SRman's Current Layout - Newton Broadway

[SRman]

The petrol pumps for the garage scene: as I said to DougN, I have put a fair bit of effort in just for something that will only be seen from a distance.

I looked at a lot of images on Google of these old-style pumps, and ended up doing an amalgam of styles for the painting. No two seem the same.

[SRman]

This is the result of the garage and scenic bit so far, But I have still work to do on the hedges and fences - the short section of hedge in the photos is not satisfactory at all to me.

 

 

[SRman]

I have had five weeks away from the layout, so nothing has been done in that time. Mrs SRman and I drove to Brisbane and back, covering a bit over 4600 km in that time (approximately 3600 km of that is just going to and from Brissie), visiting friends and family there and in Echuca (closer to home as it is only around 230 km away).

On the day we left two packages arrived, each containing an Accurascale class 37. I now have five of the things! Is it possible to have too many of them? 😁

Anyway, besides the previously shown DRS 37 423 and RailFreight Distribution 37 026, I now have DRS 37 602, DRS 37 609, and ROG/EuroPhoenix 37 608 on my books. All are lovely runners, although the latter two could only be tested very briefly on analogue DC before we drove off all those weeks ago. I have been able to fit them with ESU LokSound decoders and Accurathrash speakers, although I did experiment with a double iPhone speaker from Roads and Rails in 37 608, but decided it sounded too harsh. 37 609 has Jamie Goodman sound, and 37 608 has the ESU sound library Hi-Fi class 37 sound. 37 602 has legomanbiffo sound and an Accurathrash speaker fitted.

I spent some time fitting the extra details to them, with 37423 and 37 026 having snow ploughs fitted, and only some of the pipework fitted to 37 423 at the front (with static three-piece ploughs and no coupling fitted). Otherwise, I used the one-piece ploughs and couplings. 37 602/608/609 all have the full pipework fitted, and only the red (air??) pipe towards the centre snipped to clear the tension lock coupling swing. The screw couplings were also lightly glued to stay clear of the coupling swing.

 

 

 

 

[John Tomlinson]

Although not in their current livery per your model, the DRS 37's have done some odd things, including this scrap metal working in bogie box wagons. Detail if you click on the pic,

 

 

[SRman]

My latest video on YouTube showing off an Accurascale class 37 with Jamie Goodman sound. I have used an Accurathrash large speaker and removed the sugar cube speaker from this locomotive, then tweaked the bass and treble levels from the decoder (using an ESU LokProgrammer).

 

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by SRman

[SRman]

Inspired by a query on another forum, I dug out my older class 37 from ViTrains, which is still not a bad model. The yellow ends on the large logo livery were a bit anaemic, and I hadn't fitted any of the buffer beam details except the side ploughs, so I found all the extra bits filed away properly in the storage boxes and set to. All of the centre hoses on the buffer beam had to be trimmed to clear the coupling swing at each end, and one of the ETH cables is still missing, but it all looks a bit better than nothing at all there. One of the ploughs has gone missing (it shouldn't be that hard to find!), but that happened on the real locomotives from time to time as well. 😁

I have overpainted the yellow, a little roughly, with Tamiya BR warning panel yellow (late), which is a little better looking than the original yellow. I have also done a very small amount of weathering with browns and gunmetal colours, but there is a little more I could still do to really bring out the under-parts details without overdoing things.

Long ago, I fitted a Hornby TTS class 37 sound decoder, which works quite well with the ViTrains mechanism. I present 37 428, David Lloyd George in slightly tarted up form.

 

 

[SRman]

Continuing my theme of going through some of the older locomotives and adding some of the detailing bits, I tackled one of my Bachmann class 37s.  this one is 37 698, Coedbach, and it now has most of the buffer beam pipes added, although I had to snip a section out of the ETH cable to clear the coupling swings at each end.

 

 

 

[SRman]

I intended to treat Bachmann 37 693 next, but could only find the ETH cables, so that's as far as this one has gone, to date.

[SRman]

The latest and last intended Accurascale 37 arrival was green fyp D6704 seen straight out of the box, apart from re-addressing. 



 

And then, after adding all the extras - brass etched makers plates and frost grills, brake and air pipes and cables, and one headcode changed to suggest an interregional service to the Southern Region. This one came from Amanda Jane Models and has the factory-fitted sound installation.



 

I will be modifying the function mapping to bring it into line with all the others, (things like Drive Hold on F8, cab lights on F21, and so on). I haven't actually run this one in yet.

As shown in the Accurascale class 37 topic, I posed all 10 of my class 37s on the layout for a photo - only six are from Accurascale. Copying my post from the other topic : Accurascale examples DRS 37 423, 37 602 and 37 609 are on the left, Europhoenix/ROG 37 608 in the foreground in the siding, Railfreight Distribution 37 026 is on the right in the other triple formation, and D6704 is on the lower level on the programming track.

The remaining ones are three Bachmann and one ViTrains: Bachmann 37 693 in Railfreight grey, 37 698 in Railfreight Minerals livery, and 37 038 in engineer's Dutch livery at the back, while ViTrains BR large logo blue 37 428 is in the foreground in the siding with the ROG/Europhoenix example.

They represent several different eras and will not normally be on the layout all at the same time! 

[SRman]

Just thinking, I should repeat the exercise with other locomotive types I have more than three of. Straight off the top of my head, I could do a similar expanded view of class 33 diesels, class 73 electro-diesels, class 66 diesels, N15 Arthurs, Merchant Navies and Bulleid light Pacifics. Watch this space. 

[SRman]

Here we go: all of my operational class 73s in one photo (well, two really both showing the same thing from different angles). Note the word "operational" in there: I have several spare Lima and Hornby bodies with different liveries that can clip onto the existing running chassis, giving me a few more number and livery variations if I want them. A few of these models have been repainted and/or renumbered and renamed. All except one of the named ones have etched plates fitted, with the exception having Railtec's rather clever 3D printed transfers (GBRf 73 212 Fiona, one of the Dapol models). Early Dapol releases E6007 and 73 212 (as it is now) had their lighting circuits on the PCBs modified to separate the cab lights out onto separate functions.

The majority of these are Hornby, or Hornby chassis with Lima bodies. There are just three Dapol models in this lot. Once again, the liveries cover multiple eras and some overlap these, but they are not usually all expected to appear on the layout at the same time.

 

[BWsTrains]

On 15/12/2023 at 18:16, SRman said:

Here we go: all of my operational class 73s in one photo

 

With apologies to Messrs Python The Colonel - "Stop this sketch, it's getting all together too silly!" I was OK with you can't have too many GWR Panniers but now Class 73s, really?  😈

[SRman]

1 minute ago, BWsTrains said:

 

With apologies to Messrs Python The Colonel - "Stop this sketch, it's getting all together too silly!" I was OK with you can't have too many GWR Panniers but now Class 73s, really?  😈

 

Do I go to the class 33s next, or the steam (Bulleids)? 😉

[BWsTrains]

29 minutes ago, SRman said:

 

Do I go to the class 33s next, or the steam (Bulleids)? 😉

 

Don't mind me, I'm only stirring!

[SRman]

1 hour ago, BWsTrains said:

 

Don't mind me, I'm only stirring!

 

Don't worry - I know! 😅😅

[SRman]

Next line-up is of my class 33 collection. All are Heljan models. There are representatives of all three sub-classes, but only one has the earlier exhaust arrangement, and is from the later, slightly more detailed batch from Heljan. There is a ring-in in there too - see if you can spot it. 😁

Edit: I have nine class 33s in total.

 

 

Edited December 21, 2023 by SRman

[SRman]

My class 66 collection line up is next. All are Bachmann models of various vintages, except for Freightliner Powerhaul 66 504, which is a Hatton's model.

 

 

 

 

Adding my two class 59s into the mix as well. The silver Yeoman one, 59 005 is a Lima body on a Hornby chassis, with working head and marker lights added to one end only (no point in fitting tail lights!), the other in DB livery is a Dapol 59/2, 59 206.

[SRman]

A little bit of fiddling with settings using the LokProgrammer today, involving Accurascale 92 009 Marco Polo. The main problem I had was the total lack of braking when pressing F5. In the LokProgrammer software, I made two amendments:

 

1. Added 'Brake 1' to the function activated by F5, which previously only showed the brake sound.

2. Adjusted the Brake 1 setting under the brakes tab, testing each time until I was satisfied that the train could stop in a reasonable time - I settled on the effect being 215% (it was 50%).

 

I might have to check the other class 92s as well.

The other problem I had was caused by a loose above board point motor which caught the bogie of the locomotive (and also several of the wagons after that) and knocked off one of the shoe beams, which I eventually found along the track in the four-foot. That was retrieved from an almost unreachable location and glued back on.

All of my Accurascale locomotives continue to be excellent runners to date.

 

 

[SRman]

I have just installed a new, brighter LED strip for layout lighting along the eastern stretch of the layout. It still isn't quite as bright as the strip on the other end, but it's much better than before. The photo shows it with the room lights off, so just the layout lights on. For comparison, the second photo shows the other end's lighting from a somewhat earlier time. I think having the plain wall there also helps with the lighting as it reflects some back onto the layout.

 

 

[SRman]

Just arrived this morning is the Bachmann refurbished 4 CEP unit in Jaffa Cake livery. The first photo shows the unit 1522 on its own, the second shows it with the matching MLV 9008 (68008) on the rear. At this point I haven't consisted the two units because I want to run 1522 in first.

The CEP ran perfectly on DC on its initial test, and also when I fitted a Lenz Silver decoder. However, the interior lights in the motored car didn't come on when tested, and I traced that to the body not clipping down quite correctly. After fixing that, it stuttered and started then stopped repeatedly, so another trouble-shooting investigation revealed that the trailing bogie's springy contact on the PCB had got caught and was bent, so off came the body again (a right royal pain!), and out came the long-nosed pliers. The latter contact bending has also been reported by someone else on RMweb.

After testing the chassis successfully, the body was clipped back in and the small black light guide moulding was clipped back into place on the headcode light after that came loose. Fortunately that was accessible from the front corridor connection opening without removing the body again. This time it ran perfectly, as it should, so it was posed for the photos.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 5 by SRman
Additional reference

[SRman]

One of the points leading into the western end of my storage roads was playing up recently when we ran a friend's Fell diesel - the auto-polarity wasn't working properly, leaving the frog dead in both directions. I tested it with a short wheelbase locomotive, a Hatton's Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST and that confirmed that no power was getting to the frog and Vee area at all. It would have been useless using any longer wheelbase locomotives or units as they can bridge the short dead section anyway. I suggested that some of the pickups were not doing their job on the Fell if it was stalling there, in addition to the lack of power feeding the section.
 

I have been procrastinating about fixing it, but finally bit the bullet to move some stuff out of the way and pull the layout out from the wall to get at the underneath of the point from that side - the layout is on casters but it is also heavy!
 

I sent the Andrew Barclay around to get it to stall on the point so I would be able to tell when I had restored power, but it carried on through the point perfectly. Tried it through all the other points with blades set in both available directions in turn, and it sailed through all of them without the slightest hesitation. This was both annoying and relieving, as I don't have to try to trace the faulty connection. I figured it has to be in the wire leading from the frog/vee to the polarity switch but didn't know for sure which wire was the correct one from the point (it's partially obscured from the front of the layout). Thankfully I now don't have fix anything, especially as some temporary medications I am on are making me a bit unsteady.
 

The photo shows the loco after I had driven it back from testing each road in turn. It remained under its own power at all times, with no prodding or pushing at all. It is sitting beside the new CEP unit shown in my previous post.

 

 

 

Edited January 5 by SRman
Paragraph spacing

[SRman]

I did a little more fiddling with the layout wiring late today, something I have been putting off for a long time (where have you heard me say that before??). Again, it relates to the lighting rig with the white LEDs - I have kept the coloured string on a separate switch. I ran some extra 12V wiring to allow me to move the plug for the western end lights to the same power board as the eastern end lights and also the main layout power, so now, when I switch the trains on, the white LED lights also all come on, instead of my having to switch the left-hand end on separately. While doing this, I realised the variable voltage power adapter for the new string was actually set for 9V instead of 12, so swapping that for a straight 12V adapter means that the lights are all now roughly the same brightness. I can reuse the variable one more productively elsewhere.

Also while doing all this, I tried to tidy up the wiring a bit, using some velcro straps. I found that two of the longer straps joined together could go around the massive main girders, and the bonus is they can be unhooked to allow further wires to be held if necessary later. It may not look that much different in the photo, but the exposed wiring at the front of the layout really is neater now.

[SRman]

I have added some of Bachmann's barbed wire fencing along the back of the garage scene. It barely shows from some angles, but the whole point of using it is to allow a clear view of trains at the back as they go past. The beauty of having the scene removable can be seen in that I was able to work on it in a more comfortable location.

There is more to do in lining both sides of the road with hedgerows. There are also a few "holes" to fix up which the close-up shots show rather cruelly.

 

 

 

 

 

[SRman]

As I have noted on the Accurascale class 37 thread, I have upgraded the power supply to the NCE Power Pro system that supplies the entire layout except the programming/test track. For many years I have used a 15V 5A laptop power supply, which has coped perfectly well with all the demands of the layout to date. However, with the Accurascale class 37s, I found that the stay-alive packs were not working, although they worked perfectly well when on the programming track with an NCE Power Cab supplying full track voltage. I was able to transfer a class 37 with sound and lights working from the programming track to the main lines without interrupting anything. However, the reverse was not the case.

I recently read that the Power Pro can use up to a 19V power supply (that's official on the NCE website), so purchased a suitable laptop power adapter with a 19V 4.5A output. Connecting this up to the Power Pro worked straight off, so I briefly tested Accurascale 37 609, which demonstrated a short period of capacitance. I really didn't give it very long to charge up, so it may actually be better than the initial test suggests. Whichever way, the higher track voltage has proved a success. A normal meter showed 12.8V at the rails, where previously it was somewhat lower than that. I know that it's not a true reading because of the wave form of DCC, but it was a fair comparison between the "before" and the "after".

[SRman]

Back to photographing my motive power using themes: this one is Bulleid Merchant Navy class, in both original and rebuilt forms. Once again, the liveries cover a range of eras. Believe it or not, there is an overlap of numbers, as a sort of before and after effect. 😁

There are two originals missing: one is a nearly finished Millholme white metal kit on a Hornby chassis, but it hasn't been converted to DCC yet, to be 35028 Clan Line, and 35015 Rotterdam Lloyd, a Frankenstein's Monster made from two Airfix/Kitmaster kits on a modified Hornby Dublo chassis; both would have shorted out the tracks when I took the photos.

The original form locos are (in no particular order) 21C3 Royal Mail (SR green), 35018 British India Line (a Golden Arrow resin body on a Hornby chassis), 35023 Holland Afrika Line, and 35024 East Asiatic Company (BR blue).

The rebuilt types are 35005 Canadian Pacific (preservation BR blue), 35012 United States Lines (on the lower programming/test track), 35015 Rotterdam Lloyd (edit: missing from the photo), 35021 New Zealand Line, 35023 Holland Afrika Line, 35024 East Asiatic Company, 35027 Port Line, and 35028 Clan Line.

To deal with the duplicate numbers in DCC addressing, I have added 100 to the rebuild MN numbers, so 35023 becomes 35123, for example.

 

 

 

Edited January 9 by SRman
Realised one was missing from the photo!