Bankfield, Son of Blackmill - it lives...............

[newbryford]

This is the same board from above before it was all tidied up.

 

I forgot to take an "after" pic.

 

Then it was uprighted and assembled with four (of the 8) other scenic boards and a DCC controller or two was hooked up. 

A Lenz 100 powers the track - there are two PSX1 breakers still to be fitted. And a borrowed DCC Concepts Alpha Central with sniffer/DCC accessory driver to power the points. (The point control will be via  DCC Concepts Alpha Switch-D and encoder mimic diagram as per my Deadman's Lane layout). A couple of crossover pairs needed one of the point motors reversing, but using the special command/address 197, a few button presses on the Central and the Cobalt Digital IP was working in the opposite direction as required.

 

The honour of the first loco to run with the permanent wiring fell to a special loco in my fleet - silver liveried 68010.

 

It all worked first time, much to the surprise of a couple of club members who have worked on it.... ! I had faith in their wiring (and following my instructions)

 

There are three boards still to wire and three more point motors to fit, but with the club exhibition less than three weeks away, work on Bankfield will cease for about three weeks.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited August 22, 2017 by newbryford

[JCClark]

Hi Mick

Looks like this is going to be a cracking good layout. Will be following with interest for ideas that meet my needs on Parkway.

Regards

John

[newbryford]

The wiring on the front is pretty much finished.

Next up will be a couple of evenings testing to make sure it all works from one end to the other.

 

We have decided that we really need three more catchpoints/headshunts, so these will be fitted in the next week or three. There will be no need to alter the wiring that we have - just add a few more dropper wires. Even the pointwork is easy, as the new motors will work as co-acting crossover pairs with existing points.

 

In the meantime, we've been drawing up a plan of the next set of work, which is primarily scenic. Starting off with filling in the missing sleepers at the baseboard joints (similar to the method I used on my own Deadman's Lane. Basic painting of the track, laying of concrete trunking and point rodding tuns. Then the ballasting. There's also some prliminary work started on the roads - some of which will be fitted with a Faller Car System.

 

A signalling plan has also been agreed with our resident signal builder - Steve Hewitt of Lime Street fame.  We've allowed space for the underboard servo gubbins for him.

 

Pics soon!.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited September 26, 2017 by newbryford

[Fordbank]

Hi Mick,

It almost goes without saying that I am very much looking forward to following the progress of Bankfield.

The prospect of seeing what can be achieved with the Peak Forest location by those who brought us Blackmill when you have nearly 30 foot to play with is truly mouthwatering. 

(I have spent far too many armchair hours fantasising what might be done with Peak Forest Revived were I to double the size of my garage. But my neighbours and doubtless my partner would prevent such madness.)

The progress already reported on Bankfield has provided the motivation to get out the vacuum cleaner and dust down Peak Forest Revived and to restart the layout thread  'Reflections  on Peak Forest'. 

I will be fascinated to watch and learn from Bankfield, no doubt tinged with a good measure of envy.

Cheers

Andy

[newbryford]

All scenic track work tested with a trainload of HIA hoppers. Various crossover moves in pull and propel with no issues to worry about.

We forgot to take any pics - sorry!

 

Will try and remember next week.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Fordbank]

Did you test the trainload moves with a class 60? 

There are many moves that I can undertake on Peak Forest Revived with class 66s  or double headed 37s that routinely derail when attempted with a class 60.

I am hoping you will be able to tell me how to modify the self centring couplings on Hornby Class 60s which are unable to cope with the trailing weight of more than ten hoppers. Under load the couplings are unable to self centre and lock to one side; the resultant sideways force then routinely derails the bogie of the first trailing hopper. 

I expect the problem has long since been solved by others but I have not yet come across a solution to the problem.

 

Cheers

Andy

[Temeraire]

I am hoping you will be able to tell me how to modify the self centring couplings

 

Ah that old chestnut! Same issue with the Class 50, all of mine successfully modified,as well as a couple of 60s.

 

All that’s required is a little filing of the cam and the edges of the hole that it sits in and especially the ‘point’ in the centre at the front. A little at a time until you get to the point that the coupling returns to central even after you’ve pushed it hard over right or left if it sticks you need to file a little more. I also file the underside of the screw down plate to the point there’s no paint on it. I’ve done at least a dozen now and all work perfectly.

[Fordbank]

Thanks Ian, I'll give this a try.

Cheers, Andy

[newbryford]

Did you test the trainload moves with a class 60? 

There are many moves that I can undertake on Peak Forest Revived with class 66s  or double headed 37s that routinely derail when attempted with a class 60.

I am hoping you will be able to tell me how to modify the self centring couplings on Hornby Class 60s which are unable to cope with the trailing weight of more than ten hoppers. Under load the couplings are unable to self centre and lock to one side; the resultant sideways force then routinely derails the bogie of the first trailing hopper. 

I expect the problem has long since been solved by others but I have not yet come across a solution to the problem.

 

Cheers

Andy

 

My 60s have been fitted with wire loops. Although these can easily rode over/under the loop on a wagon when pushing heavy loadsand cause buffer lock. The solution is to fit a bar between the buffer heads.

We will be experimenting with particular locos and stock and couplings over the coming weeks/months to make sure we have as reliable operation as we can.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Fordbank]

Any chance of taking a photo of the bar between the buffers next time you are photographing Bankfield.

I suspect the creative instincts of modellers have come up with a variety of solutions to this well known conundrum.

 

Cheers,

Andy

[newbryford]

A couple of pics with a mixed rake of MRA/JJA/JNA

 

 

 

Basic testing is being carried out with a DCCconcepts Alpha Central hooked up to a SNX sniffer/DCC driver, connected to a dedicated accessory only bus. The actual panel when built, will be Alpha Switch-D and Alpha encoder (which are basically the constituent components of the Central), but enables a full mimic diagram to be used.

 

(I've used the same system on my own Deadmans Lane layout)

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited October 31, 2017 by newbryford

[newbryford]

We realised that the track layout was miussing trap/catch points at the ends of the loops.

 

They are of a double blade type, so the Peco version wasn't suitable.

 

I had a damaged point, so it was chopped in half and put into place. The point motor is given the same DCC address as the point onto the mainline and they work as a crossover

 

 

In the meantime, I've also set about improving the appearance of the tiebar area.

 

As the over-centre spring is removed, there is no need for the plastic moulding the holds it in place.

It is cut away and then a piece of sleeper cut is fitted in between the rails.

 

 

Although it should really be a bit wider, but by the time it's ballasted, I'm pretty sure it won't be noticeable.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[newbryford]

The scenic work is now under way.

 

 

Kingspan insulation with the foil backing peeled off will form the main base. The topcoat will be a mix of filler and polystyrene with a bit of brown poster paint added, so that if it gets damaged, it doesn't show the white of the filler.

 

The roadbase is 6mm MDF and will eventually have a Faller road system embedded into it.

 

The rails have already had a quick airbrush of track colour. Further weathering/colouring will take place when the ballast is laid.

 

Before the ballast goes down, we'll be laying Ten Commandments cable trunking and also fiting the bases for the point rodding.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited December 21, 2017 by newbryford

[newbryford]

Ballasting has commenced -not much so far.

Using a mix of colours of DCC Concepts Legacy ballast.

There will be further colouring by airbrush later.

 

We had a family/friends open day today, which gave us the chance to have a bit of a test/play.

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

 

[87023Velocity]

Hi Mick,

 

Looking good, have you got a date planned to aim for first show?

 

Cheers

 

Simon

[newbryford]

Hi Mick,

 

Looking good, have you got a date planned to aim for first show?

 

Cheers

 

Simon

 

Possible 2019 for a decent "work in progress" at our own show.

Depends on how quickly we can get the storage/fiddle yard baseboards built.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited January 15, 2018 by newbryford

[Barry O]

it shouldn't take long to get more baseboards built and track laid..JDI!!

 

(or is there still a lot of "playing" testing to be done??)

 

baz

[Powerhaul 70 Pey]

Looking great. Nice collection of locos and rolling stock.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Possible 2019 for a decent "work in progress" at our own show.

Depends on how quickly we can get the storage/fiddle yard baseboards built.

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

Oh, I thought that was the fiddle yard.

 

Mike.

[d winpenny]

Looking great

 

David

[Phil Mc]

Good to see there's tea making facilities........

 

........parked in one of the sidings !!

 

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[newbryford]

Good to see there's tea making facilities........

 

........parked in one of the sidings !!

 

 

Cheers,

Phil.

 

Good observation.

 

The intention was to please everyone, although one visitor remarked that the headlight was too bright. Until it was pointed out that it was a current mainline registered loco and had to have a high intensity headlight.......................

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Fordbank]

Bankfield's looking a treat. 

( But how I'd love to see The Pipe Bridge in the middle distance!)

Thanks for the updates, Mick.

Someone's going to have to keep a lid on yellow visits.

[newbryford]

Bankfield's looking a treat. 

( But how I'd love to see The Pipe Bridge in the middle distance!)

Thanks for the updates, Mick.

Someone's going to have to keep a lid on yellow visits.

 

No pipe bridge as it's not Peak Forest....... There will be a visit to the southern end of the S&C soon for some scenic inspiration,

 

A bit of testing on the proposed Faller road system

 

Using the truck from Blackmill. Branding courtesy of one the Liverpool Lime St crew.

 

And a view of the ballast - further colouring to take place later.

 

We had a very good discussion about the storage yards. We have to accommodate the normal "roundy-roundy" trains of various lengths and also the shorter circuit bi-directional working of the stone trains. (It will make sense when we do the trackplan.). It is also proposed that the storage yard will be able to be used with a future layout.

We will have permanently empty and loaded sets. The empties will work one way and the loaded the other. Only the loaded trains will require manual loco changing in the storage yard.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Fordbank]

"...it is not Peak Forest."

It's seeing that idiosyncratic track plan that's got me confused.

So no PF signal box or station building converted to Train Crew Office?

I don't know if I'm disappointed or pleased.

But I do know I'll still be following with great interest...