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Ennitoun – Update 19th April 2020

Ennitoun has been hit by savage cutbacks and withdrawal of all Locomotives and coaching stock.  These cuts are more severe than those of  Dr Beeching’s savage cuts in the 1960 of  British Railways.  At least his cuts left some lines and motive power.   A decision had been made to upgrade to Digital Command Control (DCC ).  To allow the smooth transfer from DC (Direct Control) to DCC (Digital Command Control) the wiring of the layout tracks had to be altered.  In DC mode 1 Locomotive.Train can be controlled at one time by one controller. This means that in a dual track system two or more controllers are needed and care mast be taken to prevent short circuits. DCC has one controller/cab and all parts of the layout and all lines are live.  Control of each loco is by means of  DCC chip fitted to each locomotive, this chip is a programmable device and will only allow power to the motor when it gets the correct coded signal from the CAB/Controller.  Once a system has been converted to DCC operation DC powered locos can no longer be run on the layout.

Once the decision was made to upgrade to DCC suitable motive power was sourced (i.e. those fitted with decoders or DCC ready).  Some of the older locos were assessed to see if they could have decoders fitted and be upgraded.   Stock survey on 9th April 2020 revealed that out of 70 locomotives:

  • DCC Fitted 9 – able to be run on new system
  • DCC Ready 19 – awaiting fitting of DCC Chip
  • Non-DCC – 33 with possibility of 14 being converted to DCC by fitting chip
  • Possible DCC stock = 42 out of 61 as at 9th April 2020.

The older Triang/Airfix/Palititoy/Bachmann models will be withdrawn and placed in display cabinets.  Perhaps at some future date they may be converted.  Reaming 33 non DCC stock will be upgraded by the fitting of a chip within the next few months (once the present restrictions on movement are rescinded).

With 9 locos ready to run under DCC and the decision to go ahead all rrolling stock was removed to allow the necessary rewiring to be undertaken.   The DCC controller/CAB selected was NCE Power CAB starter set.   To ensure that power went to all parts of the layout the self-isolating points/turnouts had to be made non-isolating.  This was achieved by the use of Hornby DCC point clips .  Once all 42 turnouts were fitted with the clips it was time to test the track using one DC locomotive.  Placing it on a site that would normally be isolated from the controller a test power application was made – For the first time in my life I was pleased to see that the isolation of the shed was breached the engine was tested all over the track to ensure even if all points were set against it power was still getting to the loco.

With that simple test it was time to set up the DCC controller and test a DCC fitted loco. Looking at the diagram image to the left it is a simple procedure to link the two wire (the only wires you need) to the controller.  Ah there is always an Ah at this stage

in the proceedings.  When it came to fit the plug from part 6 to the socket part 5 it was found that diameter of the plug was larger that the circumference of the socket. Swearie  word time, rant at manufactures that cannot do a basic parts check etc etc. Regardless of language, rant the point was at this stage the project ground to a halt.  The PW Team leader advised the Fat Controller that they were screwed and the job was at a stop until the correct PSU with the correct diameter plug was obtained.  The loss of revenue was the Fat Controller’s fault for ordering incompatible gear.

With luck and Royal Mail being its’ usual service the replacement part will be here on Monday 20th April 2020 and the final test be completed.

Oh the joys of lock-down, model railway and mail order (with priorities being enforced) have added two weeks to a three day project.

 

Link to Ennitoun Motive Power Album

Click on image below

 


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Ennitoun – Update 5th April 2020

It is still an all change situation at Ennitoun.  When Susan and I started the layout in 2016 it we used the surviving coaches, engines etc from my layout in 1971. The majority of the stock was Tri-ang Hornby with some earlier Tri-ang locos (original black Princess Elizabeth and Princess Victoria), along with LNER & BR version of A1 Flying Scotsman and a type 37 Diesel locomotive .  A M7, Dockyard Shunter, and an old “Hornby Double 0 City of London  converted to two rail), Tri-ang Hornby B12 and Britannia.  It became apparent that the older Tri-ang and some of the Hornby-Tri-ang stock would not run on the newer finer scale rails – the points in particular caused them problems due to the wheels on these loco being a lot broader than modern.  Mind you that was no surprise as the earlier locos were really toys and not fine scale models so the wheels were broader to let little hands get the engines on the rails easily. Considering that in 2016 many of these locos were 45 years and in the case of the City of London 50 years old.  I was amazed that all ran straight from the storage boxes to track.  In addition to the original stock I had 3 locos purchased in  2002 3 Black Fives which changed Honby from a tour train to a precise model railway.  The detail was superb and the wheels were to scale.  3 version were released by Hornby LSM, Early BR Crest and Late BR Crest.  The latter was weathered to reflect the closing age of steam power on the railway.

The oldest loco was the converted Hornby Double 0 three rail loco.  This was heavy die cast metal body a frames it had no problem on the finer track.  I’m a Glesga keelie and an engine named City of London was not my favourite name.  The model did represent a class of express steam locomotives I admired.  I call them Coronations after the original streamlined loco 6220 Coronation. Now days the go by Coronation, Duchess Coronation and Princess Coronation – to me they will always be Coronations.  I had one particular favourite in that class BR Number 46242 “City of Glasgow”.  A good friend of Susan and myself , Paul James, undertook a repaint and renaming task and the “City of London” in BR Red became “City of Glasgow” BR Green later totem:

Ennitoun locomotive stock now numbers 65, 20 of them will be retired or sold on if they cannot meet new modifications as Ennitoun is going DCC (Digital Command Control) Adding this add so much more to the atmosphere of running a model rail layout.  As well as being able to control more that one train/loco at a time with one hand controller sound can be added to the locomotives when fitted with DCC decoder chip+sound.   To enable this change over the layout underwent a big P-way task.  The engineers were out in force replacing 37 Hornby points/turnouts and two diamond crossing to Peco points/crossings.  This solved one problem of older engines stalling at the points / crossings. After that task was completed all locos were tested on all routes – two of the older (Tri-ang) locos still failed… they have now been selected for the Ennitoun Railway Museum and will shortly be encased in their own highly desirable display case.

Of the 65 locos – 14 will not be used on DCC layout (they will undergo a conversion programme – currently held in abeyance due to current movement restrictions.  7 are undergoing Conversion and held in workshop again due to current movement restrictions. 8 are fully fitted with decoders some with sound they can be run on old system at present but without the sound <sigh>.  17 are DCC ready – i.e. they have the connections in place and they just need chips fitted. This will be done as soon as the restrictions are lifted.

However, before any DCC can be run the layout has to undergo another track replacement programme.  Under current operation if more that one loco shares a line it has to be isolated from the controller and that means isolation track has to be fitted.   In total there are 36 isolating tracks (approx 6″), this mean that all the 6 inch/12 inch track between the isolated track can be replaced with 36 inch continuous track, all points have to be made continuous power – thankfully that is a minor job using point clips which elevate the self isolating points problem (too expensive to replace all 60 points)

Timescale – task has started supplies of clips, DCC fitted locos available, DCC controller needs to be ordered so it is planned to have all completed by End of this month (April) failing that middle of May 2020.

Regarding the Hornby Double 0 City of Glasgow it is earmarked for a special display cabinet – however a special order has been placed for a new modern version.  One that has sound, DCC, smoke, crew, flickering fire box and operating oil lamps and in BR Green to take pride of place on revised Ennitoun layout.  Meantime there is still a City of Glasgow loco – only it is in LMS Wartime Black numbered 6242:

Just for my friends in Auld Reekie to keep them happy I  have 6241 City of Edinburgh as well:

Link to Ennitoun Motive Power Album

Click on image below

 


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Ennitoun (was All Change) – Update 27th February 2020

On the 29th December 2019 I added to the blog under the Title “All Change 12 Months on”.   Originally “All Change” was the blog regarding the  resurrection of  my childhood model railway.  Part 7 was published on 29th December 2019 1 year and a day after Part 6 which showed the changes from initial design up to the revised design started at end of 2018.  Alas, the January blog was the last due to Susan’s cancer becoming more aggressive and my (then) partner was in and out of hospital for the rest of the year.  Other blogs tell of our marriage on the 26th June 2019 and my wife’s sad passing on the 15th September 2019.  During all this time the layout languished for the want of attention.

One of our last outings was to the Perth Model Rail Show on Sunday 30th June 2019 where with the finance director’s agreement I purchased a new Hornby model

 

NBR J36 Maude 673

engine – Ex NBR J36 “Maude” an engine that has memories for both of us. Susan saw it at Haymarket Shed and I along with a school friend saw it at St Margaret’s shed when in BR ownership.   During our many chats Susan urged me to continue with the project and to stay with the Clydeside Model Rail Club we had joined. and not to mope.  Well I did mope, and still do at times it was so bad I was on the verge of abandoning it all until Sid took me to the Falkirk Model Rail Show in November 2019.  Well I walked around that show like a zombie – no interest in anything.  Sid suggested we head for a cuppa and we did.  During our tea break the conversation went to how I first got interested in model rail.  A long story – too long to tell here, but a surprising statement came from me.  It came about as I mentioned that I never did get a modern model of the engine that started me off on model railways, no, not the “City of Glasgow”.  The first train set I bought with my own money was an express passenger set of three coaches hauled by a toy train ex LMS Princess class loco “Princess Elizabeth” I have it still up in the attic – a non runner on today’s modern scale layouts.  It was black bakelite, cast iron wheels and sounded like a tank but it fired my interest in building my own railway.   He suggested we go and look again at the traders stalls and see it there was on at the show.  To cut a long story short a dealer/trader I trusted was at the zshow and when Sid asked if he had such a model – I could scarcely believe his reply of  “Yes, I have one from the Peter Waterman Collection by Hornby” .

Sid promptly bought it and said that’s yer Christmas…..  What a friend he turned out to be.  He only went and got me out of my depressed state and once again thanks to his generosity 46201 Ex LMS Princess Elizabeth fired up my interest in continuing with an old hobby.

Other  model locomotives have been added since and the layout is evolving.


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All Change – Part 7 … Motive Power

Apart from Track, Signals, Rolling Stock a railway needs locomotives and model railways have a choice of them.  However, all is not as simple as it appears.  A true modeler will ensure that his / her layout is correct in every detail. To aid railway modelers in their quest for authenticity the companies devised an Epoch or Era Scheme:

Era 1: 1804 – 1875 Pioneering
Era 2: 1875 – 1922 Pre-Grouping
Era 3: 1923 – 1947 The Big Four – LMS, GWR, LNER and SR
Era 4: 1948 – 1956 British Railways Early Crest
Era 5: 1957 – 1966 British Railways Late Crest
Era 6: 1967 – 1971 British Rail Blue Pre TOPS
Era7: 1971 – 1982 British Rail Blue TOPS
Era 8: 1982 – 1994 British Rail Sectorisation
Era 9: 1995 onwards Post Privatisation

My preference is Era 4 and 5 with the odd Era 3 engine popping in, I can  say it is the between 3 and 4 waiting for British Railway branding.  The full breakdown of British Railway Eras

I currently have 14 steam outline locomotives:

Pacific Class 4-6-2

46242 City of Glasgow Ex LMS Coronation Pacific. Designed by Sir William Stanier

Stanier Coronation (Duchess/Coronation)

446242 “City of Glasgow” a Hornby Dublo metal cast model. Originally 46245 “City of London” introduced in 1959.  A good friend ( Paul James)  repainted and renamed the model to my favourite locomotive as I have found memories of the real engine.  City of Glasgow was one of three locos involved in the 1952 Harrow and Wealdston Rail Crash.  This is by far my oldest model locomotive.  Original loco was designed by Sir William Stanier and as designed were streamlined.

Gresley A4

Ex-LNER A4 60009 “Union of South Africa” Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley

No layout would be complete without one of the Gresley streamline locos or “Streaks” as they were known.  I have two only one is currently in use on the layout. Number 60009 “Union of South Africa” is one of six preserved A4 locomotives.  All rail enthusiast now that one of the class 4468 “Mallard” holds the world record for speed by Steam Locomotive.  The other A4 model I have is 60031 “Golden Plover” both Hornby models.

BR MT7 Standard, Britannia Class 70000 Britannia”

 B.R. Standard MT7 “Britannia Class” R A Riddles

Designed by R A Riddles incorporating the best features and modern (for that time) technology the Standard Class 7mt engine proved to be a success in nearly all of the BR Regions -The Western formerly GWR drivers and fireman were not impressed with them. North Eastern Region Norfolk drivers/firemen London Midland took them to heart. Once the Stanier pacifics were withdrawn they were the workhorse of the Scottish and London Midland region.  The first of the class 70000 “Britannia” and the subsequent 55 locos were known as “Britannias” or “Brits” for short.  70013 “Oliver Cromwell” hauled the 1968 15 Guinea Special on 11th August 1968 as the last rostered steam hauled service by British Railways. Both Britannia and Oliver Cromwell made it into preservation.

4-6-0 Class

EX LMS Stanier “Black Five” in later BR Livery

Stanier “Black Five

The 4-6-0 that is 4 leading wheels, 6 driving wheels and 0 trailing wheels was one of the more prolific in the railways of Britain.  British Railways inherited numerous examples and designs of this classification from the Big 4(LMS, LNER, SR and GWR). The most prolific 4-6-0 was the Stanier LMS “Black Five” of which  832 were built between 1834 – 1951.  RA Riddles design of the BR Standard 5 took the best features of the Stanier Black 5. I currently have three Hornby versions of the LM design.  One in LMS livery two in BR livery (early/Late crest).

G.E.R S69 (LNER/BR B12)

GER S69/LNER-BR B12. The last surviving member of a class of 71 locomotives designed by S D Howden and rebuilt by Sir Nigel Gresley. Hornby Model

The last surviving member of a class of 71 locomotives designed by S D Howden and rebuilt by Sir Nigel Gresley. My Triang modelo dates back to 1970 and is one of my original locomotives from my teenage model railway layout.

B.R. Standard Class 4 R A Riddles

B.R. Standard Class 4MT designed by R A Riddles and modeled by Bachaman

Built to provide services on secondary lines and to the universal loading gauge these class 4 MT engine had a higher route availability than the class 5 and 7 engines. 80  during the 1950s of these were built and used extensively in the LM,Western and Southern regions of BR.  Bachmann model is of the preserved loco on the Bluebell Railway.

B.R. Standard Class 5 R A Riddles

B.R. Standard Class 5MT. designed by R A Riddlesbased on LMS Black 5 with modern technology.

Designed to make life easier for the shed maintenance crews and the disposal at end of shift. R A Riddles based the Stanrdad 5 on the LMS Black 5 with modifications such as high running plate, slightly enlarged drivings wheels, self cleaning smoke boxes, and rocking fire grates.   I have two versions by Bachmann – one early and one later crest.

LMS Rebuilt Patriot Class – Sir Henry Fowler

Stanier rebuild of Fowler Patriot “REME”. Model by Bachmann

The Patriot Class was a class of 52 express passenger steam locomotives built for the London Midland and Scottish Railway. The first locomotive of the class was built in 1930 and the last in 1934. The class was based on the chassis of the Royal Scot combined with the boiler from Large Claughtons earning them the nickname Baby Scots. 18 were rebuilt between 1946 and 1948; the remaining 34 unrebuilt engines were withdrawn between 1960 and 1962. Modelby Bachmann with early BR Crest

EX LMS Ivatt Class 2-4-2T

Ivatt 2-6-2T designed to replace elderly LMS 0-6-0 engines

Model by Bachmann in early BR blacklining with early crest

0-6-0 Class

More prolific than the 4-6-0 wheel arrangement the 0-6-0 was a very versatile arrangement for small freight engines.  Various variants of a tendered and non tendered locomotives were built.   I have three variants on my layout:

Ex NBR D (J38)

Fowler Class 3f “Jinty” Ex LMS

Ex LNER designed by Sir Nigel Gresley

BR Standard 2-10-0

Evening Star 92220

Last steam locomotive built by British Railways in 1960. She was withdrawn in 1968 – after 8 years running life. Model by Hornby


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All Change – Part 6… Then and Now

Having decided to revamp and redesign the layout and a budges set we proceeded with the updating of major scenic items.  The first to be re-placed was the old terminus built from a SuperQuick card kit. The New Station and Parcel Office kits were from the Metcalfe Range of kits.  The replacement station and parcel office kits were based on buildings on the Settle to Carlisle line

Then (2016)                                                                                 Now (2019)

Station

Fiddle Yard

12 Feet Extension

       

This is still a work in progress – The station area is now set in stone the track pinned, the old fiddle yard area – now the extension to the extension so to speak still has tweaks to be done.  The 12 foot extension  is still being developed and may change slightly as we explore possibilities.


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All Change ..Part 5 – Changing Tracks

In June 2016 I commenced the saga of building a model railway – the last update was on 30th July 2016 in which I discussed control, then zilch.  The layout was never fully completed and for two years it was run but no further development.  Why this gap?  To be honest I’m not sure – however my memory is that the ballasting of the tracks caused lots of problems in running of the models and eventually required drastic remedial action of lifting the tracks and clearing the ballasting from the baseboard.  During this time I became dissatisfied with the fiddle yard area and wished to expand the layout.   Meantime life carried on.. Susan and I enjoyed our adventures  during 2017 and 2018 with our fellow Intrepid, Sid Morgan as well as taking sea cruises and holiday in Canada.

In november 2018 Susan was advised that her cancer had returned and required further Chemotherapy.  She suggested that it was time I returned to the model railway and expand it.  Plans were drawn up and a budget allocated to the project.  The new design would replace the fiddle yard and an extra 9 ft to make a U style layout.  The revised layout would by 12 ft x 8 ft x 9 ft x 4.5 ft.

Work commenced on Saturday November the 8th with our good friend Sid supplying the know how to create the new baseboards.  No sooner had we started Susan received a phone call from the cancer unit at Western General Hospital they wanted her admitted straight away as the consultant wanted to drain out the liquid from her abdominal cavity.  So we had to leave Sid to do the work whilst I took Susan into hospital.  When I finally returned home, Sans Susan, Sid had completed the assembly and fitting of the new baseboards.  Work was suspended until Susan returned home on the evening of Saturday 9th November having had her first Chemo treatment.

Sunday 9th November track was laid and testing began.

Among many changes made was the replacement of the terminus station with a better style station, the design of a goods yard and addition of factories.  The video below shows the state of play as at 25th December 2018.

 

 


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Hiatus – How to bridge Gap in Blog?

Due to personal life effecting events this blog came to a grinding halt in June/August 2016. However life carried on as did my photography.  My partner had been diagnosed with uterine cancer in September 2015.  During the operation to remove the cancer her urethra tube (right side) was damaged.  It was several months before the tube was healed enough to allow the Chemo treatment to be started.  I know my partner was stressed during this time and so was I.   Thankfully that is all behind us now and we can relax a little bit. So How to bridge the gap?

January 2016:   Due to Susan’s immune system being shot to hell, so to speak,we were restricted on outings.  We did make one outing to Bavelaw/Thriepmuir reservoirs on 30th January.  There is a nice hide sited at the reservoir to allow bird watching in a modicum of comfort.  Unfortunately the cold was a bit too much for Susan so we cut the outing short.  It was the start of a long climb for her.

February 2016:  Visit to Bracklinn Falls near Callander in the Highlands of Scotland.  We were lucky with the weather.  Due to stamina or lack thereof it took us longer to do the short walk.  We plan to return and have added it to our list.  Said list is getting longer and longer. Click on image right to see gallery.

March 2016: We paid a visit to the Kelpies at Helix Park Falkirk.

The Kelpies are 30-metre-high horse-head sculptures, standing next to a new extension to the Forth and Clyde Canal, and near River Carron, in The Helix, a new parkland project built to connect 16 communities in the Falkirk Council Area, Scotland. Wikipedia

April 2016: We paid a visit to Ballymack Hill Farm, Castle Douglas to spend some time with the fascinating Red Kites (Milvus milvus).  It takes 3 hours for us to get to that farm, but it really is worth it to see the spectacular flying display of these birds.  The problem for a photographer or bird enthusiast is where to look! At first it looks as if there are no birds around and all is quiet.  Then the silence is broken by the call of a kite.  Gradually the surrounding trees begin to show signs of the Kites arriving. Then the prefeed display starts.  (Click on image below to view gallery)

 


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All Change ..Part 4 – Control is the thing.

The problem with making throw away statements is that they can come back and bite one.  My simple comment of “I can build that” did exactly that. As a child all I had to do was put up my train set – in a big circle and run it.  As a young man I planned and built a model railway, but did not get round to doing any of the scenic work .  However, I did have station, bridges, some houses and a painted road and and painted grass.  It did have electric points and signals but no extensive backscene, history or logical reason – it was a big boys toy train set.   In 2002 I had the basic layout set up with a continuous loop as well as two terminal stations.  I never got round to completing that one.  So here I am with an L shape layout.  Track laid and dead (isolated) sections in place.  All has been tested using temporary wiring for providing power to the isolating tracks and of course for stopping power.  20160722-IMG_0048

A total of 23 isolated tracks are installed in the layout, 6 of them have manual switches built in – the other 17 need to be wired to a control board of some sort.  A control board would sort out the confusion I encountered whilst testing the isolated sections.  Sid provided the skill and soon had a panel ready for me to wire up.  A straightforward task I thought… Hmmm.   I started off and soon realised his was not going to be an easy task.  I had opted for plug in connectors, one side is female the other male.  They were selected to allow the removal of the control panel to facilitate access to underneath the baseboard in event of problems. they were in set of 12 so I had 24 wires to connect, 12 each side.  17 connectors = 34 connections. I then had to wire the said 34 connections to the 17 on/off switches. Two days later I had the wiring completed and tested. Along the way I had to resolder some of the wiring as the solder joint failed.  Sort out miswiring – tracing the wire back to the track concerned. Friday night saw me barely controlling my temper and frustration, as for Saturday I was totally exhausted bain wise by the end of that day. However all was well, the tracks isolated and became live at the flick of a switch I could feel the frustration seep away after each successful test.  I now had a working control panel complete with a very rough drawing of the station and she layout lines drawn on the panel face wired into the layout.WP_20160730_001

Yes control is the thing, or one of the things needed to build a model railway.  Temper control, work control and frustration and stress control.  Building a layout is such fun………hmmm

My thanks go to Sid Morgan for the woodworking skills, to Susan Wales who took many of the pictures used in this blog for her diary and gave permission for their use in my blogs.  Next step is ballasting…Oh the joy, the joy.

 


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All Change … Part 3 “Ennitoun”

Having now got a test/potential layout the testing of tracks, connections and operation began.  During this stage I felt I was trapped on the Island of Sodor – Engines stalled on points, carriages toppled on bends and points.  In fact if it was a real railroad manager I would be imprisoned for being a danger to public safety.  Of the 22 locomotive models  6 of them are over 40 years old.  The oldest is an original Hornby Dublo “Coronation” pacific – unstreamlined “City of London”.  This engine is 50 years old that I know of.  20160621-SAM_8995

This engine has not graced the new layout as it is currently away for some much needed TLC.  Hopefully on completion of the TLC and makeover it will be returned in BR green and renumbered/renamed as 46242 “City of Glasgow”.  This work is being carried out by another good friend Paul James in Bury.  Six of the older engines have been consigned to display models as they have trouble with points due to the current Hornby and Peco set tracks being of a finer scale than the old system 4 Hornby track. The models’ wheel flanges are too deep for the modern scale tracks.   The other 16 have managed (eventually) the full layout with little if not none adjustment.

Testing of the track layout revealed that I needed to add dead (Isolated) sections.  Current price for Hornby Isolated rail is 8.10 UK Pounds, Peco ranges between 3 to 5 UK Pounds dependant on where you purchase them.  Cheapest way is to purchase Peco plastic fishplates and provide off/on switch to turn on /off the isolation.  Apart from the original 11  isolated tracks a further 18 were required.  As a young child I watched with wide eyes the various layouts at model railway exhibitions. The miniature landscape, towns and trains captured my imagination and attention.  However, I never really gave a thought to how all that was achieved and the skills one needed to bring a toy train set into a miniature railway. Now at the age of 65 I was about to enter that reality.I’ve failed at many things and in particular Technical work at Senior Secondary School. Hand me a tool and I was sure to do more damage to myself than to the wood, metal etc.  As for soldering, it was more like branding I have dim recollections of taking the soldering iron, filing it clean, heating it and then introduce it to flux and solder and watch the item melt.  Now I was about to handle a small cutting disc to cut a rail track, then make use of these new fangled electric soldering iron (a lot smaller than those I used at school) and solder wire to the side of a small rail. Needless to say, but I will, I got burned but one soon learns when driven by necessity.

20160731-IMG_0049

This was the stage were I should have been removed for the sake of safety to the public.  The joint may not be tidy or pretty but it worked, it held the wire to the rail and power flowed when turned on.  One done only another 18 pair to do.  Of course one has to run the wires to a convenient accessible spot so the iso track can be switched on when needed.  At this stage of construction I did temporary bridging to a) test the joints, b) Test that all stock ran and c) until I created a control box.

20160722-IMG_0048

Once again it was time to test every loco and carriages to ensure that they could get by the solder joints and that the isolating did work, track was isolated and power could be restored making it live again.  I did spend a few hours gently sanding down the bumpy solder to a smooth level for all to pass without falling off the track.  During this time my partner Susan had been busy creating backscene, devising a station road approach and producing platforms to meet the requirements of our station.  Like all stations it need a name our joint decision was:

20160731-IMG_0001

“Ennitoun” pronounced “Any Town” .  Oh yes I forgot, it was not all playing with tools, trains and wires.   Inbetween times we built from kit form, the Station from a “Superquick” kit.  A signal box, 20160722-IMG_0047

 

IMG_0029

and a locomotive shed.   It was not all playing with trains..sometimes it was playing with emmotions ranging from frustration, anger, tears and satisfaction when all worked.


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All Change .. Part 2

Busy day today, just completed the control board for the isolating sections of the layout.  However,  back to the tale in chronological order.  It was over a fortnight before we could create the baseboard (tables) for the miniature railway.  During  that time I expanded the original idea from a steam shed to a steam shed plus station.  In the end the revised layout was an L shape design.  The larger part of the L would be 12 feet, the smaller would be 8 feet, four feet of that would form a fiddle yard/traverser.  the baseboards would be 3 @ 4×2 feet , 1 @ 2×2 feet and the fiddle yard would be 1 @ 6×2 feet.

Construction of the baseboards began on Wednesday 6th July and completed on 8th July ..  Work done by my good friend Sid Morgan.DSC02698

DSC02699

(Photographs courtesy of Susan WAles, used by kind permission).

Once the baseboards were completed, track laying according to the revised, revised layout plan commenced.  At this stage the track was not tacked to the baseboards.

DSC02706 DSC02707

Whilst Susan got on with the backscene ..

IMG_0001All this work culminated in a working test bed.  All of the tracks, turnouts (points) were tested by all models to check for any problem areas.

ScenicLayoutErected

Testing would continue at each stage/change of design.