McGomez

A bit of a tractorfest going on in this image. https://www.flickr.com/photos/vicentren/14358691584/ Calatayud 2003.

Lovely pair of blue grids Alex. They look right at home sat there. If the left hand one is 13 then that was the same paining that I used in my photo.

Hi Clive. I´ve recently been looking through some old magazines and BR Blue biased books to try and spot how point motors are actually positioned but the majority of installations do still seem to have been with point rodding during that era and as much as I like to see a well installed point rodding set-up on a layout, I took the easy route and went with the motors mainly due to lack of time. Thanks for starting the new thread Signal Engineer. I´m sure it will be a great resource. I´ll be following that topic but as per Lifeboatmans comment, I unfortunately won’t be able to add much information. All my photographic evidence is of locos from back in the early 80s. No lineside images. Another question as to the cabling of point motors. The cables were presumably routed into the nearest trough but what would the maximum distance be until those cables are terminated in a cabinet/relay room? I also came across this type of point motor whilst reading through the Minsterley thread. See thread 236 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/78216-minsterley-modern-image-ohle-layout/?p=1412202 Were these Hy-drive point motors a 1990s design? Regards Andy.

Pete. I got some troughing at the same time as the dummy motors. I might cut them out of styrene in future.

I´ve got 2 Fulgarex point motors that are louder than that!! I finally went for the tortoise. Thanks for uploading.

Thanks Pete. I was discussing with a friend at the weekend the fact that it´s the small details that bring a layout to life which in my case is pretty hypocritical as I reckon that point motor is the first small detail I´ve added to my roundy roundy layout in 7 or so years of building!! Wadden Marsh is looking really good. I hadn´t dropped in for 2 weeks. There wasn´t any track down then. You´ve now got track and scenics!!

Thanks Mike. Snipped the 2 that were not required.

Thanks once again for the replies gents. Re the orange tube. I meant the tube but it does read as though I was referring to the cable so thanks Del. Maybe the orange tubes of today are made of a type of plastic that is self cleaning?? I can´t remember them from my late 70s/early 80s youth thats for sure. Re the innards, it certainly makes wiring a Tortoise look easy! With your help I have now ballasted around my first point and added the motor. I extended the sleepers but I think I over did it a bit! There must be a prototype for it somewhere though! I should have also cut the original sleepers back to the slots that are for the installation of the PECO underboard motors. I´ll have to fill them as they stand out like a sore thumb. I also glued some old offcuts of LED legs (always knew they´d come in handy!) to the underside of the motor housing to give a representation of the blade actuators. This is my one and only catch point. Hopefully it can be treated in exactly the same way as a normal point?

Many thanks for the replies, guys. Appreciated. Were there any other designs of point motor that would have been seen during the 70s/early 80s? In the Signal Engineers photo, would the cables running into the tube and under the rails have been painted orange as you see on today´s railway? Would those cables have run into concrete cable trunking or would they have gone into some sort of metal control cabinet? Once again, thanks in advance. Andy. (Edited for typo)

I recently bought some Peco dummy point motors and was about to fit them when I realised that there was more than one way to place them. I´ve looked through some books for clues and the web but I´ve not found any conclusive evidence of which way is the correct way OR can they be placed either way? The second question is what part of the point motor connected to the tie bar? The smaller of the 3 tabs that protrude either side or are the 2 larger tabs both connected to the point via 2 tie bars? The third question is, can a point motor be positioned between 2 running lines as seen on the photo below, of a crossover? I wasn´t going to put them there but just wondered? My layout is predominantly late 70s/early 80s if that has any bearing on matters. Thanks in advance. Andy

Hi Alex. Long time no speak. Boxenby looks superb. The roof detail is brilliant. I´ve just been catching up on the last few pages and with reference to the metal cladding, South Eastern Finecast make a version of it. It is reference FBS413 Profiled Steel Cladding. Available in 14" x 9" sheets. About halfway between A4 and A3. Keep up the superb work. Andy.

Mike. That last post sums up what I´ve been thinking of doing for the past 2 years even down to the high street disappearing from view. I´m going back for a long weekend this coming Thursday (taking in the Stafford show) so hope to get some suitable images sorted. Keep up the good work. Andy.

I´ve had my first complete day out watching and photographing real trains in maybe 25 years today. More class 58s here in Spain but this time in the company of a couple of chaps who were over from the UK. Thanks for the day out Michael and Howard. I actually didn´t take many photos as I think I was talking most of the time but here are a selection. The same 8 locos are still parked up at the Monforte del Cid maintenance base in Alicante as per the previous instalment. No movement at all. It was a lovely day for it as you can see. About 12ºC. We then took a trip inland up to Albacete where the remaining 4 locos can be seen at the materials base that was used in the construction of the Madrid – Albacete section. The 4 locos can be seen from the A31 motorway but if you make a detour along a gravel track and then down a farm track you come to the side of the Iberian gauge lines. First view is this. 58041 on the southern end of the line. As can be seen, the graffiti ar”tits” have had a field day here. A side on view of 041. 58025 Although the number has been painted over, Michael assures me it is 027. And the last loco to be built at Doncaster, 58050 in sorry old state And a wider view of the 4 locos together. One thing I did notice is that the locos at Monforte have had their “Continental Rail” logos painted out but the 4 at Albacete still have them visible on the side of the cabs. Some work still occurs at this depot as there was also a Spanish standard gauge loco painted in the newer ADIF green livery on a short train of ballast wagons. 319.244 on the virtual quarry siding. And lastly a photo that shows dedication to a hobby. On a stepladder in the middle of La Mancha! Although I should point out that the ladder was mine. Michael didn´t bring it on the plane!! Thanks for the day out lads. I enjoyed it.

Here are some images of my latest visit to the materials base at Monforte (07-12-13). I can´t believe it is nearly a year since I last visited. There are now 8 class 58s parked up in the rail unloading line under the gantries which can be seen just behind the Talgo on the Iberian gauge line. With the high speed line now operational, this materials base looks to be mothballed now. Although the majority of the civil engineering projects on the next section down to Murcia have been completed, I don´t know whether the materials will be served from this base or a new site. Here is a closer view of the gantries looking west into the sun. Another viewpoint, this time from the north side of the line adjacent to the station. A tall concrete panelled wall has been erected just to the left of this picture so you can´t actually get photos of the locos close up on this side of the line. The leading loco here is 58020. I moved over to the south side of the line and tried to be clever and take a panoramic shot but I´ve unfortunately cut the last loco out. From left to right they are; 58020, 047, 024, 029, 031, 015, 030 and 043 (just out of shot). 58020 is at the Albacete end and 043 Alicante end. Here is 58031 with her English style nameplates “Caballero Ferroviario” which doesn´t make it a her really!! And a close up through the undergrowth as she (he) is parked behind one of the gantries. And a shot from the station once more. And finally something that wouldn´t be running without the help of the class 58s. It was stabled to the west of the station. In the background can be seen the ramp that takes the high speed line on a viaduct over the Iberian gauge line and on towards Murcia. Hasta luego.

This may be of help. Forgot to mention. Great photos.

I recently came across this brand of model vehicles that I´d never heard of. http://www.norev.com/index.php?content=catalogueok&marque=0&modele=252&echelle=1%2F87e&categorie=0&valid=yes&lang=fr&okm=Go There aren´t any Prortuguese specific vehicles but a fair few southern Mediterranean examples to choose from. And an image of the area between Oporto Sao Bento and the main line at Campanha just in case it inspires anyone..

Glad to see you back Terry. The building looks the business. Andy.

Hi Phil If it´s any help, my fiddle yard is similar to yours in that it runs along 2 walls, but not quite at 90º. I had 800mm to play with. I´ve got 12 lines, 6 tracks in each direction and on the front of one of the boards I located my programming track. I´ll check tonight on the spacing if you want? I know I opened up the spacing on the curve and put a triangular board at the front to give me that extra spacing. I too have LEDs lighting the fiddle yard. Mine are 2, 3 or 4 chip modules which I had been given over the years at work to try out. They are older modules that are not as luminous as todays models but for what I wanted they did the trick (especially as they were freebees). The price for the strips that Guy said about is a very good price. We buy them in at work and our cost price is more expensive than that!! Either ours are top quality or we are just being ripped off? Looking back at your helix exiting from under the top board. If you are going to run any overhead electrics, the pantograph will lose the fight with the MDF. I speak from experience!! Andy.

Me gusta tus 3 amigos, Alex. What sort of plastic sheet are you going to use for the skylights? I´ve used PETg in 0,7mm sheets recently. It cuts well, glues well and is flexible but not rigid. If you score it with a knife it bends quite well and stays at the desired angle. Might be good for those skylights. Andy.

I´ve been watching some of your videos just lately. You have a nice spacious track plan. I´m enjoying the helix build too. Some lovely stock aswell, especially the Railfreight era stuff. Keep up the good work. Andy

The footbridge looks very nice with the graffiti added Terry. I was just wondering if that platform advertisement billboard was made with transparent plastic with an LED lighting it from below with the poster stuck on the outside, it would really bring them to life. Might give it a go myself. All the best. Andy

I think I read some time back that you wouldn´t be putting any catenary in but as Electrotren are having a clearout at the moment I thought you might be interested all the same. Analogue CP electric 5614 going around 71-74€ in a few shops in Spain. Here for example: http://www.picattore.com/tienda/es/cp/870-locomotora-electrica-cp-5614-analogica.html http://www.gotthardtrens.com/descargas%2FOferta_de_la_Semana_01-2013Resto.pdf

Hi Terry. It´s good to see you´ve started a thread on Glebe Road Junction. Your videos are really entertaining but seeing the photos you can see the smaller details. Lovely ballasting.

I paid another visit to the infrastructure yard at Monforte on the 13th December. Only 58029 was at the base, basking in the sun. The rest of the fleet were out earning their keep further inland. This line is due for inauguration in June 2013 I believe. The Spanish wide gauge line is in the foreground and the standard guage High Speed lines run the other side of the yard.

As I was replying with the previous post and to bring this post back to Portugal, here are 3 images from the Douro Valley line. A similar looking station to Mosteiro/Campo de Leste. Not sure you´ll be wanting to include a plastic Portaloo on your layout though? The dual gauge turntable at Regua. A couple of Transfesa cement wagons with CP shunter. Maybe of use to someone?