GWR OO Gauge - 1930's rural Somerset - Winter 1937

Thanks TeaselBay,

you're most kind,

Colin

Hi Colin, 

For more than one working cassette (as opposed to storage) you need more width on the base. In essence a cassette traverser rather than a fixed track traverser. If you used a double slip 2 fixed location cassettes could access the 2 lines. This adds about another 0.5m to the length though. Depends on whether you just want to load a fixed formation (and store it on a shelf below the top board) or whether you want to ring the changes during operation including say the up returning on the down. 

Picking up a cassette and turning it around 180° is risky, and potentially costly. The only *safe" way is to walk it around the table.

Some small neodymium magnets in the base and steel plates on the underside of the cassette would be effective locators. Recess both of course. 

Nigel

More Progress on Cassette Storage

My first powered cassette has been completed. With no Fiddle Yard possible, the job of putting a loco onto the layout creates annoying problems for me.

• My best run of straight track for using a loading ramp is inaccessible.
• Annoying locos that either separate from their tender if you look at them (2251 Collett Goods) or have fine fragile details that I find hard to avoid bending (or worse).

So when I ran Ketley Hall 4935 onto its powered cassette for the first time it felt like a big achievement, long overdue.  :cool:

For various reasons I settled on a plug and socket power connection:

To squeeze maximum cassettes in my roll-away I've tailored their width to suit stock, wider for coaches / locos, narrower for goods. This plus I'm loading to 1 of 2 tracks excludes side sprung slide in contacts.

I wanted a sure and reliable contact, sprung end connectors didn't appeal either, also I'd need to place contacts at each end of the powered cassettes.

The socket, sitting mid-way along the cassette, has a lower edge profile than would studs at both sides unless these were recessed / tricky to use, fitting with my need to control cassette width.

The wiring solution is shown here in the inset, one socket each side, cross wired for the correct polarity according to direction. When the sides are fitted over the socket ends, some Milliput around the socket bodies helps hold them firmly in place and tidies up the job.

 In the interest of recycling, I'm using old PC Power connectors to connect to the main board, these have a 1 way fit to ensure correct polarity. Some hot melt glue squirted around all the wire ends while the plug is connected into its socket improves alignment for plug in / out type usage.
 An old shaver lead is used so I don't lift a powered cassette off while still connected and have it yanked out of my hands!



 From here on it's to the production line to finish the entire set.


Note: See post #138 for a minor change made to the design, using better power connector / sockets based on PC circuit boards to connect the lead to the cassette.

Effective Colin..

Hi Colin,

Interesting approach.

Nigel

It's been a quiet two weeks at W-H while the workbench took up all my attention. Nothing much new to report here so I've taken some photos of the Station area, to highlight to myself what still needs to be done.

The Station and canopies are unmodified Metcalfe kits which are reasonable in style for my West Country location and nicely sized down in keeping with my modest space compared to the real W-s-M. The prototype had 2 mainline platforms, curved much as on the approach seen here and with a smaller third platform (at right) for the odd regional trains. That's as close as I get to a faithful following of the original!

The positions where I've taken these shots are generally inaccessible and are facing the viewer so attention to details from this POV is less. Similarly I decided not to install Engine Shed Pits which wouldn't be visible from the front side. However it is a useful angle for planning work on Platform 2 which, notionally at least, will be servicing some through trains and clearly visible from the front. Suitable levels of soot, grime, muck, cinders and ash are required all around the Engine Shed, just more of those jobs on an ever expanding list!

Here 6424 and an Autocoach are waiting to depart.










Colin
 

Heathfield at Dusk - Winter

Taking advantage of the setting sun  this evening I managed to get this naturally lit photo of Heathfield  village and Frog Lane Farm. Is that a dusting of snow on the hills? 

Great shot Colin.

Try as we do, one simply can't beat what nature can do.

Too many Class 48xxs?

My younger audience here (aka the grand-kids) might wonder about this title because on their respective last visits I had just one Class 48xx, 4869 with GWR shirt-button logo -the subject of my post #66 etc..

It's a strange thing but now the postman keeps bringing me new models, two in that last 2 weeks! The first new one (#2; 1450) has its own evolving story which can be found here:

http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=16329&forum_id=62#p292565

Meanwhile the replacement for purchase #2 from Hattons duly arrived this week, welcome #3.
This is a "pre-owned" Airfix 54152-7, described as "noisy runner". I bought it mostly for the spares and the experience.

 The current state of activity centres around work on #1. I'm getting a little better at this stuff as the Airfix came apart easily, revealing the many quirky aspects of its design, most notably those plunger pickups that were a millstone around its operational neck. I was surprised to find a Cardan (universal joint) so the front axle is driven unlike the Hornby. It's the first time I've looked in detail at one of these and given its age there's a lot to admire. Unlike the 1970s version by the early 1980s a smaller 5 pole motor was installed. Very smooth low current draw after a simple clean of the commutator. It is remarkable that Hornby persisted with using those terrible 3 pole Ringfields for 20+ more years.

  The front driven axle proved to be an advantage as having the non-tyred wheels, they were a near perfect replacement for my rear driven axle with its dreaded traction tyres once I'd swapped over the axle gear.

After swapping in the new wheeled axis and checking quartering the new chassis runs very sweetly at even the lowest speed step. What isn't so good is connectivity between the new wheels and their pickups. At the moment I think this is due to wear on the wheel backs from the former plungers. New pickup options will be arriving for my kit build so I'll take the opportunity to add better pickups all around to #1 once they get here.
 

Class 48xx #1 - An Update

My suspicion about the Airfix driver wheels is confirmed. On the rolling Road with just the middle wheels live there was no movement in spite of my new wheels with no tyre grooves. Inspection revealed significant channels gouged by the plunger tips in the wheel backs over the years. This was clearly enough to prevent decent contact with the Hornby wipers. Once the grooves were ground out all worked fine.

This is model railway engineering Colin - I only struggle as far as model railways !

I presume you have good eyesight, a steady hand and an equipped workshop (with a lathe)……………….. :roll:

Much as I'd really love to have a bash at such things, I know it's beyond my capabilities so I satisfy myself by reading, with envy, what others manage to do.

I'm following your exploits with interest.  :thumbs

Thanks Peter,

Your comments raise interesting issues.

Steady hands: 6 years ago noticably less so, but I've found that whether it's mechanical, electrical or scenic, just the very act of trying and not giving up helps improve hand eye coordination and a side benefit for me is much steadier hands when dealing with tiny modelling parts.

"model railway engineering": not at all. I remain in awe of those folk who can put a loco kit or chassis together and get a working result. If you could dissect what I've done it's simply a set of individual steps each of which require a modicum of care. Not much different from doing a full maintenance on a model. Anyone can do it, just start on a subject where in worst case outcome it's no big deal.

 Looking forward, I've been lucky to find someone here prepared to guide me thru the challenging (for me) task of building a new power train for 48xx #2, that hopefully will be another move up the learning curve.

Westown-Heathfield - A General Update

With breaking news here on COVID every day, the impacts are affecting all of us. From the mundane / silly e.g. shortages of Dunny Rolls and tissues to the much more serious task of looking after ourselves now we find we're in a "high risk" category. Even activities as tame as Duplicate Bridge are filled with potential traps, cards passing from table to table, 80 or so mostly senior "at riskers" in a close environment for 3 hours. One Club has just closed its doors today for this reason.

Singapore effectively has banned all through passengers for the foreseeable future thereby rubber stamping our earlier decision to not take our fully booked to Europe.

So I'm minus my Bridge and one holiday, in self-imposed semi-isolation along with SWMBO to minimise our risks and now thinking that the silver lining is all those jobs on W-H that I've successfully postponed to date. Ah deadlines, I'm reminded of Douglas Adams comment that he loved deadlines; it was the lovely wooshing sound they made as they passed him by! No more excuses now.


EDIT: Breaking news - Our Bridge Club has closed its doors; ABF advising all Clubs to do just the same. Our BBD this week cancelled.

Incoming passengers to Oz now face automatic 14-day self-isolation requirement. The reeling Tourism industry just took another one between the eyes.

We're in much the same boat here in France now Colin.

As of midnight last night, all bars, cafés, restaurants, cinemas and shops selling non-essential goods must remain closed until further notice.

Having said that, the local elections are still going ahead !!!!

The "elderly" (those over 70 !!!!) are adivsed to stay indoors………………..  I hadn't imagined myself as  being "elderly" but I have now been officially categorised.

Hopefully, I too will be able to do some work on Maxmill whilst allowing the cobwebs to gather on the cars ……………….. 

At least I'll be able to assure Liz that "no, I don't have anything better to do !"

"model railway engineering":  not at all. …. If you could dissect what  I've done it's simply a set of individual steps each of which require a  modicum of care.


If only it were that simple, I do agree it can be a state of mind that says it is too difficult so best not try. I do enjoy reading about other peoples work - you never know where the next great ideal I can appropriate comes from. Now train storage cassettes weren't on my list but with the ever increasing stock it may just be worth a thought.


Here in Spain it is also a full lock down - not even supposed to go with the wife to do the shoppping. Oh well I will just have to spend a bit more time on the layout, it's either that or sit in front of the telly. I would do other jobs around the house but all the shops selling the bits I would need are closed - every cloud and all that.
 

Westown-Heathfield - News from "The W-H Bunker"

Like many others, we're bunkered down at home, minimising our social contact while the expansion phase of the Pandemic is eventually brought under control.

I suspect I'm not alone among railway modellers when it comes to squirrelling away things for that proverbial "rainy day". Well the "weather" forecast is bleak in that respect and I'm now grateful for my considerable hord of kits and other items and plans to work on in the coming months.
 We each can have our own way of keeping in touch, Barry M's is creative and bravo for the idea, I'll give some regular updates about W-H and what's happening around here.

WEEK 1
Our self-isolation began exactly a week ago, Friday 13th! It feels like half a lifetime ago.

This day also marked the starting point of Australia getting really serious about taking action with about 170 cases nationwide, the large majority in NSW / Qld. First the Grand Prix was cancelled, then many other events, all outdoor > 500; indoor >100 etc.

Since then we've seen a ban on all incoming visitors from overseas, Govt advisory against all overseas travel worldwide etc. The list goes on. The shutters have come down hard.

One positive has been the restricted shopping hour (7-8am) introduced for Seniors / concessions. We've been able to fill the gaps in our supplies that the earlier panic had created.

It has been a week of getting ourselves organised for new routines and needs and now we are just taking each day as it comes. Ahead we have perhaps the best period of Melbourne weather which we can enjoy, a long mild autumn thru to June and for once there won't be other demands competing for our attention.

Best wishes to everyone for seeing ourselves safely through this coming "annus horribilis", mutual support in times of isolation will be a great help.

Colin

K's 48xx Kit - an update

this has its own dedicated topic but COVID has caused me to put it on the back burner because of the help I'll need with the assembly. So, for now this is just to record my amazement when the package from High Level Kits arrived this week.

 For someone whose OO drive train experience started by working on the dreaded Hornby 3 Pole Ringfields and then advanced to the Bachmann 57xx / 64xx designs (which seemed to be high tech in comparison), the experience of opening the High Level package was nothing short of jaw dropping! It's all so tiny, an engineering gem. Suddenly it became clear why many modellers love building these kits!

I count myself lucky to have secured one of the very last iconic Mashima motors as they have ceased production.







 

Powered Cassettes - an update

Just to note that after completing my powered cassettes I decided that the power connections I'd used were less than perfect, tending to trigger transient shorts as you plug / unplug from the cassette. (thanks here to my short detector!) To overcome this, a simple change was made to using PC Power connectors as shown here:



In the end a tidier and more "professional" job. I'll add a footnote to my original post alerting this change in design.

Dean Goods - An Update

As others have this loco I though the issue worthy of a post. It came up when shunting the DG back and forth while modifying my cassettes.

My loco has been an excellent runner since the start (after the troubled  path I took to getting a good one) but the other day it just seized up in reverse. Testing forward  motion on a rolling road there was a noticeable but highly irregular click.
 
I pulled the keeper plate off to find this:


The rear left wiper shows damage in the form of an outward bend caused  by replacing the plate incorrectly after a previous maintenance. Despite  the appearance, it looks worse than it is as it positions correctly  against the wheel and does not snag. The real culprit is the PB strip  which had detached from the keeper plate, probably because the rear  holding screw had come slightly undone.  Even repositioning and firmly  screwing down was not enough as it had bent sideways and up.
   
  To resolve the issue it just needed bending back fully to correct shape  and a spot of CA glue to keep it in its spot. So worth keeping an eye on  those 4 screws holding the keeper plate especially the rear one.

Westown-Heathfield - News from "The W-H Bunker"

Week 2 - an Update and a New Project

Looking back at last week's post I noted that on Fri 13th we had 170 COVID-19 cases in Australia; than one week later it was 681 up to 2810 this Friday just past. It seems that many cases are due to returning travellers but local transmission is on the rise. Like most places we're in near to total lock-down.

On the modelling front I've done very little, Parkinson's Law in the field of household tasks and responsibilities has been in full force all week and took precedence. First it was the kitchen tap…… you get the idea. Good news though was the belated arrival of the Wizard Models pack with wheels / axles for the K's 48xx plus some other goodies I'll be deploying to create some wiper pickups.

I've another project which will start out on the W-H topic because progress will be slow and under "Rule 1" can be allowed at my Westown location. It concerns the Weston Clevedon & Portishead Railway Company (WC&PR), the Southern terminus of which was in my prototype location Weston-super-Mare.

Under my Rule 1, the popularity of Holiday travel in the 1930's meant that the WC&PR's W-s-M terminus was overloaded and a short spur was built at Worle across to the GWR, just beyond where the W-s-M loop leaves the through mainline. This allowed WC&PR traffic to link with the mainline station arriving at the rarely used Platform 1

For this project I'm going to need some ex LSWR carriages which ultimately found their way to the WC&P Railway under Col. Stephens watchful management, specifically nos 15-17. There is helpful info on kit bashing Ratio GWR four wheeler coaches into suitable stock. Should be fun, more Ratio kits were ordered this week.