Les1952

Working signal installed and working. Quite a battle to get the wiring runs in, even though the actual wiring isn't difficult. There is a 4-pin DIN socket on a cross-member under the board taking power from the Gaugemaster unit that otherwise powers Furtwangen Ost (one more thing to forget to take to a show...). Red and black wires are taken fron there to the signal giving 16V AC power to it. The red and black ones are attached to the signal already so it only needed the DIN to be as closer on the framing as I could get it. There are two other wires coming out of the signal base. These go to a chocky block near the signal. Here they become an easily identified twin-grey wire. This passes to a stereo jack inline socket and plug to the old bus bell-push on the framing near where the operator for the Southbound trains stands. Confused? You will be. Actually achieving this involved mid-air upside-down soldering (of course) as they layout really should have been taken down for the job. However the signal worked first time! Proof below. I wasn't too sure how well the signal would be seen by drivers- so here is a driver's eye view approaching it. It had to be beyond the hut as the baseboard is single here- it is double thickness futher back as the valley is formed from an infilled box. The base needs bedding in. I've already cut the finial off and will put a flat white cap on the post and make it dirty white instead of steel, hopefully to pass it off as more North Eastern. I'm not convinced there would have been a home at this place, though it might protect the exit from Easington Colliery further South. On the layout its purpose is to halt the sound-fitted A3 and WD and give a reason for them to perfoprm their party pieces. The 2MT will run the other way on the inspection saloon and stop to look at the track gang. Still a lot to do, but apart from the curtain most won't be noticed if I don't get to it before Grantham. Time to feed the cat. Les

FZ will be digital and Epoch IV- first loco sourced (a green Minitrix 139 electric). I've also had Schadenfreude suggested as the name. Does that clash with anyone else's layout? Les

Brilliant typing - sihnal...... Still, it arrived this morning so tomorrow I need to source a 14mm drill. The push button (rescued from MHN408- Darlington Corporation Guy Arab double-decker No.84 at the scrapyard in 19something) has been secured to the back of the layout and I got a stereo jack plug and socket to take the operating circuit across the board join, with a 4-pin DIN to allow it to use Furtwangen Ost's PSU. Might yet have a working signal to give an excuse for the sound-fitted trains to stop before it goes to Grantham... Les

More new rolling stock Probably the last as the replacement layout when I start it will be digital (at least on the railway- the tramway will depend on the period it ends up as). The new layout has the working title FZ (Furtwangen Zwei). I'll need to save a few pennies for this- liking the idea of Hobbytrains class 181 electric with digital sound. Back to reality. If FZ is another present day layout then the last Arnold railcar and this new one can work on it as they both have 6-pin sockets. Another DB car on hire, this time one of the rare single-unit high-floor types. Yes, those are Arnold Prussian Celerestories in the background. These are a pair Trevor Webster bought to anglicise- I've a similar one on Hawthorn Dene that started off DR green. He has very kindly passed them on to me and they are too good to anglicise. They will be put to good use on the vintage train, probably replacing the Rheingold car and the DR corridoor coach. Just visible is a replacement point indicator. I noticed one missing when lining up the photos. All I need is some matt black paint to finish this. Some more railings to put back and a little work where house the roof got broken still to do. When Hawthorn Dene comes back from Grantham I'll have three days to erect FO and soak test it before loading up for RMWeb Live. Doesn't time fly... All the very best Les How come I use preview and still have to edit after posting for tryping mitsokes?

First signal erected Not ordinarily a big deal but there will only be two, though I'm looking at the idea of simple colour lights on the colliery. The latter can wait until after Grantham. Of course it is only when taking pics after planting the thing I notice the lever and the safety loop have gone AWOL..... It is a fixed distant (at least in practice), the purpose of which is to give another reason to keep train speeds low -as if a man with a welding torch percehd precariously on top of the netting over the railway wasn't enough. A Ratio lower quadrant with the finial cut off looks sufficiently like a slotted post job from this distance. Eight working days before loading the layout to go to Grantham. Tomorrow a trip out to get a new staple gun so the curtain can be attached, together with a drill bit to make a hole for a Dapol signal if it arrives, and a 4-pin DIN socket to input power to said signal. If the sihnal is there at Grantham it will be working. All the very best Les

The fish train mostly runs OK, some tight axles. It probably won't be running at Grantham as there isn't space for it in the fiddleyard. It has had a turn on Rise Park, however.

Getting nearer EEK... two weeks today and the layout will be in Grantham with punters looking at it.. Progress made since Tuesday- The lights have now been fitted- one mistake was I forgot there is the best part of a foot at each end that doesn't need lighting, but too late to alter that now... The telegraph poles are planted the device along the back to stop Alf (or me) knocking trains onto the floor is now fitted The decency curtain is now the size it needs to be and is ready for velcro fitting. Still to do- curtain needs finishing and fitting the signals need adding- I've made space for a pushbutton on the layout back for a Dapol home signal beside the trackside hut, the other end will have a Ratio distant set at caution. There is still some black paint to touch up. The information pages for each end need to be written and printed off. a bit more soak testing of the trains- I've made some substitutions on the passenger trains to stop them parting company. The goods stock is getting closer. As I'm happy with each train it will go into the stock box in the right order. I've also been checking locos and cleaning wheels so there shouldn't be too many problems there. Last pic is one I took just before going on holiday. Bongo on Mr Simon's fish train. All the very best Les as ever edited for eras of tai ping...

The Great Central Railway show wants Furtwangen Ost again next year. Given that FO seems to tick more boxes with show organisers than Hawthorn Dene I'm thinking of making the 2014-2016 layout build another German one....... Plenty of time as the framework for it will be made first. Les

From experience with my shed, now 3 years old, have a good look at the drainage behind the shed before you actually get it erected. I made the mistake of putting a henfeed bin in front of mine and silt has washed off the roof causing an area where damp can come through the shed wall. The feed bin has now been removed and replaced with a gravel soakaway but I'm concerned the damage may already have been done to the main timber..... All the very best Les edited as usual for tryping mistoke...

Two weeks to show time Back from holidays and had a training session with the Rise Park mob- useful. Some improvements to put in before the show- The safety rail at the back needs to be a bit taller so stock can't fall off so easily. a couple of wires to bypass an electrically dodgy point on the back. two signals still to be installed. One of these might become a home at half-mast with a flagman, giving an excuse for the sound-fitted locos to stop. Alternately a Dapol signal, but power supply may be an issue. a little more brown paint on the ground here and there. Alf pointed out there was no clutter round the Nissen huts- that might have to wait. The second extension cable to supply the LEDs in the proscenium arrived this morning. One more coat of white to apply before I fit the lights on Friday morning. Still plenty to do. Les

Similar story with the K3. "Don't expect one in N, its our worst seller in OO". From my experience they aren't always all that slow at telling you what DOESN'T sell, especially if it has the effect of subduing demand for something they don't really want to make........... All the very best Les

Given that you've said you're getting into 0-6-0 tanks, I'm going to throw in a couple of suggestions that might bear some fruit- 1. Gresley J50. Got outside the GNR area quite a bit. 2. Hudswell Clarke "PLA class" outside-cylindered side tank. These or almost identical locos were supplied to several users other than the Port of London. There are preserved examples. 3 Also a Hudswell-Clarke, but inside cylindered, the Manchester Ship Canal Railway tanks, either short-tank or long-tank. The short tanks also found other customers and examples of both are preserved- the Worth Valley had one of each in its early days. I would have suggested a 15" or 16" Hunslet saddletank, but this might take sales from the Hudswell. So I'll throw in this one instead- 4. 16" Hawthorn Leslie/Stephenson & Hawthorn outside-cyulindered saddletankk, as supplied to Corby Steelworks, the NCB and others besides. Again a few preserved. This far out from the next announcements there is plenty of time to look at them and decide if any are viable....... All the very best Les (who would certainly order any of the four)

Hello. The Eric Tonks book on Corby gives PEN GREEN as Hudswell Clarke 607 of 1903, with 13" X 20" cylinders and 3'3" wheels. I think the 24 ton Hudswells are 14" cylinders. All the very best Les

A little video (if it works) Two trains running simultaneously- Thursday evening. Second attempt at embedding the video. http://youtu.be/r-i2wobo8hc I'll see if I can get some better quality on Tuesday.... Les

With a Grange being impounded at Huddersfield after taking a chunk out of the platform at Darley Dale, and Halls reaching York, how far up the GC did the 63xx penetrate? If they got as far as Annesley I might be interested in one.... Les Thinks- I assume the platform clearances between Sheffield and York were a little wider than those between Sheffield and Huddersfield, or did the Grange's smaller wheels mean the cylinders were lower than on the Hall?

Two for Hawthorn Dene, and a Hudswell Clarke to work the colliery. Plenty of time to get in touch with Ian & Neil at Sherwood Models and reserve them, though I must up my J94 order. I've sent a link to the threads on the Q6 to the NER Association Editor. Hopefully that might result in a few sales...... All the very best Les

Thanks for that- the Q6 here on RMWeb under DJModels in the Trade & Products zone. I did a little legwork for Dave by going up to the Ken Hoole Study Centre in Darlington to photograph the Q6 General Arrangement drawing they have. It has Sir Vicent Raven's signature on it so is the real deal. All the very best Les

Just a quick update before the Summer break. All the train wiring is now working and tested, and we are still waiting for a move to the "new" clubroom, "autumn" is the latest date we've got. All the very best Les

It fits.... (it fits......) Jim came over this morning, and, with a break for a cuppa to celebrate Dave Jones doing a Q6 in N, we got the proscenium fitted to the layout. three pics, taken with the phone under odd lighting conditions- bright sunlight outside and dark in the shed. You know, I really wonder how photo editing software saves images- I altered the light balance on two of these and cropped them by 30% to get to RMWeb's 1Mb limit then saved them- and the files were BIGGER than the larger images I started with....... The layout is on the floor as there isn't enough headroom in the workshop to erect the layout with the proscenium on top. There is just a little bit of sag but not serious, and the back is heavily cross-braced. Now to finish painting the bits, adjust the nameboard so it sits level, and then get the team up to the shed to do some training before Grantham show. All the best Les Yes- a Q6 in N. Must ring Sherwood Models and reserve two........

So- "three new tooling items in N" appears to be the three coaches of a birdcage set. As an NE Region modeller my wallet is ecstatic! All the very best Les (at least it means I will be able to afford the track for "layout 3"...)

Has anyone told UKIP? Les (I'll get my coat.....)

A whole proscenium No longer in two parts, here is the completed article , complete apart from fitting out, painting and fitting to the layout, that is.... About to be folded in two and loaded back in the car, with the dubious surroundings of the Bingham Clubroom behind. Next job, tomorrow, is to start painting the black bits black (uprights, top and back first), then paint the inside white, add the lights and fit it to the layout, though not necessarily in that order. Plenty still to do Les

just to prove the proscenium does come in two halves- here's the other side posed outside resting on the car. Note size of car needed to transport Furtwangen ost or Hawthorn Dene. If you look closely you can see where the primer has run- despite being painted laid flat and using a spray can. Hopefully it will get fixed together on Tuesday and fitted to the layout a few days later. All the very best Les

Gateway rebuilt ....almost but not quite as it was- we appear to have left two pieces of the roof top moulding in Quorn Station yard. I've replaced the top one with some spare- showing exactly why I keep all the leftovers from building kits. The other one is on the rear corner and isn't easy to see from the punter's viewpoint. If I can find a cheapo faller building in a "sold as seen" box at a toyfair I'll replace, if not it will be laft. I've not stuck it down yet. I'll get a Modemo tram out tomorrow and make sure the gate is in exactly the right place before applying glue- there is only a millimetre clearance either side of the tram on the Modemo cars. All other types have plenty of room to spare. Another hot, sticky night ahead. Almost cat feeding time. Must go. Les

If Placido Domingo means Quiet Sunday, what's the Spanish for Busy Saturday? No replies with the answer, please- I really don't care..... Work is happening on both layouts. On Hawthorn Dene I'm proving you can lay a piece flat and use a spraycan and STILL get run marks on the piece you're painting. Furtwangen revolves round two new trams and putting buildings back. At the bottom end I've got the roadway with the store and the pedestrian bridge back into place with no major casualties- one pushbike now leaning over at a drunken angle and a couple of figures to replace. Hopefully the archway will go back tomorrow. At the top end the arch house has gone back minus a downcomer pipe at the front- easy repair, and the end house is mostly repaired and back in place. Tidying up and road filling still to do, and two hikers to glue back into place behind the white houses, together with one tree to re-site as it would now be growing out of a roadway. Arch house in position, damage to edges of road still to make good. The new "two rooms and a bath" car coming through the archway. At last, an oldfer German tram makes its debut- the Duewag car runs all the way round, just like the previous one didn't. The new end tracks seem to work better. The two new trams meet at the tram stop. That's all for now. Off to confirm I've not won the lottery this week- buying a ticket might have marginally improved my chances, perhaps......... Les as ever, edited for typos...