112538bae3aae4fbc073345dce724fe.jpg

 

Not the neatest I've ever done but, again, that's a pretty cruel close up.  From normal operating position it's not obvious.

 

The 08 and a couple of DMUs now run very slowly and faultlessly over the points, I'm glad to say, so the next job is to get the fueling point back into place and dirty things up a bit.

 

There's then another problem to sort in that, during yesterday's running (play!!) session, I noticed the 128 is running with a regular clunking.  It sounded just like a wheel flat so I assumed it was muck on a wheel: it isn't!!  So I'm going to have to check the motor bogie  and hope it's not a faulty gear wheel.  I'll keep you updated.

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

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  • Dmudriver changed the title to West Kirby Town: Peco points replaced - onto the next project!!

I've altered the title of the thread but I haven't made my mind up what the next project will be!!  Any suggestions?  However, bear in mind that I should really get on with the fencing alongside the track by the fire station and get some leaves on that dead-looking tree by the p-way hut!!

 

But first there's a couple of little maintenance jobs to do - painting the new concrete base at the fuelling point and straightening the roof supports over the fuel pumps.  I've put that area back together:

IMG_20210522_203609.jpg.d9686c5775244e1635c7e19f837adaac.jpg

 

IMG_20210522_203701.jpg.8dbafeb4c14507fcbb8813f2cc3d9b66.jpg

 

The pics shows what I mean about the roof supports!!  It's not obvious from the operating position, though!!

 

As I was packing up tonight (I've had a bit of a shunt around, too!) I noticed that none of the lights were on:  a bit of searching round the area where I was fitting the feeds to the stock rails of the new points uncovered a disconnected connector.  But could I find the other bit?????  Not for a while as it was in a hole drilled through the 3" x 2" baseboard support.  Now connected and the lights work fine again - apart from the light on the headshunt buffer stop but that's just a broken joint that needs soldering.  Not tonight, though - it's tv time!!

 

Final thought - I do like the look of the new points, though I might just remove the bulge from the tie bars on the hand operated ones.

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

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That's it - snagging done and the layout's back to normal again.  Here's the fuelling point:

 

IMG_20210523_204235.jpg.d5d1e3c13ffa71772be230ea0a14a18b.jpg

 

IMG_20210523_204434.jpg.6c873478fbd2cb77d831d158a62cfab1.jpg

 

Looking much better with the new track and freshly laid concrete round the pumps - and the supports are now vertical!!  I'm leaving the ballast and concrete as new as a contrast to the rest of the layout to give the impression that work has just finished on it.

 

The buffer stop lights now all work too:

 

IMG_20210523_204346.jpg.40bb62a41399d53128ac0ea3528dd3e6.jpg

 

So on to the next, yet-to-be-decided, project.

 

More soon.

 

Rod

 

PS   I've just noticed the oil funnel in the cess by the portacabin - it's fallen off one of the oil drums.  I was wondering where that had got to!!!

 

 

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12 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

Certainly wasn't Eurovision!!  

Oh, the German entry was rather enjoyable, if only because in a song about being positive, nice, etc, the person wearing the V for peace sign kept folding her arm as part of the dance routine and giving the middle finger salute (it was supported by her head)!

image.jpeg.0ed22e68c8b36ff29de9c26f3bfafcf6.jpeg

 

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11 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

 

 

IMG_20210523_204434.jpg.6c873478fbd2cb77d831d158a62cfab1.jpg

I've just noticed the oil funnel in the cess by the portacabin - it's fallen off one of the oil drums.  I was wondering where that had got to!!!

 

 

 

Looks more realistic, blown off by the wind...

 

I agree that the difference in ballast/track colour gives the impression of a continuously maintained railway.

 

Nice!

 

A thort: You could make those point levers look a bit more authentic by slipping a scale 4ft or so of brass tubing over the sticky-out bit and painting them rusty/oily white.

 

image.png.650adff271f925a3112fa3c915d95a83.png

From another rmweb thread, but I just closed it and can't remember where it was...

 

though I'm sure you've seen them before and its a case of sucking eggs...

 

 

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I've taken up part of Hroth's suggestion about painting the hand point levers white, though I've not extended them.  I've found they're a bit awkward to get to as one is right in front of the portacabin and the other right alongside the fuel island which means reaching over the storage tank!!  I have found, though, that there's no need to push them all the way down as the points are locked in position with the levers parallel to the ground - as in the pic:

 

IMG_20210528_195213.jpg.df1610e97c0da2d48d10fe7d7fc76f1a.jpg

 

That also means they're a bit easier to get hold of!!

 

I had a bit of a shunt-around  yesterday and was a bit perturbed to find the sound wasn't working on the 101 or the 37 - both fitted with Zimo chips.  Other Zimo chip-fitted stock did work OK and after a few "WTF" moments, I realised I'd used the reduce volume function on each before I shut everything down!!   Put the volume up again and they worked OK.  Big sigh of relief!!!

 

I'm using that volume reducing function a lot more now as I'm finding that having 7 or 8 items chuntering away at once can get a bit annoying (age-related, perhaps??) so I tend to just have the one I'm operating making sound.   I just have to remember that next time I think a chip's gone kaput!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

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15 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

I'm finding that having 7 or 8 items chuntering away at once can get a bit annoying (age-related, perhaps??)

I feel much the same about all the neighbouring kids!

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