SteveBedding

Brilliantly simple - yet very effective.

That little loco (J94?) seems to be quite happy with those tight curves! It's very satisfying when something actually moves after the efforts of construction

Keep on the great work, and I'll watch this with interest.

That looks like a very well developed technique there, and a great description of the way you did it; it certainly gives an impressive result! I saw St Ruth at the expo and can just imagine the size of the area you are working on - it's not for the faint-hearted or the easily bored

I look forward to more progress and future updates on what is going to be a spectacular layout

Thanks for this Pete, you make it look so straightforward

One question (I'm sure they'll be more later when I actually get round to trying this myself) - how does the buffer height seem with the lowered body? It looks quite a significant drop on the last picture, so how does if compare with the wagons & other rolling stock?

..It does feel like I'm starting to get somewhere.

I'd agree with this - I'd say you've cracked it, the practice versions have certainly paid off!

I'm in a quandary over whether to use brick paper or look for an alternative textured/embossed covering, and having looked at what your achieving, this is not helping my thought process at all - it would be so much easier if you'd made a pigs ear of it. Damn!

Super work - keep it up and please keep the pictures coming.

Looking good so far Pete - even if they are diesels - and blue at that...

Am I right in assuming that only 142 has been lowered at this point? If so, are you going to detail how you actually did this on the other 3?

Of course this isn't for me you understand, but I have a friend who happens to have 37 that needs a bit of TLC...

You don't do things by half do you?

If I remember rightly, it's only one point and a section of single track from the end of the platforms to the bridge; I'd be inclined to say 'go for it' and get all the track to a basic level (no ballast). The only doubt/concern about this that I would have would be the alignment of your 'mechanisms' under the board and the risk of spoiling the super neat wiring that you had so carefully done. The up-side of this would be that you would have a totally clean slate from which to ensure that the running characteristics were absolutely perfect.

It is easy to view this with clinical detachment when it's not your own layout your so blithely suggesting ripping up and starting again , and I could well imagine how disheartening this could seem at times. However, with your standards of perfection and detail, I can fully appreciate your wish to get everything just so...

...3) I don't think Steve's suggestion of switching the 28T and 30T gears will work - different inside diameters, so the 28T will need opening out to fit over the "sleeve" on the driving wheel axle, and the 30T will probably need a similar "sleeve" adding onto its axle.

Agreed, looking back at the pictures & text, the 28T & 12T shown both appear have inside diameters of 1.5mm - I'd made the assumption that the 28T had a 3.2mm (1/8") inner diam to go with the association gear m*ff.

Chris,

Out of interest, what loco is this for? What is it's nominal top speed, and do you have a motor in mind?

Nice recap Pete, and congratulations on the 10,000! I'll enjoy contributing to the next viewing milestone

I've always liked the clean simplicity of CJ, and the modular approach that you've taken, but I would agree with you that at the moment the operating potential does have its limitations... ...if you want to justify your large collection of blue diesels, you just have to expand the 'junction' element of the layout!

Chris,

Looking at what you've got, I'd suggest that you try for the 30:1 reduction from the worm & 30T 100dp gear (assuming it's a 'worm wheel' and correctly cut for a helical drive) and then use the 12T/28T combination as the second stage to the drive wheel. The diameter of the 28T 100dp should be about 7.62mm which is smaller than the 8.05mm of the 30T (there is a very useful file titled "GearWS.PDF" on the VAG) and will give better appearance behind the 8.5mm diameter drive wheel.

However, following your comment about the 30T looking a little worn, it may be better to go back to first principles and design the gear chain from scratch. Using the no-load motor speed and desired final top speed of the loco, you can calculate the reduction needed, and the select fresh gears to suit. The Scale Speed Calculator (here) is a good place to start.

Great to have finally met you Kris,and to have seen Avonwick in the flesh again - its' certainly grown a bit since the Expo last year . The Manor did look rather nice, and my views on the 'blood & custard' livery have changed having seen your Toplights; OK its still not as good as a proper livery (Cream & Brown), but its a pretty good second...

Anyway, congratulations on putting on a great display, and my hat's off to you for running it all solo

Ah, the ##### word is the black plastic tube that holds the wheels together that the 2mm SA use!!!

Do you mean the drive gear ###### (3-100 Black acetal axle ###### for Drivers (3.2mm dia)) ?

Chris, looking at the gears you have listed, I'm a bit concerned - are these from the Association shop? My concern is the the 28T (3-354?) spur gear you're referring to is not intended to be used with a worm, something to do with the cutting of the teeth on an angle; the gears for using with worms are 3-364, -365, & -366 (or the dedicated gear-sets).

I'm no expert on this (and may be barking up the wrong tree!) but I've just been going through a similar exercise a 57XX pannier and like you found the 'gearing' to be very confusing. If you have more details - ie planned layout, motor type and speed, desired top speed of the model, there are some quite useful articles on the VAG on calculating the necessary gear ratios and the spacing between centres.

Thanks for the identifications; I'd never heard of Pithead-Miniatures before, and as you say they do have a nice range of 'support' vehicles Some of which will most definately find themselves on the station forecourt of Calne circa 1942...

Nah, can't see a DUKW there....

Oops - where the hell is the edit button?

(...and before anyone comments, they were my fathers toys that I used to play with as I still of a sufficient vintage to have had them first hand.... )

 

Should read: "...they were my fathers toys that I used to play with, as I AM NOT of a sufficient vintage to have had them first hand...."

Looks like a rather substantial battery that you've got there, and I especially like the way in which you have managed to recreate the green that Dinky used for their immediate post-war models! (...and before anyone comments, they were my fathers toys that I used to play with as I still of a sufficient vintage to have had them first hand.... )

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that they are 12mm MiniFigs? I recognise the Quad/limber/25 pdr, and the White scout car; I think the small tanks at the back are either an M3 or an M5? But what is the small truck?

That's quite a significant re-work there - though as you say it'll be well worth the effort to get snag-free running.

I'd also fully agree with Ian's view that it would be better to do the re-working of the board 2 track, and test the layout in it's entirety before ballasting; I'd suggest that this will serve two purposes, 1) fully testing all operations/movements/stock permutations will ensure that all snags are identified and corrected whilst it is still easy to do so, and 2) ballasting in one go will allow for continuity of colour of the ballast, and a continuous approach to the weathering. Just remember during point 1), you're not playing trains, you're carrying out an essential quality control check and system test

(Ok this armchair modelling at its best, as I've yet to get anywhere near this stage!)

As if....

...we are going to try and be professional and serious about driving Witney this time - "a jelly baby's for eating, not shunting..."

(and if you beleive that, I have a nice castle in Windsor that I could sell you? )

To add an echo... .. that is coming together very nicely - thanks for the insight into the initial marking up of the carcass

(PS - its good to see you back in the land of the 'real' scale, not faffing around with those big toy trains... )

Looks like some major weekend engineering work going on there!

But where is the PW crew and train?

Hi Kris

Looks like you're just about ready for Newbury; I'm rather looking forward to see the 'new' Avonwick with the full circuit - saw it at the Expo last year before the layout discovered steroids . It'll be interesting to see how your Manor runs, I'm trying to persuade SWMBO that she needs one...

I'll be there with Mitziblue and Witney Euston, so we'll both be popping over during the day to have a good snoop, and it will be good to put a face to the name...

Pete

It certainly looks like you've got this challenging building right - I agree with Kris in that the larger stone work seems more appropriate for the structure. Also, all that open space inside is just screaming out for some interior detailing, which of course no-one will see, will cause lots of stress, but will eventually make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside

Quick question - do you do full drawings before construction, or build 'on the fly'? I only ask as this looks like the result of some serious planning and preparation.

Matt,

I have to say that they've come out rather nicely - a credit to your research to ensure the numbers are correctly paired. Just as a matter of interest, had you considered the article by Maurice Pearce on GWR.org ? This could add a little bit more to your detailed B-Set.

Keep it coming - with lots of pictures please.

Wow - S$%^ Stuff Happens !

For what was a slightly tongue in cheek comment, I didn't expect such immediate effects. It looked pretty fabulous before, but now it really oozes 'character' (or something...)

WRT the burying of the track, it was sometimes prototypical to set the track in concrete alongside cattle docks to aid cleaning - certainly this was the case at Calne.

Maybe a little bit too 'clean' in the pen - the cattle are obviously very well behaved... Seriously, another fabulous piece of work as we have come to expect