Banbury in N scale - A great time at the Abingdon in March 2024

[Revolution Mike]

I recognise the man gurning through his camera (a certain DEMU Showcase exhibition manager - lyneux on here!).

 

Grahame cunningly built in a pint glass holder into Stoney Lane Depot!

 

Cheers, Mike

Edited April 26, 2013 by red death

[roundhouse]

Mike

 

I have always wanted to do that using old CD drives but never managed to find enough of them to do it cheaply.

 

These days our pints dont last long enough to put down.. not that we drink and drive (model trains).. honest!!!

[MRDBLUE17]

Hi Ian,

 

It's great to follow the progress on here, I thought it was already very good when I saw it at Barrow but with all the little extra detail you have been adding I am very much looking forward to seeing it again at showcase in July. I will come and say hello when I get off Rannoch!

 

All the best

Mark

[roundhouse]

Thanks Mark

Still more detailing to go but many of these will be done prior to both RAILEX and DEMU.

At Barrow the layout ran fairly well but I wasnt happy with its performance at the next few shows.

However it is now running much more to my expectations.

Thee current project is changing the Farish coupling bars on the Voyagers intermdiate connections to Microtrains. Will post some photos tomorrow.

See you at DEMU.

Ian

Edited May 1, 2013 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

Whilst I had the fiddleyard boards up yesterday, doing some work on them for Santa Barbara's next outing , it gave me a chance to test some recent coupling modifications on the Farish Voyagers.

 

First up was to test the Tomix couplers fitted to the cabs ends to allow multiple working. This worked fine on the tightest curves which are 11.5" radius.

 

The other modification which I completed yesterday on the Farish Virgin Voyager was to install Microtrains couplers to the intermediate ends so that the fiddly Farish coupling system could be dispensed with. It also allows closer coupling. I followed much of the BRM artcile in the January 2010 issue (Thanks Gordon D) but with a few subtle changes.

 

As I was using the shorter 1015 Microtrains couplers I needed to infill the gap between the original coupler mounting and the end of the coach with styrene then drill a hole at the junction of the tow once it had set overnight.

 

I also put a piece of black styrene across the bottom of the corridor connetion and once set, filed this to a curve. Then put some Britfix solvent over the filed area to give it a smoother surface to rub against the one on the next coach.

 

The resulting closer coupling of two coaches shown below.

 

Finally, the complete unit running on the smaller radius curve in the fiddleyard. It was also tested a few times through the reverse curves of the turnouts in the fiddleyard. The two XC voyagers will also have this modification done to them once I get some more 1015 packs of couplers.

Edited April 29, 2013 by roundhouse

[Gordon D]

Ian,

Looks like both conversions worked out well.

 

BR

Gordon D

[roundhouse]

Gordon

 

Hoping so but despite some time running them back and forth (and a few pints later) the only true test is under exhibition conditions. If it is to fail then that's when it will!

 

Ian

[roundhouse]

Now that the Derby show is over, its time to turn to Banbury  to get it ready for RAILEX in just under two weeks.

 

The time spent working on the fiddleyard to get the feed back working to the turnouts / DS64's and setting up on JMRI panel pro, will immediately bring improvements to Banbury (being the same fiddelyard). However there are more Frog Juicers to wire up to the turnouts which should be done over the next night or two.

 

I am also hoping to add more detailing to the layout such as the parking signs in the overflow car park that is at the front of the layout plus a few other items.

 

There is also more work to do to the stock such as getting head and tail lights wired up to one of the Chiltern 168's using small function only decoders and pick ups to the non powered cab cars. Once the first one is done and tested at the show, the plan is to do the rest of them.

 

WIll post some photos of progress on these tasks.

 

Ian

[Gordon D]

Ian,

My class 66 with sound is almost finished. 

Chip and speaker installed and running, Just need to rewire the lights.

 

BR,

Gordon

[roundhouse]

Gordon 

 

Looking forward to hearing and seeing it on the layout at RAILEX.

 

is it a EWS, GBRF or Freightliner one as will make sure I have suitable couplings on a train for it to haul if you still have the rapidos fitted to it.

 

Ian

[roundhouse]

Last night I managed to get quite a bit done underneath the basebaords.

 

Some wiring in the fiddleyard was relocated / simplified.

 

Originally all the turnout wiring came through the boards back to the first board where all the DS64 decoders were mounted. When I decided that the fiddelyard could be modular to take Banbury aswell as Santa Barbara, some of these DS64's were moved to the other end of the layout, closer to the fiddleyard turnouts at that end.

 

This resulted in a lot of wiring to the turnouts being removed leaving largely redundant terminal strips on the first board.

 

So last night this was replaced with a much smaller one for the remaining wires leaving space for two dual Frog Juicers to be fitted. One of these is now wired up leaving just two turnouts remianing at this end still to be rewired in to this last Dual Frog Juicer.

 

A single Frog Juicer was also installed at the other end of the fiddleyard.

 

WIth the reduction in wiring, there is a 37 way D connector ocross one board joint that will now get a 15 way one in the next few evenings, releasing the 37 way one to be used on STAR LANE.

 

Once the under board alterations are compelte this week I will do some scenic work next week. Well thats the plan so far!!

 

Ian

Edited May 20, 2013 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

After a busy weekend working on 'Star Lane' work has now recommenced on 'Banbury'. A slight distraction has been the addition of one of the Royal train class 67's whihc is currently in the 'paint shop' with weathering underway.

 

A Farish RU buffet mk1 has been obtained for the Riviera Trains blood and custard charter set. I know its not strictly correct ubt will do for now. Its still the plan to do the Cruse Saver liveried mk2 brake second coach and I have been exploring possiblities of getting decals or simialr made up for that livery.

 

Also a Farish class 60 that 'blew up' a year ago now has a donor chassis and is fully working on DC, so a decoder will be fittedin the next few days to IKB.

 

Plenty more to do before loading the layout ready for RAILEX this weekend.

 

Ian

[roundhouse]

Done all the wiring alterations.

 

Now it's time to sort the pc out.

 

Some essential tools ready !!

[cornish trains jez]

What's in the glass? It looks nice!

Best regards,

Jeremy

[shanks522]

Looks like a perfect night to me Ian, nice pint and a hammer to deal with electrical equipment.

 

Graham.

[roundhouse]

With Spotify on in the background

 

 

We started on Brewdog Dead Pony Club, a light beer

 

Then moved onto Batemans Mocha, a very nice coffee and chocolate beer and at 6.2% we are stopping there

 

And the pc is working

 

 

Edited May 20, 2013 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

Whilst having a few beers last night, I had to redo the turnout settings on the JMRI track plan. For some reason I keep losing the turnout settings. Not sure whether it is because I am not saving them correctly or whether it is when the PC's are used with Santa Barbara.

 

This board and the scenic ones have the turnouts added back so tonight this board will be packed away and the other end of the fiddleyard set up to add the turnouts and test the feedback.

 

A little bit more reading of the JMRI manual is required!

 

Meanwhile a bit more weathering  on some new stock this morning before leaving for work.

 

Ian

[LongRail]

Ian,

 

just found details of your website and am very impressed especially as you have been updating it to include items such as the work to the cattle sidings with the walkways and battert chargers. 

 

I have a lot of information relating to Banbury and have attached some images which may assist you.

 

In response to your earlier post the rooflights above the liftshafts are described as ventilated rooflight, I have attached a couple of extracts from the original drawings.These are attahced as PDF files so will need to be opened to view

 

I have also attached photos of the raised platform used for gas storage and the lamp building at the London EndLong Section through Upper Concourse - Overbridge.pdfCross Section through Lift Shaft.pdf

[roundhouse]

Many thanks for the photos and the plans.

 

You must have been reading my mind as I am about to start the gas bottle cages either tonight or tomorrow morning using some N brass etchings  so they are really just in time! The gas bottles will be made from plastic rod, the tops filed then a msaller piece of rod fixed on the top for thevalve enclosure.

 

I hadnt noticed the smaller red cage before so will have to do that one at soem point aswell.

 

Also very usefull is the photos show the channeled concrete surface of the cattle dock, so I will have to try and score that on the tryene already insitu. The block built store building needs alteration as I only have one door!

Theres also a little bit more handrail to add..

 

The light poles are in but the light shades and ladders also need adding.

 

Irs amazing how much there is still to add in terms of detailing!!

 

I will have to do a few dimensions checks with those plans against what I have actually built.

 

Thanks again Longrail

 

Ian

[LongRail]

Ian,

 

I have a couple opf photos taken during a recent survey.

One shows the rooflights on the LMR as being covered over, the other shows the roofligts to the island canopy you cant see these from below.

 

I am not sure from previosu posts of you are loking to model the new Multo Storey Car Park and Pedstrian Link Bridge which wil connect the East side car park direct to the upper cooncourse of the station. If you are I can always let you have details.

 

Are you still exhibiting at the DEMU showcase? If so I look forward to seing the layout in the flesh. I must say I cant beleive how much detail you have produced given the scale of the layout.

 

Gary

 

.

 

[roundhouse]

Gary

 

Thanks for the further photos.

 

Yes it does look liek the LMR rooflight has been covered.. I have modelled them as they were until recently which was with glass panels as thats what I have in the photos taken from the road bridge and off Google etc.

 

The island canopy rooflights have yet to be modelled as I am still debating how to make all 7 of them the same - one or two is easy but that many is a little trickier to get htem all unform. ANother task I want ot try and do this week but might have to wait.

 

I do need to weather the tops of the concrete roof members and add the small roof vents on the felt roof ligtning protection tape etc.

 

Yes we are still taking the layout to DEMU - looking forward to this show. We will be running railtours sans steam!!

 

 

 

I am not planning on doing the new car park at the moment as I have set the layout in 2011 due to a number of changes such as the removal of the turnout in patform 1 that used to go towards the goods shed location, removal of the red bike shed in the Royal Mail property etc.

 

However in a few years time i might consider doing the car park, demolishing the SOuth box, resignalling and adding wires but I suspect the road bridge will also be rebuilt plus many other changes - will there be enough room for the wires under the station bridge!!

 

Thanks again

 

Ian

[roundhouse]

Just had a look at my photos and I did do 2 doors to the out building / store next to the cattle dock. Needs some weathering and more detailing though.

 

The cattle dock looks a little bare so the gas cages really will make a differenrce.

 

This is an older hasot before the shore supplies  / battery chargers were added.

 

Ian

Edited May 21, 2013 by roundhouse

[LongRail]

Ian,

 

 

There are a lot of thing planned for Banbury unfortunately not all of these are in the public domain so I cannot mention them here at the moment.

 

 

The South Box will go in a few years as part of the Banbury re-signalling which has associated changes to the track configuration.

 

 

Based on current clearances the Overhead wires will fit under the proposed new link bridge.

 

Not sure about the existing station bridge itself, it is believed there is more likely to be a problem with the canopies but it is early days yet.

 

Road Bridge will defintely need to be rebuilt at one end there is a listed arched structure so that wil lbe a challange.

 

Gary

 

 

Ian,

 

 

There are a lot of thing planned for Banbury unfortunately not all of these are in the public domain so I cannot mention them here at the moment.

 

 

The South Box will go in a few years as part of the Banbury re-signalling which has associated changes to the track configuration.

 

 

Based on current clearances the Overhead wires will fit under the proposed new link bridge.

 

Not sure about the existing station bridge itself, it is believed there is more likely to be a problem with the canopies but it is early days yet.

 

Road Bridge will defintely need to be rebuilt at one end there is a listed arched structure so that wil lbe a challange.

 

Gary

 

 

[roundhouse]

Gary

 

I have heard various things but appreciate certain things may not be public so will willand see.

 

A total rebuild won't surprise me though with bits of concrete coming off the canopies etc.

 

Anyway, I still have a few more years till the re signalling, hopefully!

 

Ian

[roundhouse]

I have now started the construction of one of the gas bottle cages but its now got to set before I do any more.

 

It's back into the garage tonight to carry on sorting out the software with some more liquid refreshment.