well filled baps The Sheep Chronicles. The adventures of a Sheep, the Works Forecat and the Works Apprentice, George.

[2ManySpams]

9 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

Evening all. 

 

Well, thanks to better weather than anticipated and two early starts and long days,  the garden project has effectively been completed three days ahead of schedule.............

 

 

Still some tidying and groundwork to finish but the fence is done and a skip filled with the excess soil, clay rubble etc. 

 

Top day. 

 

So.........we can now start thinking about the Room of Doom.......maybe......

 

Rob

 

 

 

I see you've trimmed your bush too.

[NHY 581]

Just now, 2ManySpams said:

 

I see you've trimmed your bush too.

 

Of course. 

 

 

[chuffinghell]

13 minutes ago, 2ManySpams said:

 

I see you've trimmed your bush too.

[MrWolf]

11 minutes ago, chuffinghell said:

 

Can't have that kind of innuendo around here matron!

[JustinDean]

Tidy. 
 

Fence and bush. 

[MrWolf]

The fence looks very neat indeed, well done resisting the temptation to weather it and replace sections with salvaged corrugated iron or enamel signs...

 

BTW have the cats given it the seal of approval yet?

I believe that the criteria are:

Being able to walk across the top, two toes either side of the boards.

The ability to sit on top and scowl at lesser beings.

 

There may be others.

[03060]

Scratchability tests will be carried out tomorrow !

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, NHY 581 said:

 

Of course. 

 

 

Very neatly as well. No jagged spurs. Give yourself a gold star and go to top of the class.

[NHY 581]

Morning all, 

 

Well, the fence still stands so that's encouraging. 

 

Both myself and the Memsahib have a few aches after our combined labours over the last few days so a relaxed day at Chateau Sheep. 

 

I'm off to the vets later to have the results of the MRI and hopefully will get an idea of what is  the causation of my wonky hooves.....equally hopeful that they may work out how to fix them. 

 

We shall see. 

 

Rob

 

 

[NHY 581]

Afternoon all. 

 

Well, that's another thing off the list. In summary, op booked for hooves, date to be confirmed but probably early next year. 

 

Rob

 

 

[NHY 581]

On a lighter note, looks like the revamp to the Room of Doom will indeed commence in a week or so. 

 

Rob

 

 

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, NHY 581 said:

On a lighter note, looks like the revamp to the Room of Doom will indeed commence in a week or so. 

 

Rob

 

 

You'll be able to put your fence erection skills to use then.

[NHY 581]

Morning all. 

 

With the Memsahib in the garden, I'm going to test a couple of DCC decoders. 

 

The new layout, when it gets going will be DCC from the start, unlike EWE which was originally DC. 

Not sure yet if this new fangledness will extend to electric points but one step at a time. Frankly, the most important thing is the running of the locos. Any other stuff is secondary to this, hence the research and development. 

 

Rob. 

 

[woodenhead]

Good track and super loco mechanisms are all part of the mix, but can I toss in Stay Alives for the locos as well with DCC

 

It just adds that extra little bit of insurance when running so that the hand of God is pretty much eliminated except to help with uncoupling.

[2ManySpams]

2 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Morning all. 

 

With the Memsahib in the garden, I'm going to test a couple of DCC decoders. 

 

The new layout, when it gets going will be DCC from the start, unlike EWE which was originally DC. 

Not sure yet if this new fangledness will extend to electric points but one step at a time. Frankly, the most important thing is the running of the locos. Any other stuff is secondary to this, hence the research and development. 

 

Rob. 

 

 

Testing DCC in the garden? Narrow gauge garden railway?? 

[Worsdell forever]

30 minutes ago, 2ManySpams said:

 

Testing DCC in the garden? Narrow gauge garden railway?? 

DCC fence?

[F-UnitMad]

4 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

With the Memsahib in the garden

Under the patio seems a popular choice... or have I misunderstood..??

🤔 😁 

[2ManySpams]

2 hours ago, Worsdell forever said:

DCC fence?

 

Just wondering what the sound options might be?

[mullie]

6 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Morning all. 

 

With the Memsahib in the garden, I'm going to test a couple of DCC decoders. 

 

The new layout, when it gets going will be DCC from the start, unlike EWE which was originally DC. 

Not sure yet if this new fangledness will extend to electric points but one step at a time. Frankly, the most important thing is the running of the locos. Any other stuff is secondary to this, hence the research and development. 

 

Rob. 

 

DCC doesn't have to be complicated in my view. I dismissed sound fairly early on as I don't like generic sound (I don't search for generic music), most locos wouldn't have the correct sound files available and as someone who has worked with sound artists across the years,  the sound of the locos is just one part of a rich sound canvas, what about everything else?

 

DCC enables you to fine tune motors to get the best out of them, in my case that is some Comet chassis, Bullant bogies (with stay alive) and re gauged ready to run both diesel and steam. That for me is enough. 

 

Point and signal control is something I experimented with quite successfully and still have some accessory decoders, my latest layouts are very luddite, using wire in tube for point work.

 

Fortunately our hobby is a broad church so you can do as you wish.

 

Martyn

[Donw]

I like sound.  Firstly steam locos were noisy so having them making a bit of noise seems natural. It also seems natural to hear odd noises from a loco in steam but stationary. Those who are fans of disesals tell me they sound good too. Currently I favour the zimo decoders.  If you had half a dozen locos on a shed layout it would probably be a cacophony but a simple layout like Ewe I think it would add to it. 

Of course the wallet may have something to say about the cost. 

 

Don

[Winslow Boy]

7 hours ago, F-UnitMad said:

Under the patio seems a popular choice... or have I misunderstood..??

🤔 😁 

First place they look so I'm told.

[St Enodoc]

8 hours ago, 2ManySpams said:

 

Just wondering what the sound options might be?

En garde!

 

Touche!

 

etc.

[NHY 581]

16 hours ago, mullie said:

DCC doesn't have to be complicated in my view. I dismissed sound fairly early on as I don't like generic sound (I don't search for generic music), most locos wouldn't have the correct sound files available and as someone who has worked with sound artists across the years,  the sound of the locos is just one part of a rich sound canvas, what about everything else?

 

DCC enables you to fine tune motors to get the best out of them, in my case that is some Comet chassis, Bullant bogies (with stay alive) and re gauged ready to run both diesel and steam. That for me is enough. 

 

Point and signal control is something I experimented with quite successfully and still have some accessory decoders, my latest layouts are very luddite, using wire in tube for point work.

 

Fortunately our hobby is a broad church so you can do as you wish.

 

Martyn

 

 

Morning all. 

 

Well put, Martyn. I think sound is great but I'm happy to run silent models for now. On the subject of DCC, I'm a novice so keep things very simple indeed.  I, on the advice of Gilbert ( Chris Hopper, who has been very helpful ) standardised on Zimo decoders. In my case, with lots of my locos taking 6 pin decoders, I use those they supply to Bachmann. They're excellent and give me running to the required F.S.S. ( Fussy Sheep Standard) as those who've seen EWE and the J70s at a show will have seen. 

 

However, now safe in the knowledge that Bachmann source their decoders  from the more accomplished manufacturers, I bought an 8 pin and a 21 pin Bachmann decoder last week. These decoders are supplied by ESU, hence the testing yesterday. 

 

My J15s are fitted with six pin decoders plumbed in using an 8 pin to 6 pin harness, again by Bachmann. One of these was swapped for the new 8 pin decoder. With no tweaking of the settings, it ran beautifully, matching the 6 pin installation and nothing else was needed. 

 

The displaced 6 pin decoder was then fitted to a Hattons SE&CR P Class. As expected,  excellent running. A spare 6 pin decoder was popped into a second P class, same result. A Dapol SE&CR Terrier had a Bachmann Next 18 decoder added and this again is a lovely runner. 

 

The 21 pin decoder is destined for a Bachmann SE&CR liveried C class which I'll pop in this afternoon and report back. 

 

The only issue is the size of the Bachmann/ESU 8 pin decoders and this prevented it's fitting to a Hornby H class. That said, I only had a cursory glance and I need to revisit this. It may well fit into the side tank. 

 

In summary then, the J15s still fitted with Bachmann/Zimo 6 pin decoders will have them replaced with Bachmann/ESU 8 pin decoders so that will be the motive power for the Mid Suffolk project sorted. 

 

The SE&CR project really only needs the P Class and the Terrier to run the intended services but a H and a C Class will both clearly be 'needed'........

 

Updates will follow. 

 

Rob. 

 

 

[NHY 581]

Testing, testing.........

 

 

 

 

 

[PaulRhB]

19 hours ago, 2ManySpams said:

 

Just wondering what the sound options might be?

F1 Sound on/off  (rate increases with impending rain)

F2 Loud exclamation- Drill battery’s gone flat

F3 Loud exclamation- Ouch my hoof

F4 Sheep squeal

F5 Baa

 

Just a thought if people count sheep jumping over a fence to fall asleep, would sheep counting fence panels fall asleep?

 

F6 delivers DCC track power jolt to user to keep them awake.