RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted June 20, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 20, 2016 I have to agree with you on the DCC sound bit. So much on Youtube does look gimmicky with much emphasis on lights and smoke units while chuffs grossly out of synch with the drivers goes un-noticed. The wrong chuff rate annoys me. I remember one rather nice WD at a high profile show which was distinctly running to 5/4 time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 Re chuff rates, the cv setting can vary with speed, so it is usually best to calibrate the chuff rate at a slower wheel rotation and live with the fact that at full throttle it is out of sync. But it can be difficult to even count the chuffs anyway. The better solution is to have a device attached to an axle that connects to the decoder. This would be accurate at all speeds. My Jubilee has such a device whereas my kit constructed Jinty and 4F use the cv setting. The cv for my Gauge O locos has to be set at a very high level to match the gearing. I am looking forward to trying out a Southwest Trains decoder on my yet to be started 14XX kit as they are used to Gauge O so may have a different basic setting. We'll see. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 21, 2016 Author Share Posted June 21, 2016 "This brings track laying to a close..." Yes they were hasty words. After putting in more droppers and insulating rail joiners in the fiddle yard (forced upon me by the Insulfrog double slips which sent current in all directions), I spent more than a few hours running all the sound fitted locos and trains out of said yard and around the circuit. From these runs it was apparent that the 'King' needs a bigger circuit in order to build up speed, but more of this anon. I also tested the locos for coasting into the station. One jarring note was the double slip that all northbound trains had to negotiate. Watching the larger bogie locos making sudden right hand turns on the 28" radius curve simply spoiled the flow of train movements and so I took the bull by the horns and replaced the slip with a ladder of large radius points. The bay track lost 9 inches as a result and so it was extended at the expense of the station approach road. The same was done with the goods station track. This then left much more room between these track for a coal yard and lorry movements. Mission accomplished! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike G Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 From these runs it was apparent that the 'King' needs a bigger circuit in order to build up speed, but more of this anon. Larry If the King is chipped, you can adjust the acceleration rate on the chip...just a thought. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 21, 2016 Author Share Posted June 21, 2016 Larry If the King is chipped, you can adjust the acceleration rate on the chip...just a thought. Mike It's not that Mike. It's a large-wheeled express loco and I accelerate it at a rate that sounds to me realistic. It is still only doing around 45mph by the time it has reached the fiddle yard. But, vee haff plans...! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 21, 2016 Author Share Posted June 21, 2016 Auto train ('scuse the not-appropriate 57XX) testing the new ladder into the bay.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 You devil Larry! When I start the rebuild of my layout sound will be given serious consideration all because of your lovely videos with great sound, Regards, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 21, 2016 Author Share Posted June 21, 2016 I'm kicking myself this afternoon! A few weeks ago I was invited to look over around 90-odd Heljan, Hornby and Bachmann locos ~ all chipped with decoders. I bought two although it has to be admitted that the prices seemed very low and I was sorely tempted to buy all the locos I fancied, suitable for Oswestry or not! Then this morning it dawned on me that I had resisted buying a 'Manor' and a 43XX. They had split chassis.........But they carried DCC decoders.........They must have been converted....... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 I'm kicking myself this afternoon! A few weeks ago I was invited to look over around 90-odd Heljan, Hornby and Bachmann locos ~ all chipped with decoders. I bought two although it has to be admitted that the prices seemed very low and I was sorely tempted to buy all the locos I fancied, suitable for Oswestry or not! Then this morning it dawned on me that I had resisted buying a 'Manor' and a 43XX. They had split chassis.........But they carried DCC decoders.........They must have been converted....... The Manor and Mogul are a couple of BIG holes in the Bachmann reworkings from split chassis. I'm sure that they'd sell very well indeed being mid range locos, and good work horses to boot. I love the auto train arriving, very convincing sounds and it traversed the ladder very smoothly too. Jinty Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 Been making smooth paths for locomotives. The curve into the Down platform was originally 5ft radius onto a straight section of track through the platform; far too sharp and it looked it when locos swung dizzily into the station. So fresh track was led from the entrance turnout at 9ft radius this time, which sends the curve out a touch before it tucks back to join the straight section. Ballast colour differs deliberately....... It proved to be a vast improvement, however the loco 'kicked' as it entered the platform road. Investigation showed it was the turnout checkrail that was forcing the wheel flange over opposite the 'V'. I carved some plastic off the inner edge of this checkrail so that it guided the wheel smoothly through the 'V'..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 It's not that Mike. It's a large-wheeled express loco and I accelerate it at a rate that sounds to me realistic. It is still only doing around 45mph by the time it has reached the fiddle yard. But, vee haff plans...! Have you told your neighbours yet Larry? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 Have you told your neighbours yet Larry? No need, they're all GWR..... It was in the absence of a DCC-friendly Manor that I upgraded the route to red-dot, but Oswestry was losing something with the appearance of the Star and King. Express locos are overkill and so they have been retired to display models. They're nice to look at while I'm on the PC and the King was a present. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 23, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 23, 2016 No need, they're all GWR..... Good Welsh Relatives? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Focalplane Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Without reference to any online cheat sheets, this is what I remember from 89A in the mid to late 1950s. Manors Ex LMS 2MTs 14XX 57XX and other panniers 2251 43XX Nothing any heavier axle-wise. I don't remember any prairies. In the Works there was 9017. At this time Alan Buttler's research at Kew shows that larger locos were in the Works, includng 9Fs and other Standards. Oswestry really was a light axle loading town. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 23, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 23, 2016 4575s were quite common on the Cambrian in the 1950s but Oswestry only seems to have had the one while the rest were allocated to Machynlleth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 Yup, I have the reading matter on Oswestry, but I dun wot I dun on the back of modellers licence. I don't want to dilute the W.Region too much and so I doubt a BR Std. Cl 4 4-6-0's will appear on the line. Two locos still to come are a 14XX and Dean Goods. Locos running in from the LNWR connection at Whitchurch are the 8F that has already been seen, a Hughes Crab and an LMS Derby 4 goods. Recent s/h additions have been a Churchward 28XX and early type 45XX, but I am still on the lookout for a later type arched-cab 57XX. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 I thought that Oswestry had an allocation of BR Standard Cl.4 4-6-0s. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted June 23, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 23, 2016 4575s were quite common on the Cambrian in the 1950s but Oswestry only seems to have had the one while the rest were allocated to Machynlleth. I seem to remember reading that the 4575 were useful on the coast lines with the higher water capacity. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 I thought that Oswestry had an allocation of BR Standard Cl.4 4-6-0s. Oswestry got some Standard 4's in the mid 1950's but the situation swung back more than once as time passed. They were better known after most of the ex GWR engines had gone because of all the cine exposed on them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 Oswestry got some Standard 4's in the mid 1950's but the situation swung back more than once as time passed. They were better known after most of the ex GWR engines had gone because of all the cine exposed on them. First ones arrived 10.53 and lasted at Oswestry until 8.58. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 24, 2016 Author Share Posted June 24, 2016 First ones arrived 10.53 and lasted at Oswestry until 8.58. But not on my Tele, as the wife would say... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
runs as required Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 First [standard] ones arrived 10.53 and lasted at Oswestry until 8.58. But not on my Tele, as the wife would say... Hooray! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 24, 2016 Author Share Posted June 24, 2016 I have brought forward an idea that was reserved for the Autumn, that of laying double track southwards from Oswestry. It involved rearranging the points and laying new cork underlay. It will be wired up tomorrow and the rails painted rust colour, then taken around the covered extension to join the fiddle yard. Weights were temporarily removed for the photo to be taken.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 25, 2016 Author Share Posted June 25, 2016 The middle through road is now straight and trains can pass through the station at a good clip while doubling the track at the south end of Oswestry has made things far more interesting. It is all up and running now and has been video's using the LMS 8F with Locoman sound.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 Completion of the garden loop, experiments with DCC sound and operation of trains left me considering how Greenfield (Pennines) could have been. Steam trains coasting downgrade and hammering upgrade and I still have all the LNWR buildings from the previous Greenfield. It was dismissed. Anyway, weeks of tweaks and this is the current plan of Oswestry (rough sketch actually). It works and so it's worth running with. I am in no hurry to bite the bullet and scratchbuilt the station buildings though..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.