unravelled

This is a quick copy from my Flickr albums page, with the latest albums. These are a repackaging of existing pictures with some additions. this may have resulted in a few duplicates... First some taken South of New Cross Gate on Brockley Bank https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157668170008999 Next mainly north of New Cross Gate Station https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157664377309168/with/39525663051/ And New Cross station itself https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157691177079904 Finally the phase 2 route to Clapham Junction https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157662420310277 This includes some pictures on the old trackbed leading to Old Kent road, when it was still accessible. Thanks Dave

Some more albums of East London Line pictures. These are a repackaging of existing pictures with some additions. this may have resulted in a few duplicates... First some taken South of New Cross Gate on Brockley Bank https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157668170008999 Next mainly north of New Cross Gate Station https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157664377309168/with/39525663051/ And New Cross station itself https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157691177079904 Finally the phase 2 route to Clapham Junction https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157662420310277 This includes some pictures on the old trackbed leading to Old Kent road, when it was still accessible. Thanks Dave

Let's hope that with no pressure to be first on the shelves, the designs will be double checked before any metal is cut. Dave

I always hoped for some soap collaboration. The Bill raiding an address in Albert Square, or an episode of the Bill being filmed in a Eastenders episode. Dave

I'm showing my ignorance here but part of the solution might lie in how the coaling tower is worked, in the sense of being topped up with coal. How many days/hours/wagons of coal does it hold? Is a string of full wagons kept at the foot, to be manhandled/capstanned on to the lift and moved clear when emptied. This is essentially what I've seen at GW coaling stages. From time to time a loco will remove the empties and replace with full wagons. If the full wagons come from off scene won't the empties go off scene at the end of the operation? OK they need to be briefly left somewhere while the fulls are placed, but does this have to be a dedicated siding. Alternatively operation could simply be a shunter bringing in some fulls, working the rake through the tower one at a time, then departing with the empties. So, do you need this extra siding at all? As long as the tower is placed midway along the siding, so that all fulls can left one side be accommodated clear of the tower when empty all will be well. If you have emties to get rid of, surely you are in need of some fulls to replace them. Always good to see progress on this project. Thanks Dave Dave

Class 01/5 according to Wikipedia. Never in BR stock, but licenced to work on the network. They were ex MOD Rustons apparently, one called "Venom". Hth Dave

I assume that it's not worth doing anything more until the station rebuilding is under way, when a lot of other PW and signalling work will be needed. At the moment the bidirectional line to the junction keeps things simple, and I guess it copes with the current traffic levels. Thanks Dave

I had a quick look at your new pages as I'm always interested in this sort of research/resource. I had supposed that there wouldn't be anything directly useful to me, but I was surprised to recognise one of the vehicles as one I had photographed in 1964. It's the Q14 Diesel generator van, which took my interest in a parcels train at Oxford, and is something I'd like to model at some point. I think it shows the opposite side to your reference photo, you are welcome to use it if it will be helpful. Thanks Dave

Some up to date pictures this time. As well as looking at the lack of progress at Aristotle Lane last week I spent some time at my old photography spot at Walton Well Road bridge, and walked through the shed site to the station. Album at https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/sets/72157691794744825 Thanks Dave

I made my Christmas visit to Aristotle Lane last week, pics at https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157640351020075 Nothing much seems to have changed since my last visit at Easter. Thanks Dave

My take on the lighting is that it's the way it is to prevent light pollution. Multiple lights mounted on short posts put the light where it's needed. They are also much easier to maintain. Night shots are often deceptive, but on the side view from above there is a clear difference between the yard lighting and the lights at each end of the picture which are producing much more apparent flare, with significant amounts reaching the camera. Also, unless taken before things were fully commissioned, that picture suggests that overhead lighting on individual sidings can be illuminated separately, as some of them seem dark. In the departing train image the headlights (?) are producing a lot of flare while the yard lights are not spilling any light towards the camera. Thanks Dave

For those still looking for ideas, I bought a couple of potting trays when reduced at Aldi. Possibly a bit large, but they have proved useful. This sort of thing http://www.longacres.co.uk/gardening-products/plantpotscontainers/pots/stewart-garden-potting-tray-and-shelf-black-4310005/?gclid=CjwKCAiAsejRBRB3EiwAZft7sBkysDTvwovM-EYnA5xnUKEq4XOqTCSuy21SNZ0WwS72yRkpBkexXxoCFIMQAvD_BwE I agree that suitable protection for the worktop is essential whatever you use. Dave

Are you able to turn off the air assist? The extractor should be enough to clear the smoke on such thin material. Dave

Looking forward to watching the development and construction of this layout. My visits to Evercreech were in its final years, most of my pictures are on their own thread here somewhere. One feature which alwaysstood out was the row of bufferstops above the station. Will you manage to play around with levels enough to represent this in the model? Thanks Dave

Two from Oxford in 1966 Brockley Bank, looking towards New Cross Gate in 2009

Coincidentally, I've been working on my ELL albums, and have just updated the Trundley's Terrace pictures, https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157667185207309. Thanks Dave

I've started reorganising my pictures of the East London Line upgrade. This is the first album, of pictures taken around the Trundley's Terrace footbridge. As well as the images which have been on flickr for some time, I've added some extras. They should be in date order. https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157667185207309 Thanks Dave

One thing that Norm mentioned about biscuit joints is that they can cause surface shrinkage as the whole assembly dries out. Probabbly not a problem with ply, as the example shown was made of jointed planks. Possibly the wood had swollen locally during glueing, and was sanded "flat" at that stage, resulting in a dip when everything stabilised. Dave

I have an enamelled station sign, about 2000mmx250mm, which has been rebranded with a vinyl, and wondered if anyone has ideas for removing this, preferably without destroying the vinyl.The background is that when Overground took over Brockley station they did a quick but neat rebrand using vinyls over the relatively new Southern enamelled signs. Later when they did a proper resign of the station, the old ones went in a skip, and I got permision to take one. I ended up with several, as they were only going in the skip. Rather than have several the same I want to remove the vinyl from one for variety. Just to be difficult I would like to remove the vinyl whole, for possible indoor display. So, any ideas for suitable solvents which will soften the glue, but not affect the vinyl? Or is heat a possibility? Thanks Dave

The odd thing about the bridge is that the warning chevrons suggest that the clearance is better than it is. The bridge troughs are lower and would often be in shadow. No an excuse for not knowing the height of your vehicle though. I'm always surprised more bridges aren't fitted with sacrificial portals which would stop the working structure from being hit. Dave

A repost, but one which may be of interest as relevant to this topic. These are some photos I took in June 1967, during a week at Tebay. I did cadge a couple of rides on the banker. The first can't have been very memorable as I had forgotten about it until I came across the noteook, but the second has stuck with me. It was tipping down, with the near horizontal rain you sometimes get there. The train was 48289 with 42 unsheeted minerals, (salt was mentioned), so the load could have picked up extra weight from the rain. Anyway it was slow going, and we ground to a stop halfway up. After about 10 minutes, presumably for the train engine to rebuild pressure, we restarted, with much slipping, and made it to the summit. https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157683699421971 A couple of samples... Tebay trip 1967 by David Harvey, on Flickr Tebay trip 1967 by David Harvey, on Flickr Cheers Dave

I let flickr get on with it. I'm sure it's not designed for collections like mine, but I'm happy to use it . I use the old Flickr uploadr linked from Picasa on my PC. I add tags in picasa, but not as many as I could, then titles and albums using the uploadr, . I guess the real point of flickr's autotagging is to train their ai systems, and i wonder if every time we delete an autotag it hinders rather than helps. Perhaps in time it will begin to add tags useful to us, recognising detail in photos we might leave untagged. The one thing autotagging has made be do is think about my tags, and try to use more specific words, even codes, to make it do what I want. Thanks Dave

Sorry for the wait, this is the code I'm using: servo 0,75 servo 1,75 servo 2,75 servo 3,75 servo 4,75 servo 5,75 servo 6,75 servo 7,75 main: if pinC.0=0 then servopos 0,75 elseif pinC.0=1 then servopos 0,200 endif if pinC.1=0 then servopos 1,75 elseif pinC.1=1 then servopos 1,200 endif if pinC.2=0 then servopos 2,75 elseif pinC.2=1 then servopos 2,200 endif if pinC.3=0 then servopos 3,75 elseif pinC.3=1 then servopos 3,200 endif if pinC.4=0 then servopos 4,75 elseif pinC.4=1 then servopos 4,200 endif if pinC.5=0 then servopos 5,75 elseif pinC.5=1 then servopos 5,200 endif if pinC.6=0 then servopos 6,75 elseif pinC.6=1 then servopos 6,200 endif if pinC.7=0 then servopos 7,75 elseif pinC.7=1 then servopos 7,200 endif goto main Dave

Another reader hoping to see this down South sometime. If you need any more inspiration I have an album of pictures taken around Tebay over a week in June 1967, https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157683699421971 One interesting event was 70025 banking, presumably being useful on its way north as a light engine. Thanks Dave

I'm using the wrong computer at the moment, so haven't got the code to hand, but will post it later. I remember that I used the simplest possible program I could come up with. For my 8 channel board, there is a bit of jitter noise, but it doesn't affect the points as the servo unit isn't connected to the points at either end of travel. So far I have been using a single power supply for board and servos, which is supposed to be bad for causing jitter. Thanks Dave