Chuffnell Regis

[Graham T]

10 hours ago, MrWolf said:

Less is more once again. A loco coal wagon could be pulled up alongside the coaling stage and emptied during the day whilst the loco is out working the line  (I'm presuming that your coaling stage is in front of the loco shed?

 

That sounds like the right solution - thanks.

[GWR57xx]

Could you site the water crane in the ‘V’ of the turntable turnout so that it is accessible from both the turntable road and shed road?

[Graham T]

38 minutes ago, GWR57xx said:

Could you site the water crane in the ‘V’ of the turntable turnout so that it is accessible from both the turntable road and shed road?

 

That's an excellent idea - thanks!

[MrWolf]

That would definitely be a logical spot. You could have a second one at the near end of the platform for topping up departing trains after the loco has run round too, saving time and manoeuvres.

[Graham T]

1 hour ago, MrWolf said:

That would definitely be a logical spot. You could have a second one at the near end of the platform for topping up departing trains after the loco has run round too, saving time and manoeuvres.

 

That's one of the few parts of the plan that hasn't changed since I started on this escapade.  There is going to be a standard issue GW water tower, courtesy of Ratio, but it will be at the far end of the platform, between the tracks (a la Lambourn).

[Graham T]

So far, so good (fingers crossed).  The saw-bones broke out his fiendish instruments at lunchtime, and the space has now been cut for the turntable.  I managed not to slash the spaghetti-like mess of wiring under the baseboards, and the whole layout hasn't fallen through the floor, which is good.  What's more, everything still seems to fit as planned...

 

You may be able to see that a cross-brace runs under the table; I couldn't avoid that (due to cr@ppy planning).  So, to make a virtue out of a problem, I've sited the table so that the spindle can sit in a 6mm hole drilled in the brace.  I also need to take 4-5mm off the top surface of the brace, so that the table sits flush with ground level.  I can see that last task being a bit of a pain in the neck, unfortunately...  I will also have to trim the front edge of the turntable mounting plate, and cut a hole for the ash pit.  But that last will have to wait until I've finalised exactly where the shed line runs, obviously.

 

 

  

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Graham T

[longchap]

2 hours ago, Graham T said:

So far, so good (fingers crossed).  The saw-bones broke out his fiendish instruments at lunchtime, and the space has now been cut for the turntable.  I managed not to slash the spaghetti-like mess of wiring under the baseboards, and the whole layout hasn't fallen through the floor, which is good.  What's more, everything still seems to fit as planned...

 

You may be able to see that a cross-brace runs under the table; I couldn't avoid that (due to cr@ppy planning).  So, to make a virtue out of a problem, I've sited the table so that the spindle can sit in a 6mm hole drilled in the brace.  I also need to take 4-5mm off the top surface of the brace, so that the table sits flush with ground level.  I can see that last task being a bit of a pain in the neck, unfortunately...  I will also have to trim the front edge of the turntable mounting plate, and cut a hole for the ash pit.  But that last will have to wait until I've finalised exactly where the shed line runs, obviously.

 

 

 

 

The TT looks too close to the shed road. I can’t be sure from the photo, but it looks as if there may even be an obstruction hazard when a maximum loaded TT swings past the shed road at the same time a loco’s dropping it’s fire. Have you played trains with this aspect yet?

 

There is almost certainly a safe working minimum distance in the Rule Book which I’ve not yet researched and it looks as if you can just edge the shed and road up a tad more if necessary. You may need a guard rail around the well adjacent to the shed road, should anyone hop off the footplate at night or in foggy conditions.

 

Fingers crossed for a good fit.

 

Bill

[Graham T]

1 hour ago, longchap said:

 

The TT looks too close to the shed road. I can’t be sure from the photo, but it looks as if there may even be an obstruction hazard when a maximum loaded TT swings past the shed road at the same time a loco’s dropping it’s fire. Have you played trains with this aspect yet?

 

There is almost certainly a safe working minimum distance in the Rule Book which I’ve not yet researched and it looks as if you can just edge the shed and road up a tad more if necessary. You may need a guard rail around the well adjacent to the shed road, should anyone hop off the footplate at night or in foggy conditions.

 

Fingers crossed for a good fit.

 

Bill

 

 

Played trains?!  This is a serious business you know Bill

 

Thanks for the input.  I'll do some playing about testing to look at clearances.  As you say, there is some scope to move the shed a little further away from the front of the baseboard, although that might involve putting the coal stage on a diet!  Thanks also for the suggestion about the guard rail, that's something I will add, I think.

[Graham T]

The turntable's now temporarily fixed in place.  Pleased to say that it's (a) level, and (b) still rotating.  Which is pretty crucial for a turntable, I'd say...

 

This picture shows how it looks if I put the shed as far away from the table as I can.  There's no room for the coal stage between the shed road and the headshunt in this configuration.

 

 

 

And here it is moved closer to the table, so that the coal stage fits where I'd like it to go.

 

 

 

And from another angle, showing the (lack of) clearance better.

 

 

 

 

That does look a bit of a squeeze...  Pondering what to do now.  I can make the coal stage a bit narrower I think, which would ease things a bit.  If that still leaves things looking too tight, then there is a little bit of room to move the headshunt over to the right, about 8-10mm or so.  Any suggestions and bright ideas very welcome, as ever - thanks.

Edited April 3, 2022 by Graham T

[Graham T]

It's a funny thing, but writing these problems down in a post often seems to get the brain into a (slightly) higher gear.  As soon as I pressed send another idea occurred to me, and I think this one might be the answer.  It gives more room around the table, keeps the shed as far from the table as possible, and doesn't involve butchering the coal stage, or moving the headshunt.  

 

Please let me know what you think...

 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Graham T

[MrWolf]

You should still have room for the water column to swing over both roads if the pillar backs up to the coal stage

[Graham T]

Just now, MrWolf said:

You should still have room for the water column to swing over both roads if the pillar backs up to the coal stage

 

Fit it in the triangle between the coal stage and the point you mean, with the column/pivot end closest to the table?

[Neal Ball]

The latter option is better and less cluttered.

 

Although…. How about the coaling stage being on the TT road, with its back to the field…. The loco gets turned and coaled and would fill up with water at the platform. The engine shed would have its own crane outside the shed door, rather than further down the track….

 

Just a thought.

[GWR57xx]

A couple of belated thoughts:

Do you need the headshunt to be so long? If you shortened it to a stub (say just long enough for a toad or a couple of wagons) that would free up quite a bit of space.

The land behind the engine shed (towards the stream) isn’t fenced off so is presumably railway property? Could you move the shed more towards the stream, giving more space between it and the turntable?

A bit more drastic, but you could do away with the turntable point and have the shed on the turntable road after the turntable.

[Graham T]

2 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

The latter option is better and less cluttered.

 

Although…. How about the coaling stage being on the TT road, with its back to the field…. The loco gets turned and coaled and would fill up with water at the platform. The engine shed would have its own crane outside the shed door, rather than further down the track….

 

Just a thought.

 

Thanks Neal.  That's a neat solution, but I would still have to put the ash pit on the engine shed road - it needs a straight run a think.  I dare say there's an example of a curved one somewhere (a prototype for everything and all that), but I think it would look a bit odd.

Edited February 19, 2022 by Graham T

[Graham T]

20 minutes ago, GWR57xx said:

A couple of belated thoughts:

Do you need the headshunt to be so long? If you shortened it to a stub (say just long enough for a toad or a couple of wagons) that would free up quite a bit of space.

The land behind the engine shed (towards the stream) isn’t fenced off so is presumably railway property? Could you move the shed more towards the stream, giving more space between it and the turntable?

A bit more drastic, but you could do away with the turntable point and have the shed on the turntable road after the turntable.

 

Thanks for the suggestions - this is getting to remind me of online shopping now, in that I've got too many choices!

 

The headshunt was shorter originally; I lengthened it when I had to re-align the track.  As for the land between the shed and the river; there will be a fence there, I just hadn't put it in yet as I wasn't sure where the boundary would be.

 

So, lots and lots of possibilities.  But I think I'm going to press on with the track plan as it looks in the last photo above.  I'll decide where to put the coal stage once everything else is fixed in place.  Of course I need to cut a hole for the ash pit, so I'm going to put that on the shed road adjacent to where the coal stage is in that last photo.  And must remember to cut one for the inspection pit too...

 

Here we go again!

[Neal Ball]

27 minutes ago, Graham T said:

 

Thanks Neal.  That's a neat solution, but I would still have to put the ash pit on the engine shed road - it needs a straight run a think.  I dare say there's an example of a curved one somewhere (a prototype for everything and all that), but I think it would look a bit odd.

First rule of marketing, don’t try to agree anything by committee! 
 

Whatever you end up with, it’s going to be great.

 

Have a great weekend.

[Graham T]

I'm trying to wire the table up now.  Draining the profanity bank dry in the process...

[Neal Ball]

44 minutes ago, Graham T said:

I'm trying to wire the table up now.  Draining the profanity bank dry in the process...

I might have missed the comment…. Did Mike reply to your email?

[Graham T]

37 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

I might have missed the comment…. Did Mike reply to your email?

 

Take a wild guess

 

The problem I'm having is that wire will not solder to any of the components in the turntable kit.  It's driving me batty...

[longchap]

Quick checks for soldering:

 

Clean every part (fibre pen, fine abrasive paper, wire brush, etc. If it's oxidised, it will not solder.

 

Tin wires and components to be joined and use flux on parts beforehand.

 

Use flux to allow the solder to flow. DCC Concepts no clean flux is brilliant, otherwise clean up afterwards.

 

Heat, use lots of heat and get in quickly. Some larger parts need more heat, but don’t linger with small wires, just a touch of the iron should be sufficient.

 

Check you have enough heat dialled up with an adjustable heat station. For general soldering, I use 450degC with a small chisel tip.

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, Graham T said:

 

Take a wild guess

 

The problem I'm having is that wire will not solder to any of the components in the turntable kit.  It's driving me batty...

That’s just crap service Graham, you have my sympathies 

 

Have you been able to get a fix now? I would echo everything Bill has said above.

 

I have also had this issue before in getting solder to stick to the dropper wire of Peco points. I got round it by making the end into a U shape, then making the wire into a U shape, hook them on and they’ve taken. Might not be pretty, but it’s under the baseboard, so no one will know!

 

Good luck.

[Graham T]

1 hour ago, longchap said:

Quick checks for soldering:

 

Clean every part (fibre pen, fine abrasive paper, wire brush, etc. If it's oxidised, it will not solder.

 

Tin wires and components to be joined and use flux on parts beforehand.

 

Use flux to allow the solder to flow. DCC Concepts no clean flux is brilliant, otherwise clean up afterwards.

 

Heat, use lots of heat and get in quickly. Some larger parts need more heat, but don’t linger with small wires, just a touch of the iron should be sufficient.

 

Check you have enough heat dialled up with an adjustable heat station. For general soldering, I use 450degC with a small chisel tip.

 

Thanks Bill, have tried all that though.  Maybe a new tip on the iron would help?

[Graham T]

53 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

 

Have you been able to get a fix now? 

 

Not yet I'm afraid

[Neal Ball]

8 minutes ago, Graham T said:

 

Not yet I'm afraid

Send photos - I’m waiting for paint to dry, let’s see what we can do