Woodhead electrics!

[Guest bri.s]

Glad to see your making progess again love the bridges and the overhead looks great ,like the way you've dont the wiring on the junction still wondering how I'm going to do it in n mabe leave the wires out

Wish they would bring out ready to run 76's and 77's in n lol

Great stuff glad the layouts coming on again

 

 

Brian

P.s I clicked agree instead of like accidentally but I'll agree that your doing a great job lol

Edited October 13, 2013 by bri.s

[d winpenny]

Looking great

 

David

[40 058]

Thanks Ralph, glad you like it! As you can probably tell im a big fan of the class 76's! They look very dated but to me at least very characterfull. The technology they used at the time they were made was very advanced inspite of how they appeared, just a shame they were so quickly overshadowed and outdated by 25kv AC power.

 

Brian, the junction overheads took me a while to work out aswell! Its not the same as modern 25kv set ups. Normally for junctions, sidings etc there is some sort of anchor pole or structure either to one side of the tracks or like mine using an A frame portal (The A frame type were usually used if there were multiple anchor and support requirements as the A frame is much stronger than the other types) where the ends of the wires are attatched through insulators, the wire then runs along side the 'main line' wire for a short distance before splitting away down its own route.

The same sort of thing was done for where overhead wire sections started and finished as the two sections had to overlap each other for a distance so there was never a break in electrical supply to the locomotives. The ends of the wires on each section would then terminate against an insulator attatched to an anchor structure.

Hopfully that makes sense!

[Ralph]

 

Thanks Ralph, glad you like it! As you can probably tell im a big fan of the class 76's! They look very dated but to me at least very characterfull. The technology they used at the time they were made was very advanced inspite of how they appeared, just a shame they were so quickly overshadowed and outdated by 25kv AC power

 

They definitely have lots of character, Am I correct in thinking they were only used on the woodhead route ? or did they venture further.

[PaulCheffus]

They definitely have lots of character, Am I correct in thinking they were only used on the woodhead route ? or did they venture further.

Hi

 

Yes primarily used on the Woodhead Route though some did go to Ilford for trials.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[40 058]

They definitely have lots of character, Am I correct in thinking they were only used on the woodhead route ? or did they venture further.

 

As Paul said, I think the first 10 production EM1's (76's) went for trials on the Liverpool street - Shenfield line which was originally wired at 1500v DC (now converted to 25kv AC). They were sent back north to Wath depot to be used in the first phase of the Woodhead route electrification trials in 1951. So they did briefly work in Essex!

 

And of course the EM1 prototype LNER 6701 (later 6000 then E26000 'Tommy') worked in the Netherlands until the Woodhead route project was re started after ww2 when it came back and worked alongside the production EM1's. And then the EM2's (77's) were sold to the Netherlands after BR finished with them aswell.

[Ralph]

Thanks for the short history of the EM1 & 2's I remember reading about the 77's being sold to holland.

[Guest bri.s]

Thanks Ralph, glad you like it! As you can probably tell im a big fan of the class 76's! They look very dated but to me at least very characterfull. The technology they used at the time they were made was very advanced inspite of how they appeared, just a shame they were so quickly overshadowed and outdated by 25kv AC power.

 

Brian, the junction overheads took me a while to work out aswell! Its not the same as modern 25kv set ups. Normally for junctions, sidings etc there is some sort of anchor pole or structure either to one side of the tracks or like mine using an A frame portal (The A frame type were usually used if there were multiple anchor and support requirements as the A frame is much stronger than the other types) where the ends of the wires are attatched through insulators, the wire then runs along side the 'main line' wire for a short distance before splitting away down its own route.

The same sort of thing was done for where overhead wire sections started and finished as the two sections had to overlap each other for a distance so there was never a break in electrical supply to the locomotives. The ends of the wires on each section would then terminate against an insulator attatched to an anchor structure.

Hopfully that makes sense!

Always wondered how the overhead worked looked at a lot of pictures and and couldn't get my head around it always looked quite complicated what have you used for the catenary wire scratch built or a ready to use

 

Brian

[40 058]

Always wondered how the overhead worked looked at a lot of pictures and and couldn't get my head around it always looked quite complicated what have you used for the catenary wire scratch built or a ready to use

 

Brian

 

I would have loved to make my catenery wires from scratch but I really dont think I have the patience to actually do it! Making the masts etc is enough after a while!

The wires I used are these: http://www.blackwells-miniatures.com/overhead-wire-07-x-360mm-qty-5-p-4270.html

They are listed in the N gauge section but in my opinion might be a bit thick for N gauge? They look fine in oo gauge though. Having said that the real OH wires were pretty beefy being .3'' copper which is quite chunky, heavy stuff so it might not look too out of place. They are however a bit pricey so I bought mine a few packs at a time spread over a few months!

They come in packs of 5 lengths. The instructions say to make little loops for the ends to sit in but I didnt bother with these and mine just sit on the wire supports on the masts and the insulator bridge on top of the cross beams (for the top wire) I have not had any problems with them falling out and you can only see the joints between all the sections if you look closely, again its the best compromise I could come up with! Having them all sit 'loose' like mine also allows them to be quickly removed and reinstalled for cleaning of the track and hoovering dust etc.

 

Its also worth noting that not all of the MSW overhead wiring is of the compound (3 wire) type, the main lines used it but in less used, slow speed limit sidings or MPD's like wath and reddish they used standard 2 wire catenery. Which is also available in the same packs from sommerfeldt.

 

I bought alot of my mast sections, insulators, etc etc from blackwells. They stock a good amount of sommerfeldt parts etc that have come in very usefull.

Alot of my standard H masts and cross beams are made from sommerfeldt masts like these: http://www.blackwells-miniatures.com/h-profiles-3-x-3-300mm-long-app-ns-pk6-p-4066.html they do a smaller size probably more suited for N gauge aswell: http://www.blackwells-miniatures.com/h-profiles-2-x-2-app-300mm-long-pk10-p-4065.html

 

I also used Eileens emporium: https://www.eileensemporium.com/ for alot of the brass H, C, section masts and various sizes of angle, flat strip etc. The A frame portal I made is entirely made of brass materials from here!

 

Regarding the way the OH wires work on points, junctions etc this pic shows a junction point: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7600438@N08/2267401853/in/photolist-4sn2zp-4sr6f9-4zubjX-4GzDXJ-4MdEsx-4Nu4hv-4NyuzC-4VGXsH-5oZixr-6b6Zj7-6PJ5od-78voR4-78zhgW-gx7Vqd-9d6tca-a9Hvx9-a1Z6CZ-ejjWXc-ezi6my-fUBhng-fyjNg8-epw8pB-eFhayV-fxywYA-eibyXk-efbxf3-ejjWcg-f5euvT-eqsiJQ-ef69zg-djfrK1-eRC32Z-dDiTh1-e9oPWy-dKa4Ec-7GCctK-eQa5uM-7GGb6w-7GChin-7GCgjx-7GG9zN-7GGa9Q-7GCd3P-7GGaC5-7GCfKt-7GGcKo-efbK9S-efbJbY-ef5YBa-f5eB1H-efbFru

 

The wire closest to the mast follows the curved track. The wire furthest away from the mast is running alonside the main wire, if you follow it back towards the main lines you can see it splits away from the main wire and is attatched through insulators onto the mast at the side of the main lines (the anchor mast has reinforcing angle iron triangular brackets attatched to it and into concrete footings in ground for added support) This outer wire will evenually follow a set of points off picture (bottom of the photo) and run along its own seperate siding, loop whatever.

The reason it was built like this was so the pantograph pan could follow one wire, then when a change of track was needed the second wire would also be in contact with the pan until the wires eventually split far enough away from each other that the pan was only in contact with the new wire.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/70055227@N02/7611959402/in/photolist-cADhkm-dRCsvk-9HYPKf-9Wy34V-8nYhzb-8nV9wn

This pic shows again two anchor posts either side of the main lines with new wires running alongside the main wires probably leading upto a junction etc.

 

Hope that helps, or just add to the confusion!! It took me ages to try to work out how and why the overheads worked! I work in the power distribution industry so this helped a fair bit with this, giving at least the basic ideas of how it might work, and I took some interest in this part of the layout building aswell!

[JBM37404]

Fantastic, Woodhead a little before my time but fascinating nevertheless. Keep the updates coming!

[Adamphillip]

I like your layout, very well done with keeping to the theme.

[Doughnut]

This is what I'm talking about !!  Brilliant layout. Woodhead route very close to my heart, as it is to my home. You've got it spot on. Takes me back to afternoons at Orgreave.

Done some OLE myself, different type though, at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/78216-minsterley-modern-image-ohle-layout/

Look forward to seeing further progress on this. Keep up the great work!

 

Dave

[New Haven Neil]

One cold winter's day....

 

[bobster]

Great Layout and exceptional modelling skills - Look forward to seeing more.

[40 058]

Its about time I posted at least some sort of update on here!

 

Not a huge amount has happened to be honest, mainly running trains and actually using the layout instead of making things etc.

But, I have made some alterations/additions to the overheads so now the wires extend into the headshunt and stabling point area. The 2 diesel fuel roads are not wired but the remaining 2 holding sidings and headshunt are. To do this I made some further variations of the classic MSW portal style overhead supports aswell a some single span types and a couple of different anchor post types.

 

 

 

E26055 Pometheus in the headshunt.

 

I have been gradually building up some stock suitable to run this in late 60's green/blue transition aswell as the normal 1980ish period.

 

26002 on a short passenger turn. The last vehicle just in shot is a former southern region BSK still wearing green livery.

 

 

E26031, the only EM1 to wear BR green with full yellow ends, on a train of Bachmann covhops.

 

 

Finally, ive got the scenics and scenic break bridge almost completed. This is the last section of the layout that needed scenics adding. I will probably re-do a few other areas at a later date as im not 100% happy with them as they are.

 

 

Once this area is finished the wires can be installed and then the next job will be to get the pantographs raised on the locomotives!

Also on the workbench are 6 of the new Bachmann class 40's of all three types.

[Guest bri.s]

Great to see an update , and some great modelling I've said it before and I'll say it again you've really captured the look of the line perfectly .top modelling

 

Brian

[bobster]

Very nice - Thanks for the update, look forward to more.

 

Cheers, Bob.

[phixer64]

Wow, how have i missed this... Excellent, right up my street, love it. Keep up the good work.

 

Jeff.

[d winpenny]

Great update looking good

 

David

[40 058]

Quick update, the scenic work around the bridge is nearly done now. While waiting for glue and paint to dry on that I decided to get on with another 76.

 

Really quick and easy job on this one. It started out as a BR blue, boiler fitted E26049 model.

Converted to the final 'tommy' E26057 'Ulysses' in ex works condition circa 1968 like this pic taken of it at Reddish https://www.flickr.com/photos/27045884@N05/3256128268/in/photolist-5XJvuy-7fEmMu-kqr5Ji-kLvFPF-9nPns7-9xaZwj-aomCKE-9rn4jr-9rq2FS-jpPmJz-fPm1GR-84Bhp5-9Wy3jH, This loco, later in its life was one of the grounded bodyshells, used as a parts donor outside Reddish before eventually being cut up for scrap. 

 

All old numbers removed by carefull use of a fibreglass pen, new ones applied to all cabsides (fox transfers), vac hose ends picked out in matt white, lower cab fronts repainted blue and finally etched 'Ulysses' nameplates added. The nameplates proved to be a pig to make stick! I usually use a spot or two of varnish to stick nameplates down but on the 76 the plate fits over one of the raised bands on the body sections so the varnish didnt want to stick the plate down. Instead I had to use superglue, which I hate having to use as you only get one shot to line the plate up and stick it before the glue sticks and makes a mess if you get it wrong, or as it dries white vapour stains the surrounding paint finish.

I managed to get it about right fortunately!

 

 

 

 

The only other thing I had to do was rebuild one of the bogies, as on opening the box I found it in bits scattered around the box! Still, not a hard job, just a bit annoying!

 

 

[bobster]

You have done a good job on 57, looks great.

 

Cheers, Bob.

[Guest bri.s]

Nice work on that 76 and glad your making progress on the layout ,

 

Brian

[Ralph]

liking the new photo's, nice update.

[Union Of South Africa]

wow that is a great layout! I'm building a layout based on the Woodhead route. I see from the photos that you got the locos pans down will you be running then up?

[40 058]

well its been a long time (again!) since ive updated this!
 
Honestly, ive not really done much. Instead ive been messing around with my cars, one of them in particular. Its my new toy, that I imported from the states!





Its needed a fair bit of work and re-commissioning since it got here.


So on the layout front, ive replaced the factory across the back of the layout with a small hill and a layby at the top. I think this looks much better with grass, bushes and trees than it did before. The old buildings didn't look all that great and they were starting to get a bit old and past it.





The groundwork was all made in the old fashioned manner of carving old polystyrene blocks to shape then covering in pollyfiller. Once dried it was painted then given the treatment with various static grass materials, bushes and trees. The trees are from Themodeltreeshop.co.uk. Im very pleased with them, and the prices are pretty good too.

Ive also done a few odd bits of detailing in a few places aswell as adding trees etc around the layout. Its amazing the difference these can make to the look of the layout.





Aside from that, ive just been operating the layout now and again. Its nice to just sit and 'play trains' instead of constantly building things and doing scenic work.

That's about it for now!