Jeepy

4 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Whatever that guidebook says, 60 years ago Woking (Station) was one of the most-exciting places one could ever wish for.

 

Bulleids going through full-pelt!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

The line speeds through Woking are 90mph on the down fast and 100mph on the up fast..... I'll bet that used to rattle the canopies somewhat!! 

Regards, 

Jim. 

2 hours ago, Northroader said:

Happy days! That looks like Chatham, i think it was late 1980s or early 1990s i was a secondman/driver based at Gillingham then and i remember this! 

We were loco hauling everything from EPBs to CEPs and VEPs using 'Cromptons', 56s, EDs, anything we could lay our hands on really!

There was even a rumour that one of our drivers had to be airlifted by helicopter from the Isle of Sheppey, although i never got to ask him about that at the time! I can't remember the precise year, the writing on the picture is too blurry to read, thanks for posting, 

Regards, 

Jim. 

5 minutes ago, Jon4470 said:

If it already works well then there’s no point replacing the chassis ...... in my opinion.

I agree, I'm a long way from being an expert but i like the old saying, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it!' 

Regards, 

Jim. 

On 15/02/2021 at 17:20, Dunsignalling said:

The image seems to represent a SR train judging by the tenders, and there were SECR 6-wheel full brakes with duckets at both ends that would facilitate such a conversion.

 

Re-purposing of otherwise redundant vehicles for such uses would be done with the minimum possible alterations.

 

A cut-and-shut of two Hattons 6-w brake third bodies, thereby "liberating" the second underframe for other uses looks pretty tempting...

 

John

More than likely Southern Railway as there is a third rail in the cigarette card picture, part of a nice collection of cards by the looks of it! Thanks for the image, interesting stuff. 

Best wishes, 

Jim. 

17 minutes ago, Lemmy282 said:

Thought he was the drummer in the Police?

He was, Stuart Goddard is/was the pop star being referred to. 

Regards, 

Jim. 

37 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Jim,

 

I'll pass on your praise to Ian (he doesn't 'do' RMweb). My input has been to build the locomotives and much of the rolling stock. 

 

The basic construction is 9mm ply over an open frame. Contours are represented by Styrofoam, cut and 'surformed' to shape. 

 

An article on the layout is being prepared for publication in a bookazine, written in conjunction with BRILL, for release early next year. A further article is to be submitted to the Railway Modeller. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.

Good Afternoon Tony, 

Please do! 

I will bear that information about the forthcoming article in mind, thank you! 

Regards, 

Jim. 

52 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Yesterday morning was spent assisting Ian Wilson with scenic work on his OO Gauge Edenham layout. 

 

The idea behind it is that Lord Willoughby's private line from Little Bytham to Edenham (serving the ancestral pile of Grimsthorpe Castle) was not abandoned in the 1880s, but was taken over successively by the GNR/LNER/BR (ER) and survived until the late-'50s.

 

 

It also features an ironstone exchange siding.

 

 

And a neat, single-road loco shed. 

 

 

Between us, we 'grassed' it yesterday, or at least the first layers. 

 

I took photographs of the actual location which were stitched together to make the backscene. The current A 151 between Bourne and Colsterworth is seen to the right. The village of Edenham itself is off-stage to the right.

 

Further progress reports will follow................

 

 

Good Morning Tony, 

What a beautiful, neat little layout! 

Can you tell me please what the baseboard material is? 

It looks like foam insulation board carved out in certain areas to create the land form, thank you, 

Regards, 

Jim. 

1 hour ago, Northmoor said:

The V2 can't be on the Portsmouth Direct Line, which had a DC third rail by then.  As it stands higher than the running rails, it would be visible even if it's in the six foot and not the cess side.

Good point! 

It just looks so familiar! 

Regards

Jim. 

39 minutes ago, Jeepy said:

Hello, 

 

My 'educated' guesses looking at the lie of the land and the overbridge in the background, either around Idsworth (Between Petersfield and Rowlands Castle, south of Buriton tunnel) on the down line on it's way to Portsmouth or possibly on the down line via Dunbridge and Dean on it's way towards Salisbury and then perhaps through to the West country? 

I'm only guessing though, "Good game! Good game! “

 

Regards, 

 

Jim. 

Hello again! 

Possibly after passing through Rowlands Castle, Havant and Bedhampton turning right at Farlington Junction then going via Portchester, Fareham and Netley to Southampton thence Redbridge, Dunbridge and Dean onto Salisbury? 

Regards, 

Jim. 

11 hours ago, bbishop said:

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

The South Western Circle has been bequeathed a photographic collection.  Obviously mainly of Southern prototypes, but there were exceptions.  Any thoughts on this one?  Bill

Hello, 

My 'educated' guesses looking at the lie of the land and the overbridge in the background, either around Idsworth (Between Petersfield and Rowlands Castle, south of Buriton tunnel) on the down line on it's way to Portsmouth or possibly on the down line via Dunbridge and Dean on it's way towards Salisbury and then perhaps through to the West country? 

I'm only guessing though, "Good game! Good game! “

Regards, 

Jim. 

22 hours ago, Kubes said:

Hi

Not quite as uncommon as it seems perhaps.  There is a photo in British Railways Past & Present Volume 20 Kent & East Sussex which shows D6521 coupled to a different unidentified pre-grouping pair of coaches (though visibly not of LBSC origin and indeed the caption suggests ex LC&DR) at Cliffe  on an Allhallows service.  The date given is 1st April 1961.

Kubes

This is part of what fascinates me with the Allhallows branch, especially towards the end of it's life there seems to be all sorts of wierd and wonderful combinations of loco's/stock running on it, as well as the fact that the early part of my railway career was spent on the South Eastern section of British Rail (Long after it's closure!) around the Medway area including Hoo Junction yard and the Isle of Grain branch etc. 

I have just ordered issues 3 and 4 (Volume 25) using the Guideline Publications website but they didn't have issue 5 available! Never mind, i'll probably give them a ring and make enquiries.

I also took out a 12 Month subscription! Lol!

Best wishes,

Jim.

8 hours ago, Butler Henderson said:

Vol 25 Issues 3 to 5, Feb 2020 to Apr 2020

Excellent! 

Thanks ever so much! 

Best wishes, 

Jim. 

Hello, 

I have only just seen your post by perusing through previous pages! 

I wonder if you could tell me the magazine numbers of those 3 issues please? 

I'm very interested in anything to do with the Allhallows branch and it's workings as my home layout is closely based on it, currently under construction, all the track is laid, wired up and working. 

Lots of research done so far but i wonder if there are still some pictures around showing aspects of the branch that i haven't seen yet and thought that maybe i could order them as back issues, your help in this respect would be very much appreciated, if not, i still thank you for pointing these out! 

Best wishes, 

Jim. 

Hello Hugh, 

PM sent, 

Jim. 

Hello Hugh, 

I have both those kits unbuilt at present.... I'll scan the instructions and send them to you or i could just copy them and post them to you? 

Jim. 

44 minutes ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

See how NCE recommend wiring up the Auto-SW and a dedicated programming siding.
 

 https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/200551449/Auto-SW_Live_Program_Track.pdf
 

No need to wire in any double pole x way switches. The Auto-SW does that for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

Ooer! That's what i thought it was supposed to do! Lol! Thanks for the diagram Ron, my diagram isn't to hand now, I've locked my shed up but I'm sure those extra 'jumper' wires aren't shown on it, so it seems the auto switch does do the work for you in that configuration! Gee! Great! Thanks again, 

Best wishes, 

Jim. 

13 minutes ago, ColinK said:

I have a siding with a double pole three way switch.  One way has the siding powered with DCC as per the rest of the layout.  One way has it as the programming track, the third position is centre off.

Ah! So i do need to wire in a switch..... Thank you! I was at first presuming the auto switch did all that, (Thinking that was the whole point of it!!) doh! 

Best wishes, 

Jim. 

Hello, 

It's me with another question! 

I have a headshunt on my layout (OO gauge) with both running rails isolated from the main layout but with droppers soldered in via the NCE auto switch wired according to the diagram, the programming track works fine when the Powercab is in programming track mode and it switches off the main layout etc as it should no problems. 

When the powercab is in normal use playing trains etc the headshunt is dead hence i can't drive a loco onto it, should i be wiring a switch in somewhere to liven it up while in 'normal' operation so i can switch it off after driving a loco onto it before going into program track mode please? If so, is there a way to wire it through one switch as there is obviously two rails that need livening up with seperate polarity for feed and return isn't there? I hope someone can make sense of what I'm asking! Lol! Thanks ever so much! 

Best wishes, 

Jim. 

P. S. I'm thinking maybe a double pole double throw on/off switch wired correctly would keep the two rails different poles seperate but switch them both on and off at the same time perhaps? I'm no electrician so only guessing! 

Lol! "Don't tell him Pike!" 

Best wishes, 

Jim. 

Ah! Thank you, i can't say I've seen any Black stripes except on wagons but the Grey on coaching stock is really what I was wondering about. 

Yes, it does seem to be mainly on the brake section so that would make sense from a parcel or mail loading point of view, especially in the case of multiple portioned trains that detach coaches en route, thank you! 

Best wishes, 

Jim. 

Hello, 

Can i ask anyone who may know why did (Mostly 1950's i think) alot of coaching stock have Grey strips of paint on the body sides? 

It seems to me that it was covering something, maybe a number or lettering or even a change in classification perhaps? I'm only guessing but it would be interesting to me to know! 

Thanks ever so much, 

Best wishes, 

Jim. 

20 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

As an irrelevant, but hopefully reassuring, aside, I had a bit of a realisation the other day. People worry about the fact that tortoise motors are in effect powered all the time. I have about 15 tortoises, installed about 2006/7. So was the power source, a simple, cheap plug in transformer. It has never been switched off, supply outages apart, in all that time. I turn off my Digitrax system between running sessions, but not the transformer to the point motors. So I can attest to tortoise motors remaining powered up for more than 12 years without any casualty. 

Very reassuring.....Thank you! I have a plug in transformer supplying the tortoise units separate to the DCC system too, with a power distribution board so the same transformer will be supplying my electromagnets (For DG couplings) which are installed but not yet connected and eventually servos for the signals are planned.

All I was expecting the DCC to do was control the trains but as I've found out the tortoises need a track supply if you want to liven the frogs! I'm on quite a large learning curve at the moment so all advice and reassurance is most welcome! Thanks ever so much!

Best wishes,

Jim.

I connected extra droppers to all the tortoise units from the track bus to terminals 2 and 3 and with the wire from the frogs to terminal 4 all is working fine! Had shorts on a couple of the turnouts when the loco reached the frog but I just swapped the wires to terminals 2 and 3 around on these and that sorted it, mainly I think due to the fact they were on turnouts forming crossovers so obviously the polarity had to be changed on those as they were opposite each other, i'm learning! I know a little bit more about tortoise units now! LOL! Thanks to everyone who contributed,

Best wishes,

Jim.

I think i get it now..... The Amperage is more to do with the capacity rather than the actual current or Voltage flowing through!?!?

(You might have guessed I'm not an electrician!)