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Steam_Julie

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Blog Entries posted by Steam_Julie

  1. Steam_Julie
    No lads, not anything to do with satellite TV!
     
    It's a system to support a flexible backscene. This is because the layout has to fit into a small case for transport.
     

     
    The loco crabbing problem has been solved by the addition of a small piece of plastic which reduces the width of the crossing flangeway.
     
    This also stop the coaches occasionally hitting the bridge, by keeping their wheelsets from crabbing too.
     

     
    Julie
  2. Steam_Julie
    I still experiencing problems with my Farish 04 running slowly over the goods yard entry point on Clovelly Road.
     
    I have discovered that the problem is that it is crabbing. This means that the loco wheels are moving towards the outside rail. This has the effect of increasing the distance of the loco tyre from the inner rail and thus increasing the electrical resistance.
     
    I have proved that my diagnosis is correct, when a stall occurs, I very generally push it towards the inner rail. The loco then starts and runs for a number of circuits without stalling.
     
    Eventually the problem returns. The same remedy again works. I think that the solution is to add a check rail on the approach to the point.
     
    Julie
  3. Steam_Julie
    When building micro layout if you use proprietary track, you will nearly always need to bend points if you require your trackwork to flow!
     
    When you start bending points you have to be prepared to break your first couple of points. BUT with practice you will be able to get excellent results without breaking them.
     
    The photographs below show the sequence of operations.
     
    The points as supplied by Peco
     

     
    The outer rails removed and bent to required curvature.
     

     
    The rails re-inserted after the web's underneath have been removed. Do not remove them in the area of the turn at or the plastic check rails!
     

     
    The points as installed on the layout, the final curvature is achieved during the gluing of them in position on the layout.
     

     
    The last blog entry posted earlier today, Clovelly Road - Sky Support can be accessed by clicking on the link below.
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1849/entry-17115-clovelly-road-sky-support/
     
    Julie
  4. Steam_Julie
    I was running in a Dapol Terrier today, using the track work of Clovelly Road as a test track. This is one of the advantages of building a roundy roundy type layout, that one does not need a separate test track. I noticed that sometimes it stopped when negotiating the point crossing and that this triggered a short circuit indication on the controller.
     
    Close examination of the point revealed the source of the problem. When I curved the point the rail from the dead area of the crossing had moved slightly which closed the gap between the two live rails, opposite sides of the DCC supply such that the locomotive wheels sometimes shorted. The rail was then re-glued in place, this being necessary because of it's removal during the curving process.
     
    I have also added a thin strip of plastic card to the opposite check rail. This was then carefully files to make sure that the rail profile is correct. This ensures that the wheelsets are pulled slightly towards the outer rail, as they pass over the point. Since the points are made to accept all N gauge wheels, the slight closing of the gap between the running rail and the check rail does not cause problems. If I attempt to run locomotive or stock with the older wheels types this may cause problems.
     
    I also noticed when I was looking at the blog entries that there were inconsistencies in the Entry Tags, these have now all been checked and the inconsistencies removed.
     
    I have also repainted the ends of the coaches, a little thing but is does improve their look enormously. This was done using dry brushing because it is more controllable, than normal painting as to where the paint goes when painting small areas, particularly when painting the edges.
     
    Julie
  5. Steam_Julie
    Clovelly Road is designed to be easily transportable, using public transport, but still present a modelling challenge.
     

    The overall baseboard, before it has been but to final shape, as marked by pencil line.

    A detail to show the basic construction method.
     
    Julie
  6. Steam_Julie
    I have now taken the fixed coach wheels on the brake 2nd coach and reassembled it after removing some material to allow the coach to be level when placed on the track. The first photograph is before and the second after the modifications.
     

     

     
    I have also removed excess material so that the coach ends flat and I have applied the first coat of paint.
     
    The coach need to be detailed, but we ar now basically there. The coaches run around the curves on the layout. The next stage is to coaches require to be weathered.
     
    Julie
  7. Steam_Julie
    I went to visit some friends who also build model railways, and in order to transport the coaches I used the original box, see the photograph below. I find that working on models with others inspirational. But you also have to be very organised to make sure you have everything you require. When working with very small parts I work withing a plastic box, which usually catches any small parts that fly off when I work with them. I get simular help in giving me get up and go also I get inspiration from the work of others who post on RMWeb too.
     

     
    I have now built the second class coach, the railway line in British Railways day had no first class accommodation. This coach was built using the same techniques as the brake one. The photograph below show the wheel arrangement. When I have finished the build, it will look as if the frame is not articulated, when seen from the side when running on straight or large radius track. But at the same time will allow the coaches to run over tight radius track.
     

     
    The final photograph shows the 2 coaches coupled together. I now realise that the brake coach requires slight modification because the fixed wheelset is slightly too high. I also want to move the coupling out, to increase the distance between the coaches slightly.
     

     
    I still need to complete the coaches, but I think that I have made a good start.
     
    Julie
  8. Steam_Julie
    The 6 wheeled coaches that I have modelled were purchased by WH Austen, who took over the HF Stephens light railway undertaking after his dead in 1931. As with many Stephens enterprises the modification of the coaches for use on the railway was carried out in unorthodox manor. They started life on the LDCR railways as bogie coaches, which were sliced in two and the wheel arrangement changed.
     
    The photograph below shows the origionally a brake third coach, although by the date I am modelling it had become a brake second.
     

     
    The reason for so doing was the severe curves on the prototype and the weight restrictions over the very light track. The stone built bridges and the sheep creep were constructed as a result of a deal with the land owner to provide the land required for the railway for a nominal £1 on condition that all bridges were constructed on stone and a halt was provided for the use of said land owner and local residence this later became Clovelly Road. The line was operated by the LSWR and later the Southern Railway and then British Railways, although the infrastructure was owned independently until nationalisation in 1948.
     
    The photograph below shows how tight the fit between the coach and the bridge. This was true of the prototype and I have exentuated this on the model to make the layout appear larger than it is.
     

     
    A mixted train approaches Clovelly Road from the junction.
     

     
    They need further work to make them correct, but at this point I simply want to prove that the techniques I have previously used in 4mm work in the smaller 2mm scale. I need for instance to change the fixed wheels to disk wheels, add couplings at the fixed end and modify the frames to match the bogie end.
     
    part 1 of the coaches story can be found at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1849/entry-16890-clovelly-road-the-proof-of-the-pudding/
     
    Julie
  9. Steam_Julie
    As my grandmother use to say, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating". After I solved a small problem with a short on the point crossing I managed to back the train complete with guards van into the goods yard siding, without having a derailment. I then reversed the locomotive and drove the train out onto the running line, again without any derailment.
     

     
    So I can now both pull and push the guards van around a 120mm radius curves without problems. This is made easier because I have a pulse type controller which gives excellent slow running, without the need for anything more than insuring that the track is clean. The locomotive as you can see from the photographs is a Farish 04 which has very small wheels and a short wheelbase. I didn't need to rub the wheels with graphite, as mentions in Dad-1's blog entry – Acceptable slow running. Where he described how he improved the running of a loco based on a tenshodo spud.
     
    I'm using a Bachman DCC controller becuase this is the only one that I own. Curenty I am using it in DC mode, i.e. by selecting loco 10, but I will chip the locomotive soon.
     

     
    Julie
  10. Steam_Julie
    I have now soldered the connections from the socket on the back edge of baseboard 2 to the power bus and linked the new track which links the scenic section to the fiddleyard, see photograph below.
     
    Before power was connected the wiring was checked out using the buzzer feature of my multimeter, to make sure that no shorts exist between North – black and South – red.
     

     
    I have now solved the problem of getting the guards van around the fiddleyard curve without it derailing. The solution was to improve the flexibility of the coupling. The previous chassis was produced by doing a cut and shut on the original Farish chassis. I have now replaced it with a 15 foot Peco chassis, which has been reduced in length using cut and shut to 10 foot length.
     
    The first photograph shows the train approaching the fiddleyard curve and the second shows the train about to leave it.
     

     

     
    Julie
  11. Steam_Julie
    A major part of the problems that I have had, re getting trains to negotiate the curves to enter the fiddleyard, was because of problems with the flexibility of the couplings. The photograph below shows two 5 plank wagons on the main curve, through the goods yard entry points.
     

     
    The second photograph shows the same two wagons going around the much sharper curves into the fiddleyard.
     

     
    When carrying out the cut and shut modification of the guards van, I successfully reduced the overhang of the couplings with respect to the wheelbase and the overall length of the chassis. But in the process the couplings have reduced flexibility. Thus the brake van still derails when the sharpest part of the curve is reached.
     
    The Peco brake van chassis has a slightly shorter wheelbase and the same flexibility of the 2 wagons in the photograph. Thus it will hopefully negotiate the fiddleyard curve without derailing. The proof of the pudding will of course be in the eating!
     
    Julie
     
    PS This is the second posting today, this has occurred because I was unable to get to sleep.
  12. Steam_Julie
    The tracklaying of the mainline is now complete. The first photograph shows the tracksetter being used to make sure that the straight track is trully straight.
     

     
    The curved track is the same radius, curved using the same template as the other end of the fiddleyard. The curve from the goods yard entry point is a transition curve. This means that when lloking aong the track where towards the where the road overbridge bridge will be there is no abrupt change of curve radius.
     
    The photograph below, shows the start of laying process of the goods yard.
     

     
    I'm now getting better at using the high resolution camera on my new mobile phone.
     
    Julie
  13. Steam_Julie
    Not my birthday lads & lasses, but my 21st entry in the Clovelly Road blog. As you will see from the photograph below, the catch point has been attached to the goods yard entry point.
     

     
    These new Peco points, with their shorter closure rails, often called point blades, look better, but it is much harder to provide a hard wired electrical connection to them, because of their short length.
     
    I've also had problems, with the Cut & Shut chassis of the brake van, pictured below and I am going have to replace the whole chassis with a Peco one because the couplings has more flexibility to allow it around curves, without causing derailment, see photograph below.
     

     
    Julie
     
    P.S. isn't technology wonderful, but only when it does what you want it to do, not what it wants to do!
  14. Steam_Julie
    Since the last entry I have laid the track base foam over the back of baseboard 1 and over the join onto baseboard 2, See photograph below.
     

     
    To get the foam flat, over the join, was basically straight forward. Before laying the foam I planed the join area to get it completely flat. The final material removal was done using a scalpel as a plane to make the join area completely flat, allowing the top surface of the foam to be flat.
     
    The curve of the track was was preformed using the printed template, as shown in the above photograph. This was produced using Anyrail 5. The track was then laid using contact adhesive. I pushed two wagons along the track to check for tight spots.
     

     
    Next thing to do is attach a controller to the track and run a loco over the newly laid track! The track previously laid, the radius was too tight for proper running without slight reduction in speed due to excessive friction between the wheel flanges and the inner rail edge.
     
    Julie
  15. Steam_Julie
    The brake van, photographed attempting to traverse the original fiddleyard curves was too long, Both to negotiate the curve without causing too much friction and too long when compared with the length of the prototype.
     

    The length has been reduced by 10mm, that relates to 5'. It is still slightly too long, but it now looks the part. The planned curve has a radius of 125 mm radius which translates to 62' 6” radius. This although tight, was larger than the tightest radius on the Clovelly Tramway.
     
    The name 'cut and shut' describes the process used to achieve the rebuild. Two cuts are made in this case 10mm apart. The two ends of the chassis were then joined together. Due to the type of plastic used the join was effected using a super glue which is designed to be slightly flexible. Normal super glue is very brittle and tends to shatter when a shock loading is applied.
     

    The guards compartment was then glued into position. The new parts were then painted black to blend in and then couplings were then glued into position.
     
    I am currently using standard N gauge couplings, but it is my long term intention to use DG couplings. The advantages are that they can auto couple, have remote uncoupling and the ability to negotiate tight curve easily. They also have better coupling operations on curves with a radius greater than 200mm radius.
     
    Julie
     
    EDITed to correct a spelling error in 1st paragraph
  16. Steam_Julie
    I find when building micro layouts and operating them at exhibitions one need to think carefully about their design to make them more interesting to watch and operate. On Clovelly Road I have decided that I'm going to have working catch points on the entrance to the goods yard.
     
    On the prototype these were installed to prevent runaways. These were wagons who had not had their manual brakes properly applied running away down the gradient and causing problems further down the line. This was a serious and every present risk before the introduction of continuous braking on goods trains in the early 1970's.
     
    The catch points simply derailed such a wagon or collection of wagons before they got onto the main running line, by derailing them. They are not often modelled and very rarely are they operational on model railway layouts.
     
    On Clovelly Road, I am using a cut-down Peco LH Settrack point to model the catch point. This has the advantage that the catch point is sprung, in the same ways as normal Peco points and can be operated using the same technologies.

    It has the advantage that the cut-down point can be made shorter than the ready made Peco catch points and therefore take up less baseboard space. This is critical on a layout like Clovelly Road.
    The goods yard entry point and the catch point will be worked in tandem, just like the prototype.
     
    Julie
  17. Steam_Julie
    I've been working on completing board 2. This involved two distinct parts the woodwork and the electrics, i.e. the input from the controller to the bus. The testing before assembly is very important because rectification is much simpler prior to assembly.
     


     
    The electrics, the socket was pre wired and tested before being attached to the baseboard back. The complete assembly was then attached to the rest of baseboard 2 using glue and micro panel pins.
     
    The corner was then reprofiled using a fret saw and micro surform.
     


     
    Julie
  18. Steam_Julie
    The previous curves was too tight. I have increased the baseboard width and now I am using AnyRail version 5 to check that the curve will work before laying the track.
     

    The problem was the couplings where causing the wagon wheels to rub on the inside of the outer rail. This friction caused the running to be uneven.
     


    I have not been working on the model recently, this is because I have found myself in a very difficult situation. I've been the victim of as assault, but the police have insisted on prosecuting me.
     
    Julie
  19. Steam_Julie
    During the last session working on Clovelly Road, I realised that the curves at the back of the layout were to sharp, for the trains to negotiate without problems. These were caused by the flanges rubbing against the inside of the curves outer rail.
     
    To solve this problem it was necessary to increase the width of the baseboard. By examining the carrying case I found that this could be increased by 26mm. This has now been done.
     

    Baseboard 2

    Attached to the original baseboard

    Both baseboards together, with the corner rounded

    The underside of the combined baseboards
     
    The plywood used for baseboard 2 is slightly thicker than used for the main baseboard, thus baseboard 2 is about 1mm thicker. But the top surfaces are aligned, so this is not a problem.
     
    I have taken the opportunity of adding rubber feet to protect the table on which the layout is placed. because of of the change of baseboard size the feet are used are higher. This is required to allow the larger baseboard to clear the inside of the case wheels.
     
    Julie
  20. Steam_Julie
    I've attempted to get the trains running by fettling the track. I have got the locomotive running sweetly in both directions. But when I attached a couple of wagons, then the running problems returned with a vengeance. I think that I pushed my luck too far.
     
    This is because the coupling swings to far out, causing the following wagons to derail. When the track was fettled, increasing the gauge, the wagons stayed on the track, but the rolling resistance was too great.
     
    When working with 2mm models, small locomotives are very light, and therefor there will be problems with effective electrical resistance will be very large. You have no way of increasing the locomotive weight to reduce it.
     
    Also the hauling capacity of small loco's is very limited too, thus rolling resistance become critical. Over the years I have tried traction tyres etc. and there doesn't seem to be any way of gaining performace that way either.
     
    I've been working with minium radius layout for a long time, and know the effect of wheel position relative to the track is very important. Thus when the radius is too small, effective resistance becomes too large too, because the the contact area, between wheel and rail head is too small.
     
    When one constructs minimum space layouts, this situation often occurs. The only sane thing to do is admit you attempted to go to far. Then look at how the problem to see how they be solved.
     
    In this case I can increase the board width by just over 20mm. The width was determined by the internal width that can fit within the carrying case. This might not sound much, but this will allow me to increase the track radius enough to solve the running problems.
     
    So now it's lift the track along the back of the layout and do the woodwork. There are challenges, not problems in life. The thing I enjoy is look at the challenges and making the required changes and overcoming them.
     
    Julie
  21. Steam_Julie
    I have now installed a permanent wiring connection between the controller and the layout. This uses a 2.1 mm DC panel mounted socket and plug as shown below.



     
    This arrangement allows the train to be run continuously. The train runs the complete circuit, but it slows down at several points, due to the sharp curvature.
     
    The track gauge needs to be slightly widened at these points. This process is called fettling the track. Fettling is more necessary, on this layout, because I am pushing the radius very tight in order to fit the track into a very small footprint.
     
    The wiring description was started in http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1849/entry-16530-clovelly-road-wiring-1/
     
    Julie
  22. Steam_Julie
    Today I started to wire Clovelly Road. The Red wires is South and the Black is North.
     
    The initial tests were carried out with a DC controller and an unclipped locomotive. The connection to the controller was achieved using a temporary connection. This will be replaced with a permanent connection later.
     
    The point is permanently wired, so that contact between the closure rails and the running rails is not critical.

    Photograph of the overall wiring

    Photograph of a track connection underside

    Photograph of a track connection track side

    The temporary layout connection
     
    Julie
  23. Steam_Julie
    I made the track laid yesterday slightly too short. But this was solved by pre-curing a short piece of track to place the point in the correct position.
     
    The stages are remove the rail from the sleeper, then bend to the required radius. It is difficult to bend the last 20mm or so of a rail length. Therefore I allowed 20mm extra on both ends, bent the rail and then trimmed the 20mm off each end.


    It is essential with any track laying, that you don't trim the section to the exact length, until absolutely necessary. My grandma always said when cutting material, when dress making, measure twice and then cut once. I have found this excellent advice when laying track too.


    Once the track laying was complete I was able to trim the foam base.

    No Lisa my layout, as you see, is not totally pointless after all.
     
    Julie
  24. Steam_Julie
    I have constructed the sheep creep, using a Peco single track bridge kit, as it basis. It will not be fixed into position until the track is laid, wired and tested. I have constructed it as narrow as I think I can get away with. This has the effect that hopefully it will not dominate the completed scene.
     
    The shape of the back slot, in the top sheet, will be adjusted when I know the exact shape of the curved backscene.

    Photograph of the sheep creep before insertion, into the bridge box.

    Photograph of the sheep creep in position,
     
    Julie
  25. Steam_Julie
    The layout baseboard has now been cut to shape. The back, the straight side was found to be slightly warped. It was straighten using a longer piece of the wood from which the spacers are made and the a strengthening piece of plywood was added along this edge.

    The whole layout baseboard.

    Showing the spacers on the curved edge.

    Showing the stiffener and strengthener along the back edge.
     
    Julie
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