john dew

I guess there are many scale discrepancies when we model! My point was that consistently stopping a 10” wheelbase loco on an 11” bridge can be difficult. Operating an analogue TT with TC is described in more detail in either the manual or the help section. I use a stand alone Peco solenoid point motor as a relay ........this turns the TT on and off . A reed and magnet ( on both ends of the bridge ) act as an indicator enabling TC to activate the point motor. Its a bit Heath Robinson.....you could probably set up a more sophisticated indicator! I would only use it on an indexing TT with very limited exits.....but given that caveat...it works

280mm .....11" sounds quite tight. I am not familiar with SR 4-6-0s but a GWR Castle measures a smidgeon under 11" overall. 10" from front pony wheel to rear tender wheel.....less than 1" stopping tolerance. You may have to reduce or eliminate the braking ramp. The abrupt stop may be unprototypical but may provide more consistency. If the TT is to be custom made I wonder if additional indicators could be wired in a short distance from each end As you know TC needs not only the identity of a loco when it is assigned to a block but also its orientation ie direction in which it is pointing (not to be confused with direction of travel). When a loco on a TT bridge turns thru 180o the orientation is changed. If TC doesnt pick this up from the turntable decoder the loco will move off the bridge in the opposite direction to that intended. This was the issue that plagued me for four years with my Heljan TT and ultimately caused me to replace it with a supported TT. In fairness I had 11 entry/exit roads which allowing for house/non house orientation created 20 different addresses. The way your TTs are set up each will only have two addresses which will simplify matters considerably.......you may want to read the section in the manual about linking a basic analog turntable to TC. I have a very elderly non DCC Fleischmann TT set up like this in my storage yard and it works without any orientation issues. Best wishes John

The bridge on the ADM is 304 mm and the Fleischmann is a 1/4” longer at 310 mm..........however the ADM aperture is 309 mm whereas the Fleischmann is 340 mm........I guess thats the perceived advantage of the ADM? I would recommend contacting the guy with the ADM to determine exactly how he uses it and, in particular, how it deals with Loco orientation.......that was the deal breaker with my Heljan Best wishes John

Brilliant photos Tony.......my apologies for not replying before.....not sure how I missed your June post. Your figures put mine to shame.......the loco shot is outstanding.......20 images stacked....wow! I have dabbled with photo stacking but that shot is really inspires me to try again Best wishes John

Thanks Tony thats very helpful I have checked the pick ups because that actually happened with the first one. I will check the rods as you suggest . Could you expand on Flash on the drivers or stub axles.......as you know mechanics is not my strong suit! Best wishes John

Thanks Mikkel thats very kind of you........I hope you are not trying to curry favour?

Thanks for all the likes and ticks guys.....very encouraging Not sure why I always start or end with the weather here but......you may have seen in the UK papers that our provincial government has declared a state of emergency because of the forest fires in the interior. It must be horrific there but even on the coast where we live its pretty unpleasant as the smoke drifts down. On a clear day we can see Mount Baker in the USA 100+ miles to the south , now we can barely discern Burnaby Mountain....a largish hill 5 miles away. It reminds me of the smog that used to roll up from Manchester to Oldhan. The sun tries to break through but its not at all nice outside. Net result ......I have done a lot of modelling! This weeks jobs......Gardening apart, reinstall the sandhouse and water crane. Finish the ash siding.....I think its now safe to add people there.................oh and fix that b****y chimney pot...again. All done! Water Crane and associated stuff. I think this was Springside........its for Locos that are to coaled,,turned and out again.......there are three Mikes Models for the GWR shed roads Hydrant.....one of six...........these are from Gem.........more to come from Modelu for the shed roads Ash Pit Sandhouse........or should it be Sandfurnace? I was never sure where to position this, then I stumbled on a photo of Leamington Shed.....with the sand wagons stabled on a siding off the turntable......a precedent for everything I struggled to represent 1:76 sand. The grains of the real stuff were far too big. Not sure this mix of Cinnamon, Mustard and Turmeric does the trick.....I may have overdone the turmeric The last two shots kind of reflect the atmosphere outside When I first edited the last shot I almost discarded it because it seemed too crowded and cluttered. then I realised thats exactly the atmosphere I am trying to create in the shed area.. Best wishes to all John

James As you know I only recently realised you were thinking of using RR&Co Train Controller to operate this layout so I am afraid this advice/warning is rather late in the day Personally I think TC is an excellent choice but you will find that your choice of turntables is both limited and expensive. I think the turntable(s) will have to be capable of automatic operation by TC. From my own (bitter) experience it is very difficult* to do this unless the turntable is specifically supported by RR&Co. You can find a list of supported turntables in the help section of your demo programme. *After 4 years trying to get my Heljan turntable to talk to TC , in January I admitted defeat and purchased a Fleischman 6152c turntable and an almost as expensive Fleischman 6915 turntable controller which talks very happily to TC.......its been quite a revelation. Usual disclaimer. Hope this doesnt cause too much re design but better you know now than follow my example Best wishes John

Hi Tinker I think you may be right.....I certainly hope so! It was reassuring that it performed so well above 10 mph. The problem I have in running it with RR&Co is the uncertainty of it stalling as it slows down through the speed steps to crawl speed when stopping at a signal. The black Dean works well because I fitted a surplus TCS KAT keep alive. That may be the ultimate solution if this Dean continues to be unreliable at slow speeds. That will mean hard wiring and carving out the tender and putting up with the mid speed spike that I have never been able to smooth out in any TCS decoder.......swings and roundabouts! Incidentally I meant to write to you......I was easily able to fit the Lenz Standard into this Dean by cutting (and sealing off) the redundant function wires and only leaving the red,black,orange and grey wires intact.......so now I can hard wire the silver mini into the Ivatt 2-6-2t after all Cheers John

Following on with my comments about the replacement Dean Goods, here is a 30 second video showing the Dean Goods with a Lenz Standard at speed step 7 ....scale 8 mph. By way of comparison its followed by a Bachmann Collet same decoder, same speed step [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrJeiRKoJyc[/media] May be I am just picky but I expect locos to run like the Collet. There is clearly some resistance which the motor struggles to overcome (I suspect the gear worm connection?).........I do wonder what impact the decision to discard the twin flywheel has had on performance. The good news is that at higher speeds the problem goes away .........from the mid point (step 14) the movement is quite silky with no sign of hesitation. I dont feel confident to use her on complicated shunting but I think she can earn her corn on the Down goods circuit.............once all the silver paint has disappeared and she has been suitably weathered,lamped,coaled and crewed Regards to all. John

Hi Colin Thank you....glad you liked it. Summers in Vancouver are generally very pleasant.....consistent mid to high 70 s......mid 80 s is unusual. After a prolonged period without rain we invariably get quite serious forest fires in the interior and the smoke drifts down to us on the coast.......thats starting to happen last few days......not pleasant. I was just about to write to you about the Dean.......Oxford sent me a brand new model as a replacement......despite having been tested by them the rear tender pick ups were flat against the chassis sides....just like others have reported. Someone used the phrase “deliberate”......it has happened so frequently I am inclined to think that an instruction at thefactory may have been mis interpreted. Performance so far is like the curates egg......when its good its good ....when its bad its rubbish. Which ,of course is no good at all with automatic operation......fingerpoken is not an option! The wheels were dirty and other pick ups needed adjusting so it has improved somewhat but at low to medium speeds there is still a slight but noticeable hesitation during the cycle..I am not sure of the cause......I will try and show it on a video. I dont think I can use it on complex routines but hopefully it will eventually perform ok on a simple circuit routine. I am of the school that can tolerate design flaws but demand consistent smooth running. I appreciate Hattons and Oxfords help in trying to resolve the issue but I am not sure if I will be rushing to buy an Oxford loco in the future! Best wishes John

Thank you James. The Bilteezi tenement is a veritable antique.....I bought the kit from Norman Wythenshawe in the early nineties and it has featured in all three versions of Granby. Compared with Scalescene it looks a bit crude now but its perfect as background....sadly its no longer obtainable Best wishes John

Thanks Tinker.....you are too kind.......card,paper and the three foot rule can hide a multitude of bodges. I must admit I am quite chuffed with the wall once I fully understood the destructions. Its very versatile......it can do slight curves and sloping ground so hopefully it will transform the lead in to the shed Cheers John

Its been super hot in Vancouver......85o in the house. Fortunately the railway room is a semi-basement and stayed quite cool. The coaling stage suffered a certain amount of collateral damage when it was removed earlier in the year. Its now been repaired and tarted up a bit......like its owner its quite elderly. The ramp has been refurbished and Scalescene walls added to separate it from what will become a street scene behind You may recall the Tortoise for the turnout is surface mounted and concealed by the modified Station building The actuating arm is concealed by a store room that has been cobbled together from Scalescene paper, Wills corrugate and some scrap drain pipe Apart from the drunken chimney pot (yet again!) I like this next shot. I think it captures 1947 Granby rather well. Particularly with no tomato plants peeping coyly over the rooftops, This is my first attempt at the Scalescene retaining wall complete with plinths,buttresses, reverse batter and parapets! A bit over the top for this location, most of it is obscured by the single storey mess room extension. It was however a good opportunity to practice for a long run (circa 4') that will lead off from the other side of the coaling ramp. It all looks strangely deserted! Lots of people and stuff to add. I am leaving it for a while until I get some new figures etc from Modelu. Most of the old shed staff were from the Monty range (with some Gem and Dapol ex Airfix in the background). I am a big fan of both but I think they look even more convincing if kept apart. This turntable/shed project seems to have been going on forever but at last I believe I am now making some tangible progress...........I may even find time to run some trains! This weeks jobs......Gardening apart, reinstall the sandhouse and water crane. Finish the ash siding.....I think its now safe to add people there.................oh and fix that b****y chimney pot...again. Regards from Vancouver where we have had two very welcome days of rain John

Thanks John Access from outside isnt really feasible......I would still have to unlock it from the inside and below the platform....I did suggest leaving it unlocked to the domestic authorities....didnt go down too well! Cheers John

I am reluctant to start replacing buildings and engines in the shed area until this area at the back is finished There are two issues....the undeveloped window sill at the top and the surface mounted tortoise at the front The tortoise had to be surface mounted and remotely connected because the mineral train storage lines are immediately below. Previously I had concealed it with an extension of the coaling embankment but I want to use the space for some offices, stores and a mess room . The tortoise will be concealed beneath two heavily modified Station Masters houses from the Scalescenes Medium Station Its not a typical GWR structure....not sure they had two storey mess/office buildings on a medium sized shed but you can see why I need the height. Fortunately John Wiffen uses this Dutch Gable feature in a lot of his kits including the small engine shed. Ths kit provided the entrances to the six bays of the roundhouse, so.hopefully, it will look as though it is all of a piece . Lots still to do......meantime on to the window sill I have been putting off dealing with it for ages hence the assorted vignettes of the vegetable garden that appear at the back of the coaling ramp. A piece of fine carpentry will act as a foundation A couple of long serving buildings plonked in position to see what it will look like The idea is to create sub units .....a street scene, the old brewery etc each of which can be accessed separately for detailing and dusting........I am working on a 4' pole with a hook for the end unit!. I keep looking at that Coaling Ramp and wondering if a Kernow 1361 could climb up it ........I am very tempted, even though they never ventured into North Wales......Robin on ANTB isnt helping at all with some brilliant photos Regards from Vancouver John ]

Morning temptation for me! Just like you I have to mind my head as I duck under water although in my case its a mucky canal. Dont know if you have sorted your new water supply yet? I used Magic Water for my canal and it was excellent and I believe Rick ( Gwiwer) used it for the very effective surf in his Penhayle Bay layout. Best wishes John

Could you post a few more shots so I can get a clearer idea of the problem.......it may be my eyes,I am very old, but your shot looked fine to me. Pining for a 1361 in Vancouver John

Ohh you are wicked!! Sorely tempted in Vancouver

Hi Robin Every time you post these great photos of 1363 my resolve starts weakening......I am pretty certain they were never seen in North Wales but there is always Rule#1. Not worried about splashers but I do worry about smooth running and haulage power......how reliable has yours been? Ok on gradients? Regards from Vancouver where it will hit the mid thirties today John

As always thank you for all the likes etc and comments. Its so encouraging as I plod on with this, seemingly, never ending project. Here is the revised screen shot of the approach tracks complete with spurs.............I also renamed / re-arranged the shed reception sequence.......the clearances were too tight for the lineside hut that I used for the shed crew and checking in...........I am a bit dubious about its new position though ......it seems an awful long way for the relieved crew to walk back and collect their bikes! Here is a helicopter shot of the newly ballasted and weathered approach tracks...........weathered is perhaps an inaccurate description.....there is a very sharp contrast between the fresh "weathering" and the patina naturally acquired over the past ten years by the adjacent running lines........hopefully it will eventually blend in. The two roads of coal wagons on the left (by the window) are not on the screen shot. They are part hidden storage yards for the long mineral trains that crawl (full and empty) through the branch. Part of this project is to make them fully hidden and cover the window sill with some industrial buildings. That will be a while yet, but as its a very long reach, I plan to get the support structure built before replacing the detail in the foreground. The next road is the coal ramp.....(block 770) followed by the re aligned ash pit waiting line and the ash pit with the ash wagon siding along side. As I mentioned to MIB, I spent forever trying to squeeze in an additional siding for Loco coal wagons........it looks feasible but in practice just doesnt work. The East spur is not in the shot but the route from it to the West Spur can be seen running past the turntable.. I had hoped to retain one of the tortoi that powered the 3 way point but it was not to be. This shows the Cobalt SS surface mounted motor that I had to squeeze in. I have always had problems with this area.........the storage yard boards on the left side of the room are 2.5" higher than the main line station boards (please dont ask) and the shed boards were added years later. This is where the three examples of my rough carpentry meet http://yourmodelrailway.net/images/emoticons/icon_eek.gifhttp://yourmodelrailway.net/images/emoticons/icon_eek.gif Is it any wonder I had running problems? I really should have taken them to the tip and started again........too late now so I have spent far too long trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. There are some unrealistic changes in level and the clearances are sometimes a bit tight...........having said that I have tested the track with assorted locos.....big and small..... and it does seem to work.........no derailments and generally smoother running............any unevenness will continue to be attributed to mining subsidence So on with the painting, ballasting , grassing and weathering Including a start on weathering the turntable...........here is a reminder of how it looked when first installed The bridge has had some temporary camouflage while I ponder on a more permanent solution.......... Bridge green house removed and wasp stripes painted grey, planking painted but still to be weathered. The concrete surrounds and wood planking have been weathered. The top right section of the perimeter has been bedded in with grass and ballast. Nothing on the left yet as the water crane and a small hut have to be installed and before I do that I need to work out how to treat the dummy exit tracks. Dont think these appeared on the prototype but they are an integral part of the model operating mechanism. They look odd without some form of buffer stop stop block........hope you have recovered from your fall Mike and approve of my attempts to use the correct terms Talking of stop blocks........ Another job done! Regards from Vancouver where its a pleasant 76o today..........however next week is likely to be the mid eighties ....less pleasant. John

Thank you gentlemen.........East and West Spur it shall be Decisive in Vancouver

In addition to replacing the turntable, I wanted to replace the 3 way point at the entrance to the shed and generally improve the running relianility up to the turntable This is a screenshot of part of the RR&Co switchboard. This is the sequence.......will the knowledgeable guys, I am lucky enough to have following this thread, please correct any naming errors (I cant believe "kick back" is appropriate in this context but "head shunt" didnt sound right either) Locos pass through 727 Shed Entry and pause briefly ( 2 minutes?) at 771 Reception before moving on to the Ash Pit (10 minutes) and then to the Coaling stage (5 minutes) and then on to the east kick back The point is thrown and the loco stops at the water crane (5 minutes) then eases forward allowing any following loco to advance to the crane. From the water crane locos move to the west kick back and await their turn on to the turntable (currently off screen covered by a wok lid I would welcome comments on the timing........this whole routine is automated and these delays are built into the schedules.......currently its the same delay for a 4-6-0 as a pannier but I could and should vary the delays to broadly suit the locos........ though I dont think I will go so far as to differentiate between tender water capacity. I work to a 6x fast clock.....the times below are real time so a 5 minute delay takes 30 seconds You will be relieved to hear there is a more direct route to exit the shed. But I must admit it is a pretty tortuous way to get to the turntable and the sheds. If I were planning it again I might attempt something different........but for all its faults I have managed to squeeze a quart into a pint pot.................I would be delighted if someone could point be to something on the prototype that was even vaguely similar. At the risk of being boring: Each block is exactly that.....an electrically isolated block each with its own occupancy detector........an occupancy or accessory decoder controls 4 detectors. Each detector covers 2 blocks. So Decoder #77 covers most of the approach roads. With this routine I have had up to 5 locos all shuffling round at the same time on their way to the turntable...........very satisfying until they got to the three way and then far too often promptly derailed So the three way has gone replaced by a standard medium radius and the ash wagon siding (which never worked) now runs off the reception road and is operational More to come Progressing in Vancouver John

Hi Phil We may be talking about two separate issues here. [1] I would certainly carry out Ian's basic shorting test.........do check there are no locos on the tracks first! [2] You should, as a priority, establish which circuit breaker(s) meets your needs/budget and have them wired up permanently ASAP.........they should always trip ear;ier than the breaker in your DCC control box I think of mine as an insurance policy........ I installed my 4 PSX from day one and reckon they have saved me their purchase price many times over...........in 10 years I believe I have only nuked 2 decoders.....(both thru my own stupidity) . And thats in addition to all the time saved in fault finding and acting as an early warning system. I admit the PSX sound expensive at 33 pounds each........although I guess thats close to the equivalent of two decent decoders. Hopefully you can source a less expensive but equally effective alternative..........if not I would consider installing just one upstream of your four (?) power districts and ,if you havent done so already, fit each district with a basic on/off switch for fault finding Sorry for the rant.....but having been one of the guys who persuaded you to look at DCC I feel kind of responsible! Best wishes John