Ray Von

What caught my eye was the DC aspect.

I should've mentioned I'm looking at DC specifically.

Hi all, I've just been reading about / viewing YouTube vids re: controlling your layout via your mobile device using Arduino circuit boards. It all seemed very exciting, until I got to the "programming and coding" section. My eyes tend to glaze over whenever I am confronted with anything technical like this - does anyone out there provide a service whereby they program the hardware for the inept like me??

I would be very grateful if my friends on here would give my work a look: https://www.facebook.com/Spacekinsart Instagram: Spacekins_art https://spacekins.etsy.com Everything I have learnt about modelling, weathering etc I owe to a lot of people who use this site - I have now exhibited locally, with more exhibitions to follow - a book and website are in the works too. I still run my 1980s "Dent De Lion" layout in between visits to "The Asteroid Belt!"

Walk Like an Egyptian - T'Bangles

Cheers, I clearly still have a great deal to learn! Thank you though.

Thanks! How many feedback boxes would be needed for a layout like mine (shelf) with six sidings?

I'll be honest and admit that I don't really understand most of that! Sorry! :-) LEDs where exactly? Also what is a feedback unit?

Thanks, Sorry if I sound like a numpty, but exactly how does the DCC control know where the train is, sensors? Infrared?

Cheers, I have utilised insulated sections of track exclusively on my layout (hence all the switches) maybe this will be useful in the future? I was hoping (perhaps naively) that the "automation" element would come under the umbrella of the DCC control box - without the need for additional sensors, etc....

Thank you grriff, so - would I need a PC? That's a bit of a hurdle because I don't own one! :-(

Having made an N scale DC layout that I am very happy with, two or so years down the line I am realising that my rolling stock is largely DCC ready. Unfortunately I have no pictures to hand, but the layout is a shelf layout with a traverser at one end for locomotives to enter the layout. As the setup is DC I have analogue switches to isolate the areas of track (a station at end furthest from the traverser and some sidings on the opposite side) necessary to run the loco's. So, on with the questions: 1) Wiring? As you can imagine - a DC layout with no less than six switch isolated track sections has a fair old jumble of wiring underneath! Would I need to rewire? Obviously, the switches would be redundant should I convert to DCC. 2) Which Controller? I will be running approx 6 loco's but would like to upsize in time. I currently have six (I think) sets of points on the layout - each operated by brass rods, these will need motors (I assume operated via the controller?) 3) Automation? Would this be possible once the layout is up and running - I would like to do that. 4) The Traverser? I have rather an ingenious (if I do say so myself!) homemade analogue traverser - a section on drawer runners with power provided by steel brush bristles that make contact with bolts that go through the traverser deck to the rails as they pass over these bristles. Is this necessary with DCC? Many thanks in advance for your help! (I hope to add pictures soon...)

A tiny seashell I found yesterday is now a piece of "modern art" on my (circa 1980) model rail layout. The bronze sculpture "Counterpoint" (1959) is by renowned local artist Hermione Boot and is mounted over a wishing well that supports local charities in the town of Dent de Lion... The seashell is glued to a piece of dressmakers pin, which in turn is fixed to a small plastic reel of some sort that I found on the ground, possibly from a tape cassette.

I found this on our very own RMweb: The images in this post show the back of the shed, as you can see it is quite plain compared to the track facing side. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/81857-ben-street-station-and-yard/&do=findComment&comment=1542702

Here's a top view, as you can see - the "office" section of the building (on the right) sits back a fair bit from the track edge.

There are some detail pic's here: but they don't really show the rear aspect, they might give you some hints though, should you purchase this particular kit.

This is literally the best I could do, the building is close to the back of the layout. So, on the rear side is an identical opening (loading area) above it is a much smaller awning, on the roof this side is a long (four pane) skylight, I can't see the "office" section due to scrap from the junkyard, but I think it's pretty similar to the front aspect. The chimney on this model was added by me, also it's worth bearing in mind that I bought this particular model second hand and did it up, so it might not be exactly as per the original design. I hope these pics are of some help!

That sounds a real problem! I'm by no means experienced in this field, but are the locos passing over the points ok despite the poor alignment? If this is the case, could you hardwire them to make them permanently live (removing the need to have perfect contact from the blades?) Or would this adversely affect the running of the surrounding layout....?

You're quite right, also the "location" of the layout calls for fairly specific traffic. I don't think many freight services would take the "detour" up to Dent de Lion, although many might use the London to Ramsgate line. I'm using a rake of Freightliner wagons to service the Zanussi warehouse and one of the same for Suder's Worldwide Dispatch. The scrap merchant has a plain van for an "undisclosed" freight and an old oil tanker wagon for collection of the meagre amount of waste oil that comes from the premises.

Dent de Lion indeed has a - somewhat dwindling - summer trade, a holiday camp built in the 1950's and still hanging on in the 1980's - but only just. Also factor in the passing thru services, heading for the seaside at Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate. There has been, and still is, a great interest in the historic sites of Canterbury, Dover, Deal etc not to mention the more genteel Whitstable, Broadstairs and Deal. All nearby to Dent de Lion....

Thanks guys, some excellent ideas - however, I spent almost all day in bed today! I think that the random element would (as C126 suggests) be that of "delays" and "accidents" to the service, rather than wagon assignment, although I could possibly stretch that point... Here are some pictures of the layout: The whole thing: The "commercial" siding: This has a large "Zanussi" warehouse / depot with twin delivery staging. Further down this same line is a smaller "General Trader" - Suder's Worldwide Dispatch, this business occupies the original station's goods depot and is large enough only to accept one van. Platform 2, is a passenger service London to Ramsgate (Margate) inland route (via Canterbury East, Grove ferry etc) - but I can see this also receiving the morning newspapers... Platforms 3 and 4, solely passenger service London to Ramsgate (Margate) via coast. The station itself occupies a fictional location "Dent de Lion" which stands roughly where Reculver does today. The two lines all but merge at this point. Opposite platforms 3 and 4 are a holding siding (for emu's at busy periods) andshooting off of this is a smaller siding belonging to scrap merchant "H. Faversham" this siding is maybe two to three van lengths: I hope this is of some inspiration, thank you again for all the ideas so far.

Having been struck down by Covid, I've decided to finally address this aspect of running a layout. I've heard snippets here and there concerning the use of tiddlywinks, dice etc to add interest to operating a layout, and during this downtime in my health I am interested to build on this. My layout is a 1980 era SR Kent coastline terminus, mainly emu's and a few deisel/electric passenger/freight services. Any thoughts on developing this concept would be gladly received by this poorly modeller. Cough, wheeze. Thank you.

It's been somewhat breezy today, so I cracked on with adding some detail to my Signal Box. I wasn't happy with the proportions of the windows, a bit overscale I thought - so I simply added some card bands, top and bottom. I weathered them with a wash of Brown Earth mixed with a smidge of PVA glue, this helped to adhere the paper nicely as it dried. I also added a station name to the building, and dry brushed some white paint to areas here and there - to simulate minerals leaching and just add some realism.

Oh yes, I'd forgotten about that!!! Where would you place them? I'm thinking quite high up, on the concrete section.... ? Thank you for the reminder!

Thanks for that!