Focalplane

Interesting that the authorisation stopped short of Chester which may explain why Kings were not seen north of Shrewsbury (“very often, if at all”). My memory says that Kings were sometimes used when the Cambrian Coast Express actually went into Shewsbury. In later years the Kings were taken off at Wolverhampton when the CCE used the wye, avoiding Shrewsbury station. This is all from memory, mind and I stand to be corrected. Paul

Larry My trainspotting days started in 1956/7 and my first cop was at Gobowen when the southbound train steamed in with a 5 digit number beginning with 4. I think it was a Black 5. I was going to Birmingham Snow Hill so quite why the train was being pulled by a LMR loco was strange. I only had a Western Region Ian Allen at the time. As far as I am aware the only Western class not allowed north of Shrewsbury was the King 60xx. Paul

Simon, when I was away for two weeks in early July the maximum temperature recorded in our roof top verrière was 46°C. In the shade but the greenhouse effect simply raised the temperature. I think the same temperatures could easily be reached in an unshaded garden railway. How might this effect batteries? I really don’t know, perhaps Elon Musk could tell us. And then there is track expansion to think about but that’s another story. I will be following your travels with interest! Paul

There would appear to quite a few of us who have lived along the diffuse boundary between the Western and Midland regions. My father trained for the Great War at Park Hall near Oswestry and that event seemed to have set his mind on the area and so we often traveled on the Paddington Birkenhead line. After he died I was taken in hand by his business partner who lived in the Portmadoc area, so the association continued, extended onto the Cambrian. Along came my stepfather who for some time worked for Doulton ceramics at Tamworth. These included my trainspotting years so I got to stand alongside the Trent Valley Line when Princess Coronations were still rampant, then take the train back to New Street, walk to Moor Street and switch to the North Warwickshire Line. Those were great LNWR, MR and GWR spotting days! I have to admit that the other regions don’t figure in my plans and never have. Paul

Ray, I will, that could be a blessing. Thanks, Paul

This is like Star Trek all over again! Lost in wherever I am. ET, ou est vous? Un tren et un pil? Je ne sais pas. Je suis perdu! But seriously, this looks like what I could have done had I found some land and built a Languedoc garden railway, though whether the batteries would be happy with today’s 37°C temperature. . . . . Phew, Paul

A little bit of forward planning for when the seasons change. I still have some tinkering to do with the inclines of the hidden tracks before I can seriously think about the overlying scenic section, but by placing supports in appropriate places I managed to place a large sheet of 9mm ply over the top. This is going to be a level railway datum 1.26 meters above floor level. The ply track base will be significantly trimmed from the rectangle seen in the photos, both falling away to the estuary in the foreground and rising quickly behind the various buildings. One photo of the track between hotel and engine shed shows that it was actually an embankment with ?swampy ground trapped roughly where the hotel car park is today. Further west of the engine shed the line runs in a cutting, so there will actually be quite a lot of topography (it is Wales after all). First an overview of the plywood: Next a view at the level of the scenic track base, showing the hidden tracks and the 5750 class pannier with B Sets sitting on the "excursion storage loop": I know my descriptions have been confusing at times, so these images may help dispel some of the confusion. Paul

Fingers crossed and I may get to Telford on the Saturday. My plans have had to change and this is the silver lining! I have already started on a shopping list - all the usual suspects are on it! Paul

Thanks, St E. Comparing prices I think it’s going to be the SB5 for now. Penmaenpool is likely to have three locos running at the most. My accessories will be powered separately. I will talk to Digitrains later on and confirm they have one in stock for delivery to the UK while I am there. Paul

A quick email from Digitrains and I will be calling them tomorrow to see what would be the best NCE solution - there is more than one apparently. Meanwhile I unboxed, again, the Minerva 8750 pannier and it liked pulling four Dapol B Set coaches up and down the circuits. Things are coming together slowly. Paul

George I would have to go with Fox these days, cost being the lesser consideration. Tough decisions but there you are. Paul

It's interesting as you get older, isn't it! My eyesight is getting worse so the positive I get from that is if I can't see it it doesn't matter. But then when I put on the 3.5 reading glasses that hurt my eyes I see all the detail and blanche. A no-win situation. Paul

I don't know whether it's the heat or the addition of two more Dapol coaches on to the layout, but my NCE PowerCab has been getting warm lately. I think I need the 5 amp booster because it is starting to cut out when the Lee Marsh Jubilee is running. This is happening because I recently posted on another site how pleased I was with the way the basic PowerCab works with Gauge O locos. I have looked up the item on Digitrain's site and it is out of stock at the moment. Just as well I won't be running any trains for a couple of weeks. Other sources seem to have higher prices which may explain why they have stock? Paul

As it is still too hot to think straight (scientists' studies have demonstrated this to be true) I decided to do something fairly mundane today and punched out all the rivets on the Warren Shephard Mogul (loco only). There are not that many to do unlike some kits. The tender kit, on the other hand has no rivet guides though I feel sure it was heavily riveted. So I plan to use some American HO rivet decals after the tender is built and before spraying on the etch primer. Ironically, the decal strips look to be about the right size and having seen quite a few American prototypes I can imagine I am not far wrong in that assumption. No decision need be made right now. My Metalsmith riveter doesn't have guides quite like some others, so the decal strips may well end up being the better alternative for me anyway. I doubt if any of the riveted parts are visible but I took a group photo of all the etches to make this post a bit more visual: There may seem to be a lot of brass here but many of the etches have redundant parts - depending on which Mogul is being modelled. Paul

Well, as far as colours go, the definitive ruling is, I believe long gone. Film deteriorates with age, particularly if not stored in ideal conditions, while today's idea of scanning a colour at B&Q and matching it precisely simply didn't exist. Batches of paint would have varied from time to time and location to location. And the longer the paint's life on a loco or coach, the more it would change through all sorts of aging. But what I liked about the trainspotters' movie was that the rake of crimson/cream coaches had a distinct togetherness. I would like to think it was a top link express with the coaches kept together as much as possible. The Midlander rakes were certainly maintained as "trains" with extras added for Friday night services, for example. These were often added, with a pilot at New Street going up, or taken off there going down. My research suggests that named trains on the LMR had the earliest upgrades to all maroon coaches, but for my purpose the Midlander will look like Philip Hawkins' painting. Platform 7 was a great viewpoint and, because a public footpath ran through the station, it was free! As to loco green, the best bet would be to examine City of Birmingham 46235. It is, as far as I know, the only remaining example from Crewe's paint shop. Paul

How is that? Ignore my last post - I blame the heat for being testy Paul

Larry Try wiring up a scissor crossing. Mine kept me busy for nearly a week. Ironically once finished I have decided I rather like such challenges I have also realised that I have never finished a layout in my life. Usually because I was always moving around the world. This time maybe I will finish? But do what you must is my best advice. Paul

Ah, yes, risk management! I spent my career expecting a 1 in 10 success in finding oil or gas so 9 times out of 10 failure would be the norm. Not that I want my Jub to be one of the 9. What I actually envisage is placing a large block of spongy material for the express to crash into. Wouldn’t that be better than a block of wood and a screw? My old test track had two screws either side with a thick rubber band between. Or am I missing something? Paul

And here is the movie: Lee Marsh Jubilee 45688 Polyphemus pulling four B Set coaches. It should really be pulling my Midlander rake but they're in limbo. The circuit includes the dip down to the double slip that feeds both fiddle yards, so is using the most severe inclines in the layout. Enjoy! Paul PS I don't much like the chuffing sound on the Lee Marsh installed sound file, it's too monotonous. I might have to do something about this when at Telford.

The lifting section has been wired up and connected, so circuits can now be done. The connection to right of the scissor crossing is a bit wonky but all the locos and trains I have tested pass through easily so I have left it for the time being. I have shot a video with the Lee Marsh Jubilee pulling 4 Dapol suburban coaches at about two thirds speed (80/126) using the inclines down to the double slip and will provide a link once it has been uploaded to vimeo.com. We are under the influence of the "Portuguese Heatwave" with today's temperature heading for 37ºC and it likely to stay that way as the pressure system is stalled at least until Sunday. I think I will stay in the railway room, it's the coolest room in the house! (In more ways than one!) Paul

Actually I couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help and advice. So a big thank you to all concerned. Paul

Well, finally, we have working points, all four of them! With the exception that stiffer piano wire will be needed when I can find some (most probably a week from now). As it now looks as though I may be in the UK for longer than planned I am just pleased to have got this far and ahead of my self-imposed deadline. I have spent much of the last 24 hours re-wiring the whole assembly, including adding terminal connectors (called dominoes in the bricolage) to the sides of the Tortoises with double sided tape. Here are some photos to prove my point (could not resist that, Simon!): First, the wiring, not as tidy as I would like but if it works, leave it! Next, the track side: To demonstrate that the wiring is switched correctly I turned the lights down and tried to capture the lever settings (straight outer, straight inner, left crossover, right crossover) as well as show a coach with working lighting: The wiring in the foreground is temporary and will disappear when the design of the control panel is decided upon and built. Again, the theory is that if it works, don't touch it! I do, however, plan to keep the module as an easy in - out assembly and the five connecting wires will have plugs and sockets. They are, by the way, track feed, track return, Tortoise bus, Points 1&4 control, Points 2&3 control. Not quite total DCC simplicity, but there you are! What next? I need to wire up the span across the doorway and relay the track up to the scissor crossing, then I can run a circuit through the hidden track system. After that, some final adjustments to the inclines. And it's still 35ºC! Paul

Yes, you are right, Dave, though there is also friction involved where the switch rail rubs against the underlying sleepers. Neither of these problems exist with a Peco point. Still no luck on thicker piano wire, and I will be away from home by the time a supply can be mailed to me. The rewiring is nearly complete but it is deinitely siesta time here, the temperature is 37°C and I keep dozing off! Paul

Ray I recognized this could be a problem at the outset and left off strips of cork below the four tiebars. The friction would have been even worse. I do like soldered track but this has always been a negative. The scissors crossover is not in the scenic area so it is not a problem how it looks as long as it works. But thanks anyway for the suggestion! Paul

Hi Simon I am going to call FB Systems near Béziers, they sold me the Tortoises so maybe they can help. Thank you for your offer but these things are obviously worth hoarding! Is there a replacement for Maplins? I suppose that’s unlikely, a bit like Radio Shack 20 years ago. There’s something special about browsing in an electronics parts shop though I am not sure why. Paul