Masterplan

[click to enlarge]

Hi all,

In May on hols I got thinking about the other side of the layout...the Ffestiniog side.  Finally I've had time to draw it up into a kind of long-term Masterplan.  Of course the short term plan is to 'finish' Rhyd Ddu, but you will have noticed me building much FR stock too.  This is with one eye on the future of my train set (cos that's what it is really!).  

The idea is to feature something different.  I remain to be convinced that 009 shunting layouts really work (maybe County Gate could prove me wrong, I don't know), but I have plenty of evidence that through running layouts can work well (e.g. Dduallt etc) and the extra benefit of 009 is that the scenics can be extensive within a manageable space.

So, I thought of putting together 3 boards of scenic Ffestiniog vistas and if possible, a passing loop in the middle to add operational interest.  The three I have chosen are:

- Tylers Curve and Plas Halt (a beautiful peaceful halt in woodland next to the tightest curve on the railway, which itself resides in a rock cutting.

- Rhiw Goch loop and signal box for the passing loop, encouraged by a recent article in Narrow Gauge and Industrial Railway Modelling Review explaining how to model the fabulous new box there.

- Dduallt tank curve leading to Campbell's Platform - a gorgeous swinging curve.

The only issue I have yet to find with this is that the scenes are in the wrong order.  Rhiw Goch is just after Penrhyn, whilst Plas Halt is just before Tan-y-Bwlch, so really those two should be the other way around.  However Tyler's curve, as you can see, really fits with the necessary sharp bend out of HS1.  Also having Rhiw Goch in the middle helps operation.  Because of this I might add plywood backscenes between the three boards to separate them into discrete scenes...?

For those struggling to remember what these scenes look like, here's Rhiw Goch box:

Plas Halt and Tyler's curve:

and Dduallt Tank curve leading to the small halt of Campbell's Platform:

I would genuinely be interested in your comments on this plan, and by the way it is the layout with no name at the moment: perhaps Plas Rhiw Tank?

Colin

A Graham Farish chassis conversion to DCC experiment

An N guage chassis can be a right bother to convert to digital.  Certainly my 91 and 08 chassis are both troublesome.  This is beacuse the body is live and linked permanently to the motor. Looking at my 91 last night (to become the other funkey), I took it apart to see how I could convert it.  the bogies pick up and feed a brass strip underneath the motor and directly to the chassis block.  Both brushes of the motor directly touch either the strip or the block via a brass 'hat' which has a spring inside (to spring the brush up to the motor) and is kept in place by a keeper plate, itself rivetted to either the block or that brass strip.  

So, in order to convert it to digital I need to break the link between the pickups and the brushes...easier said than done when they are integral.

This is where the 'digi hat' comes in.  First you insolate the hat by replacing it with a plastic (not brass) one.  Then you place heat shrink around the keeper to isolate that from the spring. Finally, you solder directly to the spring, which sits inside the hat.  Confused?  see below...  Here are the hats, brass on left and new insulated one on right.

That fits into the heavy chassis block like so...

and the spring that sits inside the hat and has a wire soldered to it - that wire then goes to the decoder.  The isolated keeper device is then placed back over the spring to keep it in position.

On some models it is possible to do away with the soldering to the spring and the keeper plate thingy and use an insulated clip which sits on top of the hat to keep the spring tight against the brush.  This will be fine for my 08s but not for the 91 as the clip doesn't fit (chassis block much wider)!

Then you can solder the wires from the clip/spring to the decoder and the red/black wires to the pickups and it's converted.  

we'll see how it works in a few weeks after I've picked up some of these from Warley.

Colin

Je suis un Parisien

[written from a hotel room in Paris]

Research continues on all aspects of DCC and it's fair to say that I'm hooked.  I can't wait to try some DCC sound next - well my (30th - don't mention that number, the thought is quite frightening) birthday and xmas approach!

I am particularly interested in the digitrax sounddepot.  You can buy one of these:

http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/pd-1588309401.htm?categoryId=58

for £17 and add a 'soundbug' for £31 (it plugs into the above decoder - I might have to substitiute the speaker for a smaller version though 28mm is big!):

http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/pd-184919960.htm?categoryId=61

and then using this 'bad boy':

http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/pd1006173345.htm?categoryId=61

you can add various sounds to the decoder (it comes preloaded with generic sounds, these are extras): including a 108 dmu, class 37, yorkie 0-6-0 shunter, standard 5, GWR prairie and various other american locos.

tempting...

add to that the fact you can even record your own sounds and upload them and I might just be seen recording various sounds off FR and WHR locos at source!  Obviously it'll only work in locos big enough to take this kit, but I guess the NGG16s and the funkey would be worthwhile...?

In other news, I have been extensively testing the DCC locos I've collected - a GP38 (bought as a possible chassis for a funkey, but too short) and the new farish warship (image above) which I've adorned with a gaugemaster 6 pin decoder and features directional lighting.  I've also successfully tested a ZTC 255 on an ibertren chassis (to become Conway Castle).  Good times.

Colin

Digital update and Bromsgrove Models

http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/dcc.htm?Submit=Digital+Control

Bromsgrove Models is a super 'little' company trading via the internet and selected model railway shows.  Run from a residential address, there is no shop to pop along to and browse, but the website is excellent and overheads (and thus prices) are kept down - e.g. gaugemaster sell their prodigy system for £225, I got the MRC version [gauagemaster rebadge it] via Bromsgrove models for £165 with free P+P!  

They are also very friendly and knowledgable.  Even though I had an issue with the power supply, I was able to pop around and get it swapped easily with no bother.  Whilst I was there I was also able to talk about subjects as diverse as 6 pin decoders, sound chips and decoder testers.

The issue is now sorted and I have been able to add a gaugemaster 2nd throttle to the system succesfully.  This works very well and I like the way the 2 throttles interact when handing over a loco between them.  I am very pleased with the system and can't wait to set up the layout in the new garage and get playing.

My study now also has an ESU decoder tester set up (courtesy of Bromsgrove models again) - this takes either wires or a 6, 8 or 21 pin plug and allows you to test the decoder using an onboard motor, lights and even a speaker!  Using this I was able to find that I have already fried a decoder - I think due to a short circuit on a tight fitting body.  oh well.

The ZTC decoders have been OK - the detachable harness is useful to separate the circuit board portion when soldering.  The functions, PWM, ability to use as a DC loco, feedback, size and price are all good and they are rated at a decent ampage too.  However, I have found one issue - they don't support advanced consisting.  This means that I will either have to set up a consist (double heading) on the controller [it will only remember 1 consist at once] or reprogram the engines in the consist to the same address manually (although in that case speed matching won't happen]. But then none of the cheaper decoders seem to support this (certainly the hornby R8249 doesn't) and what do you expect for £10.80 per decoder!

So far the DCC experiment has been good though... more news soon.

Colin

Digital woes

Houston we have a problem.  Well two actually.

Firstly my MRC prodigy advance2 has a dodgy power lead socket, so is going back tomorrow for repair/replacement/refund.  In the few minutes I had playing with the system it looked really good though!  Can't wait to have a working version (hopefully for the weekend).

Secondly, I bought a load of ZTC 255 decoders on 26th Sept and on the 30th ZTC ceased trading, placing the epitaph at the bottom of this post on their website.  That means any support or guarantee I might have hoped for ceases too and as their whole site has been taken down I can't access the manuals (you only get a quick start guide with the decoders).  bandits!  Luckily I managed to find an old download I had accessed for the manual in the google chrome downloads bit - thank goodness for google.

It also means I can't buy the ZTC decoder tester I was going to...  oh well.  at least they posted me the items, otherwise I would have ended up as a preferential creditor or something like that!

dear dear dear...

Colin

Dear Customers,

We regret to inform you that ZTC Controls Limited ceased sales, support and servicing of its series of DCC train control products on 30th September 2008.

Despite every possible effort by the management and staff of ZTC, in today's difficult financial climate our low-volume hand-finished products are regrettably unable to compete with the market-price set by the mass-produced products offered by the recent international entrants into the DCC market.

ZTC has always prided itself on being a UK company employing local designers and local manufacturing. We had hoped that a sufficient number of UK modellers would continue to appreciate the advantages of our equipment over cheaper mass-produced alternatives, but sadly, this has not proved to be the case.

We wish to take this opportunity to thank all of our loyal customers for their support over the years.

Miscellany or what to call a dock tank with no roof...?

Well we're now nearly unpacked, so much so that we had an outing on Sunday to Ryton Pools country park - which has a miniature railway.  £1 a go around a decent loop, great fun (especially when we derailed just before the bank, so the little engine [with Hackworth valve gear] had to struggle up the 1:100.

My study now has a modelling 'zone' including a new IKEA desk and other additions...

and there's even room for a small test (programming) track along the bookshelf...

Dad has made sterling progress with the double fairlie 'Merddin Emrys' (see below) and I have finally managed to ream out the coupling rod holes so that the crankpin nut fits back to front on Taliesin to help with clearances around the slidebars.  However in doing so I lost a 16ba brass washer (so small there's no chance of finding it!).

and finally, I have ordered my DCC equipment - a whole load of ZTC decoders (diamond 255s) and the MRC prodigy advance2, these arrived today but I was in Burnley and my wife was at playgroup so they are sitting in some postal sorting office tonight!  

Hopefully I'll get to play tomorrow, which is why I did my first DCC conversion yesterday - a minitrix 0-6-0 (eventually for the Kerr Stuart diesel 4415, which as a prototype was tested on the WHR and FR and now resides at Minffordd awaiting restoration.)  The chassis is live and insulated from the chassis are wiper pickups for the other wheels.  So isolating the motor from the chassis was easy, except that in the very small space available the EMC suppression devices got in the way.  I figured that no-one adds these to kits they build themselves anyway and they are of questionable use other than to allow a RTR loco to get the necessary EU certification, so they were chopped off.  Apparently they can interfere with TVs and even pacemakers, but that seems to be pretty alarmist to me.

Then the decoder (an old style Hornby R8215 that didn't matter if I blew it) was attached - red and black to the track, orange and grey the other way (to the motor).  But there was no room in the dock tank to house the decoder, so I chopped the cab off (obviously the loco body will get chucked anyway!)...  so what to call it....?  Shaun??

Colin

Heading West

Hi all,

Well we have moved, and I'm writing this from my new study/work from home office/'modelling room' in the West Midlands.  Bye bye East Midlands.

The garage is rammed with stuff from the move, so there's no chance of getting the layout up until I can get the shed erected and move a load of stuff there and I also need to sell a few bits (like the other dining room table and chairs we have!).  However, in addition to my small study, the 2nd bedroom has a nice little area where work can be done on at least one board, and probably two, and all in the warm!  All is not lost.

Will update the blog when I've had time to set stuff up...I suspect the next step will be purchasing my DCC control equipment and playing with a couple of DCC equipped locos on a test track - happy days.

Colin

Activity Media aka Right Track

A quick review of some DVDs that I really think are worth watching...

The right track series has 7 current incarnations:

1&2 deal with loco kit building (in OO only - no narrow gauge here - shame on them!) and is very informative and useful.  I have watched part 1, with part 2 in my DVD player waiting a chance to appear.

3 is about painting and lining and includes some 'professional' advice from Ian Rathbone - a bit over the top sometimes, but very useful indeed.

4 is about detailing and improving RTR models (no real help to us narrow gauge lads and lasses, so I haven't purchased this).

5&6 are well worth it (they were the first 2 I bought) and deal with scenics - Barry Norman is the maestro this time.

7 covers building buildings and although I haven;t got this once yet, I plan to buy it.

8 (soon to be joined by 9) cover DCC.

It is understood that others are planned including track building and other topics.  Perhaps a narrow gauge programme could be next?

http://www.model-railway-dvd.co.uk/

Colin

so, what to buy then?

Please do comment on the decoders I've featured and indeed let me know if you have others in mind that I've missed...

My strategy will be as follows (as one only has so much cash to play with of course):

Coreless motors (e.g. Linda) - ZTC diamond

High use engines requiring extras such as dither and lighting effects etc - ZTC diamond or TCS T1

Low use engines that just need a cheap decoder - Hornby R8249

Engines requiring a very small decoder - digitrax DZ125

and what about engines with two motors (Garratts of which I have 3) : here there is an option:

1 - power both motors with one bad boy decoder like the zimo mx68L at 4A.  £20 is likely to be a slightly cheaper option maybe and it will require less messing about.  There may however be slight differences between the engine units causing one to run faster than the other and this couldn't be fixed in the decoder.

2 - add a decoder for each engine unit, match the speeds by altering the CVs and then give them the same address so they work together.  Slightly more expensive and a lot of messing about. Also it may be necessary to turn the back EMF off on one of the units, otherwise they may start to 'flight' each other!

ummmm, choices.

Colin

009 Decoders part 2

So, onto Lenz and their silver (£25) and gold (£30) minis.  Each has just 2 function outputs but measure in at just 11mm x 9mm x 3mm.  The gold supports high frequency PWM for my coreless motor in Linda, but the silver is pretty basic (800mA peak, 2 functions only) and is therefore expensive in comparison with other makes.  In fact I think you pay quite a bit more for the Lenz name and I'm not going to invest in that, so in 'Dragon's Den' parlance - 'I'm out'.  Lenz stuff is here.

LokPilot v3.0 8 pin DCC Decoder 52611

This £20 decoder is good for coreless, has 4 functions, back EMF and all the usual 'good stuff'. It's a bit bigger though at 23 x 15.5 x 6.5 mm and only handles just over 1A maximum.

The manual is here.

Zimo mx68L

20 x 10 x 4 mm, support for coreless motors and 4 functions, 4A total load and for £20 - now you're talking!  Manual here  

Thanks to a commenter, I have noticed that this is a function only decoder, the equivalent with a motor function too is around £30 and out of my price range anyway.  But if interested click here.

ZTC Diamond 255

But the award for the mother of all decoders goes to ZTC's diamond 255 decoder.  This comes in at a super £11 via their ebay sales (£13 direct).  It has 4 functions, 2A max, variable frequency PWM, back EMF and dither.  It's 20mm x 12mm, so small, but not tiny. The manual resides here

Decoders for 009

I've been looking at decoders for 009 and here are a selection of what I have found:

Hornby R8249

The successor to the 8215, this bad boy is now fully NMRA complaint and appears to have got over the problems associated with resets to address 0003 that the former chip was prone to.

The good news is that it's cheap (£8-9), small (it measures just 17 x 10 x 3.5mm) and has 4 functions (for lighting etc) and back EMF support, the bad news is that it has limited functionality in programming and although 500mA peak is ok for 009, this may be an issue for motors that need a lot of current, or indeed where you are powering 2 motors from one decoder (Beyer-Garratt anyone?).

For more info on the few CVs it does support click here 

Digitrax dz125

At £17.50 this is a step up (most of the below are really).  It measures just 10.6mm x 8.7mm x 2.86mm, which is even smaller than the hornby effort, but it delivers a peak of 1.25A and huge array of CVs to play with.  Prototypical lighting effects like fire glow and strobes are also possible. However there are only 2 function outputs, so not much more than front and rear lights are possible anyway!  It doesn't appear to support high frequency Pulse width modulation (PWM) so use with coreless motors may be difficult (like my Linda which has a faulhaber 1016).

The manual is available here

Next up is the TCS M3

At £17 this is a very good deal - 3 functions, much of what I mention above - special lighting effects, back EMF etc but also... dither (for improved slow speed running) and a 2A peak.

It measures in at 14.5mm x 9mm x 3.4mm.

The manual is available here

If you want even more functions, then check out the M6 - 6 functions, but larger at 18mm x 10.4mm x 4.8mm and £18.30.  Neither appears to support high freq PWM though.

and for a cheaper alternative (but on 2 function) the T1 at £11 is great value.  see here

TCS also provide a one-year 'goof proof' warranty - no questions asked - sounds good for a beginner, just in case!

Please feel free to comment, I'll be back with more decoder options in the next post.

Colin

Somewhat damp, but fun nonetheless

So we went to the top left hand corner of Wales for the gala - Garratt 50 - and it rained, and rained and...

We camped at Bryn Gloch. There were no FR or WHR(C) leaflets there so I assume they are still somewhat 'anti' the railway, which is a shame. Our pitch was great though - right next to the line...


To show how wet it was, this was the sight at Pont Aberglaslyn!


When it dired up a bit on the Sunday I had a look around Rhyd Ddu and here are some observations: firstly the area of rough ground between the yard and the road is much wider than I thought, which is helpful actually.

The yard point levers should be easy to model.

The platform plant beds have started to mature.

and the ground frame is in, even if it does say 'Waunfawr loop points' on the lever!

They have filled in the drain at the front edge of the water tower - damn - I had just bought the etches for that!

and the signalling has gone up - here is the shunt token protecting signal.

and finally the loos are back behind their special screen.

The gala was great fun - little and large pose at Dinas...

Prince leaves Dinas for Waunfawr on the shuttle...

The funkey passes Bryn Gloch - I just must have working DCC lights on my model!

K1 was adorned with flags and a special headboard to mark a presentation from the IMechE.
The PW tool van was used on the weekend too - quite an odd beasty to model really.


and finally Dad fixed it so I could drive the Perrygrove K1 - top stuff.

Colin

News from Mercian Models

I enquired recently as to why the Ffestiniog (or Festiniog if you are modelling in the olden days) Railway England Loco model that Mercian Models had made was shown as unavailable on their website:

http://www.modelrailways.tv/narrow_gauge/locomotives.htm

Trevor from Mercian wrote back:

"We are aiming at doing another batch but are exploring the possibility in having a ready to run chassis built for it [ the project has been started] and we would like to aim for October for the prototype, and hopefully end of year for sales. The price target is the same as the kit [£90.50].  The kit will be designed with a compromise wheelbase to accomadate both the longer and shorter wheelbase locos. The body tops already do the variants. "

cool eh!

Colin

and on the layout...

Let's not forget the layout, with all this loco progress...

The layout previously known as 'Nant Gwernol' (really a DCC test track now) has had its top level ballasting fine tuned and the rails painted with humbrol 62 (leather).

The main layout has had further scenery added, some rock colours toned down and one board's track finished off with sleeper grime. This is an experiment to see the effect of such treatment. If it works (I think it will) then I will paint the rest of the layout asap. Gates, drains and other details are also been collated quietly in the background and the other 2 station lamps should arrive this week too.

Before the really dark nights set in, I hope to complete the second traverser and start experimenting with the brass bolts (I bought 12 off eBay for 99p each last week). I also hope to complete the base scenery around the car park area and finish the sleeper griming (as above). I'm also still awaiting a replacement DCC points decoder from gaugemaster...

Colin

From the works

Firstly, from the Gloucestershire works...Dad has made a grand job of Merddin Emrys... nearly complete now.



and I've been carrying on with K1 - here below are the frames and gearbox former, both with rivets pushed out, bearings in, overlays added on the frames and the bearings filed down to be flush.
and Taliesin has made strides forward. The body is now nearly complete with handrails drilled out, the toolbox added and other details prepared. Other good news is that a new chimney is on the way (the rogue chimney I had been given is from Blanche!).

On the chassis, Dad came up this weekend to weave some magic and we added wheels, crankpins, gears, layshaft and coupling rods. The brake hangers were laminated and the chassis checked for squareness. The quartering was done and the worm prepared too.

We have had fun and games with the crankpin bushes and screws though due to the very tight clearances around the piston rod...further work is necessary as we run out of time, but tonight I have also attached the pivot outrigger and reamed out one coupling rod a little more so that the screw fits inside it, giving a little more clearance. However, in doing so I appear to have created a slight bind in the reverse direction. It doesn't happen on every revolution, but only every 6 or 7, so I am stumped as to why. I guess the quartering may be slightly out when I reattached the coupling rod??

Colin

More Tal...

Tonight's progress is good - mostly with the fiddly bits like the bunker top flange, reversing lever, brake gear and handbrake, cab sides/rear, rear bogie wheels and dome. One problem though - that chimney doesn't look right - it's far too tall - I think I might have a wrong part in the kit - have contacted backwoods...

Colin

Toolkit

Here's a run down of my toolkit, which may be of interest to other modellers:

This assumes that you will be making up plastic, white metal and brass/nickel silver kits.

The core set

Sharp craft knife with spare blades.
Needle files – I also use nail files (easy to get from Boots etc) as they are less aggressive than needle files for some applications
Brush for flux and mek pak application (mine are different colours for each)
Small screwdrivers – for screwing and the removal of solder from flat surfaces
Fibreglass scratch brush
Set of micro drills and pin chuck
Steel rule
Set square
25W (or more) soldering iron, I also have a temperature controlled iron for low melt applications (white metal kits)
Small hacksaw with fine teeth
Tweezers (I use reverse and normal varieties)
Xuron tin snips (photo etch shears)
Xuron track cutting snips
Pliers – long nosed are the best – make sure you don’t get the ones with teeth inside!
Tabletop vice with smooth jaws
Tabletop lamp or very high watt bulb in room

Very useful but not entirely essential

Dental picks
Digital calliper for accurate measurement of gaps and thicknesses
Mini drill with cutting discs and other attachments
Other saws such as a piercing saw etc
Set of taper taps (10,12 and 14 BA I use most frequently)
Set of cutting broaches
A selection of nut drivers and spanners

Things I have yet to purchase, but which I expect to be useful

Airbrush
Taper reamer – expensive but performs better than broaches do in some situations

Have I missed any?

Colin

Tal update

Further work tonight, including the addition of the valance and tank overlays after annealing to bend them over the formers. The bunker has received its wrapper and tool box and the tank fronts are also on. Underneath the rear, the bogie has been completed (well it needs its wheels yet).

I also started work on the main chassis, with the bearings added and cylinders bent to shape. I will need Dad's jig to check this as I am a little concerned that there may be some out of square issues and maybe a dodgy axle (it looks minor, but they may require some attention to ensure good running).

Colin

The engine room

I have recently taken the plunge and, after much practice of etched brass soldering techniques (mainly on carriages), I have started 2 backwoods loco kits. First up is Taliesin. I have soldered the inner tank formers, cab front and sides to the running plate (which has had the distinctive 'joggle' added too) and I have also affixed the ashpan and a bogie pivot underneath and out of sight in the photo. The bunker former has also been added and 4 12BA captive nuts have been added (and tapped out to remove any traces of solder). The boiler has been filed down and the smokebox door added.

Next I'll be tackling the valance and the tank sides (after annealing them). A number of other parts such as the rear trailing bogie have been cut out, cleaned up and are ready.

The other kit is K1. I bought this second hand (at the Shepton Mallet show) and one set of cylinders had been already made up (pretty well it looks). I have made the following progress:

• Carrier frame sides and central spacer added, plus white metal detail underneath
• Boiler front attached (and smokebox door attached to that) and the smokebox wrapper soldered around the boiler.
• Both tanks made up, soldered over formers.
• The cab made up, again over a cab former
• The firebox/ashpan section completed including a captive nut and two wrappers. This took most time so far and although I have made a couple of minor errors here I don;t think they will show.
• Backhead started with firehole door added.

I don't think I'm up to the valve gear work quite yet (reading the instructions makes me quite concerned - filing away part of the back of the slidebar so the con rod can fit in and adding minute bosses to the rods - arrrrgggghhhh), but I am very pleased with how this has gone so far - it certainly proves that a modeller with a bit of soldering experience can make a decent go at the body bits of these kits (which are so often mentioned as too difficult).

Maybe just maybe I'll manage the Taliesin kit....certainly K1 needs Dad's help when we get to 4 lots of valve gear.

Colin