RMweb Gold kipford Posted November 16, 2010 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2010 A long time since I last posted anything about the layout. Two reasons, first I have been getting on with building the layout and second an unexpected trip to A & E resulted in 5 days in hospital and 6 weeks off work! The last post shows the original point motor design, I went through a number of iterations after this. The photo below shows the final set up, my aim was to use as much of the servo as practical to enable a very fine adjustment of the blade throws. The set up as designed actually proved too fine and I was running out of servo throw. This was solved by linking the servo directly to the through base board crank. Only down side is I built all 12 point motors to the early standard while I was off sick (but hey-ho it was theraputic). Once I got the point motor set up finalised it was time to build a control panel. The panel has the control for the points and uncoupler magnets, the DCC inputs and outputs through the panel purely for convenience. As I said in my last post the servo control mechanism for the points has been designed by one of my club mates Ian Buckie (and I cannot thank him enough for his efforts). Point control centres around a servo controller available from here: Servo Controller Servos from here: Servos 6 controllers are mounted on a specially designed pcb, which means I have two boards. The following photos show the concept and pictures of the control panel. If anyone is interested in more detail let me know. In between control panels and point motors the stock has been looked at as well. A spur of the moment decision saw the purchase of a couple of Salmon kits from Cambrian. The intention was to build one rail carrier and one with track panels. Anyway looking for detail photos I came across this photo of a modified Salmon. http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/p8328600.html Being a sucker for quirky stock, I though that it looked a lot more interesting than the standard rail carrier. So with plasticard to hand I came up with this, which is I think not a bad interpretation. Its not finished yet and I will put some more pictures up when it is. Dave 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melly Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 That's a cracking wagon - is it based on the cambrian salmon? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold John B Posted November 16, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2010 Great work as ever, Dave. Love that modified Salmon - something really out of the ordinary. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold kipford Posted November 17, 2010 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 17, 2010 Melly That's a cracking wagon - is it based on the cambrian salmon? Yes Cambrian Salmon. To be absolutely correct though it should not have the Y25 bogies, but the supposition is that they have been changed! Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin parks Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 Hi Kipford, The pictures of your control panel are really inspiring. It all looks very neat and well designed. Colin Parks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold kipford Posted February 20, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2011 (edited) Another long time since I posted anything about the layout.I not been slacking its more of a case of either work on the layout or take pikkies and write about it on RMweb, so I took the former route.It's moved from its original home in the shed into my Sons bedroom (he is at Uni most of the time), so it is nice to have been able to work on it in the warm and more important get it into a dry atmosphere.The salmon wagon is not yet painted (weather has just been too awful to spray in), so I concentrated on getting the wiring and more important the point control finished so we could really get the grips with testing the layout.My aim was to complete point control for Christmas, so we couold start to fully debug the track and stock over the Christmas break, I achieved it. Unfortunately there was a BUT, HUMUNGUS servo buzz and HUMUNGUS glitching of the servos, sufficient to break the TOU's due to over travel.The Servo buzz, you could dial out, but it would then reappear on the same settings, something was stopping the servos reaching a null point.Glitching. Without any DCC or DC powered the servos would glitch sporadically. Add in a loco on DCC, and with 553 chipped Limas all hell broke loose. (By the way we were powering each servo from its own individual power supply, before anyone asks)After long discussions with my friend who put the boards together, it was decided to try an ESU Switch Pilot Servo. This device controls 4 servos and can be used with analogue switching (mimic panel) and DCC operation at the same time (very useful for use with RR&Co or Great Bear at a future date).ESU Switch Pilot ServoThese units are only £25 and I bought one to try. It was jury rigged on the layout using the cheapest servos I could find. The unit is dead simple to set up the end stops and a bonus was the ability to slow down or speed up the servo travel. I then subjected it to every spiky Lima loco I could muster. Result NO servo buzz, NO glitching what so ever, RESULT! An order was quickly despatched to DCC supplies for another 2 units and the last 5 weeks has been spent rewiring the point motors and control panel. I finished it Friday night and as per the test it is rock steady no servo buzz no glitching.I would recommend this unit to anyone and my friend is now going to use them on his son’s new layout.Actually it not been all wiring my son Matt and I build foam board mock ups or some of the major structures and I will paste some photos soon, but will have to wait a bit because the bedroom is a mess at the moment. We have just had half the house rewired and the bedroom is full of stuff from the loft (I ache all over today because I have spent the last two days renewing the loft insulation and starting on the job of properly boarding it).Oh yes it has its first layout invite, its going as a layout under construction to the South Hants Model Railway Club's (SHMRC) new November show (28th). This year SHMRC have two shows. One in three weeks time (12th March) and the November show. We have taken over the EMGS Expo EM south date at the exhibition venue and from 2012 onwards will hold our annual show in late November.Dave Edited October 13, 2017 by kipford Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portchullin Tatty Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Oh yes it has its first layout invite, its going as a layout under construction to the South Hants Model Railway Club's (SHMRC) new November show (28th). I look forward to seeing you there!!! Is the Servo problem the same one that Eastwood has experienced? The sound was an issue in itself, if it busts the turnouts too................... Looking forward to the pictures as I think your layout will be very interesting when complete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 until one day a chat with Tim Easter Please don't encourage him! But seriously, just had a read through the thread and it's looking all rather nice The electrics do appear to be much neater than many people can manage! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold kipford Posted February 22, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 22, 2011 Mark Sorry for the delay in replying I was unavoidably detained by another visit to A & E (got discharged 2.00 am this morning!)which proved to be a false alarm thank goodness . Is the Servo problem the same one that Eastwood has experienced? The sound was an issue in itself, if it busts the turnouts too................... I have to be a bit politic hear as this comment concerns equipment manufactured by someone else. In essence yes it was a similar problem, but it was not busting TOU's, in fact they got another problem which I did not get! The party concerned has since borrowed one of my ESU units and he is pretty sure he knows why the ESU units are rock steady and his kit will be modified as a result. The situation was excaserbated by the use of cheap servos. If you fit a half decent large servo such as a Futaba 3003 or better a lot of the problems go away, BUT not completly and that was the rub. Any the whole point of the exercise is to use cheap servos and not have to pay tortoise prices! The ESU unit plus servos and few other parts works out less than £10 a turnout. I must re-iterate I would never go back to tortoise, lemarco, fulgarex style motors. Regards Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portchullin Tatty Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 I must re-iterate I would never go back to tortoise, lemarco, fulgarex style motors. Whilst I have yet to play with servo point motors (hence I am interested in seeing how you fair with them), I had pretty much got the same thought! Hope for minimul visits to A&E going forward!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold kipford Posted March 3, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3, 2011 Wiring is now finished and I am clipping it all to the boards. This time I got it working with temporary fixings before final installation (saves a lot of wasted cable ties). In between this and at lunchtimes at work I have just about finished the CAD model of the station and have attached some screen shots below. Its based on the original Kemp Town Station adjusted to fit space available. Its quite distinctive and helps geographically place the layout. The plan at the moment is to build the shell from Foam Board, then get windows, valances, canopy supports etc laser cut. One of our club members has just bought a laser cutter and will be offering us a cutting service (for a fee obviously). The original plan was to use a small fiddle yard hidden in the tunnel, but it in practise to operate from the front and maximise the operating potential a more conventional fiddle yard is required, so the next project is to build that and get some cassettes made. This also allows me to move the tunnel mouth clear of the toe of the point leading to the yard, the Kemp Town branch was similar in it had a point directly at the exit of the tunnel, but not actually hidden in the tunnel mouth. I also wrote an operating schedule for it, which will take about 45 minutes to an hour to complete. Dave 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vierundvierssig Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 So this is what you do at lunch time....very impressive Break the fiddle yard extension gently to mum Nice to hear all the points are working now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin parks Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Hi Kipford, That point in the tunnel mouth at Kemptown was a four-way one. The LBSC had to save space when they built the real station. Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold kipford Posted March 4, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 4, 2011 Colin Thanks. You learn something new all the time, the only track plan I have is the one from the Peter Harding booklet and even looking now its not obvious, the photos dont help either. Now that would be an interesting point to build! Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 What materials will you use on the building and will the CAD be used ? Love the converted Salmon, great modelling! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisis Rail Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Excellent work - I only hope your scenics match up to the quality of your Trackwork so far.... watching with interest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold kipford Posted March 4, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 4, 2011 Blackrat What materials will you use on the building and will the CAD be used ? For the windows, window frames, doors, door frames, Roof slates, canopy brackets etc the aim is to laser cut these in 'Romark' or the non tradenamed equivalent (its Polystyrene blended with ABS). The main shell at the moment will be foam board, we are looking to see if this can be laser cut as well. If not I will stick full size print of the requisite parts onto the foam board and use that as templates. The side panels etc for the Salmon were done the same way. As the main walls are rendered surfaces there is no need to laminate plasticard onto the foam board, it should! just require painting with white primer. The rest of the detials will be normal scratch build methods, Evergreen strip, brass tube etc. Basically the CAD will be used wherever possible. Crisisrail Excellent work - I only hope your scenics match up to the quality of your Trackwork so far.... watching with interest. So do I, if I dont my son will probably never speak to me again! Building the scenery does not worry me too much, but getting it anywhere near Mr Nevard's standard which has to be the goal does! Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin parks Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Colin Thanks. You learn something new all the time, the only track plan I have is the one from the Peter Harding booklet and even looking now its not obvious, the photos dont help either. Now that would be an interesting point to build! Dave Hi Dave, I have a copy of the LB&SCR plan of the Kemptown site. I hope the orignal document survived privatisation. However, I don't think it is relevant for your project. One thing I remember from going to the site after it was cleared, was that there were two small buildings (offices?) on either side the southern entrance to the station. They would make a nice addition to the station complex that you are going to build. I sadly have no pictures to offer. There is one of the station building on my Newhaven c. 1974 topic though. Regards, Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timara Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 until one day a chat with Tim Easter Please don't encourage him! Honestly, encouragement should be the least of your worries! But seriously, just had a read through the thread and it's looking all rather nice The electrics do appear to be much neater than many people can manage! Entirely agree! See Dave, I told you it was worth doing it in EM didn't I! Looking forward to seeing this one in the flesh soon - good job it's DCC too! Cheers, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold kipford Posted March 9, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 9, 2011 Now its all operational. I am starting to check out the stock and generally run it to iron out the bugs. We have also put some mock ups of buildings etc in place to start to get a feel for what will and will not work (Station mock up is to the original design not the one in the latest post. Anyway here are some (not brilliant) photos of what I hope is the potential to come. The white scenery is chalk but will be 80-90% covered in greenery (as per prototype) which should lend some colour to what is predominantly an urban setting. PS how many people know what the 'Barry Building' is? There is a family reason for it being included! Station end of the layout looking a bit busy with class 170, the Arriva Wessex unit all the way from Wales and the Sandite unit waiting for a night run. Other end of the layout with yard and lines out to Brighton and Lewes (sorry about the drink). Brighton Corporation bus helps place the layout. Bit of indulgement and not on the schedule - scratch build road railer set based on the model rail article from around 2000. Finally control panel does function and who said a DCC layout was two wires and go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dave 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Don't apologise for the drink. IIRC there was a decent Harvey's pub up that hill! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rammstein2609 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Nice approach with the electrics. I like the way you have arranged the connections between baseboards. Its given me a few ideas. I spot a Nightwish poster in the background I stopped listening to them after they got rid of Tarja. Good modelling music. Cheers Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold kipford Posted March 9, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 9, 2011 Rammstein I spot a Nightwish poster in the background I stopped listening to them after they got rid of Tarja. Good modelling music The layout is in my sons bedroom as he spends most of the time at medical school in Brighton,so its his poster. My current modelling music is varying from Early Genesis through Pink Floyd (all periods) to Muse and the latest Slash album. PS Saw Rammstein at the NEC in 2005 during the RISE tour (it was a matter of try to find a reasonable beer near the NEC while son went to concert or actually go) it was pretty awesume especially the pyrotechics! Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold kipford Posted March 24, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 24, 2011 Spent a fair amount of time proving the track and stock (fixing Bachmann 37 Centre axles). The layout now runs as we wanted to the uncouplers work and the work done with the full size track plan and stock shows the uncoupler magnets are in the correct position. At last we are getting somewhere! I have redesigned the fiddle yard and today will take delivery of the cassette metal work which I have managed to get laser cut and bent at work (I am not using extruded angle). fiddle yard board will start soon. In between playing I built a mock up of the station building, eventually there will be a full set of mockups on the layout which will then be replaced by the actual buildings as they are made. In addition I rebuilt the lighting gantry to make it easier to carry and reduce its overall size and weight, its fitted with 3 x 30w 3ft link lights from TLC. That will probably be all for two or three weeks as we are going on holiday next week, then when I come back I have to replace all the suspension bushes on my Westfield (see avatar) so I can get it through its MOT. A couple of Photos, First one shows station mock up in place. Second shows layout lit up by its new light rig. Dave 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
binesrail Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 I like this layout alot! keep up the good work Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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