Kal

Because you forgot to pick your specs up before the last brick went in?

Hi Crossings not so much, i will scratch them, but, bridges, catenary signal gantry, tunnel entrances, engine sheds etc al seem to be at set track spacing. Of couse if they were all scratch built, no problem but my life will not be long enough to fill the whole of AV with scratch build. Also some RTR is so cheap and good, that scratch bulding makes no sense, when the rtr is more cost affective and can be personilsed with minimum effort. I will scratch build somethings, just for the fun of it and where there are no other options, but because of the scope of AV some RTR is inevitable.

Pictures pictures pictures

Hi Thought i would garner some opinions on track spacing. I.e the space between tracks not the sleepers debate. When i laid the original parts of the layout I used the peco streamline spacing, as i was using peco steamline points and so it seems logical. The issues are though: 1. there seems to be looking limited space between tracks 2 almost all rtr accessories and detailing seems to be set for set track spacing I do not think the looks come into it, in reality the track spacing i discover on the protoype is anything but uniform and i have copious amounts of photos that bear this out. As i move into the new area, i am re thinking this and considering the set track spacing, but that will make complex track crossings a bit of a conundrum. So what do readers do? Track spacing steamline or set track? If set track how do you deal with streamline points, exten them or compress the track before and after. Answers on a postcard please. Oh and then please wite them here too

Cast your mind back to Coventry, when we met. If i can fit into a 14 in space, you, should be able to get the whole family in

Hi Ken And thank you. craftsmen... Not sure about that, but we do keep trying until we get there, which as you say often takes many attempts. So many people share so many things with us, we think it only fair that we try to offer something back. sometimes it is all a bit mythbusters, ....we muck stuff up, so you don't have to folks... But if that prevents someone making the same silly mistake, it is worth the writing. Long long way to go, so i dare say there will be many more pages, biggest problem is finding stuff in here. So many people have contibuted fantastic ideas, and i know i have read it, but sometimes it is a challenge just finding it. I have said it before, but it bears repeating, the people that add to this topic and provide the help and support, are what spurs us on. It has been a bit slow over the summer, but I think a lot of people get that. Today though, we got started ripping out the end of the current layout and planning the extension into the old loft. Insulation board on the eaves is almost done in the first section, and once the plasterboard arrives and is up, i will build the table for the next section, and the start of the lower level fiddle yard. Lesson learned from the earlier attempt, is to have enough space between levels to able to actualy be able to slide yourself in between the levels, so i have a 14 inch space between levels. The challenge is to slope the extension from the existing level to accomadate that space while ensuring the longest trains, about 12 feet long, can climb the gradient. I am aiming for 1 in 55. So watch this space, it will either be a pleasing result,..... or a train wreck in pictures.

Mick is correct. We have not gone we were just having a rest

If it is a manufacturing fault you have 6 years, but the onus is on you to prove it was due to faulty manufacture after the first 6 months.

I agree, they look good to me.

Sorry if you have said this elsewhere, but what colours do you use for weathering the track

Hmmm, sounds like the plot for a film Chuckie vs. toy story maybe.

OMG, how dim i feel for not thinking of that. Top man, thanks

Hi I knew i was opening a can of worms, which is why I try to leave my work at work. I should listen to myself. Andy, you have an electrcian, so all will be good and he will provide you with a certificate. Back to your layout, sorry to go off topic.

Hi Can of worms here... And i do not want to split hairs, so apologies up front. Often confused, because a device may combine functions, but a residual current device will not protect you from a direct short or drilling into a wire. The rcd itself measures the difference between the current in the the neutral and live and if it sees a difference, it trips within 30 ms. ( you hope) The difference occurs when the current flows somewhere other than where was intended, i.e through you to earth. If you grab earth and neutral in each hand simultaniously, an rcd will not help, as there is no residual current , i.e it is balanced. Same with a dead short. What saved the person is a mixture of the over current curcuit breaker, (often contained in same unit), the extra required earthing in drills these days and what ever higher power you believe in. Quagmire of a subject, and i am not trying to sound all clever, infact even here i have simplified, so sorry for being precious, i just get a bit OCD where electricity is concerned. As said though bodge has an electrician , so probably i'm just being a gobshite as Jason would say.

Hi I will not go into detail, a forum is not a good place to provide electrical guidence, too easy for someone to misread or misunderstand BUT One thing i can say, while various rcd (and MCB) types are a help, they should NEVER be a substitute for safe practice. They are not there to protect equipment, though as a bi product they may do so. They are not there to save you, hopefully they will but not always. They are there to prevent fires, but even that is not Certain. Never work on live circuits unless qualified to do so. If it is not being used turn it off and preferably ... Unplug it, especially chargers and transformers. I will leave it at that.

Hi Multiple RCD is a good thing, cost is what prohibits them. If it was cost effective you would like to isolate as often as you could. The purpose is to quickly remove power to prevent fires, secondary to attempt to prevent death from electrocution. If you have a fault, you want it to be tripped as close to the fault as possible for fault finding and preventing other non affected circuits from tripping.

HI Did I miss the description of the different levels? Could someone tell me the post number if I have.

I agree, Dark nights an colder weather outside, is much more conducive to modelling for me.

Does that make me the Queen?? EDIT: oh ....you said GEEK

Hi jacking ?? No, your welcome anytime, I think of it as our contributors thread, I am just the Pub Landlord. without you lot, the thread would be nothing. Just remember the RULES..... Pint for the fella, white wine or fruit based drink for the ladies. Where would we be with out rules.......

Dont forget a lot of these peeps are much older than me and you, they only retain jokes from the start of the industrial revolution.

Some of those station pics will be really useful, they show some of the elements siting that i was unsure of. Thanks you

Oops. Well.... For the work involved and the uniqueness, it is probably good value, but when it costs the same as a loco, then You got to really want it. If it it fits your layout like dt's. Then it is money well spent, but if it is just because it looks fantastic, as it does, I need to sleep on it for a week or two.

Quality.

If they hold the vote in Lancashire they will