Danemouth Posted December 31, 2010 Author Share Posted December 31, 2010 John, Kris, Also had a look at a couple of GWR books - forget an engine shed off a turntable! I will stick with my existing plan. Thanks for all your help, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFonz1 Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Hi Dave I was just wondering how the layout was coming along? At least you have made a start mine is still inside my head lol. Regards TheFonz1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 The answer is slowly The garage has been on the cold side even with a heater but things are a little warmer the last couple of weeks thank goodness. Should finish laying the cork by the end of next week - taking it slowly given my manual skills, or rather the lack of them in some areas! Track has been cut to size, except the fiddle yard. With a bit of luck things will now start to progress a little faster. Bought a Bachmann Hall this week and have acquired a GUV and some vans so with what I already have there is no shortage of stock! Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trains12 Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Hi Dave Come on lets see some shots of the cork being laid. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 So I am back with the track laid (except the turntable - more anon). I haven't wired it yet! The sector plate and exit - a five road plare, the "harbour" line can only use three of them The station - ignore the Metcalfe half completed building - I've decided against it as it just doesn't fit appearance wise The turntable was going to be the Peco TT with the Frizinghall motorising kit - installed it but couldn't stand the noise it made, liked operating it be hand even less. So I've decided to save my pennies for the Heljan TT as used by Paul on Ranelagh Bridge Road where it operates smoothly. So back to wiring at last, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted March 23, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 23, 2011 Glad to see that this is still going. You have made some very good progress. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trains12 Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Hello Dave Glad to see the progress. It is looking great . Wiring can be a pain in the b...... , I am doing some more on Glen Gillie at the moment. Waiting to see a start on the senics now. Keep up with it. Cheers Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted April 17, 2011 Author Share Posted April 17, 2011 For the past couple of weeks I've been trying my hand at the point motors - my intention was to use Digitrax DS64 decoders with Seep PM4s. Well I've spent a great deal of time trying things out on a table, so much more convenient than trying under the baseboard. Things ain't going right with lots of colourful cursing - see http://www.rmweb.co....rs-seep-motors/ I did build a Peco turntable with the Frizinghall kit, but as I said in a previous post the combination sounded like a vacuum cleaner starting up. So I've bought the Heljan turntable and will install it over the coming weeks. I've a few days off after Easter and hope to make real progress on the wiring Regards, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 After a short break when I became a little disheartened I've restarted work on Danemouth. So: Bought a Heljan TT - turned out to be faulty, promptly replaced by Kernow - excellent service The Digitrax DS64s are back with John at Bromsgrove Models - turns out two of them won't work so he's sent them to Digitrax - good service again, Decided to go with Cobalt motors instead of Seeps - they should arrive tomorrow. Wired the fiddle yard last night. New garden shed being delivered tomorrow so some of the stuff will be moved from the garage making it seem considerably less cramped. So things are starting to move, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted June 9, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2011 Keep at it, good to hear your turntable problems are sorted! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 The wiring of Danemouth is now almost complete! Firstly let me say that anybody who says DCC only needs a couple of wires is talking through his <naughty word>. I fitted Cobalt motors to the points in the end. I've stuck with DCC operation but had little luck with the Digitrax DS64 in combination with my NCE Powercab - two of them had to go back to the States to be sorted out. I ended up buying a single Cobalt decoder which worked straight out of the blister pack which is a pleasant change from the previous disheartening experience! I've ordered more decoders this week so I will be able to complete the electrics, oh and fit the Heljan Turntable. Once that is done I will post some photos. In the meantime I've been giving some though to practical operations - with loco addresses, turnout addresses and routes I've come up with an A3 chart a copy of which is attached. It's a PDF here but actually it's a Word document printed on my A3 ink jet. Some things to note: The points are numbered and on each leg of the point there is N or R to denote normal or reversed (NCE terminology). The routes are an initial guess on my part - the Powercab will hold 16 and I have defined 15 Some routes appear duplicated e.g. 0 and 1 - my intention is eventually to have DCC operated semaphore signals - that's to allow for that The loco addresses use their running numbers except the one loco that only supports short addresses - will change that in due course :-) Next job will be building the platform followed by track weathering and ballasting, Cheers, Dave Danemouth Operational Diagram.pdf Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minster Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 The wiring of Danemouth is now almost complete! Firstly let me say that anybody who says DCC only needs a couple of wires is talking through his <naughty word>. I fitted Cobalt motors to the points in the end. I've stuck with DCC operation but had little luck with the Digitrax DS64 in combination with my NCE Powercab - two of them had to go back to the States to be sorted out. I ended up buying a single Cobalt decoder which worked straight out of the blister pack which is a pleasant change from the previous disheartening experience! I've ordered more decoders this week so I will be able to complete the electrics, oh and fit the Heljan Turntable. Once that is done I will post some photos. In the meantime I've been giving some though to practical operations - with loco addresses, turnout addresses and routes I've come up with an A3 chart a copy of which is attached. It's a PDF here but actually it's a Word document printed on my A3 ink jet. Some things to note: The points are numbered and on each leg of the point there is N or R to denote normal or reversed (NCE terminology). The routes are an initial guess on my part - the Powercab will hold 16 and I have defined 15 Some routes appear duplicated e.g. 0 and 1 - my intention is eventually to have DCC operated semaphore signals - that's to allow for that The loco addresses use their running numbers except the one loco that only supports short addresses - will change that in due course :-) Next job will be building the platform followed by track weathering and ballasting, Cheers, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minster Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Hi Dave, Looks very realistic the plan, as if it is waiting to go up in the signal box with all the numbered point levers in front of it .........NO, sorry it's DCC, keep on forgeting that!!! John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br2975 Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Dave, . Went to the doctor last Monday, about my insomnia. . I read the prescription and it said "read up on DCC" - so I did. . I've just woken up after six days asleep ! . See you Monday Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom Platts Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 Watching this thread with interest Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 Making real progress with the 'lectrics : The Helijan TT has been installed and I've got in working in DCC despite the somewhat indifferent instructions supplied with it, All the points are DCC controlled now and I've programmed all the macros and tested them - the revised operating diagram is attached for those of you interested. This week I aim to complete the wiring, mainly tidying up - will post some photos then! Cheers, Dave Danemouth Operational Diagram.pdf Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br2975 Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Well done Dave - you exude perseverance ! . Any chance you could look after my grandsons whilst I finish my boards ? . See you Monday - I await your update. Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 I promised some photos, here they are. The layout is in my garage with little space alongside so some of the piccies are taken with a 12mm lens resulting in some perspective distortion. Firstly the control panel - the top three switches isolate the track on the three main boards, the bottom left switch isolates the programming track (Siding 3) the middle switch the accessory bus and the right switch was going to be the turntable isolator but wasn't needed in the end. I need to borrow the label machine from the office The fiddle yard complete with isolator switch Overall view The Metcalfe station building is wrong so it's just acting as a placeholder for the time being Heljan TT Finally the steel rule shows the position of the scenic break The wiring took a great deal longer than expected chiefly due to the problems with point automation. The Cobalt motors and decoders work well as does the TT in DCC. Macros for route setting have been programmed and make playing trains operating so much easier. As you can see I use a Powercab - I did have concerns about power consumption as it's the 1.1 amp version. I set the Powercab to show power consumption, with nothing moving it reads .18 amps. Even with the turntable turning, a loco running and setting several points I couldn't get it above .65 amp! Given the size of the layout that means I can easily run two locos which is all I can manage on my own. Regards, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted October 21, 2011 Author Share Posted October 21, 2011 I haven't done anything on Danemouth following keyhole surgery on my shoulder 5 weeks ago; it's liable to be another 4 - 5 weeks before I have sufficient strength & mobility in my right arm to be able to do a great deal on the layout However when I do restart there will be one change - the Harbour line is going though the bay remains - I've studied Great Western Station Plans by R.J. Smith and decided it's just not prototypical. I've also decided to operate it as two separate periods 1955-58 and 1963-65 given the amount of stock I've amassed! I did ballast the goods sidings before the operation, my first attempt at ballasting and it's not turned out terribly well - I need to decide what to do about it. Will be operating Minster at the Cardiff Show tomorrow and Sunday Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted October 21, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 21, 2011 I haven't done anything on Danemouth following keyhole surgery on my shoulder 5 weeks ago; it's liable to be another 4 - 5 weeks before I have sufficient strength & mobility in my right arm to be able to do a great deal on the layout Will be operating Minster at the Cardiff Show tomorrow and Sunday Golly - you don't let much stand in your way, do you! I hope the weekend is not too arduous, and the shoulder comes back in use soon. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted October 21, 2011 Author Share Posted October 21, 2011 Golly - you don't let much stand in your way, do you! I hope the weekend is not too arduous, and the shoulder comes back in use soon. Good luck! Ian, Luckily the arm is now out of a sling most of the time - I will be having physio for a while to regain strength and movement - the worst bit was when the consultant gave me a DVD of my operation recorded by the keyhole cameras! Minster as a lovely layout to operate, just a hand-held controller, two rotary section switches and two point switches with a small sector plate. As it happens my forte is operating rather than building and John is happy for me to do the lion's share - win win for us both. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 I've restarted work on Danemouth at last - the shoulder operation last September slowed me down a little more than I expected. For the period when I couldn't work on it I found myself reading GWR prototype plan books - I was hoping to add another platform and came close to scrapping what I've done so far but decided against that in the end So three things have happened since: The line down to the harbour has been Beeching'ed - didn't seem at all prototypical, I had ballasted the three siding with dark brown ballast - not only was my ballasting cr@p, I didn't like the colour, so they have been completely relaid, Whilst relaying the sidings also changed some of the points to use a Hex Frog Juicer rather than the Cobalt switching. Some photos taken this evening, the first photo shows the station, the diagram leaning against the backscene is the operating diagram. One of the things I like about this plan is the long platform - the Grange and 3 coaches in the main road and B set and Prairie in the bay don't dwarf it. The white paper is the template for the platform. Now looking the other way, the main station building is temporary but given my indifferent skills whatever goes there will either by RTP or built from a card kit - no scratch building for me. Finally looking the other way towards the turntable Next job is to thoroughly test the wiring and track again. Then build platform and station building followed by another go at ballasting! Regards, Dave Danemouth Operational Diagram.pdf Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Brinkly Posted February 2, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 2, 2012 It's really nice to see your layout progressing Dave, I'm sure it must be really nice to operate. Best wishes, Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 It's really nice to see your layout progressing Dave, I'm sure it must be really nice to operate. Best wishes, Nick Thanks Nick, as I said earlier in this thread my forte is operating not building, I tend to see the latter as something I need to do to be able to operate! Incidentally one other change - I now have sufficient stock to operate as two separate periods: 1955-57 Blood & Custard coaches with a mix of early and late crest kettles and 1962-64 Maroon coaches, late crest steam and Warships, Westerns and Hymeks. The Hornby announcement of a new livery 14xx and B & C autocoach was good news, I will be able to have the correct livery autotrain in either period! Regards, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert McGee Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Anything been completed recently? Been 3 1/2 months so I imagine something changed. It's got a good plan, and look forward to updates in future whether is be a week, or even a few months. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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