RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted January 7, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 7, 2013 Ooh! A get together? Count me in, please! I often spend more time at shows, chatting to people than seeing the layouts (or, spending with trade!) - I'm sure I'll be joining Andy P. at the cake stall!!! I'll be the fattish, balding, bearded one with spectacles!!! (not many of THEM about!!!) Cheers Luneys, John E. Excellent stuff! Keep an eye on the calendar - does anybody know for certain when the Member's Day is? I've still got lots of hair, John, so it'll be easy to tell us apart! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium southern42 Posted January 7, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 7, 2013 Like the track photos, Jeff. Coming along nicely. Keeping my eye on this part of things as I've got this to come. I've just posted some more pics on Great West Road #126 so, hopefully, I'll get the track plan printed out and laid out on the baseboard soon and see how it lies. Both exciting and scary.... Polly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted January 7, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 7, 2013 Like the track photos, Jeff. Coming along nicely. Keeping my eye on this part of things as I've got this to come. I've just posted some more pics on Great West Road #126 so, hopefully, I'll get the track plan printed out and laid out on the baseboard soon and see how it lies. Both exciting and scary.... Polly Evening Polly, I'll have a look at GWR and your track plan when it arrives. I must admit that I was a bit concerned about the amount of tracklaying I was about to do, back in October. I'd never laid anything like this - and had never used finescale track or turnouts. The biggest boon to laying the track, as far as I'm concerned, was the purchase of a Dremel, a small chuck for the device and some decent cutting discs. I've got a Xuron cutter, but never use it. Cutting the track to length has been a pleasure. Still a few bits to do - well, actually about half a dozen headshunts. Plenty more electrics though. People who've never been involved with a layout have no idea of what goes on "underneath". But it IS fun, even if it can be trying at times!! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jukebox Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 It all looks rather nude without any trains on it, Jeff... Like most nudes, quite something to look at, but perhaps even more so with just a hint of modesty by covering a little up for us to use our imagination? Scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted January 7, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 7, 2013 It all looks rather nude without any trains on it, Jeff... Like most nudes, quite something to look at, but perhaps even more so with just a hint of modesty by covering a little up for us to use our imagination? Scott Hi Scott - good time to wish you a Happy New Year!! Believe me, it'll be covered up.... first by the monstrosity of a hillside and then with a collection of trains! Whets the appetite!! Hope things are going well and Stockrington continues to progress. It'll soon be winter "down under" , though I bet you never see snow in Perth? Jeff 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Morning Jeff. Your track-laying looks as good as ever. Am I right in thinking you've taken one of the mainline loops as part of the fiddle-yard? I'm sure you used to have 4 tracks in each direction. I'm hoping to be at the member's day too - last year the details were announced a bit late so I missed it, hopefully this year we'll hear about it a bit earlier. Supposedly back at work this week, but having a day off today in an attempt to get the diy finished before it gets really cold again... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jukebox Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Hi Scott - good time to wish you a Happy New Year!! Believe me, it'll be covered up.... first by the monstrosity of a hillside and then with a collection of trains! Whets the appetite!! Hope things are going well and Stockrington continues to progress. It'll soon be winter "down under" , though I bet you never see snow in Perth? Jeff Still in transit Jeff - in Hong Kong till the end of the week, then home (finally!). Its only in the mid-to-high teens here, so I'm still not defrosted, yet. Nursing a shocking flu I picked up on the plane here - really put a dampener on this leg. I did manage to get out today and grab some cables for my DC accessory circuit, some Tamiya weather powder compacts, and some neo-magnets to play around with uncoupling Kadees, so it wasn't all shoes and kids clothes, thankfully... Back into it toward the end of the month, I hope. Regards Scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted January 8, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 8, 2013 Morning Jeff. Your track-laying looks as good as ever. Am I right in thinking you've taken one of the mainline loops as part of the fiddle-yard? I'm sure you used to have 4 tracks in each direction. I'm hoping to be at the member's day too - last year the details were announced a bit late so I missed it, hopefully this year we'll hear about it a bit earlier. Supposedly back at work this week, but having a day off today in an attempt to get the diy finished before it gets really cold again... Morning Michael. Hope you get the DIY sorted - we don't want you falling through the ceiling!!! You're on the right lines (no pun intended) about the fiddle yard When I planned it, I was going to have a mainline with 3 roads to either side. But when I actually built the thing in November, because of the viaduct/tunnel position I found it better to reduce the anticlockwise roads by one, in order to allow me to fit in 2 lines linked to the branch. I'm sure it would have been possible to cram even more track in there, but I'm acutely aware of the base required to build the hillside on - it takes up a lot of space. Have a productive day, and if you get fed up with the DIY then sod it - do some railway modelling! Not sure of the Stafford date yet, but it'll be good if you can manage it. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted January 8, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 8, 2013 (edited) Hi Scott. Hong Kong, so late afternoon? Typical isn't it? You plan something for ages and the bug has to strike during your trip! Hope you got to shake hands with Father Christmas! Those neodymium magnets can be incredibly strong. I used to use them in Physics experiments on electromagnetic induction. If you separated them and got your fingers in the way, they could bruise your fingers or break your finger nails as they pulled back together! Hope the virus abates - soon. Best wishes, Jeff Edited January 8, 2013 by Physicsman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted January 8, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 8, 2013 Morning Jeff, Nice pics of the fiddle yard, pity it will be buried under the hills. Don't forget those pilot holes in case you want to fit detectors. As to the Black 5, there is a link to the thread below. Not posted for a while as with the house move and Christmas...you get the picture. Anyway I made a good start on the footplate last night so will buy some batteries for my camera, which seems to eat them, and post some tonight. Thanks for the offer to host a pic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jukebox Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Hi Jeff; Yes, 5pm here now - we came back to the hotel to recharge and are about to go for the second sortee of the day... the medicine is kicking in, so feeling improved, thankfully. I've been reading about using neo magnets in track as permanent uncouplers, but am not convinced the pfaffing is worth the cost saving of buying the Kadee product. I spent $50HKD on 10+20 of them today, and will find out with first hand experience. Met Santa himself in Lapland on the 25th! Got my own Christmas present on the 29th when I saw my first aurora. No CME's at the time, so it was not a particularly moving experience - but I'm glad I came away from travelling so far able to say "yes, I've seen one": (I've not got Photoshop on my Netbook I travel with, so can't photoshop this to make it a bit better!) Regards Scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted January 8, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 8, 2013 I haven't seen an aurora for about 8 years. The last one was in about 2004. I was driving over the Pennines in the middle of the night - it was clear and pitch black. Something caught my eye. I pulled the car onto the side of the road just up from Ravenstonedale, near Kirkby Stephen. The entire northern half of the sky, from horizon upto an altitude of about 50 degrees was covered in glowing, writhing "curtain" patterns of light. A mix of colours (ionised Nitrogen and Oxygen emission, principally) swirling around. I've seen a few, but that was one of the best. I haven't thought about uncoupling, yet. I'm not going to fit Kadees I think the "hand of God" will have to suffice to start with!! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted January 8, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 8, 2013 Morning Jeff, Nice pics of the fiddle yard, pity it will be buried under the hills. Don't forget those pilot holes in case you want to fit detectors. As to the Black 5, there is a link to the thread below. Not posted for a while as with the house move and Christmas...you get the picture. Anyway I made a good start on the footplate last night so will buy some batteries for my camera, which seems to eat them, and post some tonight. Thanks for the offer to host a pic. No problem with the pics! Btw, are you thinking of going to the Member's Day in July (it's at Stafford)? Quite a number of Lunesters appear to be heading that way Thanks for reminding me about the detector. The track will be accessible for quite a while, yet... Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Good late morning Jeff, Thanks for the track pics, I have just had a quick look through and it all looks good. Question, What is the flower vase doing in the pics, ? I have a personal HATE for standard couplings, I use Kadee, which although not prototypical do give closer coupling and a more prototypical uncoupling. It would be easy for you to use this system in the fiddle yard and not have to climbe over the Mountain and try to twist/uncouple normal couplings. Another method, pionered by Roger Nichols and seen used by him at many shows is to remove the hook from one end of each wagon. Then all the stock is placed on the layout the same way around and it is a simple case of lifting the one hook to seperate a train. He also uses a tuft of grass between the rails to act as an uncoupler,(see Bradstone Quary, Jan 2013 RM) Have a good day and I will catch you all later. Junior Lunester. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted January 8, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 8, 2013 Morning Andy - trust you to notice the "flower vase"!! It's actually the base of a lamp that I use to cast a bit of extra light when taking photos!! I'll have a look at the uncoupling options at a later stage. Certainly an issue that needs discussing as I know very little about what's available. Bit more trackwork in the bunker. but keeping an eye out for the postie who should be arriving with books.... Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted January 8, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 8, 2013 I too hate rtr couplings. You would have thought by now that the rtr industry would have come up with something better. My coaches are mainly in fixed rakes using the Keen close coupling system with buffers touching and gangways appearing connected. Most wagons are in sets of 3 or 4 with 3-links and rtr at eaither end of the set. I have been impressed by the looks of the Dingham coupling www.dingham.co.uk and may purchase a few to test out for the last great project. As to Stafford in June, I could combine with a visit to the aged parents just over the boarder in Derbyshire but by then I will have a new SWMBO of two months. As she likes railways I don't foresee any problems. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted January 8, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 8, 2013 Wow - it's VERY quiet on here today! I've fitted a couple of pieces of track but I've been otherwise engaged for the rest of the day. Just come on here to see if anything interesting had been posted since lunchtime....no! I'll go and look at one or two layout threads to see what some of the Lunesters have been getting upto! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Hi Jeff, just a quicky, we had to have one of our Greyhounds put down today, We have spent the day at Monmore Green Stadium and at there Vets, She had a scan and it was found she had acute liver failure and would not have gone on for more than another couple of week and with no quality of life being incontinent etc. I will gat back into it later and have a propper read. Andy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Sorry to hear that Andy, it's never a nice thing to have to do. You have my sympathies. It has been quiet - I've been busily plumbing, and despite a couple of good tries, I've not fallen through a ceiling. I have just spent the last two hours taking bits apart and rebuilding them; having discovered that 22mm compression fittings are not all created equal! Thankfully I didn't strip any threads despite using the wrong nuts in places. Is that the last of the fiddle yard track done now Jeff? Or were you working in the yard today? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted January 8, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 8, 2013 (edited) Well, this Lunester's been at work and then doing a little more to me Black 5. No, the return cranks are not fixed in place and neither is the footplate. Sad news from Andy. My dad still runs greyhounds (Sheffield) and also had a retired one for quite some time. Edited January 8, 2013 by Rowsley17D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted January 8, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 8, 2013 Sorry to hear your sad news Andy. I've been busy on the BCB cart shed, as well as working: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/64613-black-country-blues-sandside-builds-a-cart-shed/page-6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted January 8, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 8, 2013 (edited) I haven't seen an aurora for about 8 years. The last one was in about 2004. I was driving over the Pennines in the middle of the night - it was clear and pitch black. Something caught my eye. I pulled the car onto the side of the road just up from Ravenstonedale, near Kirkby Stephen. The entire northern half of the sky, from horizon upto an altitude of about 50 degrees was covered in glowing, writhing "curtain" patterns of light. A mix of colours (ionised Nitrogen and Oxygen emission, principally) swirling around. I've seen a few, but that was one of the best. I haven't thought about uncoupling, yet. I'm not going to fit Kadees I think the "hand of God" will have to suffice to start with!! Jeff I have never seen one but a friend of mine was driving with her dad in Cambridgeshire saw one. She was very excited but he had not got a clue about what it was and why it was so special. For us physicists that have forgotten most things except the half life of I131 to 2 decimal places, what colours are they? I like the look of your fiddleyard. I keep thinking that you will need more lines for the branch but I suppose you will only need one engine and a couple of coaches and a pick up goods. Did they have mixed trains on the S&C branches? Edited January 8, 2013 by ChrisN Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted January 8, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 8, 2013 Hi Jeff, just a quicky, we had to have one of our Greyhounds put down today, We have spent the day at Monmore Green Stadium and at there Vets, She had a scan and it was found she had acute liver failure and would not have gone on for more than another couple of week and with no quality of life being incontinent etc. I will gat back into it later and have a propper read. Andy. Hi Andy. Apologies for the delay in replying but it's been an evening of enormous, non-railway-related, frustration. If I screamed you'd probably hear me in Derbyshire... I'm very sorry to hear about the dog. I had to have my cat put down in august - it was pretty devastating. Hope you're ok. Chat later. Best wishes, Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted January 8, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 8, 2013 Michael - I added a roughly 50cm curved piece on the top road in the the branch section. I can now drive a branch train into the yard, uncouple and using the crossover take out one of two others stored in the branch section. These trains can either return along the branch, or there is a link to the up mainline (anticlockwise). I'm quite pleased with the flexibility this gives. So fiddle yard track is ALL down, yes. Just missing 2 Cobalts - all the holes are done, just an easy matter to retro-fit....when I buy them! Railway business ceased at 2pm today. Since then the day has gone downhill.... coming on here is restoring my sanity and belief that there ARE good people in this world!!!!! Jeff 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted January 8, 2013 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 8, 2013 Jonathan - a photo, so I can at last visualise what you've been doing. Looks a good build to me - though loco building is something I will NEVER want to do. You lot have already roped me into enough new ventures! How long have you been building it and how much longer will it take? Jason - I gather you have an article in BRM. Brilliant - many congrats! Will look at your link shortly! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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