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North Welsh Coast Railway - Welsh Dragon Rail


Anthony Ashley
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Simon and John,

 

I have gone to the BRMA forum for further clarification. I can not believe how complex this is, but it is certainly difficult. I am waiting for a reply now and will see where we end up.  I have been told that all sealed AC/DC power adaptors/power supply units are regulated  but am going back to the manufacturer to confirm.  I now understand the difference between regulated and unregulated PSUs. I assumed they were all regulated and am surprised that they are not. 

 

Simon just to clarify a point in your last post. The power for the track and locos is all provided by the ESU train controller and 7 ESU power boosters. They are all purpose built for model train operation so I am happy with this aspect of my power system. I may be able to run the points off the track power but given it involves 240 servos I would rather have an external power source. We shall see where we end up.  

 

Thanks for your help.

 

John I sent an email to the shop owner for the puzzle regarding Australian postage but have no reply so will chase it up.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

Edited by Anthony Ashley
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1 hour ago, Anthony Ashley said:

Simon and John,

 

I have gone to the BRMA forum for further clarification. I can not believe how complex this is, but it is certainly difficult. I am waiting for a reply now and will see where we end up.  I have been told that all sealed AC/DC power adaptors/power supply units are regulated  but am going back to the manufacturer to confirm.  I now understand the difference between regulated and unregulated PSUs. I assumed they were all regulated and am surprised that they are not. 

 

Simon just to clarify a point in your last post. The power for the track and locos is all provided by the ESU train controller and 7 ESU power boosters. They are all purpose built for model train operation so I am happy with this aspect of my power system. I may be able to run the points off the track power but given it involves 240 servos I would rather have an external power source. We shall see where we end up.  

 

Thanks for your help.

 

John I sent an email to the shop owner for the puzzle regarding Australian postage but have no reply so will chase it up.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

Anthony, I reckon Mike McHugh's advice on the BRMA Forum is the most useful I have seen.

 

Check the Jaycar website to find a suitable power supply. That tells the voltage, current and whether it's regulated or not.

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Dear All,

 

I have called on one of the British Railway Modellers of Australia Gurus on electronics  in Brisbane for support. He came over for a morning  and we fully tested the current being drawn on my system.  My test used the power from an ESU booster set at 14.6 volts, 4 Amp. Although it may not be of interest to most I shall provide the results below:

 

  1. SPSD with no servos-  .3 of a micro amp. Not really significant enough to make any sort of difference in term so power consumption-
  2. 1 anologue Tower pro sg 90 micro servo wired to the SPSD with no load - 70 mA
  3. 1 anologue Tower pro sg 90 micro servo wired to the SPSD with load - 100mA
  4. 4 anologue Tower pro sg 90 micro servo wired to the SPSD with no load - 150 mA
  5. with 4 anologue anologue Tower pro sg 90 micro servo wired to the SPSD with one under load 180 mA

In summary If each of the 4 servos were under load with 1 producing 30 mA total  for 4 is 120mA plus the 150mA  for a total of 270mA per SPSD if under load. This is way less than the 2 Amp  at 5V from the tech manual for 4 active servos. As a measure of safety I would go for 300mA per SPSD.

 

Start up did not cause any significant fluctuation in the current.

 

Thankyou for your contributions. I think I am now OK.

 

I managed to install point servos for 3 points and electrify them and the attached double crossing today! happy with the outcome. My rate of progress will improve with more practice.

 

Regards,

 

 Anthony Ashley

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26 minutes ago, Anthony Ashley said:

Dear All,

 

I have called on one of the British Railway Modellers of Australia Gurus on electronics  in Brisbane for support. He came over for a morning  and we fully tested the current being drawn on my system.  My test used the power from an ESU booster set at 14.6 volts, 4 Amp. Although it may not be of interest to most I shall provide the results below:

 

  1. SPSD with no servos-  .3 of a micro amp. Not really significant enough to make any sort of difference in term so power consumption-
  2. 1 anologue Tower pro sg 90 micro servo wired to the SPSD with no load - 70 mA
  3. 1 anologue Tower pro sg 90 micro servo wired to the SPSD with load - 100mA
  4. 4 anologue Tower pro sg 90 micro servo wired to the SPSD with no load - 150 mA
  5. with 4 anologue anologue Tower pro sg 90 micro servo wired to the SPSD with one under load 180 mA

In summary If each of the 4 servos were under load with 1 producing 30 mA total  for 4 is 120mA plus the 150mA  for a total of 270mA per SPSD if under load. This is way less than the 2 Amp  at 5V from the tech manual for 4 active servos. As a measure of safety I would go for 300mA per SPSD.

 

Start up did not cause any significant fluctuation in the current.

 

Thankyou for your contributions. I think I am now OK.

 

I managed to install point servos for 3 points and electrify them and the attached double crossing today! happy with the outcome. My rate of progress will improve with more practice.

 

Regards,

 

 Anthony Ashley

 

Excellent news!

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10 hours ago, Anthony Ashley said:

John,

 

It was Stephen Sherwood. He has provided much assistance with my ignorance of all things power and electronics.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

Excellent. Both Stephen and Greg Palmer certainly know their stuff.

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Hello Anthony,

 

for the past two days of lockdown I have been Enjoying reading your topic. I have not seen it before so have had a lot of catching up to do. Your project is very impressive indeed. I used to go on holiday to that area when I was young, penmaenmawr to be specific, happy memories. I am really looking forward to see future developments of your project. Thank you for sharing. Best wishes to you RJL. 

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RJL ,

 

Thanks for the encouragement.  It is funny how sometimes things are going really well and the other times disaster seems to loom at every corner. While progress has not been spectacular it has been steady over the last week. I have installed about 10 servos and electrified frogs in the hidden areas above the base board in the top of the Penmaenmawr area using my old techniques. I have then done about 4 below these which have to be hidden under the board. Instead of using a push/pull method with rigid wire I used the sweep method with more flexible piano wire for under board mounting. It has worked really well and is a lot simpler and more forgiving. I hope to install another 10 tomorrow using this easier technique. The only issue is how I will mount the switches under the board as there is a 20mm gap between the servo arm and the underside of the base boards using this new technique. I think I have enough regiulated power adapters to power all of the servos. I shall post some more photos tomorrow.

 

Regards,

 

  Anthony Ashley

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Dear All,

 

A fairly good day today with 6 points set up with servos and operational under electronic control. Still need to electrify these frogs though. Photos are below showing my technique for points. 

 

The servos are obviously blue and the switches hanging  off  them in grey. The blue line to the left of the servos and to the right of the track is the hill edge. All of these electronics components will be hidden under a hill which I will  be removable. The point in the right foreground and the right exit of the diamond crossing is the hidden loop with completes the hidden loop around the layout.  For instance trains running from Conwy to Penmaenmawr could complete the hidden loop adding perhaps 3 minutes to the trip. They would then remain hidden completing a hidden loop to reappear at the top of Penmaenmawr 3 minutes later. Not sure if I will bother with this but it is an option in terms of correct timings for the trip.  Come to think of it with minor track amendment I could do the same thing between Penmaenmawr and Bangor as the hidden track and the scenic line is very close in the area of the Penmaenmawr/Bangor dividing tunnel.  

IMG_5783V2.jpg.16bf290df468c52cf51e25431863b833.jpg

 

IMG_5784V2.jpg.63e5f25d0bc61a52be042153e25a5550.jpg

 

 

This photo shows my frog electrification technique for the diamond crossing frogs. The servo on hte right has an arm which activates the switch next to it. The switch is either open or closed. As the servo arm moves the switch closes. That one switch is connected to both frogs for the points just in front of the coach and diamond crossing. Both those points will either be joining the scenic or hidden track. Given they are joined the far diamond crossing frog will also be the same polarity as the point frogs.  The second switch is activated by the arm of the first switch and is of an opposite polarity to the first switch. The second switch will provide the polarity to the diamond crossing frog nearest the  2 points discussed.  

IMG_5785V2.jpg.3e397ed09ee5617802bd0e762c5d2910.jpg

 

More points to add servos and then frogs to be electrified for those not yet done. Then I am keen to pour resin moulds for the Pen-y-clip rail viaduct, in order to complete the brick and stonework on it. 

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dear All,

 

A long and frustrating week with installing servos and electrofying the frogs. I have now completed all of the points in Penmaenmawr apart from the last 4 at the Bangor end of the layout for those points creating fictional overtaking loops. I have improved on the original design!! Not really any good photographic opportunities as all of the recent servos and switches are sitting under the layout. 

 

I have started with more scree around the left side of the mountain and need to paint further round my base brown colour.  The other job is to go under the layout and paint the underside of the mountain with a white primer.  This is the messiest job done so far as a lot of the paint catches on the chicken wire and flick off onto me.

 

I also have the resin for the stone and brickwork moulds that need to be poured.  I shall get on and see if there is something worth while to photograph soon.

 

Regards,

Anthony Ashley 

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Dear All,

 

With most of the Penmaenmawr track work complete, apart from a triple point which is shorting and I suppose will need to be replaced I have finished off in this area.

 

I worked on the  rail viaduct yesterday and just finalisiling the coverage of one side took all day. I have another 8 resin sections ready but need another 5 so another session of resin pouring is required. While doing the resin pours the excess  for each pour has been used to create wagon loads. I have attached photos of the outcomes.

 

The rail viaduct being covered by resin brickwork. I have started to carve out the lowest arch  using a sharp modelling knife.IMG_5787V2.jpg.2353c2492fd683fb8c08ea9bb6973a4b.jpg

 

 

All 13 arches covered on the front side. 13 more to go. With the piers I have  enough of the coarse stone to cover 3 more piers. I am 1 pier short so more resin pour  for this surface as well.

IMG_5789V2.jpg.4ee0bfaef93cf5e7d1d10bf9b58ec2bd.jpg

 

IMG_5791V2.jpg.5c6a143d9aa17d8345200e6d6b063f24.jpg

 

The first of the wagon loads. Pipes

 

IMG_5793V2.jpg.5c72bbb5a11057b696213bf5eb686b2f.jpg

 

Barrells

 

IMG_5794V2.jpg.f4b68a504ed0e968ab4a81e80a9d988f.jpg

 

Sacks

IMG_5795V2.jpg.1590acda0fe78bf9af183e365ac1693b.jpg

 

Covered load

IMG_5796V2.jpg.3273a176cde8a6f452b0b4b18b8bdf9a.jpg

 

Crates

 

IMG_5797V2.jpg.55cbbfa38ecb01c1f78ea8a35cccd0ef.jpg

 

Bales I think!

IMG_5798V2.jpg.3e8309aea944d90833295a2268bdf3ac.jpg

 

Closed sacks

IMG_5799V2.jpg.9b8d669cff28625a1ab222b42f7a1f72.jpg

 

I need to do at least 1 more session of resin pours for the brick and coarse stone. Once I have finished the resin sections I then will print off the red brick and cover those sections of the viaduct.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

 

 

 

  

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Dear All,

 

Steady progress on the Rail Viaduct. Still far from complete but photos are below.

 

The first photos are of the painted lower section of the piers.

IMG_5800V2.jpg.d556e7fb9e72f741b25a25557f9267e1.jpg

 

IMG_5802V2.jpg.379a64c4cf9cd263c9b899e4349e9d67.jpg

 

I have then completed painting the lower brickwork on the viaduct body. The brick work above will be paper. I have also added brick paper to two sections under the piers. I have also added one paper arch in brick. The joins between the resin sections will have rounded piers in front of them to cover the joins.

 

Brick work under the arch and the arch itself, both of which are paper.

IMG_5804V2.jpg.082f9947154bd5abf2ddf884b5f704db.jpg

 

IMG_5805V2.jpg.4920039dd8c6ffaaf148b86449071ee8.jpg

 

IMG_5811V2.jpg.bd16a840040c38ecdb9d79a80c0c646a.jpg

 

IMG_5813V2.jpg.8c92869dc0318283c2012baf6d4c7f54.jpg

 

IMG_5818V2.jpg.94450878a8a7b0ddff6091136ff10790.jpg

 

I have 11 more arch ways to fill in under the arches and 25 paper arches to add. Once these are complete I shall work on the upper brick section on the outside of the viaduct and then the 2 interior  brick paper walls. Of course this viaduct will be placed under the road viaduct on the layout.  The 2 combined should be spectacular with the mountain back drop.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

 

 

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John,

 

Thanks for the encouragement. I have been working on the back side of the rail viaduct and the back is now complete apart from the top covering the viaduct wall. I have poured the resin for 9 of the 13 sections for the front of the piers and curved them around dowling to create the round front sections required.  Unfortunately I require 2 sections to match the length of the pier. I need to mould 2 more sheets of the correct stone to complete this moulding., but with 9 done I can progress on the front. Photos are below.

 

First 2 photos are of the method used to create the round pier fronts sections.

 

I have laid 2 pieces of the 1/2 round dowling  to mould the pieces into a circular shape. I will stick them onto the 1/2 round and then sand them back using a dremel. I need just over the 1/2 round so they are a little oversize on the round. First picture is the front unpainted, Second is the back.

 IMG_5831V2.jpg.46bc4560fa72a6f246307462de1c8abc.jpg

 

IMG_5832V2.jpg.30befa1242523f96f0d33040542e09f5.jpg

 

I now have  photos of the rail viaduct from the back view.

 

IMG_5819V2.jpg.61cba41767f4fdd0ff2905baba5fefbb.jpg

IMG_5821V2.jpg.0fc644af6b86bb196ba919512861ccbc.jpg

 

IMG_5822V2.jpg.3ad2d8bf56162f839869952bb635d843.jpg

 

IMG_5823V2.jpg.1cce179cf2bf6d575945c0c914a30224.jpg

 

IMG_5824V2.jpg.8201010dbfdce648fb82544455209694.jpg

 

IMG_5825V2.jpg.b41fe062a4c2936bd52c3bd5e6baf46c.jpg

 

IMG_5826V2.jpg.489395b7cde64d4f23c735bb64517f51.jpg

 

IMG_5827V2.jpg.bbc2c440b131b01a1b72fb2d6d7d604d.jpg

 

IMG_5830V2.jpg.99b7f2e5c2683c73ea5069d913e40ace.jpg

 

I am very happy with the result. Just need to finish off the front. I am really looking forward to placing the completed viaduct on the layout to see the complete effect.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_5820V2.jpg

IMG_5828V2.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dear All,

 

The rail viaduct is very close to completion, having spent nearly a month on it I think. The photos of the front of the viaduct and in situ are below.

 

First off the viaduct on a table.

 

IMG_5833V2.jpg.326017a2f3d10eba8242eacb60528d47.jpg

 

IMG_5834V2.jpg.179b78a5ebd26bf2963da9e6e714f552.jpg

 

IMG_5835V2.jpg.513f999e732bd1c551de037e2a166ef8.jpg

 

IMG_5837V2.jpg.a61efd00b40fe939cdfc3650899430f0.jpg

 

IMG_5838V2.jpg.04386e5fb622a2df04beb147c5a9c330.jpg

 

Next on the layout.

 

IMG_5839V2.jpg.66f4a6d2852c04c0dcc6bc1c5b9d3240.jpg

 

IMG_5842V2.jpg.d0b522bc9ff13dcd27352051f153da21.jpg

 

IMG_5843V2.jpg.61005a145126d84cc4bade4b7bbfab59.jpg

 

IMG_5847V2.jpg.23d4237f6b9b37f8e317abdf23815788.jpg

 

IMG_5841V2.jpg.fb9d71ecda3145e552d2641239010217.jpg

 

IMG_5849V2.jpg.bcdeb3d524a6e8733c1f622f4189da17.jpgIMG_5832V3.jpg.d2b6cf9db670a9219346da5429d429f9.jpg

 

I am happy with the result and ready to move onto other scenery. Just have to put the covers on the viaduct walls.

 

All comments are welcome.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley 

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Outstanding!

 

The only thing I'd comment on is that you might want to run a red or grey pencil over the edge of the brick paper forming the arch:

 

image.png.edad60a98ec971df944eba0c42c210a7.png

 

But, other than that, Outstanding.

Edited by scottystitch
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Anthony, that's just fabulous! I agree that the brick arches need that edge coloured but that's no big deal.

Well done mate it is indeed outstanding.

Regards Lez.

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Dear Scotty and Lez,

 

Thanks for the encouragement and comments to improve the modelling further. My wife has a large set of artists coloured pencils, so I have been working at the underside of the arches and completed them. The back has also been completed. More photos below.

 

IMG_5850V2.jpg.192e7d7156e1ea4942d1d84ddad57cfa.jpg

 

IMG_5851V2.jpg.366e5d660c4e19111a4f1e6e7615be80.jpg

 

IMG_5858V2.jpg.25130e133e727be7b74e6c63ffedc647.jpg

 

IMG_5859V2.jpg.f0bd6611116913598a9b5ae6d833efa4.jpg

 

IMG_5854V2.jpg.4c1251a4f5b97d2bfa1e0f8709df218a.jpg

 

IMG_5853V2.jpg.311d9ce76b8e0edf3bb4e6046dfa08fb.jpg

 

IMG_5855V2.jpg.173b7d33846eb88dcec1bb780e2b6c3a.jpg

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

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Hi Anthony,

 

I honestly thought the model looked a little odd with the stone piers and brick centres on the viaduct.  Then I googled an image of the real thing and realised you’ve got it spot on!  Great job!
 

cheers

 

Ben A.

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Richard, Scott and Ben,


I appreciate your comments.  The colouring task was very easy and makes quite a difference so thanks for the advice. I now have to fill in the scenic detail behind the rail viaduct. Photo of the area is below.

 

IMG_5857V2.jpg.3218ac17ba127ea41e5d65e3e51851f2.jpg

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

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