Sheffield Exchange, Toy trains, music and fun!

[richard i]

Pictures thank you.

[Clive Mortimore]

Pictures thank you.

When I have laid more track and TIDIED UP.

[Andrew P]

I will wait until Mr P the master of railway video production visits and allow him to make a in depth visual report on my progress.

 

I'm too old to keep learning stuff I don't feel is necessary for my enjoyment.

Sorry matey, your nearer to Russia now, than you are to Middle England. Besides my Passports expired.

Edited March 15, 2018 by Andrew P

[TheQ]

Hi Q

 

I was with Marconi Communications, they had about 7 sites around Chelmsford when I worked for them, plus there was Marconi Radar, Marconi Marine and the Research place at Gt Baddow. I think there are still a few people left working at Gt Baddow otherwise it has all gone.

 

My stamp number was easy to remember if you were a puffer nutter 4-6-2.

 

It is scary what was (nearly) state of the art gear when we were making it, is now museum displays.

I did a 6 month course at 102 Arbor lane, the Marconi college in Chelmsford, on the type 88 and 89 radars.

 

After the RAF I worked for GEC Marconi on the AI24 radar and its test equipment as fitted to the Tornado ADV. Some of that is in museums now.

I was based in Milton Keynes, but worked at any UK base plus the Falklands and Saudi.

[Clive Mortimore]

I did a 6 month course at 102 Arbor lane, the Marconi college in Chelmsford, on the type 88 and 89 radars.

 

After the RAF I worked for GEC Marconi on the AI24 radar and its test equipment as fitted to the Tornado ADV. Some of that is in museums now.

I was based in Milton Keynes, but worked at any UK base plus the Falklands and Saudi.

Wasn't Arbor Lane where the apprentice hostel was, did that become a training center? It had been converted to flats some years ago. 

 

Some interesting OLE the town side of the Arbor Lane railway bridge. I use to walk some of my customers dogs around there, I ended my working life running a dog walking service.

[leopardml2341]

After the RAF I worked for GEC Marconi on the AI24 radar and its test equipment as fitted to the Tornado ADV. Some of that is in museums now.

I was based in Milton Keynes, but worked at any UK base plus the Falklands and Saudi.

Small world time, for a while I worked at BAe at Warton on said same project. With a couple of visits 'east' when ADVs were first exported there.

 

There was a tradition, IIRC, of naming airborne radar blue 'something' - I'm sure you'll remember the 'Blue Circle' unit that ADVs were first fitted with

[TheQ]

Small world time, for a while I worked at BAe at Warton on said same project. With a couple of visits 'east' when ADVs were first exported there.

 

There was a tradition, IIRC, of naming airborne radar blue 'something' - I'm sure you'll remember the 'Blue Circle' unit that ADVs were first fitted with

Well by the time that hit the press, Radars were available, but the aircraft were often delivered using blue circle and the AI24 fitted at their operational sites..

 

I spent many hours in the Warton building acessed by the back gate through Freckleton, I did the annual cal of the main test equipment for the AI24, plus arriving if repairs were required. There was a shop which did very good filled rolls, on Kirkham road IIRC.

 

 Radars  had various colours in their name, the Type 82 was Orange Yeoman, the Type 85 was Blue Yeoman, the Type88/89 was Green Ginger, and the Vulcan radar was Green satin. The logic Between the colours I do not know.

Edited March 16, 2018 by TheQ

[leopardml2341]

Well by the time that hit the press, Radars were available, but the aircraft were often delivered using blue circle and the AI24 fitted at their operational sites..

 

I spent many hours in the Warton building acessed by the back gate through Freckleton, I did the annual cal of the main test equipment for the AI24, plus arriving if repairs were required. There was a shop which did very good filled rolls, on Kirkham road IIRC.

We've probably met then , although I was generally on t'other side of the airfield.

[Clive Mortimore]

Back to Sheffield Exchange, well I sort have tidied up but in doing so I started to cut the track in the station throat and join up the points to it. And that then lead on to me laying loosely the track for the platforms (cos all the rubbish had been cleared off) Which in turn lead me to start working out the platform widths and that was followed by cutting the cork for the platform tracks. Well that sort stopped things when I glued it down. Things are progressing.

[katwigan]

Back to Sheffield Exchange, well I sort have tidied up but in doing so I started to cut the track in the station throat and join up the points to it. And that then lead on to me laying loosely the track for the platforms (cos all the rubbish had been cleared off) Which in turn lead me to start working out the platform widths and that was followed by cutting the cork for the platform tracks. Well that sort stopped things when I glued it down. Things are progressing.

 

I am glad that it's not only me that gets farther and farther away from what I was intending to do after I actually start something!

But, sometimes it is better that way although it does tax the memory 3 weeks later when you get back to whatever it was.

Kev

[Clive Mortimore]

Not a happy bunny tonight. Last night I cocked up the return wiring on the points I fitted the motors to. Sorted this morning. Now I have a problem with the GM500 relays I brought instead of switches for the point motors.

Posted in the electrics section.
 

 

The problem is the points firing/changing but the relay is not. When taking the positive wires to the points off the relay and checking the relay with feed going to it only it works.

 

Having got fed up with being uncomfortable and bashing my head while under the baseboard I changed my thinking about powering points and the switching of the frogs.

 

The set up is as follows. The point motors are Peco PL10s directly under the points. major problem with the point motor I can lift the point. To date I have not had a problem with solenoid point motors in themselves it has always been the associated bits and bobs. 

 

Having had the Peco so called switches fall apart on me and I would need to get under the base boards they were discounted very early on. Seep motors built in switches have caused problems in the past and there is the hassle of having line them up from under the baseboard in between shouting "Ouch" because I forgot that cross member. Tortoise and the like are too expensive and again my body is not designed for confined spaces.

 

Seeing the GM500 relays I thought these would be wonderful as they can be mounted in the back of the control panel, get atable etc.

 

I am not using a switch to operate the points but the old fashioned stud contact which is a very simple form of passing contact switch. The power is directly off a Gaugemaster M1 transformer so is 16 V AC.

 

I am testing each section of track and each point as I wire them up. I had the problem of the relay not working with a single point. I took out the CDU from the circuit and it worked so did the next one. The one after is for a crossover operating two points together. Same problem, the point motors are working lovely, but the relay is not. Take the point feed off the relay and the little blighter is happy changing the polarity of the frogs. 

 

Any advice would be worth considering as I do not want to have to replace the 23 GM500s with over 30 odd switches.

 

I was hoping to announce that the first train had arrived at the station.

Edited March 18, 2018 by Clive Mortimore

[Regularity]

You don’t get that problem with frog juicers.

[Andrew P]

TBH, I've never used any Juciers, Frog Switchers or Relays, I just rely on Lady Luck, and so far, (touch wood with head), I've had no issued on Kings Moreton. Keep it simple mate.

[Clive Mortimore]

Isn't RMweb great, I posted my problem with the GM500s and thanks to some helpful chaps it has been solved.

 

So tonight I wired up a couple more sections and I have ran the first train into platform one, it is the only platform with power at present. It came in on the L&YR Up Line and departed on the Down Line. And to top the lot the isolation section at the end also works. :locomotive: :locomotive:

 

Now had I overcome my technophobia I would still be wiring up droppers to the bus.....just saying.....

[newbryford]

 

 

Now had I overcome my technophobia I would still be wiring up droppers to the bus.....just saying.....

 

It's all an urban myth.....

 

Multiple droppers is best practice for DCC and DC......

 

As is modifying Peco points to make them more DCC and DC friendly..........

 

Cheers,

Mick

[danstercivicman]

I'm sticking with DC like Clive, the idea of chipping and paying £250 for a loco puts me off DCC despite its awesomeness...

 

I will be using common return, switched sections and cab control. I guess the points still need the droppers wiring across for reliability so to avoid using the switch rails alone?

[Clive Mortimore]

I seem to be on a roll, trains can now enter the station and use all the L&YR platforms, that is one to four as well as the middle siding.

 

It is press on with the GNR side of the station. Then the Loco yards, followed by the crossovers at the platform ends and finally the staging sidings.

 

I don't like the term fiddle yard any more makes me think of "Uncle Ernie"

[newbryford]

 

 

I don't like the term fiddle yard any more makes me think of "Uncle Ernie"

 

 

 Uncle Ernie reminds me of a typical NEC/Warley exhibition visitor.

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Clive Mortimore]

All points in the station throat now have powered motors. I was hoping to have some more track powered but due to silly mistakes by me I have been delayed. Short circuits, how daft of me. 

[newbryford]

All points in the station throat now have powered motors. I was hoping to have some more track powered but due to silly mistakes by me I have been delayed. Short circuits, how daft of me. 

 

Don't panic Clive.

Short circuits happen to the best of us - even with DCC.........

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Clive Mortimore]

Platform eight can now be accessed from the main lines via the GNR Down line.

 

Photos possibly next week. I am in London Village this weekend.

[westerner]

Clive, have you laid enough track and tidied up enough for some photos?

[Pete the Elaner]

All points in the station throat now have powered motors. I was hoping to have some more track powered but due to silly mistakes by me I have been delayed. Short circuits, how daft of me. 

A simple but effective suggestion mentioned in the 'dark side' section a few weeks ago:

 

Wire up a battery with a bell where the power supply should be. In the case of DC, turn all the sections on.

If the bell goes off, you have an problem.

I like this because you can hear straight away when something has gone wrong instead of finding out in a testing/running session which may be some time later.

[Pete the Elaner]

Clive, have you laid enough track and tidied up enough for some photos?

I guess so because he has just announced his intention to post some next week.

Although this was carefully worded to stop short of a promise.

[Andrew P]

I guess so because he has just announced his intention to post some next week.

Although this was carefully worded to stop short of a promise.

He should have been a Politician, hahha