West Kirby Town: narrow gauge is coming to town.

[two tone green]

Hi TTG.

 

Thanks for the offer - any help - even if only to give me time to go to the gents! - would be appreciated.

 

Rod

 

Will make a point of stopping by your stand. May even give me a chance to test anything I have bought.

[Barnaby]

I'll drop by too Preston Rod.

 

I b scouse too now living in Worcestershire from the red side.

 

Regards

[two tone green]

Sorry Rod, got side tracked, sorry about the pun, and failed to make it to you. Will try harder tomorrow.

[Softvark]

Hi Rod, great to meet you and have a chat at Telford. Looking forward to the scenery work progressing!

[two tone green]

Finally got to see you and the layout. Nice concept for the layout, shows what to do and what can be achieved in tight situation. Nice one Rod.

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

I'm back!!  Not just from Telford, but from N Wales - specifically Craig's part of N Wales (but I/we never got to see him!)  Had a fantastic few days (went straight from Telford) - lovely weather, lovely beaches and scenery but I think it would be somewhat crowded in the main holiday season.  The cottage we were in was good, but miles from anywhere - I've never known such darkness: being a city boy, born and bred, and now living not far from Blackpool, I didn't realise total blackness really existed!!

 

To talk about Telford: we had a pretty successful show; certainly a lot of interest shown in the layout/diorama.  It was nice to meet a few RMwebbers and I am sure there were a couple I never got to speak to as I was too busy talking on the stand.  I had almost lost my voice on Sunday morning!!  As I said before the show, I'll do a thread on the diorama, but here's a taster to be going on with:

 

 

 

Progress on my layout?  None since my last entry!  However, at Telford I did buy a lot of static grass from WWS - together with glue and spray - so I'll be starting that shortly.  I also bought a couple of hand point levers (dummy) from Peter Clark which I'll use to hide the microswitches in the stabling point.  Those switches will need lowering first  but I don't think that's too difficult a job - fingers crossed!!

 

Now to catch up on other threads that I follow.

 

More soon.

 

Rod

[muddys-blues]

Hello Rod, nice pictures of the diorama, glad you got back safe and sound, glad you enjoyed your visit down here to what is really a stunning part of the UK, and yes it does get dark down here ..... great isn't it ? 

 

Sorry we didn't get a chance to meet for a brew, what with me heading the other and on to York, we had a great 3 days away, a lovely Family time had by all.

 

Speak soon 

Craig.

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

I forgot to add to my last post that I also bought at Telford a couple of sugar cube speakers from South West Digital.  The sound from my DMUs is pretty good but with the speakers being inside the body (usually attached to the ceiling) the sound can seem a bit muffled.  So I thought I'd try a sugar cube, attached to the chassis.  I made them up earlier this week, using superglue (very carefully!!) and then I wrapped a layer of insulating tape round the outside, just to be sure.  I've fitted one to my 131 tonight.  here's a pic of the assembled speaker:

 

 

You can just make out the tape around the outside.  And here's a couple of it attached - with Blutack - to the underside of the chassis:

 

 

When the unit is on the track it's completely hidden.  The sound is very good - it seems crisper than the sound from a speaker inside.  It's a tad lower on volume than one of the 30 or 40mm speakers I've got inside (maybe even rectangular ones) but still acceptable on my layout.  I'll try it tomorrow with the second alongside it, just to see what the combined effect is - particularly as it will be run on occasions at exhibitions, where a bit more volume is usually required, compared to the comparative quiet at home.  I've run it tonight along with my 2-car 108 and I do prefer it with this speaker.

 

I was talking with a pal earlier in the week who suggested fixing it on it's side, facing the back of the battery box as that's supposed to make the sound better.  I did try that but, to me, it's better as I've got it now and a tad louder, too.

 

One lesson learnt - you need to be careful with the soldering iron when attaching the wiring.  I let mine get a bit to close to the magnet, which dragged the speaker onto the iron!!!!  I'll stick the speaker onto a bit of Blutack next time!!  Will report on the sound with 2 speakers tomorrow.  Maybe even a video to show the comparison.

 

On that subject - I was thinking that the 115 didn't sound right in the last videos I did.  I checked it yesterday and yes, it wasn't right - the speaker in one car isn't working!!!  I suspect a wire has come detached inside.  So I'll fix that and then hopefully do another video.

 

More soon.

 

Rod

Edited September 17, 2015 by Dmudriver

[Jintyman]

 

Hi Rod,

 

DCC Sound development and the smaller size of such things as speakers and other components is astonishing. Where will we be in 5 years time?

 

I do like your DMU's, and I like the fact they are truly directional, even with the sounds.

Great work Rod.

 

Jinty

[muddys-blues]

Hi Rod, thanks for posting the pics on here, the Sugar Cube is a great speaker, and is definitely one I will be trying on my Bog Carts.

 

Craig.

Hi Rod,

DCC Sound development and the smaller size of such things as speakers and other components is astonishing. Where will we be in 5 years time?

I do like your DMU's, and I like the fact they are truly directional, even with the sounds.
Great work Rod.

Jinty

 

You can't resist a DMU Jinty !!! Kettles for sale soon then ?

[Dmudriver]

Hi Jinty.
 
"I do like your DMU's, and I like the fact they are truly directional, even with the sounds.​"
 
Thanks for the comments about my DMUs.  However, much as it pains me to, I feel I ought to correct your belief above.  It's only the 115 that's directional sound-wise.  And I've achieved that by having a chip and speaker in each power car.
 
I'd love to be able to do that with all the others and I'm thinking of trying it with the 3-car 108, but I'd need to put a motor bogie into the DMC.  This isn't necessary for traction purposes but it is for sound.  The alternative is to have a freespinning motor at that end with a chip and then I could get the sound.  At the moment, as far as I know, there are no sound-only chips: function-only, yes, but not sound.  So at the moment I just have a second speaker in the DMC, wired through from the chip.
 
I did ask Steve of SWD if it's possible to put different sounds into different speakers but the answer was, effectively, "no".  I do wonder if it's possible with the ESU v4 XL chip which has 2 speaker outputs but I just don't know.  I've an XL in the Thumper and I'd just need the horn at the non-powered end so I'll make some enquiries - sometime, as there's so much else to do!!

 

I've just checked the speakers in the 2 power cars of the 115 and they are both working but they weren't (or certainly didn't seem to be!) a couple of days ago!!   Maybe something to do with the effects of a short circuit?  I'll check the volumes in each one later - after I've added the 2nd speaker to the 131.

 

Rod

Edited September 18, 2015 by Dmudriver

[leopardml2341]

Rod,

 

Digitrax do a sound only chip, called the sound bug. Not sure how it functions, but they also have a generic dmu file on their website. It is nowhere near as capable as a loksound v4, but it is MUCH cheaper.

 

Also their sound programmer is much cheaper than esu, you can also use it like a sprog iirc.

 

You can also load your own recordings that way.

 

Sorry can't search more details at work, but it might be worth looking?

 

Rgds,

[Dmudriver]

Thanks for that, Andy.  I'll have a look at it and see what can be done.  I'll also search around and see if anyone else does any.

 

I've added the second speaker to the 131 today and it works well: the sound is now louder.  Here's a pic of the 2 of them fitted under the unit:

 

 

I stuck the 2 speakers onto a piece of Blutack to solder the wires on and it worked perfectly - no movement towards the iron at all.

 

I also tested the speakers in the 115.  Although both chips were set to the same volume, the speakers both the same size and in the same place, and the hole in the floor being the same size,  the front one seemed to overwhelm the rear one.  Assuming it wasn't my hearing at fault (!!), I increased the volume in the rear one and it now seems to me to be better balanced.  I do want a couple of speakers under the cars now, though, as the sound does reverberate a bit inside - and it's particularly noticeable in comparison with the 131.

 

I've tried to do some videos to show what I mean, but the camera was playing up a bit on the video setting.  I'll try again in the next few days, having deleted everything from the memory.

 

More soon.

 

Rod

 

 

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

There's a new kid on the block!!!

 

 

 

 

Full story later - and a video if I can upload it to YouTube!!

 

Rod

 

[Dmudriver]

It must be my lucky day - or BT superfast broadband is working properly!! 

 

I've uploaded a short video to YouTube and it's here:

 

 

 

 

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OK, the truth?   The loco belongs to a lad at the club and I've fitted an ESU Loksound v4 XL chip in it with Howes sound system.   So, no, I haven't gone green!!!   Nor am I going ex ER/ScR!!!  It does sound quite good, though.  I'm taking it to him at the club tonight so that's it's first and last appearance on the layout!!!!

 

 

Rod

Edited September 21, 2015 by Dmudriver

[two tone green]

Quote 'I'm taking it to him at the club tonight so that's it's first and last appearance on the layout!!!!'.

Really Rod, honest ?

[pwr]

Thanks for that, Andy.  I'll have a look at it and see what can be done.  I'll also search around and see if anyone else does any.

 

I've added the second speaker to the 131 today and it works well: the sound is now louder.  Here's a pic of the 2 of them fitted under the unit:

 

P1040348 (2).JPG

 

I stuck the 2 speakers onto a piece of Blutack to solder the wires on and it worked perfectly - no movement towards the iron at all.

 

I also tested the speakers in the 115.  Although both chips were set to the same volume, the speakers both the same size and in the same place, and the hole in the floor being the same size,  the front one seemed to overwhelm the rear one.  Assuming it wasn't my hearing at fault (!!), I increased the volume in the rear one and it now seems to me to be better balanced.  I do want a couple of speakers under the cars now, though, as the sound does reverberate a bit inside - and it's particularly noticeable in comparison with the 131.

 

I've tried to do some videos to show what I mean, but the camera was playing up a bit on the video setting.  I'll try again in the next few days, having deleted everything from the memory.

 

More soon.

 

Rod

So Rod all you need now is a realistic exhaust smoke generator on each DMU and the jobs done. You will have to get the smell right too! I,ll bet its possible!

 

Paul R

[railwayrod]

Nice work Rod. Do you fit your own chips?

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Hi Paul and Simon.

 

I think, being serious(!!), that it's Peter Clark who does a fan-driven smoke unit which is particularly effective in diesel locos and in DMUs.  A pal of mine has them in his DMUs and they are good - as also are others I've seen fitted in locos.  However, the smoke doesn't do my chest a lot of good, unfortunately, so I've made the decision to go smokeless - even if eventually someone does get it smelling like diesel exhaust!!

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

"Nice work Rod. Do you fit your own chips?"

 

Hi Rod.

 

Yes, I do now: the first couple I got were professionally fitted but then a pal showed me how to do it and I've done my own ever since.  I can alter CV values and move functions around but don't do my own programing - it's too complicated and there's too much else to do without adding learning how to do that to the list!!!

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

At last - I've taken a deep breath, held my nose and jumped in!!!  That is, I've started scenic grassing!!  Only on a piece of card to start with, but I thought I'd try to get the hang of it first.  The tools I use are these:

 

 

I bought them at a show some time ago, from a firm called Double0 Scenics.  The smaller for up to 6mm grass, the larger one for the larger stuff, obviously!! - although they both use the same 3v base/handle.

 

The next pic shows all the area I did:

 

 

As I've said before, I bought the static grass, glue, etc from War World Scenics at Telford - I got 2, 6 and 10mm grass.  The first pic below shows some 10mmm grass on top of some 2mm:  if I'm honest, I'm not convinced by it - it's not exactly standing up very well.  I did have a circuit, but I'm not convinced the larger sieve has enough "oomph".

 

 

The bush is some horsehair I had lying around.  The second pic shows 2 areas - on the right some 10mm on top of 6mm and again I'm not convinced - I'd much prefer the 10mm to be standing up more.  I'm aiming for a spring look and the straw coloured stuff would be last year's growth with the newer stuff coming through.  The area on the left was a bit of a disaster!  I'd done some 6mm on top of 2mm - which looked pretty good but a bit too neat and I wanted to thicken it up with more 2mm: so I sprayed glue on top, but I don't think the nail was in properly and I had no circuit, so the 2mm just lay on top!!!  Disadvantage of using card as a base!!

 

 

Finally, this corner is a couple of layers of 6mm on top of one of 2mm - with another bit of horsehair..  This I think is the best, maybe a bit too much grass but that's the sort of look I want.

 

 

So, some lessons learned and I'm keen to get on now. 

 

However, I'd appreciate some advice.  Does it look as though these devices have enough power?  The small one was fine for 2mm and 6mm but that left the grass too short for 0 gauge - or at least for rough ground that I want.  The larger one didn't do enough, in my opinion, with the 10mmm stuff.  I'm tempted to go for the WWS dispenser (£99.99) which compares favourably with the Noch Grassmaster.  A bit expensive, but I've a lot to do on this layout, so it could be worth it in the long run.  Any comments will be gratefully received.

 

Rod

 

PS   A lad at the club made a device with the handle and gubbins from a flyswatter and an ordinary kitchen sink.  It gives hefty spark when it touches the nail!!    And it does a good job.  The above 2 do give a spark, but nothing like as hefty - the larger one is weaker than the smaller.

 

 

EDIT:  to add PS.

Edited September 25, 2015 by Dmudriver

[Giles]

I have a GreenScenes Flockit - which I heartily recommend. It's at least as good as the WWS machine (Gordon Gravett has one), and run on 12V is spectacular. It is also a bit cheaper than the WWS one. I have no connection with GreenScenes other than being a satisfied customer.... I've laid 20mm horse-hair as a test with mine.

I used to have a Noch GrassMaster, and sold it to buy the Flockit.

[81A Oldoak]

After expirementation with cheaper models that subsequently sold on eBay, I ended up with the Noch Grass Master, which I have found to be a good tool. Here are smone photos from Cwm Bach.

[pwr]

Rod

 

I have not tried it myself having only used a Noch Grassmaster to cover a very small patch of ground but I have heard that some folk use a vacuum cleaner to make the fibres stand up more before the glue fully sets. It also enables the loose stuff to be captured and used again. Cover the end with a hanky!

 

Then if you want longer fibres you can touch up the original lot with more PVA and go another time round. Don't also write off the puffer bottles you can use to get small amounts in a small place

 

Regards

 

Paul R

[81A Oldoak]

Rod

 

I have not tried it myself having only used a Noch Grassmaster to cover a very small patch of ground but I have heard that some folk use a vacuum cleaner to make the fibres stand up more before the glue fully sets. It also enables the loose stuff to be captured and used again. Cover the end with a hanky!

 

Then if you want longer fibres you can touch up the original lot with more PVA and go another time round. Don't also write off the puffer bottles you can use to get small amounts in a small place

 

Regards

 

Paul R

 

Quite right Paul. I use a puffer bottle for detail work such as growth between paving stones, along fences etc as shown in the photos. I also use a vacuum cleaner to help the grass to stand up and to recover surplus. My preferred filters are ladies' nylon pop socks that are purchased undercover or by the memsahib. I'm always relieved by  the amount of grass recovered after application as the fibres always appear to be consumed at an alarmingly high rate during application.

 

Chris