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Falcon Road TMD & Prospect Yard. See us at Ally Pally in 2023.


dasatcopthorne
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  • 3 weeks later...

As you will see, there was an odd wall and green embankment on one corner of the layout.

 

This was a left over from when the layout ended at this point, but the Oil Drum Lane (yard) extension, left this looking rather odd.

 

Behind it on Oil Drum Lane was a factory entrance with tracks in concrete (see earlier photos). This looked really wrong, so a low relief warehouse has been constructed.

 

It's an extended Scalescenes kit.

 

On the siding next to the 'main line' the warehouse has a somewhat derelict look with an old planked loading dock now breaking up and collapsing.

 

Come and see us at the REC show at Woking 12/13th Sept or the Farnham show at Aldershot 10/11 October.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

Carshalton & Sutton MRC

 

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After two days operation at the REC show in Woking recently, a couple of little niggles raised their heads.

 

A dead rail section was found in one of Oil Drum Lane's sidings (fixed quickly) but worse of all, a dead point blade crippled one track in the Loco Shed. (not such a quick fix)

 

Also the uncoupling magnets under the concreted track in front of the warehouse in Oil Drum Lane where 'out of place' and needed moving. Trouble is, they are under the baseboard but behind the wiring.

 

Also added a new throttle plug point at the rear of the Oil Drum Lane baseboards.

 

Just the point blade to sort out later today, well in time for our appearance at the Farnham Club's show in Aldershot on 10th & 11th October.

 

 

Hope to see some of you there.

 

Dave

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It has occurred to me that some readers might wonder why there is so much wiring on a DCC layout.

 

Most of it is lots of section switches. At least two in each long siding and one each for stub ends.

 

This is because the layout is also wired for DC operation.

 

Also, we do not use DCC to operate turnouts. Too slow.

 

Dave

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well.

 

We had a great time at Aldershot as the guests of the Farnham & District club. The layout performed faultlessly but one Tortoise point motor let us down on the frog polarity. Sometimes the internal printed circuit board used for the frog switching can move and the polarity change fails.

 

Now.

 

Why change the name, I hear you ask.

 

Since naming the layout, I have felt that the name is a bit of a mouth full. I know the new name is only one word shorter but it seems to leave the tongue easier.

 

The name has been taken from the street in Bermondsey, London.

 

I also recently discovered that the Normanton & Pontefract Club had a layout called Oil Drum Lane and two of them was just not on. Maybe they'll invite Falcon Road the their show now! :)

 

Our new lighting fascia works a treat following a couple of small tweeks and the punters love talking to us and watching the controls while we operate.

 

Our next outing is BRM Doncaster in February.

 

If you would like Falcon Road at your show, please visit www.csmrc.co.uk for full details.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

A few weeks back we had a small disaster on the layout. Well, I did to be honest.

 

While working on raising the backscene around the centre boards, I dropped a small length of MDF onto the track. This quickly removed one of the signals, at the same time ripping it from its plug. It's an Absolute Aspects custom built signal which shows a constant red but when pulled off, a subsidiary lights up to allow entry to Prospect Yard. Wherein trains are under yard control.

 

In case you are not familiar with these signals, they are very well made with a DIL IC plug on the bottom. This is Araldited to the base of the signal and then plugs into a similar plug mounted under the baseboard. With the wires embedded in Araldite there was nothing to do but set about carving the glue away, leaving the wires to be soldered to a new plug. (available on ebay but often a spare is supplied with the signals for use as an 'extension' for use with thicker baseboards).

 

Needless to say all went well until the last wire to extricate broke away leaving nothing to solder to the new plug.

 

Following a call to AA for help, there was now only one course of action. Dismantle to signal and rewire the LEDs with longer leads and a new plug.

 

I hope this series of photos will help anyone else who experiences a similar problem.

 

 

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The subject signal

 

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The problem wiring embedded in Alraldite but with the plug missing.

 

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The errant plug showing where the wires were once soldered.

 

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The result of removing the Araldite but breaking the wires. Well the thinnest two, anyway

 

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The signal head now requiring removal to get at the shortened wires.

 

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Head removed which came away with the subsidiary signal.

 

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All four wires extended with all joints staggered so that it all fitted inside the brass tubing used for the post.

 

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It works!!

 

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Now to fit a new plug. The base of the signal has been filed square to fit the hole in the centre of the new plug.

 

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New plug fitted and super glued in place.

 

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Wiring with joints covered in shrink wrap pushed down the post from the top.

 

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As the plug pins only push into the 'socket' (actually another plug) up to the pin shoulders, there is room to solder the wires onto the pins on the underneath side of the plug rather than the top.

 

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Oooo. Still working!!! New plug now Araldited in place

 

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The 'socket' under the board. It sits just below the top of the baseboard.

 

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And back in position. Thank goodness. Due at the Doncaster show in Feb.

 

 

Hope this helps someone.

 

 

Dave

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