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Chop Yat - The NER through the North York Moors.


Worsdell forever
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Thanks for this great demo Paul. I have one of these Petrol Electric Autocars and model in EM. You may want to forward this conversion to the EMGS - they like putting conversions in the newsletter.

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On 08/11/2023 at 20:36, Worsdell forever said:

Ballasting is going well,

 

Hi @Worsdell forever. I'm just embarking on ballasting . Various methods on RMWeb explain percentage mix water/pva (70/30; 50/50) and the magic drop of fairy liquid. 

 

I've read horror stories of the fairy colouring the ballast. We currently have red (!).  Mrs FP has some clear window cleaning detergent. I know it's only required to destroy the surface tension and make the mixture flow, so I guess it's ok. 

 

Having seen what you have achieved, please could you list your glue mix and application method for the lengths you do at a time? From your pictures it obviously flows really well without floating the ballast away, or creating blobs of ballast. And how big 'a drop' of washing up liquid is required 🤔?

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On 27/01/2024 at 08:27, Fishplate said:

 

Hi @Worsdell forever. I'm just embarking on ballasting . Various methods on RMWeb explain percentage mix water/pva (70/30; 50/50) and the magic drop of fairy liquid. 

 

I've read horror stories of the fairy colouring the ballast. We currently have red (!).  Mrs FP has some clear window cleaning detergent. I know it's only required to destroy the surface tension and make the mixture flow, so I guess it's ok. 

 

Having seen what you have achieved, please could you list your glue mix and application method for the lengths you do at a time? From your pictures it obviously flows really well without floating the ballast away, or creating blobs of ballast. And how big 'a drop' of washing up liquid is required 🤔?

 

Not really sure of the ratio of PVA/water but probably 60/40 although the PVA I've used here is quite thin to start with, usually mix 100 - 150ml at a time and that probably gets a bit less than a teaspoon of washing up liquid. Then it's warmed gently in the microwave. 

Usually do a whole board in one session, using a dropper to gently dribble onto the sleepers to let it seep into the ballast so it doesn't cause craters. After it's seeped in more can be dribbled directly onto the ballast. 

Any colour change isn't an issue for me as its black ballast and it will be sprayed with mucky brown anyway.

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Finally had a session in the shed today, not all that warm outside but the sun on the shed roof helped warm it through!  

Got the surface of the down platform on, I experimented with PVA on the plasticard with chinchilla dust a while ago and it seemed to stay put so I've gone for it!

20240128_132552_copy_1600x720.jpg.2ad5dd02042c467cba67628d48326777.jpg

 

So while that's drying I've moved back to the fiddleyard, I've now got 3 tracks up and running.

20240128_161842_copy_1600x720.jpg.c7167eed59e5fad273047bda0627ddec.jpg

 

Power plugs in to the turntable in the centre of the side rail, there's another socket on the other side, wired the  opposite way. 

20240128_161900_copy_1600x720.jpg.8c4aa55677d908614d88edf96916dc05.jpg

 

And here's the sort of wiring diagram if you can work it out. 

20240128_164220_copy_1600x720.jpg.3c43e12302a70ad0bb10d7abf5dc6c07.jpg

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1 hour ago, Worsdell forever said:

 

Not really sure of the ratio of PVA/water but probably 60/40 although the PVA I've used here is quite thin to start with, usually mix 100 - 150ml at a time and that probably gets a bit less than a teaspoon of washing up liquid. Then it's warmed gently in the microwave. 

Usually do a whole board in one session, using a dropper to gently dribble onto the sleepers to let it seep into the ballast so it doesn't cause craters. After it's seeped in more can be dribbled directly onto the ballast. 

Any colour change isn't an issue for me as its black ballast and it will be sprayed with mucky brown anyway.

If it is any help I use 50/50 PVA mix a lot as it makes a good primer for using water colour paints for weathering. I always use an orange or a red. No problems with using onto limestone gravel, with fixing artists chalk scrapings or on plastic but can't comment on granite ballast going green as I don't use granite chips for ballast. Brief YouTube intro' here - last use of it onto crumbled limestone was on the inside of the Rufus Castle model seen in the video.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Worsdell forever said:

Not really sure of the ratio of PVA/water but probably 60/40 although the PVA I've used here is quite thin to start with, usually mix 100 - 150ml at a time and that probably gets a bit less than a teaspoon of washing up liquid. Then it's warmed gently in the microwave. 

Usually do a whole board in one session, using a dropper to gently dribble onto the sleepers to let it seep into the ballast so it doesn't cause craters. After it's seeped in more can be dribbled directly onto the ballast. 

Any colour change isn't an issue for me as its black ballast and it will be sprayed with mucky brown anyway.

 

Thank you for taking the time to explain that @Worsdell forever. I have discussed optimum time in the microwave with Mrs FP. Will let you know how I get on.

 

52 minutes ago, john new said:

If it is any help I use 50/50 PVA mix a lot as it makes a good primer for using water colour paints for weathering. I always use an orange or a red. No problems with using onto limestone gravel, with fixing artists chalk scrapings or on plastic but can't comment on granite ballast going green as I don't use granite chips for ballast. Brief YouTube intro' here - last use of it onto crumbled limestone was on the inside of the Rufus Castle model seen in the video.

 

Thank you as well @john new for your time and the video. Two methods to consider! 

 

I presume the Orange or red you mention is the washing up liquid? I should have clarified that the granite is Woodland Scenics, so not real stone.

 

(Another excellent example of asking a question on RMWeb and getting help).

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9 minutes ago, Fishplate said:

 

Thank you for taking the time to explain that @Worsdell forever. I have discussed optimum time in the microwave with Mrs FP. Will let you know how I get on.

 

The optimum time is before it boils over... you don't need to ask how I worked that out.

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3 hours ago, Fishplate said:

 

Thank you for taking the time to explain that @Worsdell forever. I have discussed optimum time in the microwave with Mrs FP. Will let you know how I get on.

 

 

Thank you as well @john new for your time and the video. Two methods to consider! 

 

I presume the Orange or red you mention is the washing up liquid? I should have clarified that the granite is Woodland Scenics, so not real stone.

 

(Another excellent example of asking a question on RMWeb and getting help).

Yes, it struck me that the green tint people mention from washing up liquid might be from the colouring agent. If it went yellowish or reddish it wouldn’t be such a problem.

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On 28/01/2024 at 18:09, Worsdell forever said:

Not really sure of the ratio of PVA/water but probably 60/40 although the PVA I've used here is quite thin to start with, usually mix 100 - 150ml at a time and that probably gets a bit less than a teaspoon of washing up liquid.

 

Have spent some time this afternoon on gluing the ballast on my carriage sidings. The good news is it looks like your pictures, so guess (hope!) I am heading in the right direction. Will put some pics on my topic shortly.

 

On 28/01/2024 at 18:09, Worsdell forever said:

Then it's warmed gently in the microwave. 

 

The only bit I did differently was to use warm water from the kettle rather than experiment with the microwave.

 

Thanks again for your help.

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A little alteration to the fiddleyard, I've added a strip of plywood between it and board one, it's sort of L shaped to provide a slot for the backscene to ho in to. Tonight I've fitted a slightly longer piece of track in the gap. 

 

20240212_200747_copy_1600x1066.jpg.969db613a7c27b13d5a79d570858fa8f.jpg

 

20240212_200752_copy_1600x1200.jpg.465744dc1e33451b8c036c999f31302f.jpg

 

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Can I ask how you drilled your level crossing gates for the horizontal brass rods?  There might be a very simple answer but I couldn't figure it out!  Lovely modelling by the way 🙂

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1 hour ago, Graham T said:

Can I ask how you drilled your level crossing gates for the horizontal brass rods?  There might be a very simple answer but I couldn't figure it out!  Lovely modelling by the way 🙂

 

I drilled through the end vertical posts but the inner and diagonals are fabricated around the wires out of plastic strip. 

 

 

 

 

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17 minutes ago, Worsdell forever said:

 

I drilled through the end vertical posts but the inner and diagonals are fabricated around the wires out of plastic strip. 

 

 

 

 

 

Great - thank you for the explanation.

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And then there were three. This time I'm going to run the wires across the middle, there's no need to take them to the ends as long as the red at one side connects to the black at the other. 

 

20240221_214421.jpg.dd5ba99c8dbb357957e3d126f6d0737f.jpg

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