Upper Hembury, East Devon - a GWR / SR Branch line

[stevel]

15 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Very effective. I've noticed some dark skies appearing on layouts recently, I like the effect. The hills are also nicely done, I think sometimes painted hills are made too green, these are very subtle and convincing.

 

 

when i finally get around to building a layout, the intent is to model a frosty autumn day, with icy puddles, some leaves on the ground and dull skies.

[BWsTrains]

The Bridge

 

What was in a recent view a colour print from a stock photo has been turned into a model to fill the end of the layout area. It is a modest affair, just 5mm thick, the parapet width, made out of card and Scalescenes Coursed Rubble Printed Paper and suitable pieces from various curved lintels.

 

The coping was made from the ever useful 1.5mm EVA sheet with the stones press marked in the usual manner. The rest is a little painting of the underside and waterway. It's not really meant to be noticed or closely examined but just create a logical conclusion to the run of the main street as it crosses the river leaving the town.

 

 

Edited January 22 by BWsTrains

[BWsTrains]

Returning to my GWR Class 48xx, no 4869, the Youchoos sound install went perfectly. I used their smallest current Generation sound chip the MS 500. The gained space was amazing and early tests running with 950uF of Stay Alive most encouraging. The chip (3mm thick) sits easily over the motor.

 

I'll do more slow speed operation now that I have "Shunt Mode" operational to make sure that's enough SA storage, if so further tidying up in the cab space should be possible.

 

 

 

[BWsTrains]

Small Steps

 

Returning to the platform, one small unfinished task was the end ramps. I’ve made the entire platform and station approaches in five parts: the main platform and forecourt, the bay loading area, the lower main approach road and two end ramps. This being so when access is required (if ever!) it can be disassembled in an orderly manner.

 

The end ramps use my favoured technique of magnetic attachment as shown in this photo. Two small neodymium magnets on the end of the base and a thin angle strip of galv. steel on the ramp.

 

 

A recent discovery is how useful builders’ “Liquid Nails” (TM Selleys) can be, even on the smallest project. It sticks like the proverbial, has instant hold but remains flexible for up to an hour to allow minor realignments.

 

 

My trick for using this heavy-duty product on a very small scale is to add some turps to the top of the product in the tube, cap it off with a clean closed nozzle (a small screw will suffice if the nozzle end is open) and leave standing upright overnight. This softens the adhesive enough to allow application by toothpick in small amounts.  You can gently (ever so) advance the adhesive with a caulking gun if it’s too far down to reach.

 

The liquid nails was used on all joins in this build; fixing magnets to base, galv. to end timber and the edge pavers.

 

 

 

The centre inserts are made from the now standard of 2.5mm EVA foam with gypsum topping.

 

Edited January 25 by BWsTrains
remove duplication

[BWsTrains]

4869 Video

 

After some useful time spent working out the subtleties of iMovie to advantage, I assembled this video of Upper Hembury with the arrival / runaround of 4869, to demonstrate the recent Youchoos sound install.

 

 

Edited January 26 by BWsTrains

[sjrixon]

Nice running.. The youchoos 48xx is very similar to the Pannier - But then I guess it would be! 

[BWsTrains]

SR 182 - Adams O2 by EFE Bachmann

 

The route from Sidmouth Junction to Upper Hembury passed across the lower sections of the River Tale around Lower Hembury (below the Fort) which are level and tending to boggy so only the lightest engines had permissions on this SR Route. So for my operations we will see the Adams O2 along with the occasional Terrier co-opted in.

 

This present project has been rather long in the making; I bought the model early on in the life of UH once I'd decided on the Southern access route. It is a very "pretty" model in the DJM manner and consequently has many fine and fragile items all around. Similarly it has the excellent removable smoke-box door and DCC socket.

 

If I were starting from scratch and wanted Sound + a modest Stay Alive I'd go for the latest generation ZIMO which are tiny and have SA support up to 1000uF on board. These will easily fit in the boiler space without any drama.

 

As it happened my project was on an older Generation ZIMO (MX 648) with no onboard SA support. So, I had to follow the YouChoos guide to install, first removing the DCC socket and wiring direct. No need for photos, they're all in the install guide but given the fragile nature of the body-shell it's not for the fainthearted. The minor compensation was that I could add the firebox glow LED while the body was off. This is conveniently mounted on the cab rear panel projecting forward to its place (photo below). I later lowered the LED by shortening the leads to lessen the effect in the cab.

 

A video shows it going thru its paces.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 6 by BWsTrains
corrected Decoder type no.

[Tim Dubya]

Thrash that O2, thrash it!

[DLT]

Just been having a catchup, lovely stuff!

Thanks for sharing,

Dave.

[BWsTrains]

Checking everything Works!

 

I've had my fair share of helpful encouragement from @john dew to test everything thoroughly before gluing anything down and ballasting. These last two days, that sound advice has rewarded greatly!

 

First to Turnouts. I thought they'd had a good workout by Grandson James and issues resolved ( one frog polarity needing to be reversed) but when I started testing Uncouplers I immediately found a dead section thanks to a dry soldered joint. The British Finescale kits require the builder to solder together the switch/ stock rail pairs for 100% connectivity and one of these joins had failed on a very early build I'd completed.

 

First up recheck every one of my kit builds. All were sound electrically and I could see nothing but clean soldered connection to the rails. To test everything more thoroughly would involve pulling it all up, risking unplanned damage in the process. Hence, I contented myself with developing a repair plan should ever one of these joins fails in future. 

 

Next to Uncouplers

I have a mix of own built and the Kadee under-track (#308) devices installed, all have worked very well as has been shown in earlier videos but I wanted to do a thorough testing of the home built ones (the majority) for any unanticipated issues.

 

Uncoupling and delayed uncoupling all worked very well but then I hit a snag.

 

I'd always tested pulling forward with 3 or 4 wagons in tow and rarely hit a issue. The present testing regime was more thorough and after a few runs with a bigger load I discovered that a single wagon or van however well weighted would uncouple, even at speeds above those I'd use. I recalled reading here about damping an axle to prevent this and hence gave it a try.

 

The test was with the Parkside Beetle Prize Cattle Wagon, weighted to 65g. A strip of dense 10mm foam on a cardboard backing was cut into a 10mm strip and a small section inserted under one axle of the wagon.

 

 

There was no detectable increase in load on the loco (via Ammeter) but the effect at very slow speed (Speed step #5 of 128) was dramatic. No more stuttering but smooth running and not a sign of an inclination to uncouple. Mission accomplished. The video illustrates the results of the tests.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 10 by BWsTrains

[BWsTrains]

More Testing and Fitting

 

All the uncoupler installs have now been thoroughly tested and the remaining four fitted into the Creamery and Tannery sidings. As I've done more work on testing all my individual stock items I've become familiar with the best way to operate them and am very happy with how it's turned out.

 

As to individual freight wagons and vans, I've decided that the diverse PO and Big Four open wagons will mostly be "standalone" for now, i.e. I can shunt and mix any combination, minimum unit of one. That may change once I settle into running a full schedule of Ops but for now it leaves me more flexibility / challenges.

 

For Covered Wagons and Vans I've decided to pool these into designated groups of two or three to travel / shunt together # . This simplifies the task of providing damping to axles as a weighted rake weighing in at 100-150g should not give problems with unwanted uncoupling. It also saves on the fitting of Kadees to the insides of rakes. For now I can leave them with tension locks.

 

NPCCS of which there will be several, all will be standalone, the majority remain in their packs awaiting winter assembly, (which winter I'm not saying 😎)

 

I've got about another week's work of completing weighting, damping and checking Kadee installs before I can move back to work on the station precinct.

 

# ultimately these will comprise the unit modules in a card system for deciding Goods train compositions, as per Hintock Jct.

 

Colin

[BWsTrains]

Tannery Traffic

 

There are several reasons why modelling a Tannery on a Devon BLT layout seemed like an interesting idea.

1. A search of RMWeb and elsewhere did not come up with any Tanneries, unlike the multitude of Breweries, Cider Producers and the like.
2. Tanning was and remains an industry of importance in the region, there is a well known Tannery still operating at Colyton, north of Seaton, barely 15 miles SE of Upper Hembury. Devon had tanneries in many towns back in the day thanks to it's central role in Cattle rearing.

 

One other thing which appealed to me about having rail access is the large number of interesting materials both coming and going regarding leather production.

 

The present post covers two of these vehicles.

 

Chemicals play a central role in the tanning process and so an ICI Fleetwood Salt wagon would not be out of place, bringing sacks of salt, Caustic Soda and Soda Ash. Other covered wagons would be expected, carrying various salts, quicklime and of course large volumes and oak chips of hides for processing.

 

Tanning also produces much nasty chemical waste, and before the railway this was tediously hauled away up hill to the main road for removal. With a branch spur right to the door, waste removal by rail tanker was a great advance. Hence to wagon #2.

 

The ubiquitous Dapol rectangular oil tank wagon was ideal for repurposing to manage waste.  I had one set aside for WC&PR use which never came about so today has seen a rebranding to a local waste haulier logo. In time this will get a "healthy" coating of dried waste, but for now the logo must suffice.

 

Existing paintwork was softened with Microsol and carefully rubbed off with one of those cosmetic "tools" which are used for eye makeup. (carefully set aside from Japanese hotel stays)

 

Limited by my transfer supply, these came from the GWR Goods Wagon set with some creativity but no ampersand & available. A very fine touch -up paint brush or a carefully placed streak of stray waste perhaps to conceal the mismatch?

 

It looks ok at normal viewing distance; these two will be a coupled pair coming into UH then shunted down to the Tannery 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 4 by BWsTrains
Updated technical info.

[BWsTrains]

Some Signals

 

Long overdue, I dug out my two automated Dapol Starter signals; all the others on UH will be static but the station did deserve special treatment.

 

I've had these an embarrassingly long time, untested, which for me really is tempting fate! By good fortune they both work and my main challenge has been to find a suitable control point for them.

The thought of adding more complexity to the already busy main panel sent me off to find spare room on the adjacent traverser controller panel.

 

This done I checked about positioning the signals according to earlier helpful input which I'd received (see Planning File 18 July 2022). Some instinct hinted that I should check for minimum distancing from track and sure enough - with Autocar services operating from both platforms and given their protruding hand rails - it was a tight squeeze to maintain the minimum separation of 2' 3" to the signal (ladder). In the end they are both have been moved nearer the platform end than in the original plan (which in fairness to the contributors was qualitative!)

 

Here they are.

 

 

PS I know the white bands are too thin!

Edited March 4 by BWsTrains
PS

[BWsTrains]

The last couple of weeks has seen progress on a number of loose ends. These included, platform edging and retaining walls (Bay loading platform), much acrylic filler used to fill out the various levels all around the station precinct and some late fine tuning to uncoupler installs.

 

None of the above is particularly photo-worthy (yet) but I have now started on something more substantive, the Agricultural Merchant premises. Seen on a regular basis in the background, lurking as a cardboard cutout, now the build is happening.

 

There was no question about the design, my prototype resource is a lovely building and as I found when I drew it up from the photo, proportioned perfectly. So, what's to change?

 

Like the buildings along the North side of my layout they will be modelled in half relief as they back onto Stafford Hill, the road leading through town and out to the NE. A solid frame was cut from 6.5mm sq Powlonia craft wood, aided with some 3mm thick white softwood strips

 

 

A simple card support to carry the Slater's Dressed Stone sheet

 

 

 

And some windows cobbled together from the glazing remnants of The Metcalfe Double Engine shed and a couple of LCut loose frames. Nothing they had matched the dimensions for my build.

 

 

 

Once installed, you wouldn't know the difference (TBC.....)

Edited March 19 by BWsTrains
typos

[BWsTrains]

Moving ahead to assembly, the Slater's sheet was cut to size, remembering this time to allow for lintels before assembly!

 

 

Breaking with my usual routine of painting first (easier on cumbersome whole buildings) the half relief looked to be easier done later so panels glued down, roof sheet cut to size (almost!) 

 

 

 

Then the surface primed and given its first top coat in a very pale beige. I'll be saying some more about the building design later but note that the premises were constructed of the very finest Beer Stone a creamy, very light brown shade. 

Edited March 20 by BWsTrains

[BWsTrains]

Nearing completion, I got some very helpful advice on the brick painting to get gentle random variations in shade overall. This was the first cut.

 

 

Assembly gained momentum as the end came into sight. Windows and doors added, gutters and downpipes, the roof "tiled" with Scalescenes Red Tile sheet, and various other detailing elements added.

 

 

All the warts, missed painting etc become visible as soon as it gets up on the screen. I've a lot of making good to do on the paintwork and then a hoist to build and business name board to add.

 

Edited March 22 by BWsTrains

[Coloneluk46]

Hi

Having just rekindled my railway interest after 35+ years, I have been watching your progress with great interest for a couple of reasons.

 

Firstly your modelling of the ICI Fleetwood Salt wagon.  I started as an apprentice engineer at the Fleetwood Site in 1972 and having later transfered to the design office was responsible for the design of the last solution mining operations in the Preesall Brinefields.

We also designed a siding with loading facilities for liquid chlorine shipment to Barry, South Wales replacing the daily road tanker journeys.

Your wagon brought back many memories of that era.

 

The main reason for my contact is regarding your traverser which I would like to utilise on my developing layout.  Based on my mechanical background and small electronic knowledge, your solution is preferable to the audrino and programing route that baffles me!

However, having downloaded the Silicon Chip article/photos I have a few queries that hopefully you can answer.

1. The article states it uses the alternative Bipolar circuit layout that has 3off chips, but the photo shows 4off chips.  I assume the UDN2998w is the one with a heat sink near the linear drive, so what are the other 3off chips in a row at the bottom of the photo?

2. There is a relay to the left of the circuit board that doesn't appear on the circuit diagram?

3. Would it be possible to post a better picture of the circuit board to illustrate the components a little clearer.

 

Many thanks

David

[BWsTrains]

3 hours ago, Coloneluk46 said:

The main reason for my contact is regarding your traverser which I would like to utilise on my developing layout.  Based on my mechanical background and small electronic knowledge, your solution is preferable to the audrino and programing route that baffles me!

 

Hi David,

 

Thanks for your feedback and inquiry.

 

A very good friend, knowledgeable in these matters, designed and built the entire electrical assembly so I can't answer your technical questions. I will forward them to him for his input and will get back to you. The circuitry lies under the traverser tray but I got in there, it's a bit cluttered now by all the scenic breaks etc.

 

 

Colin 

Edited March 25 by BWsTrains
added photo

[Coloneluk46]

Thanks Colin

I look forward to your friends comments, but in the meantime thanks for the more detailed photo which will perhaps help me tracing the board compared to the circuit diagram.

Regards

David

[BWsTrains]

4 hours ago, Coloneluk46 said:

Thanks Colin

I look forward to your friends comments,

 

Graham replied to me as follows

 

"Your version is the result of the original design board. I originally designed it using the ULN2003 to drive the stepper motor coils, but then could see the advantage of using the UDN2998. So your board is able to drive with either design. The chips in line together are the CD4093, CD4017 and the redundant ULN2003. I forget the reason there is a relay, but the design will work without it. It may be intended to supply power to the drive, so that I didn't need a switch capable of higher loads."

 

Hopefully this helps

 

Colin

[Coloneluk46]

Hi Colin

Can I thank you and Graham for the speedy responce to my query.

Could I be a bit of a pain and ask if Graham could take a quick look at the attached circuit to confirm my understanding of the circuit for a NEMA 17 motor.

 

Thinking back to my days on the Fleetwood Site, in the summer a grimy old Class 37 used to parkup by our office for 5minutes before moving off to collect the power station oil train or the chlorine tankers.

This was quite an annoyance right next to our quiet office and I couldn't understand why he would park at that point.

I happened to be walking past this point one day and to my suprise saw the driver leaning out of the doorway scrumping plums off a tree on the banking.

The local kids had taken the lower branches but due to his elevated position he could reach the top branches.

All the drivers must have known about the tree as in season they all parked up for a few minutes before continuing to the sidings.

 

Thanks for your assistance.

David

[BWsTrains]

41 minutes ago, Coloneluk46 said:

Could I be a bit of a pain and ask if Graham could take a quick look

 

 

Will do, see my PM.

[BWsTrains]

While occupied finding suitable deigns for warehouse hoists (I now have a useful range) and planning some way to fabricate them, in the background I've been beavering away on the topic of yard dirt.

 

Given the non-availability here of Chinchilla Dust, the popular choice amongst those UK modellers who I've asked, I set about searching for alternates. My early preference was for finely sieved (<0.5mm) Gypsum, cheap and available. There are numerous posts about this some way back.

 

By mere chance another opportunity came knocking at my door and it seemed to hold even more promise. Our builder installed a new path recently and used flexible paving sand between the stone slabs. The flexibility comes from using a polymer rather than cement as this sets but retains some flex simply with moistening. I was left the bag to patch up gaps which inevitably appear after the initial install - ah! freebie (well not quite, the path, like everything, was not cheap). The attractions were twofold, it has a good shade, generic light dirt and a built-in adhesive.

 

 

In my case I figured that it'd be better to sprinkle onto a suitable wet surface rather than try to mist it afterwards. This shows the results of early trials where I used a 1:1 ratio of thick acrylic paint and water to both conceal the stark whiteness of the base materials and provide enough "stay" on the surfaces during application.

 

 

This corner has the yard dirt and has been detailed with flat relief cottages (representing the other side of the road. Next up will be adding the various items around the engine shed, coaling stage, ash, water tank etc. plus completion of the river bank corner.

 

Tree held in place with embedded Neo magnets in the foam board and a small steel washer glued on the base of the trunk.

 

 

Edited March 28 by BWsTrains
, + tree, cropped photo

[BWsTrains]

As recently mentioned on the British Finetrax topic I've hit a minor snag involving one of my earlier turnout installs. Last week I started getting a continuous short with no locos on the layout.

 

Connectivity throughout via the power bus and rail joiners left me no alternative to lifting out the most likely suspects to examine them, in the end useful as my technique improved greatly with experience and there was scope to improve my dropper connections and complete rail painting alongside searching out the culprit.

 

I did know that the insulation gaps I'd allowed between switch rails and frogs on early builds were a bit tight for comfort. A side consequence of introducing curved roads on the template and inexperience. 

 

Once fully isolated I could see that the turnout fully pinned down in its correct install position causes the switch rail to move too close to the frog. When released the flex in the base causes the base and rails to ever so slightly straighten removing the contact; we're talking very small movements but enough to be a problem.  

 

Problem solved by widening out the gaps. Not easy once everything soldered up and glued into chairs so I used a hand held Junior Eclipse saw blade giving me a gap of ~1mm.

Edited April 9 by BWsTrains

[BWsTrains]

More than a week has passed, lots of fascinating and demanding Bridge played, movies, some gardening, a long overdue visit to Traverser Graham and not much modelling to speak of.

 

I did come away from Graham's place with lots of goodies, mostly garden produce (thx) but also a Mark I prototype sensor to add to my traverser.  The issue is that visibility of the Traverser / layout boundary is highly restricted and a near miss over Christmas where a wagon was almost pulled apart because it was not fully one side or the other. Graham suggested that a detector could be set up to alert when the boundary is blocked.

 

Mark I

 

The definitive example of a prototype which highlights all the things you don't need! Partly my fault as I'd failed to remind Graham of the three track span involved. Then we didn't account for the sensor being triggered during every on/off movement. The built-in buzzer quickly told me that was a no no.

 

As per this from Wikipedia

 

 

Otherwise, Mark I showed promise. It uses an IR LED and a IR sensor from an old piece of hi-fi kit. Presently the LED is powered from the IC and has a very short range.

 

Mark II will be more powerful in order to span the 15cm gap. Also, it will have the sensor removed from the project board to facilitate placement in line with the gap.

 

The alert will be a Green LED which will flash whenever there is a blockage. This can be located in the structure where any flashing can catch my attention without being intrusive to normal viewing during normal traverser workings (I hope!). Alternatively, I might even run a line the 2m to the Traverser control panel where a blockage would alert by flashing in front of me.

 

In a further behind the scenes improvement, I've added in a power saving control so that all items plugged in to mains don't remain on if I forget to switch off at the wall panel. Our State Govt was running an energy saving initiative ages ago and were supplying these for free. I had a spare kicking around awaiting the proverbial rainy day, of which we've had a great many recently!