RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted February 24, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Hi Mike, Each panel comes with its own inbuilt inverter, so it was just a matter of connecting them up and then straight down to the consumer unit. The fitter said the panels were about the best you could get - German-made. Do we need an "alternative power sources for model railway" thread? Edited February 25, 2014 by Rowsley17D 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted March 13, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 13, 2014 Well, my track gauges are on the way from Australia (00-SF) so I took the plunge and ordered track-making bits from C&L. I want to see what a turnout made from plastic chairs on ply sleepers looks like compared with one made from direct soldering to copper-clad. I have also ordered C&L flexitrack to be picked up at the York show, so no carriage costs. Question is, will I get the insulation and boarding out finished in time to get baseboards built so I can put track on it? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted March 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 14, 2014 Well, my track gauges are on the way from Australia (00-SF) so I took the plunge and ordered track-making bits from C&L. I want to see what a turnout made from plastic chairs on ply sleepers looks like compared with one made from direct soldering to copper-clad. I have also ordered C&L flexitrack to be picked up at the York show, so no carriage costs. Question is, will I get the insulation and boarding out finished in time to get baseboards built so I can put track on it? Don't worry about rushing the baseboards, track can be kept for years. I have lots of experience of that! Seriously, no contest between properly chaired pointwork and copperclad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted March 31, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2014 Well I managed to get my hands on some 00-SF gauges and some C&L stuff and had a go at a fairly simple turnout. Although it looks as though it's straight on the main road, the turnout is a very slight Y. I have put it next to the copper-clad one to compare how they look. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted March 31, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2014 I think that photo makes my point. Chaired every time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted April 1, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 1, 2014 The only thing with chaired turnouts is that some of the timbers drop off when I lift the turnout off the template. These are the ones connected by slide chairs only. Does anybody have a better way of doing things or do they need to be constructed in situ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted April 1, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 1, 2014 Are you using double sided tape ? If so sprinkle a small amount of talc on it before laying out the timbers, this reduces the tackiness of the tape. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted April 1, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted April 1, 2014 (edited) Hi Beast, I do use double sided tape and the timbers with slide chairs stay behind when the turnout is removed by soaking in warm water. But they don't stay in place afterwards either. Do I super glue them to the main rails? Edited April 7, 2014 by Rowsley17D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted May 1, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 1, 2014 (edited) Well boys and girls, I went to the York show and loaded myself up with C&L flexi and other track bits and bobs. I also invested in an NCE Power Cab and Cab06 and some chips including a sound chip for one of my 3Fs. I have only had it going on the rolling road, but what fun and who needs a layout! Easter has come and gone and some rafters still need to be boarded over before base-board building can begin, but all in good time. Edited May 24, 2014 by Rowsley17D 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted May 24, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 24, 2014 (edited) A photo to show that the boarding out of the roof slopes is nearing an end. I am not boarding below baseboard height as the bricks will disappear behind the layout. I have some of B&Q's cheap white paint to cover it in due course. To celebrate finishing the boarding-out, well almost, I got to work on the first bit of the framework. This will form part of the framework that part of the hidden fiddle-yard will sit on, it's more or less in its final resting place, minus legs of course, it's about 83" X 27" to give you some idea of size. I am using as much timber salvaged from my old layout as possible hence the odd notch and drill hole here and there. More of the yard will be at a right angle furthest away and the rest will be behind the roof post in the foreground. Edited May 25, 2014 by Rowsley17D 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted May 25, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2014 (edited) A bit more of the framework to support the hidden fiddle-yard was done this afternoon and was temporarily put in its final resting place. It's moveable to lay the baseboard and track-work. This section is 84" x 24". A couple of shots to show that there's sufficient clearance allowing for base-board thickness, underlay and track. This has reduced the height above the loft-hatch, but I can still get in and out quite easily. I just have to remember to get any large pieces of timber and sheeting up there before it's finally put in place. Edited May 25, 2014 by Rowsley17D 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted May 25, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2014 It's in, but it does look tight. I hope it does not lead to frustrations in the future. All the best. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted May 26, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 26, 2014 I suppose most people are frustrated with their layouts at sometime or other, just look at Coachman, and Gordon's Eastwood Town. My last layout had a similar under baseboard fiddle-yard and worked well. So I am hoping this one will too. I can get my hands under easily to rescue any derailed stock. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted May 28, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 28, 2014 (edited) A few more pictures of fiddle-yard frame developments. I just laid a piece of 9mm MDF on the top to show how far out the board will come. This is the third and final frame for the yard. A shot looking the other way. It is above this board that the station will be built. From either end of the fiddle-yard, the track will climb at about 1 in 100 to join the scenic level. Edited May 28, 2014 by Rowsley17D 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted May 29, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) Here is the track plan, in AnyRail, of the fiddle-yard. The small rectangles show where the posts holding the main roof beam are. I will have infrared detectors salvaged from my previous layout so I know which sections are occupied. The track in the hidden section will be salvaged Peco 75 using their curved and large radius turnouts. The turnout motors will be surface mounted for ease of fitting and maintenance. Edited May 29, 2014 by Rowsley17D 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted May 29, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 29, 2014 Here is the track plan, in AnyRail, of the fiddle-yard. The small rectangles show where the posts holding the main roof beam are. Fiddle Yard 2 for web.jpg I will have infrared detectors salvaged from my previous layout so I know which sections are occupied. The track in the hidden section will be salvaged Peco 75 using their curved and large radius turnouts. The turnout motors will be surface mounted for ease of fitting and maintenance. Jonathan, Clever, and a bit tight. Will you have stop sensors or will you be able to see as I notice there is on the plan a rather large supporting piece of wood? I am impressed at just how you are using the space. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted May 29, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) Jonathan, Clever, and a bit tight. Will you have stop sensors or will you be able to see as I notice there is on the plan a rather large supporting piece of wood? I am impressed at just how you are using the space. Hi Chris The large rectangle on the AnyRail plan shows that that the fiddle-yard boards are narrower in the middle and right-hand end than at the left-hand end. Or are you referring to the wooden beam in the photos? The sensors will be at the loco end of each loop, so I know where to stop the trains. The longer loops may have 2 sensors so I can hold two short trains. In the 4 loco holding sidings I will put 2 or 3 sensors so I can hold a couple of locos on each line. Hope this answers your question. I can see the fiddle-yard but this would involve a lot of bending and I would need to light the area. I suppose an alternative would be to use some sort of CCtv system as I gather cameras are quite cheap these days. Edited May 29, 2014 by Rowsley17D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted May 29, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) Hi Chris The large rectangle on the AnyRail plan shows that that the fiddle-yard boards are narrower in the middle and right-hand end than at the left-hand end. Or are you referring to the wooden beam in the photos? The sensors will be at the loco end of each loop, so I know where to stop the trains. The longer loops may have 2 sensors so I can hold two short trains. In the 4 loco holding sidings I will put 2 or 3 sensors so I can hold a couple of locos on each line. Hope this answers your question. I can see the fiddle-yard but this would involve a lot of bending and I would need to light the area. I suppose an alternative would be to use some sort of CCtv system as I gather cameras are quite cheap these days. Jonathan, That answers my question. I thought the big rectangle was wood in the way. Still impressive though. I understand that Jeff of KL was thinking of using CCTV. Nothing so complicated for me, well not at the start anyway. Edited May 29, 2014 by ChrisN Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Following with interest as I'm looking to do similar in my loft Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted May 29, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 29, 2014 Following with interest as I'm looking to do similar in my loft I just hope your chimney doesn't go through the middle of it like mine does. Would have been a breeze without it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 It doesn't go through the middle however my joists aren't strong enough to carry floor boards as the Victorians who built it didn't expect to go up for anything more than maintenance. We're considering a proper conversion to double as a guest room... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted May 29, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 29, 2014 It doesn't go through the middle however my joists aren't strong enough to carry floor boards as the Victorians who built it didn't expect to go up for anything more than maintenance. We're considering a proper conversion to double as a guest room... In that case you're talking a major project, planning application, proper stairs, fire door etc. All the best. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted May 29, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted May 29, 2014 I bought some 9mm MDF today to start the base-board tops. Once I got it into the loft I couldn't resist laying them on top of their frames. And a shot of a picture I put up to make the room more homely. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 1, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 1, 2014 I have given the west end of the loft a lick of paint. It's brightened things up a little. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Alister_G Posted June 3, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 3, 2014 Hi Jonathan, just catching up after being away, and noticed all the new postings on your thread. Fantastic to see that you are in a position to be laying baseboards, and like the plan of the fiddle yards you showed earlier. The photo above really shows how much difference a lick of white paint makes. Looking forward to watching your progress, all the best. Al. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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