sjrixon

The back of the first ever code 75 electrofrog point I have bought.. Oh this is going to be fun! So, using frog switching.. They say cut the wires between the top of the frog and then solder a join in the top gaps in the middle. 2 simple questions... 1) How on earth do I get some cutters in that gap? It's surrounded by plastic! 2) How on earth do I get a soldering iron in the other gap? It's also surrounded by plastic!

Success! I was a little worried on reading this, that I wouldn't get my shiny new box of Cobalt motors to work. At first they didn't, but I think what I have found is I need to click the power button off and on within JMRI. This 'kicks' something, I connect one motor, flick the power, set it and it's ready to go. But, there is certainly something odd. When you put the motor to set, it doesn't move so you have no idea that it's taken the command. This means I end up clicking Closed 3 times and then Thrown 3 times and then closed twice more before I change it to run. Also, I had to have the address as STXX. This is something I didn't know. I've had some odd things with the centre off. It didn't work at all when I first used them, I pulled the power expecting them to switch centre when they came back on and they didn't. Then I trip the circuit with some iffy wiring, and the two points centred! I've not been able to do it again, but as a precaution I've sent the code to switch them off.

I did think about adding some NG to the design, but couldn't work out how to get it on and off scene. The fiddle yard is already a little cramped.

This is very smart, what font did you use?

Lots of the old links to picture are broken. I'm not linking them again, so here is a google album with them all in. https://goo.gl/photos/r3kEhs8X1mR41EQz8 This project was never meant to happen, but the world conspired against me to make it inevitable. I've a 009 layout that I've been building for a few years, nice and simple, small and easy to complete, that I will never complete! But my first love has always been the GWR, most of my stock is centered around that, but clearly I didn't have the time to build in 00 and anyway I am a member of a club, so my stock can run there, or so I kept telling myself. Having been away from the hobby for a while I'd not seen the improvements that had come from DCC. I saw a largish GWR branch at a local exhibition running on JMRI using iPhones for the controllers and knew I needed to know more. Next I had the fortune to join an operating session of a fellow club member's large DCC layout, this gave me a real insight into what was really possible when I thew out all my preconceptions of DC operation. We also started to have a DCC night at my club, converting the layout to work on DC and DCC, therefore I needed a way to move a few key locos to DCC. Next came a simple setup of a SPROGIII, an old laptop and some test track. I'd already had one loco chipped by a friend so I had a start, I bought 3 Zimo chips and I was off! One Pannier was a plug in and go, the next was a Bachmann split chassis conversion, the other one is in the draw for now. I setup a small board, 3 points and a few trucks. The control from my mobile phone was amazing. I knew I had a few frames that I had build a few years ago for a project that never got off the ground, I'd over estimated the size that was practicable and never done anything with them. The thought was I could cut them down and make a small shutting plank, with a fiddle yard, but I'd learned from my 009 layout that the fiddle yard didn't want to be behind the layout. This layout is in the middle of the room and you have to operate from the back, I find this frustrating now as I miss looking at my own layout, I'm looking over a high backscene. This is a home layout that will never travel. I started playing around with SCARM in the space I had, but I couldn't quite get what I wanted. To have the train actually leave the scene, the fiddle yard had to take up a lot of space, or be buried at the back. Also looking at the track work and points, I was using a lot in such a small space, so not really saving any money by going small. I then realised one afternoon that because of the height of the frame I'd built, I could have a fiddle yard across my work bench. It would be high enough to have space underneath and not really restrict my working area. I had enough wood in the garage to complete the job too! The frames are possibly a little light in places, but I've added some extra strength, it isn't designed to move anywhere else, but can come out should I need to get to the layout or we move house. The frames have been topped with OSB. I'd quite a large amount of excess from a re-roof of my workshop/shed, so didn't really see why I should want to spend out on expensive plywood. OSB claims to be significantly more environmentally friendly. Track will be on cork and the rest will be lost under paint and scenery. I've not seen people using this, so I hope this wasn't bad call. There are some amazing GWR Layouts on this forum that I've spent many hours looking at, the workmanship of some people is simply amazing. I'll name drop a few, but I'm sure you know them all already. Marlingford & Begbrooke, Nod to Brent, Mayshill, Much Murkle and Berry Pomeroy. Hintock is a personal favorite, John Flan's build style and updates showing the organic progress of the layout really inspired me and again with his current progress on Port Bredy. Previously I'd been paralyzed into not doing anything for fear of making a mistake. I've been much more open to getting on with it with my 009 layout, you can always change your mind or rebuild an area, isn't this what this hobby is all about? My plan is simple, I want to build a minimum space GWR branch with maximum operating potential. My real love in this hobby is running trains in as realistic manner as I can. Lots of excuses for freight, using a card system, I use something similar on my 009 to give me a variety and reason to run trains. It makes it a lot more involved for me. Station at the back.. I'd like a yard, dairy and cattle dock, but those exact details are yet to be decided. Progress will be sporadic as I have two small children that take up most of my free time. But the pleasure this hobby brings is worth it! So if you are interested in a novice that is going to dive head long into DCC, Sprogs, JMRI, Cobalt point motors and engine driver, then welcome along for the ride!

Did you get this working?

I agree, next to the white one.. Looked too up high next to the cattle dock. Great little set. When you have some better lighting, can you take some close ups of the Autocoach. I've got one that might get attacked!

At £5 I should strip mine for spares and buy a new loco Thanks for the heads up though, might be useful for someone..

Nice video as ever.. Love the H&P Peckett... I live in Reading, so one of those is really tempting..

Like rule 1,looking very smart!

My southern one runs very nicely, very smooth and very smart with the lswr coaches behind.

I totally agree it's in the wrong place.. But that's something that's slightly more difficult to fix!

Could the 43 be a slightly older chassis? Certainly not having any issues with the wheels rubbing.

There is a built and painted price on thoes sheds. I assume they come as plain wood,makes them feel quite expensive .. Still tempted by the gwr goods shed..

With no sign of anyone ever releasing a new Mogul I need to crack this one.. I want to move on to some detailing and generally tidying this loco up.. This was my next attempt to fix the running, I cut the bar I'd placed under the front wheels. It was better.. But still not perfect. I guess some of the track I'm running on isn't ideal, some baseboard joins are wider then you would like. But that's an old club layout for you! So the next try is to remove some slop from the wheels. With this in mind, I've just slid some plasticard behind the wheels on both sides. More testing here we come!!

Thanks Rich.. I thought i'd fixed mine, but last week it started playing up.. So this gives me something else to try!

Now that I didn't realise. I was looking forward to watching an hour of new content on the video.

I assume the layout articles are re-prints?

It would be good to publish the pictures that didn't make the press. I still don't think they make the most of the digital medium. We could have a stack of pictures, and enjoy them all full size.

With a following wind things came together last night! I used some plastic glazing that I'd bought from Wizard on my last shopping trip. It was quite easy to stick in with deluxe materials glass and glaze, if you haven't used this stuff you really should, it dries clear and won't cloud the plastic. I then used a thin permanent marker to add the bars onto the back. With that all done it was time to attach the sides with contact adhesive. I wrapped rubber bands around it while it dried and tucked cocktail sticks into the roof line under the rain strip to get it to all hold together. There are a few parts I'm not 100% happy with. The ends haven't set perfectly onto the coach and you can see a little space, that shot also shows up a little part of the underframe that's not painted! Overall I'm very happy! A big thanks to everyone that's posted and helped along the way. It was certainly a lot more work than I was expecting, but if other people are reading this, don't be put off, it's all possible with some patience. I'd never soldered anything more than two wires before this. I'll get some better photos in some better light and on a layout next week.

That brown coach was taking a beating then! I like your idea on the headstock, maybe next time I'm now on a tight time frame as I want the coach ready for a club running session next Tuesday. So with that in mind I've started on the ends, grab rails and rain strip. The roof has had about 3 coats and is looking really smart. I tucked some pieces of paper under the grab rails on the roof to protect the paint. That roof is going to need some serious weathering at some point, I can't believe they were that clean for very long.

I'll keep my fingers crossed then It had a good scrub and clean, but not as far as a wire brush. I left it about a week in primer, just because I wasn't ready to paint.

Just played catch up as I'd not been in your thread for a while. Still love this little layout and the progress. I'm enjoying the fact you are not worried about carving parts up to make improvements. I will build a gwr branch one day!

I did consider doing something with the headstock. I had a play about with some plasticard when I was trying to affix the buffers, but nothing really looked right, so on this occasion I've left it. The primer was Halfords car primer, someone recommended it to me. I figured if it can key into a car body, should be fine on some soft brass!

I'll rub down the side before getting the glue out then! Glad I've given you some inspiration CoY. People on here have been really helpful in helping me through this first build. It's certainly not a small project if you want to do it justice, but as with everything in this amazing hobby it's worth the effort. I've spent tonight adding the lining to the other side. I like to give it plenty of time to dry before I'm doing the rest so I don't disturb it. the roof has also had a few coats of GWR white and is looking quite smart!