Anthony Ashley Posted December 19, 2013 Author Share Posted December 19, 2013 Dear David, Thanks for the reply. Yes your response confirms what I thought. Do you know the purpose of the building in the first picture and whether it stood after the construction of the road bridge. From your comments it appears it does but not sure. Regards, Anthony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Grafarman Posted December 19, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 19, 2013 Dear David, Thanks for the reply. Yes your response confirms what I thought. Do you know the purpose of the building in the first picture and whether it stood after the construction of the road bridge. From your comments it appears it does but not sure. Regards, Anthony I believe that was the Toll House to accept payments for crossing the chain bridge; I'm pretty sure it's still there as part of the National Trust presence. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 Dear David, Thanks again for the information. Regards, Anthony Ashley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 20, 2013 The first picture is taken from the Llandudno Junction side of the bridge, before the new road bridge was built. The building to the right was either demolished, or mostly demolished, with the new bridge, the road area still exists as a footpath and partial parking. The traffic lights were to allow a one-way, alternate flow across the suspension bridge - at the Conwy end there was a very sharp right turn into the town. Picture 2 looks to be inverted (left to right) to me... as the rail bridge is upstream of the older bridge and there is no castle in the picture. Stu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 Stu, Thanks for your reply. I had not seen the small building prior to the posted photo and thought it may have been demolished. Your confirmation of this means one less building to construct! I am waiting for electronic components to finish wiring the hidden track around Conwy (nearly all hidden track above Conwy has droppers now)00000. I have cut all of the Conwy scenic track but yet to add droppers. A job for tomorrow. Regards, Anthony Ashley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37038 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 There are some amazing layouts on RMweb and this is definately one of them. I have had a few holidays along the North Wales coast and the pictures of your layout bring the memories back! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 20, 2013 Anthony, The first picture in post #165, although a long way off, does show the same wall curving down to the suspension bridge, but the area the building would have been is obscured by a tree. However, a quick look on Google Earth shows the building is still very much in place. Apologies for my earlier assumption it had gone. Stu 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefredie Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I am sorry if the pic was the wrong way round I had my old slides converted a while back by a friend and we have only discovered that approx. 50% of my slides were affected David Wexford Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share Posted December 21, 2013 Dear All, Thanks for the marvellous contributions. David and Stu your efforts are greatly appreciated. The building is obviously quite small and nestles between the main highway and the main line. Another building to construct once I have some trains running. Still waiting for electronic components which will see me operational I hope. Regards, Anthony Ashley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted December 26, 2013 Author Share Posted December 26, 2013 WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, I have been on holidays for a few days and done some substantial work on the layout. The first is the scenic area for Conwy has had all the rail cut to size and connected. Next is an alternative to some of the back scene painting by creating a 3D 2d effect on the wall. I shall be after comment son this one way or the other. Last is the completion of the Conwy hidden rail dropper wires prior to connection to the main bus line. Photos are below. Photo above is looking toward Llandudno with mixed wagons in the goods area waiting pick up. A Royal Scot is going to Llandudno pulling a parcel train. A Black 5 is pulling a mixed goods rake to Hoyhead. Photo above is the Conwy board minus the river area Looking to Conwy station which is just off the board Close up of the Conwy goods area Cattle wagons on the move Using ply and plaster card for the medieval town wall I have overlaid the paint work by mother-in-law. Which version do you think loos better the 3 D plasticard version or the purely painted version? Close up of the plasticard version Painted version without plasticard. Hidden tack with droppers complete. Please give me a response in terms of the painting version or the plasticard one. All comments are welcome. Regards, Anthony Ashley 9 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Definitely the painted version of the wall it blends in and looks good from a distance,lovely layout by the way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernboy Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 A agree - the painted version looks better: Just to qualify my reasoning - It's a visual / perspective thing ... the backdrop painting is 'impressionistic' so the Plasticard looks comparatively rather too sharp and in-focus. Were the Plasticard a few inches in front of the backdrop it may be a different matter. Anyway, whilst I'm here just to say I've been following each update with dropped-jaw at the sheer scale and ambition of this project, let alone the logistics which must be involved! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 (edited) WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS For those interested I have attached the proposed passenger time table for the layout based on a Summer 1960 timetable for the line. Detail shown includes the arrival and departure times form Conwy Bangor and Penmaenmawr. Also shown is the exact train rake formations and the allocated loco to the train. Most trains will start from one of the two hidden fiddle yards. The rakes are also numbered. Those allocated a colour make a return journey using the reverse rake formation. You will see the colour is duplicated for the return journey and assigned a specific number. To fill these rakes I still need about 50 SKs in maroon. The attachment will download into an excel spread sheet. All comments are welcome. Sunday Train rakes.xlsx Regards, Anthony Ashley Edited December 27, 2013 by Anthony Ashley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian b Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 Just to awkward I prefer the plasticard version- it seems to add more depth to the background where the painted version looks too flat and lost... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted December 28, 2013 Author Share Posted December 28, 2013 (edited) Dear All, To those who commented on the wall versions thankyou. If I use the plasticard version I am going to over lay some other small pieces of card for my painter to paint a few trees on, hence blending in the wall and surrounding terrain. I think this will improve the overall look. I would also encourage comments on the time table directly above if you are interested. All comments are welcome! Regards, Anthony Ashley Edited December 28, 2013 by Anthony Ashley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, A few more advances in the layout. Have completed two new base boards to go down the right side of the layout. The first is only 2 1/2 feet wide and is a section which can be lifted to give unimpeded access to the layout. A friend will be assisting in creating a metal frame to act as a lifting device. I expect to use the sort of gas cylinders used in boots to help support the lifting of a boot to help with the weight. The second section is 5 feet long but only 5 feet wide as I need to incorporate a strip of sea on the outside edge of the board below the level of the base boards. This sea area will be attached to the underneath of the base boards. Photos below. View of the two new base boards in relation to the existing layout. Small one is resting on the other. View from the side showing relative size of the additional base board Conwy scenic area has nearly completed with respect to droppers. A "forest of wires". I have now received all of the electronic components needed to wire up for DCC ops. I hope everyone had a good Christmas and has a successful new year. All replies are encouraged. Regards, Anthony Ashley 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted January 1, 2014 Author Share Posted January 1, 2014 (edited) WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, Just a photo showing the range of wire to be used in the layout. Picture below. The reels of various colours of wire from front to back are .5mm cross section (dropper wire connected to underneath of track- only red and black to show polarity), .75 mm2 cross section (most colours to show track type attached to 50 mm2 dropper wire) and 2.5 mm2 cross section (bus wires) Track wiring colours are as follows- Scenic down- black/red; Scenic up -grey/pink; goods area - brown/blue; hidden storage areas - brown/blue; hidden track down - black/red; hidden track up - pink/grey; hidden loop down - white/orange; hidden loop up - purple/grey; point frogs - green; detection bus line (1 only) - yellow and green; scenic bus - black/red; hidden bus - brown/blue. Any replies are very welcome. I have had few replies to the query on the post at 211 if you are able to venture an opinion regarding the painted or plasticard version of the town wall. Additionally has anyone seen the time table posted at 214. Regards, Anthony Ashley Edited January 12, 2014 by Anthony Ashley 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 1, 2014 Share Posted January 1, 2014 Anthony Happy New Year! For sure, the plasticard version is detailed, striking & credible, but it may detract from the foreground if too much so. Also, as you have to "break" the scene somewhere, doing it at a sharp demarcation between painted backscene and top-of-wall might be a bit too harsh. You could perhaps try to separate the wall from the painted flat by a few mm, or a few 10s of mm. This looks ok unless something casts a shadow on both, but shadows on backscenes are a pain anyway! I suspect that given the distance between the front scene and the back, I would tend to want to lose the detail - either by not having the plasticard at all, or by toning it all down so there was no contrast between wall and mortar. Hope it helps SD Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sithlord75 Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Thought I had better drop in and have a read. For the legion following - the photos don't really convey the scale of this undertaking. I'm looking forward to "playing trains" on it in due course - but I suspect there are a few more trees to build for it before then! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, Thanks for the reply Simond. Your comments are greatly valued. I think the pan to overlay some thin plasticard over the edge of the plasticard added already with merging trees painted on may over come the issues you have raised. I shall try it and post photos once completed. Please keep any replies coming. Sith Lord may the force be with you in your arboreal pursuits, particularly as I am the main recipient of those endeavours! I look forward to further visits. I have now completed laying all the hidden and scenic track with droppers and holes for point control finalised. I may take another photo tomorrow. Next is to check all of the wiring underneath for connectivity and loco testing. Then I need to create shelving on the layout for the Conwy Levers blocky Control panel, Controller, and Computer. I have just bought a number of locos. 1 Black 5, 2X BR 5MT, 2 X BR MT, 2X BR 3MT tanker, 2X Class 24 Diesel. All need running in. Regards, Anthony Ashley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, Work has been progressing nicely with all of the droppers complete for the base boards completed to date, including scenic and hidden track. I have also laid the track, drilled appropriate holes for point control etc and tested electrical connectivity. In addition I have spent some time perfecting the wiring diagram for the scenic and hidden areas, including the provision of detection zones. Most of the goods area will be manually controlled with the main lines and goods entry areas automatic or electrical control. I have bought 30 meters of curtail wire (PVC tube with metal insert and 30 meters of tensile wire for the manual point control. Only need a 12 lever frame for manual point control to be effected. Hopefully the next few days will be further wiring of the bus and sub bus cables. Pictures are below showing the Conwy goods area with an unusual visitor (an A1), a class o4 shunter and a 108 DMU on the main line DMU in more detail Close up of the DMU. Partially completed wiring for level 1 only (scenic and hidden). All of the main bus and sub busses and drawn. Scenic track on the left and hidden track on the right. Black and red bus is the main scenic bus. Brown and blue is the main hidden track bus and the sub bus for the goods area. Pilots are Switch pilot servos T are terminals S are switches Servos are servos (not surprisingly) One line of the track detection areas are wired up together to run back to the detection module. Ii hope the diagram is legible! All sub busses have an on/off switch (blue switch) to allow fault detection on the ECoS system when closing with a short. There are 4 sub busses in the Conwy scenic area, and 11 in the first level hidden area. Conwy, Penmaenmawr and Bangor will have 16 detection zones each. The hidden track level 1 has 48 track detection zones. I obviously have more work on the other levels but it is coming along. If you read this thread please take the time to reply either positive or negative, as your feedback is very valuable and has made quite a difference to the layout to date. Regards, Anthony Ashley 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Impressive Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted January 7, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 7, 2014 Impressive Just a little... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Anthony I remain staggered by the scale of this - it is outstanding, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing some video, but I just wanted to commend you on your track diagrams - every bit cartographic works of art! You have given me something to aim for in my own musings!!! best SD 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Ashley Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 Dear Black Sheep, Stu and Simond, Thanks for the encouraging words. I am really happy with the timetable at post 214 above. It has a lot of detail re the timings for entry and departure from each station, exact train rakes and an allocated loco for the train in most cases. A few more locos are required to finalise the timetable. if you have not opened the file I recommend a quick look as it will provide a very detailed insight into the passenger rakes running on the line. I have yet to create a freight time table as it have not been able to locate one as yet. They are obviously much harder to come by. I do know that they ran nearly everything on this line as it was it terminated in the main port to Ireland. The freight I am aware of was some freight types on the line including cattle, granite, domestic and gas coal, general merchandise, live stock, animal feed, implements, petrol and oil, timber an building materials, fish and mussel traffic, PO wagons, sheet open and ventilated vans, cattle vans, low sided wagons, drums on open wagons, open wagons, slate, railway ballast, road stone, dressed stone, concrete products, explosives, mining stores, steel vans, fertilizers, hay and fodder. if anyone has any more detail on freight types or a freight time table on the Chester Holyhead line I am interested to hear. Regards, Anthony Ashley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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