RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2013 A couple of shots taken at the rear of the layout at the close of RAILEX show on the Saturday night. Its amazing how quickly stock is accummulated plus stock from three of our operators on the layout meant that some remained in the stock trays! It is good to have this variety though. One of the touch screen PC's showing the track plan. The numbers are the stationary decoder addresses and the circles are the touch zone for changing the turnouts on screen. Block detection is now being considered as we often forget about a train stopped in platform 1 as its difficult to see it from the fiddleyard. Thats why on a couple of occassions during the show we ended up with 2 trains in there buffer to buffer!! More photos of th scenic side to follow later. Ian 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Very Solid Construction looks good from theback as well as the front 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2013 (edited) Very Solid Construction looks good from theback as well as the front Thanks. Its generally 2" by 1`" timber framing and legs. The board tops are chipboard - heavy but it works for me as the main boards are 3ft by 2ft so are manageable when boxed in pairs. The thin ply on the legs makes them sturdy and allows electrical multiways to be mounted on them (cant be seen in the photo) and drop down trays although these have yet to be added to these legs. The ply also allows the legs to be tightly packed together for transport which means we can get it all in one car. Ian Edited May 28, 2013 by roundhouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2013 A few more photos taken on Sunday. The other 70 purchased at the weekend. Both of them have now had extra weight added to improve traction. A 168 Clubman in the Up bay. This platform doesn't get much use these days The Hobbytrains tamper runs very slowly these days so we dont use it much. Not sure whats causing the problem with it. The Farish Virgin Voyager on test - the Microtrians couplers to the intermediate coach connections performed fine, so the XC Voyegers will now be converted thus eliminating the Farish coupling system. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted May 28, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2013 Hello Ian Lovely weathering on the Autoballasters - very nicely observed. cheers Ben A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2013 Thanks Ben The patched ex Railtrack ones are next in line for some similar weathering. Another second hand Freightliner 66 arrived today. It now has a decoder in it and is being re numbered. Just waiting for the gloss varnish to dry before adding the new numbers. Also this evening the new class 70's have had a bit more weathering. I decided o give them a run on the test track but one of them would not respond. Turned out to be the bogie to chassis pickups which rub on the underside of the body. It is very easy to slightly push the bogies up closer to the chassis thus bending these contacts. The trucks do unclip but you need to take the body off and carefully push the plastic clips in to release the bogie and then bend the pickups back to their horizontal position. The 70 is now working well again. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon D Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Only a 'normal' decoder Ian, go on you know you want to put sound into it. Gordon Another second hand Freightliner 66 arrived today. It now has a decoder in it and is being re numbered. Just waiting for the gloss varnish to dry before adding the new numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 (edited) I struggle getting sound into some 00 stock and what you've got in the 66 is excellent, who's going to put some noise in the 70 then? Speaking of the 70 i wasn't going to get one but seeing the photo's on Banbury i'm very tempted. Graham. Edited May 28, 2013 by shanks522 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2013 (edited) Sound in a 70 is being considered as we think there is space without too much chopping. The only problem I have is that I have had to fill these spaces with lead to get them to haul the container trains!ShanksYour namesake loco has been giving me grief and tonight it blew the Digitrax decoder, so its out of action for a while! If its just the circuit board thats the problem then it may be the 66 of mine to get sound.GordonThe one that arrived in the post today was 66610 and is now likely to be 66617. The decoder was fitted this evening so no sound in this one for now.Ian Edited May 29, 2013 by roundhouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon D Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Graham, After having a good look over one of Ian's class 70's on Saturday I think it can be done with out to much trouble, just need to obtain one, sound chip etc. BR, Gordon I struggle getting sound into some 00 stock and what you've got in the 66 is excellent, who's going to put some noise in the 70 then? Speaking of the 70 i wasn't going to get one but seeing the photo's on Banbury i'm very tempted. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 I've never seen one in the flesh but viewing video's on youtube they seem to have a good sound to them, be great to see in N. Ian What is the haulage capacity like on the 70 compared to say a 66 or 60? Cheers Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2013 I've never seen one in the flesh but viewing video's on youtube they seem to have a good sound to them, be great to see in N. Ian What is the haulage capacity like on the 70 compared to say a 66 or 60? Cheers Graham. The Farish 66 will quite happily haul 21 coal hoppers with loads made of foam sprinkled with coal. I It will also pull 11 feet of container train. Just for comparison purposes a Dapol 66 won't pull either without extra weight. The Farish 70 will pull about 10feet of container train hut any more than that and it does start to slip but we keep moving. There was a slight gradient in the hall where we had the layout at RAILEX so the 70 did struggle but the Farish 66 was fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 30, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 30, 2013 The recent try acquired Freightliner class 66 has now been renumbered apart from the small cab front ones as I don't have any small enough at the moment. I It has a Digitrax DZ123 fitted and runs fine. I have yet to have another go at the DRS one that clicks in one direction. More of the coal hoppers and the TEA tanks are bring weathered along with the wheels but as there are so many this will be an on going project for some time. Scenic improvements will have to wait for now. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted May 30, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 30, 2013 Must be a Sunday with units stabled in the sidings and no trains about! 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Ian, Now the site has been cleared in advance of the car park I have attached a couple of pictures showing the detail which was not very visible previously. Gary 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 6, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 6, 2013 (edited) Thanks Gary.All change there from now on.I had been contemplating a modelling those two stores . I have shots from the road so these will complement them well.RegardsIanP's. I have seen a preview of of the article that will be the next issue of Rail Express. I think that they have done a superb job of the info I sent them. Edited June 17, 2013 by roundhouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRDBLUE17 Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Hi Ian, Looking forward to seeing the article in Rex but even better to see you at showcase as I've just seen we are next to you for the weekend. Like the look of your touchscreen control system. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 7, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2013 Thanks Mark You are welcome to have a good look at our set up with the touch screens at DEMU. Looking forward to seeing your layout again. See you in a few weeks time. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Ian, Looking forward to seeing article in rail express and at the DEMU, Would it be useful if you had a plan of the ICC site and sorting office as a hard copy at N guage? Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 9, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2013 (edited) Ian,Looking forward to seeing article in rail express and at the DEMU,Would it be useful if you had a plan of the ICC site and sorting office as a hard copy at N guage?GaryGary That would be useful. There's still a fair bit to do on the sorting office area of the layout. See you at DEMU Ian Edited June 9, 2013 by roundhouse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 17, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 17, 2013 Now that our summer vacation is over its now back to working on the layout and stock. Quite a few more coal hoppers and TEA tanks to weather and paint the wheels. The Kernow Network Rail 122 has arrives and will have some work done to it.It was withdrawn some years prior to the 2011 timeline of the layout but it all adds variety for operators and viewers. I have deliberately taken the couplers off my bubble cars so we don't end up running a multiple unit train plus they look better with all the pipework on the buffer beams!! Also hoping to get quite a few scenic items done prior to DEMU Showcase aswell, now that the electrics and software are just about done and working well. Ian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Glad you got home, safely......now look forward to these updates, again... Best, Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 18, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 18, 2013 Thanks Pete Despite falling asleep on the train home from work (luckily my other half didn't fall asleep so we dint miss our stop), I kept myself awake yesterday evening doing some modelling. Apart from programming the decoders in the Norfolk Southern heritage locos (for a future new layout) I also fitted a Digitrax 6 pin decoder to the NR bubblecar then gave it a further run in before weathering it. This morning it had all the buffer beam pipework and screw link coupling glued in place. I have been trying to find a photo of the grille on the one side of the unit but so far all the photos I have found online are of the other side!! The twin spotlights on each cab below the windows are now being considered but so far haven't come up with a suitable way of making them yet so if any one has any ideas then they will be most welcome. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted June 20, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 20, 2013 Its been way too humid and warm to work on the layout in the garage. Its well insulated but just not been up to it either, so no work till this weekend on the layout. However with the conservatory door open its been quite pleasant sitting in there weathering more coal hoppers. Just 6 hoppers left to do no the empty rake of 21 to go. I ma taking out the axles from tow hoppers at time to paint the wheels. This does make quite a difference even in N scale. Its also a good opportunity to clean the wheel running surfaces as they must have done some miles since the layouts first show 2 nearly 2 years ago. I have also added further weathering to the ex Railtrack (Farish) HQA auto ballasters so that the rust marks now match that done to the Network Rail yellow set. More weathering of the Chiltern 168 DMU's is also underway with the wheels being treated along with blackening the coach interconnections. Still hoping to get head and tail lights working in one set in time for DEMU in just over two weeks time. Ian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dave Searle Posted June 20, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 20, 2013 Hi Ian, Very impressed with the article in Rail Express, it shows the layout off very well. A quick question - which container flats are you using for the MOD trains? Cheers,Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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