North Welsh Coast Railway - Welsh Dragon Rail

[benjy14]

Hi David,

 

Wish I had but afraid I'm far too young and only moved to this part of the world two years ago...(!) No, just very interested in what Anthony is building.

 

Ben

[Anthony Ashley]

Dear David and Ben,

 

Thanks for the comments. If my wife has her way we will be visiting the North Welsh coast in the near future. I have prepared the boards to lay the track and have started to weather the track. Another slow process. I shall focus on the platform tracks. If I do them alone there are 32 points including 3 triple points and 2 double slips. To date I have weathered 14 points and 2 pieces of flexi track! Quite a bit more to go before I put it down on the board. I also need to order some more points.

 

I have completed laying the hidden track on the inside of the main Bangor board. Photos to follow once I have done some of the scenic track area.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

Edited September 16, 2014 by Anthony Ashley

[model-trains]

Hello Anthony

 

It was nice to view your layout again, it is coming along nicely, as are the videos.  I have not been around for a couple of months, health issues and things, I have also being wiring in a lighting bus and street, car and house lighting with wires through the base ready to work on lights for the stations so it has been all under board stuff as things allowed, I must admit it is nice to see my little layout laid out flat again.

 

Your layout is looking better every time I view it, well done.

 

PJ

[Anthony Ashley]

Dear PJ ,

 

Sorry to hear you have not been well. I hope you are on the way to be better health. I have had a look at your layout and it has come along really well.

 

I have down loaded some photos of the hidden track area to the left of the main Bangor station area. This comes off the scenic track in the tunnel area above Bangor. Photos below.

 

Shows the junction area between the two sections of hidden track. The first hidden track area are the 2 lines on the bottom right and come form the top of the layout and connect onto the scenic track. You can see the new hidden track on the left snaking away, to be  hidden by the hills surrounding Bangor once constructed. 

 

 

 

The third photo is taken from the Bangor end of the layout with the track joining into the scenic track just behind the third scenic support.

 

 

I have another 15 or so points to weather by hand painting prior to laying. A rust colour for the lines where the trains run with minimal stopping and a dirty rust for the station area. I have ordered a further 31 points last night and need them to complete the Bangor platform lines. The far end of the nearest supports is the edge of the hill line surrounding Bangor.

 

I have completed nearly half of the base boards for the layout.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Grafarman]

Looking really good Anthony; if you're seriously thinking of coming over please let me know if you'd like to meet up - I'm in London but could also pop up to Wales at short notice (any excuse!)

 

 

David

[Anthony Ashley]

Dear David,

 

The trip to Wales will probably need to be delayed to pay for the layout. Not sure when we will come but a few years off I fear.

 

I have taken some photos to show the difference in the track after weathering the rails and sleepers.

 

Rusty rack at the back (lower usage rail - station track on the left with a lot of oil and heavily stained, unweathered track on the left. The sleepers have been weathered with a dirty brown on the back and right rails.

 

 

 

same configuration as above

 

 

focus on rusty low use rail and heavily used station rail

 

 

 

Back to the weathering on the rails!

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

Edited September 18, 2014 by Anthony Ashley

[Anthony Ashley]

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS 

 

Dear All,

 

 

I have been away again for the fifth time in 2 months so things have been a little slower. Nevertheless I have completed the next base board on the Bangor side. This nearly completes the Bangor base boards.

 

Photos are below.

 

Edited October 1, 2014 by Anthony Ashley

[37038]

Wow! Just that one station board is larger than a lot of people's complete layouts!

[Anthony Ashley]

Dear 37038,

 

Thanks for the comment. The scenic area of Bangor is 21 feet by 8 feet. There will be approx. 60 points including 3 triple points and 2 double slips. There are 88 terrace houses, 31 other non station buildings. The 3 largest station buildings (not including the actual station building itself) will be the following lengths;

 

engine shed will be 515 mls

Goods shed 463 mls

Engineer repair shed 411.5 mls

 

I thinks this area will keep me busy for some time. There is also a cricket pitch.

 

I have purchased a couple of second World War bombers for my aircraft museum including a Lancaster and a Junkers 290 in 144 sacale. The air field is not prototypical and will be between Conwy and Penmaenmawr. I have an area approx. 4.5 by 4.5 feet to fill. I think the air museum will be removable to allow alternate terrain in accordance with the actual area.

 

I have started laying the track in Bangor but need more points. The hidden track around Bangor has had most of the cork cut. I have cut the next track support board nearly finishing Bangor 890 ml by 430 ml.     

 

More modelling tomorrow.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

[Anthony Ashley]

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

 

Here is the consolidated track plan for Bangor

 

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

[Anthony Ashley]

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

 

Dear All,

 

Some of the track for Bangor is in position with the 3 ml cork having been stuck down. It has been difficult but slowly getting there given the complexity of the points in the area. Photos are below or progress for the Bangor scenic track work and the hidden track running around Bangor.

 

View towards the Holyhead end of the station area.

 

The complexity of the track work is evident in this photo. This is the most complicated point area and will need to be automated to make sense of the points!

 

The bottom of the photo shows some of the lines running to the platforms. These lines will be about 10 feet long along the edge of the platform. There are 9 or 10 of them in parallel. 

 

 

 

The hidden track loop which sweeps around Bangor under the hills surrounding Bangor. The 3 level dog bone loop will be under the hidden track loop.

 

An overview of the Bangor hidden track area. The cork in this area has been stuck down and painted.

 

Another view of the Bangor section of the  hidden track loop. The hidden track runs through the tunnels shown either side of the brown box at the top of the photo.

 

I have quite a lot more cork and track to lay on Bangor, then commence the wiring process which will take a very long time. I shall leave the Bangor goods area for later!!

 

I have a question of all reading this thread. The next section past Bangor is the mountain next to Penmaenmawr.It is at the very bottom section of the layout and will span the 16 feet going across the bottom. The mountain will go nearly to the top of the roof and I think is approx. 2 metres in height. Does anyone have any cheap and light construction technique for such a large and high mountain area. All comments are gratefully accepted as I am looking for some ideas. 

 

All comments are also welcome.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

 

[LNWR lives on]

Anthony,

 

Depandant on the height needed why not go for cardboard boxes glued together in stacks and then you can go down several routes of either cardboard strips glued to give it a more mountain face, or chicken wire and papier mache over the boxes. Then paint to finish

 

Point work looks superb, at least Bangor tunnel end is less complicated so your over the worst

 

David

[Simond]

Anthony

 

Perhaps structural foam panels can be cut into wedges and glued together - from memory, the mountain is not very high, but "domed" - and I could imagine this shape being made rather like an igloo, with rings of panels curving in. You would be able to carve details into the thickness of the foam. It's light & stiff. I don't know how much it costs, but you do need the vacuum cleaner handy whilst carving!

 

Best

Simon

Edited October 13, 2014 by Simond

[Anthony Ashley]

Dear David and Simon,

 

Thanks for the ideas. I am not sure that either method would be stable enough. I have measured the height and the roof allows a height of 1.9 metres to add to the height of the layout at 1.2 metres. 1.9 metres is quite high over a width of 5 feet. The photo below gives the idea of how steep the mountain is. Any other Ideas for really steep hill construction would be appreciated.

 

 

You can just see the road and rail at the very bottom of the hill

 

A view down the Bangor platforms. I have used cardboard to show the position and length of the platforms. You can see a metre ruler and ubiquitous bus to give a sense of scale.

 

 

The next 2 photos fit together and show the lines between the platforms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I need to continue weathering track and corking the track. I have also completed further track supports for the hidden dog bone loop going around the bottom of Bangor. I need to enamel this area add cork and track. no shortage of jobs to complete.

 

All comments are welcome. Any other ideas for the mountain would be particularly appreciated.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

 

 

Edited October 14, 2014 by Anthony Ashley

[AGR Model Store]

I bet your local model shop loves you coming in and buying most of his n gauge track.

 

Keep up the great work, I do love to read about all the updates

[Simond]

Anthony,

 

Don't know if the panels I have in mind are available in Aus, but they are a kind of blue foam, and up to 2"/50mm thick - believe me, they'd be stable, though you might want to build some kind of formers / bulkheads inside to stiffen it all up.

 

If you don't get what I'm on about, shout up, and I'll try to find a reference to the foam (people on here use it for baseboards) and draw a sketch

 

Best

Simon

[Anthony Ashley]

Dear AGR Model Store and Simon,

 

Thanks for the comments. Nearly all of my modelling TRT and track is purchased from Hattons. The cost is nearly 1/2 to 2/3s the price of what we pay in Australia. Purchasing in Australia is prohibitively expensive. Hattons get very regular emails from me with my next order. I have also started purchasing electronics, in particular track detection modules from DCC4PC. Ray is very helpful and great asistance on all aspects of the layout for electronics. 

 

Simon I think perhaps a ply wood from for the mountain with the foam to fill in the gaps. What do you think of this as a solution? The height at 1.9 metres is very high and I think would need additional support.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

[Anthony Ashley]

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

 

Dear All,

 

I have found a way to copy the electronic plan of the layout, so here are the photos of the plan.

 

The first is the scenic track area. Around the outside is the hidden track in light green and red. The main line up and down scenic tracks are green and blue. At the top is Conwy. To the left Penmeanmawr and on the right Bangor. The layout will require 224 layout detection areas. I shall be using DCC4PC 16 zone location detection devices. If you click on the plans they will zoom up in scale.

 

 

The first level of the hidden track. It is comprised of the hidden loop around the whole layout and the first level of the 2 dog bone loops going done to the 2 fiddle yards. 

 

 

2 level of hidden track

 

 

3rd level of hidden track featuring the 2 32 track fiddle yards.

 

 

All comments are welcome.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

Edited October 19, 2014 by Anthony Ashley

[Anthony Ashley]

Dear All,

 

I thought I would do a summary of my plan of attack on the layout.

 

Thanks for the interest.  As you are probably aware I have built the base boards for top of the layout (16 feet by 6 feet) and built an additional 26 feet at the front of the layout on the right. At the top is most of the Conwy area (minus the station) and at the front is Bangor. I have wired up all of the track in the Conwy section to the points where the scenic track intersects with the hidden tracks ie between the Conwy and Bangor location detection zones. I have set up the points to operate off the train controller in the Conwy main line area, which is about 8 points.

I have tested the loco operation using DCC and the ECoS train controller on the Conwy section and it has worked. I have also checked that the 8 points work via the controller electronically off the programming track. So far so good as everything has worked. I intend to run a separate power source to the point decoders and then merely need to wire them into the power bus lines.

It was my intention to work around the layout in a anti clock wise direction, leaving Bangor till last as it is the most  complicated (this is my first and only  layout). Unfortunately I have been waiting for nearly 12 months for a fellow train modeller to assist me with a lift up section between Conwy and Penmaemawr to facilitate access into the layout. This still has not occurred and accordingly I have started on the very complicated Bangor section. At least I have practised with Conwy and have realised the need to ensure a very clear working area for the  60 odd points in Bangor. There will be no supporting timber to interfere with the point motors, as I learnt that lesson with Conwy.

I think I shall wire up each section before proceeding to the next, including track work, points and solenoid uncouplers. If I get bored I can build another base board or do some scenic work as I have done with Conwy castle. I do not intend to do the Bangor goods area until last, but completing the platform track and wiring will allow the continuous scenic circuit of about 106 feet to be completed.

The dog  bone loops either side of the layout going down to the 2 fiddle yards should be easy to complete as the 3 levels are supported by steel rod droppers. The height adjustment is merely a matter of adjusting a couple of screws. I now have in place all of the steel rods to enable me to complete the right hand loop of 3 levels. There are very few points on this track (enough for 6 goods loops on the 3 levels, a return loop back to the scenic level and then the very complicated e fiddle yard). The front fiddle yard is on the very bottom front side of the layout and under the last base board to be built as it will restrict access into the shed.  I think cutting the very simple horizontal supports and the track support s should be very easy, as most of it is straight track. I think only a day or so to complete when I get to it. Wiring of the flex track is also relatively easy. I like to complete the wiring for each section to ensure it will all work as I am doing this largely by myself with assistance from a fellow modeller on a Friday evening. I need the reassurance that the section completed will work before proceeding to the next. So far no problems!!

I shall probably wire the  dog bone loop after completing the Bangor platform area wiring. 

I think the complexity of the point work is assisted by having it on a computerised system showing the route to be taken on a screen. The goods areas points will be controlled by a wire and tube lever frame in front of the goods area. This will allow more realistic point operation for shunting. All of the main lines will be fully automated as will be the first large track area onto each goods yard to allow computerised running form the fiddle yard to the goods are.. Then an operator takes over with manual shunting  

I have found a very cheap means of powering points. I paid about 80 pence each for 500 servos from china. I can make the servo mounts out of aluminium for about 5 pence. The most expensive part was the servo decoder , which was 20 euro from Model Bahn Lippe in Germany. I buy none of my model rail items form Australia as it is at least 1/3 to 1/2 as much again as I would pay in the UK and Germany.

Again thankyou for your interest and I hope I have answered your question.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley       
 

[d winpenny]

This is very impressive a huge undertaking keep up the good work

 

David

[Simond]

Anthony,

 

I am sure that the plywood former suggestion will work for your mountain.  Consider it as an upside down (assymetric) boat! - or even a coracle!

 

Regarding decoders for servos, please look through my Arduino thread, where I hope you will find links to the programming of an arduino as a decoder, for a turntable.  The same principles apply for turnout decoding, and an Arduino can have lots of outputs to drive servo's, and clones are available for a few pounds each from China.  This may save you a considerable sum.

 

HTH

Simon

[Anthony Ashley]

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

 

Dear David and Simon,

 

Thanks for the comments once again. I always feel more enthusiastic after receiving the odd comment or two. I think the ply and foam method for the mountain will be a possibility. Simon I shall have a look at your servo link on the week end. Work has been a little frantic this week. 

 

 

I have done more track work for Bangor but still have quite a lot of cork to stick down and then need to paint it all. Photos below.

 

Nearly the length of the Bangor section but with points on the eastern end still to go (bottom on my layout).  I have put the metre rule and the bus in for a sense of scale. 

 

 

 

 

 

Hidden track area. 2 lines in the fore ground are the hidden loop. The 2 lines further away are the start of the lower loop of the Bangor dogbone. All holes and rods have been cut to set up all of the dog bone loops.  

 

 

 part of the dog bone loop.

 

 

The board above is the scenic track and the lines below are part of the dog bone loop.

 

 

Dog bone loop disappearing under hidden track

 

 

Bangor scenic section again

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

[Anthony Ashley]

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

 

Dear All,

 

Not much to show by way of pictures but a fair amount of wiring done for the hidden track going around Bangor. Hopefully I will finish it off tomorrow and then shoot a video of the hidden track from the Conwy end of the layout all the way down to the bottom of Bangor. This is about 60 feet of track work. I need to finish the hidden track as it goes under the scenic track at the bottom of the Bangor end. It will be difficult to complete if I can not lift the Bangor scenic board. The major section today was the interchange area above Bangor where the scenic and hidden tracks merge and split again. Given I have completed all of the support work on the front side minus the last 5 feet, I have all the area required to start the 3 levels of the dog bone loop. I also need to add the hidden track min bus line for the Bangor section. All of the hidden track on the scenic level ie level 1 is off the same booster. There are 8 power sub-districts in the Bangor hidden track area.

 

All comments are welcome.

 

Stu I hope all is well. I have not heard form you for some time.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

[Simond]

Anthony

 

It's looking great - every time I come back to this thread, I am re-astonished (can one say that?) by the sheer scale of your model - it's quite a bit larger than my planned-for 0-gauge layout!

 

I know what you mean about responses to threads - always good to know that one is not a Lone Ranger!

 

Keep up the good work!

Simon

[Anthony Ashley]

Dear Simond,

 

Your comments are greatly appreciated. I have finished wiring the hidden track area under Bangor to the terminal strips. All I need to do now is connect the hidden bus line and I can then operate via DCC from the Conwy hidden track area to the bottom of Bangor.

 

I have laid cork and positioned the Bangor platform areas, ready to lay the track with droppers. Photos to follow.

 

Ross and I have also worked on the lifting section just below Conwy. Only 2 more 127 kilo limit 900 ml extending drawer runners to screw on to finish this work. This will then allow continuation of the base boards for Penmaenmawr. After wiring the most complicated part of Bangor this should be fairly easy.

 

All for now.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley