two tone green Posted October 9, 2014 Author Share Posted October 9, 2014 Well its been a very enjoyable two evenings. Yesterday evening I went down to Swanage to meet Mike at his workshop that he uses to make all the wonderful things he does for his business Greenwood Model Railway Products. An amazing place which is fast developing into a haven of modelling excellence. Set in a long barn he has two workshops that has machinery in one and the other that has his laser cutter & PC's and assembly work benches. I went to see how my rather nice goods shed had been transferred from my scribbling's and dimensions on some A4 paper to the fantastic looking item sat on my boards at home. But I had an alternative agenda in that I wanted to see the turntable he is doing for me and I was not disappointed. What a bit of kit it is. Actually its not a kit as it will be delivered fully built, fully operational. Cut a hole 502mm in diameter drop it in and other than drilling a few more securing holes that's it. Oh, track connected to it as well. I wont bore you with all the details as I save all that plus photos until I collect it off him at the O Gauge Traders Show at Reading at the beginning of December. If you are at the show, ask me nicely and I'll show you it ! Mike has said he will build an engine shed for me based on a reduced sized version of Aberbeeg. My goods shed looks good. The engine shed will be even better ! This evening has been just as exciting as I have just got back from Lionheart Trains HQ up near Stroud to acquired a nice new 4575 Prairie Tank, with DCC and sound of course. And very nice it is too. A quick snap to show that its as equally impressive as his 45XX. I'll take some better photos tomorrow when I get home and able to get it on my layout. I can feel another video coming on. But the cream on the cake was chatting with Richard in his workshop about his new 43XX which then resulted in us taking it apart to see what made it tick. Well chuff in this case as it as an impressive range of features that make this rather an impressive loco. Not just because it is well made, highly detailed and a very nice runner, but because it has removable working oil lamps, a nice little lamp in the sight glass, inside working motion and to top it off a interesting smoke system. No its not the magic blue smoke that some poor users of DCC some times experience when things get crossed connected but a nice little fan driven smoke unit mounted up front inside the boiler that exhausts nicely up the chimney. The model I saw was an EP in GWR green with Richard telling me that changes needed doing but from what I had in my hands and saw running on his test track I would be happy to have it there and then. Its heavy but a beautiful runner and when the sound is off, silent. The 43XX is going to be a stunner when finished. At a few bob under £2K it is well worth every penny and I have my order in and looking forward to around April May time when if all goes well it should be placed in my hands and I will be a happy soul. Sorry, no photos of the 43XX for some very good reasons. Really only one reason. I forgot. I was so busy looking it over and running it I just forgot. Sorry. I will be going back up there very soon so hopefully Richard will let me take some then . He did offer this time but I just did not get around to it. Oh, he will have a more up to date example at the Reading show. Do pop over to have a look. You wont be disappointed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share Posted October 10, 2014 Hello again all 7mm RTR fans. The long running topic of 7mm RTR and the general lack of things RTR to satisfy those who want to buy a box, open it and place its contents on their layout in the shortest time as possible without going near a tube of glue or burning their fingers on a soldering iron must surely be happy with this little gem from Lionheart Trains. Even the hard nose kit builders must be able to appreciate this lovely example of the 4575. Perhaps there are one or two out there who have had one delivered in a plain brown wrapper and pull all the curtains and run it in secret. Even glancing the other way so if caught can deny looking at it as it chuffs its way nicely around their exact to scale, all rivets present or not as required, colour match layout. Anyway, here are some better photos of my new purchase and in which I am well pleased. Like its slightly smaller, shorter range sister it runs smoothly but lively. Quiet when the sound functions are off but why waste the lovely sounds by running it fully muted. If you are in the area pop around and enjoy it as much as I am. Well worth every penny. Bring on the 43XX. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Very nice mate, when I have some more track down you'll have to bring them over Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 10, 2014 Author Share Posted October 10, 2014 Sure will Steve. I can retrieve my mouse as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 Careful mate a manor, hymek, DMU and small praries your on your way to a scale model of West Wales. Get that Deltic back out Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Ok, just for you Steve here it is lurking just behind the goods shed. Will the 74XX pannier in black I am collecting at the Reading Show add to the West Wales theme by any chance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 The weather here has been miserable today down here far west. But the upside is that I get to play do some modelling. Even some frame work for the extension board for the new St. Davids engine. I have managed to get the baton fitted to the wall that the board will rest upon. This for me is the critical bit as it needs to be level so the new board mates with the existing boars and will be level across the whole board in all directions. Seems to have worked. But also have made a bit more progress with my signals. Three 'bases' done. Three platform starters with two platform mounted, hence being shorter. The only other signal to start is the approach signal that will also be a bracket signal with two dolly's but also hopefully a mechanical indicator box. The indicator box will be next to the lower dolly controlling access to platforms two & three and reception road where the goods shed and engine shed are access from. Nice little challenge but worth the effort should it all work. A five servo jobby Also had a slight diversion onto the goods shed to have a go at the roof. More on this later. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Here is a photo of the inside of the shed without its roof. Looking good me thinks Another Deltic for you Steve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Nice work on those Signals TTG. Cheers, Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Signals are looking good, very neat work. Just wondering, is that weight bar a little too far up the doll? JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Hi Jon, Its the fact the doll is not fitted into the gantry. When the doll is fitted in place the crank is level / horizontal with the crank that transfers the motion from the upright push rod. I will try to post to more photos with things placed in position so its a bit more obvious. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Ah, good. Always nice to see signals being made:-D JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 12, 2014 Author Share Posted October 12, 2014 I have managed to get the engine shed board 80% complete. Enough to position and see how the track etc. will fit on it. Using the excellent track planning software package AnyRail I am 99% sure it will fit. Mike down at Greenwood Model Railway Products is building the turntable and will be ready to collect at the Reading show but I am going to make a template to represent the turn table to test fit everything. I cannot go much further building the board and fitting more bracing as I need the turntable first to find its final resting place and then I can fully finish the board underneath. The 7mm Manor is there to show the area I have to play with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwales Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Hi Andy Looking good, where is the approach track coming from, is it the road with the buffer stop on the right? Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 12, 2014 Author Share Posted October 12, 2014 Hi Ian, Yes but using a double slip I will link in the loading bay track as well. This will give me quite good shunting capabilities as well as adding quite a bit of flexibility in operations. Ignore the random track items as its me playing. But the vertical straight is where the shed will be with other engine servicing tracks spread around it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 12, 2014 Author Share Posted October 12, 2014 So here is the track plan for St. Davids. The left hand end of the layout is a good as finished track wise with everything in place with only the two goods shed tracks needing the smallest of tweaking once the shed is complete. The right hand end of the layout is the one undergoing the biggest of changes with the new engine shed area taking shape nicely. The board is done as much as I can do pending the arrival of the turn table at the beginning of December. I will use the double slip arrangement as it offers a lot more flexibility in operation. The double slip will more than like move a tad to the left in the plan as it does encroach slightly into the loading bay platform and will allow a slightly smoother curve off it onto the turntable. As for the final track plan for the actual shed area, not sure other then it will have some tracks ! I want to experiment once the turn table is in place. I think the area I will have will allow me a steam loco servicing area as well as a diesel servicing area. Nothing grand but I need the right services to cope with my loco fleet that is mixed and still growing. Time to stop now and get ready to face the world of work again tomorrow. Don't forget the Carmarthen O Gauge Show October 25th. Nice little show with quite a lot to see. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 How could anyone not like this. Yet another RTR loco added to the fleet in the shape of a rather attractive San Cheng Hall courtesy of the nice people at Tower Models. DCC in the shape of a ESU Loksound V4 decoder + ESU Powerpack to be added to the loco and a V4 LokPilot FX + Powerpack in the tender and of course lights on both. I'll add some more photos once I get it home and have added all the DCC stuff. Don't forget the Carmarthen O Gauge Show this coming Saturday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 The west wales theme is really coming together now mate. Looks like the platform has been extended in the track plan or am I just reading it wrong Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 Hi Steve, There are no changes to the platforms due to the new engine shed area. Its nt a very good representation of the platforms in the track diagram as it does give the impression the long finger is quite narrow when in fact its a reasonable width. as for the 'New Platform Area' text at the right hand end of the platform is left over from quite a long time ago. All the platforms are built and in place. Just need painting. The next addition to the GWR / BR WR theme is the Pannier in December. Actually, the layout whilst having a strong GWR / WR theme from a steam point of view, if you switch to diesels then its multi region. Steam wise I am happy with the WR bias with a nice injection of LMR as well as I always saw the layout as a joint railway. Hurry up December and the Reading show. I get my sticky mitts on the turntable as well. The impact of adding it is quite big actually as I am having to move a loft trap door in the railway room to allow the additional board that takes the turntable and shed area. This is being done during November, not sure of the date but it will happen during that month. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 A local spat, my house is bigger than your house. A Manor v Hall. The new kid on the block makes itself known to a stable mate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Very nice. Cheers, Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 Hi Bob, The Hall fits in nicely with the West Wales theme with the model being a very nice runner. In fact slightly better than the Manor and that is good. Its had all the DCC stuff fitted so ready to enter service on the railway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted November 8, 2014 Author Share Posted November 8, 2014 Been fitting the nice little ESU Power Pack to my V4 Lok Pilot FX decoders to solve a slight flicker problem with the lamps fitted to the tenders of my 7mm locos. Did four in just over an hour which of course involves getting at the decoder. Its the hardest part taking the tender apart as the four little screws are very little and not always fitted in the best of places to get to. Black 5 was the easiest, Hall was the hardest. Using the ESU Lok Programmer I set the interrupt time to 1 second and tested the installation by lifting the tender off the track and the light stays alight for around a second. Problem solved , no more flicker. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted December 7, 2014 Author Share Posted December 7, 2014 I could not wait to get home to see what is in the boxes of some of the goodies I collected yesterday at the Reading O Gauge Traders Show. The two big ticket items were the turntable from Greenwood Model Railways and a 74XX Pannier from Lionheart Trains. So what better place to show off the pannier than on the turntable. Sorry about the quality of the photos but they are taken in my kitchen in my apartment in Bristol and its not the brightest of places. If things look slightly out of true, alignment its because the motor drive unit is not fitted below the pit so the deck is rested on it and not centred as such. Also the deck has a few 'layers' to it so it comes apart to service it and paint it etc. It will look better once its installed in the base board at home. As for the drive unit, its a GF Control unit specially made for Greenwood Model Railways. It now has a frog juicer built in to sort out the deck rails polarity as well as an interface for use with DCC but it comes with a key board for programming and 'normal' use if you don't want DCC control. I will be using the turntable interfaced with DCC & RR&Co so once the turn table is indexed using the keypad it can be removed. Should you be a DC user the DCC interface can be interfaced to a real world control panel and push buttons installed on it to select the road you want. Its very simple and all you need are some push buttons and the plug to connect it to the motor drive unit. This is a few bob from Maplins. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted December 7, 2014 Author Share Posted December 7, 2014 So, question. What colour do I paint it ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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