RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted October 4, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 4, 2018 It was good to see Oak Road at the weekend, and see for myself the progress you have made. It’s come on so much since your first exhibition at Fareham a year ago, well done. The video that you requested. Cheers Nigel 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swifty11 Posted October 4, 2018 Share Posted October 4, 2018 Just thought I’d drop a comment as I’ve been following this layout for ages and thoroughly enjoying seeing the progress both on Facebook and on here every now and then. Really fantastic modelling, makes me want to order some bits and get cracking on my own project to restart some modelling mojo. Hopefully a north west show one day, if not if I can I’ll make the trip north to railex NE. Keep up the good work Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby (John) Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 Just thought I’d drop a comment as I’ve been following this layout for ages and thoroughly enjoying seeing the progress both on Facebook and on here every now and then. Really fantastic modelling, makes me want to order some bits and get cracking on my own project to restart some modelling mojo. Hopefully a north west show one day, if not if I can I’ll make the trip north to railex NE. Keep up the good work Tom Or you could come to DEMU Showcase in 2020 :-) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted October 9, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 9, 2018 We've been having a few issues out on the road with the layout which needed addressing before Taunton, so I've made a snagging list and have slowly started working though it. The main problems have been track power and points not throwing, which I think is down to the former, so I got a Tam Valley 5amp Booster from Kevin at Coastal DCC, which should hopefully address this. One of the Cobalts was still out to lunch at Worthing too but this looks to have been a wiring fault (DCC Concepts gave me a new one before I put my hand up and said it was my shoddy workmanship - not the Coblat) and that too has been fixed. The Conrad motors on the fiddle yard boards seem to get a right battering during transit and the tops come loose making them jam up. so to stop this, I've made a plate that sits over the motor body to see if it helps.....if it does, I'll be making up another 22! The branch fiddle yard track needs completing so that we can run more than one train backwards and forwards too and I'm tempted to permanently fit a programming tack and a wheel cleaner to one of the boards. One of the other things that seems to take a right bashing are the legs - people knocking (or kids hanging off) the layout has caused the braces to come unstuck so I'm going to add some little triangles to the joints too. After all that, I'll get the trees in the copse finished and make everything else touch the back scene so that I don't have any unsightly gaps. Photo updates to follow.... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 9, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 9, 2018 Why not add some barriers using the same method as Ian? Spring doorstops with a piece of dowel a foot long and then some cord? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted October 9, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 9, 2018 Why not add some barriers using the same method as Ian? Spring doorstops with a piece of dowel a foot long and then some cord? I've got some full on 6ft Palisade Fence Paul.....going for complete authenticity! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 9, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 9, 2018 I've got some full on 6ft Palisade Fence Paul.....going for complete authenticity! That'll be good when you forget the bolts again 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted October 11, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 11, 2018 Yesterday was a good day - I had a nice HST ride from Didcot to Bristol Temple Meads....and a not so good ride back on an 800...so I got off at Swindon and let 5 other trains go through until I could get back on an HST While I was there I got some pictures of a buffer stop and the two end of line marker lights to copy.... I just need to practice soldering up tiny leds to some brass tube now! On the layout front, I've installed this.... ...so now there's 5amps supplying the track and hopefully fixed the power issue. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull1845 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 Just buy them from express models.. or is that too easy/not upto standard?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted October 11, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 11, 2018 Just buy them from express models.. or is that too easy/not upto standard?? Way too thick Scott. I want something that’s in Scale with everting else! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull1845 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 Way too thick Scott. I want something that’s in Scale with everting else! I thought that might be the case Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted October 17, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 17, 2018 (edited) There's not long to go until Taunton now and as mentioned previously, I thought it would be more beneficial to concentrate on reliability first, rather than making everything look pretty, so that's exactly what I've done. The board joints have had their wiring sorted out and now there's full power to everything. Next on the list were the legs - these have nearly all been glued together now and hopefully I can add some strengthening braces at the weekend for added security. One thing that's been driving me nuts for months now is the signals, not just lack of operation but how they looked. When I got the original signals, I didn't like the cages and set about making my own.....which didn't get any further than one signal. I've since ripped that cage off too and replaced it, along with adding cages to the others.... ....all the cages are now complete. If I'm honest, the wire (0.51mm) is a little oversize but the thinner stuff was just too fragile. On the real signal, there's a second ring at the back that I've not added, purely because I'm not sure if I'm sticking with these, or badgering Matt at Absolute Aspects to make me some with thinner posts. I've opted to manually control their operation so a friend of mine made up some boards with latching relays and switch panels for the grand summer of a Tenner!! Self explanatory really, Red, Yellow, Green...no frills, just good old fashioned push buttons with LEDs to confirm illumination. I'll tidy up the holes and make them nice and square at some point. The next job is to put the whole layout up and check the fiddle yard operation and fix down some lose track.....then I can tidy up the glaring holes between the scenery and the backscene boards ready for the long old trip to the West Country. Edited October 17, 2018 by scoobyra 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoey Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Superb as always. Can’t wait to see this at Taunton! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted October 22, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 22, 2018 (edited) The Taunton countdown has begun, but due to work constraints, and other things, I've not been able to do a lot to the layout, so it's in exactly the same condition as it was for Worthing except for the signals. To be fair, I've apologised to Steve Pike but he's not overly concerned so if he isn't worried, then that's a weight off of my mind. I've spent this weekend getting the stock boxes ready - there's three 64L boxes full to the brim with various bits and pieces all snuggly tucked up in foam trays from JBs Model World - not the cheapest option but when you're lugging twenty grands worth of stock to an exhibition it needs to arrive in one piece.....and Jon is a thoroughly decent chap too. ...and I also managed to bodge up some more trays using the discarded inserts and off cuts.... In between the boxing up, I started weathering the 70 I acquired at Folkstone.... ...and weathered, detailed and modified the couplings on my Royal Skip... Finally, here's the electronics made up by Graham to operate the signals.... Well that's about it barring any last minute amendments so for those of you that are going, we'll see you at the weekend where the crew will be myself, Dave and Rhys, with Richard Slate (Mud Magnet Models) and Steve Cox (Readham) making an appearance on Saturday, and on Sunday Ian will be back helping to keep things in order. As always, we'll be running some random nonsense and doing our usual 'throw back' 70's, 80's and 90's running for those of you that still think BR Blue is Modern Image! Edited October 22, 2018 by scoobyra 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 5BarVT Posted October 22, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 22, 2018 for those of you that still think BR Blue is Modern Image! Guilty!Thanks for the lead on the stock storage too. Paul. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold john new Posted October 22, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 22, 2018 Why not add some barriers using the same method as Ian? Spring doorstops with a piece of dowel a foot long and then some cord? Definitely recommended. Used it too on a previous layout. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Brady Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Hello Enjoy yourself at Taunton , like your comment on blue diesels being Modern Image , made me laugh . hopefully someone will take more videos , you never know might take train ride down and visit . Good layout . 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted October 23, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 23, 2018 So this is what the modified signals look like.... ...this picture shows how shoddy my painting can be at times and an area that I want to improve my skills in! Here's the lights working - ignore the blutack holding them in place.... The lights are quite dim compared to other makes (and other CR signals for some reason) and another annoying issue is that the light hoods are too low making the light not appear circular. On the plus point, they are probably as close to scale as you'll get without scratch building them, and good value for money. Last night I also managed to start weathering the other loco I picked up at Folksestone....an absolute bargain from Ray Heard......which Nicky has bought me for Christmas (it'll be wrapped up after Taunton ready for December 25th ). 17 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhysb Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 I can see a shove duff feast coming through oak road on the weekend! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Temeraire Posted October 23, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 23, 2018 Not if I get the 50s out first! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhysb Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Not if I get the 50s out first! Post 92 on Saturday and Pre 92 on Sunday Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Revolution Mike B Posted October 24, 2018 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted October 24, 2018 (edited) I managed to ballast round the signal bases yesterday, and although there's only two shown, all three have been done and weathered in. ...which lead to a bit more 'natural' weathering of the stone bridge. I still need to do the insides of the parapet walls.... ....and the track beneath it... I'm really pleased with this view and how the whole thing is starting to come together. Ignore the water on the underside of the arch - this picture was taken just after I'd drenched the bridge in a dirty wash. The stones are also horizontal but they look a bit weird from the angle I've taken the picture at! This evening's final job is to tidy up the wiring underneath the signals and then crate the boards back up ready for the long trip down to the West Country. Thursday evening I will mostly be finishing of the stock trays and making a 'do not forget' list! Edited January 5, 2019 by scoobyra 23 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie75 Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 Wow! That last view under the bridge, through to the tunnel is epic! A real drivers eye view from the cab. First class piece of modelling. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stock_2007 Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 really nice work well done Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mudmagnet Posted October 25, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 25, 2018 Can you stop posting photos of the track at Castle Cary please! Seriously, very good and looking forward to seeing the layout at Taunton at the weekend! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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