Andrew P Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 And were STILL WAITING, ahhahahaha Don't rush it though, hahahha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted January 26, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 26, 2015 Which do you think a visitor from Mars would find the more puzzling: 1. knocking a little ball into a hole and then taking it out again? 2. transporting plastic passengers round and round in circles? Martin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixoh8sixoh Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Prototypical early 50s BR, waiting 5 years for a train? ;-) Martin - in most cases transporting invisible plastic people... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ray H Posted January 26, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 26, 2015 Gordon I think there's every chance that the year could be 2015. In fact I'd like to think for your sake that it is. You've laboured long and hard over the past five years - your figure - and you deserve to see the benefit from it sooner rather than later even if you just lay one circuit and run the same train around. I'm sure that will serve to give you one heck of a boost and enable you to finally be able to show Mrs. S that there is something in this modelling hobby other than frustration and trips to the tip/cash machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesysmith Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Gordon, we haven't just been reading about a piece of track for 5 years. We have been reading about laying track, senic bits, ots of points, ripping it up, starting again, and most of all a will to get there in the end. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 By the way, I'm staggered to have 298 followers. I see that the “Followers” have soared to 300 since your post, Gordon.............! Best, Pete. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I know your enjoyment comes from track building and you are racing ahead at a cracking pace. I just hope your enthusiasm for the layout does not evaporate when faced with all the ballasting and colouring. I mean this sincerely, as I suspect we have similar tendencies at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Coach One way to keep Gordon on his toes is to offer to come and run the first train !! I am certain both of you would have a great time 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 (edited) Haaa, Gordon and I build layouts; Running trains would be a first........ Edited January 28, 2015 by coachmann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dseagull Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I see that the “Followers” have soared to 300 since your post, Gordon.............! Best, Pete. Another one now, I thought I had followed long ago though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Harvey Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I see that the “Followers” have soared to 300 since your post, Gordon.............! Best, Pete. Everyone is waiting to see if he get 99% done then does a coachman and tear it all up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gordon s Posted January 28, 2015 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 28, 2015 Evening all….and a big welcome to our new followers! I'm truly flattered that over 300 seem to be following this epic build…or should this be these as there's been more than one…:-) Many thanks for your humorous and kind comments. They are a real motivator. No sign of quitting yet, but as Larry said, I am a fully paid up member of build something, get bored before the end and tear it up club, but thankfully this one seems different…so far. OK, as we know gradients consist of two bendy bits with a straight bit in between. Piece of cake on paper, so why on earth does it turn into the demon from hell. This time I think I have finally cracked it. Creating any gradient has been tricky for me in the past, but the eventual solution I settled on, seems to work. Many thanks Martin W for giving me the run down on vertical curves. Using a piece of 12mm ply the full width of the baseboard, I laid out the Templot print and then allowed 300mm for the vertical transition each end of the gradient. I managed to work out the track bed for each elevated track and the two descending tracks down the middle and cut up the piece of ply stopping some 150mm from the end. The very end was then screwed down flat with the adjacent board and then 150mm in from the end a support was added just 1mm shorter for the descending track and 1mm higher for the two outers that will ascend. From there the 12mm ply formed it's own natural curve. I've had to compromise on my 1:100 gradient minimum as I would like to keep the two bay platforms and finally set the gradient at 1:75. Not ideal, but better than 1:50 and as the gradient itself is just over 3m long, I'm hoping my steam locos and 7 coaches will not be a problem. If it is, I've already decided to take the gradients out completely and just run four loops round. With nearly all the pointwork on the station side, this will be far easier than it sounds, so not a long term issue that will bite me on the backside. I'm not 100% happy with one or two of the transitions from the long flat radius of the gradients to the tighter radii of the station throat, so may tweak them tomorrow. I have a thin 6" rule which slides easily under the SMP sleepers and breaks the PVA bond without damaging the track or trackbed. Once I have freed up a foot or so, I can tweak the curve and a few drops of superglue will then hold the sleepers in the new position prior to ballasting. As per my normal postings, here's a few pics showing the gradient construction from both above and below the baseboards. The final pic show just how small a 18' square room really is once you get baseboards around the walls. Working on two adjacent boards at a time really can be a headache with little or no space to move around. Back to bashing a small white ball again tomorrow, although the forecast doesn't look that great, so who knows... 24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dseagull Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Certainly looks very smooth to me Gordon. Currently planning a gradient of my own, but in a smaller space, and as my woodwork isnt a patch on yours I am looking at the Woodlands Scenics incline kits. Talking of little white balls, I've just taken up golf too, but as I am still at the 'driving range and pitch & putt' stage, I wont trouble you for advice on that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROY@34F Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 That's exactly how I did my gradients years ago Gordon, using risers screwed to crossmembers at different heights. At the time I used 1/2" chipboard and not nearly as neat as yours, but it has stood the test of time in my attic, and I'm sure my gradients are steeper. Indeed a friend of mine recently brought a Hornby A4 to show me and on trial it would only take 5 coaches without slipping on my layout. . BUT what I have done each time I've acquired an engine, I have usually added lead weights superglued in wherever, often casting lead in copper tube for the boiler, Sometimes removing the DCC gubbins to free up the room . I have 3 A4s, 3 A3s, 1 Bachman A1, all so treated and all will handle 13 Mk 1s easily. Of course some are ok like white metal kit built, like my DJH A1, and a Bachman K3 surprisingly sure-footed as bought. Their 2-8-0 austerities are'nt quite so good but reasonable. I realise it's more difficult if you're DCC as you cant very will move the DCC stuff out of the boiler space. By the way I am another follower of your escapades, and admire your workmanship. 00SF and your trackwork looks brilliant, I am a definite convert if I ever build any more points. Keep going at it please. Regards, Roy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trustytrev Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Hello, Just a thought regarding inclines. If you have a train that struggles up any of the inclines could you not introduce a banker.Using dcc locos in such a manner would surely introduce quite a bit more operating interest. The real railways certainly managed it. trustytrev. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_H Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I keep getting the emails to advise that there's been another posting on the Eastwood Town thread and I get ever so excited when I see it’s a message from Gordon, has he started on the Bastille terminus yet? .... Nope, not today but I know it playing on Gordon’s mind! Just playing with you Gordon, it been a real pleasure to watch your build over the years and I've felt for you when its gone wrong or the ill health that your experienced a couple of years back. I've really enjoyed your tutorials they've been very educational, well at least to me they have and, as I say, I've felt for you when it’s gone wrong and been amazed with the determination to get it back on track. And of course I've laughed with you when you realized you’d been sold Aussie track! So, almost into the final push … you’ve got 66days to prepare for the Easter Special (as usual single line working due to engineering works)…. will it run? and what should pull it? since there are gradients involved perhaps it should be a diesel (Deltic maybe) for the outward bound, no disappointment with getting stuck on the gradient and everybody gets to the seaside, we can use a kettle (the 9F that you converted a while back - plenty of weight) for the return trip. Good luck Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Hi Gordon, the build gets better and better and I can't wait to see the first train run round Eastwood. As regards to the gradients have you considered using DCC Concepts Powerbase to solve possible problem with train length. It seems the ideal solution especially while you are still in the track laying stage. It seems such a simple solution, steel plates ander the track and magnets fixed to the locomotives. http://youtu.be/cTMGB9plu4c 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 Just logged in and surprised/pleased to see some new postings this morning! Dseagull. That a voice from the past! How's life with you? Still down Brighton way? Visits to the driving range is a great way to start golf, but try and get a lesson or two up front otherwise bad habits will easily take over and it's much harder to change something that has become ingrained. Be careful though, golf is addictive... Roy@34F. Lead in loco's is a great solution but some way away just yet. All my DJH loco's are packed away and waiting to come out and play. Funnily enough they are well wrapped up, but I have this recurring nightmare that the tissue/kitchen roll they have been wrapped in, damaged the paintwork. I'm pretty sure they are wrapped in acid free paper, but somehow these thoughts creep into your head in idle moments. Here's a few of pics of what might appear one day... Trustytrev. Banking is certainly a possibility, although the sight of an A3 or A4 with just seven coaches struggling up a slope would be sacrilege….:-) Ian H. Bastille? Don't go there….:-) Easter specials? I like the sound of that one. Could it be done? Depends……. Highlandman. I saw the Powerbase set up a few weeks back and was impressed with the video. Each gradient is 3m and there are 8 tracks, so I would need to look at the cost. It would mean lifting the track I have just laid, but that's not the end of the world. Hopefully when I get one circuit working I will be able to see if 1:75 is a problem. My gut feel is that it will be fine, but time will tell. Thanks for all your input, guys. It's great to know people are reading my ramblings... I must banish the thought of Bastille completely, but it would make a neat surburban terminus down the middle of the room…. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesysmith Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 No, no, no. Forget the terminus in the middle of the room(well, for now at least), and you have a deadline now. We want to see a circuit built and a train running a full loop before b#@£dy Easter. Looking outside the window at the weather, looks like more chance of layout work, less of the little white balls? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 Looking out the window now and it's blue skies and sunny…No sign of bad weather. Yet………. Don't worry, Bastille is banished from my thoughts. Keep taking the pills…. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_H Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 (edited) Okay, I promise not to mention Bastille again unless you do ................... How about "Gare de la 14 juillet"? Forgot to ask, did you build those DJH locos yourself, I really like "The Territorial Army" smashing paint job too. Edited January 29, 2015 by Ian_H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesysmith Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Looking out the window now and it's blue skies and sunny…No sign of bad weather. Yet………. Don't worry, Bastille is banished from my thoughts. Keep taking the pills…. Looking out of our window, all I see is a gritting lorry getting stuck! What do you expect, it was a woman driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 (edited) Okay, I promise not to mention Bastille again unless you do ................... How about "Gare de la 14 juillet"? Forgot to ask, did you build those DJH locos yourself, I really like "The Territorial Army" smashing paint job too. No, 'fraid not. They were all built and painted by Graham Varley of Ely. Before I retired I was lucky enough to have a good job and was able to commission Graham to build them for me. As I've been retired seven years now, it must have been over 10 years ago and to date they have probably run less than 10' each……. I suspect I will have to open them up and clean and lubricate them before running, but the build quality is excellent, so perhaps not. They are all DJH kits with Comet chassis and Markits/Romford wheels, hence my interest in 00-SF to run RTR and DJH stuff through the same pointwork. Add to that some diesel conversions with Ultrascale's and you can understand my choice of track standard. I have around 20 of them in various classes/specs and hopefully they will all run in anger some time this year. Edited January 29, 2015 by gordon s 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 No, 'fraid not. They were all built and painted by Graham Varley of Ely. Before I retired I was lucky enough to have a good job and was able to commission Graham to build them for me. As I've been retired seven years now, it must have been over 10 years ago and to date they have probably run less that 10' each……. Small world. Graham is a fine all-rounder being a damn good builder who could also turn his hand to painting. At one time I think he wanted to concentrate on building, hence I got the paint jobs as well as one of his spare draughtsmans ruling pens. His loss - my gain and much appreciated. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 Maybe you painted them Larry and I didn't realise at the time. Either way, they are very, very good..... Do you recognise any of them? I'm guessing it would be 2001/2/3/4 or so. I have the receipts somewhere, so could be more exact... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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