Simon Moore Posted December 18, 2011 Author Share Posted December 18, 2011 This weekend has been all about cassettes They've taken more time that i had expected but saying that we didn't get out of bed until 1pm this afternoon. Having spent plenty of time thinking about it they worked first time. My method of getting electrical contact to the cassettes & holding the cassette in place works a treat i am really happy with how they have turned out it is as simple as possible & strong too. Below is a few photos of the build & the connector for the baseboard. This is the connector on the baseboard once finished each of the 3 roads will all have these fitted. Next up we have both the male & female connectors on the cassette & finally a few photos of the cassettes & the production line i currently have going in the kitchen. I had planned on getting the point motors finished this weekend but with being so tired from the dreaded nightshift saturday morning finish i have given myself until thursday to get them done. Once i have got the wiring completed i am going to take a good break from the layout. Looking towards next year i want to start the scenery of the layout but i have put a lot of thought into this project so far to get it to where it is now so i need to think about how to tackle the next stage. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Time for the first entry for 2012...... With the Christmas period coming to an end i've been lucky enough to have over 2 weeks off & this week i have got the house to myself. After a post recently about my double slip problem '' Sir Brian Lambert '' managed to answer my post with a very detailed entry which has cured all my nightmares & i've just test run all angles of the slip with slow running & nothing has failed so i am very chuffed Now the whole layout is fully operational & the wiring is all but done i can finish off the baseboard braces. I choose to fit only a couple until i had wired the layout fully & made sure everything was ok before fitting the rest so i plan on doing those over the weekend. This afternoon i am going to crack on & build the DMU & Shunt cassettes & fit the terminals on the bay platform so everything is completed & i can start to turn my attentions to the scenic aspects of the layout. Below is a photo of the electrical side of things. The only thing left to do to the wiring is trim down all the point wires but i left this out until i fit the cross braces on the baseboard so i can run everything along them & tidy all the underside up in one go which shouldn't take more than a couple of hours. Next job is going to be spraying all the trackwork with some sleeper grime & start rusting the rails before ballasting. I really would like to see what ballast options i have, i quite fancy having a look at the C&L range of ballasts although there are no clear photos on there website to show what color variations there are. Has anyone got any of there products & what do you think to them ???? Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 After a trip to Arcadia in Shaw yesterday i came back with some ballast & some railmatch sleeper grime aerosol. This is how my layout looks at the moment i can tell you there is a layout under there I gave the layout a blast yesterday & got all the sleeper grime down & cleared the rail tops so icould start ballasting & painting the rail sides. I can't remember where i read but i am sure it was Tim Maddox who said he used a special tamper tool so i built this little thing yesterday to do the ballasting. Anyway whilst i am watching the Fred Dibnah series i am slowly tamping away on the bay platform track & getting the ballast layed. I've painted in copydex with a brush & tamped in the ballast it seems to be working well. I've given the worked area a good blowing & everything is sticking. I think once it is completed fully i am going to give it a final seal with either a matt varnish spray or maybe some cheap hairspray although i am going to be asking questions firstly on that subject. Anyway here are a few shots of the ballast so far. I can see this job taking some time to be honest so i might be at this for a few week. Tomorrow all being well i am going to set the layout up downstairs whilst there is nobody in & paint all the rail sides so thats one less tedious job to do. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted February 14, 2012 Author Share Posted February 14, 2012 It's been a while since i posted anything on my layout topic so i felt it was time to update my topic. Although it has been a while since my last update i have been doing bits to the layout here & there. The main issue on the agenda currently is ballasting & my original approach was taking far to long & driving me beserk in the process. It got me that highly strung at one point SWMBO had to come & have a word with me due to my rather acidic tongue. Anyway after a chat with one of the chaps up at the local model shop i decided to try a different approach to laying ballast using a mister & a 50/50 mix of glue & water which has given varied results. I think i have finally got somewhere near the right mix & once a first load of glue has dried bring out the copydex/water mix to make sure even the titanic wouldn't move. Some of the photos below show the ballast & please excuse the rough looking part which is currently in the process of being relayed. This afternoon i decided to have a pop at a little bit of scenery work rather than ballasting as i like to do that in the evening which she has the soaps on. The other week i picked up a few supplies from the model shop including some of the Heki static grass sheet which on first inspection i wondered if it was the right choice for me. I've tried it out on a little triangular area of the layout & added various other bits of scenic material & i must admit i am very happy with the result so far i think it is very effective & it certainly gives me the impression of a autumnal / winter scene. The Austwick boniface has just arrived from Hellifield i was wondering peoples thoughts on the wooded area in the corner??? Today was the first time i have viewed the layout from a exhibition punters eye & it seems so different & it's nice to view it from this side & it's also helping give me a totally new look on the layout & how it should look. Here are a few shots around the layout & how it is looking at the moment. Excuse the big pile of hanging basket liner i used this to mock up the hill that is going to be in this area. Yesterday i spent a bit of time fitting passengers to a Derby Lightweight as i felt it looked bare with lights on & no passengers. There are more in the 2 car unit but i spread them about a bit & i didn't want it to cluttered as it is meant to be a unit used as a relief. I'm hoping by weekend to have the whole of the layout ballasted & some more of the scenic work underway. I also need to really get the last bit of timber needed to put up the backscene & fit the roadway & bridge to cover the fiddle yard. comments & criticisms welcome Cheers, Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
A1X Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 i don't think that 10001 ever ran branch services , lol the ballast looks good as well the rest of the layout. also as my mum tells me keep calm and carry on.lol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted February 14, 2012 Author Share Posted February 14, 2012 Maybe not but Austwick is THE branchline station to cop rarities ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold McC Posted February 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2012 Looks great! How do you find the tape for the bus? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted February 14, 2012 Author Share Posted February 14, 2012 Do you mean the DCC bus tape?? Dcc supplies sell it but i got mine here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MULTI-PURPOSE-SELF-ADHESIVE-COPPER-FOIL-TAPE-6MM-/360430320375?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item53eb523af7#ht_1469wt_907 Cheers Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold McC Posted February 14, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2012 Looks good thanks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted February 14, 2012 Author Share Posted February 14, 2012 I found once i had layed the bus tape to make sure it is really well pressed in & be careful not to put to much flux on it because it has a tendancy to boil & lift the bus wire. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 Time for a bit of an update. After 5 months in the cupboard it is time to get weaving with the layout. SWMBO is heading off into the sun with family for 2 weeks thsi forthcoming weekend so i think i am going to take this time to get the layout set up & get it finished off a little more. My plan for the weekend is to remove a problematic point motor & re fit it with a peco motor so i don't have anymore trouble with it as such. I'm also going to finish off the last little patches of ballast that need to be re done & just generally tidy up the layout ready for the next stage. I need to draw some templates for the roadway then nip to see a friend of mine in his woodshop to cut me the bendy slices of wood i need. Hopefully i can make a bit of headway with the layout & also get a little operating session in too. I might actually make a few little videos of the layout moving for people following the thread. I'll update again hopefully on sunday. Cheers, Simon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted May 17, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 17, 2012 Hi Simon, great to see your layout in the S&C section! How have you found the combination of SMP track and Peco code 75 points? It looks ok in your photos - from close up is the difference in sleeper spacing negligible (ie. does it bother you at all?)? I'm planning all code 75 for Kirkby Luneside, but might go for a mix. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 Bascially there are a few flaws when mixing the 2 systems of trackwork. The Peco has its over complex sleepers & the Smp is a lower profile so you need to put something under the flexi so it levels up with the Peco pointwork. Having said that i didn't put anything under i just mated it up & personally it doesn't look bad once you've ballasted the trackwork & added scenery around it to take your eye away from the differences. I'm not 100% certain i would actually take this route again but i am planning at diesel layout & i have a large amount of Smp flexi sitting here so never say never. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted May 18, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 18, 2012 Cheers, Simon. I recently read a similar comment by Coachmann about the different levels and was wondering about your experience. I think I'll stick to code 75 throughout. Thanks, Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted May 19, 2012 Author Share Posted May 19, 2012 Maybe buying one of the PH Designs sleeper gauge thigns would be another option for getting the correct sleeper spacings. SMP track is fantastic stuff though i think if i was to build another layout with the mix of track i would certainly take this layout as a big learning curve. To be honest though it works perfectly how i have laid it i've had no running problems at all really. I did have one hiccup but that was down to the wiring of the slip not the track as such. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted May 20, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 20, 2012 Good to hear (on your blog) that you've sorted out an errant point motor. Enjoy the 2 weeks modelling while SWMBO is on the cruise. Having said that, with the rubbish weather we've been having, I think I'd rather have gone on the cruise! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted May 21, 2012 Author Share Posted May 21, 2012 Thanks Jeff, To be honest with you i am missing SWMBO already but i guess i have the Isle of Man TT races to look forward to in less than 2 weeks time ( Why i am not on the cruiseliner ) Today i have got the layout up again wired the point motor to find i had a problem with the DS64 decoder. For some reason it was not throwing number 2 point so i've reset it & it is working fine. I've found that Seep motors are the biggest pain in the backside i have ever encountered & i have decided that i am going to replace the other 3 with peco motors because they work better. Part of my reason for replacing these is the fact that when ballasting the points have got glue on the frogs & the points are a little unreliable now so they need electrical feeds & i am not confident that the pm1's will work well enough to throw the pole. I had this problem at christmas with the double slip & it was a real faff to get them to position correctly for the poles to throw. Having installed the peco motor without to much hassle just lots of wood grinding i think i am going to follow suit now with the other 3 & make sure that i have peace of mind everything is working then i can continue on with the scenery work. Now i have started to work on the layout again i would really like to make sure i have all the electrical work done & finished by the end of this week or next week latest. I'd like it to be done & finished before the TT so when i return i can have a clean run on the scenics & get the project back on track. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 21, 2012 Hi Simon, Just caught up with this thread and it's all looking really nice. Your ballast tamping tool is a much de-luxe version of the balsa item that I made, and the results look very good. Overall I like the feel of this layout, and the arrival of the Co-Bo just seemed like a nice but very plausible surprise, if I were a 4mm scale trainspotter on Austwick station! How did you find getting the top off the Derby Lightweight, by the way (what I really mean is how did you take the top off of it - I want to put passengers in mine too.). Come to think of it, where did you get the seated passengers from as well, please? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted May 21, 2012 Author Share Posted May 21, 2012 Thanks for the comments Tim, The Lightweight was a bit of a pain to get the lid off or should i say back on. Getting the body off wasn't really much of an issue it was getting it back on that really threw up problems. It's a very delicate body too so you've to be as light heavy handed as possible if such a thing exists. If a numpty like me can get it to work then i am sure anyone can but just be careful. The passengers are Prieser seated passengers, there excellently detailed but i found i had to cut off there legs to get them to sit in the cramped seats of the loco. Be warned though they are not cheap by any stretch of the margin. I think i spent about £54 if memory serves on 2 sets of passengers & a set of drivers & i had to be sparse with them too. I had picked up some off ebay cheaply so i managed to get 2 Dmu's done but. They really do add realism to a Dmu but they are expensive & you can end up spending just as much on figures as you did on the Dmu but the finish is worth it. HTH Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2012 I've found that Seep motors are the biggest pain in the backside i have ever encountered & i have decided that i am going to replace the other 3 with peco motors because they work better. Part of my reason for replacing these is the fact that when ballasting the points have got glue on the frogs & the points are a little unreliable now so they need electrical feeds & i am not confident that the pm1's will work well enough to throw the pole. I had this problem at christmas with the double slip & it was a real faff to get them to position correctly for the poles to throw. Having installed the peco motor without to much hassle just lots of wood grinding i think i am going to follow suit now with the other 3 & make sure that i have peace of mind everything is working then i can continue on with the scenery work. Simon I've never used Seeps, but have heard a variety of comments about them. I'm going to fit Cobalts in my new layout - they seem to have a good reputation. Only problem is, they aren't cheap! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share Posted May 22, 2012 I can't comment on the cobalt's i believe they are the dog's dangly's Jeff i am happy with good old Peco motors which brings me to my decision. Since starting this layout the intention was to go for DCC & make the move over & hoping that it was going to be the right choice...... Wrong !!! I've fitted more or less all of my locos with digital chips except for a couple which are none DCC ready so today i decided to do a test on the layout. The problem i have faced is that small 0-6-0 or 2-6-0 locos don't like decoders some run well some poor so i tried out a couple of locos not DCC fitted on analogue control & found them to work better on the layout & with this being such a small layout i am ridding myself of the burden of DCC & sticking to analogue. Sticking with analogue means there is going to be extra wiring & various alterations but i've peace of mind knowing it works first time every time. All the decoders salvaged from the locos are going into the diesels that i own i find the bigger models work well with DCC without hassle but steam is staying as is in old fashion analogue. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted May 22, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 22, 2012 Hi Simon. The dog's danglys - I like it! Maybe DCC Concepts ought to consider using that descriptor in their advertising!! With regard to DCC, do you know why your short-wheelbase shunters don't run well? Is it true when you run them on a different layout, or is it inherent in the locos? I'm curious about this. I've plenty of largish diesels too - the smallest are 2 class 08s - one a Hornby, one a Bachmann and they run great on DCC. I have no 0-6-0 or 2-6-0s, so I can't comment. I wonder if anyone reading this has any comments? Best wishes, Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Hi guys, From my experience of DCC, how well a loco runs on digital is down to; Clean track & wheels/pick-ups. Decent quality decoders (that can be matched to the motor!?!). Decent motor and mechanism. If Simon's older 0-6-0's and 2-6-0's are giving trouble, it may be that changing any/all of the above could help. However, it's time, money and trouble so his solution is probably as good as can be in his case! Hope That Helps, John E. PS Lovely layout btw! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share Posted May 22, 2012 Jeff, I have a couple of locos that run perfectly, i've used a mixture of decoders the only decoder that works perfect is a gaugemaster mini that is running in a standard 2-6-2 tank. I've tried various decoders in the other locos & there rough runners. John, I've cleaned my track before each running session & all the locos are brand new models that have only been run for a couple of hours max. DCC isn't working for me on this project i'm afraid i'm not giving up on it but for my steam layout it's going back to the old school. Simon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted May 24, 2012 Author Share Posted May 24, 2012 After sleeping on it i've got a second wind of DCC !! I spent a good hour chatting with my friend in the model shop about decoders & getting some advice. I've switched off the back EMF functions on the decoders & i've managed to get the locos running a lot sweeter than they was. The only one what's gone backwards is the 3F which is running like a bag of rusty nails. Me & the father are off to the speedway tonight so tomorrow i am going to do battle with that decoder & get that running sweetly. My exhibition fleet is getting there now & happily running well too. I'm hoping by sunday to have the last bit of ballasting done & the platform edgings finished off & a template made for me to cut wills sheet from for the platform flagstones. I've managed to get hold of some nice big chunks of polystyrene which i am going to calve up to make a nice hill from so that is going to be the next part all being well. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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