RMweb Gold ian Posted September 15, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted September 15, 2022 (edited) Down in the corner something stirs! Initially the fiddle yard entry was a double track 'Minories' style layout but in order to simplify everything and reduce the potential for a rapidly descending train to form too close an alliance with an ascending one the pointwork has been simplified so that only one train can be crossing it at once. Edited September 15, 2022 by ian 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody C Posted September 15, 2022 Share Posted September 15, 2022 I have to admire your skills, abilities and talent with this Ian. The only helix I have ever been able to create is with Spirograph and even that was questionable! Would I be right in assuming that considerable time is taken up at the moment in running the nuts down all those threaded rods or have you devised a cunning way to speed up the process? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted September 15, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted September 15, 2022 42 minutes ago, Woody C said: Would I be right in assuming that considerable time is taken up at the moment in running the nuts down all those threaded rods or have you devised a cunning way to speed up the process? Playing music with a rapid beat helps a lot... 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted September 15, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 15, 2022 57 minutes ago, ian said: Playing music with a rapid beat helps a lot... Great song and singer. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody C Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 14 hours ago, ian said: Playing music with a rapid beat helps a lot. Great choice Ian! I do have the single for those who remember such things with a brilliant cover on the B side of Going down to Liverpool I did wonder with your layouts location in Morton Towers as to whether you would be a garage music fan? However I digress from the Woody suggested, nut turning and helix building, playlist to excite and energise! May I suggest, if not already on your music media playing device of choice the following::- 1. Turn, turn, turn The Byrd's 2. Turn it on again, Genesis 3. Here I go again Whitesnake for those times it all gets too much and the nuts just get stuck 4 Twist and Shout The Beatles for that moment you think that all the nuts are done and then you spot one more 5. Don't you forget about me Simple Minds and for the point at which the first train goes down the helix 6. Running down that hill Kate Bush Lastly a suggested theme song for the layout 7. I built it one piece at a time Jonny Cash Right, back to my gig! TTFN Pop Pickers! 1 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted September 17, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted September 17, 2022 The track for the hidden sidings is down. Time to test and wire - the whole area needs to be commissioned before the helix starts on its ascent to the stars. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted October 2, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 2, 2022 Willkommen in Bremburg The hidden sidings are now complete. From left to right there are three sidings for push-pull/multiple unit trains, the nominal arrival line and the nominal departure line. Most trains will be assembled on the righthand track (nearest the operator) and then sent off to climb the helix. On their return they will run onto the second track in and be returned to store. I had contenplated cassettes but with the move to more realistic operation of the main line the trains will now have varying formations. Why Bremburg? Well, the yard represents both the main line to Bremen and the one to Hamburg. The yard throat showing the clearance between levels on the helix. A while back I decided that having the catenary powered was an unnecessary complication. I did put it in place along part of the hidden sidings leaving the areas for adding and removing trains free but as I worked up the helix I realised that it was just storing up possible problems for the future. Off scene pantograohs will be fully extended and where the hidden line emerges into the modelled scene there will be wires that guide them back down to running height. Getting the gradient consistent on the first turn of the helix is crucial and somewhat fiddly - but once it is just so the other turns can go in quickly as they will use it as their datum. 8 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted October 6, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 6, 2022 It;s alive! 5 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted October 16, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 16, 2022 Going up! The left hand side of the helix has reached the junctions with the marshalling yard level. The harbour branch line along the back of the helix has had its temporary supports removed so that it can be aligned with the junction. This all takes place 12" below baseboard level at Neustadt. 5 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted October 21, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 21, 2022 The board carrying the tracks to the marshalling yard has been cut to size and test fitted so that the harbour branch can be fixed in its final position. The goods train is on the harbour branch, the middle line is for trains running to and from the hidden sidings and the right hand line for trains on the helix to or from the next level (Maifeld). (Note to self: I must replace the cover on that trunking,) Not having catenary on the helix has the benefit of better access to the harbour branch in case of problems. I won't say access is easy but with the overhead wires in place it would be a lot harder. 9 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted October 21, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 21, 2022 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted October 21, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 21, 2022 5 hours ago, Northroader said: Ah, you must have seen my design sketches... 2 1 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody C Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Through squinting eyes the photos almost look like a scene from Spaghetti Junction. Most impressive! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted October 22, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 22, 2022 12 hours ago, Woody C said: Through squinting eyes the photos almost look like a scene from Spaghetti Junction. Most impressive! Let me zoom out a bit... 1 1 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody C Posted October 22, 2022 Share Posted October 22, 2022 Amazing what Marklin allows you to build in the comfort of your home or man cave and all recorded on the internet for our enjoyment! And talking of the internet how would we ever remember gems like this song by Friday Brown from 1971 entitled Spaghetti Junction! I just cannot understand why this was never a top 40 hit......... 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted October 31, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 31, 2022 Some framing has been added to the helix that will, in due course, support some scenery. What do the residents of the Ercallverse make of it all I wonder? "So Hans, do you STILL believe in Geology?" "I rather believe that I would prefer that there were some guardrails." 3 1 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted November 10, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 10, 2022 With the last section of helix in place the track has been temporarily laid on the top circuit. One matter of concern was to find out if a train stopped at the site of the Neustadt entry signal (between the van and the first Shell tank) would be able to restart. Three guinea pigs were tried: the four-car TEE RAm set, a BR 216 propelling 3 Silberlinge coaches and a BR 44 on eight goods wagoons. All managed it without a problem. The tests did indicate that it would be good to add some extra power feeds on the climb. The controller has to be set high and voltage drop does cause some slowing down as the loco gets further from the existing feeds so an extra three will be fitted on both the up and down lines to alleviate the problem. Onwards and upwards! 7 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted November 21, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 21, 2022 The helix is now operational - a video should follow shortly. And just to make sure too many trains don't get run there is a major outbreak of 'Ooh nasty' at the west end of Neustadt. 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted November 22, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 22, 2022 A ten-minute job - or maybe not. So a quick job adjusting the couplings on a few items that had been reluctant to play nicely with the other stock. Step 1 - check against the coupling height gauge and tweak accordingly by bending to suit. Step 2 - couple up to the system 'standard' wagon that is kept for the purpose and not used in traffic. What could be easier? The E44 was a bargain eBay purchase a few years ago and whilst it doesn't really fit in the scheme of things is a good performer and adds a bit of variety to the loco fleet. The Shell tanker was an original cast member from the childhood layout. The couplers have been mauled and twisted over time and for the past few years it has eschewed a coupler spring for an elastic band. So, in a fit of compassion, a new coupler spring was fitted and the couplers adjusted. Sadly after decades of use and adjustment the bent metal of the coupler can sometimes fracture and break - which one of them did. The good news is that most of this type of part is available as spares. Even better was that I had some in stock along with suitable cotter pins to secure them in place. (The coupler on the left is the brand new one - ready for another half-century of service.) The E44 joined in the fun. Believe it or the appropriate spare is available from a US vendor - but by the time it got to me would have cost about fifty pounds - more than I paid for the loco in the first place. This sort turn up regularly on eBay in tired or spares and repair form so I shall bide my time and wait for a suitable donor to appear - after all, the coupler at the other end is fine and it isn't called on to shunt so why worry? 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted November 23, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 23, 2022 There were a number of things that needed to be done so it seemed best to do them all in one hit. The catenary was removed, the wires disconnected and the track lifted so that some ballast paper could be laid under the bridge and along part of the (not yet) hidden track so that it appeared that the scenics continue beyond the bridge. The track was relaid an a number of now redundant contact tracks were removed and some short lengths were combined and replaced with longer ones. Some blown bulbs were replaced (although I did bottle out of one - in the shunt signal which was just too much faffing about). Finally the catenary was reinstated and as it no longer needs to be powered some simplifications and longer spans were possible. The wires we reattached and everything was tested. And corrected. All good and ready to go. Now, about that video I promised... The video was supposed to include a cab ride, but whilst the video is on the camera no other device is currently willing to read either the camera or its memory card! 4 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody C Posted November 23, 2022 Share Posted November 23, 2022 Unusually for me I will keep it short - Awesome! 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted November 24, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 24, 2022 12 hours ago, Woody C said: Unusually for me I will keep it short - Awesome! Thanks. It is quite something isn't it. It is quite hypnotic watching trains climb or descend it. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody C Posted November 24, 2022 Share Posted November 24, 2022 Sorry Ian. What did you say? I was too engrossed watching the trains! 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody C Posted November 28, 2022 Share Posted November 28, 2022 This video came up as a YouTube suggestion. I don't normally watch these but this one intrigued me so I did! If you do watch it and want to see the main model railway bit it starts at around 18 minutes in but the strangest bit is at about 23 minutes in the cellar. Looks as though someone was trying to build a helix but not with your craftsmanship Ian. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted November 29, 2022 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 29, 2022 @Woody C I can see it all - our heroic modeller labouring away at his basement mega-helix, the fiddle yard to end all fiddle yards, when he gets stuck. His cries for help are unheard and his frantic attempts to free himself to no avail. He dies slowly and is then eaten by his cat. 2 1 1 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now