One of the operating accessories I intend using is the colour signal range from Traintronics, a sample of which is shown below.



They will be controlled via the TT301 DCC control board (in the centre).  Each signal requires its own board but the advantage is that, used in conjunction with the Traintronics point motors, the signals can be set to work in tandem with the points.  They can also be linked together so that, for example, a distant signal showing yellow will only change to green when the next signal in the sequence is also showing green.

Time will tell how simple this is to achieve in reality!!

Those are superb looking signals - certainly seem a mile ahead of the Eckon type.

I'm not au fait with modern signalling but are signals actually aligned with point position?

John

Hi John

Not sure quite what you mean. My aim is to get the signals working with the points, i.e. if a set of points is against a train then the signal will be red and won't change until the points are aligned correctly and then will become green.  Also, if this signal is linked to distant signals, these will change in sequence.

I suppose I was wondering whether the prototype did that today given the automation that I assume exists.  In the olden days points and signals would be operated separately with the point being set first and after the signalman had confirmed the route was safe, the signal would be set to on (or safe) - at least that's how I understand it. 

John

I guess that what you describe is really what I'm hoping will happen!  When a route has been set correctly the signals will change appropriately, but without the use of a signalman!!  The DCC system will (I hope) be operating as the signalman and I, as the driver, will be able to then move the train once I have told the signalman what route I want to use.  Well, that's the theory!!!

Haven't had much time today, but I did manage to set up a simple red/green signal with one of the TT301 decoder boards and test it.  It worked!  I have set up a spreadsheet  which does the rather complicated calculations required in order to set up the decoder address, which is stored in CVs 9 and 1.  I then had to adjust the value of CV2 to reflect the type of signal and how I wanted it to operate - in my case I wanted the system to act as the signalman.  This means that an instruction to change the accessory to NORMAL or REVERSED has to come from the handset or, when I have them all installed and working correctly, a macro where the point will be switched first and then the signal set.

The wires on the signals are VERY fine so need handling with care.  I will need to add a little solder to the end of each wire to enable a more stable and reliable connection.  I also need to experiment with signals with route indicators and also linking the decoders together to create signalled routes before I actually install anything.

Best of luck with your signal work John.
I have been browsing the NCE powercab manual on that subject page accessory normal/reversed regarding those new cobalt digital point motors I am thinking of trying.
Anyway you seem to have things in hand.
regards,
Derek

It's looking very good John.  I can see that you have also dealt with some of the issues I had such as access and temperature.  I keep my blinds permanently down too as my room is North facing and gets full on sun shine.  Nice work on the boards.  All very neat.  Your tidy wiring leaves me embarrassed when I think of the birds nest under my layout.  Very good.  

Cheers

Neil

Many thanks for the supportive comments, guys - much appreciated.  Once I've experimented with a couple of signals and TT301 decoders above the board I think I will have to install the station platforms and ballast the track before I contemplate actually installing the signals.  It will certainly be easier ballasting without having to work around and over signal masts.

Just to show that the signals work correctly, a couple of photos:






I have been pottering a bit this afternoon……  and I found some older locos, one of which is one of my favourite locos classes, the West Country.



I have had this loco, Swanage, for some time and it was one of the first I installed a decoder into.  Unfortunately the decoder I installed (according to my stock spreadsheet which [hopefully!!] lists everything I have, including details of decoders installed, etc.) is a ZTC.  I have tried resetting it several times, but no life.  This isn't the first of the older ZTC decoders I have had trouble with so I will replace it with a Zimo sound decoder I recently bought from Digitrains, though I had intended putting that into a new West Country I have still in its box.

I also bought some new wagon wheels recently, spoked (shown below) and solid disc.



The idea was to replace the plastic wheels on sold old stock items I recently found with the aim of improving their running and also hopefully helping to keep the track cleaner than plastic wheels do.

I rewheeled a number of Trx, Airfix and Mainline wagons this afternoon but have been stumped by Wrenn.  The first three makes listed all have plastic underframes but Wrenn have solid metal underframe castings with no flexibility whatsoever.  I have only managed to get one old axle out of the several Wrenn wagons I have.



The problem is that, not only are the underframes metal, but the wheels are fitted into what appear to be metal clips, but I can't find a way of getting the clips out or even bend them a little, as they are flush against the underframe casting.  If anyone has some bright ideas, or has tackled this issue before I would be grateful for some inspiration!!!!

if they are like the old hornby dublo wagons you will need to take the body off first, then the wheel clips an be opened and pulled out, then you will have to do it all again in reverse,enjoy?? i had loads of fun with mine:twisted::twisted::twisted:
:thumbs;-):cool:

Thanks for the suggestion!    That was going to be my next move and, thankfully, it revealed that the problem was not going to be quite as bad as I had originally thought.  Having removed the body by undoing the single central screw it revealed that the pieces of metal retaining the axles were bent over on the top of the metal chassis (below).




Using the small flat headed screwdriver shown above it was possible to lever up one side, as shown below.



This meant that the metal plate could be moved and the axle released, though some were more difficult to extract than others because of parts of the casting below and required a pair of pliers and some brute force.  Thankfully the new axles generally went in much more easily than I had expected. The metal shims were relocated in the slots in the chassis and then bent over into position once again using a pair of large pliers. The whole job, to replace the axles on seven wagons, took less than 20 minutes!  If only everything was as straightforward!!

I have now started on making the platforms……..

I also managed to come across another strip of LED lighting when I was rummaging yesterday, something I didn't know I had!  So I will add these to the underboard lighting I installed last week.  Fortunately I installed the existing LED strips allowing for expansion.

some people have all the luck,my trucks bodies were fastened with  the same clips as the wheels pus studs to set them in
:thumbs;-):cool:

Nice result.

Marty

Thanks Marty!

It's almost a year ago that I was in Fremantle at the start of my epic (three month) tour of Australia and New Zealand - trouble is it seems so long ago!!

Well I 've managed to install more LED lighting under the first Oxsea board today and also started to look at suitable paving and brick papers (from Scalescenes) for the Oxsea station, the platforms for which I have managed to create over the last couple of days using 20mm x 7cm timber.  I shan't actually fix anything down until I'm happy with the way it looks.

Fremantle's a nice spot.
Holidays never seem long enough. Always good to have some to look forward to though.  14 days off coming up over Christmas for me… always a productive time working on the railway… too darn hot to do anything else.

:)Nice to read up on those old HD wagon models John.

Its great Owen had the knowledge to pass on how to deal with those axle clips.

Have a few of those old warriors in my stock which need some TLC.

I envy Marty and his talk of hot weather.At the moment my place is surrounded by river flood waters and its fun cycling to the local town.

Cheers,

Derek.

Hi Derek

It has been quite wet here recently though fortunately we're not in a flood area where I live, on a hill.  Not so much fun when it's icy though!!

Slighly off topic, but I am in the process of transferring a large collection of slides into digital format and I came across a previous incarnation of Chelford!  This is something I made during the late 1970s/early 1980s - not brilliant, I know, and the photographic quality lacks that of more modern cameras, but nevertheless a little nostalgic, at least for me!!

Well, it's 4 years since I last went to the Warley show at the NEC and then I was there as a trader.  I ventured there again today……  my goodness it was busy - just as busy as I remember it on the other side of the counter.  I would have preferred to have gone tomorrow (Sunday) as it tends to be a little quieter and less frenetic on a Sunday but family commitments precluded that.  There are certainly some superb layouts there and an inspiration which will hopefully spur me on.  It was good to see a number of children there, though I'm not sure how much they could really see.  I do have one bugbear though and that is people with backpacks - some are so huge that they have no idea how much of a hassle they are, or antisocial, to others - I was fed up by the time I left by being battered with these things.

I'm just glad I went early….  by the time I left (about 12.30) it was difficult to move in places.  I did manage to make a few purchases, so came back with 3-hole disc wheels, rail built buffer stops, lights for the buffer stops which will be used in Oxsea station, a couple of Berko starter signals for the platforms at Oxsea and some more ballast.

Its good to see the shows are being well supported John.
I have not been to one for many years not much by the way of shows in Ireland at least south of Dublin.
Rucksacks can be a hazard.I guess those who use them find they can carry more goodies.
I like your old railway photos plenty of action from the past.
Regards,
Derek.