Hills of the North - The Last Great Project

[Barry O]

16 hours ago, philip-griffiths said:

Graham doesn’t use DCC,  but a CBUS system of detectors, CANINP and mimic outputs would do the job with two wires…..

He does use DCC..  Duette Command and Control.

 

Cheaper to use CANBUS out of Peugeot cars.. its an open real standard.. but he doesn't need it here..

 

Bas

Edited January 19 by Barry O

[Fishplate]

12 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

As already spotted by philip-griffiths above

 

Oops, missed that 🤪

[LNER4479]

9 hours ago, philip-griffiths said:

Graham doesn’t use DCC,  but a CBUS system of detectors, CANINP and mimic outputs would do the job with two wires…..

Nope, you lost me after the 'just two wires' bit ... 😵‍💫

[LNER4479]

This is more interesting ...

 

Curving a Code75 3-way point.

 

Actually quite easy. Peco have thoughtfully already provided a series of gaps in the webbing underneath so it's easy to induce a (gentle!) curve there. Just needs a few more nicks fore and aft and job done 👍

 

[Chamby]

On 18/01/2024 at 08:50, Tony Teague said:

How would that manage to show track occupancy?

 

8 hours ago, philip-griffiths said:

Graham doesn’t use DCC,  but a CBUS system of detectors, CANINP and mimic outputs would do the job with two wires…..

A straightforward DCC mimic display driven by point control would show route selection easily enough.  Of course as @philip-griffiths says occupancy does need additional detection but this can also be relayed up to the panel using mimic components.  The point I was trying to make is that you could do it all with just two wires up to the balcony.

 

Whether all the time, effort and investment in electrickery at either end of the two wires would be worth it, is another matter, of course!

[Tortuga]

2 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

This is more interesting ...

 

Curving a Code75 3-way point.

 

Actually quite easy. Peco have thoughtfully already provided a series of gaps in the webbing underneath so it's easy to induce a (gentle!) curve there. Just needs a few more nicks fore and aft and job done 👍

 

That’s lovely.

Will doing this decrease the radius at one side and increase it at the other?

[LNER4479]

15 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

That’s lovely.

Will doing this decrease the radius at one side and increase it at the other?

Yes - that's inevitable. However, the Code 75 3-way is a vastly superior item compared to its Code 100 equivalent - in fact, before someone else corrects me, it's not actually a 3-way per se; it's more correctly described as a tandem point. In Peco terms, it's a left hand and right hand medium radius point interlaced. I work on the basis of a med radius point being about 3.5ft, meaning that what I have done above steepens the left hand curve to about 3ft? Shouldn't cause a problem.

 

The primary purpose of what I've done here is to induce a shallow curve into the 'straight ahead' route, in order to maintain alignment at that part of the Upperby curve (approx 9ft at that point). What happens to the other radii is a consequence, not the driver. It'll make more sense once you see it in position.

[Bloodnok]

9 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

The primary purpose of what I've done here is to induce a shallow curve into the 'straight ahead' route, in order to maintain alignment at that part of the Upperby curve (approx 9ft at that point). What happens to the other radii is a consequence, not the driver. It'll make more sense once you see it in position.

Have you tried curving any of Peco's Bullhead range before?

[AdamOrmorod]

Looks like there's a bit of a kink on the "straight" route:

 

 

Will trains run okay over that?

[LNER4479]

It's exaggerated (taken on 2x telephoto). That's the point blade. I can induce a slight curve into it if needed but don't think it'll be be necessary - it's not like it's fine scale or anything (!)

[LNER4479]

16 hours ago, Bloodnok said:

Have you tried curving any of Peco's Bullhead range before?

Not yet, but I hope to tackle some soon. I'm not expecting it to be fundamentally different.

[LNER4479]

Meanwhile, how's 'e getting on with that Fairburn tank? C'mon, admit it - you forgot all about it, didn't you? 🥴

 

Well, anyway ... frames and driving wheels have been painted and wheels fitted, hopefully for keeps. There was a bit more involved than what might appear here, as there was a tight spot, which I eventually traced to a coupling rod bearing hole not being quite where it should be (despite having used the coupling rods as template for drilling wheel centres, Guy Williams style). Hole gingerly elongated, sliver of brass soldered in and hole re- drilled ... Success! Now perfectly free running. Took a bit of time but worth the effort, methinks?

 

Whilst I was on the chassis, treated myself to some valve gear work. Some of this uses the MRJ LMS Stainless steel etch.

 

Duly assembled. Radius rods set in forward gear; I like to see it all moving 🤗

 

Recent evenings have seen work switch to superstructure. First horror moment was the realisation that I hadn't built in the tapers to the rear bunker sides when I originally put this together, 35 years ago. Decided that I couldn't live with it so I cut down the fold, cleaned up and re-soldered, one side at a time.

 

That's better. With the mod. done, I can now solder in the missing bunker top pieces, which of course maintain the same taper angle, so it's not all simple 90 degree work.

 

That's looking better! As of 'knocking off' at 1am this morning(!) Spotted that the inset for the footstep is actually checker plate which I knew I had a little bit of in the scrap box.

 

Otherwise, the more I work on the loco, the more I realise how relatively 'green' I was all them years ago. It ain't ever going to win any prizes (other than a sympathy vote!) but it'll be good to get it finished at long last 🙂

Edited January 27 by LNER4479

[30368]

Lovely work on the valve gear/cylinders and smokebox saddle.

 

Kind regards,

 

30368

[gr.king]

On 19/01/2024 at 22:02, Bloodnok said:

Have you tried curving any of Peco's Bullhead range before?

 

On 20/01/2024 at 14:33, LNER4479 said:

Not yet, but I hope to tackle some soon. I'm not expecting it to be fundamentally different.

 

I've curved the bullhead large radius points, creating both (approximate equivalent) 9ft/3ft radius curved points and a Y. Simply not a problem. No need to cut the bases anywhere if the point is being fixed down to hold its shape. More extreme curving would result in the tie-bar becoming skewed so much as to bind against the adjacent timbers. I've also re-gapped and re-wired them to get "traditional" proper electrofrog, with long polarity-switched crossings and no scope for short circuits from flange-backs or wide treads. Additionally, I cut off the silly "bent timber" (and others) at the divergent end of the point to improve realism and allow closer spacing of parallel tracks. Some suitable methods are illustrated (by others, not me) in the Peco Bullhead topic on this very website, and probably elsewhere too .

Edited January 28 by gr.king

[LNER4479]

Another day, another set of points to install ... 

 

Actually, there's 3 evenings' work on show here. Cut (and curve) track to length; paint (spray); mark and cut square holes; install motors / switches; solder on wires (much easier than upside-down soldering).

 

And now the 'phew' moment. Focus for this work has been the 3-way (tandem) point which appeared recently. The two other leads off the point lead into the goods yard; the Y-point behind is the depot entrance point.

 

A quick 'push through' with these three coaches gives initial confidence that all should be OK in terms of alignment, following the gentle tweaking.

 

Beginning to look the part? This shows the sort of double track arrangement beyond the actual junctions. Top right is the depot EXIT point - also the way in / out of the carriage shed - the succession of crossovers heading towards the camera ensure light locos / stock moves gain the correct running line heading for the station.

 

Not quite 'job done' but all remaining pointwork is of the more straightforward shunting type. Questionable whether any of the closer-to-hand ones even need point motors for a home layout?

Edited January 28 by LNER4479

[ian]

10 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

Questionable whether any of the closer-to-hand ones even need point motors for a home layout?

As long as they are close to the hand of whoever is doing the shunting  then they'll be fine without.

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Questionable whether any of the closer-to-hand ones even need point motors for a home layout?

 

3 hours ago, ian said:

As long as they are close to the hand of whoever is doing the shunting  then they'll be fine without.

I suggest that if the points in question are part of the main line they should be motorised. Otherwise, eventually, someone will forget to flick them across.

Edited January 29 by St Enodoc

[LNER4479]

10 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

 

I suggest that if the points in question are part of the main line they should be motorised. Otherwise, eventually, someone will forget to flick them across.

Everything on the signalbox diagram will be motored and interlocked with signals etc. I was talking about shunting points only, outside the signalled area.

[46256]

A brief return to the Water Orton to Carlisle freights. I’ve yet to recover my books from storage. I have though a picture of Hornby 92167 about to commence the journey from my layout of Water Orton. I’m sad to say the layout has now gone pending said house move. The tender would have been filled quite a bit more than here though!

Edited January 31 by 46256

[LNER4479]

With so much to do, there's always something different to be done to keep the variety and interest going.

 

This, for example. A gap that's needed filling for the last six months, this is the continuation of the goods lines from Bog Junc (top left) into Dentonholme yard (bottom right).

 

A 6' x 2' piece of 9mm recently procured has been suitable marked, cut and just placed in position for now. As you can see, there's two parts to it. I'll come back to that.

 

Boards removed and structure being installed.

 

Leg added, boards fixed for keeps and corked.

 

And now with cork painted. This view taken specifically to show the new boards in relation to the other recent work. In the background is Upperby. The goods lines then follow the recently installed curve top left, through Bog Junc. and towards the camera to link up with the already constructed northern end of Dentonholme Goods Yard.

 

In some ways, it's a bit of a significant moment or at least a milestone - I now have the complete trackbed for the out and back route of a goods train via the WCML. As well, almost inadvertently (as it wasn't planned), a complete circuit into the bargain.

 

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. There's track needing laying and then getting it all wired up is going to slow me down a little ...

(Part 2 to follow - run out of space to upload any more photos on this post)

Edited February 2 by LNER4479

[LNER4479]

So, with the grey paint finally dry (24hrs in a cold chapel), here's what's going on:

 

Dentonholme yard includes a Goods Depot area. That's the furthest away of the new boards and it's on the level, as befits a depot, where wagons will be stabled. Meanwhile, in the foreground, the running lines drop down away from the yard towards Bog Junc.

 

I decided to end the cork in the Goods Depot as shown, leaving a funny little triangle shape. No need to fill every square inch with track?

 

Here's a likely track plan for the south end, based - as ever - on the prototype. The two locos are on what might be described as the yard through road. Behind them are the transfer sidings, where the trip workings will be handled. In front are the through lines - although, being goods lines, trains can be held here and shunted as necessary. Behind are the roads of the Goods Depot fanning out.

 

The shoe box marks where the goods shed will be. Two roads inside with a central loading area.

 

Bit of a Peco order needed methinks ...

[LNER4479]

Ooh - nearly forgot. It's not escaped my notice that the subject of this thread has been nominated in the 2023 awards, so thanks to those who nominated it for the shortlist.

 

It's only a bit of fun but feel free to click on the BRMA 2023 awards banner if you feel so moved 🤩 

[Michael Edge]

The nearer track did go right through Dentonholme goods shed so you could have a bit more in the space......

[LNER4479]

Thanks Mike. I am aware - propped up against the shoebox is a picture of that end of the shed (quite a popular viewpoint - is there a bridge at that point?) and I fully intend to have the nearest road running through as you describe and try and make something of that scene. Last night was just a rough plonk down of some lengths of tracks, principally focused on the configuration of pointwork I require.

[Michael Edge]

That photo is taken from Nelson bridge which is the continuation of Victoria viaduct at the north end of Citadel, the bridge also goes across the river here. We have a low relief version of that goods shed alongside a line which just disappears into the wall - we just have the through goods lines, no room for Dentonholme yard (the building  wasn't big enough....).