Monks Ferry: a layout for the Grandchildren.
- Thread starter jonte
- Start date
jonte
Western Thunderer
I apologise in advance for yet another non-modelling content post, however, doing so keeps the momentum going.
Just a line to say the lights are in and, thankfully working, and that the pelmet still hasn’t yielded to gravity:
Frankly, I didn’t expect six lights to provide as much light as it does.
There were no instructions with these 240V LED lights, and without any great knowledge of sparking, I wasn’t sure whether they’d work (annoyingly, they came wired to some plastic (press-down) connections which I presume are the successors to simple choc-bloc connectors, however, soon lost patience with them and replaced them with some more familiar choc-blocs).
There were 3 settings: West, West, North West and Compass (?) West.
I mixed them in no particular order, though I stuck a CW over the station area for a starker effect which I think goes better with a once grand affair on its last legs, which I’m attempting.
So now (with great relief) this is behind me, I can get back to addressing the bench.
Incidentally, the new pelmet sits centrally along the ceiling which will fit with the new centrally located (free standing) bench.
As I’m not sure whether this will be achieved prior to Christmas, may I just thank you all for your kind comments and likes to date, and take the opportunity of wishing you a peaceful and Merry Christmas.
jonte
Just a line to say the lights are in and, thankfully working, and that the pelmet still hasn’t yielded to gravity:
Frankly, I didn’t expect six lights to provide as much light as it does.
There were no instructions with these 240V LED lights, and without any great knowledge of sparking, I wasn’t sure whether they’d work (annoyingly, they came wired to some plastic (press-down) connections which I presume are the successors to simple choc-bloc connectors, however, soon lost patience with them and replaced them with some more familiar choc-blocs).
There were 3 settings: West, West, North West and Compass (?) West.
I mixed them in no particular order, though I stuck a CW over the station area for a starker effect which I think goes better with a once grand affair on its last legs, which I’m attempting.
So now (with great relief) this is behind me, I can get back to addressing the bench.
Incidentally, the new pelmet sits centrally along the ceiling which will fit with the new centrally located (free standing) bench.
As I’m not sure whether this will be achieved prior to Christmas, may I just thank you all for your kind comments and likes to date, and take the opportunity of wishing you a peaceful and Merry Christmas.
jonte
simond
Western Thunderer
Jonte,
I suspect your “press down plastic connectors” were “Wago“.
www.wago.com
They have quite a good reputation…, though of course, they may have been copies, of better or lesser quality.
I suspect your “press down plastic connectors” were “Wago“.
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www.wago.com
They have quite a good reputation…, though of course, they may have been copies, of better or lesser quality.
Lyndhurstman
Western Thunderer
jonte
Western Thunderer
Bless you, Jan
And thank you for your kindness and support of my efforts. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you.
Merry Christmas.
Jon
jonte
Western Thunderer
Jonte,
I suspect your “press down plastic connectors” were “Wago“.
Save Time and Costs with Our Installation Terminal Blocks and Connectors
Installation terminal blocks and connectors: For every application in electrical building installations. Control cabinet✓ Junction box✓ Maintenance-free✓ Saves space✓ More information!
They have quite a good reputation…, though of course, they may have been copies, of better or lesser quality.
Hi Simon
Mine look a little different to the ones you posted, but probably along the same lines:
Tone tongue in cheek for a mo’, Simon, they’re of Italian manufacture and I’m always a little dubious of their products, especially their cars, although to be fair, I have limited experience in this field, my wife’s business Fiat to which I was afforded access being the only vehicle in my control and the less said the better….. (the rest of the doom and gloom is gleaned from motorist reviews of luxury vehicles hailing from said, over the years). Oh, and the odd item of furniture……and rather smart chandeliers and matching wall lights which were a pain to fit (for the Spark) and flickered for no apparent reason at random moments…….and……Well, you get my drift.
Incidentally, I note your contempt (?) for a certain British manufactured car i.e. the Leyland Allegro on another thread, which I share, and I’ll give you my reasons for doing so (although be they a little extreme). In fact, I wonder whether the Latin title was an omen for what was to come (I seem to recall mention of it sharing some Italian parts in its construction, although I could be wrong on this).
Anyway, on return to Division after successfully passing my Standard ‘B’ driving course (as it was known back then) I discovered to my dismay that the excellent Mk. II Escorts were being phased out as Pandas (we called them ‘Mikes’ on Merseyside), to be replaced by - in the main - Austin allegros, which spent more time off the road than on patrol. We all detested them. One busy tour of afternoons (always a busy shift) we were short handed; consequently, I had a list of jobs as long as your arm to attend , punctuated by the odd rush job or two, and within an hour or so, I kid you not, I had to park up before limping back to the Nick as the brakes had become pedal to the metal (isn’t that usually a term for the throttle?) Anyway, they didn’t work (brake fluid bubbling?), and I had to put it off the road, again. Never happened with the Escorts or Chevettes.
By rights, it should have gone to the garage for rectification (perhaps recycling would have been better, but wasn’t around then), but Bobbies were reluctant to do so as it took yonks to get them back. The problem was, in days of yore, the garages were Police controlled and under the supervision of a Garage Sergeant (imagine that in today’s world of sending everything off into the private sector…..). Anyway, at this particular time, the role was occupied by a Con, (there were no P.C.s on Merseyside, that was just for telly like Juliet Bravo, Z cars and Dixon), who was your usual obstructive nineteen stone Hob (colloquial term for a Traffic Man, and short for Hobby Bobby, which they hated……) and, being in the right lodge, had been put out to pasture in the last couple of years before retirement. Anyway, he supervised a band of wooly backed grease monkeys who shared the same overinflated sense of self aggrandisement, and who looked down on young Divisional Bobbies like me. You knew that a visit to collect a car was in vain, even having been told to do so by the radio room, as Traffic cars always took precedence (favouritism or what…..). I dreaded it.
It was always the same: You’d apprehensively enter the garage and tentatively knock on the open door of the mechanics’ rest room, where you could see them supping tea whilst either playing cards or idly reading the paper. Aware of your presence, they’d ignore you for an excruciatingly anxious spell, before the older guy would raise his head reluctantly from his copy of The Mirror and snap: ‘Wadda you want?’. Unfortunately for me in those days, I was still a polite, well polished and trendy young man, and not the direct individual that I became after 31 years of doing the job in a variety of roles, so I took it all on the chin and politely excused myself (to sounds of mirth). At this point, the nineteen stoned supervisor with five bellies and almost as many chins, would make himself aware of my presence, in the vain of a Gamekeeper who’d discovered you accidentally trespassing on his land. It was usually followed by pointing a metaphorical finger of blame for ‘breaking’ the heap of old rubbish in the first place! As always, surprise, surprise, they claimed we’d been given duff gen and it wasn’t ready, with a reluctance to provide a provisional date for when it would be repaired. G1t! And that went for the allegro next to it, and the one next to that….…
For all the angst, I’d still rather have had The Job the way it was, than what it became, and I feel so sorry for the young people today having to do it. No wonder they leave in such numbers.
But I digress.
One point of note about the alleg………(can’t even be bothered to write its name!), was that the drivers seat almost always seemed to break, and I shall deny, to my dying day, that I drove one whilst seated on a milk crate…….aherm…….
Perhaps I’ve been a little hard in a family car that was never designed for the wear ‘n’ tear of being on the spike with a gang of hairy @rsed Bobbies at the helm, but other popular makes managed it so why not this piece of……(insert appropriate term of choice here).
@John57sharp ‘s comment about ‘pushing it into the dock’ made me howl btw, and I couldn’t concur more.
Jon
Stephen Freeman
Western Thunderer
I quite like WAGOs, which are somewhat different.
simond
Western Thunderer
Jon,
given your erstwhile profession, perhaps some of my boy-racer vehicular escapades were better kept under the rug, but I do recall spinning and going off backwards through a hedge on Arrowebrook lane in my mum's Allegro late one night. They handled like they looked, actually, possibly worse. But no damage to car or contents and slightly better educated if no wiser, I went on my way.
I don't think there was much Italian influence in the the hopefully-named Ital, let alone its portly stable-mate.
I subsequently had a Lancia Fulvia S3, which was a car of total delight. And a true Italian!
As Stephen notes, your connector is not a Wago. It is reminiscent of the push-to-close connectors for the boundary wire of the robot lawnmower.
I'd use them for that...
jonte
Western Thunderer
It’s okay, Simon, I can be discreet
The Fulvia, it seems, proves the ‘exception to every rule’.
Thanks for clarifying btw, but technology and its uses is usually wasted on me.
Jon
jonte
Western Thunderer
Well, it appears I underestimated myself; after utilising almost every spare moment since my last missive, I’m extremely pleased - although somewhat tired and sore - to report that the new bench has been installed and the embryonic layout returned to its place in the model room.
The angled section at the far end has been removed, and the hardboard skirt adjusted to fit, such that it is the same width from one end to the other:
The new legs and bracing were fitted to the side that was previously fixed to the wall to allow the bench to sit centrally, and a new plywood skirt to match the rest was a handy excuse to use up some of that awful left over 6mm ply:
The marks on the lhs wall show where it was fixed before, and will need addressing.
The layout reinstalled:
Storage space beneath for those unfinished projects:
And I’m so glad this aspect of the build is behind me:
Hopefully I can now get down to some track laying and wiring in the New Year.
All the best,
jonte
The angled section at the far end has been removed, and the hardboard skirt adjusted to fit, such that it is the same width from one end to the other:
The new legs and bracing were fitted to the side that was previously fixed to the wall to allow the bench to sit centrally, and a new plywood skirt to match the rest was a handy excuse to use up some of that awful left over 6mm ply:
The marks on the lhs wall show where it was fixed before, and will need addressing.
The layout reinstalled:
Storage space beneath for those unfinished projects:
And I’m so glad this aspect of the build is behind me:
Hopefully I can now get down to some track laying and wiring in the New Year.
All the best,
jonte
John57sharp
Western Thunderer
Well done Jon! That's quite an achievement. Have a good break and hopefully the wiring will be a joy and then you can play trains.
jonte
Western Thunderer
jonte
Western Thunderer
Apart from starting to fill the screw holes of the outside frames prior to painting (red and yellow to signify Hornby), I’ve taken a hiatus.
The weather for one thing stops play as I need to undertake some of the work outdoors, and for another, I need to psych myself up to a spot of decorating elsewhere to ensure the maintenance of domestic harmony.
Consequently in some downtime, I’m exploring ideas about how the station will develop and the methods adopted to ensure that it’s wholly removable for access in the event of track maintenance for instance.
Exploring other avenues (there always seem so much to be considered in the hobby), I need to take stock of the number of locos which will need to be chipped (never attempted this before) and where to start, as I’m going DCC,if only to ensure that I avoid the dreaded stall on plastic crossings.
Some of the locomotive stock will be the old fashioned tender drive type, the sort that won’t matter when they inevitably crash to the floor, and for which there are one or two handy videos about showing how to ‘chip’ the Ringfield (or even replace it!).
Fortuitously, going through photos of other locos stashed away, I’ve discovered that several are already DCC ‘Ready’, which is a relief.
Funnily enough, having bought the odd one or two over the years, I’d started to forget what was contained in my eclectic fleet, and the following is such an example: a Hornby Hall (okay, not strictly Eastern or Southern as the layout is London based, but as it’s a mere trainset, anything goes……..).
This was a bargain purchase from Hattons at the time which, according to the dates on the photos in the album, was at least ten years ago (circa £50 new). Also, not only is it DCC Ready, but it has a flywheel which excites me and which I’d also forgotten all about.
Now, I suspect one of the reasons for its ‘bargain’ price was to do with the fact it was red! Thus (for my topical proposed BR Western layout) it had to be repainted.
Influenced by several photos of suitably beaten up examples kindly forwarded to me by @oldravendale at the time, I set about trying to replicate the worn condition of those in the photos. It occurred to me that whilst I admired the offerings of some of the offerings of retailers providing a weathering service to proprietary models such as this, they didn’t quite recreate that dull, metallic sheen(?) of those - albeit extreme - examples in Brian’s collection.
So, with nothing to lose I suppose, and buoyed in the knowledge that in the event of it all going t1ts-up, I could just start again, I started to make it up as I went along using whatever ancient Humbrol enamel greens were in my paint tin at the time, although I recall buying a new one (Brunswick Green ?) for the purpose which appeared to be similar to a BR green in pictures, which I wasn’t so sure about when I opened it!
Anyway, choosing an extreme victim with a burnt smoke box from the available photos, I went ahead - after priming both loco and tender - with washes and dry brushes, and the odd stipple or two, of the available selection of greens, mixing them together as I sought fit, and occasionally adding a dash of yellow on a mere whim to each mix. The same method was used for the colours chosen for the smoke box, including a basic rust colour which was to be developed further and enhanced, prior to and after, creating a dirty black and peeled surface to represent scorching.
Only I never got that far - as usual.
Anyway, enough waffle, and as a change from boring wood, here’s where I got up to in 2015:
The example in Brian’s photo had missing nameplates, so I attempted to replicate this. Unfortunately, on removing the Hornby plates I recall there being no mudguards, so some were fashioned from strips of brass suitably cut n shaped n drilled, with the finest pieces of wire in my possession soldered in to represent the brackets. They look like they still require a spot or two of filler.
The tender:
Yep, the transfers…….
As the finish thus far was ‘flat’, I realised it wouldn’t be suitable for the reliable application of transfers, so an approximation of the outline was carefully painted on in gloss varnish and allowed to dry prior to applying with water and finishing with a product purchased from the States………only, with all the water and product applied, I lost sight of the gloss outline beneath…….and fixed em in the wrong place……
As a footnote, on looking again at the long forgotten pictures of the model, I realised it must have been perhaps a railroad edition, as I appear to have fashioned my own brake gear from brass wire, soldered into something vaguely resembling the real thing:
I think this might just be one of my first victims for chipping when the time comes.
Anyway, I hope nobody minds my slight and rather random deviation from the spine of the thread.
Until I eventually get round to the build once again, Happy New Year!
jonte
The weather for one thing stops play as I need to undertake some of the work outdoors, and for another, I need to psych myself up to a spot of decorating elsewhere to ensure the maintenance of domestic harmony.
Consequently in some downtime, I’m exploring ideas about how the station will develop and the methods adopted to ensure that it’s wholly removable for access in the event of track maintenance for instance.
Exploring other avenues (there always seem so much to be considered in the hobby), I need to take stock of the number of locos which will need to be chipped (never attempted this before) and where to start, as I’m going DCC,if only to ensure that I avoid the dreaded stall on plastic crossings.
Some of the locomotive stock will be the old fashioned tender drive type, the sort that won’t matter when they inevitably crash to the floor, and for which there are one or two handy videos about showing how to ‘chip’ the Ringfield (or even replace it!).
Fortuitously, going through photos of other locos stashed away, I’ve discovered that several are already DCC ‘Ready’, which is a relief.
Funnily enough, having bought the odd one or two over the years, I’d started to forget what was contained in my eclectic fleet, and the following is such an example: a Hornby Hall (okay, not strictly Eastern or Southern as the layout is London based, but as it’s a mere trainset, anything goes……..).
This was a bargain purchase from Hattons at the time which, according to the dates on the photos in the album, was at least ten years ago (circa £50 new). Also, not only is it DCC Ready, but it has a flywheel which excites me and which I’d also forgotten all about.
Now, I suspect one of the reasons for its ‘bargain’ price was to do with the fact it was red! Thus (for my topical proposed BR Western layout) it had to be repainted.
Influenced by several photos of suitably beaten up examples kindly forwarded to me by @oldravendale at the time, I set about trying to replicate the worn condition of those in the photos. It occurred to me that whilst I admired the offerings of some of the offerings of retailers providing a weathering service to proprietary models such as this, they didn’t quite recreate that dull, metallic sheen(?) of those - albeit extreme - examples in Brian’s collection.
So, with nothing to lose I suppose, and buoyed in the knowledge that in the event of it all going t1ts-up, I could just start again, I started to make it up as I went along using whatever ancient Humbrol enamel greens were in my paint tin at the time, although I recall buying a new one (Brunswick Green ?) for the purpose which appeared to be similar to a BR green in pictures, which I wasn’t so sure about when I opened it!
Anyway, choosing an extreme victim with a burnt smoke box from the available photos, I went ahead - after priming both loco and tender - with washes and dry brushes, and the odd stipple or two, of the available selection of greens, mixing them together as I sought fit, and occasionally adding a dash of yellow on a mere whim to each mix. The same method was used for the colours chosen for the smoke box, including a basic rust colour which was to be developed further and enhanced, prior to and after, creating a dirty black and peeled surface to represent scorching.
Only I never got that far - as usual.
Anyway, enough waffle, and as a change from boring wood, here’s where I got up to in 2015:
The example in Brian’s photo had missing nameplates, so I attempted to replicate this. Unfortunately, on removing the Hornby plates I recall there being no mudguards, so some were fashioned from strips of brass suitably cut n shaped n drilled, with the finest pieces of wire in my possession soldered in to represent the brackets. They look like they still require a spot or two of filler.
The tender:
Yep, the transfers…….
As the finish thus far was ‘flat’, I realised it wouldn’t be suitable for the reliable application of transfers, so an approximation of the outline was carefully painted on in gloss varnish and allowed to dry prior to applying with water and finishing with a product purchased from the States………only, with all the water and product applied, I lost sight of the gloss outline beneath…….and fixed em in the wrong place……
As a footnote, on looking again at the long forgotten pictures of the model, I realised it must have been perhaps a railroad edition, as I appear to have fashioned my own brake gear from brass wire, soldered into something vaguely resembling the real thing:
I think this might just be one of my first victims for chipping when the time comes.
Anyway, I hope nobody minds my slight and rather random deviation from the spine of the thread.
Until I eventually get round to the build once again, Happy New Year!
jonte
Attachments
paulc
Western Thunderer
Hi Jonte , back in your post 330 you said that you wished you had bought an impact drill , do you need to drill bricks ?
I would think an impact driver would be of more use for running in all the screws .
Please don't think I'm being pedantic but in a previous life i sold tools and this was one of woopsies that people made .
I would think an impact driver would be of more use for running in all the screws .
Please don't think I'm being pedantic but in a previous life i sold tools and this was one of woopsies that people made .
NHY 581
Western Thunderer
Morning Jonte,
There are others on here who are better versed in the dark art of DCC but here are a couple of my own thoughts which I hope prove useful to you.
My own requirements for DCC are very simplistic. The trains need to run, and run well. Secondly, if so fitted, they need to make a noise and therefore the controller needs to be able to access the available functions on the sound decoder.
As you're at the very start, to reiterate the advice I was given, avoid cheap decoders. Some can make a nicely running loco run worse. I have experimented and found Lais decoders to be fit only for the bin, as are Rails own brand decoders. DCC Concepts are frankly, not much better and in my case would not provide a gradual stop/start.
I therefore use primarily Zimo or those produced by Zimo for Bachmann and have found that without recourse to tampering with CV settings they can be fitted and used, providing excellent running from the start ( with a loco that runs well on DC as a starting point ). ESU or Lenz are equally suitable alternatives. More expensive but a case of yer gets wot yer pays fur.
Controllerwise, I use a NCE Powercab. Not the ultimate DCC controller but it's user friendly and works well enough. Crucially, it should be Grandchildren friendly and easily grasped, both operationally and literally.
As you probably well know, don't waste your time with a loco that doesn't run well on DC. DCC won't fix that.
The earlier locos which are not DCC Ready can be 'hardwired' however, some early mechanisms such as Lima do not always respond well and experience has shown that the resulting running won't match a more modern mechanism so tge question has to be, is it worth doing ?
As I say, just a few thoughts based on my own somewhat limited experience.
Rob
There are others on here who are better versed in the dark art of DCC but here are a couple of my own thoughts which I hope prove useful to you.
My own requirements for DCC are very simplistic. The trains need to run, and run well. Secondly, if so fitted, they need to make a noise and therefore the controller needs to be able to access the available functions on the sound decoder.
As you're at the very start, to reiterate the advice I was given, avoid cheap decoders. Some can make a nicely running loco run worse. I have experimented and found Lais decoders to be fit only for the bin, as are Rails own brand decoders. DCC Concepts are frankly, not much better and in my case would not provide a gradual stop/start.
I therefore use primarily Zimo or those produced by Zimo for Bachmann and have found that without recourse to tampering with CV settings they can be fitted and used, providing excellent running from the start ( with a loco that runs well on DC as a starting point ). ESU or Lenz are equally suitable alternatives. More expensive but a case of yer gets wot yer pays fur.
Controllerwise, I use a NCE Powercab. Not the ultimate DCC controller but it's user friendly and works well enough. Crucially, it should be Grandchildren friendly and easily grasped, both operationally and literally.
As you probably well know, don't waste your time with a loco that doesn't run well on DC. DCC won't fix that.
The earlier locos which are not DCC Ready can be 'hardwired' however, some early mechanisms such as Lima do not always respond well and experience has shown that the resulting running won't match a more modern mechanism so tge question has to be, is it worth doing ?
As I say, just a few thoughts based on my own somewhat limited experience.
Rob
simond
Western Thunderer
I’d very much agree with Rob’s thoughts regarding decoders, and add that a keep-alive is worth adding if space allows. And the biggest speaker you can get in.
Hardwiring is generally not too difficult, providing you can entirely isolate the motor terminals from the chassis & pickups. Any connection between pickups and motor is likely to damage the decoder. Whether it’s worth it on any given model is a personal consideration. As is adding lights, etc., of course.
I'm not a fan of the NCE controllers, though they seem to work ok, except the inertia function or whatever it’s called. I understand that it actually reprograms the decoder ACC/DEC values on the fly, which is ok if you know or never use anything other controller, but not if you then use a different controller and have to manually correct your programming.
My preferred controller is a red Roco MultiMaus, which is plugged into my trusty (and twenty five years old) Lenz system. I also use WiThrottle on my iPhone & iPad, and JMRI.
hope this of help
best
Simon
Hardwiring is generally not too difficult, providing you can entirely isolate the motor terminals from the chassis & pickups. Any connection between pickups and motor is likely to damage the decoder. Whether it’s worth it on any given model is a personal consideration. As is adding lights, etc., of course.
I'm not a fan of the NCE controllers, though they seem to work ok, except the inertia function or whatever it’s called. I understand that it actually reprograms the decoder ACC/DEC values on the fly, which is ok if you know or never use anything other controller, but not if you then use a different controller and have to manually correct your programming.
My preferred controller is a red Roco MultiMaus, which is plugged into my trusty (and twenty five years old) Lenz system. I also use WiThrottle on my iPhone & iPad, and JMRI.
hope this of help
best
Simon
jonte
Western Thunderer
Hi Paul, and thanks for sharing your knowledge, which surely is the whole point of fora?
As an ignoramus, I just repeat what I’ve heard, and the term was merely bandied by tradesmen and staff behind the counters of retailers when enquiring. To me it’s yet another handy implement that saves on ‘impact’ to my already knackered joints, so if and when I start another project, I will be happy in the knowledge that this time I’ll be enquiring using the correct term, and that screwing the parts together will only take a fraction of the time it took on this one, so thanks again, Paul.
Jon
jonte
Western Thunderer
Morning, Ade, and thank you for fruitless efforts, so it would appear, to check up on progress; I’m most flattered and grateful of your interest.
Sadly, the Hall is yet another example of how quickly my interest wanes, which is why I mentioned previously that frequent updating of the thread helps to keep momentum going, especially on a project such as this which is imperative that I finish, boring though it may be for the reader. Hopefully it might serve to help others, even if it’s just to convince them to buy a baseboard kit instead!
I’d like to finish the Hall at some stage as the real life examples in the gallery that Brian sent, set some tough challenges with regard to marks n scars displayed, and the water runs for instance are going to be a real test, as when you scrutinise them, they are not merely a line that fades to a point as regularly modelled by many weatherers, but a broken and sometimes wandering line that’s difficult to replicate with say oils, which are a go-to for many, to say nothing of air brushing, despite having two in my collection. I’ve one or two ideas of my own, but I just don’t seem to get round to testing them.
And then you have a series of them on top of a previous layer, on top of a previous……and so it continues.This is just part of many features displayed by the prototypes in my possession (a real mixed bag of Halls, Castles and Kings) which really whet my appetite, and whether I get there or not is anyone’s guess, but in any case it’ll be way down the list of jobs for the present. That and the poor attempt at replicating the brackets for the missing nameplates will need to be readdressed : as soon as I’d fitted them I thought ‘nah’, and I should have gone with my first idea of using some spare brass fret which represents the rectangular appearance of the prototype far better……now you see, Ade, why I never get anywhere…..
Anyway, sorry for rambling, and thanks again for tuning in. I sincerely hope that I can reward your future interest with some modelling.
Jon
James Spooner
Western Thunderer
Interesting comments coming up on DCC. I would echo Rob and Simon’s comments on not hitting the cheap end of the market; you do get what you pay for. I started with a Hornby bottom end DCC controller, which was fine for testing purposes. I then mistakenly invested in a ZTC controller, which worked OK but I could never get the slave controller to operate successfully so that went into a box at the back of a cupboard, to be replaced by NCE. I have never had any problems with it and, indeed upgraded to a five amp, four controller operation on Elmham Market, which is serving well.
On chips, I have a mixture but I find that the DCC chips work very well with a Mashima motor attached to a Branchlines gearbox. Mind you, I’m less interested in the sound aspects, more the fact that, with DCC, I’m driving the loco, not just putting volts down on the track. Horses for courses?
Nigel
On chips, I have a mixture but I find that the DCC chips work very well with a Mashima motor attached to a Branchlines gearbox. Mind you, I’m less interested in the sound aspects, more the fact that, with DCC, I’m driving the loco, not just putting volts down on the track. Horses for courses?
Nigel