class"66" Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Any new updates Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 Well I think I got a little carried away and maybe learnt yet another valuable lesson. I had all the track laid for the 'branch line' that goes through the tunnel and then through the hidden fiddle yard and eventually around to the container yard. I've messed around the the track and went for two ST244 set track curved points to link the two branch lines and a hidden return line together but in my naivety didn't actually run a loco with wagons on the track and simply tested the bit of track with a single loco which was to make sure the point motors, which I'd wired in, were working correctly. Anyway I thought I was all sorted and ran a few of my trains along the branch line for 3 of the wagons to come crashing off!!! After several hours and a thread on here I still couldn't get any of my stock to run over the two curved points without derailing in either direction. So I've had to rip everything up and start again. I've finally got the track laid - although it still needs some tweaking and then I need to reinstall the point motors etc. I'm not sure if the video shows but its under the eaves of the roof and so its a nightmare to get proper access to, quite dark and bloody freezing!! Heres a quick video taken this morning with a 37 leaving the fiddle yard on to the mainline (inner track) and a 1 coach Virgin 125 leaving the mainline (outer track) to the fiddle yard. http://youtu.be/0-Gtighpol4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Mark, Did you discover the problem with the curved points? I have some on my layout and they are fine except for my Hornby crane running in one direction over one particular set of points. Are these the ones you can see in the 7th photo in post #74? What have you done to avoid the issue? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rammy Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Looks like you have made a good start. You very much remind me of me! I start with a loft layout several years ago (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/4355-chadwood/) and knew absolutely nothing about real or model railways. I have since been working on a smaller layout (First Avenue) originally in my shed and now moved into a new study in the house extension. Looking forward to your progress and hope to help where I can, and maybe get me inspired to get back on with work on my layout too. Good luck Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
freebs Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Seriously impressed with the track work! - such a lot of it too. If we ever get round to having our roof replaced, I will be seriously considering moving out of the garage and into the loft... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 Mark, Did you discover the problem with the curved points? I have some on my layout and they are fine except for my Hornby crane running in one direction over one particular set of points. Are these the ones you can see in the 7th photo in post #74? What have you done to avoid the issue? Hi mate. I couldn't find any specific problem - They were both laid on a flat piece of 12mm MDF with 3mm cork bed - both level and square - brand new points. The wagons would sometimes derail just behind the loco and other times in the middle of the train which when passing over two points would result in disaster! Yeah its that set of points in photo 7 on post #74. Out of the three lines the one on the right would run OK the middle one a total nightmare and the most inner one I managed around a 50% success rate! I spent a few hours under there trying to fix it but in the end I gave up and have now replaced the set track points with 1 right hand curve and one medium right hand point using Peco streamline stuff which seems to flow a little better. I managed around 20 runs yesterday and I'm up to round 95% success rate traversing the points and going through the fiddle yard. I seem to have the issue of one or two wagons jumping the points and starting to traveling along the other track (opposite to how the point is set??) but its running much better than it ever was with the set track points. I'm doing so ridiculous shifts this week but will get a few more pics/vids once I've had chance to do a little more under there and hopefully get them running even better :-) Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 Looks like you have made a good start. You very much remind me of me! I start with a loft layout several years ago (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/4355-chadwood/) and knew absolutely nothing about real or model railways. I have since been working on a smaller layout (First Avenue) originally in my shed and now moved into a new study in the house extension. Looking forward to your progress and hope to help where I can, and maybe get me inspired to get back on with work on my layout too. Good luck Dave Hi Dave, Thank you. It is a bit of a daunting hobby when starting out with little to no knowledge of the real railway or model railways. Your layout looks great - I sometimes think I should of built a smaller layout and got in to the swing of things first. I've currently got a 16 x 9ft section for the main loop - 16ft x 4ft section for the fiddle yard and line leading to the container yard which will eventually be around 50ft worth of track and then I'm going to have a 7ft x 2ft container yard! I initially started out with wooden sleepers - set track points and spacing. I then swapped to concrete sleepers before deciding to change to streamline points but still with set track spacing. I then decided to swap again to streamline spacing which is where I'm at now but when doing it on a pretty big loop its a bloody nightmare!! I'm pretty happy with my mainline tracks now - I still need to fit the tortoise point motor's and then glue the track down in its finally position and add a few more strips of plastic for the super elevation on the corners but in terms of running its pretty much spot on - I think!! Many thanks Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Coming along great my mate... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Mark, Few ideas try pushing individual wagons through slowly to see if you can identify any issues Try pushing them fast so the freewheel through the points again this should highlight a track problem Try adding weight to the wagons Do you have a mix of narrow and older wide couplers on the wagons as this can lead to derailing sometimes. I prefer the streamline electro frog as it gives better running but do also have some setback curved points but don't generally experience derailing. I have spent a long time ensuring the alignment through all sections of track is smooth flowing, track can be joined and not lined up correctly. As the section of track appears to be hidden you could try installing a Hornby rerailet r620 but remove the spring from the uncoupled section. I have one of these on a particularly tight uphill climb and it can put wagons back on if it doesn't then you are no worse off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 Hello. I thought it was about time I added a little update in here. I have been tinkering away a fair bit but you wouldn't really believe it from the pictures. I've spent nights messing around with point motor's/wiring etc - some times I made a nice bit of progress sometimes I just couldn't get things working how I wanted! However I'm pleased to say I've got all the tortoise point motors working nicely on the main circuits and most of the Peco point motors installed on the other areas. I've still got a bit of wiring left to do for the indicator LED's and hopefully I'll be getting some control panels made up so I know what switch does what! I've also got the 'fiddle yard' sorted as far as I want/need for now. I've started the track for the reverse loop but need to get down to B&Q and get some more wood to finish it. I've also stuck some of the track down now and adding a bit of super elevation in to the corners which looks quite smart when a train comes round with a slight lean! I used copydex to fix the track down as I read this remains a little flexible although noise levels have gone up quite a bit :-(. My X-over leading to the branchline was particularly noisy and was annoying me so I decided to add some car audio 'sound deadening' sheet below the baseboard which has reduced the noise dramatically, I'm pleased to say!! I've also today received my scratchbuilt signal box. As you can see from the pics its bloody superb and better than I could of hoped for! I don't actually have anywhere for it to go yet but I'll make sure it has pride of place. Big thanks to Lee for this, if he's reading! Only new stock since my last update is another Virgin coach and a Freightliner 66. New Box... Amended return loop after trouble with the old design... 66 Popping his head out... Station coming along very slowly... Fiddle Yard... Last one... Thanks for looking. Mark Return loop for fiddle yard... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sub39h Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Starting to look really good mate! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
freebs Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Hi Mark, so glad it got there in one piece... Now you're going to have to bed it into the landscape Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Like the look of your signal box Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 mark Suggest you study pho graphs of real signal box location if you place it somewhere to get a good view of it then over time as the scenario develops you may find it then looks out if place. They were positioned form operational reasons progress is looking good and running trains is what it is all about Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Looking good David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 Thanks for the comments guys, Yep I will find a nice, suitable, place for the signal box. I'm just contemplating whether to buy a spray gun to 'weather' my track. I've not got a clue where to start so going to look in to it and might knock up a small section to have a practice on. I just fancy having a small part of the layout a little more finished :-) Thanks again Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Looking forward to another picture update Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Hi Mark, Nice progress on the layout, I hope the operational side is working for you. As far as Airbrushes go, I've always dealt with a company called Everything Airbrush, they have their own site https://www.everythingairbrush.com/ They've currently got a 20% March sale on airbrush kits. They do sell everything and I've been using their AB range of double action airbrushes, at a reasonable price too. No connection, just a very satisfied customer Jinty ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 Thanks Jinty, Operationally its working OK for now! The mainline is working fine along with the station and things have improved slightly now the fiddle yards in play. Things should improve massively once I get both return loops working as that'll allow me to run loco's in any direction on to either the up or down main rather than just in to the fiddle yard and then having to reverse them back up. One loop just needs a reverse loop module whilst the other requires some more baseboard and track laying plus a reverse loop module. I'm also running a little 'blind' at the moment as I don't have a control panel built yet so sometimes throwing the wrong points etc and causing a bit of havoc in the fiddle yard but these are all work in progresses and will be sorted in the upcoming months! Thanks for the info on the airbrush mate, I'll have a look at them :-) Cheers Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted April 1, 2015 Author Share Posted April 1, 2015 Well I decided to have a bit of a play today as I'm itching to start adding a few scenic bits. I've added a couple of Dapol gantries and a 3 aspect signal. Still got lots of work to do on the OHLE. Does the signal look OK or is it to far from the tracks? I can't decide if its in the right position... Thanks Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chimer Posted April 1, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 1, 2015 I claim no real knowledge, but to my eye ...... The signal should be half as far from the track The OHLE gantry should be a double rather than two singles Change nothing until other people speak!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted April 2, 2015 Author Share Posted April 2, 2015 Thanks mate. I'll be keeping the gantries although mixing them up a bit, but that's a work in progress. I'll look at moving the signal closer as I thought it looked a little too far from the track myself! Thanks again for the help mate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilkko Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 I claim no real knowledge, but to my eye ...... The signal should be half as far from the track The OHLE gantry should be a double rather than two singles Change nothing until other people speak!! Not sure why you would need double ohle gantry, the two as you have them are fine. It only gets complicated at the junction if you are having overheads on the branch line. I would say the signal is about right to. Hope you keep enjoying the hobby. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony566 Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Very nice layout indeed looking forward to more updates Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
topsy11 Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Had another hour or so this morning up in the loft. I much prefer running trains rather than trying to wire up L.E.D's!! I moved the colour signal a couple of mm nearer the track and spent an hour cleaning all the track up as I've not done it for a while. Really pleased with how things run on the mainline now. I still have a little bit more to do before ballasting and weathering the track but it does finally feel like the mainlines getting there now. I took up my DSLR today to have a quick play with the movie mode. I probably should've tried getting it more in focus but 'things can only get better' Sorry if the video's a bit long, I did want to leave a bit of a realistic gap between the tanker train and the light turning to amber. Obviously lots more to do with OHLE and signals!! 1. 66 held at the red whilst a 221 passes. 2. Taken from the signal box 3. Tanker train and Virgin 221 pass on mainline, whilst a 66 container train waits on the branch line... And the video - unfortunately the 66 isn't fitted with a chip yet so I swapped it with my 37 and some container wagons. https://youtu.be/UF8UQYZipMU Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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