Lower Thames Yard

[Tallpaul69]

Good evening everyone,

I am pleased to tell you that earlier today I received the first of the estimates for the work to combine my two layouts.

 

The first thing to say is that it is within the budget I have for this project!

 

We are out tomorrow, so I will be busy over the weekend digesting the details and composing a list of queries- I can already see a couple.

 

Best regards

Paul 

[Tallpaul69]

'Evening All,

We got home earlier than anticipated this afternoon, so I have been able to move on with my review of the estimate I have received which, for ease, I will call estimate A:-

As suspected from initial reading of it, It is not clear whether all the items on my "Wants List" handed over when the builder visited, have been included. Some probably have, but there are others that do not readily fall into any of the items costed.

 

Originally I had worked on the basis of whoever does the job taking "Bradenham" away to work on, leaving me with "Wycombe End" and its existing fiddle yard (which will be replaced by a new fiddle yard board joining the two layouts) to keep me occupied. 

Both builders have suggested they would get a better running system by taking all the existing boards away, and this is ok with me.

 

There are other benefits in them having all the boards:- Firstly, it will be easier for them to equate the slightly different levels of the two layouts. Secondly they will be able to provide a set of backscenes to the whole system. Currently Wycombe End has a backscene that I like, but this is in a hardwood surround, so probably not easy to integrate on site with additional backscenes.

 

I will also be asking them to come up with a scheme for computerised controls with a Mimic Diagram on a large monitor screen, rather than their suggestion of a traditional Mimic with toggle switches. The traditional Mimic seems to me to be getting complex in my situation with the need to operate points, signals, and electric uncouplers for the Kadees.

 

Estimate A specifies a Heljan turntable. I was a little sceptical of this having in the back of my mind that I had read of layouts having troubles with this item. However some research suggests that it is ok provided it is not in a continuous track layout where 180 degree turns have proved to not quite line up!

 

More thoughts and updates anon, and if I am lucky, the first review of the second Estimate (Estimate C, there is no Estimate B!) 

 

Best regards

Paul

[Tallpaul69]

Good Afternoon fellow modellers,

 

This time yesterday, I was pretty miserable as it was beginning to look like there was no one able to meet my requirements for work on my layouts in a reasonable timescale:-

One builder was, after a postponed job was set back in play, talking about doing my jobs in two years time, and there was some doubt as to whether the other builder could do two important parts of the work.

However, a phone call from the second builder this morning sorted out a misunderstanding and while there is one item he cannot do, in fact, what he can't do is in the "nice to have" rather than the "vital to have" category!

 

So we are on the road again. Admittedly even he is now talking about April to do the jobs, but I can live with that.

So we have talked through my query email that I sent him over the weekend, agreed what he had included and not included and confirmed he will send me costings for the additions later this week.

Meanwhile, there a a few things on the layouts I need to photo and forward to him. 

 

This weekend is a 12 inch to the foot steam weekend (weather permitting!).

On Saturday I will be going to the village of Turvey, just outside Bedford to the Bedfordshire Steam Preservation Club annual rally. There I will enjoy the sights and sounds of over 100 Traction Engines, Steam Lorries, and the like.

Sunday is the Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway annual rally, with all of their locos on the go, and an intensive (for this line!) timetable. 

 

Meanwhile, I wish you all a successful weekend whatever your liking in transport, be it Full Size, or model, steam, Diesel, or other means of propulsion. 

Best regards

Paul

[Tallpaul69]

Good Evening Everyone,

Apologies for the "radio silence", things have been a bit busy over the last 10 days or so!

 

It's time, I think, to take stock:-

Discussions are moving forward on the integration of my two layouts:-

I have a number of things that I need to provide the potential builders with information on, while they need to cost some items they have not yet detailed.

 

I have been in touch with Rapido in Canada as they market an electric Kadee uncoupler, which seems to be smaller than Kadee's own product which is a tight fit in some of my locations. Rapido in the UK say they cannot supply it , although they do supply some Canadian products.

 

Meanwhile, my 15xx has arrived, as has my first Accurascale class 37.

I need to get them tested, and I also have other recent arrivals to check out. These include class 15, and class 16 diesels, both DCC but without sound. It seems that in the 1960s class 15s visited High Wycombe substituting for 31s on a return run of a timber train which supplied timber to the yard at Marlow. The inward route was via Maidenhead.

Awaited and due any day is a sound fitted version of the EWS Management Train, to replace my DC version, which will be going into the "sale" pile! This purchase worked out cheaper than sound fitting my existing set.

 

This week I have also been catching up on jobs delayed while I was out and about from Friday through Sunday. These trips were most enjoyable, so I mustn't grumble!

 

Some layout and trip pics next time.

 

Cheers for now,

Paul

 

 

[Tallpaul69]

Testing, testing 123....

Yes, you are right, I have, as predicted in my last post been busy testing new locos!

 

So far I have tested my 15xx steamer and the class 15, and class 16 diesels. First on the test track, then on Bradenham.

The 15xx, thank goodness, is first class! No wobbles, no glue spots, and no loose or missing livery items or parts!

If I was picky, I would say the smokebox door, or the front numberplate is a few degrees off horizontal, but I can live with that!

I will probably fine tune the CVs to enhance the sound and acceleration, but I will wait until after it has run with a tail load.

 

The class 15 and the class 16 run well, but I notice the silence, so I will be looking at swapping the chips to sound versions. Simplest might be to fit TTS from class 20s. If I cant find loose chips, I might buy two sound 20s and swap the sound and non sound chips over before moving them on. I think I have enough sound fitted 20s not to need any non sound ones. However, I need to research the engines in these classes.

 

The EWS management train has arrived, so I have that and my Accurascale 37 still to test. On the horizon is my Manor, due at the end of the month.

 

 Cheers for now,

Paul

[Tallpaul69]

Afternoon All,

In my last post i speculated on sound for my newly acquired class 15 and class 16 diesels.

It turns out that they both had Paxman engines, so probably sounded different to the class 20 English Electric engine. 

 

I have also found that DC Kits do sound files for both, but Is it worth £232 plus fitting to get accurate sounds in locos that will not run every day?  This little project is on the pending pile!

 

A more immediate concern is to solve the Kadee uncoupling on the main line problem, where I don't see permanent magnets working ! .

The easy solution is to say "fit electromagnets"!

Yes I know that!

However, the two contenders I know about, one from Kadee themselves, and the other made by Rapido in Canada but stocked by Rails, both have their downsides:-

The Kadee version has a large casing hanging down below the uncoupler,

and

The Rapido version requires a 1and 3/4 inch circular hole below the track, but does not hang down very far.

Neither seem easy to retrofit, as is the case on my layout.  

I might buy one of each and have a play?

 

It is a while since I put up any photos, so here are a few of my yet to be installed signals. An update on the NG with shots from the Annual running day  last weekend, will have to wait as I realise they are still on my phone! 

 

 

 

Happy modelling to you all,

Cheers,

Paul

 

[Tallpaul69]

So here we are in October, but at least the weather (in  sunny Bedfordshire), is pretty good.

 

Discussions continue with two layout builders but one is fast becoming the preferred vendor.

I have been researching the upcoming Hornby  78xxx's real lives, as i like the look of the model. After getting some interesting info on the use of 78xxx 2-6-0s from a RM thread I started on their use on the GW&GC it seems one may well go on my buy list.

I think it is going to be a job for TMC or others, to weather it, change its number to 78038, and fit a sound decoder. This loco arrived at Willesden  in May 63, but as I am using rule 1 to get it to the High Wycombe area, I might as well go the whole hog and backdate its arrival to mid 62!

After seeing a photo of 78029 near Acton Power Station, I did consider that as my loco's identity, until I discovered that one got to Willesden later in 63 and after a few months at Watford!

 

More news soon!

Cheers

Paul

 

 

 

 

[Tallpaul69]

October continues its "Indian Summer" here.

My latest project is to investigate the potential of the DCC Concepts  ESP Ψ Aegis 5 Amp Wireless System for PowerCab. I will need some items to integrate the  separate PowerCab systems on the two layouts, so this might be the way forward.

At £500 it sounds expensive, but I like the idea of going "Wireless" but retaining the Powercab.

 

I have started a tread on the subject in the DCC controls section here on RMWeb, but the only reply so far has been someone moaning about the price!.

Hopefully I can talk to DCC about the system at the Great Electric Show in a couple of weeks.

 

Meanwhile Kadee coupling fitting to rolling stock continues....

 

Happy Modelling!

Paul

[Tallpaul69]

It looks like the good weather is set to last until the weekend, tomorrow excepted!

 

So I should be able to get to and from the Great Electric Show without getting wet.

Hopefully this visit will help me decide the way forward on converting my layout controls to wireless operation.

 

I started on the premise that the best way forward would be the DCC's newly announced wireless equipment designed to work with the NCE PowerCab.  However, I was not too enthusiastic about the large "lump" of kit that would hang off my PowerCab handset.

 

Respondents to my threads on the subject suggested that there were better options available. 

 

One of those receiving most enthusiasm was the Roco Z21. I was already aware of this system, so I have been investigating it further. It seems to be a more versatile system and its ability to work with an iPhone or iPad is attractive, but the need too manipulate a larger item than the normal handset in the limited space within my layout operating area could be a problem.

 

Another system which drew favourable comments was the TCS UWT 50E, which is a wireless handset that works with the NCE infrastructure using a router that plugs into the NCE panel instead of the PowerCab. 

 

I will update you further after some conversations with sellers at the Great Electric Show on Saturday. 

 

Cheers for now,

Paul

[5BarVT]

On 21/09/2023 at 18:54, Tallpaul69 said:

I have been in touch with Rapido in Canada as they market an electric Kadee uncoupler, which seems to be smaller than Kadee's own product which is a tight fit in some of my locations. Rapido in the UK say they cannot supply it , although they do supply some Canadian products.

If you mean the Rail Crew on-off uncoupler, I watched one being used at the Stafford exhibition and was sufficiently impressed to want to try one.  Rails of Sheffield stock it.

Paul.

[Nick Gough]

On 12/10/2023 at 18:59, Tallpaul69 said:

It looks like the good weather is set to last until the weekend, tomorrow excepted!

 

So I should be able to get to and from the Great Electric Show without getting wet.

Hopefully this visit will help me decide the way forward on converting my layout controls to wireless operation.

 

I started on the premise that the best way forward would be the DCC's newly announced wireless equipment designed to work with the NCE PowerCab.  However, I was not too enthusiastic about the large "lump" of kit that would hang off my PowerCab handset.

 

Respondents to my threads on the subject suggested that there were better options available. 

 

One of those receiving most enthusiasm was the Roco Z21. I was already aware of this system, so I have been investigating it further. It seems to be a more versatile system and its ability to work with an iPhone or iPad is attractive, but the need too manipulate a larger item than the normal handset in the limited space within my layout operating area could be a problem.

 

Another system which drew favourable comments was the TCS UWT 50E, which is a wireless handset that works with the NCE infrastructure using a router that plugs into the NCE panel instead of the PowerCab. 

 

I will update you further after some conversations with sellers at the Great Electric Show on Saturday. 

 

Cheers for now,

Paul

Hope you had a good day at GETS, Paul.

I'm not able to get there this year due to another commitment.

[Tallpaul69]

12 minutes ago, Nick Gough said:

Hope you had a good day at GETS, Paul.

I'm not able to get there this year due to another commitment.

Hi Nick,

Yes, it was a good, if tiring day!

The date being shared with a football match at the stadium had a few consequences, especially for those coming by road today. 

However, the only effect on myself was that the buses home were a bit disrupted, but my theory is that this was more due to a bus breaking down than the football traffic, although I was heading home before the start of the match so the crowd was still arriving!

 

More on my visit and where I am on the layout controls tomorrow after I have got my thoughts together.

 

Cheers

Paul 

[5BarVT]

4 hours ago, Tallpaul69 said:

More on my visit and where I am on the layout controls tomorrow after I have got my thoughts together.

Hope you aren’t suffering too much brain overload!

Paul.

[Tallpaul69]

16 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

Hope you aren’t suffering too much brain overload!

Paul.

Thankfully not ,Paul!

If anything, GETS was not as immediately productive as I had hoped. I had forgotten how crowded it is after the first hour, so having  conversations was not that easy.

So last night i went through the show program listing the layouts and sales stands that i need to investigate further. A number of the layouts, perhaps unsurprisingly, have featured in the Hornby Magazine , and helpfully the program lists the issue number they were in.

 

I was particularly disappointed on a couple of counts. Firstly, the number of layouts using "Wifi" was small and secondly, more specifically, the DCC Concepts stand was tiny and rubbish compared with ones they have had in the past at Ally Pally, for instance. They had no prototypes of the wifi  on view, all they had was a A4 sized bit of sales bumf and a board asking the visitors if they were ready for Aegis, to which I felt like saying :- "More than you seem to be!"

 

However, an amusing story on the Wifi front was to do with the biggest user of Wifi which was the combined three "Making Tracks" layouts. Given they stretched the length of the hall at 156 feet, its use is not surprising. 

Anyway, as soon as the doors opened to advance ticket holders, the Making Tracks setup came to an abrupt halt! Pete Waterman said later that they thought what happened was that as the initial surge of visitors came through the doors, their phones all tried to latch on to the Making Tracks network and crashed it!

 

As I don't anticipate many visitors to my layout, I don't think this need be a concern to me in going "Wifi"! Hopefully my railway room is too far from the road to be troubled by pedestrians or motorists phones.

 

More on wifi  anon after I have done some more investigating.

Take care All,

Paul

 

[5BarVT]

45 minutes ago, Tallpaul69 said:

However, an amusing story on the Wifi front was to do with the biggest user of Wifi which was the combined three "Making Tracks" layouts. Given they stretched the length of the hall at 156 feet, its use is not surprising. 

Anyway, as soon as the doors opened to advance ticket holders, the Making Tracks setup came to an abrupt halt! Pete Waterman said later that they thought what happened was that as the initial surge of visitors came through the doors, their phones all tried to latch on to the Making Tracks network and crashed it!

The Digitrax LNWI can have a password added.  WFRM enable that simply to stop phones auto connecting and doing exactly as stated.  I’m surprised that Making Tracks hadn’t already discovered the problem in Chester Cathedral.

 

As ever, something to be aware of so that you can prevent it being a problem should you go down that route.

 

Paul.

[Tallpaul69]

Just now, 5BarVT said:

The Digitrax LNWI can have a password added.  WFRM enable that simply to stop phones auto connecting and doing exactly as stated.  I’m surprised that Making Tracks hadn’t already discovered the problem in Chester Cathedral.

 

As ever, something to be aware of so that you can prevent it being a problem should you go down that route.

 

Paul.

I wondered about how they got on at Chester, and concluded that the visitors there were probably more of a trickle than the "Flood" you get when doors open at a big exhibition!

[Nick Gough]

1 hour ago, Tallpaul69 said:

I wondered about how they got on at Chester, and concluded that the visitors there were probably more of a trickle than the "Flood" you get when doors open at a big exhibition!

I bet there weren't many rucksack either!

[5BarVT]

3 hours ago, Nick Gough said:

I bet there weren't many rucksack either!

To say nothing of the aroma!

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, 5BarVT said:

To say nothing of the aroma!

Incense?

[Tallpaul69]

Hi Everyone,

Not wishing to be incensitive, and recognising that RMWeb, is a model of a broad church(!), I think it time to drag the conversation back to the subject of control systems:-

 

My current thinking is that if the Roco (in multiple(!)), is good enough for Pete Waterman, then it's good enough for me, although the thought on  passwords warrants investigation.

However, I still have some layouts to investigate, so this is just where I am at at the moment.

 

So....................Watch this space!

Cheers for now

Paul  

[Tallpaul69]

Good Afternoon one and all,

Not much going on  modelling wise at the moment and its likely to be that way for the next couple of weeks with a number of family things going on.

 

The Roco Z21 is still my favourite to replace the NCE and go to wireless operation, but no final decisions yet made.

 

I have been looking at the possibility of including a limited amount of automation.

The idea is just to allow some automated running while I am shunting or while I do scenic work.

 

I had already planned in the above situation to run  one train up and one train down while I did other things. However I realised that  with the planned introduction of a third down track into the continuous run's fiddle yard, there was potential to run three trins up and three down in sequence, rather than a single up and single down train going round and round, giving greater realism.  

 

So I have started a new thread called "Can I automate my fiddle yard?"in the "computer" section of RMWeb, which has produced some useful input.

I am currently waiting for Iain (WIMorrison) to produce a version of my track plan showing a suggested set of sections for current monitoring round the layout, which will provide data to run the automation. 

 

I hope everyone is progressing with there layouts, certainly things look good with the layout threads I monitor!

Best regards

Paul

[Tallpaul69]

I hope everyone is ready for Halloween?

On the modelling front I am just starting to get to grips with iTrajn software, which seems from responses on my fiddle yard automation thread to be the most recommended for model railway automation.

However, to get to understand this screen I have a course of 30+ videos on Youtube, each 15-20 minutes long to plough through!

So far, I have looked at the first two and already I have concerns:-

 

I had been looking to use a handheld Mini computer as my interface with iTrain, but the amount of information on the display suggests I need to use a laptop with a largish screen, which, in itself, is not a problem, it is just that I don't have anywhere handy in my Railway Room to position such a big screen without masking a chunk of the railway. And it is not just a screen, I need to be able to use the computer, so I can't put it on the wall.

 

Secondly, the second video suggests i have to input details of every item of rollingstock on the layout as well as details of the engines, signals, every length of track and point, never mind uncouplers and anything else  attached to the railway.

 

I am hoping that further into the videos I will find that for my limited use some data is not necessary and that there are shortcuts to all this data entry.

I will keep you updated on how I get on.

 

But meanwhile, don't forget to put your clocks back Saturday night (in the UK that is)!

Cheers for now,

Paul

[5BarVT]

16 hours ago, Tallpaul69 said:

I had been looking to use a handheld Mini computer as my interface with iTrain, but the amount of information on the display suggests I need to use a laptop with a largish screen, which, in itself, is not a problem, it is just that I don't have anywhere handy in my Railway Room to position such a big screen without masking a chunk of the railway. And it is not just a screen, I need to be able to use the computer, so I can't put it on the wall.

I am struggling with that a bit and there are some ways round it.

You mention using the wall - you could fit a monitor of a suitable size to the wall and have the laptop where you only need to see the keyboard, or if that still doesn’t work, use a wifi keyboard and mouse.

Paul.

[Tallpaul69]

On 28/10/2023 at 08:46, 5BarVT said:

I am struggling with that a bit and there are some ways round it.

You mention using the wall - you could fit a monitor of a suitable size to the wall and have the laptop where you only need to see the keyboard, or if that still doesn’t work, use a wifi keyboard and mouse.

Paul.

Thanks Paul, some good thoughts there.

And many thanks also for the plans you have been doing, which, I need to explain to the rest of the readers, put onto one schematic plan my three plans, Bradenham (the continuous run), Wycombe End, (the terminal layout) , and "New Board 2" (the new, yet to be made, board linking the other two).

 

This update is just a quick one as we have family staying this weekend and so I will not get an opportunity to post much else until sometime next week.

Progress on the possible automation of one set of six trains to run while I manually perform other tasks has been slow, although I am hopeful that Paul (5BarVT)' involvement will get things moving.

 

I had hoped my 7810 Manor would show this week, but as of yesterday my order at Rails was still outstanding. However, Accurascale's posting on the Manor thread to the effect that all Model Shop orders and individual orders would despatch this week, leads  me to hope I might see it by the end of next week! This of course depends on Rails turn round time!

 

From my point of view, another underwhelming list this week of new models from Bachmann, but maybe there will be a bumper issue for the New Year.

 

Cheers for now,

Paul 

[Tallpaul69]

Hello everyone,

Our house is slowly returning to normal after the weekend Family Invasion, so I can pen a quick update!

It was a great weekend, and everyone enjoyed themselves.

 

T'other Paul has posted onto my Automation thread a suggestion for automating the section of the layout that I want to run on its own while I do other things, but the iTrain community, have yet to respond. iTrain being my favoured software.

 

So  I am thinking of Train controller which Paul uses as an alternative although it costs more.

 

Watch this space, updates to follow (I hope!).

 

Cheers for now,

Paul