BOATS AND CANALS

Looks good, your hard work has paid off.

_________________
Maurice

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Wood work continues.



Cheers Graham

The new boards are done. The odd shape is to minimise reach across the board in a couple of places and to provide enough space by the work bench.



Cheers Graham

You're the boss, and the one that will operate it (mostly). I think that it actually adds interest.

_________________
Maurice

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Power supplies are in and track laying is proceeding.



The upper set of switches are for cab control and the logic defeats me at times despite the fact that I designed the circuits. I have a crib sheet to help.

The lower set are the isolation/feed switches. I can rely on the old Triang points to isolate but not conduct so each siding has a dedicated switch. There are two spare in that long row.

I haven't put in the point motor and signal switches yet. The panel hinges for access but I think I might need another design as the number of wires crossing the hinge is huge.

This shows the chord enabling trains to leave the station and go left - single track only. Triang geometry really doesn't allow for complex junctions so I have to put up with facing crossovers sometimes.



Cheers Graham

That's some control panel, I must admit whilst I wouldn't have any problems wiring it all up, operating it would flummox me.

_________________
Maurice

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The station is now operational so I can run trains out, round the reverse loop and back.



I've found and fixed a minor wiring fault - effectively the access to the engine bay was relying on point blade contact to operate. I've wired round this now.

Next phase is to start on the point wiring and lower my work bench so the trains can cross the back few inches.

Cheers Graham

That's some layout, it's looking good. I am enjoying watching you develop it.

_________________
Maurice

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I've got two new engines. This one came without a nameplate but I found one on ebay. It was advertised as running but in truth had some major problems with the chassis. I had a spare chassis so spent some time cleaning and oiling that before putting the body on. I wanted Connie as I had one when I was 12. The engine no 27 came ages ago in a box of odds and ends.



My second engine is a Battle of Britain, Winston Churchill. It was advertised as untested but I took a risk. The chassis was so dirty it was virtually ceased, The motor had a sticky spot which I found out was a bit of cloth trapped between the frame and the armature. I cleaned off all the crud on the bogie wheels - pausing to contemplate that this was probably from 50 years ago and was oily house dust. Now house dust is mostly dead human skin - I wondered about DNA testing! The main drive wheels were just black so I cleaned them off. I oiled every thing I should and reassembled the motor and chassis. No coupling rods yet. The motor ran and the synchro smoke unit worked. Then on to coupling rods, try that then the connecting rods and finally the bogies. It all worked.



I have a coal load and original nameplates on order.

Here is a video https://youtu.be/BX6AZgvxa8A

Cheers Graham

It's looking good, excellent video.

_________________
Maurice

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Work on the modern/narrow gauge circuit is underway again. I need to get the standard gauge bit to the end of the baseboard so that the double track Triang circuit and the modern one can be built across the work bench and through the lifting section by the door. This will be a major step on the road to completing the Triang Circuit complete with some semi-hidden storage sidings.

There has been a minor change of design as the old one would have buried the Triang crossover.

This will give you the idea.



This requires the point to separate the narrow gauge and standard gauge in the position shown.

The point looks like this.



As you can see the narrow gauge leaves from the inside of the circuit.

Unfortunately some idiot has laid the existing track with the narrow gauge on the outside of the circuit.



I have just ordered a piece of track to enable the narrow gauge to swap sides.

I've got my spare name plates for the Battle of Britain and the coal load so that is now complete. Photos to follow.

Cheers Graham

This is the fun of building a layout, that's what makes it interesting. Non of my layouts are remotely like the initial plan. You know from experience it will never be really finished, you will always be tinkering with something or other. That's what keep us going.

Oh! by the way, give the idiot, whoever it is a good ticking off.

_________________
Maurice

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It's OK Jo sent him to her room!!!!

Cheers Graham

Well in that case maybe it was carefully calculated error?

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Maurice

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Now for an incalculated error ( I just made that word up!).

I have started to build the platforms for the new station. I ran a coach along and around the curve at the end to check clearance and concluded 55 mm would do. Quite narrow but that was it.

I forgot about my Hall with its Great Western loading gauge. Sigh.

Start again.

Cheers Graham