RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 3, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 3, 2014 Hi Al, It's been a long haul to here so far but the room-build element is nearing completion. I just got to give the eastern half a second coat and put some strip-wood over the cladding where it doesn't quite meet. The other gable needs cladding too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 4, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 4, 2014 After putting the underlay on the middle fiddle-yard board and putting it in place I discovered I could fit another loop on the up side. It all looks a bit tight on here but it does fit in real life. I also managed to glue down the first two sets of turnouts. So tomorrow it's soldering droppers to plain track. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 5, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) I got to work on laying the middle section of the Up fiddle-yard on the middle baseboard after I had soldered some wire droppers on to some Peco 75 left over from my previous layout - what a job. I stuck the track and underlay down with B&Q's carpet and vinyl acrylic adhesive as it doesn't set solid like PVA. The white splodges are paint from the ceiling not glue! The two right-hand lines are the dead-end sidings the next is the bi-directional loop then four Up loops. Edited June 6, 2014 by Rowsley17D 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Alister_G Posted June 5, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 5, 2014 Really great to see track on this thread, it really feels like you are getting somewhere now. :good: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 8, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 8, 2014 (edited) The middle section of the Up fiddle-yard was completed last night, wired up and tested with my 3F. Due to the prop which holds up one of the roof purlins, the additional loop meant that the tracks could not be straight at the end of this board. Now for the Down loops. Edited June 8, 2014 by Rowsley17D 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 9, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2014 The middle section of the Down loops have been laid and wired. I don't know if you have come across these sticky pads which take cable ties, but it certainly makes keeping the underside if the boards tidy. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium figworthy Posted June 9, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2014 I don't know if you have come across these sticky pads which take cable ties, but it certainly makes keeping the underside if the boards tidy. I've been using those, but found after a while that the adhesive fails, so I find looms of drooping wires under my baseboards :-( Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 9, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2014 I've been using those, but found after a while that the adhesive fails, so I find looms of drooping wires under my baseboards :-( Adrian I suppose it all depends on how much weight we expect the pads to hold. If the glue does fail then a blob of super glue should do the trick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium figworthy Posted June 10, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 10, 2014 (edited) I suppose it all depends on how much weight we expect the pads to hold. If the glue does fail then a blob of super glue should do the trick. Typically a wiring loom for one or two point motors, so a pair of wires to drive the motor, a pair to provide power for the frog, and a pair to show which way the point is set, all held together in spiral wrap. I've now started to put a blob of super glue on when I first apply them, so far they seem to be holding. What I'm not looking forward to is regluing the ones under the fiddle yard, which is only accessible by crawling underneath it. Adrian Edited June 10, 2014 by figworthy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 12, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 12, 2014 I managed to finish off wiring the middle fiddle-yard board and pushed it into place, but couldn't resist trying the Up dead-end sidings out for size. Holds an inter-district stopping train very well. A close-up of the engine for those who like such things. Although this is the final place for the board, it will have to come out as I have found a very reasonable priced supplier of baseboard height adjusters at just over £1 a piece - Castors Unlimited - usual disclaimer. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 14, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 14, 2014 I spoke too soon saying this board was finished as I have to add two more infrared detectors, one each half way along the outside two loops. These are so long they will take two trains and I need to know when to stop the second train! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 14, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 14, 2014 This morning I managed to fit the two missing detectors. I also managed to fit the tops to the right-hand side fiddle-yard board and cover them with underlay ready to take some track perhaps tomorrow. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Are you fitting a 'deadmans' section to the fiddle yard, been thinking about this and wondering if the IR detector for the train at the front of the loop creates a dead section of track under itself so the first train comes to an automatic stop in the right place, The IR detector for the second half of the loop, combined with the one for the front creates a dead section to stop the second train in the correct place while also preventing a third train from trying to come in. not sure how the electrics or moving the second train up would work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 15, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2014 Hi Mr Sheep, I like your beer by the way. With the loops that can hold two trains, the first train comes in and when detected by the first detector is slowed until it reaches the second detector and is brought to a stop manually. It would have been slowed anyway on entering the hidden section and in time I will get to know how long it takes to reach the end of the loop. If required, a second train can be brought into the same loop and stopped when detected by the first detector. I am using DCC and didn't want isolated sections along with it's associated wiring and switches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 ah, I'm plotting DC control. I dont' actually have a connection to the beer other than a satisfied customer Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 19, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 19, 2014 (edited) At the end of February I mentioned that we had solar panels fitted. We have been just paid for 3 months generation, £150. This added to what my energy company owes me in direct debit overpayments, £250, makes it a nice little earner. Edited June 19, 2014 by Rowsley17D 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 24, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 24, 2014 (edited) A couple of photos to show the middle and end fiddle-yard boards with track and wiring in place. The front three tracks meet but are not yet joined. The back five roads are yet to be joined up. There's a hump where the boards meet. This is exaggerated in the photo, but all baseboard legs have height adjusters to sort this problem out. Edited June 24, 2014 by Rowsley17D 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Alister_G Posted June 24, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 24, 2014 That's looking great mate, really good.Will you have buildings to cover the point motors in the foreground? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 24, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 24, 2014 Hi Al, this is the hidden fiddle-yard which lies underneath part of the main station board and its approaches, so none of this will be seen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 25, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 25, 2014 All the tracks at the right-hand end of the fiddle yard are now joined and the boards have been levelled, well more or less. Views from either end with trusty 3F for testing purposes. One changeover switch is causing concerns and may have to be replaced. Luckily it's towards the edge of the board. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Hi there, Just having a catch up and good to see progress being made. Looks as if you've created a nice 'homely' space for your layout up there. Like others, I'm intrigued to see how you're making best use of space for the fiddle yard and obviously taking time to ensure its thoroughly tested out before covering it up. I've been involved with two of my Dad's layouts where we did a similar thing and in neither case did we ever have need to get at the hidden parts once it was all fixed in place so it is possible with good planning and preparation, which you are obviously doing. Looking forward to seeing further developments. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 26, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 26, 2014 Hi 4479, thanks for the encouragement. The fiddle-yard will be accessible from this side, as it were, but will be awkward. Track cleaning will be by Peco rubber on a length of 1x1 or similar and I may purchase a cleaning coach/wagon. I also have one of the litter-picking things should an errant wagon or coach become derailed. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted June 27, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 27, 2014 I managed to get the top on the righthand end fiddleyard frame last night and get it covered with underlay ready for the trackwork to close this end of the loops. On laying out the turnouts I discovered I was one lefthand turnout short, so it's off to Peter's Spares this lunchtime. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted July 2, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 2, 2014 (edited) The track is down for the end of the fiddle-yard at its left-hand side. Point motors are awaited on the Up side. Nearly ready now for a few hours connecting up wires to terminal blocks. I tip the board on its side to do this. Yes, that left-hand point motor looks a bit close to the track in the second picture but my 12-wheeled diner goes passed okay. Edited July 2, 2014 by Rowsley17D 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Hi Jonathan, Not looked in for a while but its good to see its progressing well, looking forward to watching the developments. All the best, Bodge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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