SRman

All of Melbourne's older trams that were originally equipped with trolley poles are now equipped with pantographs, while all subsequent builds and types have had pantographs from new. It is interesting where tram lines cross other routes at right angle intersections, but even more interesting where they cross railways with 1500V DC overhead - there has to be extra switchgear in place to ensure the trams don't get 2.5 times the voltage they should be on! There are plenty of YouTube clips of Melbourne's trams, and some include railway level crossings as well. Here's one for starters (not my video, all credit to the owner of the video). This one is within earshot of the school I work in.

Se&CR C class 0-6-0 592 finds itself on passenger duties hauling birdcage set 138 through the countryside.

Tracklaying underway, although all of the points are only lightly pinned so I can lift them again to solder wires to them and connect them to frog polarity switches - because the upper level is to be DCC only, I am using automatic polarity sensor switches. There will be a crossover in the foreground of the second pic, allowing trains to exit the far side of the fiddle yard 'wrong road' then cross to the 'proper' running line. There are a couple of minor kinks to iron out from the curved lines in the loops, and, in spite of appearances, no curve goes under my minimum 3rd radius, or approximately 20" radius. The loop lengths were dictated by my desire to allow two 4 CEP units + an MLV to be stored and run. That translates to a locomotive and eight coaches for non-multiple unit stock. On a slightly different tack, I used the programming track to pose my Bachmann SE&CR C class with the matching birdcage stock, with slightly better lighting angles than in my usual photographic location. The stone walls are all simply propped there to hide the bare white polystyrene.

It's really not difficult, Phil. Just be methodical about it and all will fall into place. I bought some spare plastic axle centres from Peter's Spares, but have not had to use any of them so far.

I found this posted on Facebook, so not mine, but seems to be in the public domain.

Thanks for the reminder/correction, Ian - now you've said it, Abbott's does ring a bell. I know Crayford did quite a few of the convertible conversions for Ford. Shortly before my family left England, my father hired a Zephyr 4. It didn't have a great deal of get up and go, but it was very spacious. Dad was particularly impressed with the boot, being deep enough to stow the suitcases standing up vertically.

I never found the printed grille to be convincing on these models either, Husky did a far better job on their model. It was done to 1/75 scale (close enough for jazz!) but an odd choice of model because estate versions of the mark 3 range were particularly uncommon (done with official sanction by a third party converter - was it possibly Crayford?).

I spy DougN himself lurking at the back of that last photo, trying to hide (badly!).

Phil, my two Bachmann Nelsons are good runners, so were definitely worth converting. On the other hand, an older Standard 4MT locomotive proved to be a poor runner on DC (it used to be much better), so I scrapped any ideas of converting that. Each split chassis locomotive you own should be taken on its own merits as to whether it is good enough to convert to DCC.

Making this programming and testing track fully scenic opens up new photographic opportunities for models. I have been building and modifying two Metcalfe tunnel mouths and adding an expanded polystyrene embankment to this section. There is a lot more to do, but with a couple of bits of Peco stone walling temporarily posed by each tunnel mouth, it can be used already.

Do as RFS suggests, or even swap the decoder into a suitable locomotive, program it, then swap it back into the TC when you are satisfied that all is correct. I temporarily used a Zimo decoder in one of my TCs and that programmed perfectly on the programming track, whereas the Lenz decoders I used for both TCs (after I bought more of them - the Lenz decoders, that is) needed some resistance in line to program correctly. The DCC system you are using can also affect the ability to program non-motorised items fitted with decoders.

I fitted a Hatton's mini direct decoder in my H. It was tight, but it did fit. I do like TCS decoders, but they seem to have become more difficult to obtain at reasonable prices in recent times.

Ahh, some good, juicy, ordinary, everyday blackmail!!

As I have insulated joiners and painted track, it should be OK; only items with Kadees are intended to go into that last little section in any case. Demonstrating that I have power! And now with ballast being applied but not yet glued down. I do intend weathering it to a darker colour and adding some weeds when I add the rest of the scenery. I have also applied a little filler to the gaps in the boards where they join.

I know a few of those jokers: I've got bad news Ivan, you fell in with a bad crowd, there!!

The programming track has been added as a matter of priority - I need my programming track! Wiring it back in was a simple matter of cutting off the crocodile clips on the existing wires and soldering the newly cut ends to the track. A quick test showed it was all working nicely. I will paint and ballast this track. The Kadee gauge is on the extreme left end, with insulated joiners on its short piece of track, although I will paint the top surfaces of that bit of track as well, just as a precaution.

Was that you in drag, Allan?

B4 after end!

For DougN: a start has been made on the painting.

I will be painting it shortly, Doug. The spacing of the Pecketts was purely coincidental ... maybe it's my OCD kicking in subliminally!! I had considered adding a point into the underground, but that would cause problems for accessibility for maintenance and goes against my policy of not having any hidden pointwork. Keeping the track as an isolated and independent stretch means there can be no accidental shorts or crossovers of DCC and DC, or connecting the LokProgrammer or Power Cab to the Power Pro, which could also be disastrous. The way the rotary switch is wired means there are only two wires to reconnect to the track when I am ready - currently I can use the crocodile clips but I will be soldering wires to the rails.

All trimmed, screwed down and properly supported now. The track has been placed very, very roughly to give an idea of how it will look when finished. The single track at the lower level is actually to be the testing and programming track. It will disappear into tunnel mouths at both ends, with a buffer stop at the far end, and a short extension onto the workbench area (nowhere near as long as the photos show, though) with the Kadee coupling height gauge on the left. the middle part of the track will have to be as straight as possible to allow for the rolling road to be used when desired.

I took my sister on a tour of the location, seeing as we were driving nearly past it on the way to Glen Waverley. They were just setting up for filming, and my sister got all excited and called out, "There's Harold." I said, "Who?", much to her disgust! I really don't know the characters at all, just the locations. Apparently, the home owners in Pin Oak Court are paid to keep the external appearances of their homes and gardens looking the same as always for continuity in the filming. Interior shots are all studio sets, though.

I have never been a fan of the soap operas; neither Home and Away nor Neighbours. Ironically, I saw more of Neighbours on TV in England when I visited my Mum some years ago. It seemed funny seeing the familiar locations when I was so far away from home. The shopping centre featured in one episode was our local Forest Hill Chase(all of seven minutes walk from my home), the swimming pool was the Nunawading Aquatic Centre , as it used to be, and that's only a five minute drive away. As Doug indicated, Pin Oak Court which doubles as Ramsay Street is only a 10 minute drive away.

It's a part of the suppression system for DC operation. You can quite safely bypass it with a straight piece of wire.

OK: This is progress! I set to this morning to cut some of the woodwork. There remains a little bit more to do, including adding some more supports and shifting a temporary one, and trimming that final, middle board. I have engineered it to include a shelf that I can use for extra storage plus simple work like wheel cleaning and minor maintenance. The whole layout is shifted away from the wall at present, so I can get in there and work on it at the back. You can now see clearly where I am going with all this. Once I have the track in place with temporary pins, I can then work out how the turntable and storage lines will fit in in the middle.