Dave-5-5-7

Moving to late turn this week so have had a day to work on it today. Theddlethorpe sorting sidings have been laid. Managed to move most of the freight stock over there. the entrance point work has been put in, just need to cover the excess holes from the through the board motors. the area where the gradient is going to go was cleared and a temporary structure was put in place to enable testing. At the minute it rises to a height of 6 inches over 10ft which is about 1:20. I will be testing this over the week and may drop it to 4 or 3inch height. I think the current gradient is a tad "ambitious." On the plus side, I can find things on my shelf again!

Afraid the duty of liability ends with the retailer offering you a refund. They are under no obligation to source another one for you if they are out of stock.

The design and build stage has slowed a little over the summer, a new job found me work a slightly larger railway.... Well, I attempted several ways to maximise the station at saltfleet but was never happy so I moved things about a bit. Skidbrooke became Saltfleet, Saltfleet is now an MGR storage and sorting yard and a line is going to run to an upper level to a bulk loading terminal at Sutton Dock. The TCB working to Louth is now AB, on the diagram unless I happen to find a BR Standard Block Instrument.

Another change. The yard took a different turn with a gradient under construction to take it to an upper level containing a coal loading site. This is the final draft with track work being tested on Monday. The upper level will be constructed over the next few months along with scenery and signalling going in. I have built MS940/944 signal out of a Dapol gantry, berko signal heads and GPL blanks from Rusty Rails.

they all continuously rotate if you take the lock ring out

I've just converted my layout from DC to DCC. Apart from removing the isolating fish plates were possible, I've taken all feed that came back to the control panel to a central feed to the new control position. I do not have a BUS on my layout. I refer to is as the tree method. Multiple branches off a central core. I've found a couple of areas where the DCC feed is questionable and have added extra feed in, apart from that no alteration has been required. Picture shows some of the work mid conversion.

Been a while, work and family have lead to a delay. I've also replanned a little. Saltfleet on Sea is now a NCB/CEGB stabling yard and a bulk terminal point is a bit further down the line. This leads to increased freight traffic in the shape of MGR trains. Control between the main line and the yard is through slotted signal and a released set of points. This is due to there being insufficient room on the exit of the yard. The main line goes outside the room and loops back into the avoiding line in a part of the garden. Control has been moved to DCC but point control and signalling are still standard. New track plan. Moss Street Signal Box

Greetings, I shall start by saying I am a current signaller and electronics nut of 30+ years (I'm only 41 so started young). I've recently began playing with DCC++, the Arduino UNO and MEGA and other such nonsense. My layout has ended up messy. Now I'm proposing to tidy it up, fully converting the train control to DCC via DCC++ and hopefully integrating the signal and point control. I'm looking into JMRI to provide a panel for the driver station but not contolling any pointwork or signalling. Currently points and signalling are controlled via servos and relays through an IFS style panel. I'm wondering if position outputs from the servo microswitches and relays could be taken to the Arduino Uno Mega and used to report to the driver the position of the pointwork and signalling, and through the speed control prevent my son (he's 4) from entering the bay platform an 195mph! Additionally I believe it's possible to install block sensors to report the position of the train(s) on the panel diagram and on the physical signal box diagram via LEDs. Any recommendations would be a help, or if it could also be routed back through the MEGA as well that would help. The plan is to create a duel position driver station via computer. One in the fiddle yard, likely to be a Raspberry Pi away from the signal box for 2 man operation, and a computer within the signal box, that's normally used for train running information (TRUST etc) that could be used when I'm running alone. I hope what I've written makes some degree of sense, that it's in the right place, and someone has a bleeding clue what I'm waffling on about. Dave

Time for a small update, the main drag out of Saltfleet has received ballast, and muck on the non-main lines. An older diagram has been fitted for size test before an actual one is printed, it's been altered a couple of times, and the layout at Saltfleet has been altered to allow for the lines going outside. . Signal switches are installed and work first level relays. Rolling stock wise, I took a hacksaw to my HST. I don't think it turned out that bad. Needs renumbering.

tell me about it, I need 5x 3 aspect colour lights with Route indicators and PLs.

Good lord they are terrible. Eckon, Berco, Train Tech are good, choice of DCC or normal control, if you want something special then Absolute Aspects is the place to go. Not cheap but if you're doing prototype signalling a must. I need a couple of 3 aspect with Position Light and route indicator.

Owing to the diagram becoming too cluttered, switches and descriptions have been moved to the panel. I've dropped signal 939 owing to close proximity to the 937 so 937 now protects the crossing. The Single line to Carlton CFPS is worked by a simple switch, on a one train in section basis, whether the train is coming from or going to the PS. The single line to Skegness is based on Tokenless Block, although I've not finished with it yet. Unless someone picks up on an error, this should be the final draft of the diagram for the signal box.

I run mine through an arduino. Simple program, set the angles and you're done. Toggle switch control, cheap as chips. Arduino Uno is about £6. I use Dingo servo mounts. This was the test rig.

another track diagram is on the way with another change and corrections. On a positive note, MS941 Is in, unfortunately minus the Position Light as I've had an issue building one. It'll get one at some point. The descriptions for the switches need correcting, this alteration has occurred because of a structural issue in the building of the layout.

I'd noticed that, I've also not taken off Line Clear on the last signal to Austen Fen. I also need to include another TC to Austen fen and an uncontrolled signal.

And another alteration to the track diagram. The eventual plan is to head into the garden, so the line to Mablethorpe is now in place, the holes will be left empty in a "disused" state. I've altered the signal symbols to represent a more modern style in keeping with the repeaters on the switches. Also displays have been added for the train describers to/from Austen Fen box. Any errors let me know. Additionally I've also had a go at a brass kit. It's not great, but it's not bad either. Practice will help. The first kit bit signal, MS 941, minus the Position light. It will be replaced eventually with another kit where I don't damage the wire in it.

Not much to report at the minute, it's been mainly drawing and cable running. The cables for Saltfleet area and the block control have been fed. and they run to a junction box, which is a good old BT301

Think it might be time for a new iron. I've had irons do this in the past, mainly cheaper ones like the Parkside ones from Lidl. They're ok for light use but don't hold up like some of the ones I have.

IFS isn't really a step backwards, more of a step sideways. IFS can come in two forms, a panel with a diagram, or as a "cooker panel" on a block shelf of a mechanical box, often when a local box has closed and it's functions moved to the surviving box. A lot cheaper than replacing the equipment. The first type was when a fairly simple mechanical box was upgraded with colour lights. Langworth, Wickenby and Holton le moor on the Lincoln to Wrawby line spring to mind. NX, OCS are more suited to medium to large installations, like Marsh Junc to Cleethorpes in the Grimsby area, or Scunthorpe, Doncaster etc. IECC has now superseded that. If you're controlling 50 miles of running line with junctions and sidings, it's far easier to push button A, push button B, push button B, push button d and so on rather than having to work out if you've set the route with switches, and then pull off. In the case of immingham West, it has a lot of sidings in a few miles of running line. Whilst it will get an NX panel if/when reception is replaced, at the time of installation, a panel replacing a frame was deemed more logical.

The panel has become an amalgamation of a mid 80s NX panel (seen here at Pasture Street Grimsby) and a more modern variant of an IFS which is basically a lever frame with rotary switches) seen here at Immingham West, which coincidentally is the last signal I passed out to work most recently. This has pushed me towards an IFS panel.

Incidentally I'm looking into JMRI as an idea to provide an Over-ride on screen IECC type panel to work the fiddle yard instead of another operator when I'm on my own. Having trouble getting my head round the panel construction.

1) with the lock light on your can flick point switches to your hearts content, the points won't move and the signal will not revert to danger. The simplest way I found to do this was when the signal relay is energised the lock light works through the third set of contacts and the forth contact removed the power feed for the switch. It's not prototypical but it works. 2) Reverting a signal will activate a "backlock" and the route remains locked for 2 minutes. 3) eventually. At the minute the circuitry has TC inputs for the signalling system but they're grounded as the TC modules will take a while to construct. 4) yes, the principle of Track Circuit Block is a signal will only show a proceed aspect when the line is clear up to and including the overlap of the next signal, and the route is set and locked.

Pest? no, in fact it's helpful having a second pair of eyes over the updates, 1) The Send button is on the train describer which is a completely different piece of equipment, as in not on the panel itself. 2) It's become a bit of a hybrid. On an NX panel the signals on the diagram light up, on (this style) of IFS panel, the indications on the switches do and the diagram is just a diagram. The TC's will illuminate and show the position of the train. 3) Correct 4) Ran out of space on the description. Going to see if it's possible to adjust the position of the diagram. 5) You wouldn't. however until a few years ago history wise, the Up/Down Tetney ran all the way to Cleethorpes. As such, the route still exists. 6) Not altered the faceplate descriptions yet, and yes, 945/955 are in error. It's been an off scene requirement as my coal trains are too long for the fiddle yard lines accessible from P3 at Skidbrooke so the trains need to run on the main.

Latest corrections and additions. Including the control buttons for the CCTV crossing

happy to answer imt. 1) The Train Describer is a separate unit from the panel diagram. 2) Quite correct, the points will remain locked until the signal reverts to danger, relevant track circuits and overlaps clear and the switch is replaced. 3) The style the panel is based on has indicators on the diagram, red/green for main signals, red/white for the GPLS. At the time multicoloured LEDs were not available so the clear indication was placed above the GPL. The eventual plan is for it to be an NX panel, although I'm enjoying this as an IFS so I might adjust the diagram to make allowances for the signal indications being shown above the switches. 4) That is correct. The final diagram won't show route indicators, this is still a technical diagram so it holds info for me as I wire up. 5) They've already been removed from the diagram. However for absolute aspects to supply a signal with RI and PL will be £110 per unit. 6) Correct, Tetney Oil is a former line that was cut back to the oil terminal. It's worked as OTIS, as in One Train In Section. When the train comes back the signalman will get an audible alarm as the train approaches. 7) The extra lamp indicates the Position Light has illuminated rather than a main aspect. The TC error has also been addressed, I moved the crossing and haven't realigned the Track Circuits.