RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted April 18, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 18, 2017 I agree with Alan and Scott. The first option looks too yellow to my eyes. Like some of the holiday snaps we got back in the 60s and 70s. Nothing wrong with that if you want a bit of "atmosphere". The second option looks properly exposed with a better colour balance. So option 2 for me.... Jeff PS. Great content, irrespective of colour. And maybe a few B&W pics next time? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share Posted April 18, 2017 Thanks guys for the feedback, I'll let you all know I was informed by a fellow RMwebber that the fluorescent lighting caused a greenish cast on the images and was guided on how to counteract this using the 'colour balance' tool in my photo plus program. I must admit the results speak for themselves and providing I have the time I will correct future images prior to posting. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben pez Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Nice pics mike,i too prefer the second slightly darker shots. Great set of images Cheers Ben Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 Morning Mike, definitely the second one in most of them is the best for me mate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted May 1, 2017 Author Share Posted May 1, 2017 Hi all, Been up to very little of late but I have made a start on a wagon conversion test piece. Clive Mortimer spotted my 'steel coil' loads and kindly informed me that BR had done some wagon conversions of their own using 7 Plank opens as the donor, Paul Bartlett has some excellent images on his site to work from e.g: http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/brrodcoilksv/e2c79f5fb for my part here are my initial test results to date. I started off with an old Hornby Princess Royal 7 plank body Cut out the sides leaving the bottom plank in place I first cut out the ends as shown but realised the error when applying the 'angle iron' later Angle iron sections supported as per Paul Bartlett's images. It certainly looks better than my original Coil load did! Now I need to decide what wagons to chop to bits and whether to use plastic strip or brass, that will take me a few weeks eh! 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted May 1, 2017 Author Share Posted May 1, 2017 Another project on the cards is to eradicate (*good word there*) those awful gigantic couplings we got lumbered with from the manufacturers, such as... LIMA - LIMA are top of the list LIMA - Bachmann (early) are next Bachmann - Mainline are the same On my tightest spiral radii I have 33mm on LIMA - LIMA 32mm on LIMA - Bachmann Same on Bachmann - Mainline First thing is get rid of the giant LIMA bar Next thing...........watch this space 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 67A Posted May 1, 2017 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 1, 2017 And to close we have had a little playtime... Busy moment at Dent with BR Sulzer Type 2 D5072 in Two tone green livery has an empty oil tank working heading north. We also note a couple of freights in the refuge sidings. Busy busy or what! A nice study of No.2 end Once the oil tanks have cleared the unfitted freight gets the 'right away' and exits the refuge siding. The other freight awaiting a path is an Anhydrite working unusually hauled by a Hughes Crab 2-6-0 which needed a 'blow-up'. General overall view to close. 20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted May 1, 2017 Share Posted May 1, 2017 Excellent Mike, I look forward to seeing your take on modifying the Couplings. Also some nice Pics above mate, I'm looking forward to getting some scenic's done on Kingsley Road soon and producing some images as good as yours. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted May 1, 2017 Author Share Posted May 1, 2017 Excellent Mike, I look forward to seeing your take on modifying the Couplings. Also some nice Pics above mate, I'm looking forward to getting some scenic's done on Kingsley Road soon and producing some images as good as yours. Hi Andy, Thanks mate, my problem with the normal couplings is the spirals, the heavier the train they tend to override each other on the downward as the weight is pushing them together - especially those limpy useless Dapol things which dangle even in the box! As for the other makes if I keep all the same style together its not so bad but mix them and I'm asking for trouble. I have experimented all week on my Anhydrite set which was prone to derailing having been converted from the A003 Dapol 21T Hopper. I how have a solution which I have decided on and more of this in due course! Not now. Haha. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold fishytrains Posted May 1, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 1, 2017 I do look forward to seeing your pictures of Dent. Very inspiring. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted May 7, 2017 Author Share Posted May 7, 2017 Hi all, Bit of a different flavour to the update this week. I know some of you like to see behind the scenes occasionally so just for you! The north end The south end Storage area Workbench for small jobs Fiddleyard view south end Access to the south end spiral with northbound trains ready to depart to the rear Fiddleyard view north end Access to the north end spiral with southbound trains ready to depart to the front Cont/... 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted May 7, 2017 Author Share Posted May 7, 2017 On the control side... Control Panel fascia Control panel rear showing 'D-Sub' 25 pin connectors Internal mess Route selection charts Now for a few stock changes... initial attention to a few wagons A couple more Old MR brake van distressed and condemned LNER CCT weathered up Cont/... 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted May 7, 2017 Author Share Posted May 7, 2017 A bit more work on something completely different! I printed up some tarpaulin sheets on tracing paper for the oversized wagons that the market does not cater for, all are individually numbered They are large enough for wagons such as this 21t hopper I also designed and printed these from information on Jim MacDonald's page relating to the Anhydrite wagons he made some time ago, thanks to Jim I saved a lot of time. And here they are, again all individually numbered which is the bonus when you do your own. That's it for now, I hope to have some work done on the couplings to show next time. 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted May 7, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 7, 2017 Great posts, Mike. Nice to see behind-the-scenes, and reminds me that I need to get more lighting fitted for the fiddle yard, behind the Fell. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PeterBB Posted May 9, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 9, 2017 Mike, Absolutely stunning work. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60091 Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 Thanks for those behind the scenes photos... pity there isn't an "envious" button. Nice work on the wagon sheets.Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 Thanks Peter, I do try hard, my teachers would be proud as that's what they used to write on my reports! Did you go with Andy to the Derby show, I could not make it this year did I miss anything good? I actually worked in that roundhouse building which was the crane repair shop and the adjacent building which was the Millwrights shop when in my last year as an apprentice fitter for BREL.............unhappy memories Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Great pics Mike, and some superb weathering on the Wagons, please keep the pics coming mate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PeterBB Posted May 10, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 10, 2017 Hi Mike, Yes, I went to the Derby Show with Andy and Mike R. It was a good show and for me the stunning layout was Bodmin - having been there fairly recently it was just right in detail. There were also a fair number of traders as well as other good layouts in three rooms so it was a good mix. The bacon butties were good too! For those who like a tipple there was also a bar. Cheers, Peter 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 Hi all, Its been another busy week behind the scenes but I feel its been a very productive week. A while ago I ranted on about my total dislike for the proprietary couplings and their performance - mainly their performance! I don't doubt many layouts perform well with the various makes however not many rely on a seven levels spiral/helix at each end which is where 90% of the problems are found. Trains travelling upgrade are less likely to derail unless on the inner radius which is sadly much too tight however on the downgrade the main fault is couplings over/under riding each other and then locking up on the radius causing the bulk of the derailments. The whole layout was conceived with the idea of very little crawling under boards hence the fiddle yard being directly below the layout and accessed by the spirals/helices at each end, the only access to these is by crawling under so derailments here defeated the whole plan. With this in mind I set myself a goal of curing at least a reasonable percentage of these issues and here are the results. I designed a couple of options, an INSTANTER coupling and a SCREW-LINK coupling and had the designs etched on a sheet of 18g nickel silver. The INSTANTER design The SCREW-LINK design Then following a thorough cleaning the sheet was chemically blackened cut out a coupling and de-burr the tabs Placing one end in a vice and holding the other with pliers.... I twisted the 'Instanter' link through 90 deg. Then the item is shaped as so One end of a vehicle has the coupling attached with an 8BA screw or self-tapper as appropriate The opposite end has a spigot fitted cont/... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PeterBB Posted May 14, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 14, 2017 Looks like a good idea and probably easier to uncouple intentionally than the 'normal' tension couplings - get it patented! Cheers, Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 A quick dab of acrylic matt black Simple attachment The modern tension lock design A Kaydee conversion of a very old tension lock Views of the couplings in use on the Anhydrite and TTA rakes This Anhydrite train ran at least 4 hours non-stop without derailment today so needless to say I'm very happy with the outcome Points of note: The droop allows the coupling to be adjusted to keep the buffers close but not fouling on the tight radius The system is only really practical on fixed rakes as shunting is pretty impractical however as Dent was served by very little stopping traffic it suits my operation perfectly. I intend to convert: The spoilt ballast Grampus rake The 21t loaded coal hoppers The 16t coal empties The iron ore hoppers That's for starters but anything with a Dapol label will be frightened! Hope you like. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
emt_911 Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 Mike I have to agree with Peter, get it patented. I may have to ask for a copy of both of the etches for HA. You could be on to a fortune some money with this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 Excellent idea Mike, it looks like a winner and yes a little money maker I suspect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60091 Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 Hi Mike Incredible work on the couplings... A simple and effective solution for permanently coupled rakes. I don't know how you'd go about it but, as others have said, definitely worth looking at a patent. Who knows, you could have Jeff as your first customer Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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