Henley-on-Thames - GWR in the 1930's

[Neal Ball]

On 27/11/2019 at 18:08, KNP said:

 

One other thought.

To assist in getting my grass to stand up I do go over it with a hand held vacuum cleaner held as close as possible without actually touching whilst the gluing is still drying.

 

Ive now ordered the Woodland Scenics vacuum from TMC together with more static grass. 

 

Progress details to follow, although Ive got 3 roses to plant first! Plus we've got the builders in again - this time its a new kitchen.

[chuffinghell]

29 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

 

Ive now ordered the Woodland Scenics vacuum from TMC together with more static grass. 

 

I use a Ryobi ‘dustbuster’ type hoover but it’s quite bulky so I’d be really interested to know how effective the Woodland Scenics vac is

 

Chris

Edited November 30, 2019 by chuffinghell

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, chuffinghell said:

 

I use a Ryobi ‘dustbuster’ type hoover but it’s quite bulky so I’d be really interested to know how effective the Woodland Scenics vac is

 

Chris

 

I will let you know....

[Neal Ball]

We've got the builders in at the moment fitting a new kitchen and the house is in complete disarray. Progress has stalled for a couple of weeks.... Hopefully we can move back in at the weekend and progress can start again.

 

Last Saturday was my birthday, with the highlight being a new Heljan 47xx 2-8-0, seen here in company with new 28xx and GWR Railcar. 

 

 

Please excuse the pliers!

 

Ive just ordered a Gaugemaster DCC95 Ruby decoder: https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/magento/catalog/product/view/id/64753/s/gaugemaster-dcc95/ to try in the 47xx; these are new to the Gaugemaster range and will be due in the next week or so.

 

At the same time, I was also given a Hornby (Skaledale) Fowler steam plough, seen here with the Fowler steam plough that I bought at the GDSF. The new one os the shiny black one at the front.

 

 

I will now set up a ploughing field between the goods yard and the allotments - thats all for the future. It will also need to be toned down, taking the shine away. Thats going to be a job for the new spray gun and compressor.

 

Another job that needs doing at Henley is to put up the Christmas Tree on the concourse. I will try and do that sometime this week.

 

As they say - To be continued!

[Neal Ball]

Quick Friday morning update:

 

The parcel arrived yesterday from TMC containing the Woodland Scenics "Model-Vac" together with more static grass.

 

Its likely that progress will start again next week ... tbc

 

We have had the builders in for the last couple of weeks, our aim is to move in tomorrow and start the boring process of getting rid of the dust in the lounge and kitchen.

 

Progress soon .... and hopefully early next week the new decoder will arrive for the 47xx 

 

Edited December 13, 2019 by Neal Ball
Photo added

[pdanny]

Great stuff here Neal. Will follow with interest. 

[Neal Ball]

2 hours ago, pdanny said:

Great stuff here Neal. Will follow with interest. 

 

Thanks Danny.

 

Have your EMU upgrades made it onto RMWeb?

[Neal Ball]

Christmas has arrived at Henley on Thames. The GWR station in GWR and BR days, always had a tree on the concourse, since working on my model of Henley on Thames I have wanted to do the same. When I remade the platforms I made a hole in the platform and then the board underneath for the cables to go through. During the summer there is luggage over the hole! The tree is made by Noch and is powered off the 12v DC accessory Bus wiring.

 

I don't often shew this end of the layout as it reminds me how much I have yet to do to complete the station!

 

After taking these photos, I was diverted - back to my static grass!

 

 

[The Fatadder]

Will be interested in how you get on with the woodland scenics vacuum, looks ideal for when I start adding grass to Brent 

[KNP]

23 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

Christmas has arrived at Henley on Thames. The GWR station in GWR and BR days, always had a tree on the concourse, since working on my model of Henley on Thames I have wanted to do the same. When I remade the platforms I made a hole in the platform and then the board underneath for the cables to go through. During the summer there is luggage over the hole! The tree is made by Noch and is powered off the 12v DC accessory Bus wiring.

 

I don't often shew this end of the layout as it reminds me how much I have yet to do to complete the station!

 

After taking these photos, I was diverted - back to my static grass!

 

 

Don't forget the presents underneath!

[Neal Ball]

Did someone say Static Grass? 

I have had a very productive day working on the railway and the static grass.

 

I started with the new Woodland scenics Model-Vac and was surprised how much was loose from the last session a couple of weeks ago. Everything else was done using the Static King applicator - with of these tools are really making a difference.

 

Progressivly I worked before and after lunch on one area, then expanded it until I'd covered an area probably close to 1m or so. Initially I added depth to an area I had already covered by adding 4mm light green and 4mm straw static. This has ended up in the middle of the area to be covered.

 

Trees have been removed! - I only planted them this year, thinking I could go round them, but the reality is they need to go and will be re-planted. Paper was put over the backscene and then also used to wrap some key trees on the back-scene.

 

The third stage was to use the Woodland Scenics bulk pack of dark green static. I found this a bit too Grey when on the ground, (it looks fine in the bottle). I found it easier to use it as a base colour and then put the other Woodland Scenics grass on top. I've not done this with the area closest to the loco turntable as I want to re-plant the pub here and will need to think about how tall the grass will be.

 

First part today!

The Static King; model-vac and bulk static are in this shot:

 

 

It looks a bit patchy below - but when dry thats probably the effect I need:

 

 

I then decided I was on the right track!

Even without the benefit of a photo enlargement its clear to see how upright the grass now is:

 

 

On the basis of the first part, I got carried away and did the rest of the area:

 

 

The railway is now a mess again, with everything all over the place! It all needs to dry out thoroughly and then another layer added - in sections, not all of it, so I end up with tufts of longer grass.

 

I'm glueing everything with a mix of diluted PVA and in other sections hairspray.

 

The new colours of the static grass, has really changed this area, which I am really pleased about. I cant wait to get more layers down and then get it applied to the rest of the countryside around Henley on Thames. 

 

Thanks to Chris Nevard and Peter Marriott for their one to one instruction on the Model Rail and Woodland Scenics stands at the Warley exhibition at the NEC this year.

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, The Fatadder said:

Will be interested in how you get on with the woodland scenics vacuum, looks ideal for when I start adding grass to Brent 

 

Thanks @The Fatadder I used it 1st thing this morning and then after lunch, its surprising how much it removes. I was surprised that so much hadn't stuck. I've heard that using the vacuum, also adds to the stand-up effect of the grass. I'm not sure I saw that, the grass was already standing up before that.

 

I think someone also suggested using it whilst the glue was still wet, just as a means of getting more "upright" grass. I will try that on the next pass.

 

41 minutes ago, KNP said:

 

Don't forget the presents underneath!

 

Thanks @KNP I really need to take off the roots and put it into a tub or something. That will also correct the lean of the tree, but I think that will be for next year!

[Neal Ball]

Morning all!

The results this morning are excellent. I have the depth and colour variations I was after. 
 

Ive run the Model-Vac over the area this morning and am surprised at the amount it brings out. I can’t see that it increases the grass standing up though. Given the layout will not move, I can’t say I’m that fussed and with the benefit of hindsight, I probably would not have bothered. @The Fatadder 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Fatadder]

Thanks 

I think I will still have a look at one, I have been planning to get an old hover out of the loft for collecting excess grass / ballast when working on the layout.  Given the size of the area to be covered (and the cost of static grass) it should save a fair bit.)

[Neal Ball]

Static grass contd.....

 

I’ve been very pleased with how the grass has improved the look of the area, so much so, I did another batch this morning. I have now done up to the turntable.

 

I used masking tape to cover the tracks and then cleaned it all off afterwards. I might have got carried away though..... when removing the masking tape, the static grass was a scale 3 or 4 ft high!  Poor old Bob or Bert will need to be careful when they jump down off the loco.... a Scythe might need to be on the footplate to clear a path through!

 

The new static grass has also made a huge difference here, I can’t believe I was happy keeping the grass mat and it’s vibrant colour. No more, it’s static grass all the way now!

All masked up and ready to go:

Now covered with diluted PVA:

 

First pass of static grass:

 

Final static grass, although in this shot it looks a bit on the bright side - it’s not:

 

I had already flattened some of the grass next to the track.

 

 

[Neal Ball]

GWR 2-8-0 47xx

 

My decoders arrived from a Gaugemaster today- it’s the new DCC95 21 pin decoder.

It was very easy to instal and was soon ready to be programmed and then ran like a dream. Although I’m struggling to reduce the speed curve.

 

I’ve read the instructions! Where in part they refer to an online instruction manual.... I sent an email to Gaugemaster who referred me to the same instruction leaflet! - I will telephone them tomorrow.

 

4704 was then seen pottering about the railway.

 

 

I’ve hit a snag though :-( It turns out the main line running from the fiddle yard into the station, must be too tight as the loco derails.

 

I need to relay the track tomorrow- that will be a diversion from static grass!

 

[Neal Ball]

57xx and stay alive

 

In the same parcel yesterday I received a new Ruby decoder and one of the new Gaugemaster stay alive packs. The idea was to put it into one of the 57xx.....

 

But as can be seen in this photo, the decoder is was too big, but just try getting that stay alive in! In fairness to Gaugemaster the small decoder was out of stock, but I wanted to try them out on the same order as the 47xx. But even if I get a smaller decoder, there is no way that stay alive is going inside the loco.

 

I can’t help feeling that Gaugemaster have got this wrong. The whole point of a stay alive is to provide power for small locos..... there’s no way that’s going into any small loco.

 

[BWsTrains]

Neal,

 

I have a Bachmann 57xx fitted with sound and it barely needs a stay alive even over the insulated frogs on my system but I have a perfectly good arrangement installed anyway. I'll PM you links on some thoughts about what should work for you.

 

Colin

Edited December 17, 2019 by BWsTrains
addition for clarity

[Neal Ball]

Pleased with progress this morning.
 

I’ve changed the track on the approach to the Mill Lane bridge and this is currently all drying. It’s all soldered up and tested for the 47xx.

 

Next onto adjusting the CV settings for the 47xx and deciding what to do with the oversize stay-alive.

 

Then I’m onto trees this afternoon.

[colin penfold]

Digitrains do a nice stay alive that looks like a shiny black caterpillar and should fit into nooks and crannies.

[john dew]

Hi Neal

 

Use the Gaugemaster kit in a larger loco......rail car perhaps?

 

I have recently fitted a Zimo MX617 + Youchoos Lifelink + 6800 Supercap to a 57xx

 

Its brilliant......I am doing two more 57xx  this week.....I will try and take some photos.

 

Its not plug and play but very straight forward. To maximise the space I removed the  8 pin socket that comes with the loco and hardwired the decoder wires to pick up wires and motor. Youchoos are super helpful (usual disclaimer).........they stripped redundant function wires from the decoder and soldered a wire to -ve ground solder pad.....a job I didnt fancy......for a very nominal charge.

 

Cheers

 

John

[Neal Ball]

14 hours ago, john dew said:

Hi Neal

 

Use the Gaugemaster kit in a larger loco......rail car perhaps?

 

I have recently fitted a Zimo MX617 + Youchoos Lifelink + 6800 Supercap to a 57xx

 

Its brilliant......I am doing two more 57xx  this week.....I will try and take some photos.

 

Its not plug and play but very straight forward. To maximise the space I removed the  8 pin socket that comes with the loco and hardwired the decoder wires to pick up wires and motor. Youchoos are super helpful (usual disclaimer).........they stripped redundant function wires from the decoder and soldered a wire to -ve ground solder pad.....a job I didnt fancy......for a very nominal charge.

 

Cheers

 

John

Thanks for this John. As I’ve got it here, I was thinking of putting it all into a Toad brake van and permanently coupling the two together.

 

But I’ve set it all aside for a while.

 

Im carrying on my static grass and trees at the moment!

 

Thanks again, Neal.

[Neal Ball]

Today has been made up of: static grass; trees and CV29.

 

Static grass leaps forward! As does the planting of trees at Henley - lots more to do.

 

CV29 really has me foxed and I’m waiting for an answer from Gaugemaster....

 

My Heljan 47xx runs in reverse, so I need to adjust CV29 in order for it to run forward. However, I use 4 digit address codes for my locos.... in this case 4704, which won’t work!

 

if the loco is 03 a two digit code, I can change direction with CV29. But it refuses to play ball as a 4 digit address code..... This is the new Ruby decoder, which are rebadged Digitrains decoders.

 

TBC:

[john dew]

Hi Neal

 

Have you tried entering 39 as the value for Cv 29?

 

This should give you 4 digit addressing and reverse direction of travel

 

I arrived at this by using the digitrax cv 29 calculator on the digitrax tech support website.

 

I am guessing this is what is meant by the on line reference in the Ruby decoder manual....which is not exactly comprehensive.

 

Regards

 

John

[Neal Ball]

5 hours ago, john dew said:

Hi Neal

 

Have you tried entering 39 as the value for Cv 29?

 

This should give you 4 digit addressing and reverse direction of travel

 

I arrived at this by using the digitrax cv 29 calculator on the digitrax tech support website.

 

I am guessing this is what is meant by the on line reference in the Ruby decoder manual....which is not exactly comprehensive.

 

Regards

 

John

Thanks John, Yes I’ve tried that.... to which the Gaugemaster tech guy asked why I had used it!

 

By using a value of 39 the loco doesn’t move at all. I wonder if 51 might do it.... I don’t need Analogue - will try that later.

Thanks again. Neal