Dmudriver

Slightly related to West Kirby Town - just slightly! - but has anyone local to the area watched the final episode of "Responder"? An absolutely fabulous programme I thought: there again, being a Scouser, I could understand what Chris was saying - unlike Lord Sugar!! Without spoiling anything (I hope) I'm pretty sure there's scenes in Ashton Park in West Kirby. And also along the seafront at, I think, Meols: I seem to recognise the sea wall but can't find it on Google Earth. There's also an old public convenience block featured and I'm sure I've seen that before (tho' many years ago!) and I can't find it on Google Earth, either. Can anyone local, or relatively local, help satisfy my curiosity - without giving any spoilers to anyone who may not have binge watched it yet. Rod

I think - and hope!! - that I've solved the problem with the 03. Due to 1) impatience and 2) dirty pickups. I put it on the track and fired everything up but ran a couple of other things before the 03. By that time the stayalive seemed to have charged up fully and it ran perfectly for a few shunting moves (the impatience was me, wanting to get it going too soon), then started stuttering again! It would move if I jiggled it about on the track, so I reasoned dirty wheels: however, they were ok so I thought it must be the pickups. Unfortunately, they are under the low footplate and bear down onto the wheel treads: consequently difficult to get at. So I squirted liberal amounts of contact cleaner onto the treads (and surrounding areas!!) : it then ran so much better and I couldn't get it to start playing up again. Fingers crossed it now behaves itself all the time. More soon. Rod

2 days later and I've got the 03 going again. I took it to pieces and even got the driver back in his seat!! Here he is: The 03 is now running again, although not perfectly: the stay-alive seems to be taking its time to charge up. So, if I set the loco off almost straight after switching on the sound, it stalls on the first frog - doesn't even trip the frog juicer. After a few runs, however, it's then fine, nice and smooth. Does anyone know how these things do charge up? When I tried the loco on my DC controller, I'd only run it for a short time but it kept going after I took power off the wheels for about 30 seconds! It seemed to me that a straight 7 or 8 volts DC charged it up almost immediately whereas on DCC it takes much longer. Why? Here is the loco shunting the vans that the 08 was playing with yesterday: More soon. Rod

Some interesting long check rails there, Paul. Did Templot do that for you?

The parcels traffic build up had started! 2x 12T vans have made their appearance, having come in as tail loads on DMUs. Here they are in no.1 siding: and here, being collected by the 08, prior to being taken to the Down Siding to collect the GUV which has come in attached to the 128/116 set: Finally, the 3 vehicles are propelled into No.1 Siding to await collection and then delivery to Moreton: I got them from Tower Models shop today (it's only about 20 minutes away). I'm really pleased with them: everything is attached as it should be - no loose parts in the packaging - and they are so free-running. I didn't realise I had a slight gradient in the headshunt until I put these 2 on it!! They just need some weathering but I'll run them anyway. You'll notice the 08 is back on shunting duties: that's because the 03 is on the naughty step again!! I was using it yesterday and it started stuttering again, then stopped. I took the body off and found the wire I'd soldered back had come off again (not very impressed with myself!!): soldered it back on, checked the other wiring, all looks ok, pickups OK, so put it back on the track - still dead! A thorough strip down and checkup is called for, I think. Another job on the list!! More soon. Rod

I don't think so!! (apart from the kit question!) Traffic through WKT is all inbound, so basically in bulk. Traffic out from Moreton will be individual consignments - small items - so likely handled by Royal Mail or BR Parcels. But the mail goes from Moreton to the central sorting office in Liverpool by road and the parcels to the BRS Parcels depot in Townsend Lane, also by road. Larger consignments may be sent by rail from Moreton but won't be seen at WKT. So there won't be a call for any Post Office/Royal Mail vehicles at all. Sorry to disappoint, 47076odin!

I looked at the MM1 kits, too, but they're also expensive! - in fact, not much less than the discounted Heljan RTR!

2nd decision. You may have noticed I've changed the title of the thread. This is because I've been thinking about how to alter operations to make them more interesting and my current thinking is this: Mail order is really picking up as a business (maybe there were lockdowns in the 70s/80s?) and traffic through WKT is going to pick up. Added to which (although not directly related) the powers-that-be have decided to dispense with loco-hauled passenger stock on the medium distance routes to WKT and will roster DMUs in their place (much to the chagrin of regular travellers to Manchester and Birmingham!!). They have also decided that where there are small flows of goods to Moreton - wagon loads mainly - then rather than direct everything to Chester or Crewe to be marshalled into a complete train, these vehicles will be brought to WKT as tail loads on DMUs. There will then be a small marshalling operation at WKT to make up trains, depending on when the depot can receive the deliveries as they've limited unloading facilities at the present time. In practical terms this means that I'll take the 4x Mark 1s off the layout and store them - in fact, I may even sell them if I can get a reasonable price for them. It also means I'll start to increase the parcels stock on the layout - only a few years after thinning it out!! I'm thinking of a couple of Dapol 12T fitted vans and building a couple of Sidelines vehicles - an ex-LMS 50' full brake and and ex-LMS Stove R. I've also got an ex LNER (I think!) refrigerated van now converted to parcels use that needs painting. So that would be another 5 vehicles that will run singly as opposed to being in fixed rakes. I've done some research on what tail loads DMUs could haul and I'm a bit restricted with a power/trailer set (just one 12T vehicle) but the 128/116 set, the 131 and the 3-car 108 can haul at least one bogie vehicle so the operation could get interesting and the shunter will have a lot more work to do. I'm not planning on allowing the Birkenhead services to have tail loads as it's an intensive service but Chesters, Crewes, Manchesters will. Longer term thinking is to increase the DMU fleet with a 117 which would operate Shrewsbury/Birmingham services - again allowed to haul a tail load. So that's the concept. Now to carry it out!! I was going into Tower Models today but rang up first to check their Dapol stock. Unfortunately Roger isn't in today and the lad who was there didn't know, so I'll wait until Monday. There's also the question of whether I fit Dinghams to my DMUs and I'm tending to lean towards doing that. And then I'll have 2 brass kits to build - which I've been wanting to do for a while but had no justification - now I have got that!! So that's the way my thinking's going, I mentioned in the last post that signal 30 - with the failed light - might get more use, but on reflection maybe it's not that likely. Tail load traffic will be behind passenger-carrying trains which will have to go to the platforms. Shunting to the sidings will be via the Up Main and signals 44/36. The only increase might be in parcels trains which are unable to access the platforms to be reversed but at the moment, I'm not sure how many that will be. Keep watching this space! More soon. Rod

Now that I've dragged myself off the floor after Everton lost again, I've made some decisions (no, I'm not going to support Liverpool!!). First decision relates to the unlit ground signal. I've had a good look at it and fiddled with wiring but I cannot see where there might be a dodgy connection. I've discussed it with Jon and it's possible the LED has given up the ghost. However, I'm not going to send it back or try and fix it myself - I'll live with it. The narrative will be that the failed light has been reported to S&T and we are waiting for them to come out and fix it. In the meantime drivers will be told to obey the signal in daylight but in darkness they must stop, if they are expecting to be routed to the sidings or stabling point, and ring the box to check whether the signal is clear or not, whether or not they can see the disc. This route is the least used on the layout (so far, but see next post!) and you can't see the light from the operating positions anyway!! Rod

The weather was decent today - if cold!! - so I decided to see if I could do a bit of running (even though that signal light needs investigating). The 08's done a lot of running recently so I thought I'd put the 03 on in its place. Got it out of its storage box, only to find the Slater's coupling on the match truck had come apart. Fixed that then coupled the 2 together to get running again. Which the loco did - for a while!! Then it started spluttering. So I assumed dirty track - cleaned track, no better - dirty wheels? Difficult to do as motor still spluttering but did most of them - and pickups as well. No improvement but kept trying until eventually the thing just stopped. No smoke, but did the sniff test just in case anything was burning, but nothing. I'd already noticed something rattling when I turned it over to do the wheels but it turned out to be the driver who's come unstuck from his seat!! Took the body off and found the problem: the grey wire from the chip to the motor had broken. How, I haven't a clue, but soldered it back on and then it ran much better, particularly once the stay-alive had got fully charged up. Until it did, there wasn't even enough "oomph" to change the frog juicers - it just kept stalling on them. However, something did happen to brighten the day up (No, Everton haven't got a new manager yet, but Big Duncan as interim will do for now!!) - this: The loose driver had decided he'd had enough and wanted out!!!! So I ran it like that for a while - just as well there are no overhead wires!! He's now back in but can't be seen because of the muck on the windows, but that's another job on the list!! I then put the 50 and 37 back on the layout, did a bit of shunting to get them in position for starting a running session - and then had to go out shopping. By which time it was also getting colder and damper so I gave up for the day. So much for a running/videoing session! And such are the joys of model railways!! More soon. Rod

Wouldn't disagree with that, Barnaby.

Hi gismorail. Yes, I'm happy he's gone, but only because of the results he wasn't getting. I wasn't bothered that he previously managed across the Park (it was years ago!) and I really thought he could get us out of the mess we're in. His signings have been good (apart from Rondon, tho' I could see the logic there) but I suspect it was his micromanaging that didn't go down too well with the existing players. They certainly didn't look that motivated. Who's next? I dread to think. We'll probably end up with Big Sam again!!!!

Yes, it was, Jon. I suspect I've pulled a wire getting it through the hole in the baseboard. I'll take it out again and investigate.

I've finally got the signals working!! Not by wiping the control board clean or changing servos, though! To be honest, I don't know exactly what I was doing wrong: however, it was something to do with the sequence of plugging connections in, switching the power on and the position of the Safe Mode switch. As I've now got them working, I'm not going to wrack my brain trying to work out what I did/didn't do!! Life's too short! Here's some pics to show the signals at work: apologies for the fuzziness of them - the camera focussed on the scene behind**, but you get the gist of what's happening! Unfortunately the light in the ground signal isn't working so that raises a question for the signalling experts out there: does the lack of a light constitute a signal "improperly shown"? Any approach to that signal would be at low speed anyway, the driver having been cautioned by the late clearing of the preceding Outer Home signal. Hopefully we'll get a bit of decent weather soon so that I can get the covers off and get some running and videoing done. More soon. Rod ** Maybe I should have used "macro mode".

Well, Everton won - but we had to work hard for it!! It's never easy watching my team!! Back to model railway matters! Yesterday I set to to set the repaired signals up again. I enlarged the hole in the baseboard somewhat to make the whole lot fit more easily, plugged the wires into the servo control board and tested everything and ........... the signals didn't work!! The lights and theatre indicator were fine, but the pegs wouldn't move. I gave up some time after 10 pm and today contacted Jon Fitness to check if the servos were the same as before (they are!) and Geoff Peters of GF Controls whose servo control boards I use. After a fair bit of discussion and getting the instruction sheet from Geoff (I've lost my original copy!!), I think the answer - basically - is to wipe the control board clean and set the signals up again from scratch. So that will be tomorrow afternoon's job. Hopefully I'll have better news tomorrow or in the next couple of days. Thanks to Jon and Geoff for your help so far. More soon. Rod

A bit more work done today: after a quick trip to the local B&Q for a tester pot of dark brown paint I painted the edges of the foam board and the greaseproof paper that was visible. Looks a lot better now =- well, at least the eye isn't drawn away by the contrasting white!! Also took up the Stop Board and phone. Unfortunately it looks like I've superglued the latter into the plastic base, so I'll have to make another!! Now going to watch Everton play Hull City in the FA Cup on tv. Wish us luck and hope we don't do a Newcastle!! More soon. Rod

Hi Rod. I use chain link fencing from KS Laser Designs on my layout. I'm quite happy with it and would recommend it (usual disclaimer). I can't seem to copy a link but you'll find the site easily enough by googling it. They do the high fences and gates as described by Simon above - go to 0 Gauge Fencing and Gates page. HTH. Rod

More progress made today - the fence is finished. Here's a general view: I did take a couple of close ups, looking right along the fence line, but one or two are leaning a bit so I scrapped those pics!! The leaning posts are not obvious from the front of the layout - the normal operating position. The white along the bottom of the fence is the edge of the foam board that that end of the layout is built on. Needs some brown paint, then I'll make a cess and add some grass. The paper underneath is greaseproof, designed to stop the PVA sticking the bottom of the posts to the base board!! (I used the PVA to fix the posts into the foamboard). The fencing is glued to the posts with superglue. Where the foam board starts there's a change in the levels, so I've put one longer post in. Whether that's prototypical or not, I don't know but it looks OK to me: I'll add a bit of greenery to it to disguise it, too (and fill up the rather large rabbit hole!!) Here's a pic: I've also had some ideas for moves I've not tried before so they will be included in the next video. More soon. Rod

Being somewhat follicaly challenged the primary purpose of those clips is a bit useless to me!! They are very useful in fence building, though - and soldering - to name but 2 uses!! I don't know how long I've had them or even where they came from!! It's fun to try and think where/who they might have come from, though!! However, I won't go into that here! Rod

That's the plan, Barnaby. Rod

Hi all, and a Happy New Year to you. I've done some more work in the shed the last few days- the fence posts are all in now, so just the fencing to glue to them. As the fencing is nearly finished and the signal will be going back in soon, I thought I'd better make a video of operations using the Stop Board. I started, using the camera on my phone, but not without incident: with the result that I binned a fair bit of what I'd done. I'll have another go soon, but I did get a couple which are now on YouTube, links below. The first one was of the Thumper leaving the stabling point and proceeding to the Up Main. Unfortunately, it picked up a clip I use for holding the fencing to the posts and ended up derailing on the new crossover!! These are a pair of the clips: The clip ended up with a wheel in the gap between the prongs, looking very like a wheel skate (though upside down!) So I made the video of it coming back into the stabling point instead! Here is the link: I then made one of the 25 stopping at the Stop Board, followed by a couple showing it arriving in platform 1 and the 08 taking the coaches away. Unfortunately, with the latter two I managed to get a rather large piece of the stand the phone was on showing in the corner which rather spoiled the whole thing. Those got binned!! Here's the link to the one I did get right: I'm reasonably happy with those: the depth of field could be better, but it was made on a dark night under artificial light - maybe daylight will improve things. Nevertheless, it's a start!! More soon. Comments welcome, by the way!! Rod.

Looking good, Paul. I do like that 108: reminds me of my days travelling from Garston to Warrington Central and then catching a 115 from there to Manchester Central. It used to fascinate me that the 108 would arrive in Warrington Central and shunt to a siding, just before the 115s from Liverpool and Manchester arrived about the same time. Then when they'd both left it would cross into the Liverpool-bound platform and follow the 115. 115s non-stop - apart from Warrington: 108s all stations stopper (via Widnes). Also I seem to remember someone (a fellow student, I think) telling me there was a back way onto the station at Garston, avoiding the booking office: if you were lucky you could get away with paying at Manchester for just the trip from Warrington - and vice versa. So I was told!! All the best for 2022. Rod

You too, Paul.

I can't really use the "Like" button to your comment, Barnaby - but only because of the last sentence - however likely it is to happen!!! I don't think we'll go down (fingers crossed!!) but dreams of finishing above Liverpool this season have been well and truly shattered lately!! Nevertheless, as my son and I tell his kids "Through thick and thin"!! Once a Blue (or red, or whatever!!) always a Blue (etc). All the best. Rod

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone who follows my thread, and to those who just drop in on occasions. I enjoy sharing my experiences - and also your comments. I hope that there are some learning points from the things I do (and don't do!!) right. Hopefully we can all have a less restricted 2022 and I wish you all happy modelling over the holiday period and next year, too. Rod