Anthony Ashley

John, I have just read through your whole thread. It is interesting how you are incorporating aspects of your modelling over 30 or so years (perhaps more). I shall follow the thread with interest and look forward to many more photos. Your method of base board construction looks great and will obviously do the job. I am also interested in your research for the project and the application of the area within Cornwall to provide the "strategic" feel of the layout. I think a larger layout offer an opportunity to recreate a strategic element of a line, while still modelling at an operational and tactical level (ie shunting within a good yard). I have also utilised Bunnings for timber supplies, nearly going through the whole rack of timber to find 10 or so planks that can be used in the layout. My children always query why the search for the best timber. I am looking forward to seeing your stock of locos, carriages and goods wagons., It sounds like you have a very extensive collection. Looking forward to further entries. Regards, Anthony Ashley

WELAH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVLOPMENTS Dear All, I have some news for those following this thread. My job has meant a move interstate probably for 3 years. I shall get nearly monthly trips home but it will limit work on the actual layout, although there will clearly be some progress on the return trips. What I will be able to achieve is building nearly all of the buildings on the layouts. I have taken all of the material required to do this. After this posting I intend to go on long service leave and then retire so progress will then be radically accelerated. I shall complete nearly all buildings if I build one every 3 days!!! Regards, Anthony Ashley

Dear Simon, Thanks for the information. Your entry has lead me to 2 books which I think should be relevant to the line. The first is From Chester to Holyhead the branch lines by Bill Rear. The other is the Steam on the North Wales Coast by Michael Jones. Thanks for the information. Once I start getting into scenic creation these books and my 100s of photos will be really useful. Regards, Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, I have been laying track on the first of the dog bone loops under the right side of the layout. Having completed one end of the first6 loop and the second straight I realised I had not tested the maximum amount of gradient on the straight I am constructing. These are just over 12 feet in length, and are dead straight. Accordingly I thought I should test possible gradient for N gauge. The enclosed photo is my attempt to conduct this test. I just used an approx. 15 foot long board and laid my test track when it was level. I then worked out my 2% and 3% gradients and tested both. My rake had a Dapol Britainia loco with a rake of 17 MK 1 coaches. Both the 2 and 3% were successful, so in the straight area I can use up to 3%. I have decided to go a max of 2 1/2% on the straight. Back to the track laying and wiring. Are there any comments on the maximum gradient used on other N gauge layouts. Regards, Anthony Ashley t

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear David, Thanks for your Christmas wishes. I hope all had a great Christmas and the new year brings constructive and enjoyable modelling. I have been working on the lift up section, in particular making sure that the 3 pairs of line match exactly an do not derail. A difficult task in N gauge. Photos of the change area from the static base board to the lifting base board are shown featuring the one of the hidden sections of track. There has been some difficulty with access to drill holes and so on but I have managed. The track has been laid across the gap between the 2 base boards. I have screwed in small brass screws under each rail, 4 in all 1 for each rail on each board. I have soldered the top of the screws and then soldered the rail to the top of the screw. I believe all of the screw heads are at the same height. So when the rail is cut the rails should remain in position and liner up (I hope!!!) I have to do the other side of this hidden track rail and then the same on both ends of the other hidden track. For the scenic pair of rails I shall use a copper clad sleeper stuck top the base board and then solder the rail to it. I have faith this will work as have never done it before. I can also start laying track support for the hidden loops as all of the supporting rods are in place on the right side of the layout. A little more painting to go. Regards, Anthony Ashley

Dear Simon and PJ, Thanks for the Christmas wishes. I hope you and all RM Web users had a great Christmas and were amply rewarded with some exciting model rail bits and pieces. Santa is still sending mine all the way from the UK via Hattons including City of Birmingham, City of Coventry and in the near future City of London. There is also the Blue Peter and 4 4Fs for release in the near future! I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the readers who have contributed to the thread. Al comments have been really valuable and incorporated in to my future planning. In particular the following persons have helped me in my endeavours and I would like to acknowledge their contributions: Simon, Dave, Stu, David, Artizen, PGH, Merf, CC, Ian, Peter, Scotty, Lez, Kevin, PJ, Ben, Christian, Sam, Mike and 37038. I have enjoyed reading each of your contributions. I would also like to publically acknowledge Ross Jeffcoat who has provided assistance by coming to my place and modelling with me on most Fri nights. His presence has inspired me to "get on" and try to finish the current project for the next Fri night. Thanks very much for the help. I hope everyone has a successful new year and I look forward to further modelling developments in 2015!!! Regards, Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, I have been focussing on completing the lift up section which has taken a long time to accurately cut the required boards. I have nearly finished. Photos are below. The two hidden sets of tracks. The bottom one will travel down to one of the 2 32 track fiddle yards at the end of the layout. The upper one connects to the scenic track and then splits again for the scenic track to complete a hidden loop around the layout. The other end of the 2 hidden track sections. Overview of the hidden track sections. The scenic board area. Conwy station is represented by the piece of paper in a scale drawing. The scenic base board is designed to lock into the static base board. I have screwed supports under the static base boards to ensure the lifting and static boards lock together The edges of the lifting base board have been bevelled to ensure a tight fit at the top of the board.o I next need to cut the track support board on the aircraft museum base board to lock the end into the lifting section. Hopefully to finish today All comments and replies are welcome. Regards, Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, I have added a locking mechanism either side of the lifting section on the operational side. They are sliding window bolts and very sturdy with little movement. I have also completed the next 6 foot section of board on the Penmaenmawr side of the layout. Horizontal and vertical supports to go for the Penmaenmawr new sections. Photos below Regards, Anthony Ashley

Dear Kevin, Look forward to seeing you. Work has at last eased off. Regards, Anthony Ashley

Dear Train and Armour, Your comments are most welcome. I think my museum might only have planes approx 150 mls long. Nothing like creating your own piece of history!!! Thanks for the interest in the thread. Regards, Anthony Ashley

Dear Lez and Simond, Thanks for the suggestions it is really appreciated. Simonds suggestion is very attractive and one I shall explore. The only issue is that I only have about 400 mls in length as the counter weight will hit the floor if longer. I will see what I can find as the suggestions will improve the look and hang better. This would also look better. Thanks again for the suggestions.

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, Some real progress on construction. Ross and I have been struggling for about 3 nights to get the lift up section operational but with no success. We attempted to locate each drawer runner separately on the 4 respective boards. These runners are located in each corner of the frame and provide the guidance on lifting the frame. It was too difficult to place each of the 8 components, ie 4 main slide assemblies and the 4 inside runners accurately enough for them all to line up. We ended up taking it apart 3 times. Finally we decided to treat it like a giant drawer. To do this we tipped it on one side, created a frame work to hold the sides straight and in the correct position and then attached the runners while they were together, having attached all of the sliding inserts first, and then progressively sliding the "drawer" out and securing the housing section of the slides progressively from the bottom. We had to release the "drawer" section to pull it out far enough to complete all of the screwing of the housing section of the runners. It worked though and the photos are below. The photos therefore are our finished effort after about 20 hours of work on it! Section in the operating position Section in the open position The counter weight system in the open position. There are 4 buckets, one on each corner with 8 kg of weights. This makes lifting easy, but the amount of friction means the current board load will remain in any position it is placed. The runners shown in the fully extended position. The top sections for each set were secured first to the lifting section as described above. One of the counter weight buckets. Simple effective and cheap. Originally I could not think of a way to use the counter weight system, until I thought of placing the runners on large marine ply sheets, therefore allowing me to tie off the cable to the bottom of the sheet and creating the lower point at least 900 mls lower than the top of the frame (the runners are 900 mls long and can each carry 127 kg). The cable threaded through the ply sheet going up to the pulley. I might need to put some more bracing on the frame work but will put down track first and see how and where I can fit additional bracing. The next board already built past the lifting section is the Penmaenmawr military air museum.. It is not particularly well known but has an extensive range of WWII bombers and fighters and WW1 aircraft. It is very surprising how it has escaped public attention for so long!! Regards, Anthony Ashley Regards, Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, Dear Dave thanks for the offer. If there are specific photos I need I will contact you. It is really useful to have a local contact who can just pop into an area and photograph something you are not sure of. I have asked a really helpful fellow in Conwy to do this a couple of times with the castle. Thankyou again for the offer. Have completed the next 3 points by automating them and wiring up the frogs with lever switches. The next is also on the way. I think I am getting slightly quicker at them. Occasionally you will get one which just won't sit properly and that can take a couple of hours of fiddling around. Hopefully the next 8 will be done in less than a day. regards, Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, Photos of my first 2 buildings together in Conwy. A google street scene of the buildings I have modelled with some licence!! My models of the first 2 buildings in the street. The chinese shop is now the "Castle Bakery" All comments are welcome. Regards, Anthony Ashley

Dear David, I have counted 86 individual terraced dwellings around Bangor station that lie within my scenic area. These will be modelled by 31 individual buildings. Of these I have completed 1. The one completed is the pictures on an earlier post with the building having a brown and then grey brick strip at the base of the houses. Only 30 of these Bangor terrace houses to go!! There are many more terrace houses in Penmaenmawr and Conwy. Regards, Anthony Ashley

Dear 37038, I have counted the total number of buildings for all 3 towns having recorded them all on the plans according to the 1960 maps. It is about 320 in total. Only 317 or so to go!!!!!! Your comments are encouraging. Regards, Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, A scale scenes cottage Regards, Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, Some photos showing the servo mounts discussed above. We priced having them made using a 3D printer and it was going to cost about $6 per mount, 10 cents seems rather cheap by comparison!!! regards, Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, Exciting developments but no pictures as I have been focussed on wiring. I have had DCC running through all of the hidden track all of the way to the bottom Bangor board. This is about 56 feet of rail. I still have about 16 frog points and diamond crossings to electrify so the loco won't yet run through the points properly, but once these have been electrified it should all run properly. I think the 16 points will take some time to set up as they need to be automated using servos and decoders. I have had a friend , Stephen, prepare some templates out of 1 ml aluminium sheet which has been bent into shape to hold the servos. I have a large sheet and can produce them for less that 10 cents each. Once the servos are set up to switch the points I then need to set up the lever miro switches and wire them up to the terminal strips and the relevant frog. The most difficult part of the servo setting is setting up the wire in the exact position and servos to produce exactly the correct amount of swing to move the point switching lever. Regards, Anthony Ashley

Dear Simond, Your comments are greatly appreciated. I have finished wiring the hidden track area under Bangor to the terminal strips. All I need to do now is connect the hidden bus line and I can then operate via DCC from the Conwy hidden track area to the bottom of Bangor. I have laid cork and positioned the Bangor platform areas, ready to lay the track with droppers. Photos to follow. Ross and I have also worked on the lifting section just below Conwy. Only 2 more 127 kilo limit 900 ml extending drawer runners to screw on to finish this work. This will then allow continuation of the base boards for Penmaenmawr. After wiring the most complicated part of Bangor this should be fairly easy. All for now. Regards, Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, Not much to show by way of pictures but a fair amount of wiring done for the hidden track going around Bangor. Hopefully I will finish it off tomorrow and then shoot a video of the hidden track from the Conwy end of the layout all the way down to the bottom of Bangor. This is about 60 feet of track work. I need to finish the hidden track as it goes under the scenic track at the bottom of the Bangor end. It will be difficult to complete if I can not lift the Bangor scenic board. The major section today was the interchange area above Bangor where the scenic and hidden tracks merge and split again. Given I have completed all of the support work on the front side minus the last 5 feet, I have all the area required to start the 3 levels of the dog bone loop. I also need to add the hidden track min bus line for the Bangor section. All of the hidden track on the scenic level ie level 1 is off the same booster. There are 8 power sub-districts in the Bangor hidden track area. All comments are welcome. Stu I hope all is well. I have not heard form you for some time. Regards, Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear David and Simon, Thanks for the comments once again. I always feel more enthusiastic after receiving the odd comment or two. I think the ply and foam method for the mountain will be a possibility. Simon I shall have a look at your servo link on the week end. Work has been a little frantic this week. I have done more track work for Bangor but still have quite a lot of cork to stick down and then need to paint it all. Photos below. Nearly the length of the Bangor section but with points on the eastern end still to go (bottom on my layout). I have put the metre rule and the bus in for a sense of scale. Hidden track area. 2 lines in the fore ground are the hidden loop. The 2 lines further away are the start of the lower loop of the Bangor dogbone. All holes and rods have been cut to set up all of the dog bone loops. part of the dog bone loop. The board above is the scenic track and the lines below are part of the dog bone loop. Dog bone loop disappearing under hidden track Bangor scenic section again Regards, Anthony Ashley

Dear All, I thought I would do a summary of my plan of attack on the layout. Thanks for the interest. As you are probably aware I have built the base boards for top of the layout (16 feet by 6 feet) and built an additional 26 feet at the front of the layout on the right. At the top is most of the Conwy area (minus the station) and at the front is Bangor. I have wired up all of the track in the Conwy section to the points where the scenic track intersects with the hidden tracks ie between the Conwy and Bangor location detection zones. I have set up the points to operate off the train controller in the Conwy main line area, which is about 8 points. I have tested the loco operation using DCC and the ECoS train controller on the Conwy section and it has worked. I have also checked that the 8 points work via the controller electronically off the programming track. So far so good as everything has worked. I intend to run a separate power source to the point decoders and then merely need to wire them into the power bus lines. It was my intention to work around the layout in a anti clock wise direction, leaving Bangor till last as it is the most complicated (this is my first and only layout). Unfortunately I have been waiting for nearly 12 months for a fellow train modeller to assist me with a lift up section between Conwy and Penmaemawr to facilitate access into the layout. This still has not occurred and accordingly I have started on the very complicated Bangor section. At least I have practised with Conwy and have realised the need to ensure a very clear working area for the 60 odd points in Bangor. There will be no supporting timber to interfere with the point motors, as I learnt that lesson with Conwy. I think I shall wire up each section before proceeding to the next, including track work, points and solenoid uncouplers. If I get bored I can build another base board or do some scenic work as I have done with Conwy castle. I do not intend to do the Bangor goods area until last, but completing the platform track and wiring will allow the continuous scenic circuit of about 106 feet to be completed. The dog bone loops either side of the layout going down to the 2 fiddle yards should be easy to complete as the 3 levels are supported by steel rod droppers. The height adjustment is merely a matter of adjusting a couple of screws. I now have in place all of the steel rods to enable me to complete the right hand loop of 3 levels. There are very few points on this track (enough for 6 goods loops on the 3 levels, a return loop back to the scenic level and then the very complicated e fiddle yard). The front fiddle yard is on the very bottom front side of the layout and under the last base board to be built as it will restrict access into the shed. I think cutting the very simple horizontal supports and the track support s should be very easy, as most of it is straight track. I think only a day or so to complete when I get to it. Wiring of the flex track is also relatively easy. I like to complete the wiring for each section to ensure it will all work as I am doing this largely by myself with assistance from a fellow modeller on a Friday evening. I need the reassurance that the section completed will work before proceeding to the next. So far no problems!! I shall probably wire the dog bone loop after completing the Bangor platform area wiring. I think the complexity of the point work is assisted by having it on a computerised system showing the route to be taken on a screen. The goods areas points will be controlled by a wire and tube lever frame in front of the goods area. This will allow more realistic point operation for shunting. All of the main lines will be fully automated as will be the first large track area onto each goods yard to allow computerised running form the fiddle yard to the goods are.. Then an operator takes over with manual shunting I have found a very cheap means of powering points. I paid about 80 pence each for 500 servos from china. I can make the servo mounts out of aluminium for about 5 pence. The most expensive part was the servo decoder , which was 20 euro from Model Bahn Lippe in Germany. I buy none of my model rail items form Australia as it is at least 1/3 to 1/2 as much again as I would pay in the UK and Germany. Again thankyou for your interest and I hope I have answered your question. Regards, Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS Dear All, I have found a way to copy the electronic plan of the layout, so here are the photos of the plan. The first is the scenic track area. Around the outside is the hidden track in light green and red. The main line up and down scenic tracks are green and blue. At the top is Conwy. To the left Penmeanmawr and on the right Bangor. The layout will require 224 layout detection areas. I shall be using DCC4PC 16 zone location detection devices. If you click on the plans they will zoom up in scale. The first level of the hidden track. It is comprised of the hidden loop around the whole layout and the first level of the 2 dog bone loops going done to the 2 fiddle yards. 2 level of hidden track 3rd level of hidden track featuring the 2 32 track fiddle yards. All comments are welcome. Regards, Anthony Ashley

Dear AGR Model Store and Simon, Thanks for the comments. Nearly all of my modelling TRT and track is purchased from Hattons. The cost is nearly 1/2 to 2/3s the price of what we pay in Australia. Purchasing in Australia is prohibitively expensive. Hattons get very regular emails from me with my next order. I have also started purchasing electronics, in particular track detection modules from DCC4PC. Ray is very helpful and great asistance on all aspects of the layout for electronics. Simon I think perhaps a ply wood from for the mountain with the foam to fill in the gaps. What do you think of this as a solution? The height at 1.9 metres is very high and I think would need additional support. Regards, Anthony Ashley