Darius43

Not sure about the use of the “TMC” logo on the image - presumably this was where the seller “borrowed” the image from. D

We went on a family day out to the Welshpool & Llanfair railway from Newcastle-under-Lyme in the early 1970s so one of these children might be me!!! Which means we are all in our fifties now Great times. Cheers Darius

Perhaps the bars are 9mm apart... Darius

Ah but does the world know that Peco also faked the Moon Landings and is responsible for the Bermuda Triangle and Nazca Lines... Darius

Looks like a Morris Oxford to me. Darius

Never mind - you can populate your layout with the best of Hornby’s Margate production on your super 4 steel track. Cheers Darius

All of it or just a bit? Cheers Darius

I reckon I can fill that with something. Cheers Darius

Storage sidings on one side completed - other side work in progress. Cheers Darius

Interesting. We have decided to send the outer helix track out as a single line exit “anticlockwise” as per the original plan and continue the inside line around half a revolution and send it out “clockwise”. Essentially as per your sketch but with single lines, thus avoiding crossover tracks and turnouts on the helix. This also allows each line on the helix to be bi-directional. Cheers Darius

To be fair he is articulate and the video is well produced - unlike a lot of model railway reviews on YouTube - it would be nice to see the model sooner though. Darius

It certainly is a strange video - kept wondering why the chap was sitting on the floor of his conservatory and what possessed him to dress like that.. Darius

David, Many thanks for taking the time to comment and for your succint advice. Putting aside your somewhat terse prose you do make some valid comments, espcailly about the terminus on the upper level, which my frend and I have discussed and will continue to do so as it does add a lot of interest to the operation of the layout. I must say that the current and excellent "Kings Cross Suburban" layout thread is very inspirational in this respect. The upper layout plan is, as I have said, fluid so will most likely not be as per the sketchup illustrations posted at the start of the threat. The lower storage level dead end sidings are for several HSTs and other assorted multiple units (of which we have quite a few of many nationalities) and are not intended for loco-hauled trains for the reasons that you have stated. We have changed the access route to these sidings so as to remove the reverse loop connection at the base of the helix. This will become apparent as construction progresses. We are aware of the implications of the orientation of the helix but this is the best location for it with respect to how my friend wants to use his shed. This is why we are experimenting with Powerbase on the inside ascending track and will be testing this before extending the helix further. The helix core will be accessed from below not above although we are planning to have removable scenery above to facilitate access. As to the shed floor thanks again for your guidance - what is there now is most likley not the finished solution. Cheers Darius PS - to quote Del Boy: "I hope you got your money back from the charm school".

Hi Jamie, I obtained the helix second hand and fully assembled from a friend who has upscaled to O gauge. As obtained it comprised plywood boards cut to shape, threaded nylon rod, nylon nuts and aluminium tube spacers with a 3mm wall thickness. Dismantling the assembly was a nightmare as each board joint comprised two nylon nuts that had to be undone up 600mm of theaded nylon rod. These nuts are not free spinning and there are nine joints per revolution. By the time the lot was dismantled I and my aching fingers were not very enamoured of the nylon nuts and rods. This is a proprietary helix assembly that my friend purchased and so was not home made. The replacement for the nylon nuts and rods comprises 4mm diameter smooth (i.e. not threaded) steel rods (from Wickes) and Mecanno locking collars (from eBay). Everything now drops into place and is locked in position using grub screws - much faster and easier on the fingers!!! The thick-walled aluminium tube spacers are part of the original proprietary helix system and are sized to "launch" the helix form a flat base and then keep each revolution a fixed vertical distance apart. I will measure what this is next time I am in the shed Cheers Darius

Hi Noel, Yes they are. Cheers Darius

The Peter Principle seems to be working well at the top level in so many places in British life today, DfT, No.10, TSB, GTR etc. etc. Darius

Well spotted. The 74 is an MTK white metal kit and the AL1s are Trix - all converted to DCC. Cheers Darius

Something to do on a wet Bank Holiday afternoon... Cheers Darius

Hi Jamie, The helix has six complete revolutions and rises about 600mm. Cheers Darius

Hi Mike, We are relying on the frame bracing, which is fairly robust. Cheers Darius

You don’t need to remove the motor housing metal box. Is the motor running ok but the wheels don’t go round? If so it’s most likely a carden shaft (dogbone) issue - the Bachmann 108 uses this form of transmission. Atop the motor housing is a Philips head screw located above the centre of the bogie. If you undo this screw the bogie will drop free, hopefully with the carden shaft attached. If it isn’t attached check to see if it is attached to the motor - it’s a push fit to both. Check that the shaft is properly attached to the bogie gearbox and then re insert the bogie with the shaft sticking out, aligning the free end of the shaft so that the tabs click into the slots in the motor flywheel. You can then carefully locate the pivot screw attachment point atop the bogie into the hole in the metal box that the bogie fits into and re-attach using the screw. Cheers Darius

Track laying continues on the storage level. Cheers Darius

Alas no.

Possibly, but the helix plates are plywood and so a lot of new bracketry would be required to be fixed to the plates in a way that does not obstruct the track/trains whilst being strong enough to carry the dead weight, plus the baseboard “hard points” would need to be moved. This is not going to happen. Cheers Darius

Track laying starts - first the lower revolution of the helix and the helix approach. Powerbase applied to the inside “up” track - just in case... Tested with the Rapido APT-E which can manage the gradient but has too much of an overhang on the curves and thus will hit the helix support posts. The Bachmann GN Atlantic managed it ok, however. Next test will be with the HST. Cheers Darius