Philou

Here they are - better late than never!

Cheers,

Philip

I'm back!!

I just thought I would post a couple of photos of the buildings I'm preparing for the module - not forgetting that this module will be placed amongst French ones. A bit anachronistic - non?

Scalescenes models mounted on standard 1mm or 2mm card as needed. The back street scene I've modified a little bit by adding an extension on one, a garage and a dormer on another, plus lighting. The windows are Brassmasters. Some I've left a little open just to make a change. I haven't shown it in detail but there is a working street light on the pole simply made with a single LED and cardboard ring as a reflector. It looks as if I've used chicken wire on the post and wire fence - it's not. The lane is surfaced with cobbles and it's showing through.

The shop rears I split into two separate parts rather than one, to create an alley between them. This isn't as yet finished as there's flocking to do and the surfacing of the street itself. The post is deliberately leaning so as to make a little cameo of a vehicle having come into contact with it - a bit of interest. There will be the wiring of the posts to do as well.

The error that I have made is that the street scenes are modules within the module so that they can be safely packed away for transport or storage. Unfortunately I chose 2mm card as a base and it's not stable - oh dear me no. It likes to warp according to the air humidity despite being coated in PVA many times over. I shan't be using that again. Probably 2mm ply next time.

If you, as my critics, are reasonably happy with the finish (there is always room for improvement, I know), I will proceed to make some buildings for the Pontrilas and Ledbury parts of the layout. In this case, I think Google Streetview will be my friend, in case, and whatever I can scavange from old photos on the internet.

Hmmmm ....... it won't let me choose my photos.

I'll post them separately in a couple of minutes (hopefully).

Cheers,

Philip

Nice photos - until I retired, I used to pass along there every three weeks to catch the ferry. Luckily, never got stuck in any 'Operation Stack'. That long line of shafts is impressive, more so when you get alongside them. They're anything but small!

@ Jukebox #791,

Is that the section of the south coast line between Folkestone and Dover? If it isn't it, certainly reminds me of where the A20 dual carriageway now passes near-to the access to Samphire Hoe.

Probably changed a lot since the photo was taken.

Cheers,

Philip

Hello, Philou here,

I know you've been discussing mainly shows 'dahn sarf', but for those 'oop north', there is one in Toul tomorrow - free!! Our club, Rotonde 52 will have some modules junior on display.

Those that may still seek info regarding show dates, there is usually a large listing in the monthly 'Le Train'. They also have the timings of railway related TV programmes transmitted by the German station SWF (usually Mon - Sat afternoons). The programmes, in German, are not necessarily German based - they tend to be world wide. Recently there was one on Welsh narrow gauge railways.

Cheers,

Philip

@ Martin

The tea break and sharing of sandwiches seems to have taken a while, given the cobwebs forming on the funnel of 6412

Philip

Hello chums, 'tis I again,

I haven't abandoned ship (perhaps chips in my case). I had a problem with my DCC controller and some helpful chaps over on the DCC forum were kind enough to put their thoughts together and I am now a happy bunny again.

Just to let you know that after doing a marathon (do you remember those before they became 'Snickers' - eueuh) read of Gordon s' Eastwood, it has given me impetus of getting something done. So, today after months of 'not doing things' I got my low-relief buildings out to put on the finishing touches. Had a bit of a moment finding all my materials, but I'm under way again. I'll post a couple of photos in due course to show the module in its near-finished state (nothing grand, mind you), just to keep the thread bumping along. I will also tweak the plan ..... I hadn't forgotten .

It will no doubt go quiet for a little while soon as I'm waiting (still) for the scaffolding - the weather has taken a turn for the worst recently - rain, rain, rain. (Bit home from home really.) As soon as its up and the weather dry-ish, I shall be outside hacking and repointing.

Kind regards,

Philip

Hello Scott,

I thought I'd pop over and have a look at Stockrington - I suppose I'd better start at page 1 and catch up with you later. I did read your introduction though and I agree with much, if not all, of what you said.

Cheers,

Philip

PS: I saw your ventilation shafts as I scrolled down the page - looked very good especially as they're items usually missing from the modelling scene.

@ Keith

I saw your reply on the ESU forum and I thought I ought to try and clarify the 'overwrite?' request.

This was at the point that the ECoS 'found' my Class 37. A sub-menu opened up (about the size of the 'Welcome' screen). Within it it gave the address of the loco that I given previously - in this instance '3742' and details of the chip provider - in this instance 'SWD Class 37' (the detail may not be precisely the same but it is the gist) plus a key board that had an address 1002 already in the yellow screen.

[This is an automated sequence for addressing locos. It could not give me 1000 or 1001 as these numbers I have already used on another pair of locos. The automated addressing can be controlled from another window which, I think, is under the Set up screen 1 with the loco symbol and 1 - 9999 under it. (I may not have the right location). I had told the system ages ago that the addresses should start at 1000.]

The sub-menu gives you the option to accept the address given - in my case 1002 - which I did not want. I wanted 3742 that I re-typed in - the sub-menu advised me that the number 3742 was already allocated (partially hidden under the green tick box). It gave me the option of overwriting - I assumed to overwrite 3742 onto the allocated loco. I tapped the 'overwrite' button and it was at that moment the ECoS 'Stop' button lit up (as if there had been a short) and it shut down and re-booted without any prompting from me - that is when I was confused - to say the least! To be absolutely certain, it was NOT the write button that looks like a piece of track.

I got there in the end, thanks to you and all the others and that for me was the most important.

Cheers,

Philip

I have posted this in a similar form of the ESU site..

@ Keith

It may have well been have been the cold and then the warm humid room. The first time of trying, I remember the screen was becoming more responsive as time went on - but there we are - hey ho.

You wrong sometimes? I thought that honour was reserved for me .

Thanks anyway for your help,

Philip

Hello chums,

'Tis I again, reporting back as promised - and I didn't scream - not much anyway.

A bit of a curate's egg this. I will try and cut down on the waffle, but I need to give some detail for analysis as I don't really know what happened.

I did as suggested, once it had fired up, and checked that the box was not ticked 'Programming track currentless'. It was not, though I did tick it thinking that just maybe the command had stuck. I couldn't untick it despite jabbing it with my stylus and finger. I had to come out of the screen and go back in and then it unticked. Tried my Class37 that was known to work but nothing. I changed the track output lead from programming track to main but it made no difference and I decided to bite the bullet.

I went into the ESU site and called up the manual and found the page to do the Rescue Start. I also called up the official ESU You Tube video so I could have the update tutorial visually in parallel.

The Rescue Start came up advising that I was in 4.2.2rescue mode. Before returning to the video I happened to see in the top corner an IP number which was different to the 'standard' IP for my ECoS here - luckily I kept a note of it as nowhere does it mention that this is the IP you have to use. Also, in reading the manual something else caught my eye that is not mentioned in the video is that you have to take the batteries out of the ECoS - something that I had not done the previous times (except possibly the very first time I upgraded). I do not know whether it is a factor or not - but I took them out anyway.

I reloaded the software and let it do its thing and it rebooted. I turned the ECoS off and re-installed the batteries and booted it up again. It may be my imagination but it seemed to boot a little more quickly and the screen seemed more responsive to the stylus and my fingers - things were looking good. I put the Class37 back on the rails under Programming Track, the 'currentless' box was still unticked and set about reading the decoder - nothing, nada. It just would not respond and I deleted the loco thinking that the ECoS would pick it up as a 'new loco found'. Well it wasn't going to in a month of Sundays as I hadn't plugged the track cable in the back - I add this simply to show how even the most obvious things can be overlooked.

Having checked the wiring and replaced the loco back on the tracks - the decoder was successfully read. I gave it it's new address as I had deleted it previously and it still wouldn't respond. I was about to stop everything at that point when it suddenly announced 'found new loco' and here you are, a new address for you (1002). I didn't want that number and typed in the four figure number I wanted. The ECoS advised me that number was taken already. I hit the 'overwrite' button, the 'Stop' button lit up and it closed down and rebooted without prompting - needless to say I was confused.

I went back in to the loco list and called up the Class37 under its ealier address and deleted it. I then called it up under number 1002, did all the function tests - which worked! I then renumbered it to what I wanted, checked the functions again and being OK turned to the Class 66.

Again, I had no problem in reading the chip. So I gave it this time the default 3 address to test the functions - again nothing, absolutely nothing.  After a lot of faffing I deleted all instances of that 66 from the list and it still nothing - not even anything from Railcom. I was about to give up when it flickered 'Class66' on the throttle screen - and it was working! The address was one that I had given yesterday and overlooked in my deletions (I have another 66 and may have left it thinking it was that one). Again re-addressed it to what I wanted, checked the functions were still working and packed it away.

So, I have two locos addressed and working - but I have absolutely no way of knowing how I really got there.

Questions arise:

Was the update 4.2.2 corrupted when it transferred from my laptop to the unit originally, and did the removal of the batteries make a difference?

Why did the ECoS shut down when asked to overwrite the loco number?

Was the autodetect of 'new locos' sluggish? It certainly was not as instant as it used to be. Did it only work with the Class37 because all instances of previous addresses had been deleted?

Certainly the reloading of the update did help as the screen became very responsive - so thank you all for that suggestion and thank you for your advice and help.

I am a cautiously happier bunny tonight.

Cheers,

Philip

Edit: @ Keith, I have redacted this version and pasted it onto the ESU site. Thanks again for your advice.

@ Keith,

Thanks for heads up - I didn't know that. I'll check that box, but I shall do a reinstall of the latest update anyway as it's a little unresponsive at start up. Once done I'll let you know here and on the ESU forum how I get on.

Cheers,

Philip

@55020

Steve,

Thanks for the advice - I suppose it would be better. Stupidly I get wound up about it due to the need of ensuring a good link at all times during the upload. Usually nothing happens and it all goes OK. As Underground (Keith) was explaining to me (if I understood correctly), each new update has the previous versions attached anyway.

I'll give it a go tomorrow evening and if you hear a scream from about 1000miles to the south of you - it'll be me .

Cheers,

Philip

Hello Keith,

I did as you suggested and had the ECoS in a warm room since this last night and fired it up again today. It was sluggish regarding the tactile screen so I switched on and off a couple of times, went away and came back a while later and it was responding to both the stylus and my fingers. I took the two locos that I used the day before - Class66 with a new sound chip and Class37 with sound chip but needed a new address. I placed the locos (one at a time) on the programming track and despite the apparent difficulties I had my end on-screen the day before, it remembered both their new addresses that I had inputted that day. I was able to 'read' the chips - both indicating Loksound v4.0 and 927 CVs.

However, when testing for the various functions - absolutely nothing - no lights, no sounds. No response from the throttle from either.

Is there something basic that I missed in setting them up, or is there a greater underlying problem? (I hope not). I seem to remember sometime ago I had what might have been a similar problem with one but I cannot recall now how it was resolved - or if it 'went away'.

I have not yet done a rescue start as I wanted to explore matters a bit further first.

BTW, Railcom IS enabled at the moment and it is default D28 in speed steps - I know that some chips, especially Hornby TTS ones, have to be D128.

Cheers,

Philip

PS: You will find an identical message on the ESU forum.

Well, Gordon,

I have arrived at the end - I have rinsed my eyeballs, shaved off this eight day beard and await eagerly for your next few photos showing your progress. You did give me a fright at Page 143/144 as I thought you were going to start again .... again. Sure glad you haven't.

I'm not sure what I can usefully say to you except keep at it - I'm sure it'll be fine and do not be over-concerned that this or that part is not too prototypical. It is YOUR railway and as long as you have smooth running over your points (which seems to be the main aim through your thread), it'll be OK. I think it looks great already and far better than anything I shall be producing in RTR - BUT you have set me a few targets:

to at least try and emulate what you have done insofar as is possible;

to have another go at Templot; and,

make at least one or two points where RTR will not be appropriate.

I can count myself fortunate that when I asked for help on my own thread that those that contributed here, and you, were only too happy to help me.

(As an aside, the club to which I belong, has a Proxxon table saw and it is used for cutting sleepers too (so I shall be able to cadge a few to make points ). The pcb is 1.8mm.)

Good luck and don't forget to post a photo or two (or vid) once in a while especially when that first loco (light or part of a train) does that first continuous run.

Cheers,

Philip

@Keith

Thanks - I had completely forgotten about it being available on the ESU site.

Cheers,

Philip

@jukebox Post#3361(?)

If you're interested, our 'local' model shop is advertising a Heljan 90' electric turntable (UK box) for ........... wait for it ........... €279.00 plus €14.90 p&p.

Here's the link: https://www.jura-modelisme.fr/accueil/19699-Heljan-he89121-plaque-tournante-electrique-274-cms-avec-boitier-de-commande-et-nombreux-details.html

Cheers,

Philip

Gordon, sorry again.

@Oldddudders

If I may be so bold as to ask why you need to change your UK licence for a French one? An enquiring mind who is a couple of years away from his 70th but living in France would like to know.

Cheers,

Philip

PS: Sorry Gordon for hijacking your thread - but sometimes something is seen and it raises a question ............... I'll get back to page err ...... 134, I think.

@ martin #3349

Dash - my neighbour who helped me cut all the timber for my stairs has one of those - I'm not sure if it wasn't a No 35 too - he needed new blades so that we could give a fine finish at the joints (no biscuits I'm afraid - not even McVities' over here). I couldn't find any when I looked in January - you haven't seen any anywhere by chance?

Cheers,

Philip

@ Keith

I saw afterwards that once you updated, there was no going back. The unit is here next to me downstairs in the warm. I hope there is no damage as otherwise it could get expensive . I shall give it a spin tomorrow and let you know how I get on - both here and on the ESU forum.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Cheers,

Philip

Edit: PS As I haven't the manual close by, could you remind me of the keys to press for Rescue Mode, should I need it. Thanks.

@ GoingUnderground @ Rob

Hi - there was one other person on the ESU forum that had issues after the latest update - ESU's reply was more or less 'It's bust - send it back' which is what I'm trying to avoid - if I can. There is a reset - factory reset - which takes you all the way back to version 3_7_0. I would only lose loco addresses as I have no layout. I just use the ECoS to test and address chipped locos on a 1 yd piece of track - it's just the pain of uploading all the updates again.

@ Rob

I see you're involved on the H****y forum too. I'm Froggie there .

Soooo ................. arrived at the bottom of Page 110, Gordon has had Novovirus (sorry to read about the bereavement), he is well again standing on his own two feet ................. and so is Eastwood. Things are looking good for when I turn the page tomorrow .

Cheers,

Philip

Chums,

Apologies if this has already been started as a topic - if it has, could you direct me there?

Right, I have 'issues' with my ECoS2. I did a software update in mid-January to the latest version 4_2_2 and followed the on-screen instructions (no switching off before the message etc.).

As I had no need to use it at that moment, away it went until yesterday when I took it to the club to run a Class37 that one of the yoof wanted to listen to the sound. It wasn't even powered up as I forgot the track lead connector. We did a work around and listened to the loco via a Roco Multimaus instead.

This morning I chipped up my latest Class 66 'Evening Star' and wanted to listen to the sound and address it correctly. Plugged up the ECoS, waited for the intro screen and found that it simply would not respond to the stylus nor my phat phingers. It did struggle to respond to the paddle and button and just about got to the throttle screen but no more. Switched off and switched on a few times (as you do) and lo! a response to the stylus and my fingers - except - when you touched the screen it responded a few centimetres away (for example on the keyboard strike a key on the top row and a key on the middle row to the right would operate) - or not at all depending on its mood.

So off and back on again - I was able to access the screens using the stylus - sporadically - and fingers. However, all to nought as it refused to acknowledge the presence of the Class66 - even using Railcom - nothing - nada. 'Aha' I thought. I exchanged the 66 for the Class 37 as I wanted to give a four-figure address. It knew it was there but refused to read the chip - yet the loco worked perfectly the day before.

I have sent a message to the ESU site forum - but do you have any ideas? I don't want them saying 'It's bust' and I have send it back as it was fine before the update and I don't have a layout - just a yard of track to programme locos - rest of the time the unit is packed away.

Cheers,

Philip

@ Mike,

I would have thumbed up your picture - only one rating per post unfortunately. Nice looking loco close-up and I have yet to see it in the flesh - it's been held for me until the end of the month. Thank you for the information regarding foamboard - I shall look into that once I get to the actual construction.

@ Phil

Mike is right that at present on #72, Ledbury and Pontrilas are orientated the right way geographically even though topographically things have had to be adjusted in order to get the gradients to flow.  What is going for your plan is the turntable - it takes up much less room than a traverser and I'm going to try and work it into the plan. The downside to the plan unfortunately, is the Gloucester branch needs a tight radius to get back around and I'm restricting myself to a 1.0m minimum (better than Gordon's 3') that I have been able to maintain on #72. Additionally, where the branch passes behind Ledbury station, I don't think I shall be able to have easy access due to the reach and there being a 6' drop behind. Don't get me wrong, as a variation there are definite pluses - especially as topographically everything is in order - and worthy of consideration.

Cheers,

Philip

PS: Bit of a bad day today. After doing the latest software update in January on my ECoS2, I hooked it up for the first time since to address a new loco - burger me the tactile screen would just not respond either to the stylus or phat phingers. After switching it off and on a few times, it struggled a bit with the screen responses being displaced in respect to the touch and once that calmed down it simply ignored the loco I wanted to address and wouldn't even talk to a loco that worked on another system at the club yesterday. Hey ho .

Wow Brassey, that takes me back years to my one and only pair of points (curved) that I hand made. It was (IIRC) stripwood, rather than ply, with cobbler's snobs (no, not snot, snobs) tacked into the strip and then bullhead rail soldered onto them using one Peco Rollagauge (which I still have!). All hand drawn on paper. I was quite happy with them - and they worked - insofar as my stock went through - but live frogs just beat me. I think I'd made them as Peco had only made (at that time) left handed curved points and I needed right handed ones. Needless to say when finished, Peco brought out the right handed ones - just like kits of 'rare' locos - make one, and shortly after there comes an RTR one !!!!

I'm going to have to have a go at Templot - keep firing it up - take a look - fiddle around and I close it down again .

Cheers,

Philip