Brew Lane - going on a diet - An N gauge shunting puzzle on a Billy bookcase

[devondynosoar118]

Congrats on the baby, personally I prefer DG couplings, they are cheaper and look better, even though you have to use electromagnets. Plus no NEM pockets to buy.

[Black Sheep]

I might go with DG's for the big layout still, but I'm not wanting to spend too long building this one and playing around making DG's fit was going to add to the time taken to get it running.

[Robert]

It's amazing how they kick isn't it?  My Son is nine now, but before he was born my ex-wife was convinced he was going to be a footballer!

 

The layout idea is a brilliant one.  I used to have a glass topped table with a sliding drawer from Ikea and always reckoned it would be an ideal basis for a layout.  I never got around to building one though.  I'll look forward to seeing how this one turns out.

[Black Sheep]

Well, ballasting has started, just a token amount to check that it will hold the track in place which should then allow me to fit the MER Control rod in tube point control before fitting the raised town area and retaining wall.

 

Both bridges have been put in place (perhaps should have ballasted that bit of track first but never mind.

[Black Sheep]

Ballasted most of the way round including under one bridge, left space around the points as I need to be a bit more delicate with that and also allow space for the MER control wires to come in.

 

Hoping to take the screws out later in the week after the glue has hardened.

 

Currently debating how to fix the track in the Brewery yard in place, thinking a bit of neat PVA and then DAS clay and press some cobbles in using the end of a pencil with the rubber removed and the metal bent to shape.

 

We'll see.

[Black Sheep]

Before being able to fix the brewery track in place I need to figure out what I'm doing coupling wise.

 

I still can't get the Dapol couplings to work.

 

They couple up beautifully on the magnet, as I exit the magnet but not so easily when generally shunting. I still can't propel wagons into sidings.

 

As I've said in my thread asking about setting them up I've got to the point now that, if other people on here weren't enjoying the use of them I'd presume them to be a dud product.

 

They just won't line up how Dapol show they should for propelling unless I physically twist the wagons on the rails.

 

Nearly decided to box everything up and take it to the model shop in the morning and sell it as I'm getting fed up of it as I'm getting very poor running despite trying to clean everything.

 

pondering playing with DG's

 

advise on rail cleaning most welcome.

[Black Sheep]

Had a breakthrough yesterday evening after the above was posted thanks in part to 'Simons Shed' on youtube.

 

The reviewer (Simon I presume) pointed out he'd had to raise the magnet slightly in the track to get more reliable coupling and shunting along with adding weight to the wagons.

 

I've raised my magnet, which did cause it to jump out of the track and attach itself to the underside of a wagon! once wedged in place I was able to finger shunt and propel a wagon.

 

My wagons are unweighted so the next step is to add weight.

 

Getting somewhere now, once I've managed to set up and shunt in any order the wagons I have I'll be fixing down the track and getting on with the point rodding.

[Black Sheep]

I've had an evening cleaning track and wheels so I've had a fair few locos doing laps round the layout, the latest addition being an older Farish standard 4MT to haul the two crimson and cream around the layout.

 

 

The J94 sat in the background was an anniversary present from my wife!

 

I was contemplating taking the loco back as it's chimney was fowling the bridge, however the coaches stuck on the side of the bridge so it has been removed. I'm sure I checked before gluing, ah well.

 

Done a bit of shunting, not entirely hands free shunting, contemplating putting magnets in key places since it's essentially an inglenook.

 

Screws have been removed (except in the yard) so the track is held by the ballast.

Need to fit the remote point control so I can start on scenery.

[Black Sheep]

There's been a small amount of building work happening in the Brew Lane area of Milliedale.

 

 

There are two of these 'modern' semi-detached being built in the place of a row of terraces that got damaged during the war.

 

There is also a new arrival who is too tall for all the bridges built from scalescenes kits so they've been removed and waiting to be replaced with home built ones.

 

 

I've also made a start on fitting the MerControl but hit a problem straight away as I failed to get any panel pins to secure the levers in place

[Black Sheep]

Fast builders in Milliedale!

 

attached the wood framework during the build on this one and painted the lower brickwork white to get the mortar colour on before dry brushing the brickwork on as I'm not fond of how the previous one turned out.

 

 

will be trying to add guttering and other piping, quite liking the kestrel kits, although I wouldn't recommend them to beginners, more as a half way step between kits and scratch building!

 

I had been planning to just throw this layout together from scalescenes kits on a flat board, thanks to Bacup-mills in the hills (and Frankland for showing what's possible with this kit) I'm having a re-think of making something more believable.

 

 

I've run out of plastruct for doing the timbers on the gable end and thinking I could do to do another run of drybrushing the brickwork as it looks like it's just been re-pointed but that'll do for now as I've run out of the paint I mixed up for it.

[richbrummitt]

There is also a new arrival who is too tall for all the bridges built from scalescenes kits so they've been removed and waiting to be replaced with home built ones.

 

photo-6.JPG

 

I presume this is a Tomix model? If you're planning on getting the rest of them you'd be wise to check the clearances on the tender for Henry as the worst offender for overhead structure damage - it is a huge thing! Assuming we see you in a couple of weeks I'll bring the example I have to illustrate.

[Black Sheep]

Thomas is indeed a tomix one, mine is unfortunately missing a rear buffer - was going to ask if you had one that might do in your spares box.

 

Hadn't thought if I'm going to get any of the others yet.

[richbrummitt]

was going to ask if you had one that might do in your spares box.

 

Very unlikely

[Black Sheep]

Work has started on fitting perspex sides to stop our daughter trying to play trains without daddy

 

She's currently trying to eat the laptop while I type this

[ginger j]

Perhaps you could ask her what laptops taste like....(I wonder how many calories there are? ) Are they suitable for vegetarians?   

 

GJ

[Black Sheep]

Perhaps you could ask her what laptops taste like....(I wonder how many calories there are? ) Are they suitable for vegetarians?   

 

GJ

The lap top is an apple so I can see how she got confused.

 

hoovered the layout off this evening and ended up re-glueing one of the end curves as it came up while trying to clear space in the rail joints to pass the merc control wires through.

 

Turns out I don't need to drill the board to pass them under (wish I'd checked that before drilling a hole)

 

currently waiting for cyno to dry on a test length of control wire.

[Jaz]

I followed the link......have you any up to date pictures.?...I've set follow just in case.

Noticed you had a baby last year......congrats......

[Black Sheep]

So, the little chipmunk has learnt to climb onto the other coffee table so we're worried it might not be long before she has a go at the glass topped table that houses Brew Lane so it looks as though it may have to go into storage. 

 

Depending how it's stored I may be able to continue to work on it, we shall see. 

[Jaz]

So, the little chipmunk has learnt to climb onto the other coffee table so we're worried it might not be long before she has a go at the glass topped table that houses Brew Lane so it looks as though it may have to go into storage. 

 

Depending how it's stored I may be able to continue to work on it, we shall see. 

Could you look into replacing the glass with perspex???

 

Still.....she might turn out to be a mountaineer when she grows up.......although it would probably be a mountain goat rather than a sheep LOL

[Black Sheep]

I've not really got anywhere to store Brew Lane and still continue work on it, as it may be some years before I'm able to have it back in the lounge I'm toying with the idea of selling the coffee table and layout and wondered if anyone was interested? 

 

The layout is wired so that the shunting puzzle in the middle can be turned on and off to isolate separate to the loop

 

the two lines in the station at the front are on an on/off/on switch so can be used to store trains without preventing shunting from backing out onto the line. 

 

I had started work on fitting the wire in tube point control but not got anything working just yet (happy to include the rest of the wire in tube kit with the layout) 

 

Just seeing if there is interest at the moment and hoping to cover cost of track etc and hope to see it finished and possibly at an exhibition with a rug and sofa! 

[Jaz]

A shame to see it for sale, but if no reasonable place to store it, and you have concerns for the little one, you sometimes have to bite the bullet. Am off to go investigate Milliedale-on-Sea as compensation.....

[Black Sheep]

I should have mentioned that I'm happy to consider splitting layout and table as the layout simply slots in once the top of the table has been un-bolted leaving the nice base of the table intact. 

[Black Sheep]

well, no takers on the selling front so permission has been sought from the domestic authority to downsise the layout so that it fits on a shelf of an IKEA Billy bookcase. 

 

In N this gives enough space for an inglenook 

 

The track should be retrievable from the coffee table along with cutting the boards to provide the new baseboard and back-scenes. I'll loose the loop but never mind, it may see more use. 

 

Not sure what is going to be the back drop, elevated road, elevated rail (static Standard 4 & two coaches) 

 

I think road just so I can have a bus on a bridge.

 

 

 

It'll serve as a testbed for converting to DG's and doing some modelling before doing Milliedale on Sea

 

 

[Black Sheep]

A quick snapshot of the original Brew Lane in 1987

 

 

The entire site, including the old terraced housing has been stripped away to build an out of town shopping centre.

 

 

All the points were recovered intact and about 90% of the flexi track so I should be able to use it all again for the new Brew Lane.

[richbrummitt]

Another track plan, which might fit the space and to me was a little more interesting, is 'the timesaver'. This has a loop but you can only fit one thing in it.

 

P.s. whats the interesting and colourful train in the background and can it be finescaled?