Andy_C

Cheers for the info. Not sure I’ll get the right numbering, but at least the loco will be right.

Hi all, I came across this thread after doing a search - I’m looking to get a Brit to pull a goods/fish wagon train that was common in Mansfield in the 60’s. I note the comments re the circle fouling - my tightest radius is 15”, so hopefully that won’t be an issue. Is there anything else I need to be aware of with this loco? I have a recent Dapol 9F, and the front single bogie can be v fickle, but some tinkering with the back to back seems to have cured that. All my other steam are Farish or Sonic. Thanks, Andy.

I just came across this thread this morning. My eBay moan is about listing. Why do folk not provide accurate descriptions of items? My example is I have saved searches for Revolution Trains, N gauge locos DCC ready, and DCC fitted. All sorts of stuff pops up that isn't anywhere near accurate, that wouldn't do if the seller had took the time to deal with the relevant fields. Grr, and bah humbug :-)

Balázs at DTPro mentioned this when he asked me to try the Z21 with the Yamorc 7001.

I’ve done the conversion from the DR5000 to YD7001, primarily as I had an issue with some loco’s spontaneously changing to reverse when set to go forwards. I’ve not had that issue with the ‘affected’ locos since. I use 4018’s with MP1’s, and swapped to the YD8116 once it was obvious the 4018’s were no longer available. I now have a combo of 4018’s and 8116’s. I find the screw posts on the 8116 better, and I like the programming of the 8116 using the YD9100. This item is flimsy - I’d ideally like it more robustly designed, but I have positioned the 8116’s so I can access them to plug this in for reprogramming and firmware updates, when required. One issue with the 8116 is it will always revert to ‘stop’ or ‘thrown’, if there is a track/accessory power reset. Very frustrating when you get this, reset your track power to hear the affected points switching. I’ve been in touch with Yamorc, and DCC Train Automation about this issue. Yamorc say there will be a firmware update that will sort this in due course. Another side issue is I was starting to use DigiTrainsPro (DTP) with the DR5000. This app will not properly talk to the 7001. The DTP customer service guy has acknowledged this, and is going to get in touch with Karst to resolve this. Hopefully this should be done by September. He suggests that connecting the app via the Z21 option will work. I’ve been asked by him to confirm this. WiThrottle seems to work ok with the 7001, but I’ve not properly soak tested it yet. Hope this summary helps… PS the 7001 works fine with the Digitrax 602 throttle via the loconet connection.

Today I had 10 mins, so had a faff with DigiTrainsPro (DTP)and WiThrottle into the Yamorc 7001. DTP wouldn’t stay logged into the Yamorc. WiThrottle seemed to be working much better, but logged out once. More research needed. I like the idea of DTP, as it appears you can route plan in it, but not if it doesn’t work! I’ve emailed the creator, and the connection issue is being looked into. WiThrottle was easy to setup. Just get the ip address from the Yamorc controller interface on the laptop, add it to the WiThrottle setup in the correct place, and done. Just need to see if the disconnection issue was isolated. Didn’t spend long enough with it today to establish any patterns or causes.

Today involved plasticard cutting of various thicknesses to make the foundation for the diesel shed. Took quite a while. I want the surface to be smooth, so once the plasticard is correctly aligned, I’ll prime it and then paint it weathered concrete. I might have a go at the yellow warning lines next to each track, too. Once in place, this ‘slab’ will then get weathered. The shed track and inspection pits have not yet been painted - another task. This shed needs to look new - as if it’s just been finished - to fit in with the era. The Scale Scenes shed is not the final shed that will go here. I’ve purchased the recently released Railway Laser Lines shed to construct and put here. Fortunately the dimensions and track widths don’t need changing.

Today I continued soak testing the track, to be presented with a very strange fault/short at this x-over, which is quite crucial as it’s at the north end of the station (there wasn’t on in reality, but the compromise is to aid running trains). I checked ‘everything’, incl the frog wiring etc, only to be informed it’s an issue with one of the blades. Can you spot which one? I didn’t see it, but a photo to a valued (and experienced at this kind of thing) friend got an instant response/solution. My 9F is in 1st place as the most flaky loco on my track - if there is the slightest fault anywhere, this loco will find it. A little solder on one point, front pony back-to-back slightly out, so experimenting with that cured the derailing.

Tidying up after yesterday, but time for a proper goods rake…

Running day, today. Testing all the track to find any glitches. My Dapol 9F didn’t like some bits on the anti clockwise loop, but was ok in the other direction. All the other locos were fine. Decided I have enough coaches. 😉 The photo doesn’t show the suburban sets I have, and this is probably the only time the 9F will pull passenger stuff, but I do have a few photos of 9F excursion trains going thru Mansfield. Plenty of planning for the next stages; ballasting, station building and canopy, signalling and all sorts of other stuff. Thanks as always to Duncan for the humour and wise advice.

This photo shows the sidings for the goods shed, which is next to the station. The tails of these sidings will be adjustable, as I need to mock up the goods shed(which was huge), and the cattle dock, to get the proportions right. As such, these tracks are temporarily in place. I can sort their droppers near to the points, which is this weekends job. I have the single engine shed track on this board to finish. That will then be all the track laid. I then need to build and fit the motorised TT, which is on the other side of the layout - then that will be all track laid.

Appreciate the update. Thank you.

…and. Few other bits and pieces, from an excellent weekend’s exhibiting…

Ooh!

Uploaded photo’s individually as they seemed to want to turn upside down when jointly posting….

A few photos from todays exhibition at the DEMU, Sutton Coldfield. A very pleasant running day, with lots of comments from visitors who know the actual location.

This is an image of the station I’m modelling my N Gauge layout on. Gives you an idea of platform height. This station was originally built in the 1870’s.

This was pointed out to me by a friend, when I was checking platform heights for my layout(Mansfield, in the early 60's). Photos from the era confirmed this.

This weekend involved checking track and cleaning recently painted zones, then running in a Sonic J50, which seems to spontaneously want to change direction when running. Further investigation needed. Fitted 4 more MP1’s. I have 4 left, and will need 3 more after that to complete point fitting(plus one more 8116). Todays photos are a long view of the sidings and two engine shed locations, and then a full view of the whole room, for perspective…

Threads like this are a sort of story/blog to me. They catalogue certain points the OP feels worthy of sharing regarding their layout development. For example, I've no idea who finds my musings on 'Mansfield, a slow burner' interesting, other than it seems lots of folk are viewing it. Questions asked get very sporadic responses - such is the nature of forums of any type. As for verbose, I think your tone is your tone. It certainly doesn't bother me. Cheers, Andy.

A couple of photos from todays running session, including an interloper unlikely to be seen at the forthcoming exhibition…

Mmm, shame no clues can be given… He he…

1st photo - Today was about woodwork. There needs to be a section that lifts out so I can get to the window. The unpainted part on here is that. The road will go from Belvedere St across this section, and rise up to the left. The other photos are of balsa shaping and getting the height right for the goods platform. Mansfield had such a platform, and images I have show it was higher than the passenger platform. I’ve again had to be flexible with this, but the images I have show box van floors being the same level as this platform. The last photo is the pva’ing of two lengths of balsa together to get this height right.

More shed work. 1.5mm plasticard gets the height as shown. I might try to mount some thinner card on that so the top of the rail is level with the ‘concrete’, so to speak. I finished today at the stage of the guttering being ready for fixing on. Next stage is the roof. An 8116 and MP1’s delivery arrived today, so plenty of work available to be completed…