dullsteamer Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 After a recent family holiday in Melbourne, my son became fascinated with articulated trams - or as he calls them, the bendy ones. So I started looking for a few models on eBay. Of course, nobody makes a B-class car, but there were plenty of European and American cars available. My son, being nearly eight, didn't quibble. They're trams and they bend! In next to no time we had a decent-sized fleet of Düwags and Boeing LRVs, so we needed somewhere to run the things. A few quick sketches, a visit to our always helpful local timber merchant, and we have the beginnings of a layout. The benchwork is 12mm ply, 1700mm long by 800mm wide by 120mm deep. I deliberately made the sides and ends this deep to allow plenty of room for the point motors, wiring and so on. The track is Peco code 100 with Setrack points. The tram shed is the ever popular Pola Dresden depot building. This (very) rough sketch shows the basic concept: The photos were taken this afternoon while I was working out the exact track layout and locations. I find it much easier to finalise the plan full-size with track, stock and structures, rather than trying to draw it to scale first. (I called the layout the Ringbahn as a tribute to the lovely tramway in Naumburg, and because my nickname is Ring...) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted October 19, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 19, 2013 That looks like fun! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 Nice One! I am 'toying'!! with a few tramway ideas at the moment, as a complete change from the other layouts I am involved with, not completely decoded whether to go the UK 00 route using Bachmann Hong Kong/ Birkenhead cars or perhaps USA H0 Using Bachmann P. Witt and Birney cars! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 The photos were taken this afternoon while I was working out the exact track layout and locations. (I called the layout the Ringbahn as a tribute to the lovely tramway in Naumburg, and because my nickname is Ring...) Looks very nice. Trams are always a bit of an attraction, and could be quite addictive. Could you post some more pictures of your stock with descriptions please. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed a/c Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 Very cool, I shall look forward to watching your layout develop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
glennofootscray Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Might need to swap the directions on the passing loops. regards Glenn Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 Might need to swap the directions on the passing loops. (Slaps forehead!) The drawing is correct, but the trams in the photo are running bang road! Seriously, I didn't notice this until you pointed it out. Thanks for that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 Looks very nice. Trams are always a bit of an attraction, and could be quite addictive. Could you post some more pictures of your stock with descriptions please. Addictive is right. I'm too young to have seen Sydney trams in regular service, but a childhood visit to the museum at Loftus sparked a lifelong interest, and involvement as a volunteer that I continue today. I'm working later tonight but when I get a chance over the next few days I'll post some photos of our trams. In the meantime here's a teaser: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 That looks fun in the making! Do mind that the Roco "bendy ones" need a 200mm radius curve, preferably 250mm (10", thereabouts) Thanks for confirming that figure. When I first decided to build a tramway layout I set-up a simple test track to determine the minimum radius curve the various models would negotiate, and by trial and error I found that 10" was workable for all my bogie and articulated cars. I also experimented with methods for paving the Peco Code 100 track I'm using: I got quite a good result using Spakfilla. Once it had fully cured I sanded it with a medium grade sanding block, then carved the flangeways with a tool I modified from an Olfa P-cutter. In the photo of the test section neither the rails or the Spakfilla has been painted, but I'm happy with the initial appearance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Impressed. Can't wait for more detail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 I am 'toying'!! with a few tramway ideas at the moment, as a complete change from the other layouts I am involved with, not completely decoded whether to go the UK 00 route using Bachmann Hong Kong/ Birkenhead cars or perhaps USA H0 Using Bachmann P. Witt and Birney cars! I reckon either would make a good basis for some interesing projects. I haven't seen the Bachmann HK cars, but a few of my mates have Peter Witts and Birneys. They're very nice models with very good mechanisms. Even the current versions of the Bachmann Brills and PCC cars have nice little can motor drives that run nicely, if that's what you fancy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
glennofootscray Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 Addictive is right. I'm too young to have seen Sydney trams in regular service, but a childhood visit to the museum at Loftus sparked a lifelong interest, and involvement as a volunteer that I continue today. I'm working later tonight but when I get a chance over the next few days I'll post some photos of our trams. In the meantime here's a teaser: You might need a slightly bigger depot, and/or an off road that you could plonk cars without trolley wire. Regards Glenn. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted October 20, 2013 Share Posted October 20, 2013 I reckon either would make a good basis for some interesing projects. I haven't seen the Bachmann HK cars, but a few of my mates have Peter Witts and Birneys. They're very nice models with very good mechanisms. Even the current versions of the Bachmann Brills and PCC cars have nice little can motor drives that run nicely, if that's what you fancy. Hattons my' local' supplier over here has a few low priced offers on the P.Witt street cars at the moment, so i will have to consider, carefully, I have had experience of them before and they are excellent units with the advantage of not having to fit decoders! Whereas i have not personally used the Bachmann Hong Kong cars which are not Digital ready and only powered on 1 axle ( but presumably this is not a problem as Bachmann dont usually get things wrong!!) PS on my first day at infant school I travelled by tram The fare was 1/2p ( that thats half an OLD UK penny!!) a few weeks later Manchester Corporation closed the tramways down!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Of course, nobody makes a B-class car, but there were plenty of European and American cars available. My son, being nearly eight, didn't quibble. They're trams and they bend! Have you seen the Weico whitemetal kits for various Melbourne trams, including the B-class? It would appear that they ceased production earlier this year but there are still some in the shops. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 The Peco streamline small radius Wye point has a smaller radius than the set-track points. I think the set-track are 852mm and the streamline is 610mm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 You might need a slightly bigger depot, and/or an off road that you could plonk cars without trolley wire. That photo is probably a bit misleading - the Japanese interurban cars are for my layout, and some of the trams are for me, rather than my son to use. But I do like your suggestion of an unwired road for putting cars on and off the layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 Two more observations: 1) the cars are German (mostly) and thus are for right-hand running, not UK/Aussie style wrong side of the road 2) the Mehano Boeing cars are terrible runners, at least when I bought one ages ago. Dunno if they've improved the drive since, but you'll be disappointed if they didn't... Right-hand running is how I intend to operate, I just wasn't paying attention when I set things up to take those particular photos... The Mehano cars are pretty woeful runners, at least the Muni-liveried examples were. But they were cheap... I've since repowered them with the current version of the Bachmann PCC/Brill car motor bogies, which can be bought quite cheaply here as well. It's almost a drop-in replacement, too. The funny thing is that the Boston-liveried car runs quite nicely, as it has an improved mechanism compared to what I assume are the earlier Muni cars. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 Impressed. Can't wait for more detail. Here's three views of part of the fleet - These are all my Roco Düwag GT8s in Köln/KVB livery. Obviously I have some renumbering to do! 3133 and the Jacobs-liveried car have the most recent mech with the large flywheel, while the remainder are earlier models without a flywheel. These are my Roco Düwag GT6s. The model on the right is in Karlsruhe livery, while the rest are in KVB. Between them they have examples of all three versions of the mech - no flywheel, small flywheel, and large. More Düwags. The two on the right are M6s in Bogestra livery, made by Lima. The other two are M8s in Essen livery, made by Rivarossi. The Lima models are lovely to look at, but very temperamental runners in my experience, and rather fragile. But more on that later... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 Have you seen the Weico whitemetal kits for various Melbourne trams, including the B-class? It would appear that they ceased production earlier this year but there are still some in the shops. No, I haven't, but now that I know they're around I'll start looking. Years ago I built a Weico kit of an R or R1, can't recall which now, for a mate of mine who was all thumbs. It didn't turn out too badly from memory. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelia Grove Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Hmm - might be time to start looking at getting that Weico W2 kit going once I have completed wiring up a layout - cue tower wagon and lots of wire! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 I've been slowly making progress on the layout. The track is laid, and the structures part-assembled. Cheers, Mark. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
backofanenvelope Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Nice work and that some set of trams Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan J Kirkman Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Nice Progress. Looking very promising. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 Still pottering away. I've been on lates at work, plus I've had a few days overtime, so not so much time for modelling as I'd like. Here's where I'm up to: Here's a bit of shaky video to show that it actually works! http://www.flickr.com/photos/94424961@N00/12633137213/ All the best, Mark. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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