Tetleys Mills 3

[mullie]

If a loco works well under DC it will work at least as well under DCC. Even split chassis models can be converted; I've converted a few over the years although I've only had to convert tank engines. I don't fancy dismantling to the level required for some models. I used Modleyard to convert my V3 and J39 some years ago. Both are now over ten years old and still going strong. Both have TCS decoders. Someone somewhere has probably done the DCC conversion and posted it on line or you might find someone willing to do it for you.

 

 

The video below shows the J39 passing through Pott Row to the MPD having just spent over twenty minutes shunting the goods train in front of it. It's passing through two SMP three way points I built (although I needed two goes to get them right). The chassis and motor is original although the tender has a Mainly Trains chassis. I use an NCE Power Cab. Sorry about wobbly quality, I was holding the Ipad and driving the loco!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX8SbaML90c

 

The 08 seen towards the back is also a pre DCC model with a hard wired Lenz decoder and new pick ups replacing the ones that rub on top of the wheels. Loco was picked up cheap on EBay because the cab handrails were broken.

[Baby Deltic]

Absolutely top notch modelling. Such atmosphere, grime, got it all!

[tetleys]

Mullie,

 

Thanks for the video and info, I've witnessed quite a few split chassis DCC conversions on Great Northern's previous layout and I agree that the conversions are possible but with so much work yet to do just to get my new layout running I don't want to be spending time doing the work to make chip fitting possible and I'm not paying for it to be done. It's a good opportunity for me to take stock (no pun intended) of what I actually want my new layout to deliver since it will probably be my last major modelling project. The only other layout I visit is Peterborough North and the way Gilbert operates it has great benefits to stock usage, because his storage is bi-directional Up trains ie Elizabethan can return on the Down line with just a possible loco change. I intend to copy this feature and so I can reduce my coaching requirements, my loco stud like most people's is too eclectic and I want it to be more representative of the prototype so some locos need to be sold on and others replaced so I might as well as buy 'DCC ready'.

 

Today is another wet day so I'm sure I'll get at least half a day on the railway.

 

Dave

[tetleys]

I managed to spend another afternoon on the railway and since the rain held off during the day I used my table saw to rip down some 18mm ply, I would have preferred to use 9mm but I'm out of it and I have quite a bit of the latter which certainly gives a rigid track bed at the cost of increased weight.

The raised track bed joins the high level embankment previously built with the high level storage tracks along one length of the room or it will do after I've laid and wired the return loop beneath the upper level, that is a job for next week after I've cut and glued down the cork floor tiles already purchased.

 

This more elevated view shows the proposed lower level non scenic junction that will effectively form a double track reverse loop allowing trains to perform a continuous run in iether direction through Batley low level station before returning or approaching via the cutting beneath the embankment if this all makes sense? I've mentioned that although twin track the lower level is effectively only one track looking like a dog bone where trains travel up before returning on the adjacent track with a five track storage area in between. This will be very economical of rolling stock because a given number of trains will all be seen to run in both directions without the intervention of the hand in the sky.The lower level junction will be covered with a fully removeable town scene for easy maintenance. The board end on the lower right forms the track bed for the four track section through Upper Batley Exchange station and a semi circular board will be added to bring the track back to eventually pass over the second station area on a lengthy viaduct.

 

A mock up for an over bridge that will break up the 44" radius upper level track, 44" is a tad tight for a visible curve but by deliberately reducing the view in this way it makes it less obvious. The track will be in a shallow cutting before disappearing under another over bridge hiding the entrance to the storage yard. I want to have as much visible running as possible but without train set curves on view.

[blueeighties]

I have just discovered your thread, and sat and read through the last 10 pages. I thought I was doing well adding a length of hardboard facia today! Fantastic progress, quality work, inspirational indeed.

[tetleys]

Don't forget folks I am now retired and so I can do what I like when I like and I have a fantastic and appreciative wife who positively encourages me to spend time railway modelling.

And

All my kids have flown or were pushed out of the nest.

 

Age does have some compensations besides £200 heating allowances and a free hot drink with my Tuesday Cinema 'Senior Citizen's' ticket.

[trisonic]

Jeez, I'm definitely moving back to Blighty!

 

Best, Pete.

[tetleys]

Jeez, I'm definitely moving back to Blighty!

 

Best, Pete.

Don't bother Mate, It's standing room only over here. and that's the ones we know about!

 

A lovely sunny day here at Ancaster but my building sand is frozen solid so I suppose I'd better do some railway modelling,

 

I've made a start on cutting the 3mm cork floor tiles to act as track underlay, where they are off scene I have just made a basic cut but for track that will be seen out in the open I've cut a chamfer and anded the edge to support the eventual ballast shoulder. On another post I solicitored the views of members on what they found was the best adhesive to use and it seems they all seem to work as well as each other so for the moment I'm sticking (sorry about that!) with contact adhesive. I intend to lay the return loop at the end of the lower level storage very soon, I can add a bus wire and make the connections above board since I see no point in grovelling beneath a low baseboard and any future maintenance can be accessed. I shall have the bus bar out of sight on the scenic sections and the same with point motors. once the return loop is in position I can complete the pywood sub-bases for the high level tracks in that corner.

 

"Gentlemen,I'm going upstairs and I may be a little time."

[MichaelW]

Hi Dave,

 

I've been catching up with your thread, and though I don't remember the previous incarnations, the photo's posted earlier on in the thread make it look really good. I hope you manage to produce something of similar quality. I'm impressed with what you have created of the new layout so far, I wish I could do woodwork as well as you can.

 

Also I have to admit to being jealous of you building your own house - I've wanted to do that for a number of years, just not had the opportunity yet...

[tetleys]

Hi Dave,

 

I've been catching up with your thread, and though I don't remember the previous incarnations, the photo's posted earlier on in the thread make it look really good. I hope you manage to produce something of similar quality. I'm impressed with what you have created of the new layout so far, I wish I could do woodwork as well as you can.

 

Also I have to admit to being jealous of you building your own house - I've wanted to do that for a number of years, just not had the opportunity yet...

Michael,

I'm sure that deep in the depths of RMWeb's archives are my previous posts showing a lot of photographs of Tetleys Mills II . As for the woodwork, I wasn't born with the skills, I'm 62 and counting and it's the sort of life skill that develops over a long time and a great many 'cock ups', I can name a few on RMWeb that make my efforts look very third rate just do your best and every new project will improve your technique. As for building your own house, it is very satisfying, this is my second but don't believe all you see on TV and if you fancy giving it a go, Don't let your wife /partner 'project manage!' With very few exceptions I've as much chance of being a computer whizz kid as these City Traders and housewives of project managing a house build.

[tetleys]

I don't want to preach to the converted but am aware that a lot of less experienced and younger members read these posts so I'll outline my own technique of laying cork track underlay.

 

 

I have used 3mm thick un-finished cork floor / wall tiles that are sold for about £5 or less for nine 300mm x 30mm or roughly a foot tiles, I cut the basic width of track bed using a sharp 'Stanley' knife on a cutting mat which preserves the blade sharpness and avoids the blade following the grain if you cut on wood. I am actually using the plywood track base for Upper Batley Station which is about 3' off the floor and 7" above the lower station area, this is a comfortable and safe working height. I'm not sure if it is apparent but I have chamfered the cork edges to form the ballast shoulder when the track is later ballasted.

You can see from this image that once the cork is cut to width I place it and the cutting mat right on the edge of the raised plywood upper level track bed, using the Stanley knife I can then freehand cut the 45 degree shoulder, don't be tempted to use a scalpel because this requires a fair bit of lateral force which would snap a scalpel and when the broken end flies off it can go antwhere including into an eye. Also against all the rules of safety I have to cut towards myself but ensure that if the blade slips there is no part of your anatomy in the line of flight, I know from experience! I finish the edge with a sanding using a cork block and course glass paper. I am sure that I will need to fine tune the shoulder once track is laid but most of the work has been done.

 

 

Another view of my work area and it also shows the track /cork cutting templates of various radii cut from 6mm ply, I used a length of timber secured at one end with holes drilled at variying distance through which a pencil could be inserted to mark the arc.

 

I have fixed a good few lengths of the cork using impact adhesive but I try not to expose myself to the vapours for too long. As it is all this glue sniffing has brought me out in zitts, my jeans waist band has suddenly gained 4" in girth and dropped mid-way between my bum cheeks showing my boxer shorts, I've started Finking instead of Thinking and I only just stopped short of putting one of Julie's ear-rings through my tongue. No wonder glue sniffing is deemed dangerous! Next gluing session will find the windows opened wide.

 

Grumpy Of Ancaster

[TerryD1471]

Dear Grinch (or may I call you Ebenezer Scrooge)

 

If I said I appreciated your writings on your progress to date, I wouldn't want you to think that I actually LIKED them. That would be far too soft and southern. I just think that a bit of gritty commentary, along with a bit of pithy explanation of progress to date is just nice without the danger of revealing too much of your feminine side. Heaven forfend.

 

Keep it up (and I mean that in the most gritty, northern and unemotional way possible!)

 

Joking apart, I am looking forward to reading more of your progress to date, because your work rate seems very high and you make progress at a rate that I can only wish for.

 

All the best

 

Terry D (or should that be Bob Cratchit?)

[tetleys]

Dear Grinch (or may I call you Ebenezer Scrooge)

 

If I said I appreciated your writings on your progress to date, I wouldn't want you to think that I actually LIKED them. That would be far too soft and southern. I just think that a bit of gritty commentary, along with a bit of pithy explanation of progress to date is just nice without the danger of revealing too much of your feminine side. Heaven forfend.

 

Keep it up (and I mean that in the most gritty, northern and unemotional way possible!)

 

Joking apart, I am looking forward to reading more of your progress to date, because your work rate seems very high and you make progress at a rate that I can only wish for.

 

All the best

 

Terry D (or should that be Bob Cratchit?)

Terry D.

There's not too much wrong with being a namby, pamby southerner, I was one myself for a few years before migrating back north to Lincolnshire just to afford my own first house, my brother is still down in Lee on Solent but we've lost all hope of ever getting him to drink 'proper' strength tea.I'd still quite like to model Gosport but that's unlikely.

 

I have been fairly busy on the new layout and I am almost at the stage of laying track so I should post some more photographs but in all honesty a cork tile looks the same as another so am waiting for something more interesting to members.

 

Ebeneezer

[tetleys]

A quick update on progress.

 

I have glued down quite a few cork floor tiles as a track base and cut and positioned a few more ready for when I obtain some more impact adhesive, I have been busy selling some locos on Ebay and have raised some funds that will be spent on SMP track and a code 75 dead frog diamond so that I might be able to make a start on some track laying.

 

I have decided to be ruthless with my loco collection, going are those that cannot easilly be converted to DCC and those bought with my heart rather than my brain, you all know the ones I mean; the must haves or those available in earlier days of limited choice but not really suitable for my area or operations. The new layout is still West Riding between Bradford and Wakefield 1957-1962 ish but now featuring a fictional 'might have been' direct high speed line from Bradford. The locos remaining will be chipped for DCC and include, Fairburn, Stanier and Fowler 2-6-4 tanks plus a Thompson L1, a kit built J50 0-6-0,LMS Crab, LNER K3, Ivatt 2-6-0 Class 2 and class 4, Stanier 8F and Black 5, 9F, three WD's one of which is a DJH so may cause a bit more work to convert, A4, A1 pacifics Class 37, class 24, three DMU's and my indulgences, the prototype Deltic and my 2-8-2 P2 in BR Brunswick green that is pure fantasy. I may have forgotten some but I'll run with those and of course there are some disposed of classes such as my B.1s that will need to be replaced with DCC ready versions and I will certainly need some decent DMU class 101's, my Hornby version is OK but I want slow running and hopefully DCC will give me that because my Bachmann 108 (I think that's the class) is not very controllable on analogue power.

 

I'm not getting into the dreaded 'wish list' of obscure classes of two locos so beloved by individuals but there are now some suitable RTR locos I can certainly consider, The 2-8-0 ROD and any other ex LNER ( if West Riding based,) the Bachmann ex LMS 3F. What I won't be buying is a replacement Bachmann V 2, although I could certainly use one or more I'll wait until Hornby produce a more accurate version, sadly Bachmann only did half a job on their re-vamp. I'm trying to resist big green engines with names but it's not easy when I visit Great Northern's Peterborough North and his wall to wall collection of LNER Pacifics.

 

Exciting days lay ahead.

[chris p bacon]

..snip....

 

and I will certainly need some decent DMU class 101's, my Hornby version is OK but I want slow running and hopefully DCC will give me that because my Bachmann 108 (I think that's the class) is not very controllable on analogue power.

 

 

 

DCC is excellent but they must be good runners before conversion, I've had similar where the pickups etc were clean but it was a bit "clunky" after chipping it did smooth it out and make it a better more controllable runner.

[tetleys]

testing

[tetleys]

testing

Now I'm back in the mix I shall hopefully be able to give an update on happenings here at Tetleys Towers after raising some much needed cash from selling surplus stock on EBay. I have located the main station building amongst the mountain of boxes in the spare bedroom so that will soon appear on EBay followed by other buildings as I track them down.

 

Trotters Associated Traders of Ancaster

[great northern]

Now I'm back in the mix I shall hopefully be able to give an update on happenings here at Tetleys Towers after raising some much needed cash from selling surplus stock on EBay. I have located the main station building amongst the mountain of boxes in the spare bedroom so that will soon appear on EBay followed by other buildings as I track them down.

 

Trotters Associated Traders of Ancaster

 

I have no doubt that the feeding frenzy that seems to happen whenever you put anything on E bay will occur again. I am not in any way envious or upset, even though my latest efforts attracted no bids at all.

[tetleys]

Having bought a dead frog short diamond and 50 yards of steel sleeper track, (the latter at a give away price from Hattons) plus two exisiting 3' radius points I have been able to lay the junction that will form the return loop on my lower level circuit that approaches Upper Batley station. At present I have only soldered on the tails that will eventually connect with the bus wire and the Peco code 75 track will connect to SMP where it is on view.

 

A view looking along the main axis of Upper Batley but only the cork underlay has been laid, the high level station will receive it's platform base in due course and some hand made points in the foreground. On the lower level you can just make out the approximate future tunnel or low bridge facade through which the scenic section passes towrds the hidden junction.The straight face of the island platform is apparent but the other track formations are yet to be decided upon.

At the end of the upper level at Batley the quadruple track will curve through 180 degrees all of which will be 'off stage' having passed through a low relief bridge /tunnel to break the scenic view.

 

A view of the other half of the semi-circular and hidden upper track bed, as you can see I have laid the track for the dumb bell return loop of the lower level so permanent work can now be undertaken at the higher levels. The vacant intermediate level track bed is actual leading from the previously mentioned low level loop junction and will bring the track beneath the proposed long viaduct to the second station the name of which I already know and will release at some time in the future.

Finally the opposite end of Upper Batley where both levels turn again through 180 degrees I have laid Peco code 75 only where it is off stage, the impact adhesive is used for fixing down the cork underlay.

 

I hope all this makes sense....................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sorry Mrs Tetleys has me by the throat and is threatening to do soemthing nasty if I don't get off this computer....

[tom82]

Really enjoying the progress Mr T keep it coming!

[artizen]

I must be married to Mrs Tetley's sister!

[tetleys]

I must be married to Mrs Tetley's sister!

Artizan /Highlander

 

Believe me mate "There can be only one!"

 

However if you've got a similar model amongst your domestic staff you are a lucky man. My model has already vacuumed the house and is now preparing the buffet for a gathering of grumpies were are hosting tonight while I sit here drinking tea and tapping about on a computer so really ought to get off my buffers and help.

 

Idle Bu-----r of Ancaster

[CUTLER2579]

Artizan /Highlander

 

Believe me mate "There can be only one!"

 

However if you've got a similar model amongst your domestic staff you are a lucky man. My model has already vacuumed the house and is now preparing the buffet for a gathering of grumpies were are hosting tonight while I sit here drinking tea and tapping about on a computer so really ought to get off my buffers and help.

 

Idle Bu-----r of Ancaster

You should treat the Lady to Sunday Lunch @ Woody's tomorrow, good food ,good service and priced to suit Yorkshire pockets.

 

A Very Happy New Year to you both m8.

[tetleys]

You should treat the Lady to Sunday Lunch @ Woody's tomorrow, good food ,good service and priced to suit Yorkshire pockets.

 

A Very Happy New Year to you both m8.

Cutler 2579

Are you mad!

 

There's bound to be some left overs after our evening bash tonight and since I've not been feeling 100% for over a week there's plenty of Home Brew left as well so I can wine and dine her at Tetleys Towers for next to nowt.

 

(I am considering taking her to The Indian up on the A17 for her January birthday if she 'shapes up'.)

 

Shylock Shakespeare

[CUTLER2579]

Shylock,

until that last comment I thought of you as a character from Oliver Twist, but The A17 Indian with all that subsequent fuel to buy to get to Fleet Hargate,plus a Meal,Flowers and Present. The Wallet will be going into overdrive.

On a serious note Dave I wish you and your lovely Lady a very Happy& Healthy New Year.You have given us all plenty of entertainment with your thread.

Kind Regards,Derek.