Lancaster Green Ayre - The Barn Owls have returned.

[jamie92208]

A while since the last update but progress has continued.  The sea wall is now being continued past the rear of the station buildings so that it melds neatly into the Greyhound bridge.  last night there was much re arranging of baseboards and then plenty of measuring to plot where it's going to go.

Dave has been working on the footbridge and hopefully that will be appearing soon.    Unfortunately due to his health problems Tony has had to relinquish greyhound bridge so I'm going to continue that in due course.   He's working on the stationmasters house and various other items.  Mark, a new recruit is starting on some of the huts that are needed.  I've been working on the Fiddle yard control panel and am now on the home straight after a long effort.  

 

Meanwhile I bought a coach kit at the O gauge event in Leigh and John Patrick is turning it into one of the American Pullman's that became a push pull unit in the early part of the 20th century.  He ended up discarding most of the kit and scratchbuilding the body but this is the result.

It may yet end up as a fiddle yard crowd pleaser but certainly looks impressive.

 

Jamie

 

Edited July 23, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

No pictures today but we haven't gone away.   Work has continued on the sea wall and it now extends some 24' along the back of the layout. We've also continued the main line ballasting and I've been working on two main areas.

1)   The Fiddle yard Control panel.  This ha been a major tasks but is almost complete.  One problem though is that my modelling room get the afternoon sun and even at 10 o'clock at night it's like a sauna which means about an hour of work at a time when it starts to get cooler.  However another hour or so should finish it.  It's thrown up some problems but things seem to be working out.

2)  A crating system for the back scenes.   3 of these have substantial base pieces on them so Dave and I came up with the idea of making them into a crate that will be similar size to the baseboards  There will be enough room inside them for all the other backscenes when they are flat.  This will make moving them a lot easier and reduce damage in storage and transport.

 

Apart from that we are preparing for another 'week at the chapel' from pm on the 5th to the 9th of August.  The main task will be to energise the fiddle yard and make sure that the Fiddle yard panel talks to the main line one.   There will also be some work on the sea wall to extend it to Greyhound bridge and probably beyond, now that we have got a working method.  Success will be measured by getting trains to run round the main line circuit and perhaps get the light engine shuttle unit operating.  

 

Another major task will be to get Tony Bond to the chapel as he is housebound following the amputation of a leg.  However the necessary arrangements are being put in place and with assistance from several team members we hope to get him over one day, in between physio appointments.  I should give him a much needed morale boost. 

 

Much to do but hopefully I'll post some photos of the layout at the chapel.  if any members will be in the Leeds area and want to have a look at the layout send me a PM.

 

 

Jamie

[sparks]

Hi Jamie

 

I'm sure you've already seen this, but just in case you haven't, the Engineer articles from 1908 on the electrification can be found online here:-

Part 1: http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/The_Engineer_1908/06/12

Part 2: http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/The_Engineer_1908/06/19

 

Part 1 deals with the overhead and power supply. Part 2 deals with the rolling stock and has several interesting detail photos including underframe detail, a driving cab and the perforated sycamore seats discussed further back in the thread.

Edited July 28, 2014 by sparks

[sir douglas]

Sparks, Ive already posted the pdf links to these on here look the previous page, post #425

 

Regards, Sam.

Edited July 28, 2014 by sir douglas

[sparks]

Oops! Totally missed that post. I would have downloaded themyself from that!

[jamie92208]

Well another week of Green Ayre at the church has commenced.  I spent most of today trolleying the baseboards from home to the church on a sack cart.  Then this evening as soon as the Pilates class had finished Dave Tanner and Pete Cheseldine arrived to help put it up.  An hour later we had most of it up and spent a bit of time planning what needs to be done.  Hopefully tomorrow i will get the fiddle yard energised and we will try and run some trains.

 

Jamie

[Jon Fitness]

I still have your final ground signal. Made and working  ..

See you at Telford (Saturday?)

JF

[jamie92208]

I still have your final ground signal. Made and working  ..

See you at Telford (Saturday?)

JF

That'll be good Jon.  Look forward to it.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

The first work day has been mixed.

 

The layout is up and this is the usual state of layouts being worked on.

However the main task for the day was to power up the Fiddle Yard and get all the points set the right way round.  This is  a slow task on my own as I can't see a point move from 15 feet away to check that it's lying correctly.  However by shortly after lunch the west end was working OK.  Several loose connections had been found and sorted and everything worked fine.   In the afternoon i tried the east end of the down yard but one motor refused to move and two were cross wired with the Up yard moving when I pressed a down yard button.      Various people got roped in to help when they came to have a look but I decided to go back after tea and sort it quietly on my own.  However I was stymied by the battery going flat in my meter so I couldn't test circuits for voltage.     However I did get three quarters of the track plan onto the panel but couldn't find the fourth colour of lining tape.   Having the track plan makes the fault finding easier but the panel is starting to look nice.

However all ws not lost and I started work on my Skytrex kit for Lancaster South box (which confusingly is situated north of Lancaster North geographically).  Skytrex had helpfully put some extra end panels in so that I can build it with the steps and door to the east side.  It's going together well and I even dug out an old buffer stop from Long Preston that will be installed on the headshunt by the box.

 

 

All in all a good days work.  Off to get a new battery first thing then after sorting the point motors the next task is to try powering up the track.  I might even be able to run a  train soon.

 

Jamie

 

Edited July 23, 2022 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Another day done.  No pictures to day but many successes.   The best bit was Tony Bond arriving.  His first proper trip out since having his leg amputated.  Dave Tanner did the honours and brought him across and he spent a very happy day doing various things with greyhound bridge.  The bridge is just at the right height for him to work on it from the wheelchair.  He then assited other workm pushing buttons and holding meters.  It was great to see him and he enjoyed himself.  

 

Keith and Tony  (of Kirkby Stehen east) came over and spent the day extending the sea wall along to Greyhound Bridge.  This bit is tricky for a variety of reasons that will show when I post some pictures tomorrow.   But the work went well and hopefully tomorrow when teh glue has dries we will be able to see a full 25' length of wall.

 

Dave spent his time repairing rail ends in the fiddle yard that had got knocked and also spent time sorting out tie bars.   I continued with the points and got most of them working OK.  I then tried test running the kirtley that dave has just bought and initially but could only get it to move in one direction.  T here seemed to be a persistent short in the down yard but Tont spotted that there were opposed points at either end.  I then cut the track gaps that I'd forgotten.   We then managed to get the Kirtley shuttling up and down under orders from the control panel which is a first.   One point still won't obey orders but that will have to be sorted tomorrow.  All in all a good day of steady progress.

 

Jamie

[enginelane]

Good to see it up and running

[jamie92208]

Just got back from a long day up at the chapel but a satisfying one. Several visitors tuned up including an old friend who had been a Holbeck fireman and had taken Compound 1020 to Morecambe on The Residential that ended up at Heysham before coming back to Green Ayre for servicing.

 

keith Robinson spent the day doing various joinery jobs and finished the sea wall as far as Greyhound Bridge. The end result was like this.

 

 

The 20's length of the wall looks good with it's long gentle curves and it hides the baseboard edge from the viewer.

He then did some work on the back scenes and then we fitted the ones that we'd got.

 

Malcolm Brai, who is going to be one of the team at Warley arrived and spent the afternoon painting the rails on Greyhound Bridge.

 

I spent the morning chasing minor electrical faults in the fiddle Yard and by lunchtime had a loco shuttling in and out of Down Yard sidings 4 and 5.   I then brought the main panel through and spent time getting it to talk to the Fiddle Yard panel via a 27 way lead.   This went on after tea and I found one or two transposed wires which got corrected.  

The final position for Lancaster South box was sorted out and this is the view round to Ladies walk but without Skerton Bridge.

 

Dave Tanner and young Oliver turned u and continued fettling track and pointwork in the yard while I carried on with electrical proving.  The upshot of it all was that I finally managed to drive a loco out of the yard, and hand it over to the main panel and it them went round to the station.  A very satisfying end to the day.  

 

 

All in all a good days work.

 

Tomorrow a few more things to sort then it all comes down again in time for the Sunday service.

 

Jamie

Edited August 8, 2014 by jamie92208

[jamie92208]

Three boards are now up in the clubrooms and we have set up the west end of the fiddle yard along with the exit board that leads to Greyhound bridge.  Last night mark, the new team member, brought the first workman's hut that he made while away on holiday.  It's a tarpaper one and looks good, it will go behind the staion building near the sea wall.

 

Last night we spent some time working on the scenic break that leads towards Morecambe.  I had made a start on the bridge and we had a brainstorming session to work out how it should be shaped.  I used the comments and this morning made the bridge and took it down to check this afternoon.  It's looking good and I made some little adjustments.  A couple more bits of wood to cut and add tomorrow and then I'll post some photos.

 

I then spent time working on the electrical gremlins in the fiddle yard which had driven me mad last night. Various little things were sorted and at the end of the afternoon I had success and drove No 214 in and out of all 5 up yard sidings and also onto the centre reversing road as well as getting it out onto the 'dead section' where it would sit with a train until it goes out onto the visible section under control from the main panel.  I was also able to use both controllers.

 

That was a great result and hopefully on Monday I'll be able to do the same with the down yard.

 

Jamie

Edited August 16, 2014 by jamie92208

[roundhouse]

Looking forward to seeing the progress in the flesh again as we saw it when you were behind us at NEC in 2012.

[jamie92208]

Looking forward to seeing the progress in the flesh again as we saw it when you were behind us at NEC in 2012.

It's coming on nicely Ian.   We've got the whole layout at the NEC this year as a layout under construction.  All being well we should have trains running even if the weekend is an operator training session.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Been down at the club for the last three evenings but have had success at last.   We had got the Up Yard sorted last week so turned out attention to the west end of the Down Yard.  Monday night Dave and I found a logic error in my wiring of the relays that supply the power to that section and got that sorted.  Last night I got one board sorted but then couldn't clear shorts on the other two boards.  I didn't have my dremel with me so went back tonight and after cutting and widening three rail gaps and soldering back a couple of loose wires I finally got a ,loco to run in and out of all five down sidings under both controllers and also managed to reverse a loco on the centre road and send it back out on the up main.  That is success.   So on Friday we will work on the next board.  So far 3 down 4 to go.  

 

Jamie

Edited August 21, 2014 by jamie92208

[Jon Fitness]

Been down at the club for the last three evenings but have had success at last.   We had got the Up Yard sorted last week so turned out attention to the west end of the Down Yard.  Monday night Dave and I found a logic error in my wiring of the rlays that supply the power to that section and got that sorted.  Last night I got one board sorted but then couldn't clear shorts on the other two boards.  I didn't have my dremel with me so went back tonight and after cutting and widening three rail gaps and soldering back a couple of loose wires I finally got a ,loco to run in and out of all five down sidings under both controllers and also managed to reverse a loco on the centre road and send it back out on the up main.  That is success.   So on Friday we will work on the next board.  S far 3 down 4 to go.  

 

Jamie

Stick at it Jamie! Wiring on our layout caused the most swearage at the fitting stage but we eventually got the whole layout to be worked from all 4 controllers as required including 2 double junctions on the main lines.

JF

[roundhouse]

It's coming on nicely Ian.   We've got the whole layout at the NEC this year as a layout under construction.  All being well we should have trains running even if the weekend is an operator training session.

 

Jamie

Jamie

 

See you at NEC as we will be there with Banbury.

 

Ian

[jamie92208]

Stick at it Jamie! Wiring on our layout caused the most swearage at the fitting stage but we eventually got the whole layout to be worked from all 4 controllers as required including 2 double junctions on the main lines.

JF

Thanks Jon.  It is I suppose a necessary evil.  The good thing is that we have been able to find a reason for each fault which can then be corrected, usually by swapping two wires.   Intermittent faults would be much more worrying.  We have test run all the main lines so now the only areas we need to sort are the turntable/locoshed, which is ongoing, and the Castle branch fiddle yard.so the end is in sight.    It's just a slow steady process at the moment.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

A lot has got done over the last two days.  First of all a shot of the scenic break mentioned above.

This is actually the bridge that carries the WCML over the trackbed of the Midland lines on the north bank of the Lune.  As I have a drawing of it with the footbridge that goes in front \i decided to bring it quarter of a mile nearer to Greyhound bridge and use it as a scenic break.  The footbridge will have to wait but this is the basic structure prior to detailing.  A suitable loco/piece of stock will be posed on it and the backscenes come in and join it on both sides.  

 

Greyhound Bridge itself has taken a backseat due to Tony's health problems.  He has however managed to do a load of preparatory work and I am now trying to finish it off.  A box of bits plus a marvelous toy called a Resistance soldering unit, has now come my way and lat night I started playing with it.

 

The bridge supports look like this.

The piers are 6' diameter so they have been tubed out of some pitch pine and have now to be covered in 5thiy brass sheet.  Horizontal rivet detail was added, at Tony' suggestion, by running a clock gear wheel along the back.  This provides the double rows of rivets that join the plates.  Vertical straps will be added in due course, but the first one is used to join the ends of the sheet. These have been etched.

 

The next job was to make the channel girders  that wrap around the piers to hold the cross braces.  The design was like this.

 

Tony then started to curse the kit designer as it wasn't easy to solder them up.   He then came up with the idea of a Tufnol soldering jig that I turned for him when doing some tram related machining.

This worked a treat and the top ring was then soldered onto the pier.

The cross beams were added to brace the two piers and then the other rings were attached and soldered into place.  the RSU came into play here and worked a treat.  (The first time I have ever used one.

This left me with a basic structure that needed the cross braces fitting.

Above the long one is the pre-assembled set of girders for pier 2.

An hour later after searching high and low I found 6 of the 12  X girders and attached them with the RSU coming into play again.  The end result is this.

It's over 3 years since I first drew these parts out as I taught myself CAD so it's really great to see things coming together and actually fitting.   I now need to attach the other vertical straps (5 per caisson) and the pier caps, which are etched but not made up yet.   However this assembly will be taken to the club tonight for a trial fitting before I start sorting out the next fiddle yard board wiring. However I will be calling in to see Tony on the way to cheer him up.

 

Jamie

Edited July 23, 2022 by jamie92208

[ozzyo]

Hello Jamie,

 

do you have a photo of Carlisle bridge showing the footbridge before it was rebuilt, as I can't remember seeing one (a photo that is).

 

Thanks,

 

OzzyO.

Edited August 23, 2014 by ozzyo

[jamie92208]

Hello Jamie,

 

do you have a photo of Carlisle bridge showing the footbridge before it was rebuilt, as I can't remember seeing one (a photo that is).

 

Thanks,

 

OzzyO.

No I don't but I have the drawing showing how the bridge was rebuilt to provide electrification clearances.  It's an odd structure with a wooden approach walkway at an angle from the north side, then a lattice section across the tracks supported on four pillars but about 4' out from the LNWR bridge, then a stairway that goes up to the level of the walkway on Carlisle bridge that is in wood but angles in till it meets the stonework.   It will take a bit of making so will have to wait a while but fortunately the metal lattice part is the same as the footbridge across the end of Ladies Walk sidings that I'm doing and I think I have nough spare etches to do it.   Any photo that you dig up would be much appreciated.  I haven't got a decent photo of the abutment for carlisle Bridge on the north bank of the river.  I know that the stonework comes out about 4' or so from the archof the bridge over the Midland lines, presumably to enclose the end of the main bridge girders.

 

Jamie

[ozzyo]

Hello Jamie,

 

came across these photos of Carlisle Bridge

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rossendalewadey/3910671520/

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rossendalewadey/3910673310/in/photostream/

 

You may have them.

 

OzzyO.

[jamie92208]

Hello Jamie,

 

came across these photos of Carlisle Bridge

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rossendalewadey/3910671520/

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rossendalewadey/3910673310/in/photostream/

 

You may have them.

 

OzzyO.

Thanks fro those Ozzy they are new to me so will be useful for styles of stonework etc.   I'll try and get some decent photos of the footbridge drawing and post them.  It was a unique structure.   Do you happen to know when it was rebuilt to the current format.   It looks 60's ish to me.

 

Jamie

[ozzyo]

Thanks fro those Ozzy they are new to me so will be useful for styles of stonework etc.   I'll try and get some decent photos of the footbridge drawing and post them.  It was a unique structure.   Do you happen to know when it was rebuilt to the current format.   It looks 60's ish to me.

 

Jamie

AFAIK, it was in the 1960s maybe 65-67ish or before the branch was closed so that all the Morecambe (passenger) traffic could go Via. Green Ayre, and keep it off Carlisle bridge? AFAIK one side of the old bridge was taken down and replaced to keep the west coast main open, They may have interlaced the track or just used one line, (the only reason that I mention the interlaced track is to help keep the track circuits simple, if in use ).

The link below is a photo of the bridge being rebuilt.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamhibbert/6041404522/in/photostream/

 

If you browse the link you may find some more photos that may help you a bit.

 

OzzyO.

Edited August 24, 2014 by ozzyo