Leaderboard

Despite the covid-19 lockdown, modelling output has slowed this month. However, I have been slowly working on the station building and feel like the to-do list is getting shorter. Canopies have been fixed in place, the south side one is removable in case I can’t get it into its travelling case. Rain water pipes have been added from the rather nice Modelu range and this weekend’s job has been to make the roof trussing. I made a cradle from foam so I could invert the roof and work on it separately. Main spars were cyanoed into the rafters and various cross rods and struts soldered on based on the photos I have. Once complete they were painted with a mixture of grey and gunmetal Vallejo acrylic. The photos show the effect I wanted to achieve.

When in danger or in doubt, get the model railway out. The fourth layout in the Farthing series is taking shape, a welcome relief from the lockdown blues. Above is a reminder of the trackplan. So complicated that it broke Templot. Only very advanced modellers can do that. A test piece to see what the new Peco Bullhead track is all about. I decided to give Peco a go as a change from handbuilt track. The chairs are wrong for GWR, will be interesting to see how much I notice it. One advantage of the new Peco track is that it’s voice controlled. You simply tell it where to go and it will lay itself. The layout will be operated as a micro on a daily basis, but I may add a further module for extended operation, or even a direct link to my "Old Yard" layout. The rear siding therefore extends to the baseboard edge, and is protected by a removeable buffer stop, knocked together from balsa in the stopgap style of the old N&SJR. The other stops are standard GWR, built from the Lanarkshire Models kit. In order to fit them on the Peco track, I had to carve off most of the chairs. Have others found a better solution? For replacement, I dug into my stash of C+L GWR chairs. Ironic, as I now have proper GWR chairs next to the Peco ones. Maybe I should slice up some Peco chairs and fit them instead. What a cruel close-up by the way, I need to get out the filler. I wanted some sort of 'inset' track for the front siding. Photos suggest that while proper inset track was certainly used in some GWR yards, more pragmatic solutions were preferred when feasible. This includes leaving the four foot unpaved, as seen in the bottom three photos here (all heavily cropped). That seems to have been a favoured solution where cartage vehicles needed firm ground to off-load or pass alongside the rails, but didn’t have to cross them. I haven’t seen this modelled much, so gave it a go. The outer sections of the sleepers were cut off to avoid the chairs fouling the paving. At this point I was seriously wondering why I hadn’t just made my own track! Here, DAS is being applied to the four foot. The rail was raised slightly above the edging stones to allow for track cleaning. Partly modeller's license, but also in compliance with one or two prototype photos. While not as elegant as proper inset track, I like how it creates a visual break in the setts. The setts were made using old paintbrush heads, fashioned to shape. The material is Forex, a.k.a. ’foamed PVC’ but apparently now without the PVC. The technique also works in DAS clay. The photo is a bit misleading as I used a ruler while pressing the setts, in order to ensure straight lines. A scriber was used to individualise a few setts and sort out mistakes. The material can be curved slightly if necessary. The method has pros and cons. You tend to get a fairly uniform look and it’s hard to avoid the occasional gap between the grooves when pressing down the brush heads. But with practice I found it speedy and tidy, and I like that it can be done away from the layout – especially as I have to work in our living room. Drainage channels were made by drawing a screwdriver tip along a ruler… …then pressing in setts as appropriate. This drainage channel was done differently, by simply pressing the setts deeper than the surrounding ones. The ground in front of standard GWR stable blocks was often paved with either cement or bricks. I went for red bricks, forgetting that one drawing I have says blue engineering bricks (better quality). I may repaint them, but then again I may not. For the entry to the goods depot, I used a Green Scene roller on blue foam as described in my workbench thread. The arched setts are a nod to the yard at Birmingham Moor Street. The Pooley & Sons weighbridge is a Scalelink etch. The weighbridge office is a temporary mock-up. The flagstone pavement was done using the same Forex material as the setts, with the kerbs and flagstones lined out in pencil and then scribed. My original plan was that the road the front would be laid with setts, but after encountering this thread I began to examine photos and realized that 1900s urban roads were very often laid with various forms of non-tarred macadam or similar. Here is Worthing South Street, captioned ca. 1900-1920. Even some parts of central London had streets like this. Sometimes such roads had gutters paved with stone, at other times setts were used or there was no gutter at all. Copyright Getty Images, embedding permitted. Call me a romantic but I like the dry, light and almost ethereal appearance that such roads exhibit in certain summertime photos of the period. I used sanding paper, painted with Vallejo light sand and ivory. It still needs some weathering and a good smattering of horse dung! For the GWR spearhead fencing, the initial plan was to use an old Scalelink etch - but it's rather fragile for a position at the front of the layout. So I used the Ratio GWR fencing. Photos suggest that the verticals should extend to the ground, beneath the lower horizontal bar. Never mind. The fencing sometimes had supports, may add those in due course. I wanted the fencing to be detachable, to allow for close-up photos and easy replacement if I break something. So far it rests in a groove lined with blue tack. If that proves a botch too far, I could try micro magnets. Some stations - e.g. Minehead – had a lovely display of enamel signs mounted on the spearhead fencing. I used those from Tiny Signs, cut with a scalpel, varnished twice and edged with a brown marker (in that order, otherwise the marker may discolour the sign). The signs act as view blocks, and also help draw in the eye to what will become a staff entrance. Here’s Charlie the horse admiring the adverts. He looks a bit out of focus. It must be the provender. In his opinion, the GWR always did mix in too much bran. Work to be done includes a scratchbuild of a GWR weighbridge office (the mock-up seen here is the old Smiths kit), and one or two other structures. The elevated rear section of the layout is a whole little project in itself, I'm hoping it will add further depth to the scene. Lastly, an overview shot. It’s all wired up, but I can’t operate it without a traverser. So that’s next.

More progress on the controller, I've managed to put some code together to make the controller respond to a potentiometer, operating as a centre-off (as I prefer that to having a reversing switch). Experimenting with throttle curves and various amounts of dead zone in the centre too, so it buzzes less and has nice smooth control at lower speeds. So the next part is to make this all into a nice neat PCB. I've started on the schematic in KiCAD (free PCB design software), and so far I have the following additional specification: 12V aux connector (for powering lights etc.) Additional reverser (in case I wire up a motor the wrong way round) Two terminal block inputs for additional inputs (might run a shuttle in future) Additional switch input (for some sort of future expansion) erm... Tea maker? Heath Robinson sandwich constructor? Stats: Projects I've started to avoid having to paint a backscene: erm... at least 3 Adequate reasons for making a controller rather than buying one: Not enough... apart from fun Cumulative pushup counter: 2275

Well, I sort of enjoy it anyway. PCB design is a bit like fitting together a puzzle, only there's no one set solution so you can be more creative. Especially when trying to fit things onto as small a board as possible. Here's the controller solution I've come up with, it could be made smaller (currently 55x70mm) but at the expense of ease of assembly and clarity. Regulator in the middle, directional LED at the bottom, power on (with LED) in the top corner and shuttle and reverser switches also at the top. Input and outputs all on the back of the board, along with the motor driver and Arduino. Stats: Approx. hours spent on this design: 2 (it's not that hard) Number of WiFi dropouts while trying to type this blog post: 3 (I don't type that slowly, my WiFi is just rubbish) Cumulative pushup counter: 2425 (I've got stuck at 150/day...)

The need for a decent UK outline turntable at Thurso was eventually solved by using the kit from LR Models and I thought I would add a few words about it here about it here, not really a blow by blow account but some observations, as it is something that most would build once, I would have thought, and thus have no fall back experience to draw on. The kit is a nickel silver etch, and obviously well designed and thought through - I encountered no real problems with it, but it does need a good deal of precision and care in assembly in order to function properly, so I approached it with more care than I often apply to stock builds, reading ,and mostly following, the instructions to the letter. They are well written, but need going over a few times to get an overall picture, and might have benefited from a few images for clarity; at least I would have found this useful. However, a bit of searching threw up this topic, which was most helpful in my build. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/97785-london-road-models-50ft-cowan-sheldon-turntable-4mm-kit/ This is what you get in the box, along with sufficient bits and pieces of brass and plasticard to finish it off. The sides are two layers sweated together, and holes are provided to put brass rods through to keep everything aligned. I put everything with Carrs 188 degree solder paste which gave a solid easy join with little extra overrun and was easily cleaned up. The table deck and sides are removeable with electrical contact for the rails coming through the pit rail and carrier wheels, so these need to be isolated from the main decking with layers of Plasticard and are attached by screws to allow some degree of adjustment. I had to open out the holes in the carriers slightly to get everything aligned, but this was because I managed to get the holding nuts slightly off position when soldering them in place. Not a big problem, but indicative of the care needed all the way through. The carriers and the T shaped drive shaft holder and bar that the deck sits on. The carrier wheels as assembled off the etch- layered and soldered together. They then need to be filed down to a finished diameter, and as smooth contact with the rail is critical, I realised that hand finishing was not going to give a consistent surface. Also in view is the box that drops over the brass rod and which the table sides and deck is soldered to. Being no engineer, I cobbled this assembly together, and fixing the wheels into the mini drill, I reduced them to the required diameter. Homespun, but it did the job. I managed to forget to photo the deck assembly, but it all went together without hitches and the wheels were jiggled to keep in contact with the rails by trial and error. The whole table is held in place on the rod by two bushes that are located at the end of the slot in the box - I was a bit unclear about this from the instructions, but got advice from LRM and LNWRmodeller, which cleared things up. They can be placed either inside or outside the box, with a tiny clearance, as sen in the second photo. There is a plastic pit available, which I used. It's fairly flimsy, and I did think of reinforcing the base, but in the event it proved unnecessary A brass bush is placed at the centre and care is needed to get this exact, although the base is marked as a guidance. Then it is a case of fixing the guide rails in place, again to precise placing. I made use of a Metalsmiths jig supplied with his T/T kits - I don't know if LRM supply one, but it would be easy enough to make ones own. Once the first couple of chairs were fixed it was a case of setting and gluing around the circumference two or three chairs at a time, letting them set before the next set glued.I would advise a strong solvent for this - I used one that did not have enough grab - some came away when I cut isolation gaps in the rail later, so Plastiweld was run round them with the jig in place which did the job properly if adding a few days delay to it all. Eventually it was tested, fettled and fitted on the layout, and the drive motor fitted to the shaft. this is a motor /gearbox combination and gives a slow rotation speed ,but without any indexing. As the table is right in front of me I can align by eye, and is not really proving a drawback. The motor is attached to a strip of brass and screwed to the baseboard as shown. This set up took some work to get a smooth rotation, thanks to crossbeams being in exactly the wrong place, resulting in the whole length of the strip being used. I would far rather had the fixing holes much closer together as the strip has too much flex in it, and might need work done to it yet, although it is working well just now. Finally, a couple of shots of it in place, looking quite at home on a branch line. All in all, a pleasure to build, and supplies something that is essential for UK modellers - a pregrouping turntable suitable for secondary services. Edit Reinstatement of what images I could find, in no particular order, but better than nothing. Hope this is of help to someone...

I was found recently wishing that I had posted this blog entry some years previously such that I would have had the information contained within. Back before Coronavirus, a job change, my wife going through childbirth, a house move, and a job change I posted this entry. The subject of that entry has since been finished, painted and lettered but I never did write up how I got there. People who had printers wanting files to test volunteered to print something and I had the 3D file. That gave me two more to make. Looking back to my blog and under the completed model left me scratching my head - a lot - because it was not immediately obvious how I'd completed the under-gubbins. The bogies were obviously association parts for GWR plate frame bogies and there was a 'floor' with queen posts and truss rods that seemed to agree with a fuzzy memory of cross drilling small diameter brass rod but I really wasn't sure where I'd obtained the Vs from to support the cross shafts for the brake and the brake handle. Those for the latter looked to be created/fitted in a rather odd way. I went about making some components. The 'floor' was snipped from 0.010" n/s sheet and marked for the various holes and slots thought necessary. I planned to make the queen posts by fixing 0.3mm n/s wire through a slot each side made with a piercing saw (#0/4 blade is about right for width) covered over with small bore brass tube 0.3mm inside and 0.8mm outside diameter. The hole for the vacuum cylinder was made off set from the centre line. The centre line helps with aligning the central V hangers. I took the V hangers from a 2mm association etch for an underframe with GW DC brakes (2-361). These were a bit long so I elected to fit them above the 'floor', even more so by doubling over the material to space them further upwards. This meant making slots for the Vs to pass through. The length of the floor was made to set the length and angle of the truss rods when fixed to the outer corners. The truss rods were made by cross drilling 0.45mm brass rod. I found this could be achieved by flattening the rod between small nosed pliers where the holes are to be. Holding the rod in an engineers pin chuck and securing that in a bench vice I marked for drilling with a point from dividers. Without this the 0.3mm just wanders over the not-quite-flat flattened section of rod. Also in the above picture is the beginning of the brake pull rods. The crank is shaped around 3 holes drilled in a line in a part of the donor etch material waste. It was left long at one end until the first of the pull rods was fixed in place to make it easier to hold and then filed to the shape seen. Not seen are brake handles (also from the donor etch). The central Vs fixed in place with the vacuum cylinder (also 2mm shop part). The Vs for the brake handle cross shaft needed to be mounted above also and that required some manipulation and reduction of the one end of the 2mm chassis etch donor. This is the end that originally had 3 hangers on (the other has just 2). If it looks wonky that's because it is - the hangers on the Mink F are isosceles triangle instead of the right angle of the etch - they've been bent appropriately and the joins reinforced with solder. The remainder of the brakes (less handles) fitted and trimmed in an assembly order that made sense ensuring that the movement makes sense for applying the brakes: It's' something that I tend to spot and I've seen two many (at least one) models where if it were possible to move the brake lever/handle and the brake components then the brakes would not be applied, in fact quite the opposite. I always leave the handles themselves until last when test fitting to the body and the wire is left long here to facilitate. The brake linkage shown in the previous photo was cut to make the line from the cylinder to the cross shaft as well as the link between the cross shafts. The queen posts were positioned in the slots made in the floor. First I bent a right angle into some n/s wire 0.3mm diameter with a long tail across the floor aligned with the slots. The first bend provides some location where it is fitted tight within the slot. The second bend is made up through the slot after fixing the first side in place. The small bore tubes all cut to the same length are placed over and the truss rods over them secured down whilst held tightly. The ends are bent sharply downwards outside of the queen posts and fixed to the ends. No measuring required since that is taken care of by the floor already. Now trimmed to length ready for a trial fit. Checking the clearance and also the ride height. The bogies are running on the brass top hat bearings supplied with the bogie stretcher etch. The larger side is on top. The smaller side is filed back significantly to reduce the amount of slop so the bogies do not fall as far when placing or lifting the wagon from the rails. The filing can be best achieved by using a piece of material with a ~5mm hole around 2mm deep to place the bearing into whilst filing. Everything is still loose for now; the bogies are only secured once since their lower cross pieces will not endure repeat bending. Checking the ride height against something to hand. The siphon has been out of the box since it needs the roof refitting. This has been an excellent point to try out printing a load of milk churns. It must have taken a fall at some point since the buffer is an odd angle. Securing of the bogies. This view hopefully shoes better the arrangement. A 10BA bolt is fitted from above the bolster printed in the body. Then 2 packing pieces from the bogie stretcher etch fit over that with the filed bearing next, then the bogie. A washer is required above the nut. There are four appropriately sized holes on the bogie stretcher etch (arranged around the part number etching) suited to this purpose that just need cutting out. I made a little nut spinner type tool out of the filing jig for the top hat bearings since it is has already served the primary purpose. With a little tweaking I found it was possible to adjust this to grip the nut for transferring, which made what is usually quite a fiddly job easy. The 'Dean' square style buffer housings with oval heads are filed up from coach buffer turnings whilst holding in a pin chuck. There are some lovely looking castings available in the 2mm shop nowadays, I think resulting from the efforts of @-missy-, but I've always done mine this way since before they were available. Couplings will be fitted after painting. I've undercoated the bodies two different colours in the hope the final shade will vary a little. I think the grey is too light even for faded GWR grey? I said last time I only intended to make one of these Mink Fs. The GWR only built 8 so I now have nearly half this wagon stock in model form. Whilst I really do not plan to make any more - even though I do have another body to hand - this should now be here if I do come to need it again in the future and hopefully it has been interesting and or useful to others.

Warehouse coming along, ran out of windows so time for a break. No major calamities today, most parts were reusable though I had to go to the reserve for a couple of parts. One panel is temporarily in the wrong place, it should be at the end and a door panel needs to be put in. New quoins need to be cut, getting straight edges along with a straight fold for such narrow pieces is a morning job. Thanks for looking.

Thanks for the comments and likes, much appreciated. I found another office in the pile of scraps, I used the weighbridge last year for a bit of fun with my nephew during the holidays. Remembered to touch in the edges, put in new windows.New sills after a touch of powder to indicate shadows. I made a 'kit' of door parts. Will give them a coat of spray and dry brush before fitting. Better not mess up the cornerstones now...

I've been a bit busy on DIY this past week decorating the bathroom - my regime has been decorating in the morning modelling in the afternoon. Remembering I promised some photos of the Shed in situ here are a few. Keep safe, Robin Repainted the darker patch on the door wall as the photo shows it up as too dark.

Okay, back to it, the middle section really wasn’t doing it for me, so after bashing a brewery and removing the off-centre bridge, here’s the final run at it. The gantry will run pipes across to the brewery. There’s still (always) stuff to do, but a couple of weeks might see me through. Yesterday I added the entrance arches for the industries taking apart a bridge and adapting it to the same width as the retaining walls, they’ll be weathered in tomorrow. I had a bash at making my own trees, which worked out better than I thought and will be added to the far right and a couple on waste ground left of the brewery. Also replaced some elements of the brewery with plasticard last week. They’re not fixed but you can see the idea. I’m considering a signal box just right of the centre gantry support, but it’s not going to hold me up. Any views gratefully received on this. Going to make some gate for the entrance arches now. Thanks for looking, stay safe. Charlie

So we arrive at the real purpose of this series of articles, what was an operating session like? Well, on the CORy sessions took place on a Friday evening after work was over for the week. Most of the other operators were Government employees of one sort or another and The Federal Government would shut down at 4 on Friday afternoon which meant that by the time you had got home, changed and eaten you could be back in Alexandria at around 7 – and that was “sign-on” time. We would front up at Peter’s house and go down to the basement where we would be assigned our duty for the evening. Duties included Despatcher (generally carried out by Peter himself), Yard Master at Chelan (also usually Peter unless there was a surfeit of operators that particular night), and no less that three “Engineers” or drivers. In the time I was a part of the crew I was an engineer every time, mainly because I was having to learn a completely new way of working and effectively a new language as well. Remember a couple of weeks back our esteemed Chairman posted a picture of his Union Pacific 16-wheeler in the Facebook group and I came straight back with what the English term would be for it – a DO-DO? Well, that’s a really fast way to upset an American Rail Fan, I know, I accidentally did it, it really is a different language in every respect… So, the duties of the Despatcher are basically what we might recognise those of the Controller, with the responsibility of the signalman thrown in as an aside. He calls the shots. He gives permission for trains to depart – and bear in mind that on a rural backwater or Shortline in the US a train effectively gets the word to go and then isn’t in communication with the rest of world until it appears at the other end of the line. There are of course passing places but these aren’t signalled in the way that they would be on a single line in the UK. The Despatcher will issue a Train Order which will be communicated to the Engineers of the trains involved (originally by telegraph but more likely these days by radio) telling them who should do what. If two trains are approaching a passing place one will be told to take the Siding and the other told to take and hold the Main. From memory, taking the Siding means taking the loop line and stopping to let the other train pass, Taking and Holding the main means taking the main line thru the passing place, the word “Holding” implying that this train has right of way and if everything has worked should be able to pass through unchecked. I may have got this last bit wrong and am prepared to be corrected if I have – if anyone knows the truth… The other thing the Despatcher had to do was keep the passenger traffic running, there wasn’t much of this – the American railroads are for the most part a freight operation – but you can impose a lot of discipline on an operating session by having a passenger train run at a scheduled time, and then having to have all the freight trains pulled off the “Main” to allow it to pass. The function of the Chelan Yardmaster was to assemble the trains that are needed, sometimes these are for the operating session currently underway but could equally be for the next session and I will explain what drove that in a bit. And the Engineers? Well, we drove the freight trains; the question is how did we know what to do? Before we look at that though, let’s take a moment to talk about what you might expect to find as you travel along a Shortline. Most of the lines on Peter’s layout were single so there were passing loops (US term Siding) and what we would call sidings (US term Spur). At each of these “features” there was “industry”, it might be a grain silo, it could be a warehouse, a factory or even a Lumber (Timber) Yard. Each industry would require a regular exchange of rail vehicles of a type appropriate to its business. A grain silo might need an empty hopper to be delivered once a week (every 7th operating cycle); a furniture factory could require a monthly delivery of raw lumber on a special lumber car and a daily supply of empty boxcars to take away its products; a food factory could require a regular supply of Refers (refrigerated boxcars) – say 2 cars three times a week: and so it goes on, Peter had a list of all the industries on the layout and a list of the cars each one would require to perform its function; a bit like real life really… What comes next in the story is a bit of a mystery, at least in that it was something I never saw because Peter did between operating sessions so I have no idea how he actually did it, but it involved making a list of the loads that needed to be moved between industries and yards in the next session – in accordance with the list of the requirements for each industry. I think – and it is only supposition – that he was using a spreadsheet to do this, but I can’t be sure. Anyway, sometime later I did talk about this to our esteemed former Treasurer and Excel guru Graham I who assured me that he could write me a spreadsheet macro to produce the required output. So, how did this output appear? Well, when I “signed on” I drew my walkaround controller and a little pack containing two different types of cards: Car Cards and Waybills. Car cards? Think Library cards. There’s a photo attached of some I designed in Visio a long time ago and have printed on thin card as a prop for this essay. There needs to be one card for each car or wagon on the layout. Basically, Peter’s gave a description of the car, including a running number. In my own inimitable style I haven’t really thought through what ought to be printed on a UK wagon card, I have simply noted down the sort of things I thought might be of interest to the operator (such as braked/unbraked) and moved on to another project, but as a starter these work. And Waybills? Those were simple slips of card that were inserted in the car cards. On them were contained the details of the industry that needed that particular car on that operating session. If you were lucky (or unlucky) sometimes there were two waybills in the car card. Why? Well, you might want to drop your grain hopper off at the silo this trip to be filled and then next trip take it down the valley to the distillery to be emptied. Just to explain the concept of library cards for our younger readers, those of a certain age will remember that in order to get a book out of the library you took your library card and the book you wanted to the desk where the clerk would stamp the “return by” date inside the front cover, and then pull the book’s record slip out of its pocket, put it in your library card and file that card in a wooden tray in a slot corresponding to when it was due back. So, my train typically had 8 to 10 cars, I had my controller, I had my car cards with their waybills which were held together by a foldback clip, and I was ready to go – which will be described in the next edition. If you want to read the American take on this you can find useful notes at: https://www.building-your-model-railroad.com/model-railroad-operation.html

I've not really had the motivation to do proper modelling the last couple of days, so I'm just sat doing more CAD. I've also been trying to fix my 3D printer as that's been playing up again. However, this has resulted in the prototype 48DS CAD being finalised, and the Heinz version modelled as well. Here they are in the print supporting software. Stats: Hours left on current 3D print: 7hr30mins (ooh, exciting...) Number of Rustons bought today: 1 (it won't be a Ruston for long, their chassis' are so nice) Cumulative pushup counter: 1830 (when I started this, I wasn't expecting it to go on for more than about 2 weeks...)

I've got my science hat on today (it glows, and there are many bells and whistles) and am having a stab at making a controller. I haven't got one here and it's irritating trying to test locos with just a 9V battery. So, the plan is to make something that I can use for testing, which means adding a degree of automation to shuttle a loco back and forth along a short length of track. That means Arduino. So I've had a play around with a new Nano Every on a breadboard with a PWM motor driver - total cost less than £20. If I bought the unbranded eBay equivalents it would be even cheaper. I've got it set up running a motor up to full speed, hold for 5 seconds, then ramp back down to stop. Then the same in reverse. I've tested a load of different motors and they all seem to be running ok. Next step is to mess around with the programming a bit more, add manual control and make a nice neat PCB for it all to sit on. No small task then! Stats: Total motor test hours (so far): 2 No. of motor types tested: 5 Cumulative pushup counter: 2125

Having said that the next post would be about the coupling rods, this will have to wait as I have been working instead on mounting the motor. I'm using a 7mm diameter coreless one from eBay, which has no built-in way of fixing it in place. So after some pondering I decided to make a collar that can be tightened around the motor to hold it. This started as a length of scrap 0.25mm nickel silver from the sprue of an etched kit. It was easily formed into a circle using a brass bar in the vice with the jaws open: I bent out two "legs", and drilled a hole to 14BA clearance through them, as in the next photo. This will allow the collar to be tightened on to the motor with a nut and bolt: I also soldered a 12BA nut onto the collar at 90-degrees to the tightening screw (which will go in the coal bunker). This 12BA nut allows the collar to be screwed onto the chassis block, through a hole drilled for the purpose. In the photo below, you can see the collar in place. I've fitted a washer under the 12BA nut in an (ongoing) attempt to find the best height for meshing the worm. It would probably have been better to hold the motor at the business end (in part to avoid having it in the rear of the cab), but there wasn't space to attach it there owing to the hole for the chassis fixing screw. Here is an underneath view, showing the 12BA screw - I recessed the head in the chassis block. Note that the 14BA nut is soldered onto one side of the collar leg, so that you can adjust the screw holding the motor in place without having to hold the nut in position. Here the plastic 30:1 worm has been fitted. Since it has a wider bore than the motor shaft I used one of the Association shaft adapters, on to which the worm is a tight push fit. The adaptor was a loose sliding fit on the shaft of this particular motor, so I secured it with Araldite. There was a danger of gumming up the works in this operation, so I used a temporary barrier of cigarette paper and additionally kept the motor turning while the glue dried. Trials now indicated that the worm needed to be supported at the other end in order to remain properly engaged with its wheel, so I cut a piece of brass angle and attached a frame bush: This simply screws into a tapped 12BA hole in the chassis block: The nice things about this arrangement are that (1) all of the screws can be tweaked to get it to run just right, and (2) the motor could be replaced if need be. It and the worm can just be slid out backward. Getting it to run is not as easy as it appears - in fact, I find it works best currently with at least one screw slackened off, which probably indicates that something is not lined up somewhere, but I haven't been able to find exactly where yet. Below you see me running in the gears with the motor temporarily powered up. As you can see, I didn't end up attaching the worm to either of the side frames, for which I provided the tall extensions. The current plan is to leave these in place as extra weight, unless I find that the space is needed for something else!

I am becoming slightly obsessed with the Hornby Ruston 48DS chassis, to the extent that I'm now looking at a number of other things I might be able to fit it under. Suggestions welcome! Last night I was too tired to do any proper modelling, so I had a mess around with my Howard/Hibberd/Planet CAD, and it looks like the Ruston could be made to fit. The wheels are a little bit too small, but reasonably well hidden on this loco, and the bonnet would have to be made about 2mm wider. I'm still debating whether this is an acceptable compromise - it would run much better than its current chassis. I'm also having a go at semi-freelancing another... thing - I'm not going to reveal what it's based on yet, as there's a good chance it won't work. It is very small though! Stats: Time spent on CAD instead of sleep: too much Hours before I have to go back to work (hooray!): 100(ish) Cumulative pushup counter: 1690 (ow!)

Seems like an eternity, but the Christmas break gave me a push to do something. A strip of LEDs is hanging over it at the moment while I decide on how to mount it permanently. Christmas delivered several workers for the allotment and waste ground, so they received a quick wash along with the pigs and took up residence.. I saw the frame for the warehouse crane while browsing and decided that it was the way forward and I’ve just knocked it up after tea. Away for a few days so the painting will have to wait. Managed to finally pick up some plastic for the drainpipes as well, so these will now move forward. Looking at it now, some of the paper is beginning to come away, so an hour with a very fine brush is needed. The factory has gained a chimney, and the area to its left will gain a crane, based on Daisyfield overhead by combining the ratio overhead traversing crane and a converted lamp hut. I picked up the Metcalfe fire station as well, with a bit of modification I’m hoping it will help fill along the back. Happy new year all, thanks for looking.

Thinking about things a couple if days ago to possibly move the crane platform from the right hand end to the left. Finally got around to it today and replaced it with coal staithes, which makes better sense as it had been looking like that area needed a function anyway. The crane platform does the job, now just need to fit a crane. While I was at it, one of the buffer stops was loose, and took the opportunity to move it forward 2”. Adds a bit more of a busy feel somehow. Factory not moved on anymore yet, but I’m pleased with the area now as a whole. Things will slow down a bit now as the holiday is over, but I’m aiming for 30 minutes a day for the sake of sanity! Coal staithes Crane platform Repositioned buffers Thanks for looking.

I like to make look functional if possible, so I’ve added a door for vehicle access in a suitable place. Some examples show a sliding panel in front of windows, so I’m going for that. Most of the windows are now in place and all but the roof levels are glues in place. End panel tomorrow, sliding door, roof and corners to cover yet followed by down pipes and details. Thanks for looking

Main door just finished. Looking at what to do with the windows to make it look less derelict. Updated after tea, added rail for door, printed a strip of random photos and mounted inside first floor to break up the bleakness inside. Thanks for looking.

I’m done here, I’ll be finishing the goods crane when I begin work on the overhead at the far end. Seems to make sense so they can be finished at the same time. The veg weren’t the easiest to dress up, but they do the job. I cut a couple of them up so they could be used in different ways. These still look a little card like, from a distance their okay, but I might get a paintbrush out to blend them in a bit. Not today though. Thanks for looking.

Got to give this time to settle in now. The greenhouse was touch and go for a while, particularly while looking at it in situ and thinking that the back face ‘glass’ was so clear it looked like I’d missed it out...given that it was all planted, I had a few choice words. It’s missing some planting and general detritus, good news though, the pigs got a trough of feed today. Thanks for looking.

Started to work for a few minutes and spent an hour on the allotment, fitted light into the factory. More difficult than I thought, going to make up some frames tomorrow and a greenhouse. Had to coax a pig down from a tree for this photo. Strange how they get about when I’m not looking.... Just holding off doing the brewery I suppose. Better keep going... Thanks for looking.

Managed to get the leds I was after, 8mm warm white. Must remember to paint the insides of the buildings black before assembling from now on if they’re to be lit. Will mount switches along the front panel for individual control of each building. Looks like they need a draught excluder in the office. Thanks for looking.

Continued to make retaining walls and move along the front edge. Extended the waste ground, still some work to do but happy so far. Began to work on the hard standing before the bridge using the workshop from the Metcalfe engine shed, the height of the buildings will gradually increase towards the left hand end. Glad I’ve got the brewery on the shelf as it’s now discontinued. The ale house opposite is a temporary fix and the incline is in the wrong place. New windows have been fitted, And a bit of work in the allotment... I really am going to have to do something about that front edge! Doncaster model engineering show tomorrow, may pick up some warm white leds. Thanks for looking.

The mundanity of making retaining walls required an antidote in the form of adding some life... What is worrying is how the pigs get about...yesterday they managed to get on the roof, when I started today they were looking over the fence. My wife denies all knowledge... Thanks for looking.

Disaster! Well maybe not entirely....Missed the column when varnishing, as I added the details my massive fingers did their best to undo a good hours work. Carried on with the additions, and repainted before a lighter job on the weathering. Seems to fit in more anyway. Realised I'd also lost the water pipe, but luckily found a piece of heat shrink that was the right size. Bonus in that it had a good texture as well. Extended the wooden fence on the near side of the yard, health and safety said there was a risk of workers getting on to the tracks. Now considering the area in the foreground, probably not a good idea to pave it as it now needs buildings and an industry here doesn't make sense, as they are just card it shouldn't be an issue to pull up at least some of them. There has been a request for allotments from my wife, and it might make sense given the opposite end will be very industrial, this section coming from the fiddleyard and under the bridge will act as a run in. If I add buildings here, I'll obscure this view. An opportunity for colours other than brick red might not be a bad thing. I would say that next time I will plan a bit better, then again it's interesting to see it change and grow as things develop. Time to plant some temporary bushes and see what's under the bench. Thanks for looking.

Still fine details to attach and dereliction around the base, came out a bit more corroded than I wanted, and needs a matt varnish. Thanks for looking.

Capping and weathering done, time to begin moving down the backscene, 2 feet complete except for the front area. Already paved but still lacking ideas. Any suggestions? Now to move on to the retaining walls, then got to think of the industries. A Metcalfe brewery, warehouses and small factory and entrance in stock along with an engine shed. The engine shed could become a factory to fill up space before the brewery towards the other end. Will add the goods crane when I've moved down the back a bit, just noticed the water tower looks very pristine at the moment...just when you think you've finished... Thanks for looking.

Just need to add a few caps and then weathering to finish. Coach is back in but not finished yet. Had to stop because I ran out of glue... Thanks for looking.

Except for a light varnish to set things, goods shed awaits. Thanks for looking.

Basic construction finished, handrail and some details to follow. Goods shed close behind. Thanks for looking

Good morning, An update on the 2mmFS AGM yesterday and KoL's appearance. Whilst presenting at exhibitions is still a relatively new thing for me, putting your work on show to your fellow 2mmFS peers with a common interest is a somewhat slightly nerve racking experience This was my first attendance at an AGM, mainly due to AWOL in BCN but it was Mick Simpson who suggested at Warley last year that I bring the layout along. Set up was pretty smooth and this was the first outing with the layout in DCC mode. I am using the Uhlenbrock Daisy II system and am very happy with it. http://www.uhlenbrock.de/de_DE/produkte/digizen/I000C683-001.htm!ArcEntryInfo=0004.4.I000C683 - Which is available through a couple of suppliers in the U.K. - usual disclaimer My thanks again to Nigel Cliffe for all his help and even packing his laptop and software to be able to correct a few things I hadn't quite got to grips with yet. Nigel even added some loco bitmap icons for the handset as well as tuning my 37 which was a little on/off in its responsiveness...due to the chip I think. Setting up the morning before at home and the layout behaved itself - 24 hours later at a show and we had derailments, uncoupling issues and a dodgy wire to a turnout...again the latter identified by Nigel with my meter...I also took the mock up of Thurso which we propped up against the layout to show the next phase of this project. Thanks for the nice feedback all. The AGM itself was fairly rapid and congratulations to all those who won prizes. Tim Shackleton was the judge and followed with a few inspirational words about finescale modelling. For me, it was an enjoyable day out and very nice to meet familiar faces (some I haven't seen since the 2mmFS Goldern Jubilee) and meet some new ones. My thanks to my youngest son Jo who came to help set up and operate which allowed me to chat with peeps. It was also nice to have a few interlopers on the layout some of which has been captured in the iPhone pics below. If you are wondering about the title, it's because I have never made it to Kyle yet, only getting as far as Inverness about 30 years ago...although I do feel I know the place quite intimately If of interest, Kyle is due to appear at the following exhibitions planned to date: February 2017 - Tonbridge February 2018 - Stafford Here's a few pics... the t-shirt...my son was wearing his but beneath his hoodie as he was cold... the formal proceedings... nigel identifying the problematic turnout... pixie laid out some stock on the thurso mock up... nic bastable's 207 finally get's north...without third rail... dave strattons class 33 - farish on Dapol chassis... bryn's 24081 and some of his wagons... a few more of bryn's wagons...my grampus was only chucked on as it has two loops at each end... pixie's class 25...looks really at home...although 25's never made it there I believe... pixie's class 24/1 - etched pixels mods to a class 24... All in all a fab day out and thanks to all for their kind comments. Pete