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10800

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  1. 10800
    At DRAG last night we were able to see the full track laid for the first time, thanks to excellent work by John (Re6/6), and Pete had done some of the wiring looms so we could dispense with some of the twisty wires. Only one P4 and the 00 track powered up as yet, but we did have a kind of golden spike ceremony - on the left is an old Trix Standard 5 converted to P4 by the late Nigel Hunt, and on the right some GWR thing (whose pony truck seems to have run over the golden spike and fallen off ):
     

     
    We did manage a static line up across six tracks, heavily D&E oriented - 8CEP on the 00 track to the left, then four P4 running lines and the M7 on the loop to the right.
     

     
    Overall view with no gaps in the track
     

     
     
    And a chance to give my 8CEP a run out on the 00 track
     

     
    http://www.youtube.com/user/video10800?gl=GB&hl=en-GB#p/u/8/cS5hurP2jdQ
  2. 10800
    A bit more meat on the bone now from the previous 'vague' dimensions.
     
    We've dispensed with the idea of a common 'Brighton' fiddleyard fed from both the north and from the Lewes Brighton platform, mainly because of the tight curves needed to get to/from the latter. Instead we have a separate shorter fiddle yard of 8ft for 'Brighton' on the basis that through trains via Lewes would only be loco + 4 coaches + van from Eridge (which also assumes an 8ft FY) or short coast route trains from Eastbourne.
     
    We have also incorporated a 14ft hidden section between Lewes and the viaduct, which can simulate Lewes tunnel and also provide a couple of storage loops to 'hide' Brighton main line services. In exhibition this can also provide space on the front for information displays and even a 'time buffer' by holding trains for a minute or so to give an impression of greater distance travelled.
     

     
    If the full ensemble ever made it to fruition, we'd be looking at 126 ft top to bottom and 73 ft left to right. Just for context the main hall at Railex measures 160 ft x 120 ft (thanks David ).
     
    However, the beauty of this is that it can be built and/or exhibited in many configurations. The first component likely to see the light of day will be FY + scenic section + Balcombe + scenic section + viaduct + FY, totalling a mere 92 ft, or the first scenic section could be omitted to give 80 ft. This also assumes a new bespoke scale Ouse Viaduct - the current short-term one is only 8 ft long.
     
    Another alternative would be Brighton FY + Lewes + scenic + Eridge + FY, with additional FYs on the London and Eastbourne lines out of Lewes. Total 73 ft x 44 ft.
     
    We did lay out the 10% scale Templots for Balcombe (left distance), Lewes (front left) and Eridge (right) on the floor of John's garage, but it's difficult to judge the real scope from that:
     

     
    It will be DCC by the way (as Eridge is going) with the idea that a driver could walk with his train all the way from departure to arrival.
     
    Could be fun!
  3. 10800
    No compromise, no shortcuts - this is what we're building in 4mm. The real thing is over 440m long and up to 30m high, so the model will be about 20ft long.
     
    Here are some of my own photos from our initial field trip last November, but if you Google images under Ouse Viaduct, Ouse Valley Viaduct, or Balcombe Viaduct there are loads more, some of them showing the whole thing in one go.
     

     

     

     

     

  4. 10800
    It's been a while since this blog was updated, and you might be forgiven for thinking that progress had stalled a bit - but no, even though the summer months mean more people are away than usual.
     
    I haven't been up to see it for a while either, but I did manage to attend the week before last and might make a couple more this side of Christmas.
     
    Trackwork is all down, bar the short new section with the turnouts on the down end of the platform loops, and work has been progressing well on installing Tortoises for the point operation. So the need for the 'new' control panel is starting to press again, but at least this time with DCC there isn't the need for all the cab control section selector switches and the wiring that goes with that. I will just be doing the 'structural' side of the panel as far as installing all the switches and LEDs but leaving the wiring itself to more knowledgable team members than myself (that's you, Al and Mark ).
     
    I've been looking critically at the signals I've done so far, and there may be some rebuilding of some bits - brackets and landings especially - to make them more authentic. Serves me right for not finishing them ages ago when it would have been a fait accompli! On my last visit I also distributed some ground signal kits for the team to have a go at (I've still got some!) - there are 10 of these on the layout in total (including one yellow arm) and eventually they will all work.
     
    We have also discussed, and continue to discuss, the eventual scenification of the layout. Originally it was thought that we would have separate lightweight scenic jigsaw modules to attach to the main trackbed pieces, but there is now an alternative view that says that if boards are 8ft long anyway, meaning at least a Luton van to move the layout, and provided the structural integrity of the trackbed sections is maintained, we can make the scenic add-ons 'permanent' - but of course they can still be lightweight. Watch this space.
     
    Next time I'll take some photos - last visit some of the track bed was on its side having Tortoises wired in.
  6. 10800
    Although somewhat depleted in numbers the DRAG meeting tonight managed to complete tracklaying on the first straight side of the test track, except for the transition curves into the ends. This included the 00/P87 track, and there's no denying the contrast between the P4 and the Code 75 Peco (maybe a cruel comparison as I know 00 track can be made to look much better).
     

     

     
    John's Heljan Cargowaggon with Kean Maygib P4 wheels went through the crossover at whatever speed we could shove it.
     

     
     
    Meanwhile, some recent purchases on display included John's Hornby Maunsell CK in blood & custard - I'm not sure about the blood myself, seems too dark to me.
     

     
    And my complete (at last) authentic formation 9-coach Ilfracombe portion Devon Belle (destined for Tawbridge)
     

     

     
     
    Thursday 22/10/09
     
    A slightly belated entry here, but a small number of us had a very focussed session chez Re6/6 last Saturday, where John was able to set up 4 of the 5 straight boards from the other side to that already completed (above).
     
    I was very pleased to see that the A5 crossover that I thought had been 'mislaid', had in fact been laid on one of the boards back at the original Saturday session at Holcombe a few weeks ago.
     
    In fact, we found that it had been laid on the wrong board as compared with Rod's Master Plan, but a bit of quick improvisation and executive decision making saw us quickly shuffle the other crossovers around to achieve a new configuration, which should serve us just as well (I really didn't want to have to lift an already-glued crossover, plus plasticard base!).
     
    By mid-afternoon (at which point I had to leave to attend CTMK on her sickbed back at home), we had virtually laid a double track, with crossovers, along the 4 boards. A short while later, the others left and John continued laying plain line on his own, until virtually everything along the 4 boards was down, with the exception of the OO P87 track (due to me not taking it with me that morning!).
     
    So we now have to finish the 5th board, which will probably take the evening next Monday night at Holcombe, and then start on the curved boards. These will feature superelevation on the centre two tracks (the Up and Down Fast lines).
     
    Photos to follow when uploading becomes possible again!
  7. 10800

    Trackwork progresses

    By 10800,

    Eridge (P4) rebuilding
     
    by 10800
     
    original page on Old RMweb
    __________________________________________
    Comment posted by pinkmouse on Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:27 pm
     
    Yup, first board done in very fetching pink and black.
    __________________________________________
     
    ??? posted on Mon Apr 27, 2009 3:31 pm
     


    pinkmouse wrote:
    Yup, first board done in very fetching pink and black.

    __________________________________________
     
    ??? posted on Sat May 02, 2009 5:02 pm
     
    Steady progress being made on ballasting and tracklaying on all the plain track sections. This was all done before the discovery of the use of Johnson's Klear for ballasting
     
    Once the plain track is done, the P&C work will be done ex-situ and ballasted after fitting. In fact the first bits are under way now, so there may be some pics of that soon.
     

     

     

     
    When the trackbed boards were cut we were using a Templot printout based on A3 sheets joined together. Despite care in joining the individual sheets, there was a offset discrepancy of about 2 inches over the 25 ft overall length discovered when we used a single roll-plotted printout. Fortunately the turnout on the left foreground here is only a trap point so we can just get away with it.
     

     

     
    __________________________________________
    Comment posted by martin_wynne on Sun May 03, 2009 3:51 am
     


    10800 wrote:
    When the trackbed boards were cut we were using a Templot printout based on A3 sheets joined together. Despite care in joining the individual sheets, there was a offset discrepancy of about 2 inches over the 25 ft overall length discovered when we used a single roll-plotted printout.
    Hi Rod,
     
    That's an error of 0.67% which I would regard as significant.
     
    Templot includes a printer calibration function for the highest accuracy when printing directly. But it's not available for exported DXF files, and using it with commercial PDF printing firms means a double trip to the print shop.
     
    For DXF files you can make your own correction via the print scaling function, but again it means two trips to the printer (and adding some background reference lines to the file).
     
    The most likely causes of a mismatch are:
     
    1. Use of a laser printer instead of ink-jet or other cold printer. Laser printers heat the paper, causing it to shrink and distort slightly. Ink-jet printing is recommended for the highest accuracy when printing from Templot.
     
    2. Uncalibrated roll printer. Over a 25ft length any variation from the quoted dpi figure can be significant. On a heavily-used commercial printer the most likely cause is wear of the print roller.
     
    3. Wide variation of ambient conditions in which the paper or printouts were stored. For laser printing, paper which has been stored in damp conditions will shrink noticeably when printed.
     
    Sorry to hijack your topic, I'm never quite sure of the correct form to adopt when responding to a side issue like this. The layout is looking good!
     
    regards,
     
    Martin.
    __________________________________________
    Comment posted by pinkmouse on Sun May 03, 2009 8:49 am
     
    Martin, I doubt very much that any of us involved in Eridge consider it a hijack.
     
    This is however interesting information about the issue of laser printers, it is something I had in the back of my mind from using a laser to create PCB artwork, but as I don't work with the very tiniest of SMT components with the tight tolerances involved, it was never an issue, however I can now see how it creates problems with a design on such a large scale as this. Still, nothing we can do about it now, just something to bear in mind for Eridge MkIII.
    __________________________________________
     
    ??? posted on Sun May 03, 2009 1:07 pm
     
    Hi Martin
     
    Maybe you misunderstood me, or I expressed it badly, it wasn't an error in overall scaling, just a lateral shift due to (my) cumulative errors in sticking a lot of A3 sheets together when we cut the baseboard tops compared with the single roll plot being used now for trackbuilding. Lengthwise it was spot on.
    __________________________________________
    Comment posted by craigwelsh on Mon May 04, 2009 10:23 pm
     
    Looking good Rod, we'll be going through all this in a couple of months when we start relaying the main lines on Slattocks following the S4 Soc AGM..
     
    I've had access to a 42inch wide roll plotter so we used that to print out the yard and it will be used for the main section, it certainly is a lot easier than sticking bits of A3 together.
     
    We've been relaying the yard but keeping the points in place and it proved 'interesting trying to tie the Templot print out to the points that had been laid. Hopefully it'll all be working again by the AGM though.
     
    Interesting how you ballast all the sleepers before laying the rail.. I assume these are all still 1/2 height sleepers?
    __________________________________________
     
    ??? posted on Mon May 04, 2009 10:54 pm
     
    Thanks Craig
     
    Yes they're half-height sleepers with rivet holes, which help in placing the rail (once ballasted you can't see the Templot print any more ) although rivets aren't being used on the plain track, just Exactoscale chairs glued to the sleepers. P&C work is being done separately before ballasting and using rivets at crossing vees etc.
    __________________________________________
     
    ??? posted on Sat Jun 13, 2009 4:51 pm
     
    Some pointwork now being installed in between the lengths of plain line
     

     

     
    And a couple of shots showing the board-end "track strengthening" process - PCB with brass bar onto which sleepers are threaded (if we remember ) and rail is soldered to. The sleepers are currently loose but will be bedded into the ballast and cosmetic half-chairs added in due course.
     

     

     
    __________________________________________
    Comment posted by Captain Kernow on Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:21 pm
     


    10800 wrote:
    the board-end "track strengthening" process - PCB with brass bar onto which sleepers are threaded ................. and rail is soldered to
    Hmm, interesting.... food for thought, I think...
    __________________________________________
     
    ??? posted on Sat Jun 13, 2009 10:07 pm
     
    The idea is that (unlike just soldering the rail to copperclad) you can still use chairs and maintain a gap between the rails and the sleepers.
    __________________________________________
    Comment posted by jim s-w on Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:32 am
     
    Looking great Rod
     
    Are you sure the check rails and wing rails wouldn't be combined in a crossing though? I dont know about your era but they sometimes are now a days.
     
    Cheers
     
    Jim
    __________________________________________
     
    ??? posted on Sun Jun 14, 2009 5:01 pm
     
    Jim, presume you mean extending the wing rails to be the check rails for the opposite crossing? It seems logical in some respects, but I haven't seen it done much in the 50s/60s even if it only means leaving a short gap.
    __________________________________________
    Comment posted by jim s-w on Sun Jun 14, 2009 5:04 pm
     
    Thats right Rod
     
    I did wonder if it was a more recent thing.
     
    Cheers
     
    Jim
    __________________________________________
    Comment posted by Andy G on Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:27 pm
     
    It was quite common in the Manchester area in the 50s and 60s and Slattocks will feature them, but it does seem to be a case of checking the prototype at the appropriate date.
     
    Andy
    __________________________________________
     
    ??? posted on Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:49 pm
     
    While having a few days off I'm cracking on with building some of the Eridge pointwork ex situ.
     
    This is the crossover from the down loop into the goods yard, with trap point and entry to the end dock. Here's the Templot printout laid out with ply sleepers already in position (rivets on a few of them). This is actually the bit nearest the camera in the very first photo in this topic on the old version of the layout.
     

     
    After planning out and threading on the chairs - including key direction, as this is bidirectional I opted for alternating except next to fishplates where the keys have to be pointing the other way - I decided to solder on the brass fishplates before laying the rail (in places where only a cosmetic rail join is needed). Despite the Brassmasters packet these are old Colin Waite ones. The steel rail is quite old too, hence the rust - realistic huh?
     

     

     
    First 'straight' stock rail fixed, covering two turnouts.
     

     
    First vee (1:8) in position, gauges in place (the block gauge just acting to stop the nose of the vee going tight to gauge with respect to the stock rail).
     

     
    And the vee in place. The red marks are where physical rail joins are required, not just cosmetic ones (for polarity control).
     

     
    Hopefully more to come tomorrow (off out to the jazz tonight )
    __________________________________________
     
    ??? posted on Sat Jul 25, 2009 7:44 pm
     
    It's really spooky to see someone else's version of the same prototype! Ralph Burrows' depiction of Eridge in MRJ 192 is very nice indeed, but he did have six years start on us, and I presume he hasn't torn it all up and started again either!
     
    It doesn't say what gauge it is, although I guess it's 00 just from the references to moving straight from Peco to copperclad and to using RTR stock without mentioning conversion - so that would speed things up as well.
     
    It says something for the operational interest in the prototype, because that is four versions that I know of - this one, ours, Vivien Thompson's somewhat disappointing one that was in RM a couple of years ago, and another home-tied EM version somewhere in Cheshire (which I think is set in LBSCR days).
    __________________________________________
     
    ??? posted on Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:26 pm
     
    More on the turnouts
     
    The Martin Wynne (well that's where I got it) method of forming obtuse angles in wing rails - couple of rail offcuts, small screwdriver, jeweller's hammer, light tap and there you are (only two hands and no tripod available so no action shots!)
     

     

     
    Wing rail being fitted using flangeway, triangular and block gauges - spot the mistake (rectified later ) in the last chair on the right!
     

     

     
    Exactoscale insulated fishplate in place for the switch rail
     

     
    Switch rail fitted, and completed common crossing (will do check rails later)
     

     

     
    __________________________________________
     
    ??? posted on Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:03 pm
     
    A couple of shots showing a bit more tracklaying progress - now almost got one line complete end to end
     

     

     
    __________________________________________
    Comment posted by Dave Holt on Sun Aug 30, 2009 3:06 pm
     
    Rod,
     
    This is looking very nice, indeed, look forward to further progress. The sweep of the curve on the main line is just crying out for a re-built West Country with 12 on, flat out! - And I've got just to loco!!
     
    Keep up the good work.
     
    Dave.
    __________________________________________
     
    ??? posted on Sun Aug 30, 2009 4:28 pm
     
    Thanks Dave, we might borrow your WC one day!
     
    It would have to accelerate pretty sharpish out of the (extended!) fiddle yard though, and the 12 on might have to be mainly Gresley or Thompson (?) bogie pigeon vans for authenticity - passenger services usually only went to 7 or 8.
    __________________________________________
  8. 10800

    Weather 1, Field trip 0

    By 10800,

    John and I were planning on going up to Sussex today to get some more detail photos (at the time of the last trip we weren't planning on doing the whole viaduct) but in view of the weather we decided to postpone and get some other planning issues out of the way.
     
    One of these was to confirm the distribution of the board sections making up the viaduct and its approaches, and on laying the trackbed laser-cut sections out we decided finally on:
     
    Approach section with 4 arches (1.4m)
    10-arch section (1.4m)
    9-arch section (1.26m)
    10-arch section (1.4m)
    Approach section with 4 arches (1.4m)
     
    So the configuration is basically symmetrical with four of the boards of the same length and the centre board shorter by the amount of one arch.
     
    We then annotated all the track bed boards for cutting, including the scheme for overlapping (the 3mm boards have to be laminated together to make a 6mm track bed).
     
    Having done this, we could now start to think about the vertical design of the boards, which will probably 'step down' progressively from each end to the centre as the topography falls.
     
    Meanwhile, drawings are well advanced for production of etches for the curved brickwork sections for the main arches and pier apertures.
     
    As for the field trip - maybe we'll do that in the Spring when the weather is better and the days longer, and probably make it an overnighter to avoid 8 hours of driving all in a single day. Stopping over in the vicinity of the Eridge layout on club night is a distinct possibility!
  9. 10800
    Since it's my namesake it really was about time I started on this Dave Alexander whitemetal kit of the prototype Bo-Bo that later became 'Hawk'. This is for Eridge, since the real thing spent a year or so on the Central Section of the Southern Region in 1952 or thereabouts, and I have photos of it on Victoria-Brighton via Eridge services with a Maunsell set in tow.
     
    Last weekend I had the opportunity for a few hours modelling (Jubilee open day at the community hall where DRAG meets) so I thought I'd make a start on 10800.
     
    First thing was to remove the lower set of louvres from the main bonnet sides, as these only came along after it left the Southern. No real magic here, just a sharp cabinet maker's chisel of the right width (to avoid surrounding hinge and seam detail) followed by rubbing down with a small piece of wet-and-dry on the end of my finger.
     

     
    (it's aberration on the camera lens, not curved sides!)
     
    The main footplate halves were soldered together with the bogie pivot plate, and the cab added. It's a while since I've done any whitemetal soldering, but the castings in this kit are excellent and fit together very well, so filling later will be minimal. There are two versions of the cab sides provided, one pair plain and one with a shutter - I stupidly didn't have any photos with me so I chose the plain sides, this being a better option if I got it wrong than having to carve off the shutters. I did get it wrong, but it will be simple to do a plasticard add-on for the shutters (which will give better relief anyway).
     

     

     

     

  10. 10800
    All loaded up from the old RMWeb (thanks to Martin for the app) - almost gives me enough inspiration to start building the thing! (One thing's certain I won't be short of stock to run on it!).
  11. 10800
    It's ages since we last updated this, and although we have been busy, for various reasons progress has been slower over the summer. In most cases the progress made (wiring, tweaking) is not very visible - but there has been an addition to the 00 circuit in the form of storage loops on each side.
     
    Last Saturday we hired the hall for the day to make a big effort on finishing off the wiring on all the curved boards (straights had already been done) and do a bit of continuity testing. With wiring finished (or so we thought) within a couple of hours we adjourned to The Castle next door for a very pleasant pub lunch and then returned for a 'play'.
     
    Most was fine, but we did identify one or two inter-board issues to sort out later. When it's all done there will be some more painting to do to restore the boards to their previous pristine condition.
     
    So, here we have an improvised end stop for two Class 15s
     

     
    Some of the test locos that were brought along
     

     
    And work carrying on with testing and fixing. We did let Mark out from under the boards later.
     

     

  12. 10800

    Work and play

    By 10800,

    I made one of my too occasional visits to the KAG clubroom on Thursday to see how the rest of the team were getting on. It was a full turnout and so there was no room for everyone to work on the track. Instead we see Mike's J class again, but in video this time:
     
    http://www.youtube.com/user/video10800?gl=GB&hl=en-GB#p/u/3/hV0R6RuO01c
     
    http://www.youtube.com/user/video10800?gl=GB&hl=en-GB#p/u/2/yWZaFPK2wO4
     
    And while those that could find some space worked , Mark got his DCC kit and two sound-chipped diesels out for a play at the far end:
     
    http://www.youtube.com/user/video10800?gl=GB&hl=en-GB#p/u/1/LYOVzoALM7U
     
    http://www.youtube.com/user/video10800?gl=GB&hl=en-GB#p/u/0/f_cv4VcnJSU
     
     
     
     
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