Dave Holt

Robin, The slitting disc is 0.6 mm thick - rather wider than a scale rail gap, I think, but much easier to use than a razor saw. I tried a saw but found problems with the teeth spacing being too big, even though the saw was the finest I could find; and I found it hard to make a clean single cut and not to mark the adjacent rail head. Actually, I cut the dummy gaps this morning, so I'll have to obtain the fishplates now - etched brass mainly, with Exactoscale plastic at the crossing where it needs electrical isolation. I haven't tried filing out a groove under the chairs, which might be easier. I did try opening up the moulded hole with a hand held drill bit, but this just resulted in destruction of the chair. I'm using Exactoscale and they are very fine but the moulded hole does not seem large enough diameter or deep enough to fit over a brass rivet head. I notice the moulded location pips on their plastic sleepers are quite shallow, so I suppose the chairs are made to suit. Perhaps C & L might have been easier, although they don't do such a wide range. Dave.

After what feels like a lifetime of back-aching effort, leaning over the board to focus my magnifying head set thingey, I have now completed fitting the cosmetic chairs to the point on the current board. Not only did thids involve cutting each chair in half to fit round the rivet, but also reguired lots of grinding of the rivet heads either side of the rails to enable a snug fit for the chair halves. On some, I didn't quite achive this, but the overall result is quite satisfying. I did consider only fitting chairs to the visible side of the rails, which would have halved the effort, but in the end I decided to fit both sides - must have too much time on my hands!! I've also experienced some problem getting the point blades to throw over fully, especially on the diverging road. This was causing derailment of the loco front pony truck when travelling in the facing direction. This seems to have been solved by increasng the Tortoise throw to near maximum and an adjustment to the operating link to the TOU. Photos show the completed point with BR Standard Cl2 tank being used to test the throw of the point. Also a close-up of the loco in its part completed condition. Next to do on the track on this board is represent the rail joints by cutting through the rail head at the appropriate locations to represent 30 foot and 60 foot rail lengths. Intending to use a slitting disc on a flexible shaft drive for this. Then it's cosmetic fish plates. Cheers for now, Dave.

Dave, sorry, no I can't! So far, I'm just making provision for a power supply via push-to-make switches for the electro-magnets. The question of AJ uncoupling magnets seems the least explained aspect of their use. We've got lots of info on the hook and various approaches to its mounting and now there are various jigs available to aid production and mounting, but the magnets remain a bit of a mystery (to me). Dave Booth's excellent book on AJ's does give some information and I believe he and others use ex-posyt office relay coils operating on 24V DC. I'm not sure if these are still available or where from. Otherwise, it looks like winding your own using a cut down 4" nail as the armature and (it suggests) 5000 turns of 36 SWG wire. I've bought the nails but not got any further!! Regards, Dave.

Philbax was asking about the Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2 tanks which appeared in some recent photos. The Ivatt is an as yet unmodified Bachman body on a chassis based on the Comet kit, with some additional detail and the valvegear modelled in forward rather than mid gear. The chassis is compensated as an 0-6-0 using twin beams on the rear two axles and a central rocking support on the front. Drive is a 1616 Portescap on the (floating) centre axle. The trucks are sprung. On this loco, the pony trucks are scratch built and sprung using hair-pin springs made from 0.33 brass wire. These are just visible through the frames of the truck, but not too obtrusive on this rather open, bar framed truck design. The two trucks are quite different in appearance as one has spring side control and the other swing link side control (the difference was to avoid the risk of hunting caused by having the same natural frequency at both ends if two identical trucks had been used). On the Ivatt, the swing link truck was usually at the front. The BR Standard loco is a stretched DJH body on a cut-down Comet based chassis. On this loco, thetrucks are the Brassmasters etches, suitably modified to represent the swing linkat one end. On these locos, the swing link truck was always at the rear. The two photos try to illustrate the differences in appearance. (Sorry for the slightly out-of-focus on the front shot.) Dave.

I can only agree with the previous comments. It's looking better and better. There's huge potenetial here. Mind you, that's a lot of chassis conversions - not too many nights down the pub, I think!!! Best of luck with the whole project. Can't wait for a glimpse (Scaleforum)! Dave.

Hi, Both, Larry, yes, I see what you mean. I think it's partly because the outside steam pipes and push-pull gear are missing - and the poor lighting. Quite some way off a train service - haven't done anything on electrics on the other boards. They're all still at the workshop, more or less in storage, just now. Phil, I've sent some info on the Ivatt, off line. Regarding how long it's taken to reach this stage, I honestly can't remember exactly when I started cutting wood. Some time in the middle of last year, I think. I've spent a chunk of time this morning filing off excess solder from the rivets on the point in preparation for fitting cosmetic chairs. Rather laborious, I must say. Also keep finding broken soldered joints at the track ends, where they cross the joints to the next boards. Seem to be chasing my tail with this problem but I'm sure the track will give in, eventually! Cheers, Dave.

Well, no, actually. One of the features of train sim is that the locos appear far more powerfull than in real life, or maybe the stock has less rolong resistance. Anyway, with 7 ex-LMS coaches on, the 5 waltzed up to Fishponds with no trouble. Struggled up Lickey, though. Again no banker, but full regulator and nearly full gear with sanders on! Mmm, better get back to the modelling. To facilitate bankers, I assume Barrow Road will be DCC? Dave.

Powered up the wiring of the first board using various jump leads to connect 16 V AC, a hand-held Pentroller and a second controller to swith the point motor. Ran my part finished Ivatt Cl 2, 2-6-2 tank up and down the platform road, then transferred everything to the loop road. This has a point giving access to the siding which runs along the side of the goods shed. Was able to switch the point using the second cpntroller and found that by chance, I'd wired the route indicating LED's correctly for the diverging roads. Had to do an adjustment to the Tortoise travel to get the point blades to sit hard against the stock rail for the siding, in order to get reliable running in the facing direction. Photos show an overall view of the test with the Pentroller plugged into it's socket on the facia of the board. The adjacent socket is for the DCC Xpressnet connection. Also seen is a close-up of the facia showing the point switch, route indicating LED's (with the diverging road set and the LED illuminated) and the red button is for an Alex Jackson uncoupling magnet. Lastly, a view of the loco taking the diverging road. Now for the rest...... Dave.

Larry, this is minimalist - compared with the other boards! Lots of the wires just pass along the board to the ones either end; but besides track power feeds, there's the Tortoise power feed, AJ uncoupler magnet supply, bell code connectors, fiddle yard "power on" indictaor, etc., and, mounted in the facia, sockets for both DC and DCC controllers, a point switch and LED indicators and an AJ actuating button - so I suppose it all adds up. Fixed layouts can no doubt be a bit simpler. Deard to think what the control panel will be like!!! Cheers, Dave.

Robin, The trackwork looks very nice indeed - a smooth flowing curve and pointwork. Actually, I drove a Stanier Black 5 along that stretch last night - on MS Train Sim on a newly released Bristol - Birmingham route. The shed was there, but no locos!! (Need some "activities" created to do solve that.) I was rather surprised to find the shed on the left of the running lines as I headed north. I presume that is correct? Best wishes with the layout. Cheers, Dave.

Have started to do some of the electics under the board I currently have at home. Frighteningly slow progress and vast quantities of wire being consumed - and this is one of the more simple boards, with only one point and one AJ uncoupler (not yet started). I dread to think what the station throat board will be like! Photos show progress to date. The tag strips will eventually carry the connections to the adjoining boards. Dave.

Hi, Robin. It really was a pleasure chatting to you at Watford and having the oportunity to admire the buildings at close quarters. They look even better than the photos. You must be very pleased with the outcome. Not sure I'll be able to afford to progress my grand plan, but it will be interesting to gat an idea of the costs. I must say, laser cutting/etching really does appear to be a great approach to architectural modelling. I'm looking forward to seeing progress with the main round-house building in due course. Dave.

After the electrifying excitement of wiring the board and actually driving a loco up and down, it's back to the coal drops, plastic and solvent. Mmm...., does smell quite nice - no, not really! Anyway, the steps up the side of the retaining wall have been made and fixed in place. Unfortunately, these are a figment of my imagination because I could not find any information about how they actually looked. Still got the capping blocks to fit atop each side wall and create some wear on the front edge of each step. Still putting off trying to paint/crayon the retaining walls and pillars. Photos show the steps under construction and almost finished. They dont reach the board at the bottom because there is a 2 mm thick surface to go on the road and yard areas.

Nothing very photogenic recently but some good progress has been made. I decided to break off from the coal drops whilst I pondered the access steps from the lower to upper levels. In the mean time, all the droppers have been soldered to the rails and these have been connected together, as dictated by the wiring diagram & schedule, by means of under-board bus rails (bare copper wire supported on brass screws) which run roughly under the track position. Later the busses will be connected to the tag strips at each end of the board. The inter-board connectors will also be connected to the tag strips. I'm intending to use a common return system to reduce the number of cables, but there's still quite a lot of wires, especially on the station board where the control panel will be located. I must say, the appearance/neatness of my wiring isn't in the same league as some of the other entries I've seen on RMweb recently. Definately no photos, please! - A case of out-of-sight; out-of-mind? Nethertheless, using temporary jumper leads I was able to power up the Tortoise and swith the point and also run a loco on every length of track on the board (the track over the coal drops will not be powered, as locos were not permitted, so there's no need). All very satisfactory and positive. Now it'sback to the coal drops or cosmetic chairs on the point..... Dave.

Chris, Thanks for the clarification on the adhesive. I couldn't agree more with your comments about Robin's buildings, they really do look superb and, like you, I can't wait to see them at Watford. I'll pop along and view them on your stand and discuss a project of my own, if that's OK? Regards, Dave.

Hi, Fen End, Nice to see this progressing. Please keep us informed. I did suggest a way of ovecoming the problem of using jig-axles in this type of axlebox with a clarification following a comment from Horsetan. Did you try this at all? Might be worth a thought for any future Bradwell chassis. If you do, it's important to keep the front and back of each box in the correct orientation but the top temporarily becomes the bottom and the bottom becomes the top but the single flange ends up on the inside, allowing the normal spring arrangement to locate the horn-guides. Afterwards, the boxes are reversed, top over bottom, for fitting onto the wheel-sets. Regards, Dave.

Hi, Jim. Yes, I recall my failure cause considerable merryment and it got worse! I still couldn't get it out of the packet at home - had to resort to ripping the bag open! Wasn't much easier to extract the rail from the sleeper base, either. This coarse scale "OO" stuff is obviously made to last. Regards, Dave.

Today, a construction worker engaged in reinstating the railway at Delph station site discovered a tortoise buried beneath....... OK, in a slight break from the coal drops (awaiting more plastic supplies), I decided to mount and connect the first point motor to the TOU on the only turnout on this board. On fitting and attaching the droppers from the switch blades to the pre-made TOU I found that the blade opening at the tips of the blades is slightly over the scale 4.5". I think I'll live with this (hard to correct anyway, without making a new set of sliders) as it's better to have a larger than smaller gap for running purposes. I then fitted and connected the Tortoise point motor with the blades/TOU and motor drive set in the mid-stroke position. I then adjusted the throw of the actuator to give a fairly firm pressure in the closed position. Being the first time I've fitted on of these, I'm not sure how to judge the correct amount of over-travel at the motor (how much bend there should be in the actuating spring steel wire at full throw). Advice on this from experienced Tortoisers would be welcome. Here's a couple of photos of the under board installation. The motor is mounted on an Exactoscale adaptor plate, which in turn is screwed to a mounting pad fixed under the board. All the motors are set along the back edge of the boards, clear of the track above. The operating rod from motor to TOU passes through a mouse-hole slot in one og the strengthening ribs under the board. This connecting rod is actually a length of rail from some Peco "OO" flexi-track purchased specially for the purpose at the recent Leamington show. P4 friends operating Amlwch took great pleasure in taking a compromising photo of me carrying said track in it's distinctive bag. "Traitor" was one of the words used..... Dave.

Looking very good. The use of pre-cut strips certainly looks to make the job easier and quicker than cutting and laying individual tiles from plastic card. My only concerns would be - the long term durability of the adhesive - old sellotape tends to come away leaving a dried-out adhesive layer attached to the item. Of course, adhesives have come a long way and perhaps a model layout doesn't have that long a life, anyway? - is there any oportunity to adjust the position of the strips as you apply them or is it instant grab? Dave.

Yes, it certainly makes it more complicated. Just think, though, I IKB had chosed 8 foot gauge, it would have enabled 4 mm models to run on "O" gauge track - rather lacking in foresight.....

Peter, Thanks for your explanation. Thanks for your explanation. Thanks for your explanation. Dave.

James, I'm following your blog with interest, although the period is not rally my scene. The Pacer mods look good, but could I just suggest you extend the bottom end og the exhaust pipe(s) so it disappears up into the underframe? Depending on the viewing angle of your layout, this would make a difference, even if it doesn't quite follow the prototype routing. You'll have to bear in mind that it doesn't prevent chassis removal. If so, attach the extension to the chassis. Regards, Dave.

Peter, thanks for the kind comments. The proof of the pudding will be after they're painted! Ref your advice on your Delph goods shed blog, I found a company called "Modelex" on the internet and they sell Mek-pac and also MEK, but I couldn't find any brushes for application of these solvents. What's different about them from a normal small artists' paint brush? Dave.

Having brought the coal drop board home from the workshop, I've been able to make better progress with the stone retaining walls, in comfort! The brick pillars and stone retaining wall sections in between and at the ends are now ready to be coloured (not sure if to paint or try the crayon technique being used by Barrow Road on his excellent loco shed buildings). Anyway, had a trial fit of all the bits which are on this board (the RH wing wall is on the next - station - board). Couldn't resist placing the deck and putting a few unfinished coal wagons over the cells to visualise how it might finally look.

Robin, I'll look forward to that and put it in my diary. Any particular time? I've been interested in the York Models laser etching/cutting because I have a large cotton mill to do, which has decorative brickwork and ashlar stone embelishments. I might bring a few photos along to show them to see what they think. Your shed complex has more or less convinced me - I just need my wife to win the lottery in a big way....... Dave.