Progress (or otherwise) on Jeff's new layout

Very true, Ron!
  

[user=606]Sol[/user] wrote:

[user=321]SRman[/user] wrote:

as soon as I can find where I have hidden my hole saw set!

And you will find it as soon as you purchase a replacement set !!!

Never a truer word said SOL……

Just for a little fun, I took a few short videos after working on my friend Doug's number one son's Bachmann class 25 and my own Hornby 4 VEP.

The 25 had a problem with stuttering when the horns (F2 and F3) were sounded but only if the engine sounds (F1) were on at the same time. Cutting a long story short, I eventually had to reset the decoder then reprogram the loco number and alter the volumes (master volume on CV63 and the volume settings on F2 and F3). While I had the 25 body off, I enclosed the existing factory speaker with some Blu-Tack to form an enclosed sound chamber. It is seen in this vid in tandem with my modified Bachmann class 24 with Howes' sound and bass enhanced speaker.

Also circulating was my Hornby blue 4 VEP, in which I have now modified the seating unit for the first class in the trailing driving coach (as it relates to this video). The corridor side now has see through windows from the compartments!

Hi Bob. I have just edited it to try a different way of linking. Let me know if that still doesn't work for you. :cool:

A few more 'quickie' videos, taken on my phone. This time they show the Bachmann class 24 D5014 with Howes sound in tandem with a Heljan class 33 D6585 with Digitrains (Paul Chetter's) multi-drive sound, while the Hornby 4 VEP, now fitted with an ESU Lokilot decoder, circulates in the opposite direction. The two diesels were not consisted as I haven't speed matched them - the 24 was running on speed step 43 while the 33 was on speed step 70 and they were almost perfectly matched on those settings!

Nice Vids Jeff  thanks for posting :thumbs

Hi Jeff,

Have to agree with Dave, great vids..!

Cheers, Gary.

Thanks Gary.

I decided to take a few more videos of various workbench projects actually running on the layout (for which I still don't have a firm name, yet!). These are a little shaky as they were only on my mobile phone and I have strung some of the clips together but couldn't use decent transitions on my Pinnacle software in Windows 8 - it kept repeating the last second or so of the previous clip. I will eventually set up the tripod with the proper video camera and take some better quality vids but, in the meantime these will have to do.

Bear in mind that most of these models are not yet completed, missing things like glazing or handrails or final paint touches before adding transfers.

The London Transport 'Q' stock, made from resin kits (mostly Radley Models but a couple of DC Kits too). There are 1923, 1927, 1931 and 1938 cars in this train, powered by two Black Beetle motor bogies with one T1 decoder in one of the 1923 cars. I want to add one more vehicle eventually, ideally a 1935 car but these are n longer readily available so I may have to wait a while.



The Ayjay Models 'Tin' 2 HAL unit, powered by a Black Beetle bogie with an NCE decoder on board. I still need to tune this decoder to better suit the running qualities of the Black Beetle.



The Golden Arrow Productions (GAP) G16 4-8-0T on Hornby Stanier 8F chassis (ex- 2-8-0 !). This still needs a little adjustment to the wheels' back-to-back settings as it occasionally stalls momentarily on certain curves and points.



And the GAP Maunsell 0-6-0 diesel-electric shunter using a Bachmann chassis and a TCS M1 decoder. This has a 'stay alive capacitor but has the old-style pickups on the wheel treads which means it still stalls if too much dirt builds up on the pickups. Note also that the body is not sitting fully down n the chassis at this point. Also, please ignore that second mineral wagon that kindly chose to derail while I was trying to video and drive at the same time!!  :lol:

Nice vids Jeff. :thumbs:thumbs

I like the weathering on the mineral wagons very much also, I like the click-clack from the rails - particularly noticable in the first vid when the tube comes into the station.  A nice touch :pathead

Hi Peter. Most of those mineral wagons were factory weathered but I can claim credit for a couple of them.

The prominent clickety-clack is partly an intended result of pinning the track directly to the boards with no underlay. I want the Underground trains to roar and rumble like the real things!
:cool:

A clever move. :thumbs

I could of course, send you a copy of the "Mind the doors" sound track complete with the roar of approaching trains so admirably mastered by Geoff R. :cheers

If it also has the distinctive motor whines of the LT stock I would be particularly interested in those sounds, Peter.

I have many memories of the various sounds wafting up through the tunnels and subways of the Underground.

I'm in UK at the moment Jeff - when I get home, I'll play it for you and see what you think. :cheers

Not too much progress to report: I have been drilling and clearing out the holes for the point motors on the upper level and laying cork over the whole of the fiddle yard area - about two-thirds complete now.

I also have been rearranging the village slightly, changing angles and levels slightly. Still not happy with it yet but it is getting closer!

Latest stock acquisitions are a Kernow Models 2 H 'Thumper' 1115 with sound (a video will be made later) and Hornby's 2 BIL unit 2134.







I also decided to try and do the photos "properly" so set up the good camera (a Nikon D3100) on the tripod and changed the settings to aperture priority. These pics are the result of several seconds exposure at F22 so should have pretty good depth of field. Yet another area to continue to experiment in!!  :cool:

Hi Jeff,

(2) Bil and Thumper look good.  Not my region or interest though. 

Could you tell me what the wheel base is on the 2-Bil motor bogie?  I have a scratch built LNER Sentinel Rail car with an old Triang motor which I want to replace.  The 2-bil is one option, the other is a Tenshodo spud or Black Beetle.  Black beetle is better and cost more too.  Since the kit is plastic and not like the Nu-cast model - heavy, I think I will go for the Spud.  I think I have just talked myself into the spud.

Mark

Hi Mark.

The usual motor bogie wheelbases for the SR were either 8' 9" or 9' depending on the origins. I'll measure the wheelbase for you tonight after work.

I much prefer the Black Beetles over SPUDs any day but I have also bought one Bull Ant from Hollywood Foundry (ironically for my still unfinished DC Kits 3H unit!). The specifications of the Bull Ant are similar to the Black Beetle but the construction is a different and they take up more 'air space' than the BB or SPUD. I consider that to be a little bit of an advantage because it also means the traction weight is concentrated a little more on the driving wheels.

Back again, Mark. The BIL motor bogie wheelbase is 35mm (ie 8' 9"). That tallies with most of the Black Beetles I have ordered to suit SR electrics - the majority had 35mm wheelbases.

Those Bull Ant motors have a good reputation Jeff, but they don't come cheap …………….:roll:

I did think about using one for my trams but decided on Halling of Austria instead.

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the info.  There is one 2Bil motor bogie left on ebay UK and thought it might be an alternative to the black Beetle/Spud. 

I am having a cuppa while I type this and have a Kit built (by me) Gresley Restaurant coach in front of me to reattach the corridor connectors and a couple of buffers on one end.  I also need to add some more people in the seating area.  I have the waiter with the silver service and one lady.  This coach was built to match the old Hornby coaches, so has had a little update to the teak effect. I also need to replace the old hornby bogies, but they will do till I sort through the stock pile.

I am planning on coming down for the April meeting, but will have to see closer to time as there maybe a family do on.

Have a good Easter

Mark

Hi Peter. The Bull Ants and Black Beetles are both fairly expensive, to my mind (and wallet).

Mark: The Hornby bogie runs very smoothly in my 2 BIL and is probably cheaper than any of the other options. Like the Bull Ant it will take up a little interior space though.