PeterBB

This is a really great one! I have not been given an iPad yet and would probably not know what to do with it. Software wise one could say "bring back DOS" because it concentrated the mind to get it right using minimal software (the only problem being its limitations). I started to fill in a questionnaire on mobile usage once ... it asked me to indicate what type of mobile I had and gave a synopsis on the classification. The lowest form could make and receive telephone calls; send and receive text messages AND take photographs. Obviously they did not take account of those that could not do all of those things like mine which also has the annoying habit of turning itself off. It also does not have what I refer to as 'a proper telephone ring' and the response from the company was that it has a number of 'ring tones'. When I do not initially respond people still have to tell me that it is my mobile ringing. Going onto navigation. I carry the latest edition of a well known road map book but, in my work SatNavs have proved to be a very valuable tool. How can you find a specific address in loads of traffic if you have to remember all the turns in a street map before you start unless of course you have 'The Knowledge'?. They are in works vehicles, require you to log in and record everything you do. Not a worry to me but a general email has been sent informing employees to watch their speed or in this forum should I say velocity? Cheers, Peter Edit - spelling only PBB

Not prone to favourites but when I read the above suggestion one came instantly to mind. I cannot remember the full title but it was on volcanoes by a chap called Jefferies. A cousin gave it to me when I visited them in their first house circa 1957 and I started reading it on the train home. It gave me an interest in geology ... another story I do have a letter from the University of London staying that I was eligible for finals but never took them and ended up doing chemistry ... but volcanoes and geomorphology still interest me. Worst book - I have no idea because it would not have been worth remembering! Peter

Hi Guys, A day off so more work on Deesdale Road. Had problems with the points, wiring correct but non-functional. Gave Andy a buzz - a mine of information - he said that the original voltage was 14.5V and could not cope. He said that I needed an additional 16v supply ... or a capacitor. Had never used one before but had purchased a Gaugemaster capacitor as a result of something I read on RMWeb so thanks guys. One other problem with DR has been the additional lead for the 'fuel' end. It was not easy to stop it falling out in transit and did once go through a whole exhibition day without being connected. It works a Hornby transformer put in because of overloading of the original - could it be modified. Once the capacitor was installed the points worked beautifully and all the DR Seep point motors are now in the circuit. Now to modify power to the 'fuel' transformer - what a boon these jack-in connectors are. During this time my simple circuit tester light failed so I decided to buy a small meter with sound. As a novice I do not yet understand all its workings but it has been fantastic in checking the circuits and everything at present beeps nicely - connections are sound (no pun intended) and it works! Now to make sure it all functions well at Quorn. Have therefore been able to work on the 'scenic' bit and the photographs will show the extension it as it now is. View towards fuel end from station - foreground is modified bridge and road far end tunnel and 'former' but modified road over bridge. New scenic background section on right. Looking towards the platform - Class 66 and long coaches no longer catch. Fuel fiddle yard slightly shorter but coaches no longer catch on the fuel side wall. Hopefully both good omens. Peco scenic background bits with scratch built wooden fence (from damaged veneer) marking railway boundary. Cheers, Peter

Hi Guys, After a week away, including a very pleasant return trip from Paignton to Kingswear on Hercules please find update on Deesdale Road pictures. Fitting detachable new road to fuel end. Celotex solid embankment fixed on viewing side and cardboard embankment clamping on 'operator side'; baseboard 'black' added. Bridge gluing fuel end. Wiring for each section of track and Seep point motors - not yet into soldering the bus wire. Wooden dowel has made connection much easier; bolt hole surrounded black for securing; black and white wires carrying 'power' to fuel end with the intention of reducing the number of separate plugs to layout. Section as it is at present. Note also 6 section socket plugs - a boon to linking section wires. Now have SPDT SR Centre off switches so will hope to put them in and check ... Peter

Hi Guys, Many thanks for the 'illuminating' information. I have been able to pick out the plough, did once look through a telescope and realised that what I was seeing as 'white' light was in most cases 'coloured'. At times of 'special' interest have tried to 'see it' but generally failed to do so. One of the reasons is that I had always lived in very brightly lit areas and the other is not recognising the 'form' because of all the other 'stars' around. Jeff; Jock; Don; Neil etc please continue because much is becoming 'clearer' to me so thank you all. Cheers, Peter

Jason, Another long time ago reminder. Saturday dinner time after school and before rugby was rabbit stew with pearl barley - great. Years later one evening not knowing the programme I was asked to indicate the rabbit I preferred ... it was given to me about 10 minutes later to dissect. While managing to do so it put me right off what I was then thinking of persuing as a career. Apologies for rabbiting on! Peter Edit spelling only PBB

Jeff Thanks for taking me back 30 odd years. We had New Zealand rabbits one of which gave a local cat a kick that it would remember. The reminder is the ocassion finding (well wondering) where Simon, our big buck, was only to see him 3 gardens away with a doe. Examining the local scene we concluded that he must have been planning for some time because the tunnell came up in their garden. We moved everything onto a concrete base after that. Cheers Peter

Don, Great story and from the history of your weekend the sight of you all must have scared them away so they decided to let you have your meal 'on the house'. The only recollection I specifically have of a little chef was the wait. We popped in for a quick meal and had to wait 45 minutes so never used them again. Cheers Peter

Seems to be working now so: The new bridge locators in place Plate girder bridge side fixed to new bridge and located on platform unit. New bridge 'bricked up' Tunnel for roadbridge to fuel depot and fiddle yard located. Thats all for now folks rest will follow when I can get to a computer with internet access. Cheers Peter

Well guys I have taken a few photographs of the cutting extension to stop platform derailments and will try to add a few. The baseboard is 60cm long and matches the fuel end to the right. Here the new road bridge is made. The clamps are on the former plate girder bridge side which formerly fixed to the tunnel via two nails to cover the joint. This will now form part of the 'invisible join' as part of a solid piece. The track is loose but buts to the platform track. WIll add more when computer functions again. Cheers, Peter

Mike, Really impressed with the pictures and the detailing on Dent and like others the 'odd' wagon and locomotive 'stored' on the layout make it. Cheers, Peter PS At our open events Andy does that as well and it makes things look so much better. PBB

Yes, Jeff, I also have asked them questions in my case on the NHS and on making the railway less expensive on the public purse by owning it and not subsidising those who claim to be running it as private company concerns. If they managed to answer that then the one that always causes problems to them. You have promised to equate FE lecturers salaries, who often teach the basic skills to those the secondary system didn't, with 'normal' teachers salaries. FE work long hours and often antisocial hours and with so many government changes micro-managed yet are paid much less ... what are you going to do about it? If its the party that I probably will not support they will knock on fewer doors that evening. Having said that I prefer them knocking on the door to these nuisance telephone calls. Conversely I have also noticed fewer emails exhorting me to vote their way this time. Peter

Andy, Thank you. I will be in touch, have been working on it today. Have taken some 'progression photographs, but have not yet downloaded them. Cheers, Peter Edit was spelling only. PBB

So with the signal moved next was to widen the station bridge entrance, cut track 'planking' in fuel depot that was catching wheels and giving the track a really good clean. Wagons and coaches ran the whole length and did not get stuck at the bridge entrance or any where else - was that just luck?... so far so good. Now the 'test'. I have three Class 66 locomotives and they are very very sensitive to any track problem so ... ran well over most of the track and great in the fuel section; didn't get stick by the signal or by the bridge entrance BUT, the close proximity of the points to the fiddle yard after the tunnel a disaster every time on emerging from the fiddle yard - two points with opposing curvature to negotiate. Therefore now building a 60cm extension to go between the station and the fiddle yard. It will need two road bridges, one at the station and and one before the fiddle yard ... will add pictures as it progresses and ... hope that the extra straight track and medium points to be added in place of a short point will 'iron out' the problems before Quorn. It will now definitely be a full 19" long. Peter

Andy, I must disagree - Deesdale Road was not poor workmanship but a transition from a single board to multiple which meant the odd compromise from what was best to the pragmatic - what will work. Scenic-wise the 'invisible point' is probably wearing since it is the most used but is underneath the road and shops which is fine but the supports for these 'get in the way' and make it difficult even for 'the hand of God' to be able to sort derailments. Have also relocated the signal lights which obstructed 'long' coaches as they came from the said point and may have been the main reason for derailments. This has led me to think ... is the point the cause or the effect? Cheers, Peter

The 'invisible point' problem. Have experimented with turning the fuel end through a right angle but it would make the fuelling depot side more than 6' long; using a curved point to make it 'shorter' the radius would have been too small. Now looking at extending by approximately 2 feet with a cutting between two roads at the 'joins'. We will see how it goes ... will the change be in place for Quorn? If it proves practical - yes but if not day three might be quite tiresome. Peter

Hi Andy, Looking at the Kirkby Luneside 2 Garage Project blog I see that Bitton has well and truly Bitton the dust. I look forward to your current project. Cheers, Peter

Hi Guys, Enjoyable South Nottingham Exhibition this weekend. The problems of Stafford with two burnt out point motors was a thing of the past with replacement point and modified inter-board electrical contact so the weekend went well and we secured a creditable 3rd of 14. Mike Kelly's Northdown was voted best layout. Our newest club member Graham Steward assisted on Saturday and today with no club member then able to assist I had a highlight when my wife as a first time user of DCC controlled locomotives, and to my knowledge ever of running model railways of any kind, agreed to help me out and proved to be a natural. She found the Bingham Club members very friendly and helpful even if the view of the role of women in some cases was a bit antiquated! Towards the end of the weekend the 'inaccessible' point caused some derailments so a further rethink of that fuel station fiddle yard end will take place. I was able to take a couple of pictures but in clearing away I seem to have packed my camera. In the event that it is soon found I will post any pictures taken. Great also to see Neil (RM Web Anotheran) and see his nephew spend a little time running the layout. Cheers, Peter PS Met the organiser of the the Great Central Railway Event in June and am looking forward to it. PBB

Hi George Sounds a bit like a 'bt-on-there and a bit-on-here' if you put all these together but would enable multi-era running changes every 6 inches or so - cheers, Peter George no.200 from me and I seem to recollect you saying once 'don't see you writing on the web' P

Hi Guys, Interesting this one. By the way I lost out on Loch Leven!. The answer to Andy's question is ... stopping progression on Rothleigh. Deesdale Road is at Cotgrave this SaturdaySunday 18th/19th April and may not look too different but in reality has had a number of changes the worst of which is that it gets heavier every time. Consider that it was initially 4ft then a fiddle yard which developed into a second part then another fiddle yard which then also provided a fuelling point and then another fiddle yard at the opposite end enabling greater running variations, All of these were 'one-offs' and were wood heavy ... if I do any more then we will need a crane to lift it. The benefit of changing it as a novice in layout building has come from replacing worn out bits and pieces that are so well embedded and the learning curve in working out how to do it. It ran well last night but setting it up this afternoon still needed some 'repairs'. The good news? Seeing all tracks, points and signal working again. Cheers, Peter PS I have run out of space so although I have been impressed by it ... Bitton will not be coming my way. PBB Spelling edit only PBB

The 37/97 has had a write up in RM ...which says that many are taking out the sound and putting it into another loco or just changing the body. In the caae of the latter I can confirm that it will not take too much 'loading' having observed it at our G&WMRG Easter Event stationary but with with the wheels turning. I like it and bought a trio of 'suitable wagons' as above from Hattons.

Andy, Hope you enjoyed Bala and that you and Dee are feeling much better as a result of it. Boy does time fly - I'll bet you are 'straining at he Bit...' and raring to go. Cheers, Peter

Hi Neil, As the saying used to go in singing round the camp fire if you were a scout 'we are the boys of the left hand shake - brothers all and ...' so you can still shake him by the hand (but not too quickly). Andy is coming and George T will be helping/doing if need be over the whole weekend. Hope that helps, Peter Spelling only edited

Andy, Thanks for the info. You've done enough towards the coming weekend. Tuesday you will be able to see what has/has not been done and 'instruct' someone to do it - politely of course. Dornoch side is already clean, including material covering all the drawers! Graham came in on the 'O' gauge running day and put up another shelf. Our far end ... is the pits at the moment. Susan has told me that I'm spending too much time at the club because I said I was going in during the week. Having said that I am sure that George will do a great job at the weekend because the main thing is for you to rest and recuperate - your forthcoming Bala should help that and Dee will make sure of it. Cheers, Peter

Look forward to seeing you George, cheers, Peter