RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 9, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 9, 2013 (edited) Layout running well apart from a dodgy polarity switch on a turnout in the fiddle yard. Plenty of interest in the layout so I haven't done much operating today. Luckily we have a full crew so I have been able to chat to people. It's amazing how many people have an interest or have travelled on Czech railways. A view from above and behind the layout. Edited November 9, 2013 by roundhouse 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 9, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 9, 2013 (edited) Now relaxing after a good day working the layout and chatting, sometimes at the same time! A few photos taken today including a shot of the now nearly fully glazed class 854. Also a special excursion of railcards and trailers! Edited November 9, 2013 by roundhouse 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold NHY 581 Posted November 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 9, 2013 Just found this thread. Very impressed. I travel to Czech Republic on a regular basis, staying in Tabor. I travel from there to Prague and to Czeske Budovice. Czech Railways are superb. Great variety of stock with somd real old world charm alongside cutting edge technology. Looking to do a lot more exploring in the future. This layout captures the character very well. Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 9, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 9, 2013 Thanks Rob All our inspiration came from all that variety on their rail system and the superb beer to be found in various towns throughout the country. Keep on enjoying this great country. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold NHY 581 Posted November 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 9, 2013 Thanks but a combination of sausage fingers and small keyboard led to a spelling mistake in my previous post. I was of course refering to Ceske Budejovice........home of Budweiser. My prefered Ceske brews are Kozel and Gambrinus. Very nice. May be back over this month...have to see. Loving the 854 by the way. They look great in the flesh...err metal. What is the background? I am assuming resin kit. Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 9, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 9, 2013 (edited) Rob Yes it's a resin body. Took a bit of filing out the openings etc. The chassis is made of styrene and the motor is a bullant one obtained from the 3smr people. Taken a while to get it to this stage especially as this has the modified top light box and plug doors. Another one is under construction but retaining the original doors and top box. Kozel Cerney is a favourite dark beer as is Budvar Tmave from Cseke Budejovice. We were going back there this Xmas but beer and rail from other parts won the day so next trip to CD land will be in 2014 Edited January 12, 2014 by roundhouse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 10, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 10, 2013 This morning before the show opened some of the track in the fiddle yard was ripped up and a new turnout inserted at one end of the two through fiddle yard roads. Operation of the layout continued throughout the day whilst the third through road was added and the turnout at the other end installed during my relief breaks. All track now in but the third new through track Is yet to be wired and the new turn out solenoids yet to be powered up. Having three through roads will help improve the operation at the layouts next show. We all had a good time at Tolworth Showtrain which is a fairly local show for us.its also our last two day show this year. Ian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted November 10, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 10, 2013 Modifying the layout at a show? I've never been quite that ambitious! Usually start ripping bits out the week before. That'd give my crew nightmares Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 10, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 10, 2013 Modifying the layout at a show? I've never been quite that ambitious! Usually start ripping bits out the week before. That'd give my crew nightmares It was a close call as to whether I started this or not. A few items were prepared this morning at home ot make it easier. The main reason for doing this today was to test the changes at each stage with all the stock running. Luckily its all worked out OK and as the show was much quieter today at times we had enough operators to keep things going and it gave them a bit of a different scenario to operate under which they enjoyed!! Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted November 11, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 11, 2013 If it was a UK prototype layout, you would have needed a full possession and replacement bus services. I note that some of the Czech artisans do good bus kits. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 11, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 11, 2013 We did discuss having a model bus on the layout for rail relpacement services. We have done a few of those in the Czech Republic where the bus will spee through the narrow streets from one small town to the next where the line has been shut, get back on the train and there will be no delay to the train times!! Although we have also done osme where the mainline between Plzen and Cheb has been shut where it has taken a lot longer than the train. Luckily, yesterday we managed to keep trains running all the time unlike the real train services to Tolworth station for the show over the whole weekend. Our next show with the layout will be Astolat Model Railway Circles show in Guildford in January 2014 where we will put the new track to full use. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 11, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 11, 2013 (edited) A short video taken yesterday of the Roco goggles loco with factory fitted sound. As we use conventional DC on the layout there is no horn sound but the enginge running is quite good. Ian Edited November 11, 2013 by roundhouse 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vvitty Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 (edited) Beatifull station, I like it! In case you need some sound for Czech models, you could get in touch with me (in case of whole decoder) and I could manage it. Other easy option could be www.artol.sk - a Slovakia company providing sounds. They could also send a sound with a license code for some ZIMO decoders (don't know for the others). Edited December 6, 2013 by vvitty Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted January 12, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 12, 2014 I spent most of today in the garage working on Smrzovka. The fiddle yard track alterations carried out last year required wiring up and the section switches modified on the panel sling with adding the push buttons for the extra turnouts for the new fiddle yard road. All is now working and ready for text weeks outing yo the Guildford show. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold NHY 581 Posted January 17, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2014 Hope all goes well Ian. Enjoy the show.....as if you need reminding. Rob 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted April 24, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 24, 2014 (edited) We haven't been to the real Smrzovka for some years, so yesterday we paid a visit. It was good to see that the station is still much the same as it was when we modelled it although there are now raised platforms made out of old sleepers but these have been in place for some years now. The big change is the new German units which have replaced the older Czech railcards. The station ticket office is still staffed and the signal boxes at each end of the station together with the manually thrown turnouts all still the same but more importantly the little bar is still there serving the excellent range of Konrad beers especially the Dark beer. Inside the bar they have now modernised a big with the flat screen TV!! Plus a short video Edited April 24, 2014 by roundhouse 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David C Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 I've seen Smrzovka on a number of occasions (the last time being at Guildford where my layout was in the same hall) and very much like it and the way you have modelled it. Its rare to see a prototype station from Europe reproduced. Quick question: is there still a pick up goods service through Smrzovka or has that all been lost to road transport? David C Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted April 24, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 24, 2014 David Thanks. There certainly was one a few years back as we managed to video and photograph it one evening heading West (the East bound one ran at 2am). The coal siding at Smrzovka did have signed of use but this visit doesn't look like it is these days. There was one coal wagon at Tansor to the East but no signs of other freight traffic this time. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted August 14, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 14, 2014 Smržovka is out this Saturday at Silverfox. As the legs for this layout now fit the rebuilt Fort Myers and have had extension pieces fitted to raise the height, these need to be removed for this weekend's show tomorrow night prior to loading the layout in to the car. A few new pieces of rolling stock to take with us aswell. However this is the last confirmed booking for the layout at present so it may not be seen for a while after Saturday. Photos to follow after the show. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted August 16, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2014 (edited) We had a good day at Silverfox today with the layout and a possible invite for 2016. Plenty of interest in the layout and Czech railways including someone asking for a beer on Czech!! Layout now safely stored at home and the legs ready to be used under Dobris tomorrow. A few photos taken today. Edited August 16, 2014 by roundhouse 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted August 18, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 18, 2014 After having Dave of 'Dawes Creek' give us a hand on Saturday, it looks like he might now be hooked on Czech TT as he has ordered a few items and is keen on building the branch terminus at Josefuv Dul. Luckily I have quite a few photos taken there a few years ago so need to send them to him. Whilst Dave's plans are for a stand alone layout, there is the thought of linking it onto Smrzovka The idea of adding the branch to the layout had already been in my thoughts as the branch fiddleyard track can be raised up enough to pass over the main running lines within the fiddleyard. Also, one of the big problems with the layout is that once a train leaves the scenic area it has quite a run before reaching the storage stracks and then some time before the next train makes it onto the scenic area. This does mean that many viewers will walk away within seconds of the train going off scene. Another plan is now to add more scenic areas towards each end the layout so that it will be scenic virtually all the way along the front and thus the trains will be in view longer As the next potential show is in 2016 there shouid be plenty of time for the alterations to take place. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted August 18, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 18, 2014 (edited) A quick alteration in red shown on the track plan of proposed alterations to allow the branch terminus to be added together with more sceninc areas. Edited August 18, 2014 by roundhouse Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRCW26010 Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 I just found this thread and am fascinated by TT. Excellent. Beautiful layout and an absorbing and informative read. Thank you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted October 30, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 30, 2014 Thanks We have enjoyed taking the layout out over the past 8 years and recent track work modifications in the fiddleyard have proved worthwhile. However shows have now dried up for the layout at the moment. No plans to get rid of it yet though. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbishop Posted October 30, 2014 Share Posted October 30, 2014 Thanks We have enjoyed taking the layout out over the past 8 years and recent track work modifications in the fiddleyard have proved worthwhile. However shows have now dried up for the layout at the moment. No plans to get rid of it yet though. Ian Don't you dare. It's your best layout. Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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