GWR/LMS OO Gauge DCC RR&Co

It's possible to do it with RR&Co, Paul.  It's the couplers that's the challenge.

A DCC controlled coupler on the front helper will allow it to decouple, while the loco slows and stops.

Good story, great pictures John. :thumbs 

Do the bankers (Panniers) need to be coupled to the brakevan or can they be used to push, buffers to buffers ??

Cheers, Gary.

John, could you try and inject a bit of interest and variety into your posts, oh, and a bit of detail and realism into the scenery etc? A bit of historical input would be welcome…..:shock::shock:

SERIOUSLY, I've loved this last blast and look forward to the next. Great modelling, interesting operation and faultless grammar!

Doug

I was just thinking the same thing. Gary.  If you disable the coupler on the front loco, then it should work with RR&Co.

Good thinking, 99.  :thumbs   :lol:

Hi Max

Not sure which couplers John is using, but if theyre tension locks, and the brake van and lead banker are dedicated to this service, then the hooks could be removed, relying on other vehicles hookes for normal use.

Kadee's maybe a tension lock without hook set at the correct height to push against the knuckle would work. I haven't got a Kadee to test it against.

Paul

[user=401]pnwood[/user] wrote:

"
C'mon England!!

:cheers

35-11 and a bonus point aint too shabby……sure it was a bit twitchy at times but I'll take it:lol:  One down Six to go………….cant wait until next week.

Thanks for all the comments guys glad you liked the photos and I am relieved that didnt bore you with the Panniers


Gary wrote:

Good story, great pictures John. :thumbs 

Do the bankers (Panniers) need to be coupled to the brakevan or can they be used to push, buffers to buffers ??

Cheers, Gary.

There is no coupler (kadee) on the front of the leading pannier nor at the rear of the Brake Van




Sorry guys I didnt explain the situation very well……..its not a physical problem, rather its having to con RR&Co into breaking its (very sensible) rules.

I am not sure if this will make it any clearer…..I have spent over an hour drafting it and it still reads like mud :oops:

There are two issues

To get the train loco and the assisting locos moving together, automatically and at the same speed, you have to "instruct" TC (Train Controller) to "join" them together in a so called train set. You can only do this if TC accepts that the two panniers have entered the block in which the mineral train is located.

TC only permits one train per block but does permit one other train/loco to enter that specific occupied block for the purpose of joining. 

The problem is that the long mineral train overhangs the block it occupies…….as a safety precaution TC will not release the preceding block…..in consequence TC prevents the panniers from moving.

I have found a way around this…..its a bit clunky….you will see why in the video!

The second issue involves telling TC that the panniers have separated from the train while it is still moving. I have been able to do this in the manner that Paul suggested by triggering a marker. TC recognises the Panniers are separated but unfortunately will not reverse the direction in which they are running……..they persist in chasing the train:twisted:

My present solution, which is not entirely satisfactory, is to make sure the train comes to a halt and then ensure the commands to separate the pannier, move the train forward and the panniers backward are all interspersed with suitable delays.

Sorry about the gobblydook guys……wait for the video


Four games tomorrow:thumbs  Dont think any will be very close  South Africa v Japan ?   Ireland v Canada? etc   Sunday and Wednesday should be better……..and of course in a week  England v Wales

Cheers

John

cant believe its so long since my last update……..mind you having  read the last para with its wildly optimistic and equally inaccurate  World Cup predictions its probably a good thing that I waited until it  was all over before writing any more tosh……"South Africa v Japan  won't be exciting"….   " England …..one down six to go"…….if  only ……one down and two to go in reality




This post was meant to feature the banking video…….unfortunately  that remains a sparkle in my mind……..one of the panniers didnt  perform as consistently as I would like despite (or because of?) a DCC  Concepts chip with stay alive. I have retired a couple of split chassis  locos (with split plastic bushes[?]) both of which have Lenz Silver  Minis so I decided to re chip the Pannier

Sadly the work bench was totally cluttered with little people in various  stages of paint so I took a quick decision to at least finish that  project first

The street leading up to the station is now pretty much done.

Brisk business with the early evening edition of the  "Granby Guardian".

 Able Seaman Jenkins returning from leave on the start of a long journey to Plymouth 




The figures above are from Monty's Models…..no connection….. but in  my view they are undoubtedly the best available…..in fact they are so  good I try and keep them away from some of the other  makes…….comparisons can be odious!

The next shot is my promised bus queue and contains figures from a  number of sources…….hopefully the differences are not too obvious.




Note that I keep inserting a few more service personnel……… after all it is 1947
 

Not too many colour photos in those days






I am pretty sure that neithre an Austin Threeway or Walls Ice Cream were around then……so this is pure nostalgia on my part


Bus Crew from Langley Models……also featured in Granby II so I guess they have been around for 15+ years.





The squaddies below are also from Langley Models………..the truck  driver placed a discreet distance away is from Montys……and I do  believe you can see the difference!




A Sergeant Major for a squad of six is a bit of overkill but it was way  easier to dab a bit of gold on the arm rather than struggle with three  white chevrons……….which is quite a good segue into the next shot:


I hesitated a while before uploading…….like all closeups its  extremely cruel…….but it does demonstrate both my broad brush  approach and the advantages of the 2' rule:)   






At 2' you cant see that the regimental and command flashes are, in  reality, just blobs of red and blue paint. Nevertheless, at 2', without  them the cameo would be lacking something.

If I were a purist each beret would bear a 1mm white plume or hackle.  Granby is loosely based on Wrexham …..home of the Royal Welch  Fusiliers.
 

Finally the frontage of the right hand station wing…..the parcels office











Next post… populating the front of the main station building

 

Huzzah!

D

Mmmmmmmmmm…..bootiful
As usual
Nice one John

Blimey if that's the benchmark then I've got a lot of work to do!! Stunning John!  :doublethumb

Cheers
Ron

[user=1775]g0ibi[/user] wrote:

Blimey if that's the benchmark then I've got a lot of work to do!! Stunning John!  :doublethumb

Cheers
Ron

…and just remember, John's benches are a good deal better than most peoples…

Doug

a lovely scenero John,as for the diff in people,look at it this way real ones are all shapes and sizes  so why not little people,yours still look good,keep em coming
:thumbs:thumbs;-):cool:
Owen

What a busy place Granby is: justifies its grand railway station! Particularly like the first couple of shots.

Thanks guys……..so glad you like it   :thumbs



[user=312]Chubber[/user] wrote:

[user=1775]g0ibi[/user] wrote:

Blimey if that's the benchmark then I've got a lot of work to do!! Stunning John!  :doublethumb

Cheers
Ron

…and just remember, John's benches are a good deal better than most peoples…

Doug

As it happens benches are/were a bit of an issue……..I have a number of Coopercraft GWR benches on the layout……..here is a very old shot of one on the Cynwyd branch


.


I need a few more just to finish off the main station but they dont seem to be available any more…….I have ordered some substitutes from Dart Castings but I rather suspect they are for waiting room use rather than platforms…….I will find out shortly :hmm

Inspiring modelling as usual. Granby is moving from strength to strength.

Little people's bum's on benches sounds a good project for us all John and your reminder of the superb Monty's Models figures has prompted me to order a few to bring a bit more realism to those little cameos.

Bill :)

Sure you know about them but Metcalfe do some nice laser cut GWR benches

http://www.metcalfemodels.com/po501-00-h0-g-w-r-benches

Thanks for the comments Bill…..glad you liked it

Andy,I am embarrassed to admit I didn't know about the Metcalfe kit and before I discovered Scalescene I used to be a big Metcalfe fan.

They look very good and far better value than the Dart version. Thank you so much for the suggestion……I will give them a try next time I order (one of the disadvantages of GWR modelling in Canada ……it's difficult to make one off purchases!)

Cheers

John

John,

As it is unlikely that I shall ever have a GWR train-set again, I have a packet with four benches in for you to try, drop me PM with address etc and I'll send them on,

Best wishes,

Doug

That's really very kind and thoughtful of you Doug…..PM on its way :thumbs

Thank you so much

Best wishes

John

John, I've just got back onto YMR and here I can see I have a lot to ctach up on. What a delightful task. I'm looking forward to it.