Fryers Lane - Speedlink in the '80s (P4)

[Mark Forrest]

Meanwhile, locos.

You might remember I posted a photo of a ViTrains 37 which was suffering from a bit of buffer droop.  On closer inspection the buffers were not only drooping but also about 1mm too low.

 

Reference photos and drawings suggested that the ride height was about right, but that the buffer beam was mounted too low.  Centre line of the buffer should be in line with the bottom edge of the body.  The buffer beams are plastic and unscrew from the metal chassis.  I removed these and filed as thin as I dared, but they still weren't getting there, so I needed to new holes for the buffers at the correct height.  37201 had round buffers when first painted in Railfreight Metals livery, so I was able to use the Lanarkshire Models & Supplies OLEO buffers (the same as I had used on the Class 20).

 

To strengthen the buffer beam I added a couple of triangles of plastic between it and the underside of the chassis, then fixed them back in position.

Much better:

[CourthsVeil]

… so what we have here is the keeping it simple approach. It is just a length of aluminium channel which the servo is a snug fit inside, with a hole drilled/filed for servo output to poke through.

 

A short length of wire between the holes in the servo arm and a hole drilled in the centre of the tie-bar transfers the movement between the servo and the switch blades - simples! …

 

Mark, I'm a bit late, but here my little contribution to your (and Geoff's) servo solution:

 

 

 

 

Just a length of alu channel plus two bolts – the baseboard in my pictures for clarity (p.i.) replaced by a bit of perspex.

I don't use a mounting plate (because I've never heard about before…). My opinion: unnecessary!

 

This simple approach makes adjusting the servo a snap: just loosen the nuts and

jiggle the servo a bit until the wire goes dead straight trough the tie bar hole.

As you said: SIMPLES!

Don't forget to tighten the nuts again…     

 

And: piano wire or guitar wire are my choice too! No loop needed.

The K.I.S.S. principle applies here too!

 

Apart from that: a very nice and interesting layout you have there. Keep up the good work:

 

Regards

   Armin

[Geoff Cook]

Mark, I'm a bit late, but here my little contribution to your (and Geoff's) servo solution:

 

S-Halter 0.JPG

 

S-Halter 1.JPG

 

 

Just a length of alu channel plus two bolts – the baseboard in my pictures for clarity (p.i.) replaced by a bit of perspex.

I don't use a mounting plate (because I've never heard about before…). My opinion: unnecessary!

 

This simple approach makes adjusting the servo a snap: just loosen the nuts and

jiggle the servo a bit until the wire goes dead straight trough the tie bar hole.

As you said: SIMPLES!

Don't forget to tighten the nuts again…     

 

And: piano wire or guitar wire are my choice too! No loop needed.

The K.I.S.S. principle applies here too!

 

Apart from that: a very nice and interesting layout you have there. Keep up the good work:

 

Regards

   Armin

 

Armin

 

Each switch blade has it's own actuating wire going down through the board, which then engages onto the tie bar which is in the adaptor plate, the servo wire going into the tie bar

 

This removes the problem of having ugly tie bar between the sleepers, and allows you to fit a prototypical tie bar which is just cosmetic

 

Geoff

[Mark Forrest]

Thanks Armin, that looks a very neat installation; I wish my work was that tidy!

 

As Geoff says, the functional tie bar is below the baseboard in my case, within the Exactoscale Tortoise base, so a slightly different movement is required than when connecting direct into the tie bar hole, but useful stuff nevertheless, thanks for posting.

 

Geoff has reminded me I still need to sort out some cosmetic tie bars too; although that may be a job for after Scaleforum.

[Mark Forrest]

I know I've posted similar before, but I never get tired of seeing the difference between an 00 and a P4 wheelset

 

[2ManySpams]

Yes, the cog gear is much bigger in P4.

 

Go on, show the difference between EM and P4 as well.

 

(ps I've found there's a bigger difference between oo and o...)

[Mark Forrest]

Go on, show the difference between EM and P4 as well.

 

If you insist...

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

Which is which?

 

Mike.

[Mark Forrest]

Which is which?

 

Mike.

It's OK, you're in denial, one day it will all become clear to you

[2ManySpams]

Which is which?

 

Mike.

Mike,P4 is the one that doesn't stay on the track... ;-p

[Enterprisingwestern]

It's OK, you're in denial, one day it will all become clear to you

 

I'm in Spain, nowhere near an African river.

 

Mike.

[Mark Forrest]

I promise to look past the smelly diesels and modern wagons and to closely inspect all and any buildings.

 

Hope this helps...

 

Here you go, a nice "modern" wagon for you

 

Tasks completed tonight include making these buildings a bit more three dimensional, bufferbeam pipework for the 37, another 20 regauged and orders placed for various parts and materials ready for the upcoming Bank Holiday weekend when I will once again be avoiding installing the new bathroom suite to carry on getting the layout ready.

[2ManySpams]

Nope, not seen any wagon.

[Enterprisingwestern]

That's one way to make sure they don't derail.

 

Mike.

[Stubby47]

Nope, not seen any wagon.

You don't want to - the further away it is, the bigger it gets - I'm with Father Duncan !

[Mark Forrest]

That's one way to make sure they don't derail.

 

Mike.

I'm beginning to think you don't believe reliable running is possible in P4

[Mark Forrest]

Yesterday work required a visit to Teesside; still every cloud has a silver lining it gave plenty of opportunity to look at industrial buildings clad in corrugated and box section materials.

 

Last night I made a start on painting a couple of the buildings. I'm not usually a big fan of acrylic paints, much prefer enamels, but I wanted something quick drying.

 

I've deliberately put too much variation between the panels. Will then give this a wash to blend it all together.

 

Looking at it in day light this morning, the colour variations are much more subtle than they appear in the photo taken when the paint was still wet last night. Overall I'm pleased with how it is turning out.

 

Edit: to correct spelling of Teesside!!!

[Waveydavey]

Yesterday work required a visit to Teeside; still every cloud has a silver lining it gave plenty of opportunity to look at industrial buildings clad in corrugated and box section materials.

 

It's Teesside. Two e's and two s's. Otherwise known as God's country.

Whereabouts did you go. You could have dropped in for a cuppa and an update on my new layout. You'll have plenty of opportunity at S4um though.

 

Cheers

 

David

[Mark Forrest]

It's Teesside. Two e's and two s's. Otherwise known as God's country.

Whereabouts did you go. You could have dropped in for a cuppa and an update on my new layout. You'll have plenty of opportunity at S4um though.

 

Cheers

 

David

Oops, should've known how to spell it seeing as SWMBO has family connections in the area.

My employer has a little warehouse on Teesport which I make occasional visits to. Yes, be good to catch up at S4um, see you there, normally only see you at DEMU Showcase!

[Mark Forrest]

Had a slightly frustrating day working on the servo linkages yesterday. By the time I was finished all three turnouts were operating reasonably enough, but there is room for improvements to be made. Basically I've made it hard work for myself by using homebrewed mounts and linkages and leaving it so late in the build. Another lesson learnt. Will post some pictures once I've made a few further tweaks.

Meanwhile, here are a couple of photos of the current state of 37201 and the background buildings.

 

 

[Mark Forrest]

I think I'm happy with the two servos which operate the crossover between the mainline and the loop. These seem to be operating reliably and I've wired both to the same switch so they move together as they should. The tweak required to get these to this stage was to bush the servo arm and add an extended tube to the tie bar so the operating rod remains near to horizontal, like this:

 

 

These take up some of the slack I had in the linkage. The screw down connector allows the tie bar to be centred independently of the servo position. I like it, it's simple and effective.

 

The third still needs some more fiddling. I'm not sure I'm getting enough movement at the tie bar I think spacing it off the baseplate is the answer. Did try a stiffer wire, but that didn't do the trick.

[Mark Forrest]

I managed to get the third servo working satisfactorily yesterday. The problem was simply that I had set the switch rails too close together so I was asking the mechanism to move further than it really should. Another useful lesson learnt.

 

The simple pleasure of seeing the turnouts moving at the flick of a switch prompted a brief operating session featuring all of the locos currently avaibale for the layout.

 

 

In terms of critical tasks to be completed by Scaleforum that leaves:

 

1) Assembling the second fiddle yard (currently a kit of pre-cut plywood)

2) Connecting up the push-to-make switches for the electromagnets

3) AJ hooks on the locos

4) Drapes and fascia

 

In addition to these I'll be progressing the scenics as much as possible. With the exception of the pub, most of the buildings are near completed and just need setting into the landscape.

[2ManySpams]

The wall and the sheds look better at the back Mark. More natural and less standard model railway. Pity all those diesels spoil the view...

[Mark Forrest]

The wall and the sheds look better at the back Mark. More natural and less standard model railway. Pity all those diesels spoil the view...

Cheers, I think :-)

There is another fence to go in between the concreted area and the rear siding, so anything heading off scene will be partly hidden by this before disappearing behind the blue warehouse at the left; that's the plan anyway.

 

Depending on how this looks I might top the wall at the back with some scruffy wooden or corrugated iron fencing, but that's probably a future enhancement.

[Stubby47]

The wall and the sheds look better at the back Mark. More natural and less standard model railway. Pity all those diesels spoil the view...

 

Yeah, I like the sheds being at an angle, rather than flat to the backscene.