McGomez Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 As Mr Poindexter has re-ignited a bit of interest in the helix build, I thought I´d show this video of my first steam loco. I picked up a bargain Loksound V3,5 at the end of August for the princely sum of 65 euros here in Spain. Electrotren it seems, were having trouble shifting their 2012 Mikado stock so did the decent thing, removed the sound decoders and sold them separately.There is only one problem with the sound and that is the whistle, which is just not very British. Of course, some may be able to tell me that it doesn´t sound much like a Standard 4 either but as I´m a (steam sound) luddite, it sounds close enough.I bought mine with the idea of getting it re-blown with Howes class 56 eventually but before that I made this video for posterity.So here is my Hornby standard class 4 doing the usual "up hill and down dale" routine around Portland Grove with some 16 tonners in tow.Towards the end of the video it trys to get to grips with 6 Bachmann MK1s going up one of the ramps. See how she fares??Or can you already imagine? I must admit that the sound chip wasn´t in the loco. I just plugged it in to an ESU chip tester and had the sound going through a bass reflex speaker on my workbench and the tester attached to to DCC bus with croc clips. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 wow, just found this layout, lots of inspiration here, love the step-by-step on the helix, will follow with interest Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I've just spent an hour speed reading through this and watching your videos That HST video is brilliant, you really get a feel for how big the layout is with a long train. Great work. I'd pay to see a layout like this. Love the panels. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Looking good David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted January 20, 2013 Author Share Posted January 20, 2013 Glad you like it ess1uk. I had to laugh at your remark about paying to see it!! My mother in law always says I should put a turnstile on the door and let the locals pay to see it. She also says I should decorate it as a nativity scene and put it in for the Xmas competition they organise in the village. Not sure if HSTs were around 2000 odd years ago!! (although it does sometimes seem like it). I´ve got a sound chip for the HST but it still hasn´t had the definitive installation done yet. I wasn´t very happy with the sound output even with a bass reflex fitted. I was looking at fitting a speaker in the adjacent MK3 coach. On the “to do” list at the moment along with a few others. I finished the third and last panel off over Christmas but haven’t taken any pictures so far. I´m pleased with how they turned out. I am trying to make a start on the scenics at the moment. I have glued 2 Dapol girder bridges together and these will be situated where the helix finishes. It is still to be painted which is imminent (it has taken me 3 weeks to buy the paints) but the mojo seems to be returning so watch this space!! And in a semi-scenic set up on the dining room table. All the best. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 those look like the old Airfix bridge kits, i have one part made somewhere!! the HST would sound awesome with a chip. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted January 28, 2013 Author Share Posted January 28, 2013 Portland Grove P.W. point control panel. The mojo was flowing early last week. I even missed Mrs. Browns Boys on Monday night and managed to complete the Portland Grove P.W. point control panel. This small yard consists of 4 points The point on the mainline and the one that leads into the headshunt are controlled via two Tortoise PM, actioned together by an NCE Switch-it and switched from the South Junction control panel. Only the 2 points within the actual yard are controlled via this panel. The motors are Fulgurex and are a lot noisier than the tortoises. I actually bought these 2 point motors to test before committing to the Tortoise motors but was so put off by the sound, that I opted for the Tortoises. So instead of letting them gather dust in a drawer, I thought I´d put them to work in this small yard. I also quite liked the idea of having a localised panel for shunting within the yard. They work from a 12V supply and are switched via 2 DPDT switches. The panel is made from an aluminium wayfinding extrusion we sell at work and has 2 black end covers. The track plan was printed out onto paper and inserted into the small retaining lugs and a transparent plastic slid on top to protect the paper insert. Holes were drilled for the switches and the ensemble fixed to a plinth attached under the boards. And it works too (but noisily)!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Just looked through you thread,"very impressive" realy super modeling.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Looking great s always , david Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poindexter Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Nice little yard area that Andy. Looks like a prime candidate for early scenic treatment you could treat it like a small diorama? I can see it now with a ballast spoil heap and old stacked sleepers. Maybe a small run down 'stores building' or grounded van, the under growth trying to make headway into the yard. Guy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted January 31, 2013 Author Share Posted January 31, 2013 It is the only thing where I´ve been conservative up until now according to some people Guy. Unless you include the scenics . Your description it pretty much how I imagine it myself. I have made a start on the area behind the PW yard which can be seen in the photo of the overhead control panel in my previous post but just the basic structures where embankmets are going to go. I actually primed the girder bridge with an airbrush last weekend too so things are moving, but IMO they just aren´t that interesting to post about. I did have a rethink the other day about the platforms which haven´t moved on from when I covered them in Scalescenes brickpaper about a year ago. I still have a problem with these little critters called silverfish who eat the paper. I know I should have varnished them but didn´t get round to it. In the photo below, you can make out the white patches where they´ve eaten my bricks. I was impressed with Lee´s (Blue eighties) platforms with Slaters brick plasticard facing stuck on and finally got around to giving it a try. I remade the platform structure with a hard foamlike material (another offcut from work) glueing it with superglue. It is just as strong as the aluminium composite I used previously but a lot lighter. Quicker to put together too. I then glued the strips of brick sheet to the faces of this structure. The 2 additional layers of bricks were glued to the bricksheet before placing it on the foamboard. I´m pleased with the result as I´ve never worked with plasticard in this way before. I don´t think the silverfish will be too pleased though!! The extra strengthening in the photo above was due to cutting and shutting the structure on the curve because someone hadn´t allowed for the overhang of a Pendolino coach. The platform surface has been procured (I won´t tell you from where!!). It is 0,75mm thich PET. Although it looks like it is white in the photo below, it is infact transparent when you take the protection off both sides. I´m still playing about with this at the moment but it looks like Slaters stone paving plasticard will be used as platform edging. Further tests need to be done before I do the complete platforms. The infill between the edging needs to be sourced and the painting of it all too. More next week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hybridangel77 Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 hi andy I really like the new switch panels you have built.im looking at building my ones soon and fancy something similar to yours so i may end up picking your brains on how you built them nearer the time. I also like the way the platforms are looking now. terry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 Over the last weekend I made some progress on the platform. For the tops of the platforms I´d found some 0,75mm plastic sheet (PET to be exact) which can be seen in place below. They are more or less the same thickness as the Slaters paving sheet. The overhangs were checked with a couple of Pendolino coaches to make sure nothing fouled the platform edges. It was stuck to the top of the platform framework with cianocrilato and held in place while curing with some old fluorescent tube ballasts. Once cured, I peeled off the protective cover to reveal a pristine 1970s see through “disco floor” platform but without the coloured flashing lights underneath! I scored the surface where the ramp starts to descend and eased the plastic to the required angle. and stuck strips of Slater’s paving slabs along each side of the structure. I then marked out and cut another piece of transparent 0,75mm plastic to fit just inside the paving slabs and gave it a rub with a sanding block to key the surface and once again secured it with some superglue. The gap between slabs and plastic was filled with some modelling putty. It was then undercoated and rubbed down a couple of times… Until I got a good finish. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold McC Posted February 12, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 12, 2013 Wow!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 I did a few jobs over the weekend. Didn’t finish any of them but enjoyed it all the same. I made a start on the PW yard retaining wall. Slaters random stone sheet stuck on to 3mm foamboard. The strengthening pillars are 2 x 3mm strips, stuck together and wrapped with the plasicard stone. Superglue was used to stick it all together. I also had a stab at painting the girder bridge. Dark grey for the metalwork and dirty mottled brown for the decking. The platforms foundations were extended too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hybridangel77 Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 the station is taking shape now andy! terry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Hi Andy What a great Layout, it looks huge, l mean huge like the one in Germany... lol Excellent Progress mate... Keep us updated... its suberb... Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 Hi Terry. I wished I´d started the scenics earlier now. I´m enjoying the plasticard hacking. Jamie. I can assure you it isn´t like the one in Germany!! That doesn´t have any BR Blue on it!! Glad you like it. Here is the PWay retaining wall finished, except for the capping stones along the top edge. And with an empty ballast working parked up awaiting the weekend engineering works. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Looking good , david Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimleygrid Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Hi Andy, you have been a busy boy. The platforms are looking good, can't wait to see some videos of trains in the station. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 Hi Alex. I´ve been busy because I stopped playing trains so often!! As soon as I start running one, I usually get 3 o 4 going round and that means the scenics stop. It´s a bit like eating. Once I start, I can´t stop. Glad to see Grimly videos appearing every now and again. Impressed with those BAAs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull1845 Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Hi Andy, Layouts looking great, I like the PW retaining wall. I'm thinking of having an incline on my layout and its given me a few ideas. Platforms also look good, the slaters paving slabs do the trick nicely. Think I need to re-read your thread, lot sto take in. Cheers Scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 Hi Andy, Layouts looking great, I like the PW retaining wall. I'm thinking of having an incline on my layout and its given me a few ideas. Platforms also look good, the slaters paving slabs do the trick nicely. Think I need to re-read your thread, lot sto take in. Cheers Scott Hi Scott. Glad you like it. I have somehow missed Redbrook….. until last night. A great layout you have there. I´m still on the first few pages. It might take some time to get to page 44 though!! But looking forward to getting there. The sound vids are good too. Subbed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull1845 Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 The 44 pages covers about 15 layouts! And near enough ends up back at square one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 I must admit to having a crafty look at pages 43-44. I was going to say, don´t blame me if you start to introduce inclines aswell. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.