wandering blue

7 hours ago, NBL said:

No, it's a lack of planning and foresight on your behalf.

 

Going to a large show and relying one getting into one car park at near noon is a recipe for disaster.

Nope, a lack of planning and foresight by the organisers.

Then a recipe for disaster for the organisers, who don’t receive the ticket money.

A recipe for disaster for all the traders who can’t make a sale.

A recipe for disaster for all the exhibitors, who receive one less platitude.

Organisers of large shows have large challenges and I don’t underestimate the scale of the task.

Off-site parking for any show with a peaky demand curve requires substantial resources for the peak(s), ( witness the simply vast bus fleet brought into Birmingham for the slick Commonwealth Games operation) whether they are heritage or new transport methods or the size of the parking lot. On this occasion, there simply weren’t enough, which is a shame for all involved and particularly those like Mike 84C who ultimately missed out on a decent show.

Lessons will have been learnt, some of them surprising, given that MK was designed as the motor city.

If they stick with this venue, and remain encumbered by the potential random clash with an MK Dons home game, then a better plan B is needed.

2 hours ago, russ p said:

Was a great day, pretty crowded first thing but bus service to car park was an absolute disaster 

We walked  this morning and had to wait ages for return bus

There were 2 buses there and I asked what was told one was spare and the driver was having a break on the other! Queue was hus so quite why the spare bus wasn't used was anyone's guess as it was sitting running keeping its driver warm 

Couldn’t agree more.

Wait for the bus service estimated well over 1 hour, so we walked 45mins to the venue.
And like you, we witnessed the farcical return arrangements too.

Earlier in the thread, someone disagreed with GETS being blighted by the venue, well, sorry, but today it absolutely was!

Fully appreciate the issues of football timetables. 
It will doubtless be fine tomorrow.

Memo to self, don’t go to GETS again on a football day.

The staff were fine, but the bowl parking ( which I understand was full up by mid-morning) needs an ops management solution with a far larger fleet of modern busses that don’t break down and are continually staffed throughout the day.

Great day, marred by something entirely foreseeable. Not the first time that a vintage bus service has let people down, why model railway shows are fixated on them is a mystery to me.

WB

Hi. One quick question for the RevolutioN team please. Is it OK to put a 175 and a 180 together in the same 00 preorder, or do you want them kept separately? (I know that you usually require order separation ‘between models’ to facilitate your admin.)

Looking forward to running an ATW 175 and an FGW 180 in due course!

Wandering Blue.

On 14/01/2023 at 20:06, McC said:

Why would they need to?

For example, to share a(n expensive) dcc sound decoder output between two speakers in different multiple unit coaches.

Roco make them, as do Kris-modell:

https://krois-modell.at

On 11/04/2022 at 14:47, Coach bogie said:

If you want something different try 68013. I have seen it with bagged over plates several times recently.

 

Mike Wiltshire

68013 is now named Peter Wreford-Bush. I believe that Peter was a long-standing member of Leamington Spa station staff (?) who passed away in 2021.

In a similar decent action by Chiltern, 68015 is now named Kev Helmer, who was a Birmingham Moor St driver who also passed away last year.

Both naming ceremonies occurred earlier this month, photos of each can be found  on Flickr.

Spoke with the Bachmann rep who was present at the display at HLJ over the weekend.

He was confident that the DBSOs are on schedule to meet the arrival date currently stated on the Bachmann website, ie May/June.

Hi.

As an alternative to model tec , if you’re in HO/00, you may also want to take a look at pre-etched sleepers from dcc concepts.

They come in packs of 80, either 1.0 or 1.6mm thick, for £12.95 a pop.

https://www.dccconcepts.com/product/pre-etched-sleepers-1-6mm-4mm-scale-straight-track/

This is my go to solution now in scenic areas, used in sets of 3 or 4 either side of the join.

I’ve got a mix of copper clad and soldered screws for the non-scenic areas. I’ve got a fair few soldered screw joins, but would now go for a more robust length of copper clad, which I find less fiddly.

WB
 

Neat work, as I expected!

On 21/09/2021 at 02:05, bickybtrains said:

Running some trains on the helix to determine its capacity.  My Bachmann class 25 can handle an 8 coach train on the inner loop of the helix, without slipping.  So my capacity for passenger trains is 8 coaches I guess.  I wasn't planning of running larger trains than that anyway.  Pretty chuffed that my wiring on the helix is OK.  Now to the arduous task of wiring the whole latout.  I have most of the droppers in place, all the fish plates soldered.  I still got a pile of tortose motors to install and wire up.  All in all this part of the project is going to be a  headache.  

Hello. I’ve been following and very much enjoying this thread. Can I applaud the speed and quality of your build. You’re 18 months in and I would say you are very much keeping to your 3 year anticipated timescale! I’ve achieved less in 11 years, on a layout half this size ( envious!) , but that’s family and work life for you. 
I wanted to ask which magician you used to wire up your helixes? Mine are only 2 tracks wide and I ensured that I wired them up as track laying proceeded. How on earth did you mange to solder the middle track of the 5 roads, with such limited headroom? Presumably you ran  one or more busses up the structure somewhere?  I laid mine between the tracks, to keep the headroom clear below. I use Scotchloks for bus connections, but I’m guessing yours are all soldered as that would take up less room. 
Good to see that you can run your stock up the helix without issues. I’m all diesel like you, but installed power-base on the uphill roads as a bit of future-proofing to potentially accommodate visiting kettles.

All the best.

WB 

Good to see the retailer list and support for them. 

As a retailer based offer, I wonder if there are any ‘single’ or  ‘group’ retailer exclusive editions in the pipeline?

Suggestion- Accurascale don’t list all proposed 37’s on their own website (!), so if Cavalex do specific retailer exclusives, hopefully they will list where to get them! 

And a quick headcount of the first 22 hours of posts suggests that Colas should be seriously considered for ‘list 2’!

Just sayin  

At least Hornby, Bachmann or a.n.other  will only have to make 1 plastic kit to suit every UK location:

Make up your own mind if you like this national uniformity.

Broke across the press yesterday:

https://www.ribacompetitions.com/reimaginingrailwaystations/preferred.html

https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/network-rail-and-riba-announce-railway-station-design-competition-winner

From network rail site:

Edinburgh-based architectural practice, 7N Architects, has won a competition to shape Britain’s future railways, Network Rail and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) have announced.

The contest sought architects, engineers and designers from across the world to reimagine how small to medium-sized stations can improve the travel experience of the millions of passengers who use Britain’s railway. The competition attracted more than 200 entries from designers based in 34 different countries.

7N’s winning entry considers the needs of both passengers and their local communities. The station frontage includes an eye-catching clock tower, which serves a strong civic purpose as a local landmark and a natural meeting place for social activities. Beyond the station entrance, sweeping platform canopies - elegant and refined in feature - provide shelter for passengers. The modular station design can be integrated into a variety of locations that complement the local landscape.    

Panel members thought the winning concept had been cleverly pared back to create an open and flexible system which, with minimum component parts, would transform people’s experience of the station whilst aligning with Network Rail’s aspirations to be carbon neutral by 2050. The design cleverly incorporates the capacity to generate renewable energy to provide most of the station's power by using translucent photo-voltaic panels which provide shelter from rain and dappled shade.  

On 17/04/2021 at 10:20, OTrail said:

I’m hoping to - my plan is to use PPD Ltd so I’ll most probably make the artwork available for a small fee, so once I’ve finished feel free to PM me. I’m hoping to get started within the next few days - I’m on my way to the West Midlands as we speak so I can get more decent photos of the prototype!

 

My chassis are being robbed from a 166 - it’s amazing how many projects I’ve managed to complete with that simple Bachmann chassis  I’m thinking of doing JDW’s method of using the hot water and whilst the shape is warping back to its intended dimensions, use it against the chassis to ensure a snug fit. The 166/170 motor is visible through the windows, but it’s a smooth runner and still has the capacity for seating to be added!

 

Plan is to create artwork on Illustrator and either print it myself using decal paper or contact John at Precision Labels - for reference, I’ll be using the dot matrix font from 1001 fonts. However, this will be after I get the 360 finished (it’s almost there - should be finished by the end of next week should all go to plan), as well as a 365 build which I have planned as part of the Great Northern farewell of the units.

On the dot matrix front, have you seen model transport graphics on eBay? I think they will make bespoke to order.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/modeltransportgraphics

It would be worth you searching RMWeb for gradient discussions on spirals/ helixes, relevant to where your ramps will be curved.

You might want to consider DCC Concepts Powerbase.

Non-steam era stock generally has an easier time of it, as others have said already. 
WB

Hello . I've got one of these as a trial to see if they make any sense:

https://www.tillig.com/eng/Produkte/produktinfo-85139.html

The principle is to have overlapping chamfered cut rails in the centre of a short length of track, so that one end can be slid out up to 5mm across baseboard joints. 

Evidently electrical continuity therefore relies on the opposing faces on the joint; perhaps an additional pair of flexible droppers would solve that if it were problematical.

The friction at the joint relies only on the plastic chairs and I can see this loosening over time.

They go against the grain of soldering baseboard-edge  rail ends to either copper clad or brass screws.

I'm not sure they will work for me, as many of my tracks crossing baseboard edges are not straight, and although you can flex Tillig Elite track, to do so in this instance opens up the chamfered track joints.

Trust the above is of use. Has anyone used these successfully, with or without Tillig Styrostone pre-ballasted underlay?

Wandering Blue

Hello.

I seem to be following in Colin's footsteps 4 years later.

I asked Tillig to confirm how these are to be fitted. Their translated answer was: 

 The application of the contact terminal 85506 can be seen here as a picture:

The bracket is thus inserted into the profile at the bottom and can then be soldered there firmly. Please note that if the profile is burned, the burnishment must be removed so that the current flow is not inhibited. A cable can then be soldered to the second end of the contact terminal.

Therefore there seems to be no gain, at least to a UK modeller. If you need to solder the clip to the rail, why not solder the dropper to the rail directly? 

I'm also using Styrostone, as I assume Colin did.

My few trials thus far mean that for me, I'll probably solder droppers to the underside of cleaned burnished fishplates, rather than to the rails directly. This is because of the installation sequence required by Styrostone and my use of deep foam baseboards. That way, I can drill dropper holes after fitting the track/styro as work proceeds, rather than have to pre-drill them and be super-accurate.

If I get fishplate continuity issues, I'll have to direct solder to (cleaned) rails. The fishplates 85501 are burnished, as is the track except the rail tops. Life is too short to contemplate cleaning the inner faces of the fishplates!

Trust this may be of use to those following in the next 4 years!

WB

On 21/06/2015 at 14:13, Vistisen said:

Looking at the two links I think that the difference is that the cheaper one is a kit, at least that is what it says under product details. I have used tillig points because I love the appearance. The tiebar is delicate. I use DCC concepts point motors, but have now decided to fit them to the extension of the tie bar rather than using the hole in between the rails. As I show in my gallery pictures I destroyed one with an over zealous truck cleaning as the pointmotors rod stuck up a bit too high between the track, and I snagged it with the track cleaner :-(

On 15/08/2017 at 23:01, roythebus said:

I part-built a layout a few years back with Tillig track, the flexible type. It looked good and no problems with running. The curved points were very tight on radius for some of my stock; the point blades are not pivoted so needed a powerful point motor to move them across. I dismantled the layout and sold all the pointwork.

 

Would I use it again? Yes, on a German style layout, but would modify the tiebars to something stronger and cut the blades so they pivot a bit better.

Bumping an old thread here as the nearest I can find to some Tillig questions.

I'm about to start laying Tillig Elite into Tillig Styrostone, to operate with with Cobalt stall motors. Experience of this particular combo, or with other stall motors, welcome!

To all (and Vistisen in particular as above), why would you fit the motors to the extension of the tie bar rather than using the hole in between the rails? In particular, does this assist, or be detrimental to, tie-bar longevity, in anyone's experience?

I appreciate that the tie bars are fragile, and from my electronic trawls at least some replace this with copper-clad.  As I'm using Tillig Styrostone, I guess if I have a  tie-bar failure I have at least a chance that the point may be removable from the Styrostone and therefore salvageable, whereas if I was traditionally ballasting I can see that the point fragility would easily result in write-offs.  

Finally, if anyone has used Styrostone on a dismantle-able layout, with board joints, presumably you still secured the rail ends with brass screws or copper-clad? As you have to fit the track into the Styrostone before laying, I can see this may be tricky!

Thanks in anticipation.

WB

On 15/11/2020 at 10:39, D1023 said:

yes, cleaned up with a file and a tight fit. The track has been down two years and I've had no problems at all.

You do need nerves of steel to get the points into the underlay . I had 9 to do and after the first couple you get the hang of it. 

Tim, good to hear!

Can't wait! Not...

Before you steeled yourself for the points, did you replace the tie-bars with copper-clad, or have you kept faith with the original plastic ones and their tiny pins?

Hi Tim, much appreciated. 

Plenty of trial and error here as well! A warm air paint stripper set on ‘low’ is still too much heat for the styro, so a new hairdryer is in order......

I too may lay my points first, because those positions are already set by ‘wells’ made in the underside of my extruded foam baseboards, although working in two directions on curves between points is going to be fun!

I like the idea of soldering the droppers to the joiners, presumably you cleaned the weathering off those before fitting. I’ve so far tried some rail-side connections , like I’ve used on my non-scenic peco 100 , but as the ‘rail-side recess’ in code 83 Tillig is narrower, it’s not a great fit for the 1mm solid wire droppers that I use. 

Thanks again.

Phil 

On 15/06/2017 at 09:03, swisspeat said:

I know what you mean about the Tillig ballast.

 

Have you tried heating them with a hairdryer? This usually makes them a lot more flexible and they can then carefully be pushed onto the base of the point.......

 

Pete

Hello D1023 - great layout!, and Pete (and maybe others), who evidently has also used styrostone. Seems there is not much of that about on rmweb, so I thought I'd start here with some styro questions if D1023 you don't mind. I'll start a new thread if this detracts from your layout.

I'm about 3 years behind you D1023, insofar as I'm about to start laying tillig styrostone, for exactly the same reasons.

Can I ask please, given that you fit the track to the styro before adhering to the baseboards, did you add track power droppers before or after laying? I'm currently trialing both options, although given my soldering skills I'm having better luck fitting droppers to the track, and then making holes in the styro, before laying the track into the styro and then onto the baseboard. This also means I'm pre-drilling the baseboard for each dropper location.

I can see that Stakcin is a fixed layout, so perhaps swisspeat or someone else has used styrostone for a dismantle-able layout, with board joins. Presumably although styro holds the track in place, the ends still need to be soldered to brass screws or copperclad, if only to prevent thermal movement altering the track ends? 

I've got a trial adjustable straight 85139 on order,  I wonder if these could be an alternative to anchoring the ends, at least for straight tracks across joins? Any experience gratefully received.

Finally D1023, did you use styropal or some other adhesive for the styrostone? (I've used a lot of UHU POR elsewhere on woodland scenics trackbed.)

Thanks

Wandering Blue

3 hours ago, Graham Radish said:

There is a cure for this, its getting slower because the protective windings in the motor are burning hot, if its 60c outside it will be 80c inside.

 

The overheating motor problem is something Bachmann or Hornby have never sorted out, but there is a cure, what you need to do is get this from ebay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Arctic-Thermal-Pad-6-W-mK-120-x-20-x-1-5mm-for-Intel-AMD-CPUs-No-Silver/114255283628?epid=16038982004&hash=item1a9a2545ac:g:CloAAOSwGD9e4Qpp

 

This is the only advantage ringfield motors have over sealed types, with a ringfield the movement alone cools it.

 

Theres nothing actually wrong with the motor itself but there will be very quick if you dont sort it. you need 1mm thermal pads or 2 part thermal epoxy.

 

attach a cm square of it to each side of the motor between the motor and the metal chassis, the heat will drop from about 65c right down to 30c as then the chassis becomes a very good heatsink, the motors arent heastsunk, this is a very stupid thing to do in a high speed train, in the end the stator of the motor will burn out if you dont do this. The heat just builds up until as i say, bye bye motor, this would cost Bachmann or Hornby literally pence per model to fix but theyre too lazy to do it

 

This problem lies in all farish models too. if there is no air cooling to a motor you need to add a compound/heatsink

 

or this could be planned obsolescence at it's finest.

 

regards.

Hi Graham. Any chance of a photo of the inside of your voyager to see how the heat sink is arranged? Have you glued the pad into place with 2 part thermal epoxy?

On 20/05/2020 at 15:51, St. Simon said:

Hi,

 

I am planning to use the Rail Crew Uncouplers for my next layout, but I can't find a UK source of them, Rails of Sheffield used to do them, but I can't see them listed anymore.

 

Does anyone else know of a UK source of them, or do I have to get them from Rapido directly?

 

Simon

Simon, I recently ordered some from Rapido directly.

 There was a covid-19 related unusual delay of around 3-4 weeks,  but Rapido  respond quickly and in a friendly manner to any queries. 

Not fitted them yet, but basically no problems with web sourcing or payment to Canada.

WB 

On 19/05/2020 at 07:51, ess1uk said:

An interesting read.

 

Indeed it was.

I’ve waded through the original trail and all the spin-off links and unless I’ve missed it, no one answers the OPs 3rd question?

Presumably locating point motors between pairs of running lines is avoided for safety reasons, unless perhaps there is very restricted clearance on the outside?  

WB 

12 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

One Heljan 37 will easily pull 50 empty ones so 36 loaded ones should be fine.

Good to know!

12 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

It’s labour intensive but the results are excellent.

A summary of your entire Heaton Lodge experience, if I might be so bold.

I’m very much looking forward to seeing your magnum opus later this year at Warley ( with 2m of baseboard to myself to get a clear view and no backpacks in my ribs), or if that isn’t meant to be, in its own travelling artic-convoy circus some point next year. 

Your updates on here are a welcome distraction to the new world order, so on behalf of your readership, thank you for taking the time to share the journey.

Phil 

On 03/05/2020 at 18:32, HeatonLodge40 said:

I had to buy a 20kg bag of coal since I’ve another 99 MGR’s to fill

Hi Simon, stunning execution thus far! 

Good to see Heljan now behind you (presumably amongst others) and I hope the business plan works out for you. 

Um, 20kgs added to 100 MGR’s !  Not sure how many rakes that is going to make for you, but have either Heljan, JLTRT, your very small select army of devotees or your good self actually tried test running the proposed trains at full weight with the proposed traction?

In 00, perlite stained with black India ink is one way of saving weight!

Or is the load simply a decent excuse to run double or treble headers? 

Take care.

WB