My journey in TT:120 begins

[gc4946]

Tonight I laid a temporary oval circuit of my recently acquired Tillig train set, with track of 310 mm radius, on two of my B&M coffee tables (90 cm square in total) 

I commandeered a Gaugemaster controller instead of the supplied Tillig unit because I didn't have a spare adaptor for Tillig's transformer which has a 2-pin plug.

The Traxx loco ran quietly, superbly and slowly with working directional head/tail lights. 

I bought two extra 83 mm Tillig track pieces from Golden Valley Hobbies.

Another parallel circuit of oval track with 353 mm radii is on order.

My plan is to build a modular double track circuit, initially as a test track, no name has yet been decided.

Edited November 17, 2022 by gc4946

[Gary704]

That looks better than I thought it would. The track looks good, certainly better than Hornby images I’ve seen. Certainly promising. Good size too!

[gc4946]

I live in a small flat and the 90 cm square setup just fits in my living room, albeit will have to be moved if more than one person is present. 

The tables were brought from my spare room and I'm working on plans so that a layout can be set up and put away after a running session within minutes.

 

Over the years I've preferred pre-ballasted track in N and OO.

I was pleased that Tillig offers that option in TT.

Although costing more, It means I don't have to spend hours ballasting and can reuse track on future projects.

 

 

[NCB]

I've some of that track. What I've never worked out is how the power leads are supposed to be connected.

[gc4946]

1 hour ago, NCB said:

I've some of that track. What I've never worked out is how the power leads are supposed to be connected.

My set has a straight track section containing a suppressor that also has a pair of railjoiners with contact strips which you plug the wires from the controller. I cut a small aperture to let the wires out from the side of the ballasted base.

[gc4946]

My one and only (approximately?) 1:120 scale vehicle.

 

This Enviro 400 bus was bought as a cut-price souvenir after the London 2012 Olympics finished.

I got rid of my old Matchbox vehicles years ago, some may have been modelled at or near to 1:120 scale but have no idea which ones they were.

[gc4946]

This is my modular solution.

 

Tracks on 3mm thick styrene modules which are capable of expansion. 

They are intended for a table top or other large flat, even, smooth surface.

Corners are 388 mm square with cutouts. 

Straight tracks are 83 x 194 mm and 166 x 140 mm.

 

I've provided for an additional track outside this oval but will first test this circuit.

Track lightly glued down but allowing for adjustments if required.

The centre of this oval will have separate scenic modules. 

Modules can be dismantled and put away after use.

[gc4946]

Today a half circle of 353 mm radii pieces arrived by post, I'm still waiting for the remainder from two German suppliers.

However, the 90 cm square layout will be a pilot concept.

It'll won't be 100% British, I'm going for carefully selected West German prototypes until Hornby and other manufacturers start bringing out more RTR British models and accessories.

Incidentally my last post featured a secondhand Tillig V200 (later BR 221) which I'm OK with that because the Warships were derived from that loco.

 

[Porfuera]

Hi,

 

I'm enjoying your thread here - it is very interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.

 

I have been thinking about buying one of the Tillig Trax starter sets - could you let me know whether the Traxx loco has traction tyres fitted?

 

I've never had a loco that is fitted with them but from what I've read they seem to be quite popular on continental models.

 

Cheers, Neil.

[gc4946]

1 hour ago, Porfuera said:

Hi,

 

I'm enjoying your thread here - it is very interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.

 

I have been thinking about buying one of the Tillig Trax starter sets - could you let me know whether the Traxx loco has traction tyres fitted?

 

I've never had a loco that is fitted with them but from what I've read they seem to be quite popular on continental models.

 

Cheers, Neil.

 

Two traction tyres are fitted to the Traxx loco - one fitted per bogie on the axles nearest the centre tanks/battery boxes, bottom left and top right.

[britishcolumbian]

I have to ask what this British aversion to traction tyres is from? Nobody on the Continent seems to mind as much as you do in the UK... (same with tender drive in steamers, which is fairly standard there)

[Porfuera]

As I mentioned, I've never had a loco with traction tyres so maybe I'm overthinking it, but to me they kind of feel like a solution that's looking for a problem - first, N gauge locos seem to work well enough without them; second, they (presumably) reduce the area available for pickup and third I assume you need to dismantle the bogie (or coupling rods) should they ever need replacing.

 

Maybe they're needed more when there's more rolling resistance, like very long rakes going around tight curves and/or inclines..?

 

But like I said I'm probably overthinking it - I do a lot of that...

 

Cheers, Neil.

[SR71]

@britishcolumbian Traction tyre aversion.

 

80's and 90's Margate products that had the gear train almost inline with the traction tyres. Fine initially but after a while tyres become embedded with oil that is thrown off the gears.

 

No matter how much you clean the track a few circuits will have gunge not only spread around the rails but on the wheels of all the stock meaning that you have a mammoth job to do cleaning it all and traction tyres to replace.

 

It could be argued that this was exacerbated by over oiling which wouldn't be unreasonable but the basic design didn't help prevent this being a problem.

 

Why is tender drive disliked? See above. Also the tender setting off before the engine always looks weird.

 

@gc4946 Sorry for the hijack. Looking forward to seeing your layout develop 👍

[gc4946]

2 hours ago, SR71 said:

 

@gc4946 Sorry for the hijack. Looking forward to seeing your layout develop 👍

 Firstly, I'm keeping to the 90 cm square layout footprint, it'll relate to people living in small apartments with limited room to swing the cat. That's what's Hornby are hoping to attract its customers with its entry into TT.

It's a challenge to me, even when I'm modelling in N. 

I'm not afraid to ditch modelling conventions if the end result means having a layout that works in a small area, eg the need for robustness over fragility.

 

 

[BRTrainz]

On 18/11/2022 at 10:45, NCB said:

I've some of that track. What I've never worked out is how the power leads are supposed to be connected.

As Tillig bedding track uses Kato UniJoiners you can also use Kato 24-818.

This is the route I've gone for my Tillig track so I have the right plug at the other end for a Kato controller I had around.

[gc4946]

8 hours ago, BRTrainz said:

As Tillig bedding track uses Kato UniJoiners you can also use Kato 24-818.

This is the route I've gone for my Tillig track so I have the right plug at the other end for a Kato controller I had around.

That looks better than Tillig's power connector setup, moreover I own a pair of Kato controllers so I can run two trains simultaneously once all track for the parallel oval arrives from Germany.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2022 by gc4946

[D9020 Nimbus]

On 23/11/2022 at 10:19, BRTrainz said:

As Tillig bedding track uses Kato UniJoiners you can also use Kato 24-818.

This is the route I've gone for my Tillig track so I have the right plug at the other end for a Kato controller I had around.

I'd never have thought of that—thanks! 

[gc4946]

I've decided on how my scenery will be arranged.

There were several military and other sites in Britain that had circular railways, eg Thorp Arch near Wetherby, Yorkshire https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Disused_railway_infrastructure,_Avenue_D,_Thorp_Arch_Trading_Estate_(5th_June_2013)_001.JPG

and Trafford Park Railway https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trafford_Park_Railway

 

Tonight I ordered 3D prints of Quonset buildings (US firm who built structures based on Nissen huts in Britain) from a US supplier.

I'm working out a layout consisting of Nissen huts and possibly including a station for the site based on what happened at Thorp Arch.

 

Edited November 25, 2022 by gc4946
corrected manufacturer's name to Quonset

[gc4946]

Four cars arrived yesterday from ebay seller redandy767 as described at:

These vehicles fill a huge gap in the range of British vehicles available in 1:120. 

At the moment I'm awaiting delivery of track from Germany and buildings from the USA. I won't receive all the items that I've ordered until well into next month.

[gc4946]

I'm making some progress on one of the curved ends. 

 

My plan is to build a grid-style internal road layout, with a perimeter road running parallel to the oval track (some of it is in black according to what materials I had in stock).

I'm using 1 mm thick styrene sheet for roads and pavements.

 

Tonight I also fabricated a filler piece 415 x 194 mm laminated from sheets of 1.5 mm styrene making it 3 mm thick  (I moved it slightly out of the way to distinguish it from the other styrene sections) with the eventual plan of attaching structures and creating a road running through with its median at 207.5 mm. 

It'll be repeated at the other end.

 

Until I receive my Quonset (Nissen hut) 3D prints I don't know where exactly I'm arranging the structures although they'll fit within the grid road layout.

 

 

[gc4946]

My original plan was to install points only once I started extending my basic 90 cm square layout.

However I since found out Tillig produces curved points.

Today I ordered their 01835 track extension pack from a German supplier which includes a pair of curved points, some curved and straight pieces, all much cheaper than buying them individually.

https://www.tillig.com/eng/Produkte/produktinfo-01835.html

 

I haven't yet decided whether to create a double track with crossover or a single track oval with passing loop. 

Nevertheless at the very least some points would be desirable on my concept layout to test things out.

[franciswilliamwebb]

Are the points in that set electric or manual?

[gc4946]

1 minute ago, franciswilliamwebb said:

Are the points in that set electric or manual?

I believe it's manual, there's point motors available separately

[gc4946]

On 18/11/2022 at 19:44, gc4946 said:

My one and only (approximately?) 1:120 scale vehicle.

 

This Enviro 400 bus was bought as a cut-price souvenir after the London 2012 Olympics finished.

I got rid of my old Matchbox vehicles years ago, some may have been modelled at or near to 1:120 scale but have no idea which ones they were.

I think this London bus is overscale. 

Yesterday I ordered a 1960s Matchbox 1-75 series Routemaster from a well-known auction site (according to Matchbox's wiki it scales at 1:117) https://matchbox.fandom.com/wiki/Routemaster_Bus_(5-D) and once received it'll be placed side by side to compare.

If this Enviro 400 is too big it'll return to my Olympic souvenir collection.

Edited November 28, 2022 by gc4946

[gc4946]

On 28/11/2022 at 21:23, gc4946 said:

My original plan was to install points only once I started extending my basic 90 cm square layout.

However I since found out Tillig produces curved points.

Today I ordered their 01835 track extension pack from a German supplier which includes a pair of curved points, some curved and straight pieces, all much cheaper than buying them individually.

https://www.tillig.com/eng/Produkte/produktinfo-01835.html

 

I haven't yet decided whether to create a double track with crossover or a single track oval with passing loop. 

Nevertheless at the very least some points would be desirable on my concept layout to test things out.

Supplier (DS AutoModelle) unable to fulfil so refund issued, instead I ordered a pair of curved points with adaptor pieces from Modellbahn Union.