GWR/LMS OO Gauge DCC RR&Co

Boootiful, just bootiful.

Don't impose a 12 photo limit on our behalf :lol:

Paul

Great pics John. :thumbs Paul is right, twelve photos are not enough !

Cheers, Gary.

Hi John.

Beautiful photographs.
I love the canal scene as its so atmospheric.
What model is the girder bridge ?

Cheers.
Tony.

Hi guys

I should have explained that my plan , in so far as I ever have one, was to spend some time operating. In particular I want to improve a routine where a pannier buffers up to the rear of a long mineral and helps push it up an incline or bank. It can be done with DCC and RR&Co but is technically demanding :roll: (and needs some fudging:oops:.)…….think of creating a consist between 2 locos separated by 7' of wagons:shock:.

Assuming a successful outcome the intent would be to produce a short video……..but all this takes time. Rather than temporarily cease updates I thought I would take a bit more time and try and improve my photography and take some shots of the various stages of the routine………….so I am very chuffed that you have all written such nice things about the photos…….so many many thanks:thumbs .

ps Tony…..I think the bridge is a Kubri (?) kit……I bought it about 10 years ago……it was a neat model to build and to my mind looks more realistic than say the Dapol version…….even though it is HO and tends to look a little underscale

:cheers

John
 

[user=434]John Dew[/user] wrote:

Hi guys

I should have explained that my plan , in so far as I ever have one, was to spend some time operating. In particular I want to improve a routine where a pannier buffers up to the rear of a long mineral and helps push it up an incline or bank. It can be done with DCC and RR&Co but is technically demanding :roll: (and needs some fudging:oops:.)…….think of creating a consist between 2 locos separated by 7' of wagons:shock:.

Assuming a successful outcome the intent would be to produce a short video……..but all this takes time. Rather than temporarily cease updates I thought I would take a bit more time and try and improve my photography and take some shots of the various stages of the routine………….so I am very chuffed that you have all written such nice things about the photos…….so many many thanks:thumbs .

ps Tony…..I think the bridge is a Kubri (?) kit……I bought it about 10 years ago……it was a neat model to build and to my mind looks more realistic than say the Dapol version…….even though it is HO and tends to look a little underscale

:cheers

John
 

Hi John.

Yes its a Kibri.
 Kibri item # 39700
H0 Arched steel bridge, single tracked.With some of these items its hard to tell if its under gauge.
I have some TT gauge girder bridge sides on my layout & they are 3mm / 1ft.
You can't tell the difference.
If it looks right then it is right ;-)
Cheers.
Tony.

thanks for the pics John,it has been a long time to seeing them again,looking forward to the vid when you do it
:thumbs:thumbs;-):cool:

Thanks Owen

I actually use that part of the layout a lot but, for whatever reason, it must be at least 5 years since I posted anything about the branch………the photos are all new though:lol:

The video may take a while….particularly with the Rugby World Cup starting next week!

Best wishes

John

Fantastic work, keep the picture coming! :)

Thanks Ted......glad you liked it :thumbs

Hi Alan

Thank you so much for featuring Granby on the Header Photo and particularly for selecting one of my favourite shots of a Pannier:lol:

Best wishes from a sunny Vancouver

:cheers

John

 

Terrific photo John. well worthy of the top spot.

 

cheers

 

toto

For all your great work over the years John i think it's the least you deseve.Keep up the good work,i know you will.:thumbs

Well done John and a brilliant layout :thumbs:thumbs:thumbs


Ed


(Must get me one of these pannier thingies )

Come on now, don't worry about rugby world cups, we need more pic's.

congratulations on the cover photo, how did they choose which one of the amazing photos to use. your layout is just wow

Thanks for all the congratulations guys……much appreciated

Regards from Vancouver


:cheers:cheers    John

Well deserved John your layout gives inspiration to many on the forum and plenty for us to aspire to

Cheers


 Matt

Thanks Matt…….thats very kind of you:thumbs

So here is part two of the banking project.

First a slight change of plan:

The banking will be carried out by ….not one Pannier but two……….after being selected as header picture what else could I do 






The use of more than one loco to assist was not uncommon on the  prototype…..not sure about Shap but it was a not infrequent occurrence  on the Lickey incline at Bromsgrove. Although I will concede its a bit  of an overkill for a train of only 22 wagons:)




Seeing the two side by side would seem a good opportunity to bore you  about Panniers. To my mind these sturdy powerful 0-6-0 tank engines  epitomise the GWR. Collectively known as the 57xx class, over 850 were  built between 1929 and 1950.  

The first loco is an example of the original class….. 5786 was  actually built in 1929. Its interesting to see the differences between  this and the second loco….mostly related to crew comfort.

6757 is a member of the 8750 sub class. It was built in 1947 which  perhaps explains the rather obvious colour difference  between the two  locos:).

The ten year gap between the two models may have something to do with it as well.

Both models are detailed with crew, real coal and fire irons. I normally  try and set up my locos with the correct head lamp codes……its.kind  of difficult to do when they are changing roles…….in this case from  light engine to assisting in rear and back to light engine…….I set  up 6757 as light engine and left 5786 bare until I find out if the  experiment works

 Back to the project:

The mineral train snakes past the site for Cynwyd Creamery  






and edges past the Bankers waiting in the coal siding





and comes to a halt at Cynwyd's advanced starter






Once the train has come to a halt, the bankers move out of the siding and buffer up to the brake van…..without coupling





Here is a long shot. Its not very good but, hopefully, conveys a sense  of scale. The train loco is almost out of sight beyond the road bridge.  The banking engines are completely out of sight, bottom right.




This train has 22 wagons……imagine the distances involved with 70 or   even 100 wagons! Communication between the train loco and assisting   locos involved a system of whistles (crows they were called).

Carrying  out this manouvere with RR&Co is not easy. Without boring  you….  RR&Co, like the prototype, allows one train per block. The  station  block is ess than 5' long ….sufficient for most trains but  not this one!  Furthermore there are limitations on when and how many  times you can change the composition of a train……as I said it aint  going to be easy


Once the lead assisting engine is in position it signals to the train engine which starts the long haul up the bank.

RR&Co calculates the weight of the train and adjusts the momentum of the train as it pulls away….very impressive





At the top of the incline you can see that a mixed goods from Birkenhead  Docks is held on the Up Relief so that the mineral train can continue  on to the main line without interruption.





Here is the rest of the train




There is just a glimpse of the lead banker bottom right.

This is the moment on the model when as a result of gradient and curve  the train engine actually does require assistance…..a little push from  the pannier makes all the difference

Finally, with the incline overcome, the train comes to a halt under the Up signal gantry.




and the bankers ease away from the brake van and reverse back down the bank to Cynwyd Shed to await the next trip.






In real life the train wouldnt come to a halt…..the train loco would  signal and the bankers would slow and then reverse as the train  continued on.

Sadly, I havent been able to devise a method of separating locos from a  train unless it is at a halt and TC has sufficient time to process all  the commands. Fortunately the Gantry provides a credible reason for  stopping.

I hope you enjoyed the story and the photos…….there will be a bit of  an intermission for the next few weeks  It will take while to perfect the routine and then make the video……….Right now I am getting ready to encourage  England in their bid to escape from the pool of death.

Hi John

Brilliant - as usual.

I don't know how RR&Co works, but just an idea, when the mineral train enters the block after the signal (without stopping), could you use this to trigger the helpers to slow down to a halt, then reverse back down the hill.

Paul

"I hope you enjoyed the story and the photos…….there will be a bit of   an intermission for the next few weeks  It will take while to perfect  the routine and then make the video……….Right now I am getting  ready to encourage  England in their bid to escape from the pool of  death."


John, I just love seeing photos of Granby and how you ocassionally take the opportunity to educate the non-believers of things GWR. I enjoy my little layout and admire your skill and productivity servicing a layout the size of Granby to the high standards that you do. Sometimes I wish I could bolt Much Murkle onto a larger layout such as Granby to get some more play value out of it.

Good luck sorting out your routine and I'm sure we will all wait with impatience to see the video.

I'll be watching England at home tonight but will be in Cornwall with some friends to see them take on Wales next week.

C'mon England!!

:cheers