DENT STATION with CHESTERGATE

[Physicsman]

Hi all,

 

In addition to the above I am now back in modelling mode and will be updating with a few pictures of the slow progress made over the summer.

 

The spirals are completed at both ends, the main baseboards are in place with track level in situ and the entrance and exit boards for the low level fiddle yard are also in place, only the two central fiddle yard boards to make and fit in place.

 

Pictures will follow over the weekend...

 

Mike

 

We will hold you to that. The question is - which weekend!?   

 

Jeff 

[67A]

Can't fool a fool eh Jeff! You've spotted my get out clause which means I will have to stay up late thinking of another just incase......

 

Been working on one end of the fiddle yard yesterday and today and have laid numerous copperclad sleepers and hoping to commence soldering the rail later today...

 

PICTURES TO FOLLOW - but when?

[67A]

Why put off till tomorrow as they say........ so here are a few shots to show some of the progress (sorry lack of progress) made over the past three months or so....

 

Firstly the spirals are now in place at both ends and the track laid throughout.

 

Views showing the support method employed to hold the split level baseboard and fiddle yard system

 

Paper trackplan templates placed on top of trackbed to show general formation, bridge and tunnel mouth not fixed just there for a little fun

 

View down through baseboard showing R/H fiddle yard trackwork template in position

 

Close up of R/H fiddle yard template. In fact both R/H and L/H fiddle yard pointwork is identical and simply reversed

 

This weekends endeavours showing the beginning of track laying on the L/H fiddle yard with all copperclads now laid a solder tinning being carried out.

 

I'll say it before you all do.... Dent is like a bus - you wait for ages and they all come at once!

 

I hope those keeping an eye on progress find it was worth the wait.

 

[backofanenvelope]

Indeed we do, and all that loverly flowing track-work!!

 

Was up at Dent today.. really should time visit with trains. Looking forward to seeing progress at whatever pace.

T.

[gismorail]

Only just picked up this project have to say will follow with interest.

Love the pictures of the 'den' re-build ...... what is about us modellers we can always find space for a layout can't we !!!!! did notice on the picture of the baseboard outside that you have some more yard space to build over ...... future layout extention maybe......

Really admire your foresight on this project must have spent a lot of time scribbling before the idea came together. Gather you mastered the templot system in the end something I must get my head round.

Keep my the good work and updates

[67A]

Hi all,

 

Extension? Well I was thinking of......OUCH!!! er'indoors can read my mind.

 

Templot was an absolute nightmare to get my head around and the plan is far from accurate but will suffice for my needs, this was probably the single most time consuming part of the project to date with what seems little result but I am sure it will pay dividends in the long run. If anyone is trying Templot out without having any knowledge of how  a CAD program works (Me) it does take a lot of head scratching and several trial attempts to even get a simple plan completed, this was what most of my summer recess was spent doing to be honest. Only advice I can give is to try out the simple plan on the system before venturing headlong into the breach dear friends!

 

As for today I have spent my time building some track, well points to be honest. I managed to get two done but I'm sure my progress will speed up as I get to grips with things being the trackbuilding novice that I am.

[Physicsman]

Mike - I don't regard all of that as LACK of progress! Lovely planned-out trackwork and I think the spirals are tremendous.

 

Well done that man!!

 

Jeff

[67A]

Mike - I don't regard all of that as LACK of progress! Lovely planned-out trackwork and I think the spirals are tremendous.

 

Well done that man!!

 

Jeff

Many thanks Jeff.

I had little hair to spare when I started Templot, I don't think I need a comb anymore.

[martin_wynne]

If anyone is trying Templot out without having any knowledge of how  a CAD program works (Me) it does take a lot of head scratching and several trial attempts to even get a simple plan completed

 

Hi Mike,

 

Templot isn't a CAD program, so if that is what you were expecting it could explain some of your difficulty.

 

In a CAD program you draw a line on the screen with the mouse, and it becomes part of your plan. Templot doesn't work that way.

 

There's no need to lose your hair -- lots of friendly help available on the Templot Club user forum at http://85a.co.uk/forum/

 

You obviously got there in the end, your plan is looking good.

 

regards,

 

Martin.

[67A]

Hi Mike,

 

Templot isn't a CAD program, so if that is what you were expecting it could explain some of your difficulty.

 

In a CAD program you draw a line on the screen with the mouse, and it becomes part of your plan. Templot doesn't work that way.

 

There's no need to lose your hair -- lots of friendly help available on the Templot Club user forum at http://85a.co.uk/forum/

 

You obviously got there in the end, your plan is looking good.

 

regards,

 

Martin.

Hi Martin,

 

Thanks for your reply, to be honest I did not know what Templot was but someone told me it was a CAD program so you live and learn.

 

As you say I got there in the end and I did 'hammer' the forum especially in the early stages in order to get my brain into gear. I am very pleased with the outcome although I know its not perfect as I have a few misalignments and my double track spacing wanders a little. 

[67A]

Hi all,

 

Well I have now had a reply from C&L regarding the provision of flatbottom track and point kits and the news is not good. There was plans to introduce these to the range but this has been put on hold due to Len's illness. Pete did give me a contact but it looks far too highbrow for a novice like me as its all soldered chairs so it seems I will be settling for bullhead throughout, more's the pity!

[67A]

Hi all,

 

Here's a couple of photos of the two points I made over the weekend, not too bad for a first attempt and a wagon runs through quite smoothly. I can only hope under power I get the same effect!

 

 

I only have another 11 at this end plus 13 at the other to do - yippppeeeeee!!!

 

Edited to add.

The check rails still need to be fitted

Edited August 28, 2013 by mike61680

[Sasquatch]

Looking good Mike, looking good. Am very impressed!

Edited August 29, 2013 by Sasquatch

[67A]

Hi all,

 

Well! Over the weekend I have managed to complete all 6 'Up' output points from the L/H fiddleyard plus the 'Up' to 'Down' stock changeover central road point. All power droppers also in place and I would have had a go at installing the Cobalt motors had I not been supplied with Cobalt switches in place of Motors GGGRRRRRrrrrrrrrrr...

 

I really wanted to try out the various routes under power but at least the brake van goes through seemingly without any problems, we'll soon see when I get them changed tomorrow - if they have any in that is!

 

Here's a couple of photo's showing the progress.

 

 

[67A]

Following on from the views showing the track templates I thought they probably did not show the built-in super-elevation of the trackbed so  took a couple of photos which I hope will give you some idea of the cant'.

 

 

Edited to correct photo rotation!

Edited September 1, 2013 by mike61680

[coachmann]

Building the fiddle yard first is novel. Looking good.

[67A]

Building the fiddle yard first is novel. Looking good.

Method in my madness, two reasons actually

1. Its below the main layout which I would have to keep lifting off to gain access.

2. Get the worst or most boring thing out of the way before concentrating on the most interesting parts.

[beast66606]

Mike,

 

The diamond crossing (as drawn) in front of the cabin was a single slip.

 

hth

[67A]

Mike,

 

The diamond crossing (as drawn) in front of the cabin was a single slip.

 

hth

Hi Dave,

Yes I know its a single slip but have not yet perfected Templot to draw this yet so a diamond was used. When it come to tracklaying if I still can't get it right I'll just use the C&L template provided.

[67A]

Hi all,

 

Just an update to say I have been boringly busy preparing the wiring for the 'Up' fiddle yard exit which all the points and track on that 1st section are complete. As this is my first attempt at handbuilt track I really think a bit of a test operation is in order before charging headlong into making 28 points only to find I need to do something a little different somewhere.

 

I also ordered all the C&L kits on Saturday at the EM Gauge show in Manchester and they should hopefully arrive later this week.

 

All the mainline and fiddle yard baseboards are now complete so the heavy work is complete.

All the Cobalt point motors are now fitted to the 7 fiddle yard points I will be testing and its this lot I am currently wiring up.

 

Will post a few photos over the weekend when I have something decent to show!

[67A]

Hi all,

 

A busy weekend on Dent but at least I have something to show for it.

The C&L delivery arrived on Friday and I have had my first go at creating a 'B6' point - sorry 'turnout'! Its pretty tedious stuff but it certainly looks the dogs dooh-daah's....so far.

I opted to build it off the layout and also opted for the C&L template rather than the 'Templot' print as the sleeper spacing was definitely different.

 

 

Another job which I made some decent progress on was the wiring on the 'Up' outbound fiddle yard which has all the board wiring complete up to the connectors, I will be making a control panel before I can test any trackwork, I don't like doing things twice so even for a test I will have the wiring finished on that section.

 

Needless to say I will be proceeding with the above for a week or two but will post a few photo's when there is something worth seeing.

 

[ChrisG]

This is a bit late in the day and things may have moved on a lot, but I found this post just now and wanted to flash warning lights at the thought of a 2ft radius helix in Finescale.

 

I don't know if being Finescale makes it better or worse (I suspect worse), but that's a tight radius which will impose a severe gradient (I'm too demse to work out the maths)  and I am doubtful that any loco would be able to haul trains of the length you seem to be contemplating up such a gradient with the resistance caused by the curve......

 

Chris

[67A]

This is a bit late in the day and things may have moved on a lot, but I found this post just now and wanted to flash warning lights at the thought of a 2ft radius helix in Finescale.

 

I don't know if being Finescale makes it better or worse (I suspect worse), but that's a tight radius which will impose a severe gradient (I'm too demse to work out the maths)  and I am doubtful that any loco would be able to haul trains of the length you seem to be contemplating up such a gradient with the resistance caused by the curve......

 

Chris

Hi Chris,

 

I did ask around about this when deciding to take this option and was 'sort-of' convinced all would be well, I will try it out once I get this wiring done, if it proves to be too much of an issue then a re-think will be required. I do have some more space which I could wander into but obviously other problems would arise! I suppose I could double-head everything? Erm.... no. I actually started building a set of 5ft diameter helix but the space invaded was just ridiculous, pity I didn't try it before I had actually made four circles!

[Kenokie]

Mike

 

Yours is another fascinating thread that has started me thinking about ways to squeeze more out the space available to me when I start my own build, so it will be really interesting to see the outcome of your test runs. The helix design you have looks good so here's hoping that your "sort of convinced" turns into a retrospective "I knew it would work". If it does it will also be interesting to see if it will scale down to N gauge for the plans I have.

 

Fingers crossed   .

 

Chris

[67A]

Mike

 

Yours is another fascinating thread that has started me thinking about ways to squeeze more out the space available to me when I start my own build, so it will be really interesting to see the outcome of your test runs. The helix design you have looks good so here's hoping that your "sort of convinced" turns into a retrospective "I knew it would work". If it does it will also be interesting to see if it will scale down to N gauge for the plans I have.

 

Fingers crossed   .

 

Chris

Time will tell Chris!

 

I am now tempted to bodge something together just to give it a test. Trouble is I detest doing something which I know I will inevitably undo as it seems a total waste of precious time but logically it seems worth it at this point now that a few doubts are niggling me.