Marcus-Jay

The Chiltern Model Railway Association’s Interactive Modellers Workshop, or IMW, is being held on Saturday 20th July at The Parmiters School, Watford. A few minutes from the M1/M25 junction. Below is a sample of some of the demonstrations that will be going on during the workshop, more will be announced shortly. For tickets please use the form at http://cmra.org.uk/downloads/imw_ticketing_form_2019.pdf Also please feel free to share this post on social media and forums. Faller Road System Demo, Noel Leaver Demonstration and talk about the Faller Road System in N Gauge, and its use on the layout Wickwar. The HO/OO version of the Faller road system is very similar. http://farnhammrc.org.uk/?page_id=1566 PAT Testing How the CMRA can help you stay current with Portable Appliance Testing. On the spot, testing will be available. Modular signalling for model railways, Paul Durell Paul brings his modular colour light signalling solution to the workshop. As seen on the layout Ebsworth Street and Oak View TMD. The system provides a range of modules which allow a fully operational signalling system. https://www.facebook.com/MRSignallingSolutions Scenery, Kathy Millatt Vlogger, NMRA Master Model Railroader, and scenery expert, Kathy will be bringing a current project to discuss with visitors and help them with their scenic issues. Scenery and buildings, Roy Hickman An accomplished scenic and structure modeller with hands-on demonstrations of how to make things. Scratch building, Jeff Moore Veteran modeller and kit basher. Demonstrating the cut and shut method for taking standard models and making them into something new. Tree making demonstration, Jacqui Perrat Scale model trees with ‘personality’. A demonstration of how one can make individual scale model trees, shrubbery and flora. This will bring any layout to life and add a unique perspective to the scenery. www.thetreelady.co.uk Valuations, David Baverstock The valuations officer of the CMRA should be able to advise on how to obtain valuations and advice on how to sell your railway items at auction houses, dealers, in private adverts, and eBay. Exhibiting Layouts, Greg Marshall Providing expert advice to anyone entering, or in, the exhibition circuit on what to expect, pitfalls, and helpful information to help you get your layout out and be seen. www.bwwmrc.co.uk Minnie Bridge, John Baggaley Set in the late 1960s/early 1970s the layout represents a small London Transport loco and minor permanent way depot in a fictitious location ‘Somewhere-in-London’. This layout is based on the assumption that in the late 1930s London Transport inherited a former mainline railway’s goods depot somewhere on the northern side of the Circle Line between Kings Cross and Moorgate. In reality, there is not really any such location, but the aim is to give a compact shunting layout capable of running LT pannier locos, Met electrics and some service stock. www.mmdmrc.org.uk Oakley Green, Jamie and Luke Mathlin Oakley Green is a OO layout set in the middle of the 1970s, primarily Southern Region, but the odd Northern invader. The Parcel Depot is based on sheds found at Waterloo at the time, the oil depot is loosely based around Micheldever near Winchester and the service depot is based on the works at Eastleigh at the time, it is fully DCC and all locos have sound. The layout live streams to either Youtube or Facebook and Luke will be talking about how this is done and what is required to make that happen. Jamie will also be talking about and demonstrating his unique photographic styles. https://www.facebook.com/oakleygreenlayout/ MERG Founded in 1967, the Model Railway Electronics Group actively promotes and advances the use of electronic and computer technology for model railway operation, whatever the era. Model railways are ideally suited to take advantage of these technologies, and the application of electronics and computers can be used to good effect to add enhanced features and realism to model railway operation. There will be explanations and demonstrations of railway electronics, kits along with soldering and kit construction techniques. https://www.merg.org.uk https://www.facebook.com/MERG50/ 3D modelling, Daniel Prasal A family company providing 3D printing, 3D modelling and visualisation services, providing our 3D modelling and visualisation since 2014 as a Bespoke CAD Services. From concept to finished item Daniel will be demonstrating how 3D CAD design is used to create and 3D printing technology using DLP resin printer. www.3dprintingcorner.co.uk DCC demos, Coastal DCC Offering advice and assistance, along with some fitting demonstrations. www.coastaldcc.co.uk facebook/coastaldcc Figure Painting, Cat Dickerson Offering help, tips, and advice on figure painting, in any scale. JMRI and computer control, Pete Brownlow Layout demonstrating some of the things people can learn at Missenden weekends, including baseboards, track building, wiring, DCC, MERG CBUS, computer control using JMRI. www.missendenrailwaymodellers.org.uk Missenden / Weathering, Barry Coussins Barry demonstrates some of the techniques use to weather model vehicles and buildings to take away the out of the box feel and give a more authentic look to your layout. http://www.missendenrailwaymodellers.org.uk https://www.facebook.com/Missenden-Abbey-Railway-Modellers-601123499921538/ Track Building, Phil Reid Building and laying your own trackwork using C&L track parts https://www.clfinescale.co.uk/ Poppy’s Wood Tech, Anthony Garton Poppy's design and make a range of kits and tools for modellers in all scales. Made from birch ply or MDF they are easy to assemble and robust in use. Made by modellers for modellers our kits make complex tasks easier and remove the repetitive tasks that can be difficult to achieve. Come along and try assembling a kit yourselves. http://www.poppyswoodtech.co.uk/ The 3mm Society, Roger Pells This is essentially a modellers scale and a range of products are available through the 3mm society and specialist suppliers http://www.3mmsociety.org.uk/

18 days to go. Ample parking or Arriva operate a 20-minute interval service (321) from Watford Junction station to the end of the road. (Subject to availability) We should have demonstration/experts on: 3d CAD/Modelling Weathering JMRI and computer control Insurance and Valuations Kit Bashing Youtubing and live streaming Prototypical Signalling systems for model railways DCC installation Figure Painting Scenery experts Backscene designers Train simulator route and stock designers PAT Testing Model railway photography Faller car systems even tea and coffee plus much, much more. More details and ticketing information here

I have used copper tape quite successfully on Whitedown Junction. It was a very attractive option at the time as it gave me flat wiring with little hanging down. All I needed to do was solder the track droppers to the tape everything stays within the depth of the baseboard frame. Each tape is labelled (Sharpie) with a code letter denoting what it's function is.. J/K for DCC, 12V/0V. AC etc so tracing is just a matter of looking. If I were starting again, on a layout this size (7x6m) I would probably not use so much tape and go for glued down wires (see the cream coloured baseboard image). Indeed an upcoming modification to Whitedown will be to insert a 32/0.2 bus wire from one end of each baseboard to the other, negating the copper tape as the overall layout bus. As mentioned before the problem is not (usually) the tape, but the adhesive, sometimes it comes unstuck and will cause a short that is very difficult to find. Doing a coat of clear varnish over the tape will fix that. I also hot glue every connection that involves a wire for the same reason, the wire will move and soon lift the tape. Once it is set in place it will not move. But this comes with its own problem when fault finding and repairing.

Nick, Although you posted this quite some time back.... I would like to declare you today's winner of the internet.

Ticketing for the event is now open. You need to pre-book a place, but you can pay for it on the day. The Booking Form can be found here We have experts on a multitude of subjects from Scenery and back scenes, to baseboards and card modelling. Probably even some electronics going on! Alternatively, if you have a project or a skill, you would like to demonstrate then PM me and we can see if we can find a space. Please feel free to share the event amongst your friends. Cheers, Marcus

If you are free on July 20th there will be demonstrations and talks about JMRI at the Chiltern Model Railway Association's Interactive Modellers Workshop. You will be able to sit down and talk to experts on this very subject The ticketing details can be found, on a PDF, here

I am in the process of adding an O16.5 Narrow gauge to an existing O gauge layout. It's only a loop track with a pair of passing loop stations and a couple of sidings. However, it is a 30m loop! The O layout was originally a portable, but has not moved in the decade or so since installation! So we are adding with the intent of making it easy to break up should it ever be required, thinking it will add cost today but save it further down the line. In the spec, we have added in a 'baked bean tin' sized loop of the bus wires at each baseboard joins. Although we won't cut it at this stage it will give us plenty of leeways to add connectors in the future. For our bus wiring, we're using Brimal 32/0.2 which we will strip back and add smaller droppers to each of the individual track sections.

And judging by other pics on Faceache, a 37/4! Although that might be on the 68 end only!

And it was about this time last year that I was packed up and ready to go to Fawley in the morning!!! Good luck to this year's contestants.

And lo, they put people on them and the future begins CAF MkV debut on the Caledonian Sleeper with 92014 at the front

Dear All, I'd just like to publicise the Chiltern Model Railway Associations Interactive Modellers Workshop Chiltern Model Railway Associations Interactive Modellers Workshop later on this year: With an accompanying IMW Facebook Event There will be a number of experts attending (subject to availability) and there will be a wide range of topics covered both in tabletop demos and group talks. Please let me know if there are any general subjects you might be interested in, as there is still room for more.

Yes, if only (all) our models can be coupled with a "kiss" rather than a "kick"

As you mention it would need to be isolated from the main DCC trackwork, and your isolation fishplates should do the trick there. A DPDT switch should do the trick for the track itself. But I would be inclined to have a generous locos length dead section between the two pieces of track, just on the off chance you try and run something with multiple pickups into the programming siding by mistake.

Thought I'd post a few updated images. Just to show we have been working on the layout. The bespoke station buildings 68003 on a route learner through the stations' reversible lines. As always with a layout, it is not all playing trains. Here Nik adjusts the board joins coming off the stations cant'd track An overview of the station approach 20168 on some 'rule#1' shunting moves through the station Lots of progress has been made since these images were taken. We are hoping to have Whitedown Junction out on the exhibition circuit in the last quarter of this year or early next year, So watch this space.

I don't like you anymore What are the dates for things? I've ordered a Mk5 TPE set which is Q1 2020 When could one, hopefully, be rolling a 92 and Sleepers?

Awwwwahhh. Not got a bundle with a 92 thrown in as well. I could possibly sell a kidney Will need to wait for next big pay day..

So the internal PCB is Dud if you're going DCC. Was this a rewired/worked 8 or 21 pin chip Rand?

Pile of 'ching' happily sent. The glory of 'freelance' income. Easy come easy go. Insert other media Now to wait many months and forget I ordered it and have a big box postal surprise :-)

If my numbers are correct a 92 and 16 Coaches is £790.. .That's £46.47 a vehicle I hope you guys are making money somewhere!!!

I've put down a deposit, but since there seem to be complete prices knocking about can one pay in full?

I stand "pedanted"

Horn, brake sounds etc. I have a number of 'fitted' MkIII DVTsand it does add to things when the toot comes from the front. Not the sort of unit that will require a 'mega bass' speaker! Could probably throw in some guards announcements in there. And it is always nice when the lights work as a complete set with red at the back and white at the front.

Another preemptive question.. Will the MkV DVT have pre-built provision/space for a speaker and sound fitting if we desired or would we be butchering the unit from the get-go? Cheers, Marcus

You might need to check the firmware version of the CANCMD, DCC accesory control is in the V4 software (I think off the top of my head). You'll need to either: Connect up the system to a computer via a CANUSB4 (I'm assuming you have one) or take it over to a local area group meeting and someone will be happy to help you out with the firmware upgrade. I've done it myself, for the same reason, it's relatively painless.