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Dillmouth - desirable and achievable


O-Gauge-Phil
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Thanks Tim, the frame is from MSE, I would if I could have a purely mechanical interlocking system but time and complexity rules that out, the baseboard joints and wanting to operate from either side, but I do like that feeling with the momentum you get with a mechanical drive.

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The lever frame is made up of two seven way frames with brass strip holding them together. The central lever (white) was purchased separately to fill the gap.  It does have a reasonable feeling, much better than a switch or probe.  Micro switches are soldered to a pcb and operated by the lever.  A diode is also mounted on the strip to make a compact unit.  The micro switches trigger a signal to an encoder, the encoder then sends a dcc signal to all of the boards that then trigger the relevant servo. Nice and simple.

 

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 The wiring looks a mess but is simple to follow.  One side goes to the columns, the other to the rows.  Each switch is colour coded so it’s quite simple to give a wiggle when you want to know where it goes.. The connections can be unplugged if necessary, no need to worry as they all follow the resistor colour code.  Quite simple to build and nice to operate. 

 

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Your grain tanker looks good now but it looks like it was a lot of work.

 

All the best 

Phil

 

 

 

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Thanks Phil, very nice.  I asked as they remind me of Westinghouse 'B' style levers see picture.  This was a very rare route locking lever from Baker Street (MB) Met box. I agree about the feel of mechanical locking. Electro-mechanical locking even more so.

thanks for the info.

Cheers Tim

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Next on the work bench - well, the dining room table - is a Finney Hall.  Been waiting for a bit of spare time to finish the loco, I bought the Tender at the spring convention so I was all set to get started.

Build as per instructions, it was a very nice build. No challenges and very enjoyable.  Couple of mods - I drilled an oil way into the rocking beam, installed an insulated spacer to make the leading bogie live picking up from one pair of un-insulated D7D970FD-4B4D-4C23-8E73-87DDF60B1ADD.jpeg.697158862fe3c1a73817dcf44a364c54.jpegwheels,  installed plunger pick-ups in the Tender, flattening off the coal hole so as to take speakers.  The Tender will be coaled up so the hopper wouldn’t have been seen anyway.  

 

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These were taken this morning prior to a general clean up, it’s amazing when you take a picture, it seems to show up all your faults.  This was taken just now.  Hope to get some green on tomorrow.

 

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The Hall is painted.  Dcc fitted. This is my biggest engine and as I probably won’t have another biggey I wanted it to have the 4000 gal Tender.  Managed to fit five speakers, one under the chimney, one inside the boiler, two in the Tender and a tweeter in the firebox. Bit of touching up to do on the edges but more or less done.  Really enjoyed building it .  Layout still stored away, no idea when I’l see it again , as I’m not allowed out except to go to the seaside to check my eyesight is okay.

 

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I do like the Hall next to the dean goods, just such a difference in the size of the boilers.  Both are from Finney kits.

 

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Thanks Ian that’s much appreciated.  Turned out as a nice build and so far not too many “in hindsights”.  Maybe could have used a large scale decoder as there was the space but that would have set it apart from my other Locos. The three watt audio output is okay for normal use but when I took my layout to an exhibition the sound was a bit lost in the crowd.

 

Ade - yep, when the safety valve lifts it does make you jump.  Years ago before YouTube, when people had hi-fi , one of the most important things was to get the speakers right.  So as there was plenty of space I concentrated on the speakers. The decoder has a three watt output so that should drive them.  2 x 23 dia @ 4 ohms plus 2x EM2, 4 ohms series/ paralleled up, plus a tweeter in series with a 0.1 micro F capacitor.

 

The coal in the Tender sits on some brass plates that are spaced apart so sound emanates from above and below, although it appears to be forced forward and hits the inside of the cab, producing a very nice sound. I’m just doing another 57xx , not a lot of space, so after reading your thread I’m trying out a boom box.

 

Pickups are on the drivers, tender and the leading bogie and with stay alive capacitors I’m hoping for good things. I haven’t tried it in anger yet but it negotiates a four ft radius ok. Next is some Modelu lamps but it looks nice on the sideboard and can sit there until the end of lockdown, all nice and clean. Then it’s in for some weathering.

 

 I took a few more pictures outside today but in the bright sunlight and thanks again.

 

Ps. Does anybody have a Collet brake van kit from Castle Models they would be willing to sell?  I had a pair but they were destroyed a long time ago. Like this but a brake.

 

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Edited by O-Gauge-Phil
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When I was building the Hall l showed the kit to my daughter and her boyfriend, my wife later remarked that it would be interesting to see how the model evolved from a two dimensional etching and  I should take pictures of all the bits reducing as the model progressed.  So here we go.  Well, everyone should have a grey Mica, from your first Hornby Dublo to a preserved railway.

 

 

 

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I’m not sure about the ties, I normally forget to add them but I think this didn’t have any?  I ordered some buffers, partly because I don’t fancy drilling them out ( I know I’m a bit lazy) and partly because of the lack of space behind the headstock. Opting for self contained.  Not many bits on the frets now.  Little bit of weight to add, pop the two bits together and add the casting. I think I have made a few mistakes please feel free to comment.  Then it’s what colour to paint it , it’s  nice to have something white-ish, but brown would have been used for fruit I believe and much more likely to be seen.

Hey Ho, decisions, decisions.

 

ATB

Phil

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The Buffers arrived yesterday, so I popped them on this morning. Blackened the wheels and added the brake pipes.  Normally I don’t like whitemetal pipes but now I have too many wagons really, so it’s not going to get a lot of use and I’m hoping that the long coach buffers will afford some protection.  

 

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ATB.

Phil

 

 

 

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Thanks Ade,  

I think I’m just about there, just the couplings, probably tomorrow now. I would love to know how many of these existed in reality and how many Hornby Dublo and how many models of it have been made over the years.

Lovely kit, nice castings, would highly recommend. It’s been an interesting experience, now I know how long each wagon takes I can try to estimate how many lifetimes I’m going to need to get all these kits I’ve stashed away over the years done during lockdown.

 

Thanks for looking.

Phil

 

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Edited by O-Gauge-Phil
Picture editing fitted an extra one in.
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  • O-Gauge-Phil changed the title to Dillmouth Rides Again

Well it's been a long time, so an update is well overdue methinks.  I’ve had problems for a year or two with  RMWeb since they updated their site.  It looks like this now -

 

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I've been unable to update browser on our TV, it's still okay on the Ipad though.
 
Also been busy with the house move – yep, the “great upheaval” finally took place and here we are in Farnham, Surrey.   We love this place and the house, except for lack of large railway room!  Hoping to build an Ade style cabin one day.  

 

I’ve had to restore Dillmouth since our last exhibition, (Witham, January 2020), after which it has been on permanent display in the basement at Whitewebbs Motor Museum in Enfield. This was fine at first but then it became flooded because the sump pump failed and we were not allowed in due to Covid - insurance rules. The damp caused a bit of a problem so we removed it last July before it fell apart completely.  We dried it out to remove the mould, treated and dried it all, replacing the rotten woodwork on the base boards and legs that had de-laminated.  I have also now given it a coat of paint and very pleased with the result. The backscene has suffered a bit, though. Gutted really.

 

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Whitewebbs Motor Museum, worth a visit if you are in the area.

 

 

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Cheers Phil

Edited by O-Gauge-Phil
Added a picture of Whitewebbs Museum.
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  • RMweb Gold

I know how you feel Phil after one house move there was work to be done on the house good furniture was in the one room not to be affected every thing else was in the garage includin the layout and all the train stuff not best pleased when we found the garage leaked at one point in was two inhes deep in water inside.

 

Looking to downsize now we have an offer on the house but there is so little choice out there. It is not ideal if that i the only space to erect the layout. A good shed is probably the best option.

 

Don

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks Ade and Don. Could be a lot worse, but it's OK really.

Anyway been a busy bee, adding some detail like telegraph poles.  Put an electrical supply pole as per a picture from Disused Railways, then realized this possibly might not go with the gas lights.:rolleyes:

Anyway, reason for all the recent activity is I'm taking the layout to Basingstoke this weekend.  It's a two day show, Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th March.  I'm  hoping for a leisurely prep. on Friday night.

The last exhibition we took it to was an early start, lots of hard work to get it set up, never really caught up all day and then late at packing up.  The day just went so fast, apart from running trains we had two people just giving out handouts and talking to everyone, non-stop, really busy exhibition.  Gosh, wondered why we do it. Absolutely Cream crackered the next day.

If any of you RMWebbers are coming to Basingstoke please stop and make yourself known, would love to see you.  Mrs O Gauge will be in command, haha!!!

I will try to say what's been occurring next week once the dust has settled.  Meanwhile I have been doing a bit/improvements on the scenery, A.V., Dinghams and the lightings

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Hope to see you, even just one of you on Saturday.

Cheers Phil

 

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  • O-Gauge-Phil changed the title to Dillmouth - desirable and achievable

Hi Guys, Here’s an update.  I have been a bit lazy lately, but I have added a paddock and a stone wall.  Also added lights to the platform but still have to write the software to make them twinkle.  Maintenance and improvements seem to keep me quite busy now.  All the legs have been replaced due to the delamination of the plywood caused by flooding in the museum where it was on display .  This was during the Covid Lockdown and insurance rules meant that I wasn’t allowed in to check on it.  The  damp conditions caused by the sump pump failure covered the layout in mould. The back-scene has been airbrushed now and I am very pleased with the results, so quietly confident to do my own one on my next layout. It had been covered in black spots and was pealing, it was very sad.  There isn’t much more to do now on this, doing these areas has more or less brought this project to its conclusion.  Not to worry, I still have another 70-odd kits to build!

I’ve added some Bluetooth speakers into the lighting rig playing seaside sounds uploaded from the BBC sound effects department - unfortunately after a couple of cups of tea the sounds of breaking waves tends to make running sessions - literally - quite short!

I have recently made some cards up, postcard size, for the drafted help (and myself really).  They have a photo of the loco on one side of the card and the Rosta numbers and functions on the reverse.  Most engines have been rejigged so that the same keys are used throughout, e.g. F2 whistle, F6 guards whistle, F9 flange squeal, etc.

I will post some pictures next weekend as we are taking it to the Farnham & District Exhibition in Aldershot this weekend.  They have sat me next to Dave’s Sherton Abbas in the Sports Hall so we all know who’s layout everyone will be looking at!

Cheers, Phil

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Hi Chris, I'm glad you spotted that!  A cunning plan Baldrick to see if anyone noticed! 

I have just added that ground signal to the diagram but it is not installed yet.  I guess I'll be looking for a spare if I ever get around to motorising the ground signals.

Thanks for that, (nice to know someone reads my rubbish!).

Cheers, Phil

 

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21 minutes ago, O-Gauge-Phil said:

Hi Chris, I'm glad you spotted that!  A cunning plan Baldrick to see if anyone noticed! 

I have just added that ground signal to the diagram but it is not installed yet.  I guess I'll be looking for a spare if I ever get around to motorising the ground signals.

Thanks for that, (nice to know someone reads my rubbish!).

Cheers, Phil

 

Just a thought, but....

 

If disc 13 only reads across 5 reverse and 7 only reads across 2 reverse, then you could work both discs by just one lever and which one operates would be selected by the position of the points. A common enough feature on the prototype to save levers....

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Farnham exhibition was last weekend, it went very well and we are just about getting straight again.  There were lots of visitors on the Saturday and maybe more on the Sunday.  Several fellow Farnham & District Railway Club members gave a hand with running the layout with Peter S and Peter L who really hit the uncoupling magnets. Two dropped out as they hastily had to put up and man another layout when a visiting layout failed to turn up!  My carefully planned timetable of when everyone would be running a session - taking into account short breaks, long breaks, lunch, guests, people having other commitments, some starting late and some starting early - became a bit redundant.  I was intending to give everyone enough time away from the layout to amble around the exhibition and for me to be able to provide guidance but that now was tricky with limited numbers.  Added to that only Peter S and Julian had operated the layout before and none of the others had any prior knowledge of DCC.  The resulting sessions didn’t quite turn out as planned and Peter S unfortunately had a couple of sessions lasting 2 hours.


Luckily we were able to set the layout up in the school in Aldershot on the Friday evening beforehand, this of course made it much easier for the Saturday morning starting the day.  I think it took us three hours to set it all up (including lots of idle chat), considering it is a span of around 22 feet long, with the four 4ft baseboards plus the approx. 6ft x 6ft Fiddle Yard (Note to self, build a smaller layout next time). This in itself takes a while to put the parts of it together, with the rotating and traversing tracks section sitting on the base and adjoining the layout. It must be said, though, it was mainly just me and my wife but it would have been a lot quicker to put together if I had roped in more help. The trouble is I do not exhibit it very often, so forget and have to relearn again.


We actually had the layout stretching out in our living room while I tested everything the week before the exhibition.  This was quite a sight and it was fun to show it on the Sunday beforehand to several of our very surprised neighbours!  You can imagine the look on their faces when they turned the corner from the hall to the living room, it took all day as most stayed for over an hour and was most enjoyable.

 

Back to the show.  There were a few snags, as always it seems.  It started early on Saturday Morning with a points problem. I investigated the base board to find a plastic piece that holds the micro-switch was broken.  We tried to stick it temporarily with glue but ended up with a bit of wire to short it out.  This seemed to do the trick but it unfortunately took a lot of my time.  Bit like the swan outwardly talking to everyone but all my concentration on finding a fix.  Of course we fixed it afterwards in seconds with the board on its back.  Couple of hints that may come in handy in future are: firstly have some pieces of wire with crocodile clips at each end, (which I had), and secondly a spare frog juicer wired with crocodile clips which can then be substituted for a naughty point micro switch, (which I didn't have). 
 

A coach derailed for one reason or another, don’t know why, never has before - I’ll have to check it out next week - although we did manage to keep trains running all the time.  Visitors did seem keen and there were lots of photos and videos taken.  One commented on a vote for “the most appealing layout”, that we were “the coolest layout”!  I’ll take that any day, in fact there should always be a prize given for it.


There was the odd slip-up due to too few hands on deck.  At one point I was alone running the layout, my wing man, (Mrs O Gauge) handed me an all-important cup of tea and I moved a train forward from the Fiddle Yard, which was unmanned at the time. I couldn’t see it from where I was standing and must have been diverted for a second as I unfortunately sent the wrong one from the fiddle yard and a locomotive nosedived off onto the floor.  Mrs O Gauge said she was glad she hadn’t done that! I used to fly model aircraft so it’s not new to me. Anyway these things happen and in future I will have a piece of netting.


Next to us was the impressive Sherton Abbas with fellow RMWebber Dave who I’m sure you all know - if you don’t you should - a superb O Gauge layout with a raised base board and his area in the hall was constantly busy with people crowded around to see.  It was excellent, well done Dave. He didn’t get best at show so it shows how good the other layouts were. Dave was interested in the fiddle yard, I took some videos so I think I should be able to put a description on here next week.


It was really nice to meet the chap who reads my drivel, too.  An enjoyable weekend but tiring, must keep telling myself this is a hobby! Don’t know why I don’t seem to sleep too well before an exhibition, so much to think about I suppose and for me it always seems to be an exhausting experience.  I sometimes say I won’t do it again.  Until the next one of course.
 

 

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