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Sheffield Exchange, Toy trains, music and fun!


Clive Mortimore
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Today on the layout started with a little bit of a tidy up. To see the man shed now you would not believe it. 

 

The reason why it is so messy is I have started to fix the track to the baseboards. All manner of tools and junk found their way on to the layout. I tried my best to break a Peco tandem point which slowed down things while I fixed it. A few more tack pins need to go in on the station approach board and the track in the fiddle yard needs to laid. The fiddle yard will take a bit of time as I have the traverser alignment gubbins to make.

 

I should take photos of how I fix Peco track down. I use their track spikes. I cut off a rail fixing, drill through the sleeper then hammer a spike in. It holds the track and sleeper base and from "normal viewing" looks like a track fixing. I was shown this method by Ivan Herne and Richard McLeish who used it on Framling St Claire. 

 

I have tested it with some push along unpowered DMU cars and it seems to flow nicely. 

Edited by Clive Mortimore
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Hi Gang 

 

I spent Sunday night wiring up the layout and fitting point motors. I had one point where the frogs (it is the tandem point I tried to break) did not have power. Double checked the wiring, triple checked, still dead as a Dodo. :cry: Gave it a couple of days thought, staying clear of the man shed. It must be one of the wires. So popped out to the man shed and got under the baseboard, checked the wiring all OK. I still undone the wire at the connecting block end, stripped it back a bit more in case it was not making a good connection as I did with the other two wires that went in the same connection. Still nothing. :cry:

 

Banged me 'ead getting under the baseboard again, looked up to swear at the baseboard for attacking me and noticed the point motor was not throwing over enough to switch the polarity but just far enough not to cause a short. The point motor was undone a bit and shuffled as far over as I could get it. :imsohappy:  Wahooooo it now works, I have been running a shunter to check it and then for fun a DMU.  :danced:  :locomotive:  :locomotive:  :danced:

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The first track on the traverser is in place, I have been running trains on to it via the down line, moving it over and running them back to the station on the up line. My method works.  :locomotive:  :locomotive:

 

Will post some photos later. Must press on with the other 10 lines.  :training:

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Hi All 

 

Man shed still cold, must join Andy and Jeff's Man Shed Insulating Forum  "MSIweb". Apart from braving the cold this evening I have finished the traverser. :boast:

 

Sorry no photos as yet. Too much junk on the train set which needs clearing before I take any photos. 

 

I feel quite pleased with myself.  :sungum:

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Clive I recommend some decent floor covering at least for the Feet mate, I was in my shed yesterday with no heating on and it was warm enough to work in there with a Fleece and wooley hat on.

 

Good insulation not only keeps out the cold but also the heat in the summer so less track problems, in my case I think it was money well spent, its just like another room most of the time.

 

All the nest matey.

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A few photos of the traverser. To align the tracks I have used 1/8 inch internal tube with 1/8 inch brass rods. The tubes have been soldered  to copper clad sheeting as have the track ends. The rods not only line up the rails but provide the electrical connection. A couple of the tracks do not line up as well as they should, back out with the soldering iron and adjust them. 

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I have also had a good play with the layout, doesn't it make you feel good when you have trains running. 

 

post-16423-0-18002800-1421367492_thumb.jpg

A two car Metro-Cam unit departs the fiddle yard for the station. I have found that if the inner two rods are not turned over enough they catch things like the footsteps on the bogies. Over too far and they may cause an electrical short with the other track. 

 

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A five car BRCW and Derby train heads towards Leeds, well the fiddle yard. 

 

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Another five car combination , this time a Cravens and a Met Cam arrives from Manchester Victoria.

 

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A BR type 2 has left the loco siding and is preparing to back down on to the parcels train in Platform 2. The photographer was saving film when the parcels train left.

 

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The loco the brought the parcels train in has trundled to the loco siding just in time to clear Platform 2 to allow the local from Huddersfield to take its place, this train is still loco hauled and depending on your view we are lucky or unlucky to see a Stainer 2-6-4 tank.  

 

 

 

 

 

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Clive I recommend some decent floor covering at least for the Feet mate, I was in my shed yesterday with no heating on and it was warm enough to work in there with a Fleece and wooley hat on.

 

Good insulation not only keeps out the cold but also the heat in the summer so less track problems, in my case I think it was money well spent, its just like another room most of the time.

 

All the nest matey.

HI Andy 

 

The man shed has carpets. I have a heater in there but with this wind whistling through the up and over door it doesn't do more than take the chill off. 

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Slightly later than this period, the Sheffield area seemed to be awash with diverse DMUs, not that  I looked much at the time of course, cos they wern't locomotives (Which always seemed to be Class 31s anyway :D )

Hi Micky 

 

I chose a northwards facing station in the South Yorkshire (Hallamshire) area because of all the wonderful types of DMUs that even in the 60s could have reached there from the LMR and the NER as well as home grown ER units. Most the locos will be class 24s and 25s from the LMR and ex LMR sheds of the NER with 31s coming in on parcels and loco hauled trains from the Doncaster area. 

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Afternoon Clive, yes please I'd like to see some Transvestite  Whoops wrong site, hahaha,Traverser pics please.

Hi Andy,

I am now finding it very difficult to picture you in woolly hat and a fleece???!!! :O

Rgds.....Mike

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I have also had a good play with the layout, doesn't it make you feel good when you have trains running. 

 

this train is still loco hauled and depending on your view we are lucky or unlucky to see a Stainer 2-6-4 tank.  

 

'Lucky', definitely 'lucky' (in my view). Blimey, you like your DMUs, don't you?!!!

 

Great to see trains running - hope you enjoyed it too - and look forward to see the station area develop ;)

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... I have found that if the inner two rods are not turned over enough they catch things like the footsteps on the bogies. Over too far and they may cause an electrical short with the other track. 

 

 

 

Clive,

I would try to isolate each rod with a short piece of heat shrink tubing. Or bend them upwards earlier to make the handle ends higher…

 

Apart from this little technicality: this layout promises to become a real jewel here!

 

Best wishes

   Armin

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Clive,

I would try to isolate each rod with a short piece of heat shrink tubing. Or bend them upwards earlier to make the handle ends higher…

 

Apart from this little technicality: this layout promises to become a real jewel here!

 

Best wishes

   Armin

Hi Armin 

 

Thank you, putting some form of insulation on the handles is now on the list of jobs to do. I may revise the shape of them to make easier to pull but for the moment I am leaving them as I go through the bedding in stages. 

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