Freelance 00 layout

You must be pleased with progress Dave - it's starting to look the part. thumbs

Amazing how many of us like your retaining walls ………….:roll::roll::roll:  The shops along the back wall I'd guess are Metcalfe, but what make are the houses ?

Hi Pete,

The houses are old ones from my first layout  and are  Superquick's half relief houses (C6) - they look Ok from a distance but don't stand any close up scrutiny - I may use them somewhere on the layout where they are hidden form direct view but for now they are just " fill ins"

Thanks Dave. :thumbs

In the right setting, I wouldn't write off any of these "older" models.  I remember how effective some old "Bilt-ezee" terraced house backs looked on John Dew's Granby layout.

The Lenz LS150 has proved to be almost useless on the new layout when used in conjunction with RR&Co which can set routes. In the fiddle yard a route can involve up to eight sets of points and the Lenz takes far too long to process all the commands.
Based on recommendations I have purchased a number of NCE Switch 8 MK2 s.
Unlike the Lenz decoder these are designed especially for stall motors such as the Tortoise and having just tested one I have to say they are a very smart piece of kit. Programing is very simple and the units have an LED readout that shows you which of up to eight turnouts you are programming and what accessory code it is programmed with.
10 out of ten NCE !!

Aha…technology… It doesn't matter how fast it is… You will invariably be waiting for it. Just think of printers!
Glad you've found a solution and that you're progressing along.

Cheers

Marty

A major milestone was achieved on the weekend. All the wiring has been completed and tested to allow for computer control of the points and block detection. !!
Next step will be to start to programme basic schedules in RR&Co and get back to building the scenery and playing trains !!

Work on the layout has been, to say the least, slow.  I have upgraded one of the old platforms with a fresh platform surface and built a new island platform to match.  Photo of work in progress - the platform on the far left is just there for comparison :roll:

I have also started building yet more walls - this time retaining walls that will go where the junk is currently located and will join with a tunnel entrance where the track runs under the scenery.
As it has been a pleasant spring day in Sydney I have been constructing the wall outdoors using Scalescene downloads pasted onto thick cardboard. 
Photo shows the main wall - upper wall and joining to bridge to be completed

The walls look good in stone. I must admit I've been tunnel visioned into brick but I'm looking to convert for a change. I looked at Metcalfes stone wall but they are out of stock. Maybe it's time to try the Scalescenes version.

Looking good.

Toto

Hi Toto,
Scalescenes is not as convenient as Metcalfe but far more versatile and once you have paid for the pdf download you can print as many times as you wish so for big projects it works out a lot cheaper.
They are also available in different brick or stone types and there are a few "freebies" you can experiment with

Cheers

Further progress…

photo showing the retaining walls and the new arch wall  which will eventually have the road form the upper level - still pondering what to make the road with - in the past I have not had a lot of luck getting the flow correct at the top or bottom of an incline - any suggestions?



This is the view form the other direction show the tunnel entrance - everything is just resting in situ at present so that I can make alterations etc - tunnel bases for example need amending.

Another update on my wall building.
The easy stuff has been completed and now I have been busy using the  basics of the arched walls and retaining  walls to create a roadway down  to the lower level. the following photos  show progress to date.







All just placed in situ as before -  changes to the station layout will  result, as you can see from the last photo.

For those with a architect background I have already been advised by my daughter that the parapets are incorrectly located I can move the one on the  ramp but not the one at the join on the top !

One minor issue is that I am reusing the arched walls from the previous  layout and I have upgraded my printer since then so the walls are coming  out a slighty different colour than before - those with eagle eyes will  notice the difference in the arches in the second photo.

Hi guys

Its been been a while since my last post - health and life generally  have taken priority but I am now back in the train room for the first  time in 12 months.
It may take me a while to get back into the swing of things - I have  just downloaded the latest version of RR&Co - I was 6 versions  behind !!

Hi Dave,

Welcome back and it's good to hear from you again and with better news for your railway. Seems as if you're some catch up to do, but have made a start, so enjoy that railway feeling again and keep in touch.

Good health and happiness to you,

Bill

Good to see you back Dave. Looking forward to more on "Not Mutley"
PS.Pleased That i am not alone with the birds nest under the layout. :thumbs

Ok so 2017 was a write off so its now over two years since any work has been undertaken on the layout  !  Maybe 2018 will be more productive. 

In the past 18 months the train room has become a storage room and every time I ventured into the mess I quickly became disillusioned and walked back out.
Apart from the mess in the train room I also have a stack of railway related "stuff" that is stored elsewhere that needs to be moved so there are in fact two challenges associated with the hobby not including finding the "mojo" and getting it to stay.

By posting the picture below I am relying on the forum to apply some peer pressure so that, my health permitting,  2018 will be a turning point for Not Mutley.
 





On that note  I wish all forum members a happy and successful 2018

Dave

Happy New Year Dave, won't take long to tidy that lot up  :thumbs

(Consider yourself 'peer pressured'  )



Ed

Thanks guys.

Hi Dave

So good to hear from you……..you have been missed!.

I am sorry that last year didnt lend itself to modelling. I do hope your health has improved so that hopefully you can get stuck into Not Mutley-2 again. It was such a promising layout and I used to enjoy your updates.

Apart from anything else I need someone to chat to about RR&Co! :roll:

Best wishes for 2018

John

Hi John,

getting the layout running will be my highest priority so stand by for lots of banter regarding RR&Co  as I have forgotten more than I have remembered and will need some input to get up to speed - an then there is the new version :oops: :oops: