Howard O Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Anthony, Is it ok if I approach the Penmaenmawr Historical Society on your behalf to try and get some photos of the Grand Hotel and Crescent cinema ? Also would you have any problems of me sharing some images of your work to date of Penmaenmawr Mountain? Thanks Howard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted January 24, 2020 Author Share Posted January 24, 2020 Dear All, I have virtually finished the road viaduct. Photos are below. I have also done a fair bit of work on the cliff faces. I shall post a few photos in the next day or so. Another tenement house has been completed minus gutters, down pipes and chimney. I need to fill in the gaps on the cliff face and then paint it. Regards, Anthony Ashley 4 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold scottystitch Posted January 24, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 24, 2020 Blimey, Anthony, that looks smashing! First class modelling. Most inspiring! Best Scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted January 24, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 24, 2020 2 hours ago, Anthony Ashley said: Dear All, I have virtually finished the road viaduct. Photos are below. I have also done a fair bit of work on the cliff faces. I shall post a few photos in the next day or so. Another tenement house has been completed minus gutters, down pipes and chimney. I need to fill in the gaps on the cliff face and then paint it. Regards, Anthony Ashley Very nice Anthony but why are they driving on the wrong side of the road????? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lezz01 Posted January 24, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 24, 2020 Very nice Anthony. The only thing I can see wrong with it is, as St Enodoc says, the vehicles are on the wrong side of the road. Regards Lez. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted January 24, 2020 Author Share Posted January 24, 2020 Howard, I apologise for not responding earlier. I did not see your response on the next page. I would be most appreciative if you approach the Penmaenmawr Historical society on my behalf and am very happy for you to share any of my photos. I appreciate your assistance and any thing more in terms of details would be really excellent. My 2 months in the US and Canada obviously impacted my severely with my driving recognition, although I have not driven on the wrong side of the road in Australia yet!!! I shall replace my vehicles and try again with some photos. I am so happy with the viaduct a few more will not go astray, although it took much longer to build than I expected. It seems that most train modelling jobs take a very long time to complete if you put a lot of detail into it. Howard thanks again for the offer please go ahead. I need to bed in the viaduct at its base as the piers are covered up with some rubble in the photos I have seen. The rubble starts about one third of the way yup on the back of the pier but is at ground level at the front of them. Thanks to John and Lez for the constructive advice. Regards, Anthony Ashley 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted January 24, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 24, 2020 Hi, (Tongue-in-cheek time) - Do you have a sound chip & speaker for the horns beeping as the cars pass through the tunnels ? As a youngster we would often have days out along the N Wales coast, passing through the tunnels to and from Anglesey or Snowdonia. Dad would always pip the horn so we could hear the echo. Later, taking my own family to see the relatives in Anglesey, we would use the new westbound tunnel instead of the old road. As teens, the children always tried to hold their breath the whole length of the tunnel - they always seemed to get annoyed with me as I slowed down nearing the exit Loving the both the epic proportions of this layout and the memories it's bringing back. 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted January 26, 2020 Author Share Posted January 26, 2020 Stubby, I shall need to expand my sound effects range to meet your request. No promises though!!!!! I finished off the quoins on the viaduct piers last night so have added a few more photos below. I shall need confirmation on the correct side of the road!! I have completed a second tenement house minus down pipes and guttering. The 2 look good together. The rail viaduct is a much more difficult modelling task as the arches are much tighter and the immediate arch area is brick rather than stone. I am still trying to work out how to get a circular brick pattern around the arch. My favoured means at this stage is to cut plain paper as I have done for the road viaduct and then over lay brick paper wedges to have the bricks curving around the arch. Each wedge would need to be individually cut with the bricks aligned across the wedge, with a tab underneath to fold under the arch. This may work I think but will be time consuming. I have resin brick work for the front and back sides. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Regards, Anthony Ashley 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted January 26, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 26, 2020 35 minutes ago, Anthony Ashley said: Stubby, I shall need to expand my sound effects range to meet your request. No promises though!!!!! I finished off the quoins on the viaduct piers last night so have added a few more photos below. I shall need confirmation on the correct side of the road!! I have completed a second tenement house minus down pipes and guttering. The 2 look good together. The rail viaduct is a much more difficult modelling task as the arches are much tighter and the immediate arch area is brick rather than stone. I am still trying to work out how to get a circular brick pattern around the arch. My favoured means at this stage is to cut plain paper as I have done for the road viaduct and then over lay brick paper wedges to have the bricks curving around the arch. Each wedge would need to be individually cut with the bricks aligned across the wedge, with a tab underneath to fold under the arch. This may work I think but will be time consuming. I have resin brick work for the front and back sides. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Regards, Anthony Ashley All good Anthony. On the road, it's the same as down here. Just remember "Left is right, Right is wrong"... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 27, 2020 Share Posted January 27, 2020 Anthony, the viaduct is impressive, the scree & rock behind it even more so. Stu’s post - funny how everybody did the same things with tunnels during the rebuilding of the A55 we were travelling lots through there as we used to go scuba diving in Anglesey quite frequently. There was a detour at one point, with a queue off up some by-road. A local shepherd had put up a sign “SLOW LAMBS ON ROAD”, to which had been added in a different spray can “THIS MEANS EWE”. Ambient sound - should be reasonably easy to arrange, waves on the shore, seagulls, car horns in the tunnels, etc. Cutting the brickwork for the railway arches - laser cut MDF. Worth commissioning someone to do it for you. Paper will be horrendously hard, repetitive work. Atb Simon 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted January 30, 2020 Author Share Posted January 30, 2020 (edited) Dear Simon and John, Thanks for the comments. I have looked for a laser cutting firm but so far it appears to be quite expensive for the small job I have in mind. I would need 26 75mm radius arches of 6 ml width with a brick pattern of about 1/2 ml by 1 ml. I am going to another N Gauge modellers house tonight so will ask what laser cutting options he is aware of within Brisbane. He is the fellow who has done the 3D printing for me of the tenement houses. I have come up with another viable option using scale scenes printed material. Their viaduct arches in OO gauge can be scaled down with printing to fit exactly into the radius of my arches. They have a curved brick pattern which follows the arch radius around. It has a depth of 4 rather than 6 bricks but would look good. I can then do the under arch area in the same dark red brick pattern using card and the printed paper sheets paper. I will see what options arise from laser printing tonight. The photo of the arch below is a print onto normal paper rather that card. I think card would give a better outcome, but the paper gives the visual effect. I think the colour matching of the print to the underneath arch area will be a better effect than my attempt at painting the bricks at such a small scale. Most of the face of the rail viaduct will be my resin dressed stone. This photo gives the visual effect of the multiple tenement houses in a row. I have many more to complete. The third from the left still has some brick work, arches and footings to be added. The other 2 on the right are under construction. I am not sure why the Welsh builders in Bangor are so slow in their construction!!!! I think 7 completed in a row will be impressive. I have a bout 10 streets of them to be built. More work on the rail viaduct, the tenement houses to be completed. I am also looking to finish the hidden track work leading to the 38 track storage yard at the bottom of the layout. I have taken out my old ply supplies and am starting to cut the required sections to support the hidden track. This will also require more steel rods to be cut and hung off the layout frame work. The section left is quite small, but it is work I have not done for 3 years. Regards, Anthony Ashley Edited January 30, 2020 by Anthony Ashley 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted January 31, 2020 Author Share Posted January 31, 2020 Dear All, The photos below show the Chester end of the line at this stage. I am concerned that if I do any permanent wiring on Bangor it may not be possible to hang the support rods for the required hidden track still to be laid. There is not much left with only a U shape for double track and then the large storage yard. Below is the plan showing what is left for completion. I have completed up to about CU7 and CD6. The storage yard is comprised of yellow, green , pink and purple track. More track supports to be installed. Regards, Anthony Ashley 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyV Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 Hi Anthony, I've been thinking about your track plan recently. With my layout in its first guise, I had loco's supposedly go to the end of the storage road, uncouple, reverse on turntable and go to start of the train, recouple and head back to the layout. All good in theory. However, the uncoupling was haphazard with Kadee's. The Kadee shuffle was required, the turntable a very expensive (to me), but not very good Heljan and the risk element was very high, as the whole section was to be under another part of the layout. My new very elegant solution (time will tell), will involve the trains running into storage sidings, reversing on a yet to be made reversing loop and back to the rest of the layout. Why am I sharing this? Just make sure you don't have to touch your trains when they are in the hidden areas. I see you have traversers in place. Great concept, but the risk with uncoupling and recoupling the trains by the looks of it (underneath your layout) will be great. I strongly suggest you test the concept to see if it will work. It would be better if the trains can run in and then run out, with no physical contact required with the train. I'm modelling in OO Gauge and I've decided to ditch the Kadees for DG Couplers and I am also using Railroad and Co. As this is a 99.9% solitary hobby, if i am going to have any hope of running to a timetable, I will want to automate where I can. I therefore think it would be prudent to get a train running if you haven't done so already and complete a loop. It is a great feeling. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 I can’t claim any experience in this, but I can see entirely where Rodney is coming from. convincing yourself that it will work as intended before boxing yourself in a corner will be time well spent, I feel. atb Simon 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold john dew Posted February 1, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1, 2020 Hi Anthony I do agree with these comments. A lot of testing will be involved in setting up loco exchanges with RR&Co. and the locos have to be totally reliable.....a moments hesitation by a loco will mess up the time and distance calculation. I cant remember what uncoupling device you are using......the longer the better! Are you planning to put stay alive in the locos.....I would strongly recommend it. The reliability of the branch loco run around that you saw on Granby has been transformed since I fitted stay alives to the two locos involved.....one of which is actually a DJM Hattons 14xx.....not noted for reliable running Best wishes John ps I think that cliff face is awesome! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 5BarVT Posted February 1, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1, 2020 (edited) Another RR&Co user here, with the same advice. There are methods that are easier to apply in storage yards because the visual effect doesn’t matter. My initial version used short 2” track sections to define the stop position. Fine with Heljan locos with good contact on leading axles: didn’t work so well with a Bachmann Warship with dodgier pickups. v2 is a microswitch that is depressed by the loco buffer. The input is the stop marker for the block but also triggers operations via a loco function. The operation is is a move backwards which is loco specific to get the train end coupler back to the Kadee magnet. This has been tested and works. On my current layout where I am tight for space the theory was to bring the relief loco onto the back of the train and probably using wheel slip to take up any adjustment. This hasn’t been seriously tested and relies on the loco not imparting sufficient force to jack knife the carriages. Probably a no no for wagons. Once we have moved, I will have more space in the yard anted the plan then is that the stop marker operation will trigger the move back to the magnet, Kadee shuffle and then a further push back (6”, 12”?), return loco to magnet. Then the incoming loco can just slowly move onto the coaches and push part way back - precise accuracy doesn’t matter. You don’t have to have the final in place to trial this, just some track sections to get the necessary inputs to test. Give it a try as soon as some of the layout is powered up. HTH Paul. Edited February 1, 2020 by 5BarVT Auto incorrect! 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted February 1, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 1, 2020 12 hours ago, RodneyV said: As this is a 99.9% solitary hobby Not necessarily... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 Dear All, The photos below show the Chester end of the line at this stage. I am concerned that if I do any permanent wiring on Bangor it may not be possible to hang the support rods for the required hidden track still to be laid. There is not much left with only a U shape for double track and then the large storage yard. Below is the plan showing what is left for completion. I have completed up to about CU7 and CD6. The storage yard is comprised of yellow, green , pink and purple track. More track supports to be installed. Regards, Anthony Ashley 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 Rodney, Simon, John, Paul and John, Your comments are all very helpful and in interesting discussion. I was always intending to use DG couplers between the locos and the first and last coach/wagon for those rakes which go to the storage yards. With DGs there is no shuffle required. Some of the rakes will remain on the scenic layout in a goods yard at the end of the day. This is dependent on the time table. I understand that the DG couplers are the most reliable. I will be putting eletro-magnets under the yard to sit between the loco and first/last coach/wagon. The same rake will always occupy the same line in the storage yard layout so the positioning should be very accurate. I will also have eletro-magnets in relevant spots in the goods yards within the scenic areas but these will be operated electronically but visually as a part of any shunting activity. Once the uncoupling has occurred within the hidden yards all other locos will be at the other end of the rakes in the hidden yard, so the elecro magnets can be quite powerful to reduce the requirement for absolute accuracy. A significant number of the rakes are over seven feet and so there is not physically sufficient room to the rakes around on a run around loop. I do not think I can joint all the track work up with enough points to have them go onto the run around loop. There are 34 tracks on each hidden yard which would be a lot of points and real estate to join. I shall have a look though and see. Operation without the traverser and uncoupling would make life much easier and simplify the rakes. If the DG couplers do not work reliably then I am in trouble, but thought for a layout permanently anchored in one spot and with no transport of the vehicles they should be OK. If this does not work than I will need to think of alternatives, but currently have nothing in mind. The uncoupling points for the storage yards will all be in a line across the storage yard. I shall mark this for accuracy with a wire across the yard above the stock. I can not think of a better way of running the traversing section and the hidden storage yards. Accuracy of TC Gold will be critical in the location of the stops in the hidden track area. Next 2 hidden track support areas have been cut and painted and will be inserted tonight, using hanging rods. Regards, Anthony Ashley 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted February 3, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 3, 2020 3 hours ago, Anthony Ashley said: Rodney, Simon, John, Paul and John, Your comments are all very helpful and in interesting discussion. I was always intending to use DG couplers between the locos and the first and last coach/wagon for those rakes which go to the storage yards. With DGs there is no shuffle required. Some of the rakes will remain on the scenic layout in a goods yard at the end of the day. This is dependent on the time table. I understand that the DG couplers are the most reliable. I will be putting eletro-magnets under the yard to sit between the loco and first/last coach/wagon. The same rake will always occupy the same line in the storage yard layout so the positioning should be very accurate. I will also have eletro-magnets in relevant spots in the goods yards within the scenic areas but these will be operated electronically but visually as a part of any shunting activity. Once the uncoupling has occurred within the hidden yards all other locos will be at the other end of the rakes in the hidden yard, so the elecro magnets can be quite powerful to reduce the requirement for absolute accuracy. A significant number of the rakes are over seven feet and so there is not physically sufficient room to the rakes around on a run around loop. I do not think I can joint all the track work up with enough points to have them go onto the run around loop. There are 34 tracks on each hidden yard which would be a lot of points and real estate to join. I shall have a look though and see. Operation without the traverser and uncoupling would make life much easier and simplify the rakes. If the DG couplers do not work reliably then I am in trouble, but thought for a layout permanently anchored in one spot and with no transport of the vehicles they should be OK. If this does not work than I will need to think of alternatives, but currently have nothing in mind. The uncoupling points for the storage yards will all be in a line across the storage yard. I shall mark this for accuracy with a wire across the yard above the stock. I can not think of a better way of running the traversing section and the hidden storage yards. Accuracy of TC Gold will be critical in the location of the stops in the hidden track area. Next 2 hidden track support areas have been cut and painted and will be inserted tonight, using hanging rods. Regards, Anthony Ashley Anthony, although you don't need the full "Kadee shuffle" with DGs, you do have to ease the loco back slightly to release the tension between the hooks and loops before activating the electromagnets. I hope this won't be a problem for you. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold john dew Posted February 3, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 3, 2020 Hi Anthony Not sure about the strategy/budget for occupancy detectors. The ideal would be to have two per block in the storage yards. A standard current detector operated on entry to the block and an infra dot say six inches in front of the magnet.......the shorter the distance between the stop marker and indicator the more precise and consistent the result.......I didnt do this but I wish I had. I will again recommend stay alives John’s comment about a mini shuffle requirement to ease tension on DG couplers is interesting. In reality that is all that is required for uncoupling (and sometimes coupling) with Kadees. It helps to stop just beyond the magnet so that on shuffling back the coupling is over the magnet. It does require a lot of practice to get the correct distances for the shuffle distance commands and is much more difficult if you are uncoupling at the tail ......but I think you are going to top and tail your brake vans Best wishes 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted February 4, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 4, 2020 13 hours ago, john dew said: Hi Anthony Not sure about the strategy/budget for occupancy detectors. The ideal would be to have two per block in the storage yards. A standard current detector operated on entry to the block and an infra dot say six inches in front of the magnet.......the shorter the distance between the stop marker and indicator the more precise and consistent the result.......I didnt do this but I wish I had. I will again recommend stay alives John’s comment about a mini shuffle requirement to ease tension on DG couplers is interesting. In reality that is all that is required for uncoupling (and sometimes coupling) with Kadees. It helps to stop just beyond the magnet so that on shuffling back the coupling is over the magnet. It does require a lot of practice to get the correct distances for the shuffle distance commands and is much more difficult if you are uncoupling at the tail ......but I think you are going to top and tail your brake vans Best wishes To clarify, with DGs you don't need a shuffle, as such, at all. If your loco is pulling the train and you want to uncouple it all you have to do is stop and ease back so that the tension in the couplers is released allowing the electromagnet to pull the droppers down and lift the loops. If you are pushing the train you don't even have to stop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 (edited) Dear All, I have listened to all of the comments about scraping the uncoupling and traverser. I have spent the day on Any rail seeing how I could fit in connection for all of the Holyhead storage yard direct to the run around loop. It has taken about 8 hours. I have achieved the aim and the plan below is the result. I can fit in the points to reconnect all of the 34 tracks in the Holy head yard. I am interested in your combined comments again, as it appears to be possible. Eliminating the loco uncoupling, running only the locos around the reversing the loop and then reversing them back may be beyond the technical expertise of me and the computer programme. (more likely me). The plan allows the rakes to continue in the same direction. To complete the plan I have measured all of the length of every rake and have tailored the yard line to match the rakes by at least 100ml but mor ein some cases. This process took the 8 hours. Your comments are very welcome. The run around loop is in light blue. The storage yard is in green, yellow, blue and pink. The colours relate to the power sectors. The rectangle square at the bottom is the position of the potentially unnecessary traverser. My minimum radius is 24". I have 7 spare tracks in the storage yard. The next 2 hidden track boards are both cut and painted. One has been hung and one still to be hung. Pictures of the boards tomorrow. Regards, Anthony Ashley Edited February 4, 2020 by Anthony Ashley 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyV Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Hi Anthony, Sorry for creating all of this work for you. Your revised plan looks like it will solve all of the potential issues I suggested might arise. Well done to you. A question. Is Holyhead the same as Bangor. I'm just trying to get my head around how it all fits together. Thanks Rodney 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 (edited) Rodney, My 3 scenic towns on the layout are from top anti clockwise are Conwy, Penmaenmawr and Bangor on the right as you look from the bottom. If you leave Bangor heading west or anti clock wise around the layout you would eventually arrive in the terminal at Holyhead, so the storage yard under the left side of the layout I have called Holyhead. Moving clockwise through Conwy the next station is Llandudno, but the most major station on the line is called Chester, hence the storage yard at the bottom of the layout has been called Chester. Plan below to picture my words. Regards, Anthony Ashley Edited February 4, 2020 by Anthony Ashley 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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