Penmaenpool (Llyn Penmaen)

[Focalplane]

Ray

 

I have a clause added to Rule 2.  It says that "el cheapo tools cost you in the end".  When I returned to the UK from America in 2003 I was shocked by much of the rubbish that certain DIY shops sold as "tools".  After all, we had Sears Craftsman at the time and they would replace any tool free of charge if it failed.  Sadly, being 110 volt I sold most of my stuff when I left.

 

I agree that a separate mill makes more sense, particularly if space is not a problem.

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

Having cleared and vacuumed the railway room last evening I thought I should take some photos of the bare L Girder framework which will now be worked on (in fact the room already needs a good cleaning!)

 

 

 

The framework has an even spacing but it doesn't need to if things like point motors need the space.  The framework is rock solid even though it is only fixed to the walls in four places.

 

I have been cutting track bases this morning and hope to have the hidden track beds installed soon.

 

Paul

 

PS   I have finally mounted my Philip Hawkins' prints!

 

Edited June 28, 2018 by Focalplane

[TrevorP1]

 

I have a clause added to Rule 2.  It says that "el cheapo tools cost you in the end".  

 

 

Agreed. There no such things as 'cheap tools'.

[TrevorP1]

Thank you for the extra views of the framework. Very informative.

[Happy Hippo]

.  When the piggy bank is replenished I plan to buy the mill attachment (or maybe the separate milling machine, we'll see how it goes).

 

 

FwIw the mill attachments to lathes are a waste of time as you are continually having to set up the mill to do a job, then move it to carry on the work in the lathe.  Then go back to milling again...........

 

My own personal experience of milling in the lathe is limited to setting the milling cutter up in the chuck and using a vertical slide mounted on the carriage for small jobs, but it is still a pita.

 

All my more engineering savvy friends say avoid lath mill combos like the plague, and get a separate milling machine....................which is how I ended up with two of each!

[Focalplane]

I have made some progress on the track beds on the Barmouth end of the layout.  Three photographs may give insight into how the hidden and scenic areas work together.

 

 

This view is of the corner where the engine shed will eventually sit.  The temporary pieces of plywood represent the rough alignment of the scenic line as it turns the corner from Penmaenpool and into a short cutting.  The curve is much tighter than in real life.  The scenic line is at a constant height so I cut some cheap chipboard strips and clamped the scenic line "track bed" in place.

 

On the left of the photo are two tracks, one behind and one in front of the scenic main line.  There is yet another line in the very front which will go to the Barmouth fiddle yard.  Ignore that one for the time being.

 

Of the two hidden tracks, the near one comes from the double slip that provides an easy connection between fiddle yards and the scenic area.  The rear track is simply a loop (suggested I believe by Jintyman) that forms part of a second continuous circuit but also can act as storage for one or two long excursion trains.  These two will join at a point just to the right of the picture.

 

 

This photo shows that point and you can see that the turnout track will pass under the scenic line with enough clearance (11cm).  Both hidden tracks part company either side of the scenic line but the line on the rear of the layout will actually be hidden by the cutting.

 

 

The third photo shows the same corner but looking towards Barmouth Junction.  Hopefully the combination of views will make things a bit clearer.  The scenic layout above will consist of the main line plus the two road engine shed.  The three points (including catch point) and the base for the engine shed will be formed of a largish sheet of plywood, mounted on numerous vertical posts with any potentially weak areas strengthened with metal strips.

 

Once having checked the clearances and radii of the hidden tracks I can now place permanent vertical supports and screw down the plywood track bases.  I shall leave the set up over night and check again in the morning.

 

Paul

[St Enodoc]

I have made some progress on the track beds on the Barmouth end of the layout.  Three photographs may give insight into how the hidden and scenic areas work together.

 

IMG_2039.JPG

 

This view is of the corner where the engine shed will eventually sit.  The temporary pieces of plywood represent the rough alignment of the scenic line as it turns the corner from Penmaenpool and into a short cutting.  The curve is much tighter than in real life.  The scenic line is at a constant height so I cut some cheap chipboard strips and clamped the scenic line "track bed" in place.

 

On the left of the photo are two tracks, one behind and one in front of the scenic main line.  There is yet another line in the very front which will go to the Barmouth fiddle yard.  Ignore that one for the time being.

 

Of the two hidden tracks, the near one comes from the double slip that provides an easy connection between fiddle yards and the scenic area.  The rear track is simply a loop (suggested I believe by Jintyman) that forms part of a second continuous circuit but also can act as storage for one or two long excursion trains.  These two will join at a point just to the right of the picture.

 

IMG_2040.JPG

 

This photo shows that point and you can see that the turnout track will pass under the scenic line with enough clearance (11cm).  Both hidden tracks part company either side of the scenic line but the line on the rear of the layout will actually be hidden by the cutting.

 

IMG_2041.JPG

 

The third photo shows the same corner but looking towards Barmouth Junction.  Hopefully the combination of views will make things a bit clearer.  The scenic layout above will consist of the main line plus the two road engine shed.  The three points (including catch point) and the base for the engine shed will be formed of a largish sheet of plywood, mounted on numerous vertical posts with any potentially weak areas strengthened with metal strips.

 

Once having checked the clearances and radii of the hidden tracks I can now place permanent vertical supports and screw down the plywood track bases.  I shall leave the set up over night and check again in the morning.

 

Paul

Very nice Paul. I do like photos of layouts under construction. You are certainly exploiting the L-girder principle to the full.

[Andrew P]

Excellent progress and the L framing looks superb mate.

[Focalplane]

Thank you for your kind comments!  I am beginning to wonder what I am going to do when the woodwork is finished.  I have learned and re-learned a lot of woodworking skills over the past 6 months and I would not like to forget them in a hurry.

 

After watching a rather disappointing effort by England's second eleven last evening I got some frustration out of my system by cross cutting some supports and screwing them to the framework.  Then I noticed the time!  No complaints from the neighbours, fortunately, perhaps the insulation is better than I imagined.

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

A good day, today!  The area I am working on has progressed well, with all the track bases screwed down, half the cork sheeting fitted and two yards of track added.  Having cleared the space properly I found I could move ahead more quickly and safely - no surprises there.  Think of "there's a place for everything and everything is in its place" - there's nothing better than knowing exactly where you left the countersink bit when you need it!

 

I know I am preaching to the converted.  Or am I?

 

And at 1 p.m. today the new lathe arrived!  So far I have opened the box and not much more.  There won't be any immediate activity anyway as I am off to England for a week and I don't have any tools yet.

 

Paul

[Mike Boucher]

Hi Paul,

 

I don't know how much experience you have with machine tools, but if you're just beginning, I can't recommend this book enough:

 

https://sherline.com/product/5301-tabletop-machining/

It was written with Sherline tools as the focus, but there's a lot of "how and why" in there that's applicable to any size/make machine.  My father was a machinist/toolmaker for 40 years (and still does it as a hobby) and he has a copy that he refers to sometimes.  I make reference to it when setting up things on both my 7x10 "hobby lathe" and my Southbend Heavy 10" lathe.  IMHO its well worth the investment.

[gismorail]

I very impressed with your progress so far Paul am afraid I still don't totally understand the general outline of the finished track plan but have to say that your ability to lay track that seems to go nowhere is impressive if not confusing   Just joking aside when did the North Wales 'underground steam network ' ever exist    . It must be such a gift to be able to visualise things like height and distance , gradients etc in such a random way Brilliant is all i can say 

[Focalplane]

I very impressed with your progress so far Paul am afraid I still don't totally understand the general outline of the finished track plan but have to say that your ability to lay track that seems to go nowhere is impressive if not confusing   Just joking aside when did the North Wales 'underground steam network ' ever exist    . It must be such a gift to be able to visualise things like height and distance , gradients etc in such a random way Brilliant is all i can say 

 

You are very kind!  The underground system is obviously fiction but a very good way to get trains back in the right position for prototypical operation.

 

As to my visualization in 3D, even 4D, that comes from a career in geology.  Even then, it is not always right, sometimes more miss than hit.  It is said that geologists use more weasel words in their reports than most other professions.  Why, because most of the evidence we need is missing, so it's always "possible, probable, maybe, etc."  We take a 2D image (a well bore, an outcrop and so on) and somehow deduce a 3D or, more unlikely 4D, history.  I stumbled on my career but it has always, or nearly always, been a lot of fun.

 

Paul

 

PS  When I have laid all the track I might, possibly, be able to draw a track plan!

[Focalplane]

Hi Paul,

 

I don't know how much experience you have with machine tools, but if you're just beginning, I can't recommend this book enough:

 

https://sherline.com/product/5301-tabletop-machining/

 

It was written with Sherline tools as the focus, but there's a lot of "how and why" in there that's applicable to any size/make machine.  My father was a machinist/toolmaker for 40 years (and still does it as a hobby) and he has a copy that he refers to sometimes.  I make reference to it when setting up things on both my 7x10 "hobby lathe" and my Southbend Heavy 10" lathe.  IMHO its well worth the investment.

 

Hi Mike

 

Yes, that reference books looks like it would be very useful.  I have checked three Amazon sites (US, UK and France and the prices are a little steep (one for Euros 800 plus shipping!)) It will make more sense to follow your link and buy from the publisher.

 

Thanks for the heads up!

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

A little bit of fun:

 

https://player.vimeo...ideo/278035647

 

I finished the "hidden circuit on Sunday but nothing has been wired.  So what to do?  I am away for a few days so this is a "progress report".

 

Paul

[bgman]

Brave push 

Joking apart progress is looking good Paul.

 

Grahame 

[Focalplane]

Waiting in my mail box today was a second hand copy of David Andrews' "The Churchward 2-6-0s".  I have spent an hour thumbing through the book and it offers an excellent history of the class with notes on the numerous slight modifications, both between lots and along the various timelines.  There are not many photos of moguls working on the Ruabon-Barmouth line but they will be added to my spreadsheet of photos in the near term.

 

Of importance is the choice of bogie wheel from Slaters - it would seem that their 3' 3" wheel (code 7839) is the better choice for the model even though the 3' 2" size would be more accurate.  I am still trying to get confirmation of this before placing an order.  The motor and gearbox will be ordered within the week.  Following Simond's suggestion I am going to fabricate my own plunger pickups.

 

I may yet have a mogul running before Heljan finally release their model!

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

Unlike several friends in the UK with garden sheds, my railway room has stayed cool throughout the past 10 days, but at the top end of the house the glass roof was closed for 8 days and the maximum temperature reached there was 46ºC.  It has taken two days to cool down to around 30ºC.  Clearly a glass house (for that is what it is in French, verrière) would not be a good place for a model railway!

 

No progress since returning, I had many "honey dos" while in England so some relaxation was ordered!

 

However, the workshop is going to receive some attention next, then I start wiring the hidden tracks.

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

Seeing Larry (Coachmann) and his Dukedog video has reminded me that I have ordered a David Andrews's Dukedog and it should be delivered before the end of July.  Mine will be the Oswestry 89A hidden Earl, 9017.  This was the one that got preserved, probably due to the machinations of the Works Manager who kept it concealed from the Swindon bureaucrats.  This may be a bit of a legendary story but I did see it stored in the Works along with the Earl and Countess of the W&LFLR.  Oswestry was and still is a long way from Wiltshire.  The Welsh Dukedogs in BR days were always kept in good nick and generally seem to have been rolled out for specials, sometimes double headed.  Mine will be needed on a more day to day basis.

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

Another of my locos is featured on Netflix - well, the real thing, 46512, restored and running on the Strathspey Railway.

 

46512 was an Oswestry 89A loco like the Dukedog mentioned above, but found its way too Scotland in preservation.  That's even further than the Dukedog on the Bluebell Railway.

 

The programme is an interesting one in that it recreates the training regimen that Churchill employed to train spies during WWII.  46512 is not exactly an accurate loco for the time as it had yet to be built.  It also carried its BR number when all the characters are portrayed in 1940s clothing and uniforms.  But, what the heck.

 

The model 46512 came from Larry Goddard's Oswestry project and he not only modified the front bogie but also finished it off in mixed traffic lined black.  It's a beauty.  The Ivatt 2MT was one of those locos you either liked or disliked.  It was, as far as I know,  never known as a "Mickey Mouse" when working for a living, at least not in the Cambrian area.

 

Paul

[coachmann]

Another of my locos is featured on Netflix - well, the real thing, 46512, restored and running on the Strathspey Railway.

 

46512 was an Oswestry 89A loco like the Dukedog mentioned above, but found its way too Scotland in preservation.  That's even further than the Dukedog on the Bluebell Railway.

 

The programme is an interesting one in that it recreates the training regimen that Churchill employed to train spies during WWII.  46512 is not exactly an accurate loco for the time as it had yet to be built.  It also carried its BR number when all the characters are portrayed in 1940s clothing and uniforms.  But, what the heck.

 

The model 46512 came from Larry Goddard's Oswestry project and he not only modified the front bogie but also finished it off in mixed traffic lined black.  It's a beauty.  The Ivatt 2MT was one of those locos you either liked or disliked.  It was, as far as I know,  never known as a "Mickey Mouse" when working for a living, at least not in the Cambrian area.

 

Paul

Glad you like the 2-6-0 Paul. 'Mickey Mouse' was generally reserved for the 2-6-2 Tank, at least in the areas I was familiar with..

[Focalplane]

The wiring is going ahead slowly.  I realized yesterday that I have no idea where the control panel for the points, signals and other electrical items is going to be located.  Ideally I would like it to be close to the signal box but that is also where I hope to build at least a span or two of the toll bridge.  This caused me to stop everything and think things through.  Every morning I go to the beach and swim, then drink coffee from my thermos while scanning my phone for the latest news, emails, etc.  All this while the sun* slowly rises from the eastern horizon.  It's a great time to think about what I might achieve in the day ahead.  This morning, though, I thought about the control panel and came up with a solution.  Until I get to the scenic stage, there won't be one.  All the wiring will be done but the individual controls will be located close to each point (there are no signals as yet).

 

Then, when I start on the scenic level I can decide where to position the control panel and re-wire the switches and add indicator lighting, etc.

 

It's important that all the hidden tracks are tested before the scenic modules are built and added on top.  If I know each point motor and control lever works, then the only worry will be running wires from the points/signals to the control panel.

 

So this afternoon I started to put the plan into action.  As a result, still no running of trains but with a few points wired up it should be possible to fully test the hidden tracks and rectify any problems before too long.

 

*Once again, that great big light bulb in the sky came to the rescue!

 

I noted that the temperature here was 32ºC this afternoon in the living room so I turned on the air conditioning in the railway room - now ticking over at 24ºC.  Perfect!

 

Paul

[O-Gauge-Phil]

I had the same thought, so I went down the dcc route. Two bolts and a couple of plugs and i can operate at the front or at an exhibition it’s off to the back. Would like mechanical linkage but life’s too short.

[Focalplane]

This evening I did some "spade work", soldering wires to the DCC Concepts lever sockets, then temporarily wired one point to see how it was going to be set up for the time being.  Without soldering the Tortoise connections it all worked fine and I ran some trains for fun.  No videos, too tired to focus (me, not the iPhone).  But I did notice that the sound deadening in the ex-home cinema has an interesting effect - when a loco is at the other end of the room it sounds like it is a good distance away.  This is what I was hoping for and it looks like the acoustics are going to work well.  The Ivatt 2MT mogul sounded particularly good.  It also slipped a bit on a 1:50 (maximum) incline with a B set in tow.  The 14XX had no problem with a single auto coach!

 

I am encouraged by today's decisions and experiments so I need to crack on and hopefully get a complete circuit wired.

 

Paul

[Focalplane]

Last evening the focus turned to the double slip that provides flexibility to the hidden trackwork.  I am beginning to think that two wyes would have been better as I have the extra space they would need.  However they would have introduced reverse curves.

 

My biggest problems, so far, have been screwing the Tortoise point motors under the track bases.  I have to admit that the basic problem is that I am not as flexible as I used to be.  It would have been better to have pre-installed the Tortoises and track on the track bases.  This is almost certainly what I will do with the scenic trackwork, but the hidden tracks are laid and I am not going to lift them now.

 

A few weeks ago I joined a recent thread (on the Gauge O Guild forum) on Peco double slip points and got some useful advice, including a PDF file that really helps (thank you, SimonD).  I do get a bit frustrated with the GOG forum as there are often more opinions than facts being shared and the main role of a forum is surely to help people learn how to do things?  That being said, the opinion-saturated threads can easily be avoided.  Membership of the Guild is definitely worth while and I would encourage any new Gauge O modeller to consider joining.

 

Back to the control panel design - I am letting the built in Tortoise switches work the frog polarities so that the switches on the Cobalt S levers can be used to drive panel lighting as well as other items (such as catch points, signals,etc.)  I think, but am far from sure, that this design will use less wire and be more logical when it comes to solving problems.

 

The weather is getting very warm and apart from my early morning swim I am staying indoors so more work on Penmaenpool should get done.  However, there is one diversion available - the Tour de France is in the Pyrenees and the Sky team are doing well, so while they toil away I can sit in front of a fan and watch them and the fantastic scenery!

 

Allez!  Paul