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

[Neal Ball]

I have just posted this on the Heljan page for the AEC / GWR Railcar. If anyone has some suggestions I would be very grateful.

 

CV issues:

Has anyone had issues where the interior lights and Red rear light won’t come on? If so, which CV do I need to change to get them to work please.

 

The (sound) decoder is a Loksound 5.

 

The full issues are:

F0 should see front white lights on and Red rear light on. The front lights come on, but not the red.

F19 Cab lights on/off - nothing happens

F20 Interior lights on/off - nothing happens

F23 Rear Red light off - nothing happens

F24 top headlight on and lower ones go off - nothing happens

F25 Red parking lights on at both ends - nothing happens

F26 All front lights illuminated - won’t switch the top white light on.

 

All other functions work as they should.

 

Given I live in Spain, I’m trying to avoid sending the decoder back to the supplier - we have huge postal issues at the moment with anything coming from the UK.

 

Any suggestions would be very welcome. Sadly the decoder doesn’t come with a CV list which might have made it a bit easier.

 

All the lights work on DC.

 

Thanks, Neal.

[Neal Ball]

Back from our hols:

I was hoping I could have got the new Heljan railcar working when we got back - but sadly that was not to be.

 

The Gaugemaster Prodigy Wi-Fi unit came back from its warranty repair - it’s not been working for a while, so it’s not as if that blew the Railcars decoder!

 

However in being sent back, I’ve been stung for €25.33 import duty….  
 

I remain unhappy that Heljan specified only an ESU decoder for the railcar, I hope this is not a sign of things to come.

 

On a more positive note. I’ve  been working on the loco servicing area around the turntable. There’s still a bit to do to get it right, but I’m pleased with the progress.

 

I have also made some headway on the Centenary Restaurant First carriage. All the window ventilators gave been cut off (the top ventilators where added in 1938) and filed to an even finish. Again there is loads to do before this carriage is anywhere near finished, but the progress is good.

 

To be continued - on lots of fronts! 

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

ESU are usually among the best decoders, not that that helps you.

 

Does this help at all?

 

51989_LokSound_5_ESUKG_EN_InstructionManual_Edition-5_eBook.pdf

 

Forgot to add - do you have a Loksound Programmer? I suspect that's the only way to access a lot of the CVs.  It's a decent bit of kit, and a worthwhile investment especially for tweaking sound decoders. I have one but no longer have any sound equipped locos! 

Edited October 7, 2021 by Dr Gerbil-Fritters

[Nick Gough]

12 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

The Gaugemaster Prodigy Wi-Fi unit came back from its warranty repair - it’s not been working for a while, so it’s not as if that blew the Railcars decoder!

 

However in being sent back, I’ve been stung for €25.33 import duty….  

 

That doesn't sound right. I'm no expert but surely import duty should only be charged when an item is first imported into a country. 

 

Can you put in a challenge to the tax authority?

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, Nick Gough said:

 

That doesn't sound right. I'm no expert but surely import duty should only be charged when an item is first imported into a country. 

 

Can you put in a challenge to the tax authority?

Particularly as the Gaugemaster invoice said the value was £0

 

Im going to try, see how I get on. We’ve got huge issues with post arriving from the UK at the moment. :-(

[Neal Ball]

2 hours ago, Dr Gerbil-Fritters said:

ESU are usually among the best decoders, not that that helps you.

 

Does this help at all?

 

51989_LokSound_5_ESUKG_EN_InstructionManual_Edition-5_eBook.pdf 3.24 MB · 1 download

 

Forgot to add - do you have a Loksound Programmer? I suspect that's the only way to access a lot of the CVs.  It's a decent bit of kit, and a worthwhile investment especially for tweaking sound decoders. I have one but no longer have any sound equipped locos! 

Thanks very much for this. I only had the German version, so this certainly helps. I will go through the details later.

 

I don’t have the Loksound programmer, but I do have the Sprog3 system of programming. So will be looking at changing CV values in that.
 

I have been used to the Zimo decoders through Youchoos where you get the full CV list and to be honest a very helpful approach…… 

[The Stationmaster]

16 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Back from our hols:

I was hoping I could have got the new Heljan railcar working when we got back - but sadly that was not to be.

 

The Gaugemaster Prodigy Wi-Fi unit came back from its warranty repair - it’s not been working for a while, so it’s not as if that blew the Railcars decoder!

 

However in being sent back, I’ve been stung for €25.33 import duty….  
 

I remain unhappy that Heljan specified only an ESU decoder for the railcar, I hope this is not a sign of things to come.

 

On a more positive note. I’ve  been working on the loco servicing area around the turntable. There’s still a bit to do to get it right, but I’m pleased with the progress.

 

I have also made some headway on the Centenary Restaurant First carriage. All the window ventilators gave been cut off (the top ventilators where added in 1938) and filed to an even finish. Again there is loads to do before this carriage is anywhere near finished, but the progress is good.

 

To be continued - on lots of fronts! 

Neal I have replied in the Heljan thread.  Lack of working tail lights is really an irrelevance as they were not used in the real world by the time the later style of cars appeared.  Obviously doesn't put things right with the decoder but there s no need for woorking red lights on these cars.  Full story of a real life tail lamp incident on the Henley branch is also included in the Heljan thread.

[Neal Ball]

13 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

Neal I have replied in the Heljan thread.  Lack of working tail lights is really an irrelevance as they were not used in the real world by the time the later style of cars appeared.  Obviously doesn't put things right with the decoder but there s no need for woorking red lights on these cars.  Full story of a real life tail lamp incident on the Henley branch is also included in the Heljan thread.

 

Thanks Mike, I have replied in the Heljan thread as well. Lovely story.

[Neal Ball]

23 hours ago, Dr Gerbil-Fritters said:

ESU are usually among the best decoders, not that that helps you.

 

Does this help at all?

 

51989_LokSound_5_ESUKG_EN_InstructionManual_Edition-5_eBook.pdf 3.24 MB · 1 download

 

Forgot to add - do you have a Loksound Programmer? I suspect that's the only way to access a lot of the CVs.  It's a decent bit of kit, and a worthwhile investment especially for tweaking sound decoders. I have one but no longer have any sound equipped locos! 

Thanks again for these instructions.

 

I spent a couple of hours yesterday going through them and making notes on possible settings. 
 

After changing a few CV, I drew a blank.

 

I also tried reading the CV list that came with the YouChoos decoder for the Dapol railcar. But that was so different, it wasn’t worth the time.

 

However, I have successfully managed to increase the master volume from 180 to 185 (max 192 I think) and that has worked.

 

Out of desperation, I sent another email to Charlie at DC kits and last night I had a response from Bif and hopefully we can get it sorted out today.

[Neal Ball]

In other news:

Re: POW sides.

I posted a photo of my two POW sides wagons for Mikkel on his pages.

 

The wagon on the right is a complete kit from POW sides, the wagon being a Slaters kit, pre-printed with the Holtons logo. The wagon on the left is from Parkside Dundas, with only a transfer from POW.

 

Unfortunately the transfer broke up when I varnished it…. School boy error, I was doing it by hand, rather than spraying. Although to go back to the wagon in its distressed and dirty state, I think looks quite effective.

 

Whilst we were away, I was looking again at these kits and I reckon there’s a few more local traders that I can add to the stock at Henley.

 

Work continues on the loco servicing area and by the time I left it yesterday, it was looking very good. 
 

I will add the sequence of photos, once it’s in better shape…. Hopefully not too long now! 
 

Work has also been continuing on the centenary carriage and I was pleased with how that went yesterday……

 

As ever, to be continued.

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by Neal Ball

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

3 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Thanks again for these instructions.

 

I spent a couple of hours yesterday going through them and making notes on possible settings. 
 

After changing a few CV, I drew a blank.

 

I also tried reading the CV list that came with the YouChoos decoder for the Dapol railcar. But that was so different, it wasn’t worth the time.

 

However, I have successfully managed to increase the master volume from 180 to 185 (max 192 I think) and that has worked.

 

Out of desperation, I sent another email to Charlie at DC kits and last night I had a response from Bif and hopefully we can get it sorted out today.

 

I suspect this might be where the Lok Programmer earns its keep - it reads the specific chip (which may be slightly different from the stock model) and presents you with a graphical table showing which CVs do what on the actual chip.

 

And that's the limit of my knowledge, as I got as far as downloading new prime mover sound files and tweaking the volume and that was it!  Now my chips just make the engines go, and the lights come on and that's it.   

 

Good luck!

 

[Neal Ball]

Don't you like it when a plan comes together?

 

This was the loco shed area in January 2016 - when we lived in the UK!

 

It's changed a bit since then!

 

Not only have I been working on the loco servicing area (almost complete); I have also found the doors for the loco shed... They are currently standing up ready to be hung.... Not sure if I should wait for the Little Muddle gang to arrive 🙂

 

Today the plan for the servicing area has all come together, it's not quite finished, but it's not far off.

 

I have said before that the real turntable at Henley on Thames only had the two roads on the far side, it didn't have the closest ones. Given the number of locos I have, it was always going to be a pre-requisite.

 

My question is, what size of hut should I have associated with these roads? I am working on the basis that these roads will be for the tender engines visiting on the Paddington bound express trains. 

 

Initially I thought of a small hut, along the lines of the Ratio coal merchants hut.... but I think that might be too small. (I tried the scale scenes coal merchants hut, but thats even smaller..... I then tried the Metcalfe Weighbridge hut, but that looks too big..... I then tried an (old) Ratio brake van.... which was seen at the loco yard at Fairford, but I think Henley deserves better, after all loco crews bringing the Regatta crowds would want something better than an old Toad. !

 

(I am also aware that much as the Toad in the photo dates from possibly the 1970's, the AA diagram is probably too modern for a layout set in the 1930's. However, I don't have an old Ratio 4 wheel carriage to hand!)

 

I'm inclined to go for a brick built building for the loco yard supervisor and will probably scratch build one.

 

This was taken on 22nd September, when I was getting used to the idea of all that brickwork!

 

 

 

At that time, I was also thinking about adding a water crane there. I've seen pictures of Ranelagh Rd at the time and they had water cranes between the tracks... There is one at the loco shed, plus one at the water crane, so it might be a crane too far!

 

It's taking shape... this is with the Ratio coal merchants shed:

 

The little hut looks a bit lost.... but maybe for such a yard, it would only be a small building:

 

 

Whilst taking this shot with one of my two resident 61xx... as much as I am saying "I don't need an Accurascale Manor, I am also saying I don't need a Dapol 61xx"

 

This is just an idea!

 

An old Toad, dumped in the yard as a mess hut... having had it's underframe removed and made more homely for the crews.

 

This Toad has just had it's wheels removed! But you get the idea.

 

At one point I was also going to add a yard lamp, which I have discounted. Although I do like the idea of a water column.

 

I have also done some scenic work around, although inevitably I have seen some areas I have missed.

 

My question is; what size hut?

 

Work has continued on the Centenary carriage as well.

 

To be continued....

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by Neal Ball
photos changed

[Graham T]

Dare I suggest something...

 

 

 

... corrugated?!

[Neal Ball]

46 minutes ago, Graham T said:

Dare I suggest something...

 

 

 

... corrugated?!

 

Thats the one building I didn't add!

 

At the real Henley on Thames, there was a small corrugated hut (Same size as a lamp hut), next to the turntable. But I didn't think tat was going to be large enough... I have a larger corrugated hut, which might work.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

[MrWolf]

Something like this or its bigger brothers?

 

[Neal Ball]

3 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

Something like this or its bigger brothers?

 

 

I have one sat in the goods yard, thats what I should also have tried!

 

In anywise, that one needs to be replaced by a Provender store at some point.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

[MrWolf]

A window in both ends and a stove pipe should be enough to make it habitable.

[Graham T]

1 hour ago, MrWolf said:

Something like this or its bigger brothers?

 

 

And that was exactly the one I had in mind.

[Neal Ball]

thanks for the suggestions. 
 

I suppose I can’t change the fact that it’s not Reading and doesn’t need a foreman, other than during the Regatta.

 

A mess too  for the crew to keep dry will be sufficient.

 

Thanks again.

[The Stationmaster]

Overall I think a brick building most likely assuming there's going to be anything at all.  Offhand I can't think of anywhere where a corrugated iron building was used as a traincrew cabin and I somehow doubt that it would be popular anyway - too hot in summer and too cold in winter.   The only other reason forany sort of small building would be to house some oil barrels and that wouldn't need windows.

 

there was a shared cabin in the main building at the engine of the carriage shed and visiting crews dy uring the regatta no doubt did what they did in later years and wandered off to look at the sights and help support the public bar across the road in the Royal Hotel (which was the usual watering hole for the station staff when nobody was looking).  By popular repute the Royal Hotel also offered accommodation for another popular 'service' at regatta time with young ladies moving down from London to provide it but if those stories were true it would have been well beyond the financial means of footplatemen.

Edited October 9, 2021 by The Stationmaster

[Neal Ball]

14 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Overall I think a brick building most likely assuming there's going to be anything at all.  Offhand I can't think of anywhere where a corrugated iron building was used as a traincrew cabin and I somehow doubt that it would be popular anyway - too hot in summer and too cold in winter.   The only other reason forany sort of small building would be to house some oil barrels and that wouldn't need windows.

 

there was a shared cabin in the main building at the engine of the carriage shed and visiting crews dy uring the regatta no doubt did what they did in later years and wandered off to look at the sights and help support the public bar across the road in the Royal Hotel (which was the usual watering hole for the station staff when nobody was looking).  By popular repute the Royal Hotel also offered accommodation for another popular 'service' at regatta time with young ladies moving down from London to provide it but if those stories were true it would have been well beyond the financial means of footplatemen.

Thanks for that Mike.

 

Interesting that certain ladies provided that sort of service during the Regatta.

 

I will build a brick cabin.

 

Thanks again.

[Neal Ball]

It's been one of those days!

 

Re: AEC Railcar by Heljan

I've been in correspondence with Bif (Legomanbifa) about the sound chip for my railcar and it looks as if I have been sent the wrong decoder, which is why I can't get the lights to work in my Railcar. The decoder is now being sent back, direct to him to reblow and then test on his own railcar.

 

Disappointment No 2:

 

Re: Turntable programming

Over the last few weeks, I had been setting the turntable area up, to the point where I was now ready to programme it all in one go.... only to find it doesn't work.

 

To cut a very long story short (all afternoon!), I spoke to Mike at Greenwood Turntable co a few times and the prognosis is that it's broken in some way. It looks as if buttons 2;5;8 and 0 don't work and 0 is needed to spin through 360 degrees, as well as part of the programming function.

 

So that also has to go back to the UK.

 

Disappointment No 3:

 

Re: Rapido stockists.

At the time the pre-order books were closing, I placed an order for a GWR Gunpowder van and an ex-SECR 5 plank wagon. Having looked on the Hattons website and saw they weren't stockists I ordered them through Rails in Sheffield. Asking at the time if they operate a trunk system - err NO!

 

On the one hand, I am pleased that Hattons are now a stockist, but wish they had been at the time of placing those orders.

____________________

 

However, there is good news from UPS (who charged me twice for the import duty on my recent Gaugemaster warranty repair), they have refunded one charge, I'm now waiting for the remaining charge to be refunded.

_______________________

 

Of course, none of this is earth shattering, there's a hell of a lot more important things to worry about in life at the moment, but it's all added up to a bit of a rubbish Monday. I hope you have all had a better start to the week.

 

I will leave you with a few photos!

 

The turntable is certainly looking the part and I am pleased I have added the servicing areas in. I was using the ruler to aid lining up the table!

 

 

 

The GWR / AEC railcar on DC - with working lights! Bif reckons I have been sent a decoder for a Bachmann railcar 😞

 

 

 

I have started to fill some of the areas needed on the GWR Centenary Restaurant carriage, hopefully I can make good progress on that while I await the Turntable and Railcar.

 

Tomorrow (Tuesday) will be better - its a bank holiday here in Spain tomorrow.

Edited April 1, 2022 by Neal Ball
photos changed

[john dew]

Hi Neal

 

You have my sympathy. There is nothing more frustrating than finding, after a long wait, that an eagerly expected model turns out to have some defect. To happen with two items at the same time must be particularly frustrating. I do hope you get everything sorted ok.

 

I am also having problems with the decoder for the Heljan railcar ( yes I succumbed to temptation! )……..apparently the Lokpilot (no sound) chip has the lighting functions linked to the number of speed steps…….it doesnt seem to like switching between manual. Other than that and a missing spring for a buffer its a very nice model…..super smooth runner. I like the figures you have fitted. Could you tell me the make please? I was thinking of ordering a pack from Dart.

 

The servicing area around the Turntable looks great by the way

 

Best wishes

 

 

[Neal Ball]

On 12/10/2021 at 19:06, john dew said:

Hi Neal

 

You have my sympathy. There is nothing more frustrating than finding, after a long wait, that an eagerly expected model turns out to have some defect. To happen with two items at the same time must be particularly frustrating. I do hope you get everything sorted ok.

 

I am also having problems with the decoder for the Heljan railcar ( yes I succumbed to temptation! )……..apparently the Lokpilot (no sound) chip has the lighting functions linked to the number of speed steps…….it doesnt seem to like switching between manual. Other than that and a missing spring for a buffer its a very nice model…..super smooth runner. I like the figures you have fitted. Could you tell me the make please? I was thinking of ordering a pack from Dart.

 

The servicing area around the Turntable looks great by the way

 

Best wishes

 

 

Thanks very much John.

 

The passengers are from Preiser… painted with suitable colours for the era.

 

Both this and the Dapol railcar are suitably “figured”. For crew, I will use the Modelu driver for the Railcar. I’ve just ordered 3, to include one for the parcels railcar. I’m also ordering their depot scene multi buy to finish off the servicing area.

 

I am also going to identify A and B ends on all three Railcars and attach a lamp accordingly. (To change the lamp, I will simply send it to the turntable, when no one is looking!)

 

 

 

Have a good day,

Regards, Neal.

Edited April 1, 2022 by Neal Ball

[TrevorP1]

On 11/10/2021 at 18:22, Neal Ball said:

It's been one of those days!

 

My commiserations Neal, that's quite a list. It must be soul destroying. On top of that you are dealing with the Unreliable Parcel Service (at least in my experience). Keep at it!