Eastwood Town - A tribute to Gordon's modelling.

[Ray H]

T'is nice to see you progressing again Gordon.

 

They say that it's not the destination that counts, it's the journey. Hopefully this time you are approaching the destination.

 

You may have finished the baseboards, track laying and electrics (relatively) soon but there's still plenty of "building" still to do afterwards and I'm sure, judging by the images you've posted on here before, the results will be outstanding.

[gismorail]

Wow cracking video of the track work in action ....this layout really is going to be fun to operate excellent 

[hayfield]

Gordon

 

Good to see your Mojo back and sometimes it is beneficial to take a break, owing to a house remodelling I done very little this year so like you looking forward to being able to do something in the next few weeks. Modelling room being plastered next week and need to lay a concrete floor in the new half, then hopefully all systems go after the final electrical fix and a bit of paint

[coachmann]

I read you are using DCC. Will any of your locos be sound-fitted Gordon?  If so, I have a feeling your ideas on a layout will alter in the coming months as designing to suit sound becomes the in-thing.

Edited November 17, 2017 by coachmann

[gordon s]

Hi Larry, really enjoying your Carrog thread and the sound loco's you've played around with are some of the best steam loco's I have heard.  Right now I'm focussing on the build and even seeing an N2 running is a massive lift for me.  When sound first appeared I was in my buying phase and suddenly got distracted by US diesels and the large articulated steam loco's like the Big Boy.  They came with sound and at the time I could see this could be a huge step forward.  Of course it came out of the box, all the buttons were pressed and we all stood back in amazement.  After 30 minutes or so of whistles, bells and chuffs, I found myself switching it off and enjoying the peace.

 

Now roll forward 10 years or so and everything is improving.  Speakers have got better and sound files are becoming far more realistic.  The really clever guys are tweaking all their sound CV's and I can see it is rapidly becoming an art form on its own.  It certainly adds a lot more to the driving experience and I can see me going down that route, but that's a long way down the road.

 

It some ways modelling takes a turn from RTR and masses of stock to a fine appreciation of something done well.  A bit like the human palate with cheese or appreciation of a decent wine.  Right now I have boxes of stock, far too much for any layout, so I still have a massive clearout on the horizon as I start to refine everything down to the memories and sights and smells of BR Eastern in the 60's.  Of course sound has to be a part of that, so it's almost inevitable.

 

Keep making those sound videos as they are inspirational....not to mention those fabulous coaches....

[Buhar]

Hey, Rome wasn't built in a day....

 

Brian Clough's response was "but I wasn't on that particular job."

[gordon s]

Work is progressing!  The station approach is all wired and running, so I'm working my way round the bend.  I've decided to clamp these two boards permanently together, as they bridge over the stairwell and the join is in the middle of this long curve.  I think it will be easier to retain a smooth curve with it all in one piece and the boards are not much wider than the double track width, so weight is not an issue.

 

One thing that has struck me though, was just how small the trains are and my fears of a visible oval are becoming less of a problem.  With just all the junk in the middle of the room, the space was getting smaller and the trains getting bigger.  Once it opened out the boards went back in the visible eye line and it now makes more sense.

 

Starting from ET approach, this is to access to the outer loop from the inner platforms and bay.

 

 

I ballast all the pointwork first as that's proven to be the best method for my cack handed modelling.  Those are all painted and wired before dropping into pva and then adding ballast.  Plain track is glued down, the droppers are then added via a dummy pcb sleeper, then it is airbrushed and ballasted.

 

 

At the other end you have the goods access road off to the left as the main loops continue round.

 

 

Close up photography can be cruel.  I took a couple of shots of the N2 and Quad Arts and all looked OK, but then looking at this one, all the ventilators appear to either be coming adrift or completely skew.  They are OK, but it's strange what a camera can do....

 

 

Oh well, onward and upward....:-)

[Rowsley17D]

You seem to be flushed with success! 

 

Well, somebody had to say it.

[Buhar]

The first coach looks fine but the hoods on the second look like they were put on with blutak! I'm relieved it's a camera issue, but strange all the same.

 

That curve is probably a behind the gasworks radius as Martyn would term it, but it looks very natural, even looking along it and the set seems to flow with it rather than being a series of straights and angles. What radius is it?

[gordon s]

I'm not sure how I feel about the crooked hoods over the windows.  I'd never noticed before and it wasn't until I looked more closely that I can see that one or two may not be perfectly square and make all the others look strange.

 

Hopefully they won't bother me in future.  After all I've had them many years and they all appeared fine.  Just need to reboot my brain to yesterday when all was fine...

 

With regard to the radii, the inner radius is typically 48" around the curve.  The turnout to the goods area is a C10 with an inner radius around 50".  The crossover at ET station end is another C10 on the outer with 45" radius into another C10 on the inner.  This time it is 150" radius across the crossover and 168" on the inner loop.

 

With any luck I'll have this board turned over and fully wired over the weekend.  Joining them together will see trains running for 16'-20' and that hasn't happened in a long time.

[Siberian Snooper]

Good progress a 16 foot run is longer than a lot of layouts.

[hayfield]

Good progress a 16 foot run is longer than a lot of layouts.

 

That will be the total length of my new layout !!

[Siberian Snooper]

That will be the total length of my new layout !!

And mine, when I get round tuit.

[cb900f]

Evening Gordon,

 

Apologies if I have missed the change , are you still using SMP track or have you converted to the new Peco bullhead ?

 

Pete

[gordon s]

No, much as I'm tempted, I'll probably stick to SMP.  

 

All my copper clad pointwork is based on 1.06mm material and not the 1.6mm it seems that most use.  I prefer the thinner copper strip as it cuts easily with Xuron track cutters and the rail height matches SMP.  It's also very easy to ballast using the CK method.  I tried it with deeper sleeper sections and it didn't work as well.

 

I'm fairly sure the Peco Bullhead will bend far easier than SMP which needs the web slitting and then some careful forming plus sleeper straightening to stop them looking askew.

 

Here's another couple of views that I never expected to see before Christmas....

 

 

ET carriage sidings will sit to the left of the main loops and have yet to be constructed.  Then you have the two main running loops and the line on the right runs down a 1:80 gradient to the steam and diesel sheds.  This is steeper than the 1:100 I normally aim for, but it will be light loco's only or at worst, a few 16 tonners for the coaling stage.

 

Looking in the opposite direction.

 

 

The shed line has now descended 70mm and ducks under the main loops.  The left hand line will go to a diesel shed/refuelling area.  This is in the middle distance where the roll of cork is sitting.  The steam shed will be accessed via the right hand line and branch into the room for easy access on three sides.  

 

This will hold a 4 road shed, turntable and coaling tower.

 

The line diving off to the right will go over the shed access to a second industrial area.  As a kid I always loved those grimy shed access roads that seemed to dive under numerous lines with a mass of retaining walls and over bridges at differing levels.  If I can go somewhere to recreating that memory, I'll be a happy man.

 

Right at the back left there will be a brewery building and associated industry all fed from the goods turnout off the main line.

 

I guess the next phase will either be to continue down this route or go back to ET station side and get all the platform roads laid.  

 

Whichever way I go, it should signal 50% of a continuous loop up and running.

Edited November 21, 2017 by gordon s

[Ian_H]

Looking good Gordon, will your "six year old nephew" be visiting this Christmas? I'm sure he will be very please to see the progress but perhaps he'll more interested in girls now;-)

Edited November 21, 2017 by Ian_H

[St Enodoc]

No, much as I'm tempted, I'll probably stick to SMP.  

 

All my copper clad pointwork is based on 1.06mm material and not the 1.6mm it seems that most use.  I prefer the thinner copper strip as it cuts easily with Xuron track cutters and the rail height matches SMP.  It's also very easy to ballast using the CK method.  I tried it with deeper sleeper sections and it didn't work as well.

 

I'm fairly sure the Peco Bullhead will bend far easier than SMP which needs the web slitting and then some careful forming plus sleeper straightening to stop them looking askew.

 

Here's another couple of views that I never expected to see before Christmas....

 

DSCF8870.jpg

 

ET carriage sidings will sit to the left of the main loops and have yet to be constructed.  Then you have the two main running loops and the line on the right runs down a 1:80 gradient to the steam and diesel sheds.  This is steeper than the 1:100 I normally aim for, but it will be light loco's only or at worst, a few 16 tonners for the coaling stage.

 

Looking in the opposite direction.

 

DSCF8869.jpg

 

The shed line has now descended 70mm and ducks under the main loops.  The left hand line will go to a diesel shed/refuelling area.  This is in the middle distance where the roll of cork is sitting.  The steam shed will be accessed via the right hand line and branch into the room for easy access on three sides.  

 

This will hold a 4 road shed, turntable and coaling tower.

 

The line diving off to the right will go over the shed access to a second industrial area.  As a kid I always loved those grimy shed access roads that seemed to dive under numerous lines with a mass of retaining walls and over bridges at differing levels.  If I can go somewhere to recreating that memory, I'll be a happy man.

 

Right at the back left there will be a brewery building and associated industry all fed from the goods turnout off the main line.

 

I guess the next phase will either be to continue down this route or go back to ET station side and get all the platform roads laid.  

 

Whichever way I go, it should signal 50% of a continuous loop up and running.

Very nice Gordon and a superb endorsement of the benefits of hand-built points. I'm intrigued by your mention of copperclad thicknesses. I've used SMP copperclad for nearly 40 years and it is 1.2 mm thick, which with SMP rail gives a perfect match with SMP track (as you might expect). What brand of copperclad are you using?

[gordon s]

http://www.finescale.org.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=346_347_359_649&product_id=3477

 

I will check these tomorrow, but C & L now say 1mm. I'm 90% certain they were always listed as 1.06mm, but know they changed their supplier a year or so back.

 

I bought some SMP point kits years ago and seem to recall SMP strips were single sided and the 4mm width varied, whereas the C & L product was more consistent. Out of interest, I'm still playing around cutting my own from copper sheet ask the savings are huge, but only if the quality of the cut is sharp and without burrs.

[jukebox]

Nice to see you back in the saddle Gordon - it's funny how "the mojo" needs to find it's own way to the surface, and then momentum kicks in.  Thanks for your supportive visits to Stockrington across 2017.

 

Looking forward to watching your progress on Eastwood Town into the new year.

 

Cheers

 

Scott

[islandbridgejct]

... Just need to reboot my brain to yesterday when all was fine...

 

There's a layout you can use if you need to Bacup.

[St Enodoc]

http://www.finescale.org.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=346_347_359_649&product_id=3477

 

I will check these tomorrow, but C & L now say 1mm. I'm 90% certain they were always listed as 1.06mm, but know they changed their supplier a year or so back.

 

I bought some SMP point kits years ago and seem to recall SMP strips were single sided and the 4mm width varied, whereas the C & L product was more consistent. Out of interest, I'm still playing around cutting my own from copper sheet ask the savings are huge, but only if the quality of the cut is sharp and without burrs.

Yes, SMP are single-sided and yes the width can vary.

[aardvark]

I now use a slower method on the few copperclad turnouts I build, which is after cutting the timbers to length, I use a felt tip pen to mark the isolation gaps. Then using a junior hacksaw I gap the timbers first (it is also easier to fill the gaps at this stage and sand flat) With the timbers gapped I can solder the rails and check the crossings with a loco as they are being built 

 

I have no personal experience in this (or any other!) arena, but I read somewhere about using a round file for gapping, as the rounded gap was not anywhere near as obvious as a slit, and (perhaps) didn't require filling.

[aardvark]

I've always enjoyed the good days.

 

Apologies for the double-post, but I may have to appropriate this quote for my epitaph

[hayfield]

http://www.finescale.org.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=346_347_359_649&product_id=3477

 

I will check these tomorrow, but C & L now say 1mm. I'm 90% certain they were always listed as 1.06mm, but know they changed their supplier a year or so back.

 

I bought some SMP point kits years ago and seem to recall SMP strips were single sided and the 4mm width varied, whereas the C & L product was more consistent. Out of interest, I'm still playing around cutting my own from copper sheet ask the savings are huge, but only if the quality of the cut is sharp and without burrs.

 

 

The thin copperclad was 1.06 mm thick and the thicker 1.6 mm thick, other than the 1.6 mm strip when used with the cast chairs matches both 1.6 mm plastic and ply strip using plastic chairs. Phil has had to change supplier again and the new strip is 1 mm thick also he is going to supply shorter strips but in packs of 20.

 

I think it is still double sided

[gordon s]

Morning all. Jeez it was cold out there at 6.45am as I wandered off to the golf course to book a tee time for a knock out match in 10 days time. Of course you can phone in, but there are so many competitions on at the moment and with light fading mid afternoon, morning tee times are at a premium. Those that turn up at the Pro Shop generally have a marginally better chance of getting a reasonable time and I'm glad to say 10.22am will do fine. All we have to do now is win our Mixed Mid Week Greensomes to go into the semi finals.....

Seems things are progressing, although I've had to do a bit of tweaking with some of my copper clad turnouts. More of that in a minute.....

Ferreted around under my workbench this morning looking for a suitable loco for a run out. To save time, I've just hooked up ET to a Gaugemaster twin DC controller, but of course many of my loco's have decoders fitted with DCC only programmed. Managed to find a couple of Hornby loco's and I must say with pick ups on all wheels (including tender wheels) they ran well over semi clean track. I still have much to do, so no point in a deep clean at this stage.

First problem I came across was B2B's, but more after this video of Grimsby Town out for a short run.

Apologies for the focus wandering all over the place. Probably operator error....:-)

OK, back to pointwork. I like to think I take care in building pointwork, using all the right gauges and an old Bachmann chassis used as a test mule, so it really irks me when you take a selection of 00 loco's fresh out of their boxes and some bounce around when traversing pointwork. I'm not going to lay all the blame at the manufacturers as there is a wealth of difference running a test chassis through pointwork by hand and a loco that has travelled several feet before the turnout and has no hand pressure at all guiding it round. There is no need for gauge widening when you are working on a turnout on it's own, but add a few feet of curved track and the wheels are free to move away from the perfect line and seem to have a mind of their own.

Add to that some B2B's of less than 14.40-14.50mm and you have a morning of diagnostics. The biggest benefit of copper clad though is the ability to tweak rails a fraction of a mm once B2B's have been correctly set. I never move the wing rails or check rails as they have been set by gauges and are correct. All the minor adjustments are with the outer rails or the clearance on the end of the point blade. The usual problem is where a forward bogie wheel comes off a curve and is hard over, so much so the wheel catches the end of the open blade and you have a derailment.

So after much cussing and checking with a B2B gauge, the iron was turned off and another test run was undertaken. Those of you with acute hearing will hear the odd click as Grimsby Town traverses the pointwork, so I still have some minor adjustments to make. The goal is faultless running and it's man v machine....

This thread has been going on for years now, so it's probably a good time to put up a track plan so new readers will be able to relate pics and video to a plan.

 

The area running so far is the bottom right, across the stairs and up the left hand edge. I'm just about to go down a level and start on the shed access. I'm not sure if I'll use the Peco sideplates and I'll need to give some thought as to either cut away the 12mm ply trackbed across each span, or use additional side girder plates below the Peco ones to lose the 12mm trackbed.





I'm also still tinkering about with stone pillars. I know we've talked about this before, but to my mind the Slaters 7mm dressed stone is overscale, but the Wills 4mm product to my eye looks more like an ornamental garden wall than a spot of engineering stone that will support tons of weight. I'm quite tempted to forget stone altogether and go down the dirty blue engineering brick that was found in most walls and tunnels at the KX end of the ECML.

Got a whole week or so with no golf, so I might get some more done. If I do, you'll be the first to know.....

Edited November 26, 2017 by gordon s