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Cwm Bach - A South Wales Branch Line


81A Oldoak
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Thinking ahead a couple of weeks to track laying and wiring. The surface of the base-boards will be 9mm ply and I am undecided about the use of an underlay. Deadening sound is not an issue as the trains will not run fast and are all fitted with DCC sound. Traditionally, I have used cork. The main concern is being able to recover pointwork if and when Cwm Bach is lifted, though it is far too early to be thinking about that!

 

The second consideration is DCC bus-bars. Abersoch and Boduan Junction were DC and I used copper tape for the bus-bars. However, I have some fairly hefty 5 amp wire that I am contemplating using on Cwm Bach. I would be interested in others' experience and recommendations.

 

I am also going to try the new Peco PLS-100 servos for some of the points and signals. The price is fair, but some extra means of switching the polarity on the crossings is needed. Peco's "Frog Smart" unit is rather steep at £10.50 for one point so I'll probably lash something up from my stock of micro switches. Meanwhile, I have about 30 Tortoise motors acquired during business trips to the USA in the halcyon days of $2 to the pound.

 

I don't know what type of panel switching you will use for the servo drives but if you choose ones with a spare pole you can either use that directly as a polarity changer for the crossing or you could use it to switch a relay which will do it. When Dock Green was young I used servos to switch the points. The MERG control boards only need an on/off switch for control so, by using DPDT switches I was able to polarity-switch the crossings as well. Later I abandonned the servos (for reasons too tedious to go into again) and replaced them with Tortoises. I may use the servos on the FVRR - they should be more stable on a fixed layout.

 

Chaz

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I suspect that a LNWR Coal Tank may appear on Cwm Bach at some stage, especially as two were on loan to the NCB, but serviced at Abercynon shed in 1954. I have a photo in a magazine showing the pair on shed at Abercynon in a line with three Taff Vale A class 0-6-2Ts.  They would certainly make a change from copper caps and brass safety valve bonnets. Meanwhile, here they are lurking at the back of Abercynon. http://www.flickr.com/photos/taffytank/5947474464/

 

 

Chris 

 

...and wouldn't you just love to come upon this little scene now?   A quite magical photo of what used to be a common sight.

 

Chaz

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Thinking ahead a couple of weeks to track laying and wiring. The surface of the base-boards will be 9mm ply and I am undecided about the use of an underlay.......Traditionally, I have used cork.

 

Cork - wouldn't touch it with a bargepole! 'Orrible stuff (IMHO). My recently dismantled fixed layout had Peco trackwork fixed directly to chipboard with trackpins and ballast fixed with PVA. I left one out in the rain overnight and this made it possible to lift the Peco points off without damage the following day. Of course the chipboard didn't fare very well....

If you must put something under the track why not a layer of thin card? - cheaper than cork and dimensionally far more stable and should allow the track to be lifted even without the aid of our wonderful climate....

 

Chaz

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LNER in South Wales. Here is a picture for Chaz Harrison. Ex-GER/LNER J66 7292 at work at Guest, Keen & Baldwins East Moors Yard ay Cardiff East Dock in 1957. The loco was withdrawn by the LNER in 1936 and worked at GKB until January 1959.

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LNER in South Wales. Here is a picture for Chaz Harrison. Ex-GER/LNER J66 7292 at work at Guest, Keen & Baldwins East Moors Yard ay Cardiff East Dock in 1957. The loco was withdrawn by the LNER in 1936 and worked at GKB until January 1959.

 

Hmm. That chimney looks suspiciously unoriginal and those buffers......still buffers like that would be spot on on my Ixion Hudswell Clarke....

 

Chaz

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And that is from somebody who lives at a more southerly latitude than me!!  :jester:

 

Yeah, but I'm a cockney sparra' living in exile!   :declare:

 

 

and do I have to remind you that Bulleid learnt his craft at the feet of the master...?

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The nearest I can think of is the Metropolitan tanks used by the Cambrian, and the earlier locos brought by the Taff Vale. Other than that, it's the WCPR, using Terriers....

 

Possibly one of the ROD's, in the later 100 batch worked in the south, but I'm not near my 'bible' to check.

 

Ian

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The nearest I can think of is the Metropolitan tanks used by the Cambrian, and the earlier locos brought by the Taff Vale. Other than that, it's the WCPR, using Terriers....

 

Possibly one of the ROD's, in the later 100 batch worked in the south, but I'm not near my 'bible' to check.

 

Ian

Ex-GC RODs of the GWR 3000 class operated on the Pontypool-Neath line and at least one, 3036, was allocated to Aberdare in 1948.

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I was thinking in terms of working Southern steam in the principality.  As Chaz says, that's cheating!

 

 

Me also, almost; South Londoner, but not born within the sound of Bow Bells.  Paternal grandfather was though.  Does that count?

I am fairly certain Bullied pacifics hauled troop trains in the 1950s and 1960s that were destined for the Castle Martin ranges in Pembrokeshire. I suspect the locomotives would have been changed at Cardiff.

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Some got as far as Tenby

Makes sense Steve. Castle Martin camp is a tank firing range south west of Tenby. There is also a training camp at Penally with ranges for infantry weapons, which I fondly remember from my army days.  I have a B&R DVD featuring steam around Bristol (my home town) with  clips of Bullied-hauled troop trains destined for South Wales pounding their way up Ashley Hill bank. However, I suspect that it is highly unlikely we shall see a Bullied pacific struggling up to Cwm Bach.

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Right, back home.

 

I've got my bible out, and it shows, surprisingly, that 2 ROD's went on loan to the Western, ex L&SWR. These were given the running numbers 3099 & 6000.

 

I should add, before the questions start, that these locos were on loan from ROD, and the loan quantity was 84, hence the running sequence of 3000-99 & 6000-6003.

 

Ian

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Back to real work after all the chat about whether locos from the large tramway network south of London penetrated South Wales. The frames for Cwm Bach have now been topped and I am ready to start laying track and installing wiring. I still haven't decided about an underlay for the track and may lay  it directly on the boards. Work on the storage board, which will house a traverser, will start in due course. Kitchener, my personal Fowler, seems to be trespassing on the main-line in the last photo.

 

Does anyone what type of magnets the Lincs coupling system uses? It would be helpful to know before I start to lay the track.

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Hello Chris, ref the Lincs couplings

 

EITHER A SOFT IRON CORE ELECTRICAL TYPE OR A FLAT BAR MAGNET.  THE BAR MAGNET IS EASIER TO PLACE AND ADD EXTRA ONES TO. You could also use some of the rare earth button magnets too and they would be just as easy to fit as the bar ones.

http://www.first4magnets.com/rectangular-bar-magnets-c38?gclid=CKHx8dO0pL0CFeXLtAodmiEAnQ

http://www.first4magnets.com/neodymium-magnets-t137?gclid=CLG_yfe0pL0CFe3ItAodijwALQ

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Edited by Barnaby
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Thinking ahead a couple of weeks to track laying and wiring. The surface of the base-boards will be 9mm ply and I am undecided about the use of an underlay. Deadening sound is not an issue as the trains will not run fast and are all fitted with DCC sound. Traditionally, I have used cork. The main concern is being able to recover pointwork if and when Cwm Bach is lifted, though it is far too early to be thinking about that!

 

The second consideration is DCC bus-bars. Abersoch and Boduan Junction were DC and I used copper tape for the bus-bars. However, I have some fairly hefty 5 amp wire that I am contemplating using on Cwm Bach. I would be interested in others' experience and recommendations.

 

I am also going to try the new Peco PLS-100 servos for some of the points and signals. The price is fair, but some extra means of switching the polarity on the crossings is needed. Peco's "Frog Smart" unit is rather steep at £10.50 for one point so I'll probably lash something up from my stock of micro switches. Meanwhile, I have about 30 Tortoise motors acquired during business trips to the USA in the halcyon days of $2 to the pound.

Hi Chris,

 

The only copper SA tape that is up to the task is the ZTC product, most others are only rated for 'dolls-houses'. If you werent working faster than me, I may have had some new rolls left over, they are still available from ZTC though and the adhesive gets stronger with age when affixed. I experimented with it on minerlaised roofing felt and it didnt work all that well, but on any flrm surface, even outside, it's pretty tough - it's made for mobile phone masts et al.

 

I have some 10amp wire for the garden section of Down Ampney - that was from Ebay as a twin cable in black and red (and can easily be pulled apart to make single strands).

 

The Peco system looks interesting, however I have opted to the Minx Mircodrive system, not cheap but very versitile and more cost effective(?), but I may need some servos for other aspects of the railway

 

There are other similar systems to the Peco set up such as Heathcote and I seem to remember Locolines et al. doing a budget range (manufactured in China) with Frog-polarity switches and the like (looking very similar to Peco's range), yet I have not seen them advertising such of late, but did come accross this Thread for you...

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/45023-smartswitch-point-control-arrives-in-uk/

 

Rare earth magnets? I found mine on Ebay, from a really helpful/knowledgable firm in Chippenham, if I remember their details I will PM them to you.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Kind regards,

 

CME

 

PS

 

I found this - cant seem to acess Locolines' internet shop (not sure why, yet they may have gone for Facebook and Ebay instead)

 

https://locolines-limited.store.buegle.com/index.php/1/334784/

Edited by CME and Bottlewasher
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It is quite surprising how quickly one is pushed off the front page of the 7mm Modelling section so here is my pitch for the headlines, "Track Laid at New Station" are a couple of shots showing the progress of tracklaying at Cwm Bach. They are gripping stuff as I'm sure you will agree, but to maintain excitment at a feverish pitch I also took a couple of photos of my ex-Swansea Harbour Trust Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST. Built in 1909, she ended up as GWR 1144 and lasted until 1960. The model is built from an Agenoria kit and was  quick and easy to construct. I'll get around to weathering it in due course.

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Track laying proceeds at Cwm Bach albeit interrupted by redecoration of a bathroom. Each section of track and point is thoroughly tested as I progress using the jury rig in the first photograph.  I'm off to lay a bit more track while the paint dries upstairs.

 

Stay tuned,

 

Chris

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Coming along nicely Chris.

You say you're laying the track?  Did you decide to fix it straight down onto the baseboard then?

That is my preferred way as I don't think you gain any noise reduction by adding cork/foam etc. under the track.  However I was going to use small bar magnets for uncoupling my Lincs system, the ones MSE supply for Sprat & Winkle which are 41mm long & 4mm thick.  Not sure whether I should go back to the button type or work out a way to lay the 41mm along the rail length under sleepers which as there isn't any cork I'd have to hack at the board. 

 

I think I'll order a trial S&W pack and get some button RE magnets to test.  Thinking about it as the electrical ones work the Lincs ok and have a button size core of approximately 8mm the RE magnets should work ok.

Anyone got any info on which work better BUTTON or FLAT BAR magnets.

 

Regards

Edited by Barnaby
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