Andrew Campbell
Western Thunderer
... now you don't. Track laying in earnest starts shortly.
Jericho Road
- Thread starter Andrew Campbell
- Start date
... now you don't. Track laying in earnest starts shortly.
DavidinAus
Western Thunderer
I'm sorry, but I have absolutely no idea what this shows.
It looks very clever, sure, and I'm sorry to have to ask, but what is it?
What I can make out is a fold-up set of what look like electrical or electronic components and a flat baseboard with what looks like a ski jump for the trains in the middle!
Excuse my ignorance ....
David
It looks very clever, sure, and I'm sorry to have to ask, but what is it?
What I can make out is a fold-up set of what look like electrical or electronic components and a flat baseboard with what looks like a ski jump for the trains in the middle!
Excuse my ignorance ....
David
richard carr
Western Thunderer
They look like Minx Micro drives for controlling the points with servos.
Thats quite a neat way of hiding them but making them accessible.
They are very good but quite expensive at about £20 per point.
Richard
(who happens to be in Aus at the moment)
Thats quite a neat way of hiding them but making them accessible.
They are very good but quite expensive at about £20 per point.
Richard
(who happens to be in Aus at the moment)
Brian McKenzie
Western Thunderer
Richard,
Perhaps if you are in Sydney, you are attending the Aus7 Modellers Forum on Saturday 25?
Aus7 Modellers Group
https://aus7.org/
Brian McK. (alas on the wrong side of the Tasman Sea this weekend)
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Brian
No, I'm not planning to visit, I'm going to take a train out to the blue mountains tomorrow then flying to Singapore on Sunday.
Richard
No, I'm not planning to visit, I'm going to take a train out to the blue mountains tomorrow then flying to Singapore on Sunday.
Richard
DavidinAus
Western Thunderer
Richard - if you're in the Blue Mountains, you would be welcome to call in (and look at my etched kits, as they say), because that's where I live. However I expect you have much better things to do - the Blue Mountains is a World Heritage Area, for those of you who don't know.
David
David
Pugsley
Western Thunderer
They don't look very Micro to me!
Andrew Campbell
Western Thunderer
Richard is right. They are Micro Minx servo controllers. They aren't very micro, but the servos they control are only the size of a postage stamp and will be fitted on top of the baseboard suitably disguised. No they weren't cheap but the price included two servos apiece plus all ribbon wire and plugs, and I only needed 12 of them to control the 20 points and signals on the layout.
Andrew Campbell
Western Thunderer
Almost all the track laying finished. Only one more siding and the last 9 inches of the two head shunts nearest the camera to go. Wiring droppers starts in earnest next week, after a break for three days walking the dog on a Devon beach.
farnetti
Western Thunderer
Is that David relaxing in the background?
Andrew Campbell
Western Thunderer
Yes, having a well-earned rest from Herculean labour, bless him!
Andrew Campbell
Western Thunderer
A bit of a Red Letter Day today for "Jericho Road". We ironed out the last of the currently known track power/point motor problems and - for the first time - ran the Dean Goods over every inch of track operating the point motors by their own switch gear. A big, big thank you to David for all his help.
Now for signals and control panels...
john lewsey
Western Thunderer
Hi how long is this layout
John
John
Andrew Campbell
Western Thunderer
John - Scenically 24' long by 3'3" wide. The fiddle yard adds another 7'. There are four main boards (excluding the as yet unbuilt fiddle-yard) plus an 18" legless one clamped on the non-fiddle-yard end; whose main function is to allow the head-shunts to be long enough to hold a railmotor and six -wheel coach.
JB - The brackets have been used to hold the trackbed above the baseboards, because I'm not a member of the Flat Earth Society. I had hoped that two brackets at each trackbed end where the break between baseboards comes, would be enough; given that the trackbeds are 9mm birch ply. However in the two places where the trackbed is so wide the gap between brackets is more than 9 or 10 inches, another bracket is required to maintain rigidity. These brackets were chosen because they're very strong and the slotted holes allow precise adjustment up and down and to and fro.
farnetti
Western Thunderer
This is very useful Andrew. When I finish rebuilding my house next year I will have a space 37' long by 3'3" wide (but not as much access) in the roof.
I think I will have to cut down on my ideas widthways.
Ken
Andrew Campbell
Western Thunderer
Ken - All track bar the transfer shed (standard gauge) siding and the NG line (not yet built) served by it can be reached from the front if something gangs agley. But I'll have a problem if the NG stock falls off particularly if there's a derailment inside the transfer shed! The back-scene will have to be removable enough to allow someone in to do this. However to realising there's a problem is not the same thing as solving it... Ho hum...
Pete Storey
Member
Andrew, I saw your layout at the Bristol O Gauge Show recently. Very impressed. Do you have any more photos bringing the build up to date?