innocentman

Superb looking Layout, thanks for sharing the pics, more please.

Next time we have a full running session we plan to take a a few more piccies with a proper camera and lighting

Another view from last night at the club rooms

We have a southbound 8F with ICI Hopper empties on the left and an empty mineral coming down the 1 in 90 grade on the right behind another 8F

Andy

I had a neighbour many years ago who worked in city house. IIRC he was something to do with the Highways dept

Andy

and others!

 

It is very, very clean however....

 

Baz

I’m sure you can sort thar for him Baz

Mike, the article covers the whole period from pre-war (O4s then the Garratt) through to final closure, focusing on banking. I found it very informative.

Mike,

You will be please to know that Rossi's U1 has been seen and has been round Chapel under its own power to surprise of its owner 

My Brother has recently completed a number of 3D printed N gauge loco's from the Atso-Cad range. Below are a few photos of the completed models with a brief description.

First up is the L1 which uses a Farish Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0 chassis as the power train. The using his own 3D printer a chassis extension was produced for the rear bogie section, and a scratch built bogie manufactured. Lined using Fox transfers

Next up is a Patriot which as suggested on the Shapeways site uses a Farish Jubilee chassis and a Union Mills tender as power. Coal rails were added from another Farish loco (4F I think). Painted and lined using Fox transfers again.

And finally, a K3 which uses the Farish N Class 2-6-0 as a chassis. 

Currently in production also is a C12. When I have pictures I will post a few here.

These 3D priced locos are great way having a model of something a little unusual. Keep up the good work

Regards

Andy

The 27th wire in the middle looks like a dry joint from here  !

Is that from the left or right?

For those of you of a nervous disposition when it comes to layout wiring, look away now!

This weekend has seen the fitting of point motors, micro switches, section wiring and route indicator switching associated with the recent kick back siding installation.

The up side is complete and working, the down side is complete except for the final connections to the section switches, point studs and route LEDs. The wiring to the panels is complete to the panel as there was sufficient spars ways in the existing trunk cables

I will finish off the final panel connections on Wednesday

Andy

As promised here are couple of shots of the yard lamps painted and installed on CELF

Apologises for the blurriness, The camera in the phone does not have a good depth of field

Andy

Work is progressing on CELF and we are slowly adding more and more details to the layout.

One item we are adding is a set of yard lamps that run along the back edge of the goods yard. We suspect that these lamps were installed during the mid 50's to assist in the storage and operation of the tunnel maintenance train. Dove Holes Tunnel was re-lined in this period and pictures in JM Bentley's excellent Over the Peak Pt1 show the maintenance train parked in the rear siding.

When comparing photos of the same areas over the years, the lamps don't seem to appear in shots until about the time these works were in progress.

The yard lamps are a wooden telegraph type pole with a round lighting cowl mounted on a bracket arm, the light projection being straight down. Having looked at what may be available ready made, I could't find anything suitable. So I set about building them from scratch. Below is an insight to how they have been manufactured

First thing to do was to turn the cowls out of 8mm brass bar on the lathe. The hole is 3mm for accepting a 3mm white LED


After cutting the brass tube that will act as the pole, to length, I soldered a little collar at the base of the post to act as a stop when its planted on the layout. A hole was drilled in the tube side wall for the insulated connection wire to the LED.


A chisel point was filed on the top of the post and weather shield soldered to the top of the post


The LED was prepared for attachment to the post by bending the legs and trimming them to length. A length of enamelled copper wire was soldered to top leg of the LED


This wire was then threaded through the hole and out of the bottom of the post.


The other leg of the LED is soldered to the post to represent the bracket secured to the post


The cowl is then superglued to the LED (after a quick test) and a couple of small lengths of 1mm wire added to represent the insulators for the power cable connections to the adjacent columns


The basic yard lamp is now complete and just requires painting


Other variation to the basic yard lamp include one lamp with a control box fixed to the column and a lamps with a guy wire to keep the end pole upright. Pictures to follow once painted and installed

Andy

Can I ask about the 1 in 40 gradient, are you going for a true 1 in 40, level or a compromise?

Just finished reading through this. Beautiful layout - I must have missed / forgotten it wasn’t EM at some point, so was really impressed to read it was OO. Just goes to show...

Quick question; it’s in the Peak so the prototype used limestone for ballast, but what have you used on the layout and what did you do to avoid the ballast looking too uniform?

Thanks for the lovely comments, glad you enjoyed reading through its development.

The ballast we used was from a company from Tremendous (www.treemendus-scenics.co.uk). 

The track is C&L laid on cork, so we did cut shoulders to help with the shape of the track bed. The ballast itself was laid using the time honored spoon, paintbrush and finger tamper method. The grains of ballast probably lent itself to a little variations as the grain size did vary. it was necessary to stir the pot of ballast every now and again to keep the mixture random.

Regards

Andy

Guess who came bearing gifts today, the new LCJ frame installed albeit in a temporary position. Plugged straight in and all appears to be working

 

Wow that’s some frame.

 

Is that mechanical interlocking we can see?

Another productive morning at the clubroom working on Chapel.

This time its the down side fiddle yard kick backs

Now that the collection of ICI Hoppers is growing, its time to turn to how we run full trains.

Filling the entire hopper with a limestone substitute would result in a very heavy wagon. Next best thing to build a platform in the hopper and put a covering of limestone substitute.

So turning to the 3D printer and a couple of prototypes we end up with 

A closer look at the 3D print

I will add a couple more pictures when I have applied the limestone simulate

Another 15 to go

Well done! Take its glue both sides and get it in the correct place first time?

Exactly. Careful marking out of all rail ends as refitting guide and a willing assistant with another pair of hands

Pleasant morning spent working on CelF today before the sun came round and ups the ambient temperature.

The objective of laying the UP fiddle kickback siding point work has been achieved.



In this weather it doesn't take long for evo-stik to go off!

Down kickback sidings to go

Andy

Construction of my Judith Edge Fowler 2-6-2t is now in full swing

Having opted for a rivet covered 40061 with Pull push Gear (See http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/20479-Bachmann-class-40-to-be-re-tooled/?p=206519) I have just spent a couple of evenings with my trusty Midland riveting tool

Pleased with the result, although I'm not sure about the top row of rivets as the are appear half in the etched rebate for the beading around the top of the tank

Overall, very pleased with the kit. 

Andy

 

WP_20180322_11_12_45_Pro.jpg

 

For anyone interested in building the 4mm version of the 3P 2-6-2t, the castings and fittings are readily available out there. During my trip to York show last weekend, I managed to find all the parts I need. I have listed the parts required below: -

Alan Gibson

    4862 5ft2.5" 16 spoke Driving wheels

    4839 3ft3.5" 10 Spoke bogie wheels

    4M673 Vacuum Brake Ejector

    4M831 Cylinder Drain cocks (These are actually meant for an original Patriot 4-6-0 according to the AG catalogue)

    4M613 Dome

    4M605 Safety valves on a round base. (I will keep the base but replace the ross pops as they look a little small)

247 Developments

    SD2 Smokebox door

    CH7 Fowler Tall chimney (for locos with originals cylinders)

    BH2 Small Belpaire Backhead

Markits

    M4WhistLMf - Fowler Midland whistle

    M4SftyV1 - 1 pair tall Ross Pop tall safety valves

    M4WaL4.6 Silvertown Lubricator (x2)

Of course I'm sure there're other manufacturers out there who may also produce the same parts, but these are just the ones that I found at York

Andy

The hook and bars are too long, fitting instanters is hard, fitting DGs is easy and it only needs a hook and bar..no dropper

 

Gives flexibility for rakes.

 

Baz

Needing 32 DGs for a rake of 16, I have opted for instanters in two blocks of 8. Yes they are fun to fit, but after 4 wagons down I have just about have got it down pat.

The rest of the team have already confirmed that I will be the one coupling them up!

My understanding is that, as built and un re-bodied, the end door is to the left when viewed from the brake shoe side.

 

Mike.

You learn something every day. Thanks

We have short video of the ICI hoppers in action on Chapel.

https://www.facebook.com/255524804592290/videos/1272387932905967/?hc_ref=ARS7XWqNvdymLXhk7o5Ugfvx2WglM9KGDh2HTTnzsrrpy-ezo2Ac47XKNwc5EZ60cNI&fref=nf

Not that I'm the greatest expert on such things, but is either the body or the chassis fitted the wrong way round?

 

Mike.

I did't realise they could be a wrong way round.

Can you let me know why you think that

Andy

The first of the Hattons/Oxford Rail hoppers have arrived and taken a quick trip on Chapel-en-le-Frith. Very smart indeed 

Nine arrived so far, another seven weathered on order

Stand by Credit card, looks like there may be a hit as soon as February from Hattons for ICI Hoppers 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/97603-ici-hoppers-from-hattons-in-partnership-with-oxford-rail/?p=3019129