West Kirby Town: narrow gauge is coming to town.

[RandyWales]

 ....However, a pal at the club has treated some teddy bear fur for me:  I've cut it and laid it loosely and here's some pics of it:

 

I have to admit that the green does add a lot to the layout, although it needs a lot more doing to it, but personally, I'm not convinced, but maybe it would be better if it was laid properly.  I can't seem to get the fur/grass all lying or leaning  in the same direction - it looks like it's been hit by a bad storm at the moment!!  But I'll find a comb or something similar and see what I can do

Hi Rod...

The fur certainly looks good....I particularly like the cutout around the signal in the first image...

 

I read somewhere quite recently that people have had success getting grass to stand up using a statically charged balloon.

Worth a try?

Randall

[Dmudriver]

Hi Rod...

The fur certainly looks good....I particularly like the cutout around the signal in the first image...

 

I read somewhere quite recently that people have had success getting grass to stand up using a statically charged balloon.

Worth a try?

Randall

It's certainly worth trying, Randall.  Just got to find a balloon!!!  There may be some left from my granddaughter's birthday party - I'll ask!!

 

Rod

[leopardml2341]

A nylon comb may do the same, but just rub the back of the comb along the fur rather than actually combing it.

[Simond]

I think that maybe the teddy bear fur can work well (I already thought it was very good, laid "ruff") if you have a go at it with an electric beard trimmer.

 

Steve Fay was talking about fur this week. See his "Severn Tunnel" thread. Similar positive impressions, to the extent that I thought "I must do that..."

 

HTH

Simon

[Dmudriver]

I've found a couple of old combs hidden away in a drawer (I don't have much use for them now!!) so I've had a go at the fur.  It looks better now.

 

I've found Steve's Severn Tunnel thread, thanks Simon.  I'm sure I've seen him mention the fur on another thread and someone put a link to a supplier on that same thread, but blowed if I can find it again!!  I'll keep looking.

 

Also, following my question about the Thumper setting off too quickly, I've just adjusted CVs 3 and 4 to decrease the acceleration and slow down the deceleration.  It means an alteration to my driving technique but if it's more realistic, that's all that matters.

 

Rod.

[Jintyman]

Combs??????  What are those?

 

 

A bit of greenery makes quite a bit of difference, I quite like the Teddy Bear fur, but it does look somewhat windswept. Can you trim it down with clippers? and will it take additional scenic items like fences, hedgerows and trees stuck into it? 

 

You mentioned that it was treated Rod, what was the process please?

 

Nice Thumper

 

Jinty

[LaScala]

I have found that using a lot of cheap hairspray cures the winswept look as you can comb in different directions between bursts of aerosol.  You can also add flock to represent flowers at the same time.

[muddys-blues]

I find I can't get the teddy bear fur to sit on my head just right, It looks worse than Donald Trumps head rug ... we are talking on the same thing here aren't we???

Craig

Edited April 11, 2016 by muddys-blues

[muddys-blues]

Hi Rod, the fur has made an improvement on that curve, it seems to give it sense of more distance, on the Thumper video are the track sounds on the sound chip or have you notched the track for the effect ?

 

Best regards

Craig.

[Dmudriver]

Hi Rod, the fur has made an improvement on that curve, it seems to give it sense of more distance, on the Thumper video are the track sounds on the sound chip or have you notched the track for the effect ?

 

Best regards

Craig.

Hi Craig.

 

The track sounds are not on the chip, nor have I notched the track.  It's just the joints in the Peco track.  I suspect they will become less obvious as the weather warms up (hopefully!!) and the rails expand a bit and close up the joints.

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Combs??????  What are those?

 

 

A bit of greenery makes quite a bit of difference, I quite like the Teddy Bear fur, but it does look somewhat windswept. Can you trim it down with clippers? and will it take additional scenic items like fences, hedgerows and trees stuck into it? 

 

You mentioned that it was treated Rod, what was the process please?

 

Nice Thumper

 

Jinty

Hi Jinty.

 

About trimming the fur: I've found an old beard trimmer (I took my beard off about 4 years ago - that's at least how long I've had it!!)  Unfortunately, the battery's a bit duff, but when I get it going and use it, I'll post the results on here.

 

As for the treatment process, I think it was just fingers but what paint and whether thinned or not, I don't know.  I'll ask him next time I see him - he wasn't at the club yesterday.

 

The Thumper's a Peter Clark model, built and painted by Peter himself.

 

Rod

[steve fay]

I like the grass, you might wish to singe it, very quickly over the edge of a table. A stiff brush should tame it but I like the roughness of it as it is.

[Dmudriver]

I like the grass, you might wish to singe it, very quickly over the edge of a table. A stiff brush should tame it but I like the roughness of it as it is.

Hi Steve.

 

Thanks for the comment.  I particularly like your grass on your latest layout and am intrigued by the singeing.  How do you do that and what's the objective?  Have you described anywhere what fur you use, what paint, how you apply it, etc.  I'm beginning to warm to the stuff and want to know more!!

 

Rod

[steve fay]

I use a blow torch, just a brief passing very quick. It thickens the ends and gives a nice appearance. I use green & yellow poster paints to dye the fur using my hands whilst wearing a suitable pair of gloves. Really work it in . Once dry you can get rid of any clumping by giving it a stiff brush. You can reapply a few times if the first go doesn't cover as well as you would like. I sourced my fur off eBay and had 5 metres X 4 foot for £37. Work on an area as big as you can for consistency. I used brown and green spray cans to waft over to have a bit of variety in the colour. You can add various other scenics depending on what type of cover you wish to represent. It's quite an enjoyable project and fairly cheap. Blow torch at the end. I bought fur that was roughly the length I needed but a man's hair clippers is good for cutting it to the required size. If I can help any more please ask. I will continue to post pictures of my progress on my thread.

Edited April 15, 2016 by steve fay

[pwr]

Superb videos Rod thank you

 

Paul R

[Dmudriver]

Superb videos Rod thank you

 

Paul R

It's a pleasure, Sir!!

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

just a quick note - following on the comment about the beard trimmer.  It doesn't work!!!  I think because the fur is too fine and dense.  It took a little bit off but nothing that made any difference.

 

I'm going to search for men' manual clippers as suggested by Steve above.

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

I've been quiet, but not completely inactive!!  I finally got to send the demic chip off to SWD (the one in the Coal Tank).  Sent it Tuesday and got the replacement back on Friday (superb service).  Fitted it last night, changed the speaker that came with it (a rectangular one) for a bass reflex and spent a pleasant hour or so this morning synchronising the chuffs. 

 

I've also been playing around with the teddy bear fur: I've put it on the outside section.  It doesn't look so good, but it's a first try and it's convinced me it's something to work with.  Here's a pic of it:

 

 

I've also made 3 videos of the Coal Tank, which are below.  A kettle for a change!!  I've assumed it's a Sunday as the DMUs are still stabled and the Mark 1s in the platform awaiting a loco and the train is a preserved special with permission to run on BR metals.  In fact the local management have lent the inspection saloon for the special trips!!.  First, the loco is prepared prior to departure and sets off after the guard's whistle (wrong direction - my fault!!!).  The video shows I do need a stay-alive so that's another job to do.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baqaR9cy5jg

 

Then the train emerges into the country section:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98GijBGYLjA

 

And, finally, (after I've checked the football score and found Chelsea have equalised!!  I do hope Leicester become Champions - even though I'm an Everton fan!!) the train returns and is slowed at the Outer Home to indicate to the driver the Home signal isn't fully clear:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwSRiXHyYQE

 

Hope you enjoy them!!

 

More soon.

 

Rod

 

PS   And, yes, Spurs could only draw so Leicester are Champions!!  Fantastic!!!

 

EDIT   PPS  I forgot to switch on the drain cocks as the loco left the platform!!

Edited May 2, 2016 by Dmudriver

[Joseph_Pestell]

Obviously, it would be better if Everton were champions. But Leicester breaking the cycle of just a few "big" clubs winning the Prem can only be good for all the other clubs.

[pwr]

More superb videos Rod.

 

I have always been sceptical about DCC steam sounds but yours are some of the best I have seen (heard)! 

 

Even then I am not convinced this is something I would want to try. Diesel sounds however especially your DMU's are something else. I can close my eyes and be transported back to the 1970's. 

 

Paul R

[Simond]

It's all personal taste, but it works for me...

 

Best

Simon

[Dmudriver]

Hi Paul.

 

It's taken some experimenting with speakers to get decent sounds.  The 2 steam locos are my favorite ones: I wanted a model of each and dreamed up the preservation angle to justify them.  However, once I'd got them I wanted them to sound right - however, the sound file in the Coal Tank is an M7, which I am assured, is the closest available to a Coal Tank.  I may need to go to the K&WVR to check but it sounds OK to me.

 

I would not in any way change back to analogue now: not only does the sound give an added dimension but the running is so much more prototypical: it's so slow!!  But that is what it's really like.  You can achieve such slow running with analogue but I have found that the thing is to have the patience to do it.  I haven't met many modellers who drive locos/trains in analogue to achieve the effect you get with DCC.

 

It's all down to personal preference in the end, though.

 

Just to add, I've ordered an ESU Power Pack (stay-alive) for the Coal Tank since my last post.  I've measured up and it will fit in the smoke box, with the chip.  If not, the cab floor will take it - probably disguised but that's the last resort!!

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

And welcome back to the Trials and Tribulations of a Layout Builder!

 

I was out most of the day and when I came back late afternoon, I thought I'd have a play.  So set everything up and then found this:

 

 

The soldered joints on both tiebars had come adrift.  That was when the point was set for the straight run.  The curved route was OK:

 

 

"Oh, dear me" thought I and then wondered if there were any more.  Sure enough, yes, there were - 7 or 8 in total.  Those points were operating but not all 4 joints were still soldered - a combination of not-very-good soldering and continual pressure of movement of the point blades.  Of those 7 or 8, this was the worst - in the single slip:

 

 

Only one of the 4 soldered joints was still fixed but the blades still moved!!  The others I found just had one joint of 4 undone.  So I fettled them all and they then looked like this:

 

 

 

I remembered something else that had needed doing for a while so while I had the iron out, I fettled that, too.  The guard rail has come unsoldered from the adjacent point blade:

 

 

And here it is, fettled:

 

 

So, all in all, I didn't get much running done!!  But at least I've got fully operational pointwork again!!

 

More soon.

 

Rod

 

PS  The close ups above show the tiebars not being completely parallel, but from NVD they look OK.

[MarshLane]

Hi Rod,

It's been a while since I popped in, but wow, you are getting on well! Layout and stock looks great mate. I'm expecting far more modelling time over the coming months, so will try and keep up to date and occasionally chipping in a bit more often. How did your grass/fur settle in the end?

 

Rich

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

A bit more progress!!  I've asked a pal who enjoys woodworking to make me some "leaning rails".  Something that I, and visitors, can lean on without damaging the scenery.  I find I'm doing it, without thinking really, and I've seen what's happened to the scenery on the club layout: I don't want it happening here.  So, this is what they look like.  First, by the station:

 

 

And this is the view from underneath:

 

 

There's a possible weakness because of the way they're cantilevered out, so I'm going to add an extra bracing piece at the front.  At the moment they are screwed and glued but I just want to add the braces to the belt!  This is looking the other way:

 

 

The ones at the right and in the middle were the prototypes and are a bit low and a bit too close - see the difference from the left hand one.  I've worked out how to sort that, however, so he's got a bit more work to do on his fancy saws/cutting devices!!

 

You may have notied a bit of greenery just above them.  I've fitted the grass mat I got from Gaugemaster: it's only partly glued down until I see what it looks like with the static grass I'm going to try.  My current thinking is that the other side of the tracks will be part of a golf course - not quite Royal Liverpool (Hoylake) course, but as that's near the real line, I can justify it.  I'm thinking of having a green at the end of a fairway behind trees and then a tee for the next hole, the fairway for which also goes off between trees.  The trees are not prototypical - from the pics of the course I've seen, there aren't any!!! -  but I need to hide the fact I can't get scale length fairways in!!!

 

Here's a pic of the grass mat:

 

 

and, looking the other way:

 

 

I don't think it looks too bad - it'll be better with some bushes, etc, but there's a lot of loose grass in my waste bin and the price you pay for what you get is not, in my opinion, good value for money.  However, nothing ventured, nothing gained!!

 

To answer your question, Rich, the furry grass is now on the outside section - where it's under cover - but it seems to be an insect magnet: I found a spider, a beetle and a wood louse in it today when I had a play   sorry, operating session!!!  I was going to do the additional bracing on the leaning rails but the weather was so pleasant I took the covers off and played!!  It doesn't look too bad - there's pics in the post dated 02 May above.

 

More soon.

 

Rod

Edited May 21, 2016 by Dmudriver