BOATS AND CANALS

It is so sad, but a great story with relevant illustrations. or is it

_________________
Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

Work is starting on the modern circuit plus a few other odds and ends.

The new control panel for the modern circuit is getting there. These are mostly point control switches.



And talking of point the first track has been laid in the new station. The first point needed a surface mount point motor because of structure underneath. I am using medium radius electrofrog points with the frog polarity switched form the point motor. I am also taking a great deal of care to level everything. I am glad I built the baseboard strong enough for a party as access is difficult there so I get on top of it!



I have also include a small control panel to operate the points in Little Snoring Quayside.



I have had to rework the level crossing gate in the fence of Samton as it was too close to the track and the trains delivering beer to dear daughter's house kept hitting it.

Work will now stop for a few days as I am off to service my boat!

Cheers Graham

I think the prospect of winter coming has got us all modelling again.

I am looking forwards to watching your layout rebuild as it rebuilds. I enjoying your posts.

_________________
Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

Track laying in the modern station is complete (except for ballasting). The track has been laid with electrofrog points. There are two main buses underneath and all sections of track are connected to them.



There is a double slip giving access to teh sidings and head shunt.



Beyond that a three way point to provide access to the engine shed.



The logic of wiring the two point motors so that you can't move the wrong blade first took some mental effort. You have to switch the frog polarities on these points. I have two of teh new automatic frog switchers from Gaugemaster. They only work on DCC and detect the incoming wheel polarity - as it is AC I guess it detects the phase.

I also have an inspection pit next to it.

The track terminates near the lower level lifting section but a future project is to build a second bridge.



On other side of the railway, after the narrow guage and standard guage separate, the track needs to be extended to provide a temporary run round loop until the bridges is completed.

Cheers Graham

I have been looking at your pictures in the gallery and they really make the size of your layout evident. It has the making of a fantastic layout when finished, although both you and I know that a layout is seldom ever completely finished. It's great Graham, I know that you will keep us updated.

_________________
Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

Well, it is one step forward and.... Now that I have got the track laid on the modern standard circuit I can run trains - well as far as Upper Hogsfoot where the track currently terminates pending wood work. The trains join the dual guage bit and go across the suspension bridge. Unfortunately owing to a change of design a significant part of the dual guage track was laid the wrong way round i.e. the narrow guage bit was near the Backscene but it had to be furthest from the backscene to where the narrow and standard guage separate. I had to fit a swappy thing - twice.



The dual guage track is made by Tillig and feature code 83 rail. the rest of the track uses code 100 rail. Some of my coaches and engines run perfectly through the code 100 rail but come off on the code 83 swappy thingy.

I am going to have to rip up most of the dual guage track and relay it the right way round to delet the swappy thingies.

Cheers Graham

I know the feeling Graham, when it comes to ripping things up.

_________________
Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

The track has been lifted, fortunately I listened to Maurice when I laid it and used the same make if PVA so it softened nicely with an application of water.

I also decide to bite the bullet and pull up the underlying supporting structure as it had a down gradient on a curve followed by a corresponding up gradient. These were left over from the previous design but we're causing problems with some rolling stock.

The scene of devestation behind the wall.



Cheers Graham

It's good to know I can be useful sometimes.

_________________
Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

The track bed has been restored and the dual guage track relaid. It needs ballasting and the embankment has yet to grow grass.



In the modern system the platform construction is under way.



On the rolling stock side of things my Hornby 121 DCC card died. It was a good job a I had fitted buffers to the track as it refused to obey emergency stop too. I have bought a sound card from Howes and fitted it. The speaker is in the battery box and the weights that used to be there are glued to the roof. It sounds good with proper DMU gear changes! I will post a video on youtube at some point.

My little western 009 engine has died. The crank came off and there is no easy way of reattaching it. My model of Dolgoch from the Talyllyn is doing fine though.

I have also started building a scene to go over the access hatch in one corner (it has to be removable). It will feature an archaeological dig for a Roman building.

Talking of the access hatch - some idiot ran wires across it and didn't realise until he opened up the hatch to gain access. They have been rerouted now.

Cheers Graham

All part of the fun.

_________________
Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals

I have started on the site of the roman dig.



I just need to build the landscape and dig a hole!

I start landscapes with contour lines hence the black felt tip.

Somewhere under there is our dining room table. Jo has covered the rest in work on her book.

Cheers Graham

Progress



Cheers Graham

The dig is going well, they have uncovered a Roman Villa.



The major work has been done with a JCB.



So far they have uncovered a mosaic showing an early canal craft.



Apparently it is by the famous artist Jo!

And they have found a skeleton.



The team are away at the moment but will be back in their trusty Landrover and a famous TV outside broadcast unit. The grass will probably grow in the meantime and a few hedges may sprout up.

Cheers Graham

It looks very interesting. I wait with anticipation to see what will be unearthed in this dig.




MMMMMM, She hides her age well.

_________________
Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals