Magic stuff Dave, really looks the business. Thank goodness for Alsatians.

Thanks Les im actualy working on a prototype control panel design as part of my westcoast business venture. The panels will be profesionaly printed with all the correct logos,etc and will be backlit. Two versions will be available. The first will be basic panel mounted in a wooden frame whilst the other will have all switches and leds mounted. My control panel uses one push button switch to opperate a point/crossover with visual indication given by luminated logos on the switch. All my signals are opperated from one push button switch and use a rotary switch to select the signal to be opperated. A time delay relay is used to 'lock out' the selector switch preventing more than one signal at a time. The green/yellow aspects on the starting signals are set automaticly depending on the setting of the points/crossovers the driver being given the yellow if proceeding down the up line to access the branch or parcels depot. Reed switches mounted on the layout automaticly reset the signals and there is also an emergency stop switch mounted on the panel. The ground signals are linked to the points and change according to the points direction. The cctv camera is opperated by a joystick mounted at the end of the panel and gives me a complete view of the layout outdoors. Im still working on interlocking the signals with the points the main problem being the lack of point motors under the points! :roll: ;-)

Hi Marty I have only one complant regarding guard dog securitys and that is they pee all over the railway! Must get those covers built. :roll: :lol: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11U9Kv6KHc0

Excellent, Dave.  Very impressive.  Could I suggest a 1000mf capacitor across the tail lights to stop the flicker?  Cheers  Max

the flash works a treat Dave,very nice.

:doublethumb:lol::lol::lol::cool:

Dave the flashing works really well ( and i dont mean the raincoat type)

I assume you have a blue LED in the panto graph hidden and your circuit is fromed by magnets and reed switches that you have mentioned before?

cheers brian

Brian it's actualy a very small blue bulb. I think express models sell the bulbs seperately although I have a lot of 3mm blue leds that I may experement with on my next loco.

I am known to love LEDs, but I think the bulb is the right choice this time.  LEDs tend to send most of their light out of their ends, where bulbs tend to radiate their light in more of a donut shape.  Good choice, Dave.

The bulb was actualy part of the express models blue flash kit. I have seen this kit on their sales stand used on overhead and third rail electrification. The bulb is supposed to be fitted to the gantry but when I had this fitted to my N gauge layout it didn't look convincing when I had the loco the wrong way round as the flash happened before the pan got to the bulb. Also my diesels would set it off. Fitting the bulb to the pan solves all the problems I just need to fit loads of magnets between the rails now. Just as well I can get 10 for 99p! Eventualy I will be fitting pick ups to all the bogies that will improve the running slightly.

Ooh, gunna be nice seeing that wooshing it's way around the layout. :thumbs

I'd imagine that weathering to the trackwork in the garden is being enhanced by the detailed attention from the gaurd dogs

Not realy an update on the railway as such but earler this week I finished off the roof covering the layout and moved the cctv camera further out  so now I can see nearly all of the railway from the control position. My only blind spot is behind the rockery so the small bullet camera that I removed from lakeside station will be relocated to cover this and possably the other small camera that is currently covering the end of the platforms at parkway will be moved so that I can see the end of the branch line at cobblers hall. The arcing pan on the APT has caused some intrest on you tube as I have had some emails regarding how it works. Weather permitting I would like to have an operating session this weekend although there is still a lot of work to do with regards to wiring, power supplies, track clearing, etc. :roll: On a more positive note I typed the word heatherburn into google and guess what the top result was! :twisted: :cool: :thumbs 

that is a result then,nice one Dave

:doublethumb:wow:lol::lol::lol::cool:

when i have searched on google for many things railway related your handy work pops up:thumbs

I know Matt I find it somtimes scary that 'big brother' is keeping tabs on me! Tomorrow I was planing a running session as it's been twelve months since the last full one but its chucking it down again and im not feeling to well after getting soaked yesterday. The roof extension however is working realy well so I can still run trains out as far as parkway whatever the weather. I had a slight rethink the other day with regards to the branch line. The branch line was only connected to the rest of the network by a link to the TMD. The origanal crossover was ripped up some time ago and replacement points were bought but were used when the main lines were laid outside last summer. So rather that reinstate the crossover im thinking of having the branch as a self contained line and building a shuttle unit to opperate the trains. The branch has four stations and by using some selector switches I could in theory terminate the trains at any depending on the weather for instance in rain I could run as far as parkway whilst in good weather I could run all the way to cobblers hall although the tunnel and pond bridge need some work as the track bed has sunk! The bridge over the pond will be rebuilt using some plexiglass offcuts (more recycling!) to form an arch with some vertical supporting ribs. I would like to have had an electrfied branch but the skaledale tunnel mouths restrict the clearences. I could however lower the track bed as it is carried through the tunnel raised on conti blocks. One intresting option is using 313 EMU's with the last section powered by third rail although lowering the pans at woodham might present too much of a challenge! :roll: ;-)

Hi guys im just about to start uploading a real treat for you all. I have edited all the birthday running session and managed to condense 26mins of footage to just under 10mins just hope that it uploads quicker than the 2 hours it took to upload the 3min APT video! :roll:

OK here we go……..

ENJOY……. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciUpYluMbK8

;-)

Oops  it says "an error occurred please try again later."   Will do.

Mike

Its working now although its still processing so the quality is not as good as the origanal. Give it an hour and try again. ;-)

Just checked again and its now fine. Best viewed in HQ. Right im off to bed!! :thud;-)

OK, as it stops & starts , I am downloading to my PC , will watch it later non-stop & comment.