Dawnflyer

Last ones showing slewing motor arrangement, just two more for jib and hook to shoehorn in! First photo insists on being upside down.

More photos

Hi Richard, here is a sketch showing diagrammatically the connection between the crane wheelbase assemblies and the under base board leads screw drive arrangement. The drive assembly would need to be able to pivot to accommodate the change in angle as it extends and depending where the pivot point was would determine the load on the crane wheels stopping it from falling over when lifting a load. Jumping to the motor feed wires and slewing drive here are several photos showing what I did. The four wires pass through the front slot in the deck and would be hidden behind the crane leg. The four wires were super glued together and are arranged to be in line with the wheel flanges, a standard ribbon cable which I found later could be used. Only four cables as one could be common to three motors and the others selectable by rotary switch for slew, jib raise/lower and hook raise/lower. Hope this all makes sense but ask if not sure of anything. regards Barry

Sketch of proposed deck and rail construction

Hi Richard, A brief explanation of main features. The rails were to be made of plastic angle and set on the edge of two pieces of wood the correct distance apart with the centre portion supported at the ends beyond the required crane travel. In other words there would be two slots say 1,5mm next to the rails in line with the flanges of the crane wheels. This would allow two thin say 1,0mm pieces of plastic rigidly fixed to the crane wheel assemblies to pass through and connect to the drive for the crane travel? Will knock up a sketch to explain this better, in the meantime here is the intended drive which I made comprising motor/gearbox, threaded rod, conti block housing nut and drawer slide.

Hi Firefly9, only just revisited this topic so sorry for late reply. I have done some basic mods and drive build which show the ideas but have got sidetracked so not continued for the time being. I can forward photos if you want. regards Barry

Hi, I’m liking your layout plan and the way you are approaching the build in a very methodical manner. I note that you are intending to have at least 8-uncouplers servo operated and wondered if you had seen and maybe want to try the delayed magnetic uncoupling system that I have developed. I’m not trying to push this but in that I have a surplus of parts to modify standard tension lock couplings I could let you have some if you think it would enhance operation as it would significantly reduce the number of uncouplers. Have a look at - Mrtee delayed magnetIc uncoupling on YouTube. Regards mrtee

Thanks to everyone for the helpful advice, I will have a look at the Ballast Magic.

Thanks for all your tips and good advice.

Thanks Ian for taking the time to explain in detail your method of ballasting. I especially like the use of the bluetac as a masking media. I photo ballasted some 14-points, slips and 3- way turnouts last night in little over an hour ready for the proper ballasting. I think I will continue with this but trial your method on the test piece if I can remove the existing ballast with usual method of warm water and certainly do the turnouts nearer to operating / viewing area. In that I have some buildings and platforms in position I needed to remove some in order to access some positions and thought I would pass on my method of mounting station canopies so that they can be removed easily and not as prone to damage if knocked by accident. Holes are drilled in the platform to allow a small plastic tube to be glued in flush with the top. A wire pin is glued into thr base of each canopy support stanchion which is a slide fit in the tubes. This fixes the stanchions upright but not so rigid to sustain damage if knocked, it just bends the wire if a soft type is used. Ie florists soft iron wire. Going to use the same method for station name boards and lamps etc.

I have got to the stage of starting ballasting my layout and looked at several demonstrations of how to apply pva very carefully around moving parts of pointwork. I decided to try a safer approach as I wasn’t confident that some of the glue would not affect the movement. I started by spreading a thin layer of my mixed ballast on a sheet of A4 paper to almost cover it all and then photographed it. After adjusting the size and colour by a light dirty wash the print out was close to the original ballast. I cut a strip 35 mm wide and 130mm long and inserted it underneath the moving parts of a point on a trial piece of trackwork. I ballasted the rest of the track in the normal way including between the ends of the sleepers next to the moving parts of the point but none between the rails, thus avoiding any glue getting onto moving parts. The results are acceptable to me and must be somewhat quicker than applying glue around and between moving point blades. If a slot is cut from one side to the centre of the ballast paper strip the point operating steel pin and the baseboard slot could be closely covered with a ‘photo ballast strip’. The ‘photo ballast’ is of course lower being under the sleepers but if a gradual transition of adjacent ballast is formed it’s not too apparent to my eyes and for me has taken some of the stretching with a small paint brush away. Comparing the photo strip with all my pointwork templates I am hoping the standard strip size will be OK for all configurations. The photos attached show the idea and perhaps others may want to use this method permanently or until the more time can be spent with a steady hand.

Hi Graham, After seeing your method of covering the ejector pin holes on the turntable bridge I intend to do the same but will also use coloured sheet to enable me to hopefully achieve a better joint between the brown and cream especially now that I have the bridge girders assembled. I have made an indexing system that you may want to ponder which works very well and comprises a circular sub-plate which will be below the baseboard and connected to the turntable bridge spindle. Basic operation is :- servo arm moves detent out of v- groove, left side micro switch starts turntable and index plate drive motor whilst nose of detent bears on outside of disk until next v-groove, right side micro switch cuts bridge rails feed to prevent Loco moving whilst turntable is rotating. Have had to compress my photos which was a bit of a learning curve but found IMG2GO free editing tool in case anyone else is struggling.

Hi Graham, I have been working on motorising the Airfix/ Dapol turntable and think I have a few solutions to the common problems of bridge track feeds and indexing etc. So here hopefully is photos of my track feed arrangement, can give others if required. Loving your layout especially the scenery which I will try and match when I get round to that bit. Regards Barry

Thanks for that 33C I will leave the roof for now until I have installed all the motors etc and eaten some beans.

Hi again, My crane kit arrived a couple of days ago and I have made a start on the mods. I have read somewhere that a modeller thinned down the corrugated roof to improve the looks and also the widow glazing bars but can’t find it again, can anyone point it our to me please?

Thanks for that NILE, luckily I have that issue which I have just read, very informative and it’s got me thinking. Barry

Hi Stu, I think I will give it a go and if it all works out I will post my findings. I have just read the article in July 21 Railway Modeller that NILE referred me to, most useful information. I intend to make the crane travel along the rails as well. Barry

I have found ‘Micro geared motors’ on EBay with various voltages and rpm which I am considering using. Not started properly yet but a few musts are:- Be simple, be made from readily available parts and able to be made without any machining other than hand drill. No electronics ie. not use DCC for motor selection. Must have control of travel, swivel, jib and crane hook raise and lower.

Hi, on doing a search for Dockside Cranes I came across your thread regarding motorising the Aitfix/Dapol kit. Did you go ahead with any of the suggestions as I’m tempted to have a go as I have something worked out in my head. Regards Barry

Just caught up with your great little shunting layout. you might find these two vids on YouTube interesting ! MRTEE DELAY and STAY UNCOUPLING Cheers

Hi again, It seems that with the proposed layout it looks like you will need more of the solenoid uncouplers of the type that you have tested, one for each siding ? If you were to adopt a delayed action system you could uncouple at a position between the Y-point and the RH point and shunt down any siding using just 1-uncoupler. The system I mentioned previously does this, is not visible and can be operated in several ways much like a point, manually by wire in tube, push rod or electrically except for ‘bang- bang’ solenoids. Have you had chance to view the videos on YouTube yet? Also Megapoints controllers have a range of components one of which can control up to 4-servos (4R) to give slow quiet operation of points, signals and other accessories. I have found it gives many advantages in use on my layout. I look forward to future updates on your layout. Regards.

Hi there, you might find this interesting ! MRTEE DELAYED MAGNETIC UNCOUPLING on YouTube.

Has anyone got any of these spare roofs please?

Hi all, I have just joined and looked first t this subject having just modified my Bachmann Collett tender to give some variety away from the usual full coal loads. I am quite pleased with the results although not perfect, the hardest bit was thinning down the inside surfaces which would be visible above the new coal line.