Mid-Cornwall Lines - 1950s Western Region in 00

[St Enodoc]

Looks like you have had a couple of productive days John. It is all developing very nicely. It is also good to see that the H&Ms are still able to do the job in this digital age-old and new technology in harmony!

Thanks Ron. Yes, I'm not back at work until the end of the month so I'm trying to get as much done before then as I can.

 

You're right about mixing old and new. I just try to find the best solution for what I want to do. Sometimes that's old technology, sometimes new, and sometimes a mixture of both.

[Barry O]

Some people have good holidays!

 

Get it all sorted ready for next year.. Keep up the good work!

 

 

Baz

[St Enodoc]

I've now finished Penzance loops 8 to 13, including programming the point decoders and the Mini Panel for route setting, so this area is now complete.

 

 

I set out, both here and at Paddington, the trains needed for the first basic timetable running session next week. This will obviously only involve main line trains and only those running on Fridays at this stage. The initial timetable is also limited to those trains for which I have all the stock available, resulting in 26 train movements altogether.

 

The spare stock in the background isn't needed for the initial timetable but some of it might get a run afterwards just for fun (I feel a long parcels train coming on...).

 

I also needed to reconfigure the Tregissey siding area at Paddington ready for the running session.

 

Here is the layout before reconfiguration, with the long Tregissey siding ending at the Hornby Dublo buffer stop.

 

I removed the siding and laid the two new points in loop 1 and the throat area. This let me mark out the new layout, which consists of the new bypass track (on an alignment about 10 mm closer to the fan than the original siding) and the new, shorter, siding.

 

Finally I laid the track, fitted the two point motors, wired everything up and programmed the decoders.

 

I didn't program the Mini Panel though, as I need to change the layout slightly and add a couple of new push buttons first.

 

I will replace the buffer stop once I have checked the clearances, so as to maximise the length of the siding.

 

Overall it was another successful day, although tinged with one element of sadness at the end.

 

I bought two tins of Fluxite from a hardware shop in Hove, Sussex, more than 30 years ago and the second of these finally ran out today. I suspect that this is the end of an era, unless anyone can tell me where I can buy more (I actually tried to find some while we were in England last month but failed to track any down - is it still made at all?).

 

I have a Plan B, which is to use a similar rosin flux sold in our local electronics shop, but it would be nice to get hold of more Fluxite having become quite used to it over the last 50 years or so...

Edited July 21, 2023 by St Enodoc
images restored

[Andrew P]

Now that Yard is starting to look much better filled with quality stock, very nice.

[St Enodoc]

Now that Yard is starting to look much better filled with quality stock, very nice.

Thanks Andy. Yes, seeing it like that is a great boost after so long.

[Barry O]

That stock is  a bit clean.....

 

does the link below help?

 

 

https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/flux-paste-fluxite

 

baz

[St Enodoc]

That stock is  a bit clean.....

 

does the link below help?

 

 

https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/flux-paste-fluxite

 

baz

Yes it does Baz - thanks. I'll see if I can get it delivered to Australia. If not, it could come over next year (along with your weathering and ballasting stuff...).

[The Stationmaster]

That stock is  a bit clean.....

 

does the link below help?

 

 

https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/flux-paste-fluxite

 

baz

 

I wonder if it's the same formulation as it used to be?   The original stuff lasted for years and I'm not sure what happened to the tin as there was plenty left (er, years ago).  No good for whitemetal though - yes,  I tried it and Eames 40 Flux was way ahead for that job.

[Barry O]

Eames 40 Flux - wasn't that dilute Phosphoric Acid?

 

Baz

[The Stationmaster]

Eames 40 Flux - wasn't that dilute Phosphoric Acid?

 

Baz

 

Yes, and I know where you can get an exact copy of the original formulation (according to the man who sells it but doesn't shout too loudly about it).

[St Enodoc]

Yes, and I know where you can get an exact copy of the original formulation (according to the man who sells it but doesn't shout too loudly about it).

At one time Jenolite was recommended but I never used it as I also had a source of dilute phosphoric acid - the same source as Barry O's I suspect.

[Barry O]

In all probability yes.

 

Layout coming on well. Hope the running session goes well.

Baz

[trw1089]

Hi John

 

I use Bakers liquid flux for any of my track and sleeper soldering, works a treat for me as it flows into the joins that I want to solder (and sometimes the ones I don't!).  I suppose it comes down to what you get used to though.

 

I'll be interested to hear how your timetable running goes.  I have one set up for my layout for two 3 hour periods running on a 6:1 fast clock and they take around an hour and a half to run through.  A couple of weekends ago I was at a friends place and we tried a full 24 hour timetable which started off quietly with a few goods services, then the suburbans cut in and all hell broke loose!  Was a lot of fun.

 

Cheers

Tony

[St Enodoc]

Hi John

 

I use Bakers liquid flux for any of my track and sleeper soldering, works a treat for me as it flows into the joins that I want to solder (and sometimes the ones I don't!).  I suppose it comes down to what you get used to though.

 

I'll be interested to hear how your timetable running goes.  I have one set up for my layout for two 3 hour periods running on a 6:1 fast clock and they take around an hour and a half to run through.  A couple of weekends ago I was at a friends place and we tried a full 24 hour timetable which started off quietly with a few goods services, then the suburbans cut in and all hell broke loose!  Was a lot of fun.

 

Cheers

Tony

Thanks Tony. The reason I like Fluxite or similar is that it is non-corrosive. Being fundamentally lazy, if I don't quite manage to wash it all off then I know it won't do any harm in the long run.

 

I will report back on the running session. There is one interesting and fairly fundamental question that we will explore and see what answer(s) we get!

 

It's a sequence by the way, with no clock. In the past I have found problems with a) trying to shunt against a fast clock; b) long gaps between trains; and c) short distances between stations. I now don't bother and just run in sequence. More on this in a future post.

[Michael Edge]

I had to buy a tin of Fluxite last year when the old one ran out. I bought that one in 1985 to replace the one I had inherited from my Dad. The new one as from Squires but I'm not sure it's the same as it used to be. My supply of Phosphoric acid (same as yours no doubt) is running a bit low now and the stuff mostly on sale is a bit weak. Don't use Baker's fluid unless you want every piece of steel anywhere near it to be heavily rusted - I won't have it in my workshop.

[St Enodoc]

I had to buy a tin of Fluxite last year when the old one ran out. I bought that one in 1985 to replace the one I had inherited from my Dad. The new one as from Squires but I'm not sure it's the same as it used to be. My supply of Phosphoric acid (same as yours no doubt) is running a bit low now and the stuff mostly on sale is a bit weak. Don't use Baker's fluid unless you want every piece of steel anywhere near it to be heavily rusted - I won't have it in my workshop.

Mike, I remember you telling us that years ago about Baker's.

 

Between you, me and The Stationmaster it sounds as though tins of Fluxite have a reputation for lasting a long time. Perhaps I should have bought 3 tins instead of 2 all those years ago. That would probably have seen me out. However, another 67p was a lot of money in those days. I could have bought a pint of bitter with that and still 'ad change for t' tram 'ome...

[St Enodoc]

The last jobs on the reconfigured Tregissey siding area were to connect the frogs on the two new points, modify the point control panel and reprogram the Mini Panel.

 

Here is the final layout for the temporary panel. The old Tregissey siding has become the bypass from loop 1 to the throat and the new Tregissey siding (road 0) has been squeezed in, with a new push button. I also added a push button for loop 1 at the top, wired in parallel with the one leading to the Down Main button at the lower right in the same way as I did at Penzance.

 

I will now take a step back from layout building for a little while and focus on operations and maintenance. There will be three of us next Monday for the running session, meaning that I will probably run around like the proverbial blue-*rs*d fly acting as yardmaster at both Paddington and Penzance while the others act as drivers, one on the Up and one on the Down. I do intend to have a solo dry run before Monday though.

 

I anticipate that the session will take quite a long time as a) things will probably definitely not go quite according to plan; b) we will all be feeling our way and learning as we go along; c) I will want to make notes as we go along to improve things for the next time; and d) we will without doubt have a good natter at the same time.

 

I also need to start some maintenance and repairs to a few locos that don't seem to want to go and to some troublesome trucks, together with fitting couplings to some more goods wagons so that they can be brought into service.

 

Never a dull moment on the Mid-Cornwall Lines!

Edited July 21, 2023 by St Enodoc
images restored

[Guest 7007GreatWestern]

Hello John,

 

I'm really impressed by (and not a little envious of) your layout. I has great promise!

 

I spy a rather handsome looking black Large Prairie in one of your photos above. Could you tell me a little about it? Is it a detailed Hornby item or the Finecast kit?

 

Cheers,

 

Andy.

[St Enodoc]

On 19/01/2017 at 08:15, 7007GreatWestern said:

Hello John,

 

I'm really impressed by (and not a little envious of) your layout. I has great promise!

 

I spy a rather handsome looking black Large Prairie in one of your photos above. Could you tell me a little about it? Is it a detailed Hornby item or the Finecast kit?

 

Cheers,

 

Andy.

Thanks Andy, much appreciated.

 

5148 is an old Wills kit that I bought ready-made from eBay a few years ago. After tidyiing up, renumbering and chipping it runs very nicely. It often works class K goods trains to and from Tavistock Junction, as seen here.

 

I also have 4167, an original Airfix model which doesn't run quite so well but still performs useful work, mostly on the Pentowan branch.

 

Here they both are.

 

Edit: photo added.

Edited July 21, 2023 by St Enodoc
images restored

[Guest 7007GreatWestern]

Thanks for that John. I have a need for at least one of these and was hoping that either Bachmann or Hornby would deliver in the recent announcements. Sadly they didn't so I think this year I'm finally going to have to 'bite the bullet', learn to solder and build the Finecast kit!

 

Thanks again,

Andy.

[acg5324]

I bought two tins of Fluxite from a hardware shop in Hove, Sussex, more than 30 years ago and the second of these finally ran out today. I suspect that this is the end of an era, unless anyone can tell me where I can buy more (I actually tried to find some while we were in England last month but failed to track any down - is it still made at all?).

 

The Blatchington Road shop is now a running shoe shop called....errrrr..... RUN!

The Boundary Road shop is weirdly a Plumbers http://www.dorringtonplumbingandheating.co.uk

 

My tin of Frys is getting close to being empty, came from Airds in Bond St, Brighton...been closed some years now.

[Danemouth]

Andy,

 

Go to Amazon and put in "Fluxite"

 

No shortage of products, I bought a tin a couple of years ago,

 

Regards,

 

Dave

[St Enodoc]

Andy,

 

Go to Amazon and put in "Fluxite"

 

No shortage of products, I bought a tin a couple of years ago,

 

Regards,

 

Dave

Dave, I've looked in the usual places (Amazon, eBay, etc>) and the difficulty I face is that shipping costs up to ten times the price of the tin with those suppliers that even say they can ship to Australia. I haven't found a local source at all so far.

 

I bought two tins of Fluxite from a hardware shop in Hove, Sussex, more than 30 years ago and the second of these finally ran out today. I suspect that this is the end of an era, unless anyone can tell me where I can buy more (I actually tried to find some while we were in England last month but failed to track any down - is it still made at all?).

 

The Blatchington Road shop is now a running shoe shop called....errrrr..... RUN!

The Boundary Road shop is weirdly a Plumbers http://www.dorringtonplumbingandheating.co.uk

 

My tin of Frys is getting close to being empty, came from Airds in Bond St, Brighton...been closed some years now.

Very interesting Andy. If you track some down would you mind getting one extra tin for me please?

 

From recent posts it appears that railway modellers use about 3 g of the stuff a year. I wonder how Fry's ever made any money out of that?

 

Boundary Road was an interesting street as it was only actually the East side of the thoroughfare. The West side was Station Road, Portslade - the border between the two municipalities ran down the middle (I'm sure you knew that but it might amuse the others). Now that it's all the People's Republic City of Brighton and Hove I don't suppose it matters any more.

[kandc_au]

Have ordered a tin from the link posted (Cousins)....total cost GBP 10.??. It was only a couple of pound post to Aust.

 

Khris

[St Enodoc]

Have ordered a tin from the link posted (Cousins)....total cost GBP 10.??. It was only a couple of pound post to Aust.

 

Khris

Thanks Khris. When I tried earlier in the week I couldn't place an online order. Based on your comment I've tried again and successfully ordered 2 x 100 g tins. Total including postage and credit card fee GBP 20.09.

 

Assuming they arrive OK, they should DEFINITELY see me out!

 

Edit: the whole Cousins site is an Aladdin's Cave of tools, materials and other stuff I didn't even know existed never mind knew I needed...

 

Thanks for the tip-off Baz!

Edited January 20, 2017 by St Enodoc