Les1952 Posted February 4, 2016 Author Share Posted February 4, 2016 Better day today. I found the end of a small reel of resin-cored solder in the bottom of a box, so was able to solder an analogue connection to the programming track, so with the DCC switched off I can now test analogue locos. The new soldering iron I ordered at about 3pm yesterday arrived by this morning's post- very impressive. I've managed to renumber the two of Trevor's locos that were still in LNER colours, though I dropped a clanger by applying new numbers to what I thought was a J38 before realising it was a J26- the oversized tender and J38 painted on the underside didn't help. Fortunately only the middle digit needed to be changed.... I also got my Robinson 2-8-0 running a bit more reliably, and the Union Mills J39 that is still analogue has had its loco to tender connection soldered and works. On HD I've added some more grass along the colliery line at the screening house end, and also bedded a couple of the buildings in a bit better. As promised, some pics of the second version of the paddy train. The two coaches are (I think) Bill Bedford sides on what are definitely Dapol Stove chassis, while one van is on a 15 foot Peco chassis, and the other is on a Peco brake van chassis. Mr Simon built them for use on Trevor Webster's Parnhams layout (like the other rake) and they may be featured in his blog, though I've not looked to confirm. I might get some more pics tomorrow or over the weekend, but I'm going to have to get HD's trains packed up for Doncaster no later than Monday as the rest of the week has now been claimed for other purposes. Les 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MrSimon Posted February 4, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 4, 2016 Yep, they're on my workbench thread on the first few pages. The 6 wheelers are PC Models etches, the two vans are either PC models or Bill Bedford, and both on Farish brake van chassises (sp?) Do you have any maroon to touch up the bare brass on that louvre on the meat van? Or rust? See you Thursday Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 4, 2016 Author Share Posted February 4, 2016 I'll have a look at that tomorrow. Eventually the brake van will be replaced by an LSWR riding van from Dave Jones. L PS I'm going to take a look in the scrap box to see if I have another pair of bogies that will fit the Midland celerestory. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MrSimon Posted February 5, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 5, 2016 I think I've got some, they came from minitrix Mark 1s Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 6, 2016 Author Share Posted February 6, 2016 I think I've got some, they came from minitrix Mark 1s Oh good. I was about to ring and ask if you had any unused ones- they might be Lima Mark 1s, maybe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 6, 2016 Author Share Posted February 6, 2016 A couple more pics. Mostly the extra grassy bits aren't all that photogenic, and don't look all that different to the earlier pics. this one of the shed is about the only place that shows any real difference. Another celerestory- this time an Arnold EMU trailer that has been slightly anglicised and which Trevor Webster painted brown for use on Parnhams then on Whatton Parva. I've been passed on about six assorted celerestory coaches, and this is the first one to have had some attention from the paintbrush. I've done the sides of the celerestory since taking the pic this afternoon. Most of today's work has been on Rise Park's loco stock, though I've been testing some of the HD fleet and checking things like lamps as well. There will be a few pics in the Rise Park thread shortly. Talking of pics, I've now seen the "Next Month's issue" pic in BRM. Although I'd spotted a large piece of fluff on Firdaussi's boiler and Andy photoshopped it out I'd failed to spot the following, which you will find if you look closely at the pic. 1. Firdaussi's trailing wheels are off the track- Andy did correct this but the pic is an earlier draft. 2. There is an unnecessary lamp on the leading coach. Now removed and the lamp recycled elsewhere. 3. The sub-board that sits behind the hedge to hide the raw edges of board isn't there- what you should see between the hedge and the track are a pair of Nissen huts... An A3 Southbound. Sub-board with Nissen Huts to left. Ah, well... Les 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 6, 2016 Author Share Posted February 6, 2016 Looking at that celerestory it is time I made contact with those nice Fox people again..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MrSimon Posted February 7, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 7, 2016 Those celestories break down into components so you can repaint without getting paint on the windows (that's what happened when I painted it brown for Trevor). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 7, 2016 Author Share Posted February 7, 2016 This one had had the windows glued to the sides..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MrSimon Posted February 7, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 7, 2016 I had to glue them in to stop them falling out on corners... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 7, 2016 Author Share Posted February 7, 2016 I had to glue them in to stop them falling out on corners... That explains everything. Obviously not expecting Trevor to pass them onwards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 A couple more pics. Mostly the extra grassy bits aren't all that photogenic, and don't look all that different to the earlier pics. bedded better.jpg this one of the shed is about the only place that shows any real difference. new push-pull.jpg Another celerestory- this time an Arnold EMU trailer that has been slightly anglicised and which Trevor Webster painted brown for use on Parnhams then on Whatton Parva. I've been passed on about six assorted celerestory coaches, and this is the first one to have had some attention from the paintbrush. I've done the sides of the celerestory since taking the pic this afternoon. Most of today's work has been on Rise Park's loco stock, though I've been testing some of the HD fleet and checking things like lamps as well. There will be a few pics in the Rise Park thread shortly. Talking of pics, I've now seen the "Next Month's issue" pic in BRM. Although I'd spotted a large piece of fluff on Firdaussi's boiler and Andy photoshopped it out I'd failed to spot the following, which you will find if you look closely at the pic. 1. Firdaussi's trailing wheels are off the track- Andy did correct this but the pic is an earlier draft. 2. There is an unnecessary lamp on the leading coach. Now removed and the lamp recycled elsewhere. 3. The sub-board that sits behind the hedge to hide the raw edges of board isn't there- what you should see between the hedge and the track are a pair of Nissen huts... A3 westbound.jpg An A3 Southbound. Sub-board with Nissen Huts to left. Ah, well... Les Nice to see you are going to be "in print" again Les but a shame BRM couldn't spell Hawthorn correctly in the current issue's advert for HD. I had similar problems when I retired. As part of my retirement gift from colleagues (who where aware of Hawthorn Town) I received a framed photo with Hawthorn spelt Hawthorne but I was too polite to mention their error. Best Regards, Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 (edited) Off to Sunny Donny. Layout worked perfectly immediately before testing, though the three patch plug points on the back did have to be connected together in the wrong order to achieve it......and my programming track has given up the ghost- no combination of psu, lead and panel plug will make it work. I suspect I'll be buying one of each new from Jeremy if he has them in stock. At Doncaster- come and see us at Stand 86A, just below the central escalator on the hall side of it- no way was it going to work with three plug points working. The "home" one at the colliery end - no problem, plus either one of the other two, but not both. Jeremy has been warned that when the show goes quiet he'll need to make an inspection for me. Meanwhile Mr Simon and I have got all three cabs running simultaneously and the layout worked at the time we switched off to go home. However, the layout looks good, and has already attracted some positive comments- and that is before we even open. Here is the latest addition to stock. Bought from Ian Arkley on eBay and delivered on Tuesday morning. By the end of the day it looked like this, having been tested on analogue then chipped and given a haulage test. Haulage not brilliant- 25 Peco wagons before slipping- but it isn't likely to be pulling more than 20 in any case, maybe slightly more on Rise Park or on Croft Spa when it is built, but Hawthorn Dene's longest train is 18 plus brake. I didn't have time to use separate digits for it, but as Empire Of India won't be added to the fleet I use the Fox transfer for 60011, cutting the 6 off the front and applying it separately upside down. Saved ages waiting for the middle number to dry before adding the next etc. I had a smokebok number for 90011, as I'd already bought that sheet of numbers to do 90014. By yesterday evening it looked like this- two coats of chalk, each held down with matt varnish, and another coat of chalk on top. Looks just like a WD should, though being from Darlington I saw plenty of clean ones- the shed only had three WDs at any time (90011, 90014 and I think 90309 were the trio in 1964). It had more duties for WDs than it posessed, so made up the number with running-in turns for ex-works WDs, Q6s and Stanier 8Fs, hence my being able to see a lot of clean WDs. It went off to Doncaster with the chip still numbered 88 (taken out of Book Law while that loco is out of service for a rebuild). Fortunately I was able to prevail on the good offices of Paul Chetters , who has re-addressed it for me and it now has its correct address of 11. Time for bed Alarm is set for 6.25 and Jim and Geoff arrive about 7.15. One car tomorrow, two on Sunday- Jim and Jim travel together, while Geoff will travel with me and help unload the layout. Simon is off back to London at the end of the show tomorrow. I'm not setting HD up in the shed immediately unless something major needs doing as it is only two weeks before it goes out again. Perhaps I'll be able to get some more done on No Place in that fortnight. Fingers crossed. Les Edited February 12, 2016 by Les1952 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 That last 'photo is about right for a WD hauling coal trains, Les. .. I Won't get to Donny but hope to catch you on Tyneside later in the year. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 13, 2016 Author Share Posted February 13, 2016 Doncaster day one. No photographs today. No time to take them. the gremlins were out in force. Not only that but they had brought their sisters and their cousins and their aunts with them!. One cab (the newest) kept losing the plot to the extent that I took it back to Digitrains to have checked- nothing wrong with it. Also tried a new cab on the layout in its place- also dropping out and losing the plot. Then the second (middle) patch point on the layout back stopped working. Off to digitrains for a new patch point, which was duly installed- meanwhile the layout continued running with both cabs plugged into the one working patch point- at the colliery end of the layout.. Tried the second cab on the new patch point- no attempt to communicate. So at this point I connected the new patch point direct to the booster unit, bypassing the position at the colliery end. Both cabs now working. Connecting back to the colliery end- nothing now working at the colliery end. Each black lead tried in turn, same result. Back to Digitrains for a new lead- two patch points working and all three controllers in use again. The existing black leads have now been shortened and new plugs fitted to the ends. Then about half an hour before the end of the show- dead short. Eventually traced to the shed point in the colliery yard. I don't think we'll use the shed road tomorrow. On the plus side very well received and two more provisional bookings made. Shunting the screens worked quite well, as did running wagons to/from the drops- though the fulls need to be lifted off the drops and replaced by empties. Time for an early night. Les 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 14, 2016 Author Share Posted February 14, 2016 Doncaster day two A better day in many respects- though the gremlins were still present at least they had left their sisters, cousins and aunts behind, or sent them to have a play with some of the other layouts. Now I have one good patch point and a new set of leads it has been possible to keep a full set of trains moving on the main line. The short yesterday upset the decoders on both Class 108 power cars, and 60124 had previously lost the plot. Jeremy reset the class 108, and 60124 has a new decoder in its tender, replacing the blue Bachmann one. The short circuit on the top happened again. I think the cause might be bits of coal dropping off hopper wagons into vital places. However we got running quickly each time. On a positive note I spent quite a while chatting with Nick Freezer, who returned to the layout twice to look at it again, saying that he was "drawn back to it" and eventually asking if we were available for Ally Pally 2018. We have a provisional invite to Peterbrough, year to be confirmed, and enquiries emanating from Derbyshire, West Yorkshire and Manchester over the next three years. One or two people who have only seen Andy York's excellent photos commented that they thought the layout bigger than it actually is. Look out for the Spring Issue of BRM with Hawthorn Dene featured, and you can enjoy Andy's pics. The layout is now back in the workshop resting on its front so I can attend to the cab bus and get it working before Lincoln in two weeks time. All the very best Les 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 15, 2016 Author Share Posted February 15, 2016 First day back in the workshop. I've not yet looked at the cab bus, but have ordered a new UTP panel to replace the one at the pit end of the layout, plus another one as a spare. I've also ordered a spare cab throttle as I've one starting to lose the plot on its display. This will allow that one to go for sorting out without leaving enough behind to be unable to run the layout. I've tested the three power panels with each of the new leads and each of the cabs. Two won't get as far as lighting their power LED on startup, and the other one the LED is lit all the time. I think they will have to be replaced as well- one for the programming track in the shed and another mounted on the layout. Another order going out. I'm probably going to take the chips out of a couple of locos this week for use on Rise Park. 92220 and 70000 never got to the coast line so will be the first pair. Two more and I can save a loco box next time HD goes out -the bag with the loco boxes in it is getting overcrowded. Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted February 15, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 15, 2016 Les I know this may sound daft but have you thought about trading teh dcc in and getting Digitrax instead. It does seem to be far more reliable than the kit you have at the moment? Baz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 (edited) Eyup Baz, I've traced most of the faults down to the leads. The cab losing its display is the oldest one. Before taking it to Jeremy I'll have a look inside to see if it is just a loose connection. I did try out the Lenz, Digitrax and Gaugemaster systems before going NCE. My previous DCC setup was a Roco Locmaus, which in a way I'm sorry I sold on because unlike a lot of others I had no problems with it. The layout will go out to Lincoln with new patch panels and leads, which should solve the problems with connections on the cab bus. I've spent time today looking at whether the colliery circuit can be made into a separate power district with its own protection. It shouldn't be too difficult to make the wiring changes but I need to find out if that will actually prevent a short on the colliery stopping the whole layout. Any change here will be before Manchester in May. Croft Spa will have the up and down lines as separate power districts from the start. The fact that HD is all one district is a legacy of it initially being wired as analogue. I suppose I was due for some problems since we've been out six times with none at all (other than me using the wrong lead). Just a bit frustrating that all the problems happened at once. If I do make a change it will be to upgrade to a wireless system. I liked a lot of what Peter Crichton (an old singing mate) has been doing with Holcombe brook and Tottingtn. All the best Les Edited February 16, 2016 by Les1952 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted February 17, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 17, 2016 Les we used a Digitraxx DT402 with wireless to control the overhead trains on Herculaneum Dock at Southampton Show. At one point the operator was two floors above the layout! A lot of people thought it was automatic. BUT be careful as some people have had problems at Warley due to the number of "Wifi" connections between controllers and dcc systems Baz and DC Kits may just have a Roco system..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 18, 2016 Author Share Posted February 18, 2016 (edited) Thursday update. New cab arrived, and separately a new patch panel. Taking the old ones off I found the fault on the cab bus, a badly bent pin on a connection that couldn't be seen from outside I was able to reuse one of the two old patch panels with the new one and the one I replaced at Doncaste. rThe layout now works with two Pro Cabs and a cab throttle, the Booster works as a master cab. Ringing Jeremy the Powercab with the display problem will have to go off to America to be fixed. This will leave me without a programming track until the other Powercab comes back. I also discovered by a bit of careful measurement that all of the grey leads have plugs on them that are just under a millimetre wider than the plugs on the black leads, which is where the problems may have arisen. I have acquired another Dapol 57xx, and will beg the use of someone's programming track at Sileby this weekend, or avail myself of Pauliebanger's assistance at Lincoln next weekend to get it set up as an extra colliery loco. Before Lincoln I've also got to check all the colliery wagons to make sure they have no coal that can drop off, and when I get to Lincoln add a little insulation to the gap that is causing the short. I've labelled the wire that will need cutting under the layout if the short reoccurs. Withdrawn from Hawthorn Dene are 70000, 92220 and 61005, all of which have been de-chipped and transferred permanently to the Rise Park fleet. That still leaves HD with four each of B1 and 9F, and Britannia 70004- which definitely did work round the coast, even if only once. It was also the last loco to be mended at Darlington, collision damage repaired, reputedly with Clan bits. Rise Park to Sileby tomorrow after (no doubt) a bollocking from the doctor in the morning. I had two blood tests last week and although I passed on cholesterol I've had to have the blood sugar one repeated. My arm is several interesting shades of not-quite green from the first test, with purply blotches from the second one. All the best Les Edited February 18, 2016 by Les1952 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MrSimon Posted February 21, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 21, 2016 I took these on Hawthorn Dene at Doncaster last week: I was mostly trying to get decent pictures of the stock I'd just finished (weltrol, tractor conflats, bolster E, brake van - details on my WB thread) but the layout looks good in these too. Tractors back for the Great Central in June. Simon 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 21, 2016 Author Share Posted February 21, 2016 I took these on Hawthorn Dene at Doncaster last week: I was mostly trying to get decent pictures of the stock I'd just finished (weltrol, tractor conflats, bolster E, brake van - details on my WB thread) but the layout looks good in these too. Tractors back for the Great Central in June. Simon I don't remember that bogie bolster! L Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 21, 2016 Author Share Posted February 21, 2016 Just a reminder- Hawthorn Dene is in the next issue of BRM. Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 23, 2016 Author Share Posted February 23, 2016 Tuesday before Lincoln I managed to clean Nick of Rural Railways out of Springside BR lamps (again!) at Sileby this weekend, so now I have a grand total of eight more trail lamps and twelve more headlamps. All being well an additional four brake vans will have the right number of lamps at Lincoln this weekend. Operators this weekend are Jim, Geoff, Chris Burch and myself. As always, come and have a chat. Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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