john dew

Hi Anthony Good to hear from you and thank you for the kind comments. I have just been catching up on your layout thread .......your mountain building exercise is quite amazing. Best wishes John

I believe Anthony is also planning to use RR&Co computor control. Edited...oops forgot to wish you a Happy New Year although I am already a day late for you. Best wishes John

Thank you Robin. I get the sense that you and Mike have some inside info! Definitely looking forward to the New Year Have a great Christmas Best wishes John

Hi Richard Thank you for those comments that is very kind of you. Research?......you are right not too many sources available in Vancouver. Over the years I have collected a handful of books which are very useful.....Stephen Williams GWR Branch Line Modelling, Paul Karau GWR Branch Line Termini, Bob Essery’s books on Operations and the GWR Encyclopedia are the most well thumbed. I guess my primary source of information now is RMweb! I am an avid follower of ANTB........threads like GWR post war Hall liveries are brilliant and I have been lucky enough to get advice and encouragement from some very knowlegeable members. I must admit that I do get a lot of enjoyment from trying to get the detail look right for 1948. Best wishes John

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM GRANBY JUNCTION Best wishes to all Granby's followers particularly those who offered advice and comments or clicked assorted buttons throughout 2018. Your support has always been a great boost to my morale.........many many thanks A happy modeller in Vancouver

Somewhat off topic......good to hear from you Beast .....gives me an opportunity to thank you for starting me off with RR&Co.....without your tutorial I doubt if it would have happened......It was version 5 in 2006 and now I am on V9... how time flies Have a great Christmas John

I just grabbed the video off the shelf so to speak in the hope that it would give you an idea of the scope of TC......glad it was of some help. The single aspect signals within the block ends are part of TCs internal control system. The properties of each block can be amended so they are not visible .........in fact I think some were on the video......but you cant stop them working. You can add 4 aspect signals , and even more complex images, to the switchboard and then link them to physical signals on the layout which will control train movement The available signals ( as opposed to bespoke designed) can be found in the accessories tab. If you havent already done so you should download the manual.....its free Cheers John.

Hi I am a Train Controller enthusiast. I have used it for 10 years to control my Granby Layout. It added a new dimension to my modelling and has been one of the best modelling investments I have made.(usual disclaimer) I dont use it to operate signals on the layout but I know many people do, its a very versatile piece of software and there is invariably more than one way of solving a problem. Funnily enough I first learned about TC through a tutorial that Beast6606 ran on signalling back in 2006. I dont know the background to his disagreement with Herr Freiwald but from my experience Juergen seems a rather inflexible character.......its his way or the high road. On the other hand, speaking for myself, I have found his customer service excellent. From time to time I have made some rather amateurish videos in an attempt to convince my luddite friends of the benefits of computor control. Here is my most recent one which may give you an some idea of the scope of TC ​https://youtube.com/watch?v=UPLVZqrTGm8 For track detection I use Lenz LB101s occupancy detectors connected to Lenz LR101 decoders which connect through the Xpressnet to the Lenz Command Centre and thence the TC system on the computor. Its a very reliable and robust detection system.....no failures during 10 years operation .....the occasional fault has veen of my own making Hope this helps......happy to answer any follow up questions Regards from Vancouver John

Granby's shed renovation is finally complete. http://yourmodelrailway.net/images/emoticons/happy10.gif Last week the blue bin bag was removed and I repositioned 52 passengers and station staff .....I had forgotten quite how many I had there. The roof was repaired, the buildings replaced and I was finally able to run trains through the station again. This project has taken almost eight months to complete and I must confess there have been moments of self doubt. The jar of ballast emptied into a brand new turntable being the ultimate low point http://yourmodelrailway.net/images/emoticons/icon_redface.gifhttp://yourmodelrailway.net/images/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif Thank you all for your support and encouragement as you followed me on this winding journey. To wrap it all up, I thought I would re-post some photos taken during the demolition in May followed by shots taken from the equivalent position last week Lastly...... four of the finalists rehearsing for the Loco line up video that I hope to shoot between Christmas and New Year The somewhat ambitious plan is for me to press one button on the computor switchboard following which four different sized locos (facing in both directions) will progress through the shed entry roads....each stopping for coal with the tender positioned under the coal chute before finally finishing up ....all facing the same direction...... in their designated shed road. Nothing like a challenge to start the New Year! Seasons Greetings from Vancouver John

Hi Tinker I, too, am quite fond of my Counties. I have had them a long time, I think the Dapol model dates back to Granby I so thats 25 years! Both have Ringfield motors but I successfully replaced the bushes on County of Worcester and she is regularly used on the eight coach XP schedule. From time to time I contemplate buying a Hornby Railroad model........I believe they are known to be reliable performers even if the detail is lacking? Thanks for the comments on the shed.....thats very kind of you. I see you spotted glimpses of the new backscene.....apart from creating cameos I have been busy building long runs of Scalescene walls......more to come! Best Wishes John

Thank you John Both North and West Vancouver are on the lower slopes of the Coastal Mountain range which rise to 3,000' and provide a spectacular backdrop to Vancouver proper. The rain has stopped now and I dont think the snow fell as low as predicted....we can usually see the snow line if its at 900'...........so maybe we wont have a white Christmas after all.......one things for certain we wont be going down to the beach for a barbie. I often wonder how we would have coped with the culture shock of Christmas in mid summer. Best wishes to you and your family John

Well done! I remember when I first started following your thread thinking what a major job ballasting would be for you....I am amazed you have accomplished it so quickly and effectively. On reflection I think your approach of waiting a while before ballasting is much sounder than mine. I cringe at the amount of ballasted track I have lifted and had to replace as a result of operational experience Regards John

Thanks for all the likes guys...........one last little cameo before I wrap up this long running saga In addition to a bunch of fitters, the Gem Shed pack also came with a number of cleaners in various "action" poses Previously they were scattered around the shed "cleaning" a number of different locos. Fine in theory but not so good in practice.........when a loco moved off the shed it left a cleaner still clutching his polishing rag leaning precariously into thin air ......the guy perched on the boiler had a bit of a scary ride on the turntable when I inevitably forgot to remove him. http://yourmodelrailway.net/images/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif At one stage I wasnt going to bother but finally decided to sacrifice one of the new roads for this static display......the road is wired up and could be used in the future, but right now County of Chester aint going anywhere.........decoder long since removed and redeployed Not sure how much labour would have been available for this sort of cleaning in 1948.........I thought it might look moderately credible with Hawksworth's brand new County Class........as a last resort I could add 4 head lamps and create an impending Royal Visit to North Wales So thats it.......all done Now I just have to repair and replace the station roof..........the whole area got pretty devastated during the turntable installation.....most of the station passengers got flattened and need repositioning. Regards from a very wet Vancouver.........well its wet here at 600' on the North Shore Mountains but snowing heavily at 950'.......could be a White Christmas John

The LMS shed, a much modified Metcalfe, is now back in place The GWR half roundhouse was technically more challenging to build and is very effective in the confined space but ,for whatever reason, I get an equal if not greater amount of pleasure from this more modest building. . It could be because I have such pleasant memories of doing the modifications. I know little about the LMS and this was a real collaborative effort accross the continents. In particular,I remember I got a huge amount of help from a delightful guy in Kilkenny Ireland. Super chap, absolute mine of information on the LNWR........he sent me neat hand drawn sketches of how I was to build the ventilators and lots of advice on paint colours etc and LMS practice in general . . . The full build is described somewhere round page 20......December 2013......how time flies!. As a result of installing the new turntable the LMS site has changed a bit. There is now a third exit road for LMS locos which is very useful but, as a result, I have had to shorten one of the three carriage sidings. Which in itself is not such a bad result because the space in front of the offices/stores was previously rather cramped This shot shows at the bottom the tunnel exit which enables the low level auto coach to access Canal St halt..........and in the real world explains the level problems I had with the sheds........genuine mining subsidence.....how much more realistic can one get? Detail and even more detail: No fancy Mess Hall for the LMS crew.....just .a converted coach shoehorned into a narrow space by the turntable We had a long debate about paint colours and finally determined that after the grouping in 1923 the repainting of engine sheds would be a long way down the LMS corporate livery list.......and then WWII intervened........so these doors are my best effort at very faded, 25 year old LNWR Dark Red/Brown. Lamp post, hydrant and water crane in battleship grey.......literally.......... LNWR bought a load of surplus Royal Nave paint after WWI Just a few bits and pieces to do then a final wrap up and its time to start thinking about a video........I do want to share with you the turntable operation....its a real joy! Regards from a cold crisp Vancouver

Thank you! Glad to learn that the arrangement is/was prototypical and not, as I feared, a figment of my imagination. Could you let me know the link.....I must have asked the wrong question when I googled! Cheers John

Thanks Bob...........I have been using Affinity to edit the photos..........I am just scratching the surface with all the options and I suspect I wont advance much further far but the ability to correct the white balance is far better than photoshop elements and I seem to be able to make the black and white shots softer and more authentic.........just trying to find the sepia button now! Cheers

Snap.....I did the same when I had to fix the TT......what a difference a temperature controlled machine makes, particularly with a proper iron....hardwiring a chip now is a breeze. I am astonished at what I attempted with a 25 yearold Weller Cheers

With the site slowing down for maintenance last week I skipped my usual update. In actual fact I spent most of my time running trains.....now there's a novel concept .......so progress has slowed somewhat In any event you guys must be getting fed up with shots like this. At least here is something a little different A steam boiler for the workshop. It came in kit form as part of a job lot of Gem items that I bought years ago. I rather enjoyed building the kit and am now quite attached to it........ I am not sure that it would have been located outside or that it would have been kept in such pristine condition. I suppose I can create some sort of legend about a shed pet, lovingly maintained by Bill Longshank a semi retired ex driver. (internet friend on another forum) Bill craftily knocked up a shelter where he can spend most of his time. Fortunately he hasnt got around to replacing the corrugated sheet that rusted away.......so I can continue to admire the backhead detail. This weeks focus is on something more substantial.......finishing the LMS shed area In other news you will no doubt be pleased to learn that Canada secured the very last place in next years Rugby World Club by defeating Hong Kong in the repecharge. As their pool group includes New Zealand and South Africa I would think that the odds on them progressing to the Quarter Finals are astronomic.......but at least they will be there

Yes its definitely Friday now! I am inclined to agree with you.......although if they could actually click for 80 minutes rather than 2 x 20 minute segments it could be more.......its actually a rather well balanced team. Unlike you, I cant record it. Yet again, I am reduced to reading live updates in the Telegraph and Guardian......how sad is that? Cheers John

Friday......thats tomorrow!........confused in Vancouver Any predictions on Saturdays game?

Whats this then? Hardly the usual introduction to a Granby post BobM asked how I made the "concrete" that surrounds the Engine Shed. I use artist's mount board (we call it Mat board). If you are not bothered about colour, and clearly I am not , you can pick up off cuts quite inexpensively from Picture Frame shops. The coloured side generally has light texturing, which can be useful, the underside is white and smooth. To get it to Code 100 rail height I use two layers. The bottom layer is just roughly placed but the top layer is cut precisely to make a snug fit. This is the reverse of a section to go between two sidings. The strip on the left has been scraped off the surface with a scalpel to allow for the height of the rail chairs. Infill rising above rail height was the bane of my life on the old shed so I am somewhat cautios . Here it is flipped over in place........its part of the concrete standing between the wheel drop rails and the LMS shed After a few coats of randomly mixed Black and Grey Acrylic. The wheel drop rails are made of two sections of Code 100 glued to form a U channel. I know that there should be an inspection pit in front of every shed road but when I first built the shed I chickened out, reasoning they woud mostly be covered by locos. Good job that I did of, course because when I changed the turntable the exit road geometry changed. Here is an overall shot of the workshop (modified Scalescene small shed) back in place The tracks in the right foreground wil shortly be covered by the LMS shed The wheel drop is the Ratio Kit I find it difficult to set up convincing everyday cameos on the shed roads. The realistic scene of a Driver oiling a bearing or a cleaner polishing a tender look a bit daft when the said loco moves off shed! As an alternative I have set up a couple of static cameos where the locos will not move (in truth...they cant)....the active shed roads just have equipment and a few staff walking purposefully. So here is the first such cameo. A couple of panniers permanently on display..... surrounded by a team of busy fitters Most of the figures are from the Gem package I bought 20 years ago. They dont compare too favourably with Modelu and Monty's models but from a distance they do provide a sense of activity I am not super mechanical so I always worried that this scene, which I have reproduced from the old set up, was technically incorrect so I was quite relieved when I recently stumbled across an old photo showing the jacks set up in this manner...... (this isnt the old photo.....its just me playing with the editor) The workshop is almost done then it will be time to put the LMS shed back in place Regards from Vancouver where it is now very wet indeed John

Hi James My apologies........I wrote this on Saturday but omitted to press . I guess I was too interested in Engand just losing to the All Backs followed by Canada winning the first game of the repecharge to claim the last berth in the 2019 World Cup! Thank you for your comments above.....glad to be of help. The answer to your question is yes. In the TC switchboard window set up a mini block at the base of a turnout with a dedicated occupancy detector. Set up the mini block in the normal way using the turnout occupancy detector as the block CI. Do nothing to the physical track. TC "will not know"! When any part of the physical turnout is occupied, the block on the switchboard will show pink (or the colour you have selected). The turnout will not change colour. Let us assume the sidings are numbered 1-13 (this time from bottom to top) and that the turnout between block 6 and 7 has a mini block at its base. Once a train/loco destined for say block 12 has physically cleared the mini block TC will release both it and the preceding route allowing schedules to start for any blocks between 1 and 5. Trains will have to have resistive wheel sets on the last car or you will need to build in an adequate safety delay. Nevertheless this will save a a lot of time......I am thinking particularly of reliefd locos moving to the sidings to coupe with existing trains stabled there. An added benefit: you will be able to use the mini block CIs as triggers for the flagmen you will have to set up in the siding blocks to allow relief locos to couple with trains stabled in the block. This will improve the stopping accuracy as the Time and Distance calculation will be shortened. I should have suggested it this earlier.....I suspect I was too obsessed with convincing you not to put turnouts in blocks Regards John NB There are a number of other instances where TC "not knowing" what is happening physically can be used to advantage.

Lovely evocative video Tony......I particularly like that last sequence with the long coal train.....great stuff! Best wishes John

I am wondering what significant differences took place in police uniforms between Edwardian times and say the early fifties ....when I believe ranks below inspector first started wearing collared shirt and tie? I am inclined to think those figures would not look out of place in the immediate post war period.......and during the war policeman often wore uniform helmets rather than steel helmets Would be glad to hear other views Regards John

Hi James If you have not already done so you may want to read the section in the manual regarding the Despatcher Window. It starts about Page 140 and covers the relationship between blocks and routes. Page 151 makes it clear thar all turnouts between two blocks constitute a route. All the turnouts in a route are locked until the train has fully entered the second block. Hence my concern about the ladder. However on Page 151 it also explains how you can insert mini blocks on the diagonal which would be perfect for the ladder (the miniscule blocks I mentioned in an earlier post). This would involve inserting small 2-3" sections of isolated track with a dedicated power supply and contact indicator (CI) between turnouts on the ladder. You wouldnt need to separate each turnout with these blocks, probably 3 would be sufficient. This would significantly improve operating flexibility. Assume the sidings on the ladder are numbered from the bottom 1 thru 13 and each set up as a block .Once a train destined for block 13 has cleared the mini block between say block 9 and 10 then the routes to blocks 1-8 are released. A loco could enter/exit any block between 1 and 8 before the train on the preceding schedule had completely entered block 13. Obviously you would need resistive whee sets on the last car......but I think you will need this anyway. ( N.B. I reversed the numbering system previously used for clarity) I would encourage you to set up the layout, or at least parts of the layout, in TC. You could test some of these theories in the simulator and we could even exchange files. *.yrrg is an acceptable RMWeb format. Advance work like this will save an enormous amount of time when it comes to physically laying track. Regarding turnouts.....yes they should be electrically isolated. Because they have their own dedicated power supply they can be connected to indicators which can be used to display occupancy or position. Some people, who I respect, do this. Most dont. I dont. It really is not good practice to include them in blocks HTH John PS dont be too concerned about my comments about the split level providing more operational satisfaction.......I did include some significant caveats......I will try and explain my thought process later.