67A Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 Hi mike www.allanyeo.co.uk/ all about tpos although it doesn't say how they were turned. hopefully this link will work for you this time phil Hi Phil, No problem Hi Mike I know that in steam days at certain depots the mail coaches with the nets were turned on turntables so that they could be retruned with the nets on the out side I remeber seeing this once at Longsite shed near Manchester before the stock was taken back into Maanchester London Road (Later Picadilly) Station befor going on the Manchester to London Run. Peter That makes sense also Peter. Its one of those things we just took for granted and its taken me 50+ years to even consider it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 Hi mike www.allanyeo.co.uk/ all about tpos although it doesn't say how they were turned. hopefully this link will work for you this time phil Hi Phil, Thanks, that link worked no problem and I have e-mailed Allan Yeo to see if he can offer the definitive answer! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 Hi guys, Just to let you all know that I will be away on holiday from Saturday morning, I hope to still access RMWeb but there will obviously be no layout content until I return. I'm taking some Parkside kits but time will tell if I get the opportunity to build them as I have 4 females to tend to, I know, its tough work, but someone has to do it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock67B Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Mike, Hope you enjoy the break, despite having four mistresses (I struggle to keep one happy!)! Bodge won't be too happy when he gets back however!! Kind regards, Jock. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Mike, Hope you enjoy the break, despite having four mistresses (I struggle to keep one happy!)! Bodge won't be too happy when he gets back however!! Kind regards, Jock. Have a good one mate, got any spare birds, hahhahahah Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted July 17, 2015 Author Share Posted July 17, 2015 Hi all, I'm back!!! AND I've returned to an electrical fault!!! WHAT - WHERE - WHY ??? WHO KNOWS - TECHBLEEDINGKNOWLEGY!!! So please bear with me while I get to grips with the gremlins. Also not much in the way of train pictures from my travels, I could not believe it when you needed a key to access the platform at Oban station - the world is going mad and I for one am glad I'm on my way out and on my way in! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 (edited) Hi all, I'm back!!! AND I've returned to an electrical fault!!! WHAT - WHERE - WHY ??? WHO KNOWS - TECHBLEEDINGKNOWLEGY!!! So please bear with me while I get to grips with the gremlins. Also not much in the way of train pictures from my travels, I could not believe it when you needed a key to access the platform at Oban station - the world is going mad and I for one am glad I'm on my way out and on my way in! That'll teach you to go away and leave us with NO PICS for a WHOLE WEEK. hahhaha :nono: And as for the Key , I think you get that from St Peter at the Gate above, hopefully you'll have a LONG WAIT Mate, hahah Now get it sorted, you wired it, didn't you? Edited July 17, 2015 by Andrew P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 Hi all, Well its a long story and I don't have a definitive answer to my wiring fault but it all works now and the only thing I did find was a point motor on the fiddleyard which was refusing to operate correctly so I changed it over which appears to have cured the problem! Don't ask me why one motor would cause such problems I don't have the answer and perhaps it wasn't that anyway as I had done a few other remedial actions such as checking the gaps on the copperclad sleepers as a similar fault did occur on some of these a while back. Anyway the whole issue gave me a chance to do some overdue maintenance and a few changes... As the problem was on the 'Up' fiddleyard I had removed all the stock in order to locate the fault, once I was happy things were up and running again I thought I may as well remove all the stock and give the whole fiddleyard a thorough cleaning. Its been quite a while since this view was seen. I then re-populated the yard with a change in stock and haulage which is usually a case of one or two trains at a time, so now some trains run 'Up' instead of 'Down' and vise-versa and others are completely changed. Once this was done it seemed pointless to have a nice and clean fiddleyard running onto un-cleaned spirals and scenic section so these got a track clean also. Damn tedious work but someone has to do it! The inaugural 'Up' train was a Carlisle-Hellifield stopper with ex: works Compound 4-4-0 No. 41157 in charge. The inaugural 'Down' train was a fully fitted freight from Leeds Stourton to Carlisle Durran Hill with 8F 2-8-0 No. 48154 at the head. So fingers crossed we can get back to normal this week. Also I mentioned that was doing some wagon building whilst on holiday - well all I got done was the outer side ribs on the 4 Anhydrite conversions I took, more of that another day. 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben pez Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Lovely pics there mike Glad its up and running again,i can imagine what a mamouth job it is to clean all that trackwork! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Hi Mike, great to see things running again Mate, as for cleaning, as your DC have you thought about a Relco or Gaugemaster Track cleaner? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 Hi Mike, great to see things running again Mate, as for cleaning, as your DC have you thought about a Relco or Gaugemaster Track cleaner? Hi Andy, Tried the Relco a good few years ago and to be honest I thought as much of that as I did the Dapol 'thing' of recent times both now consigned to the bin! I'll stick to old fashioned hard graft, at least I can see the results. I have most trains fitted with one of those 'dust monkeys' or track cleaning pads which I have to say does improve the running and lengthen the time between manual cleaning. Good to be back! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
77philg Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Agree with you about the relco Just curious about what fluid you use to clean track? Did you get an answer about turning TPO S? phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peach james Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 The Dapol vacuum car, I find, works quite well used as a polisher. It won't touch the track if it is too dirty-then it's out with the IPA and hand clean. The other advantage of the vacuum car is that run as a vacuum, it works quite well at picking up loose stuff near the track. Mind, mine is DCC converted, and runs at flat out or not at all, and I found the wiring to be crummy, it required a LOT of work to make it work right. Track cleaning has no easy solutions... James Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 Agree with you about the relco Just curious about what fluid you use to clean track? Did you get an answer about turning TPO S? phil Hi Phil, I use a track rubber and then lightly vacuum over with a brush head fitting, occasionally I use some Isopropanol (I think that's how to spell it!) As for the TPO's still no definitive answer and the chap with the TPO site has not replied, I think that the idea of some facing one way and some facing the opposite is the most obvious as I can't see BR dragging 12+ TPO's around some triangle day in - day out. My next TPO working will be assembled in this manner. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I use a track rubber and then lightly vacuum over with a brush head fitting... My standard approach too, which has never given me any problems in over 30 years. If you vac as soon as you've cleaned then any stray bits of rubber aren't going to cause any subsequent problems. Grantham gets just such a clean prior to one of our running sessions (approx. every two months). Takes no more than an hour; worth it for subsequent trouble free running with guests present. Just one question - must be a bit fiddly to get at the tracks on your spirals?(!) 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted July 20, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 20, 2015 Hi Phil, I use a track rubber and then lightly vacuum over with a brush head fitting, occasionally I use some Isopropanol (I think that's how to spell it!) As for the TPO's still no definitive answer and the chap with the TPO site has not replied, I think that the idea of some facing one way and some facing the opposite is the most obvious as I can't see BR dragging 12+ TPO's around some triangle day in - day out. My next TPO working will be assembled in this manner. Hi Mike Join Robert Carol's BR Loco Hauled Coaching Stock group.https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/BRCoachingStock/info There are loads of scanned in Coach Marshalling books form different years. I am sure there will be one for the S&C in approximately the time period of your layout. That will show the formation and which way round the coahes face. Some TPOs did have coaches facing both ways but most were turned. Pre-nationalisation TPO stock had off set gangways so had to be marshalled so that they all faced the same way so the staff could walk through the TPO. I can remember watching the Liverpool Street to Norwich TPO being turned at Stratford. I was supposed to be looking after blood donors not looking at trains. We use to do a session in a office block that over looked Stratford depot, I did enjoy going to work when sent there. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 My standard approach too, which has never given me any problems in over 30 years. If you vac as soon as you've cleaned then any stray bits of rubber aren't going to cause any subsequent problems. Grantham gets just such a clean prior to one of our running sessions (approx. every two months). Takes no more than an hour; worth it for subsequent trouble free running with guests present. Just one question - must be a bit fiddly to get at the tracks on your spirals?(!) Hi Neil, Oh yes always vacuum each section once cleaned, I never run anything till its done. Fiddly spirals? Are they or maybe its just I'm brain dead once I've done them! I can make it easier by lifting off the fell cover sections and stand up but at present I just kneel to do the section under there and stand for the open area, about 20 mins a side. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 Hi Mike Join Robert Carol's BR Loco Hauled Coaching Stock group.https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/BRCoachingStock/info There are loads of scanned in Coach Marshalling books form different years. I am sure there will be one for the S&C in approximately the time period of your layout. That will show the formation and which way round the coahes face. Some TPOs did have coaches facing both ways but most were turned. Pre-nationalisation TPO stock had off set gangways so had to be marshalled so that they all faced the same way so the staff could walk through the TPO. I can remember watching the Liverpool Street to Norwich TPO being turned at Stratford. I was supposed to be looking after blood donors not looking at trains. We use to do a session in a office block that over looked Stratford depot, I did enjoy going to work when sent there. Hi Clive, I'll have a look at that site, thanks. I take your point about the offset gangways, bit of a minefield eh! And working overlooking Stratford - BRILL !!! Got round there several times in the late 60's, early 70's. Cracking depot! Must have a search for any photos. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilloverland Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I've had no issues with the CMX track cleaner (other than finding a loco strong enough to pull it) - I find it great for getting to the bits of my layout that I cant reach. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted July 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 21, 2015 For ages now, I have cleaned my track with coffee stirrers run along the rails, a tiny bit of Isopropol Alcohol for stubborn bits. The track on The Mill was a bit (a lot) grubby on Sunday morning so we gave it a run over with an offcut of bass wood and it ran fine all day. We were just relieved that the cobbles were just below rail height Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 I've had no issues with the CMX track cleaner (other than finding a loco strong enough to pull it) - I find it great for getting to the bits of my layout that I cant reach. Hi, My old Chestergate & Milne layout had a pair of 30 foot long hidden loops below a roadway which when built I was a lot younger and had no problem manually cleaning them, however before the layout was made redundant I bought the Dapol cleaner thinking I was onto a winner. I made the effort to clean it all manually then TRIED on several occasions to get a decent result from the Dapol kit and I have to say I never once had any success so in the end I simply did a Dr. Beeching on that section and abandoned it. The same applied to the RELCO used initially which proved no better. Talking of Dapol, some may recall the arrival of 10 Dapol Grampus wagons a few weeks ago and the abuse I threw at them then, following re-ballasting to something resembling ballast I tried running them in a rake with a Shark brake van. One rouge vehicle kept derailing and when checked out closely I found it was actually twisted at least 1mm corner to corner. I think Dapol tend to make items which others don't and modellers want but their quality is not matched by the prices charged on most items. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 For ages now, I have cleaned my track with coffee stirrers run along the rails, a tiny bit of Isopropol Alcohol for stubborn bits. The track on The Mill was a bit (a lot) grubby on Sunday morning so we gave it a run over with an offcut of bass wood and it ran fine all day. We were just relieved that the cobbles were just below rail height Hi Jason, Can you imagine how long that would take to do on Dent! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted July 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) Mike have you tried a "sled" - a piece if hardboard with two nails epoxied to it. The nails are fitted loose through the "mother" vehicle... this is a ex Airifx LN fitted brake and the sled and when fitted you can fit them to other vehicles like 4 wheel CCTs too! Baz edited to get the number of wheel on my wagon correct ..doh! Edited July 22, 2015 by Barry O 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 Mike have you tried a "sled" - a piece if hardboard with two nails epoxied to it. The nails are fitted loose through the "mother" vehicle... this is a ex Airifx LN fitted brake and the sled Carlisle Toad and sled (1024x340).jpg and when fitted Carlisle BR Toad sled (1024x492).jpg you can fit them to other vehicles like 3 wheel CCTs too! Baz First time I've ever seen that! This idea of using timber to clean the track is new to me, Jason using coffee stirrers and you with hardboard! I will admit that those dust monkeys I use are really good at keeping down the build-up but they do not 'clean' the track. The amount of dirt found on the pad is proof enough after even one run around. I clean the pads with Isopropanol quite regularly and I don't have any of the build-up I used to get. Remember the old Tri-ang Caboose style track cleaner with a felt strip which you could soak in paraffin! The good old days eh! I still have one but no felt pad - doh! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mulgabill Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Mike have you tried a "sled" - a piece if hardboard with two nails epoxied to it. The nails are fitted loose through the "mother" vehicle... this is a ex Airifx LN fitted brake and the sled Carlisle Toad and sled (1024x340).jpg and when fitted Carlisle BR Toad sled (1024x492).jpg you can fit them to other vehicles like 3 wheel CCTs too! Baz Does the CCT need the sled to stop it falling over? .... or was the Southerns track so bad they followed the milk-stool principle? TONY Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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