LongRail Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Matt, There appears to be a slip in the middle of the paintwork on the left have you already purchased this? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share Posted September 19, 2013 Hi Gary, Its a crossover, not a slip and I haven't purchased it yet. I have a spare single slip from a previous layout but I wasn't planning to use it. Why do you ask? Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Matt, I thouhgt I recalled a mention of a slip somewhere in the thread and didnt want to suggest something which did not require any pieces of track you allready have. Have you considiered the following which I think gives you the moves you are looking for. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share Posted September 20, 2013 Thanks Gary. That got me thinking last night and although I can't get exactly what you've proposed, I have managed to get a bay siding into the station that accepts from the "UP" and allows onto the "DOWN" via a single slip that I had lying around: This allows: Freight running either from the FY direct into the goods area or around the "UP" loop and then in before coming back out and either direct into the FY or a loop on the "DOWN" and in to the FY. Passenger running around the "UP" and into the bay platform before running either all the way around the "DOWN" and into the FY or just back along the "DOWN" into the FY. I think I'm happy with this... any thoughts? Matt *edit* Update layout image to show more detail Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 Matt, What I was sugetsing were two cross overs either side of the main pointwork and removing the cross over from the middle, this also spead out the moves across the point work to give a smoother transition for trains making this move. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share Posted September 20, 2013 Ah! OK, I've got you now I'll play around with that later on and see if I can fit it in - it makes a lot of sense Thanks, Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share Posted September 20, 2013 Matt, What I was sugetsing were two cross overs either side of the main pointwork and removing the cross over from the middle, this also spead out the moves across the point work to give a smoother transition for trains making this move. Like this you mean? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 That's what I had in mind I think it gives you the moves you were looking for. Layout is looking good and should provide lots of optional play value Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share Posted September 20, 2013 That's what I had in mind I think it gives you the moves you were looking for. Layout is looking good and should provide lots of optional play value Yes, thanks for your help on this. Play value will start to become more important as my kids start to grow up - they already want to come and "play trains" in the loft with me even though there's no track been laid! Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdw7300 Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 <snip> Play value will start to become more important as my kids start to grow up - they already want to come and "play trains" in the loft with me even though there's no track been laid! Matt I know what you mean Matt. My lad keeps asking to play "Daddy's trains" and I've yet to order the track! Really liking the plans as they develop. Happy modelling! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 DISASTER! Last night, I realised that I need to buy more flxi-track and I can't afford that for a few weeks yet... This means that the goods area of the scenic part alone uses more flexi-track than the whole of Blockwall Junction - I know I keep saying it, but I didn't realise what a large layout this is going to be! If I get more time in the loft this week, I'll probably continue with corking the baseboards and start on the wiring and then I'll have to call a halt until I can justify spending more money on the layout. I've got a birthday coming up so hopefully that will provide some funds! Cheers, Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 I know what you mean Matt. My lad keeps asking to play "Daddy's trains" and I've yet to order the track! Heh, wait until you've got drills and jigsaws lying around ("but Daddy, jigsaws aren't sharp, I've got loads of them in my toybox...") and he wants to help you build the baseboards! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 45 minutes with a dremel and some track that I hadn't unpacked yet and it looks like the p-way boys have had a heavy night of it (and not in the good sense!) First the two long sidings are laid: Then the first of the goods loop/receiving sidings: and finally, some playing around with height: The power and dummy from the HST are actually on separate tracks although you wouldn't know it! The tracks at the back are less than an inch from the baseboard, however I think that's about the right height so it's going to need to be a steeper climb up to the flyover from the station than I first thought (although the bridge will probably be cut down slightly). I'm really pleased with how this is looking already! I've got a few more bits of flexi that I can cut to size, however this is probably on hold now until I get the missing set of points and more flexi-track. Cheers, Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 Hi all, So it's been a pretty eventful few days... On Thursday, my wife gave birth to our third daughter. She's absolutely amazing (although obviously I'm biased!) and as a result I may well not be able to work on the layout for a few days/weeks, so expect progress to be slow. Today is my birthday so I went to the model shop and spent my money on track cutters, a left-hand medium point, fishplates, insulated rail joiners and an entire box of code 100 flexi-track. This now gives me everything I need to complete the goods area of the layout and make a start on the rear of the scenic section with the twin running lines and the station! Cheers, Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Congratulations on the new arrival, and happy birthday David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdw7300 Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Congratulations! & Happy Birthday! Enjoy the sleepless nights ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull1845 Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Congratulations Matt,My 3rd little Boy was born Thursday too at 05:17. Funnily enough I haven't been near my layout since then... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 Thanks all, I'll let you know when I get back in the loft! Congrats Scott, hope the little one's OK :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 Nil desperandum - I'm still around and buying more circuit boards from MERG! I've been told that I might have the house to myself for a few days next week so in preparation I've been ordering a CANACE8 feedback module, point direction detectors and DCC Block detectors from the MERG kitlocker. In total, I purchased the CANACE8, 3 turnout position sensors and five block detectors for £23 which should provide me with block detection and point feedback for the far end of the goods yard. One thing I'm considering at the moment is splitting each road on the goods yard into two blocks giving me approx 10 x 5ft blocks as opposed to 5 x 10ft blocks. Does anyone know what the "rules" used in prototype for designating blocks in modern goods yards might be? Cheers, Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hybridangel77 Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 How did you get the printed track work onto paper as this is something i have been looking at doing so i can work out my track plan. Terry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 How did you get the printed track work onto paper as this is something i have been looking at doing so i can work out my track plan. Terry I'm using XTrkCad to plan my layout, so I installed that on a windows laptop (it doesn't seem to print very well under Linux for some reason) and then "borrowed" an A3 printer to print at a scale of 1:1 You should be able to do the same with AnyRail and other track-planning software. I then used spray-mount to fix it to the baseboards, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Looking good. Congrats on the new arrival. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Looking good. Congrats on the new arrival. Thanks. The good news is that my three nights alone have been confirmed so I'm hoping to make a reasonable amount of progress on the layout this week. Outstanding tasks at the moment (in a vague order that is subject to change without notice!) are: Cut the cork for the track bed Cut holes in baseboards for remaining point motors Drill holes for power droppers Solder power droppers to track Connect Track to DCC Bus Solder up various block/point detection circuits Connect circuits to CBUS and program for JMRI I know that's a lot to get done, but I'm hoping that if I don't eat, I'll get around 5 hours a night on this... Once this part of the track is down and secured, I'll probably move on to constructing the next set of baseboards along the left-hand wall and around into the fiddle yard so I can get a real measure of whether the dual-track run around is possible (looking at the water tank last night, I may only get a single track past the tank itself... ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattWallace Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 Disaster! The smoke has escaped from my CANCMD (the DCC Command station that provides power to the track) and I'm now hunting around trying to fix it. Two nights of soldering for nothing... Not a happy bunny... Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Bus Driver Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 For those of you that care (!) the name change means that the locations signs on the layout will need to read: Marshfield Junction Cyffordd Marshfield (it's South Wales, so English seems to come first on the signs) I'm sure that someone around here makes custom station signs etc. for the various TOCs - can anyone remember who it is? I don't need them now, but I will do in future! Matt Generally the Welsh is above the English and written in green. So you'd have something like this for the late 70, early to mid 80s Inter City style in the 90s Or even Regional Railways And don't forget we Welsh spell Platform as Platfform as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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