Richard Mawer Posted December 29, 2016 Author Share Posted December 29, 2016 TIME FLIES I have been asked about the Fast Clock. I thought I would share. I use the MR Fast Clock by Wesley Steiner. http://www.wesleysteiner.com/mr/mrfc/mrfc.html It allows you to set your starting time and how many real hours you want it to take to do a 24 hour cycle. So for 2x, you type in 12. I run it on a Kindle Fire set below a high shelf so all can see it. It runs on most browsers on tablets or a pc. Once dowloaded it doesn't need an internet connection. Its a great piece of free software. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Sidelines Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 Hi Rich I am trying to keep up with you but the clock is just speeding away in front. All the best for 2017 which looks to me as if it will pass even speedier. I know the GWR were innovative but shouldn't there be some hands somewhere? Regards Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted December 30, 2016 Author Share Posted December 30, 2016 THE MATRIX - PART 4 AND THE OTHER 43XX The last couple of days have seen me under the baseboard: not my favourite situation. I had previously mounted the matrix and capacitor discharge unit on some mdf and screwed it to one of the baseboard legs. I had labelled each wire (all 56). Now I had to decide which coil of each Peco surface mount point motor turned each point normal or reverse. Depending on which way round they were fitted. The wires from the rotary dials were already connected into choc-blocks on the back of the control panel. It was then just a case of connecting the wiring into choc-blocks and soldering all the returns back. All simple if it weren't for gravity! Anyway when all wired in, I was expecting something to happen, but thought I would have got something round the wrong way. Too many variables. I turned the up dial to A and pressed the button. Clunk. Something changed, but the road was set to B. I assumed I had got some wires crossed. However, on closer inspection the ringed arm of the point motor had jumped off the knob of the tie bar. The motor had thrown, but not the point. Because both the points and motors are mounted on the foam underlay, it allowed some play. So I screwed the motors down a tad. Now all seems firm and amazingly the wiring seems correct in testing. Before I find a way of making the hill to cover over the storage loops, I will make sure the route selectors are working properly in practice, not just testing. As I have said before, the reasons for using route selection by road letter (A-K) is I want the storage (Banbury and beyond) to be out of sight and out of mind. I just want to send trains into the tunnel and not think where they are going. Likewise for up trains, its about turn a dial, press a button and hey-presto the right train appears out of the tunnel! All very non-railway like. Flushed with success and with about an hour available for some running, the first train due out of the storage loops was dialled up in accordance with the timetable and out headed a 43xx. Not the one I had modified with the plastic strips. This was the one which was behaving better with just extra weight on the pony. However, it jumped going round clockwise. It didn't do it yesterday anti-clockwise. Lokking more closely, this loco also had some play allowing the body to twist on its wheels, but not as much as the other 43. I cut up another plant pot label but when I fitted both strips in behind the wheels it was too tight. It hampered movement. So I filed the strips down, in particular in the centre. This time it seems much better and although its only been tested a few times round, this seems ok now. Its pointless showing pictures of the same things again, so for no reason except I like it, here's the front of the engine shed with the GCR Director and the Dukedog. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted January 2, 2017 Author Share Posted January 2, 2017 RUNNING TO TIME This (fictional) fairly short secondary line from Kings Sutton (on the Oxford to Banbury main line just south of Banbury) to Buckingham had a traffic flow that many main lines would have been proud of! The day starts at 5.00 am and runs to just after midnight. Daily there are 13 Ordinary Passenger Trains to Banbury and 13 return trains; 2 Daily Branch Passenger Trains between Buckingham and Brackley Road and 2 back, some of these with milk vans. There are Workmans trains between Buckingham and Brackley and back each weekday and 8 Auto Trains each way between Evenley and Brackley Road but only on weekdays. These tend to connect with the Banbury trains. There is an extra Auto each way on Friday nights. Market days at Buckingham are on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and at Brackley on Wednesdays. There are therefore 5 extra Branch Passenger Trains in each direction on Saturdays (instead of the Auto Trains) and an extra one on Wednesdays to augment the Auto Trains. There are extra late night trains each way between Buckingham and Brackley Road on Fridays and Saturdays. Over and above these local trains there are Expresses to and from :- Wolverhampton (twice a day), Birmingham, Leicester (alternating with an ex- GCR loco) and Worcester. There is also a Parcels train in each direction as well as morning Perishables trains. Freight wise there are two Pick Up Freights each day between Buckingham, Evenley and Brackley Road. In addition there are various daily variations of Cattle, coke and tar, horses and carriages. Daily a coal train arrives from Severn Tunnel Junction and the empties return working. There are two daily ironstone empties trains between Banbury and Evenley quarry and their loaded return workings. Milk vans are run from both Brackley Road and Evenley to Buckingham Dairy twice a day, with return empties of course. In the late evening milk tanks are dispatched to Banbury. The main freights run each day are to and from Worcester, Banbury, Leamington and Bristol. In addition to all this there are Empty Stock movements, shunting and light engines. Its a fairly busy little line! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold MarshLane Posted January 4, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 4, 2017 Oh to be able to go sitting on the line side near Buckingham for a couple of hours with a camera!! Like the background Richard and the layout is coming on superbly. Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share Posted January 29, 2017 WHERE HAS JANUARY GONE?? There have been a couple of operating sessions but apart from that most of my time has been spent on wagons. Although the small tension lock couplings look better than the larger versions, I have decided to fit all the locos and wagons with medium or large tension locks.The small ones do not couple on curves and do not shunt well. Propelling a 20 wagon train back over trailing points was far too troublesome. I would have prefered KayDees but with the amount needed cost was prohibitive. Most of the wagons had the standard pockets, so exchange was easy. Replacement Hornby couplings are cheap and easy to come by. Some of the older Airfix were harder. Some needed surgery and glue. I also added weight to many featherweight wagons. The issue had been if these light wagons were forward in a train they would sometimes derail. If I add too much though then they won't get hauled up the incline. I have used lead cut from an ols piece of roof flashing and two rolls of self adhesive lead strip sold for putting windows to make leaded lights or stained glass. I have replaced many wheel sets, trying to avoid plastic. Bachmann and Hornby have done well out of me with spare wheels. Makes a heck of a difference though. Finally, to aid running, all the back to backs have been checked and altered. I have to say I have been staggered by how many wagons from the big 3 suppliers of OO wagons have the wheels set too narrow. Well over 50%. Even many of the replacements. Surely its in their interest to have the best running stuff straight from the box?? Seems a no-brainer to me. I'm now looking forward to better weather so I can weather them and add the colour coding for the freight operation to be put in place. I've run the modelling on paper time and time and it works, but its never the same as putting it into operation itself. Just another thing for the operators to work on! At present freight marshalling is random, which is not right. Talking of operating, I'm looking forward to the weekend when John will be trying his hand at operating Buckingham West station whilst I run the rest. It's about time there was someone else capable of running the large panel. Sorry but nothing of interest to photograph this time. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 5, 2017 Author Share Posted February 5, 2017 PLATFORM SOULS Buckingham West has platforms! - at last. I still need to put the fence along the left hand edge which is next to the carriage sidings. The cross country rake (mixed LNER and GWR) is in the nearest carriage siding; another express rake in the next, then some parcels vans and finally on the left are some horse boxes. The three platform faces are left, platform 3, the main departure line, empty. Platform 2 is bi-directional and the 51xx has arrived with a local from Banbury. Platform 1 is to the right. This is the main arrival platform. The Castle is waiting to be released to shed, having brought in the Parcels. There is a 28xx at the end of the Goods Arrival/Departure line, also waiting for release to shed, which can just be seen beyond the carriage sidings. We have had a few good operating sessions of late and I'm really pleased with how it is working. I need to finish the signals and am starting to think about the ballasting and scenery. I have changed the type and position of the Charlton Junction Block Bell. It was too close to Evenley and too similar in tone and pitch to some others. It is now a higher pitched Church bell type rather than a dome. Tony Gee (well known for a great many model railway exploits including being owner and restorer of the real Buckingham) is very kindly helping by sorting my Bulldog. He also very kindly priced up everything I would need to get new Comet chassis, wheels motors etc for my two 43xx's. They are still playing up. I have stopped the pony trucks derailing by restricting the waggle of the chassis, but neither is a smooth runner now. They need quite a lot of power and they hunt irratically. I could spend hours trying to solve it. It must be quartering or something on the wheels rubbing. However, they still can't pull the skin off a rice pudding up the incline. There is more lead on the chassis than on a church roof! The Comet option is just too much for two locos when I have so much more to do, but I can't leave them as they are. So I have just bought 2 Hornby motorised tenders off Ebay; one from a 28xx and one from a County, but they are really the same, Churchward tenders. My plan is to remove the motor or gear drive from the locos and use those pickups wired to the tenders. We'll see how that goes. Any ideas how best to de-motor the Bachmann split chassis? Rich 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 11, 2017 Author Share Posted February 11, 2017 THOSE 43's AGAIN Back in August I thought I had solved the lack of pulling power on the 43xx's by adding weight. Then I still had the issue of the Pony trucks derailing frequently. After lots of messing about it seems its the amount of side play between the chassis and drivers. Shims have helped that immensely. However, this reduced the already poor pulling power to next to useless. On top of that they started to run erratically. I have decided to forget the motor in the loco and go for a tender drive. I have bought two off ebay and they are in good nick. After trying the to leave the motor and worm in the split chassis for weight and remove the gear, I found the central axle was too light. So I ended up removing the motor and refitting the central gear. With the shims in, the wheels still turn when pushed. I sandwiched two wires between the two haves of the split chassis, separated by a cardboard washer. I have seen this done somewhere on RM Web. Whoever it was, thank you. The wires are fed through the chassis and out behind the keeper, through a hole in the tender front plate and are soldered on to the motor contacts. So I have one rail picked up by the loco and tender wheels, and the other rail by just the loco wheels. There are traction tyres on that side of the tender. The loco and tender had incompatible couplings so I needed a drawbar. I have cobbled one together with off cuts of plastic. I'll have to see how strong that is once the glue has gone off. I am not the biggest fan of tender drives, nor traction tyres, but at l ast they could pull. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Nice idea, looks like you've sorted it, just got to put the rods back on the right way up! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 12, 2017 Author Share Posted February 12, 2017 Nice idea, looks like you've sorted it, just got to put the rods back on the right way up! I didn't realise there was a right and a wrong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 (edited) The little lumps next to the pins/mounting nuts are representations of the oiling points, they wouldn't work very well at the bottom! Edited February 12, 2017 by jcm@gwr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 12, 2017 Author Share Posted February 12, 2017 The little lumps next to the pins/mounting nuts are representations of the oiling points, they wouldn't work very well at the bottom! Very true. Never gave it any thought. I'll change them over. Thanks. I've got the other loco to do so I'll do that right first time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Sidelines Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Hello Rich, You look to have had a productive weekend. Just drop the wheels out and turn them over? Been there and done that. I like the idea of the tender drives. I still have a Mainline tender drive Dean Goods. It is a good looking engine. I shall have to think about an alternative to the huge heap of coal! Regards Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 12, 2017 Author Share Posted February 12, 2017 ONE DOWN ONE TO GO So this morning I tried the 43 out. To say it was hesitant and irratic would be an understatement. Because of that and the observations of jcm@gwr, made above, I knew the chassis would have to come apart again. I have removed the cog gear that meshes on the middle axle. It was causing the now non-powered axle to bind in places and because the loco is now much lighter it tended to lock up and skid. I had kept it in to prevent the middle axle bouncing up. I took it out and then put the wheels back the right way round this time so the lugs (which represent the oiling points) are above the pins. And out on the line?......... Runs like a dream. Fast, slow and pulls! Ok its not the best solution, the tender wheels are rather ugly and the tryres are about as wide as a steam roller, BUT I have a useful loco, and anyway, I already have a County of the same model era with the same traits. For a layout where operation comes first and rivet counting second, it is fine. Now I have the other one to do, but the tender needs re-painting. It is lined out and has the shield between the Great and the Western. Or I nick the shell off a redundant 28xx. I'll see how I feel. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 12, 2017 Author Share Posted February 12, 2017 Hello Rich, You look to have had a productive weekend. Just drop the wheels out and turn them over? Been there and done that. I like the idea of the tender drives. I still have a Mainline tender drive Dean Goods. It is a good looking engine. I shall have to think about an alternative to the huge heap of coal! Regards Ray I have two tender drive Dean Goods. One is Airfix, the other Hornby. Ostensibly the same model. Both have a month's coal in the tender!!!!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 13, 2017 Author Share Posted February 13, 2017 SUNDAY PERMANENT WAY WORKS Yes I know its Monday, but I did the work on Sunday. Some of my locos struggle a bit up the main incline. Generally the 4-6-0s are ok with 5 coaches but the Hall slipped to stand last Wednesday. The City and the Director behave as well as the 4-6-0s believe it or not. The Dukedog is really under powered. So there are a number that could do with some more adhesion. The trick normally is to give them all some more power so they rush the bank, but you have to back it off big style towards the top or they rival Pendalenos through Evenley. I've given up adding weight to the 43's and gone for traction tyres, but I was thinking of added weight to the others when I remembered Neal Ball has used DCC Concept's Power Plates on his inclines. I have some thin sheet steel (no idea how I came by it -but never chuck stuff away!) and some Neo magnets, so I decided to try my own version. I cut one sheet of steel into track wide strips, took a deep breath and carefully pulled the up line off the foam. I was amazed how easily it came up, with no damage whatsoever. I then simply glued the metal strips onto the foam along the track bed with PVA and then glued the track onto it in the same way. I weighted it down and left it overnight in the normal fashion. And this morning it all looks fine. Well, it will when ballasted. I now have to get the magnets glued to the loco keeper plates as low as I can to get maximum grip without fouling trackwork etc. Thanks for the inspiration Neal. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 14, 2017 Author Share Posted February 14, 2017 FENCING THE GOODS At last I have added fencing to the platforms at Evenley. Now at last visiting operators will stop assuming that the Goods Loop is another platform line - albeit a difficult one to access as it is trailing only. The fences look very white. Clearly no train has passed through since Porter Smith was out with the white wash. I do need to paint that footbridge and build the station building......... 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Sidelines Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 Hello Rich Exciting times ..I now have to get the magnets glued to the loco keeper plates as low as I can to get maximum grip without fouling trackwork etc.. - I am interested to hear how things progress Ray 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 Can anyone help regarding whether the Bulldog, "Pershore Plum" ever ran with the shirtbutton livery? http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/120011-pershore-plum-livery/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 18, 2017 Author Share Posted February 18, 2017 Hello Rich Exciting times - I am interested to hear how things progress Ray I trialed a magnet under the City, which normally needs a good rush up the incline. With the magnet 1mm off the rail height (which seems to be what people say) not only did she go up with 5 coaches and need no extra power, but I could stop her on the hill and start her off ok! Impressed!!! I have now added magnets below the Dukedog, Director and Hall (she struggled last time out). I'll see how he Star gets on before doing her. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 18, 2017 Author Share Posted February 18, 2017 I have used plastic card to bring them down to the required height. From the side, they can be seen. Once I paint them black, I hope they will be less intrusive. I'm not sure of the Director though. That just might have to be removed. Many of the other locos have tender drives now, with traction tyres, so are ok. Or are 2-8-0s. I have finished converting the other 43xx too. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neal Ball Posted February 18, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 18, 2017 Your solution to the DIY magnets for the incline sounds good Richard 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 19, 2017 Author Share Posted February 19, 2017 Your solution to the DIY magnets for the incline sounds good Richard Do those under your locos look anything similar? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted February 19, 2017 Share Posted February 19, 2017 Fitting magnets also means that the locos can activate reed switches if any form of position indication is needed. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mawer Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 (edited) THE BULLDOG RETURNS Sometime back, before operation started properly, I managed to get the rods cockeyed, mess up the quartering and strip the gears on my Bulldog. She's an old Ks (Keyser) kit. Probably from the 1970s. Bought partly made. Stan from HWDMRS made the rest up for me, but we soon found that the original motor and driving wheels were....somewhat.....agricultural. I bought a mashima motor and markits gearbox. I can't recall now whether they were Alan Gibson or Romford wheels, but we always had trouble with the con rods. Then, like I said, I half destroyed it. The kit is pretty coarse. This is no Finney! But its still beyond me to get it running nicely. Anyhow, I asked Tony Gee (the owner of the real Buckingham!) if he would sort me out, and to his credit and my benefit he very kindly agreed. Caveat time. This was a one off. Tony really doesn't do sorting out other people's stuff. He's happy to take commissions for new builds, but this sort of project is not his normal fare. I can only put it down to our layouts' synergy and a kind heart. So off went my Bulldog to the works. And now she is back. New rods. New gearbox. New interior design. Bogie re-fitted. New tender chassis and wheels. New tender pickups. All this has resulted in a new habit: running sweatly. Thank you very much Tony. Of course she still needs numbers plates, name plates etc. She will be Pershore Plum 3353 in Shirtbutton. Edited February 21, 2017 by Richard Mawer 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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