Ralf

On 25/02/2021 at 22:05, SteveyDee68 said:

Not an update

Just wanted to copy a trackplan

Now there's quite a plan! If I wasn't over committed with project I'd jump at a 3 sided 4ft x 2ft excuse for a layout... Where is the plan from? Can we see the text referred too? I'm eager and curious but I must remember this could only be a pipe dream...

Keep up the thinking! 

Ralf

13 hours ago, 62613 said:

How are Earle's Sidings, on the Hope Valley line, worked?

Now there's a question, AFAIK and I've been into the yard during cab rides etc from the cement works it's operated by the cement company and NR locos come in to do their work - ie collect and deposit trains... All overseen by the NR Signalbox I think the branch radios for permission to enter the yard, guess NR is similar? 

Ralf

21 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

You are building the warehouse in half relief, which means that the interior (against the backscene board) isn't seen. That works no problem until you have the open section on columns - you need to factor in a wall at the back against the backscene otherwise the illusion of the rest of the half relief building is lost (as you will see the backscene).

Ah... I'm so glad you're paying attention @SteveyDee68... The way I'm going to cut out a double sized XL Door in the front of the warehouse which if I'm honest I don't think will be large enough to S bend the track through in a suitable manner! Hmmmm yes I see your point, it'll become very obvious when there's not a wagon in the way that the back of the warehouse is feet away... 

Drat! The nice man from Ikea is coming tomorrow with a giant Kallax unit to free up lots of space and generate much tidiness and efficiency into my modelling area - so have plenty of time to think while I turn the room upside down moving furniture.

Cheers

Ralf

Crickey me this Scalescenes warehouse is taking me an eternity to build, I love the part that I can re-print, re-place and re-do things unlike with a plastic kit but the time involved is HUGE. Maybe I only get a hour most days but there's seemingly very little to report. More soon hopefully... 

10 hours ago, 6990WitherslackHall said:

Loving the layout. It's amazing what you can achieve in a such a small space.

How did I miss this layout, awesome stuff, feeling very inspired. Any news @TechnicArrow??

How did you do the infilling? Scalescenes print out on card cut to fit? I've loads to do but was planning on the DAS clay route... 

Cheers

Ralf

Thanks all for the input, the main focus seems to be a) stand up, b) work at a suitable height not just that of the table chosen! 

I suspect my "work bench" is actually far too big as it's made of two square tables which are 800mm square but about only 800mm from the floor, so I can't easily reach things on the far wall / edge nor is it high enough... Also it's c1600mm wide which is actually more space than required and thus fills with clutter, 

Cheers

Ralf

Hi Folks, 

Recently have been struggling with my shoulders not enjoying the amount of hunching over my workbench that I've been doing and it's now impacting on life things hurting that shouldn't etc etc... So how do you avoid it? 

Raising the work surface looks like it'll help but you still need to lean forward over the bench and indeed have it low enough to exert force when cutting for example... 

All thoughts very welcome - anything to avoid the shoulder pain...

Thanks

Ralf

Well the Scalescenes warehouse has been extracted from it's box and work has recommenced - trying to make it 3 sections long x ½ section deep, so a whole kit should suffice with bits left over - isn't there always with DIY! Think I'm right saying there's 2 joist joiners per joist one either side but not on the underside? 

Audio amusement from John Cougar Mellencamp this evening so the session was 4 sides of vinyl long! 

Cheers
Ralf

10 hours ago, ISW said:

I'm using LED tape for lighting the underside of my layout. It simply needs a 12v DC power supply. I got mine off theBay in a roll of 5m (~£5) and the power supply came from a car boot! The tape is very flexible in that it's a bit like a steel tape measure. It bends up/down but will not go around corners.

Thanks Ian, that's certainly worth a look and as I don't get on with using the magnified I could have straight stripes across the lamp...

10 hours ago, Kris said:

There are similar lights ready to go on amazon for just over £30

Good point, well made. Sadly that's the way of Iife these days, I just want a new bulb not to chuck away and buy a new one... Think I will try some tape that Ian mentioned, otherwise it's Hello to Mr Amazon! 

Thanks
Ralf

1 hour ago, Kris said:

It could well be a custom item. From a quick search however I found this https://coolcomponents.co.uk/products/60-led-172mm-ring-ws2812b-5050-rgb-led-with-integrated-drivers-adafruit-neopixel-compatible 

Thanks Kris, I think there's a lot of things I don't know / understand about modern lights etc. I just want to be able to connect 2 wires and have it light up! Any idea either what would happen with no data feed OR how I would find out - short of buying one and trying it! 

Thanks

Ralf

Hi Folks, 

After around 50% of the LEDs failing in my LED workbench light I want to replace the LED strips - see below. Does anyone know where I'd get something similar if not the same? The segments solder together, there's 48 x 12v LEDs on a strip that's around 12mm wide and 175mm external diameter... I have contacted Clarke with no response and the manual on their website says the item has a fluorescent tube which it clearly doesn't anymore! 

Had a quick google and not done very well, I suspect if I knew what these items were called I'd succeed... I was amazed googling LH-802-2835 didn't help at all!

Thanks
Ralf

Hi all, 

New to the world of motor bogies etc etc and have a kit which is designed around a 26mm wheelbase (max) Tenshodo Spud, but I understand that quiet and slow aren't their biggest strengths... So what options are available for slow reliable running to fit in a similar space? 

I've had a look around and my options seem, erm, limited...

Many thanks

Ralf

23 hours ago, TechnicArrow said:

Mainly because of the weather, but also procrastination!

Looking really good, and don't worry it's not just you procrastinating, most of my modelling time goes that way 

Ralf

1 hour ago, sb67 said:

I can understand your dilemma on the sidings, I guess it's if you prefer how the layout looks or if you want better playability. Looking at your plan I reckon you could lose a couple of the 3 wagon siding and still have a lot to shunt. 

Quite agree, esp 1 of the front left sidings...

I wonder could you make some of the warehouse sidings through roads into the edge of the fiddle yard perhaps? Leave other warehouse doors closed and have short sidings but allow the front and rear-most sidings to be far longer and shunt deep into each warehouse? 

Ralf

Look good Steve, how did you do the door rollers etc? They look really good...

Also isn't the door handle rather low? The top is only 14 courses of brick from the ground? 

Keep it coming! 

Ralf

3 hours ago, Andrew D said:

But before THAT I will be having a crack at building a slow speed controller, thanks to the inimitable @JimRead and his selfless generosity in sharing his knowledge. That might not sound much to some, but I am TOTALLY CLUELESS when it comes to anything like that. I am attempting this to show that if I can do it, anyone can. 

I'm keen to see how this goes... Please do keep us posted - and good luck. 

Cheers

Ralf

13 minutes ago, steve45 said:

Your main board is BB017 which is 50 mm to top surface, your fiddle yard is BB019 which is 44 mm to top surface.

Thanks Steve! I'm glad someone knows, I think the plan will involve dowels to ensure alignment but the fiddle yard will be low to allow the cassettes to sit on top...

Cheers
Ralf

11 hours ago, steve45 said:

Its the BB017, that is 50mm deep, its the one you are using Ralph 

Actually I don't know what I'm using - but it's the one in my drawer! It seems to be 45mm deep but with a clamp attaches very well to the main layout. Thinking now maybe use the 5mm for some ply/mdf/??? & aluminium angle to build cassettes and leave the extension semi permanently attached as I don't think the layout will every go into a box! 

The Scalescenes box-file kit didn't line up with the track plan so the wall and doors have been detached, this positioning doesn't allow wagons through the doors but is almost right for the door to be a tri-fold door which wouldn't cover the rails - or do I model it doors open and get an extra inch in my siding? 

Thought I'd tidy up the layout and the bench today partly because I couldn't find anything and partly as track laying has stalled awaiting parts... The plan is to build the Scalescenes factory 2 sections long and ½ section deep - so I can run the siding into the warehouse. Badly mocked up below... If I can muster up the skills I'll build 3 sections length of warehouse with the third section featuring a columned front to allow the siding to slew in under the rest of the structure... - I shall be watching @SteveyDee68 progress VERY closely... That tiny bit of track and the ruler are representing where the siding may lie (approx) - it's planned to build the warehouse first and adjust the siding to fit... 

Here's the work bench, nice and tidy with tomorrows project - getting some paint on this van. Somehow I'm fine with a saw and glue but painting anything frightens the daylights out of me... 

Cheers for the feedback and thoughts folks, please do react or say something it's ever-so encouraging! 

Ralf

Hi all, 

On a whim I've purchased a 3D printed model / kit of a Wickham Type 42 Inspection Car but know nothing about the prototype... Google has come up with a brochure on Flickr - 4 pages starting here (Flickr link). Does anyone have any further info?

I see they claim to have made some for a number of African countries. What happened to them? Any pics? Any in Europe? Anything really... Doesn't matter what the answer is... It is just a project and will run on my layout so Rule 1 applies... The kit is from "Narrow Minded Railworks" - See this link if anyone is curious. 

Many thanks

Ralf 

So here's the progress, most of the track now glued down except the siding where the ruler is!

Have re-used the Scotchlock connectors from before and soldered the new feeds to the old ones - insulating tape required at some stage....  More Scotchlock connectors on order to connect the point motors and their feeds. Then some testing will follow, which we all know is a euphemism for playing trains...

Best work out connecting the "fiddle yard" cassettes hadn't I! As I think I'm using the 400mm long SMS thingy - https://www.scalemodelscenery.co.uk/bb019-single-track-photo-plank--fiddle-yard--dcc-programming-track-baseboard-400mm-x-100mm-9183-p.asp Which will somehow clip on and off quickly and easily to allow seamless swapping of stuff on the cassette... 

Cheers

Ralf

10 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Typically, I've turned it around again to see the brick infill version

If you're still on the fence I'd vote brick infill... 

Love the look of the dockside buildings with the support pillars over that siding, is it Scalescenes prints and scratch building for those?

Ralf

5 hours ago, MRC_Jacob said:

The lighting in these photos are only the LED strip above the layout and then the floodlights on the depot when in use. In the room it's stored in there is an overhead room light but it doesn't effect the pictures when they're on.

Thanks, I didn't make it clear I meant the night shot of the 158, guessing the layout overhead LEDs are just turned right down to allow the model flood lights to shine?

Thanks

3 minutes ago, Andrew D said:

 

Ha ha! Sorry Ralf. I could have gone with the distillery theme but want to inject a bit of fun into my ‘Rule 1’ layout! And what better fun than a bit of cake? Cheers! 

Absolutely, having spent a fair proportion of my youth either living in Glasgow or visiting relatives in Motherwell / Bellshill I'm reasonably fond of Scottish bakery products, although I think I'd have gone down the butcher road if I were you thinking Mince Rounds, Bridies and of course Scotch Pies!! 

Keep up the good work! 

Ralf

On 20/01/2021 at 10:27, kevo said:

all the track in concrete and will  with this one

How have you done the in-filling with concrete here - it's looking good and I'm about to (relatively speaking) embark on infilling most of my layouts track with concrete / tar / cobbles (TBC).

Cheers

Ralf

I do like the way the yard lights have created bright and dark patches - like yard lights do... Is the illumination just from the lights seen in the picture? I hadn't really considered after dark lighting in my current project - and it'd only be a few poxy sodium lamps but impressed with you pic. 

Ralf