barney121e

Just a little update. Although planning on software can give you a really good idea of a plan, when putting the track together sometimes it doesnt fit the space as you would expect. So after some replanning the track plan is this:-

The blue circles are power connection 1, then the green and red circles are connections 2 and 3. The plan is very loosely based on Crianlarich on the West Highland line and one thing i have realised is to remember i am not not doing an exact copy of place, but a take on it. Still time for adjustments as the dreaded man flu has struck.

So nearly an embarrassing issue. As will be a West Highland line inspired layout will use the Rannoch Moor station kit from peco. Luckily when looking at the kit saw the station is 114mm wide so had to increase the space between the tracks. Thankfully found it out now.

6 minutes ago, ITG said:

You’d certainly need a second & third power feed on the top plan, otherwise no power for the headshunts.

Also, depends on how many locos you are planning to control/drive simultaneously. (Although of course you’d need a second controller).

From a plan perspective, both plans imho look a little train set in character, which if modelling based on real locations may be a contradiction. Using flexi track and skewing track so it’s not parallel to baseboard edges and not so symmetrical would bring more realism.

Ian

Sorry, should have said i know i need a power feed on the headshunts but wondered if a extra power feed for the mainline on both plans would help at all. Obviously will only be running one train on the mainline at a time, so probably 2 feeds might be overkill.

I think realism is a compromise i have to make, but definitely skewing the plan would help, will have a play.

Hi

As i only have a 6x4 layout area i had come up with a plan loosely based on Crianlarich. But i am wondering if less is more, and have done a plan loosely based on Rannoch Moor. Not after doing a direct copy. Just wondering what peoples views are.

Also the layout will be DC. Now done a test and one set of droppers on the mainline is fine, but wondering if a second would help or make a difference at all.

Any views much appreciated.

So this is the way the layout looks. Still might make small adjustments but looks about there.

Just wondering if people ballast first and then paint sleepers and rails or do you do it the other way around?

Cheers

So after a false start at the weekend have finally got a plan that works for me. Due to being only 6 x 4 there had to be compromises but for me i can work with them.

The trackplan is loosely based on Crianlarich but could be a few other places around the country, although with start with a scottish scenery feel, well that is the plan. On the single line at the top i may turn it into a fiddle yard. Someone has suggested a kick back but struggling to understand exactly what is it.

I have a varied stock at the moment, one or two with a scottish possibility but can run it as a heritage sort of line and then when i acquire some more appropriate locos could run it as a West Highland line station.

Have laid the track and given it a test run and all seem to be working well. So next steps are to underlay, pin the track to baseboard, weather and finally ballast.

Got a  couple of suitable buildings to put together, and of course the platform area. 

Signalling i understand a little after some help from another forum member, coupling also needs to be looked into.

Plan is below.

From a lead flashing point of view, what type do you use?

Hi

Having checked ebay for weights to no avail, does anyone know where i might get some. Tried a couple of places but no luck.

11 hours ago, cypherman said:

I know this may seem a bit simple. But is the tender exactly the same colour as the engine. In both shade and tone. Could it have had a Hall tender put with it. Meaning that it was either used as a static model or used as a second engine for double heading. Or perhaps the original tender body on a Hall tender chassis?. There is no mistaking the chassis of a tender driven Castle. It is full of big holes where the wheels sit.

Colours look the same but hard to tell. I think what I have is a tender which is on service sheet 213 and 306 but the loco is different. Guessing I have the a tender driven loco and an engine driven tender

5 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Something's missing them, as the tender should definitely have a bit of heft to it.  The pancake motors and plastic spur gears were not especially heavy in themselves, though, and it may be that the ballast weight is missing.  Probably obtainable from Peter's Spares; Airfix, Dapol, or early Hornby will fit.

Well was no motor in it when i opened it up, just some metal. It is a Hornby tender, so wondering if the loco is a Hornby one. Or if they are from different models?

9 hours ago, lofty1966 said:

That looks like an Airfix manufactured one.

Superceded by Dapol Pancake motored version then purchased by Hornby who used the same mech.

The final iteration of the "original" castle body mouldings then got a can motor.

2 hours ago, The Johnster said:

At the risk of stating the obvious, the motor was in the tender…

Had just had a quick look but tender feels very light, so thinking motor might be missing. But knowing it is an airfix one gives me a starting point.

Thanks.

Picture if that helps

Hi

Strange question. I have got a castle class steam locomotive as a non runner in a group of locos. I believe it is R2498 but did Hornby make and earlier model, as there doesnt seem to be any space in the loco for a motor. Does anyone know if there was a earlier one and the code to find the service sheet at all?

5 minutes ago, ITG said:

This is what I suspect you’re looking for…..

 

Probably a good start point, but tests on  your own layout may well be necessary. Have you tried the pencil taped to the sides of long vehicles (eg coaches) to draw a line which will give an indication of the overhang on any curved sections?

Ian

Exactly what i need, was going to do pencil thing but wasnt sure if there was a set measurement. Thanks

So i am using oo gauge code 100 track and wondering how far from the track the platforms should be. Is there a set measurement? There used to be a guide somewhere but i cant find the link.

2 hours ago, RobinofLoxley said:

Just as a minor point i doubt that the trouble at A mentioned above wont be resolved in the way suggested.

 

Optimising inevitably will require some use of flexitrack in my opinion

Thanks. Flexi track is possible, got a few lengths of it but prefer to use set track curves and then Flexi on straight bits if needed.

Thanks @DCB

That all makes sense. I think with my small space I need to make a list of what I want most to least and then go from there. 

@The Johnster

So have come up with plan below, is this more of what you had in mind? What would you put in inner circle, the goods yard or an engine shed? Would you use outer sidings for shunting?

Any help much appreciated

@The Johnster okay some of that makes sense, so swap the front area of plan 3 for plan 2 I understand.

The other suggestions aren't totally clear to me but is late and brain has had enough for today  so will revisit tomorrow night.

23 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

Unless two trains running at the same time is a core requirement, I'd abandon plan 1 if you are intending to use current production RTR, much of which doesn't like R1.  A single track with passing loop is more operationonally interesting anyway.  Check out 'Bredon' before you commit, though with a Scottish Highlands bias I understand the attraction for the wide island platform of plan 3.  The front sidings arrangement is better on plan 2, with a reverse curve eliminated at the yard entrance and a more open, flowing 'feel'.  Might be better to curve the sidings around with the running line, you'll get a few wagon lengths more out of them and the 'mountain backdrop/shores of the loch' nature of many Scottish-based layouts provides a rationale for it.  Maybe a straight road along the bottom leading out over the water on to a pier for fish traffic, Clyde paddle steamer, or the odd puffer.

 

Extra operating interest (if you feel the need) could be had from a kickback road into a distillery or fish shed off the headshunt, perhaps a sawmill; traffic for this would require running around in the platform to get the loco on the right end, and something to shunt with a Ruston 48DS or an Andrew Barclay* in the quiet periods between the otherwise separated action of a passing station on a single track main line.  I'm a little worried about your fiddle yard/hidden area; access to it will be difficult it the layout is to fit into a corner at even one end.  Two feet, 30" tops, is a practical limit for reaching and handling stock.  Assuming there is good access, the fy can be extended with sidings off the loop at the top; the layout can then handle four trains on the track, which is pretty good going for a 6x4, and enough for a Highlands line.

 

Assuming the inner sidings to be a goods yard, angle the lower road to parallel the running line, which will allow room for a goods shed and for lorries to turn between that and the rear road, which will be the mileage and coal road.

 

 

*other diminutive suitable traction is available.

Thanks for the reply. I only have older RTR stock which i think all handles R1 curve hence the reason plan 1 was a possible. 

With reference to your preferred plan 2. When you mention a straight road, do you mean literally a road, a a rail line? I was thinking of a having an engine shed in the bottom right hand corner, do you think something else would work there? The inner sidings i hadn't really thought about as would have the station that side of the track so adjusting the lines could impact space available. Have attached an amended plan which i think is what you mean.

Hi All

So returning to start my layout and been looking into plans as only have a 6ft by 4ft space. After lots of looking, laying it out to see how it looks etc have come down to the three plans attached. Plan 1 is one i have seen on youtube which i love, plan 2 is a Hornby plan for a branch line and plan 3 is based on Crianlarich, but can be used for any similar scottish lines. Now this will be my only layout and will be DC. Plan 1 uses 1st and 2nd radius curves which nearly all my stock go around, plans 2 and 3 are both 2nd radius curves. Plan 1 does give 2 trains running at same time but the other plans do give me a branch line single track feel which works for me as well. 

Just wondering what others think, have I missed anything? 

So after leaving in box for 3 months, i decided to revisit the black 5 this week. Ordered a couple of small parts and then began tinkering again. First worked on the silver seal engine and gave it a good service. Still rather noisy, might go down the cd conversion route to hopefully get it running better. 

Then put new bushes in a couple of the wheels, gave the chassis etc a real good clean and tested and train ran. Only issue left was the coupling rods, but after a few attempts have got them working as well.

Just goes to show that with a little perseverance i can resurrect a dead engine.

1 hour ago, Halvarras said:

Are these the older Margate models (green D6103/6110 / blue 6124/6142) or the later Chinese-made versions (green D6119/6130 / blue D6129/6137)? The Chinese models had improved electrical pick-up all round.

 

When you say they run with the battery placed on them do you mean battery against the motor brush spring retainers? If so then the motors are clearly fine and it's a pick-up issue. This is far more likely on the early Margate models as the current collection arrangement was, er, rudimentary and their age will probably have something to do with it too by now (Hornby diesels of this vintage didn't have pick-up strips, @Robert Shrives was probably thinking Lima😉!)

Current is collected directly by axle/cast bogie block contact (with the two bogies connected by a single wire) so these contact areas needs to be kept clean. The trailing bogie is easiest to deal with as it can be readily dismantled to clean the axles and the bearing grooves in the cast block (use a small round file or folded abrasive paper and rub gently until shiny). If this alone doesn't cure the problem the motor bogie will need to be tackled, as there may be too much non-conductive oil and/or crud in the brass sleeves the axles run in. This one is trickier to clean as it will be necessary to remove the axles by levering the geared wheels off - I use a pair of study tweezers between wheel and block to lever the wheel off evenly, it can be done with a screwdriver but apply a little pressure at a time all round to avoid inducing a wobble when reassembled (this works well with these Hornby diesel wheels as they come off quite easily - Lima wheels just won't budge!) Once they're off clean the axles and run a few wooden cocktail sticks through the brass axle bearings in the motor block (soaking the first one in white spirit or thinners may help) until they come out clean. Reassemble the axles in the block by pressing the wheels back on between finger and thumb, checking the back-to-backs and that the gears have re-engaged correctly. If the electrical path from railhead to motor is clear and the motor runs this should cure the issue. Just remember that the geared wheels on one bogie need to be diagonally opposite those on the other!

If your Class 29s don't do 'high mileages' axle lubrication probably isn't necessary, otherwise use an electrically-conductive oil such as Peco Electro-Lube (do they still make that? I haven't looked lately as I've had mine a loooooooong time....!🙂)

 

Followed your advice and got one up and running. Also saw a youtube video on a dead one that was helpful. Thanks for everyone's advice. Lima are so much more straightforward to work on.

4 minutes ago, Robert Shrives said:

Hi yes thinking Lima sorry but same game as Halvarras correctly says cleaning second bogie likely to be the key.  sorry to have muddied the waters - unless you have some lima locos of course - check out peters spares for replacment wheelsets for the "pizza cutters."

Robert 

Pizza cutters?