Luib Bridge

He has his uses. After all he has to earn his whopping great salary the same as the rest of you guys.

I have not done insulated rail joiners ....... Very amateur. ...... I deceived the Dremmel will be pushed into service here.

As Paul said, the rail joiners are terrible. I was actually going to name them " Ivan " . ( enough of the equally terrible jokes ). I decided to solder the rail joiners to give better conductivity and also to provide better mechanical strength in alignment etc.

I will hopefully get back onto it today to finish off the track although there was a bit of a bargain struck with SWMBO yesterday about domestics. I'll see what agreement can be reached there without bringing the house down.

Ed, it is big ...... And heavy. and I'm looking forward to actually running something on it. The 25 is out for the moment as I don't have anything that supplies enough juice to run it
It will strictly be fowlers and the like for the moment.

I'll go for now and post up any updates as they happen. Hopefully I'll get a stay of execution from the creosote brush today.

Cheers

Toto

 

I'm looking into it Gary but I think it is an 18 volt 10 amp supply protected by a CB.

Something like a NCE PH10 controller. .........at £400.

The fowlers etc are ok but I think it's that the class 25 has two powerful motors. I'm not completely sure but will research it well before jumping in. I don't want to take the gamble of blowing up either my power cab or procab. NCE are very clear ( on their website ) about NOT using either for OGauge. Could just be sales pitch but if I try and it works for a while then burns it out ......l I really have no come back. I'd rather have the right controller etc.

What is everyone else with O Gauge ( and heavy Heljan loco's ) using ?

Cheers

Toto

 

Hi Paul,
I'm sure I bought a 5A booster for Gypsy lane. An NCE version. The plan was to use the booster as a power district for the upper level. I'll need to have a look in the shed and see if I can put my hands on it. I'll post up.
Meanwhile. i got a reprieve from the creosote for the day and continued to finish of the track plan on Kuib Bridge. I started off by lifting some of the track to let me get into the links on the turnout and cut them out. Mission accomplished.
I then set about installing the final length.


Here is where I left of yesterday. One length to go.
and then .............


in it goes.


just having a swatch over it,


Cleaned up and good to go.
from the other end.


jobs done.
and after cleaning up and dropping a few extra drop feeders ( can never have to many ) at least one feed to each piece of track and on complete lengths a minimum of two. ....... Belts and braces and think we call it.


Time for a few visitors just to get the feel of it.


looking ok.


Need to give the copper clad and the track a good scrub as I went a bit OTT with the flux. It shall be done.


and one more.


and that is where I am up to for the moment.
The next step is to clean the track and copper clad of flux etc and get it looking a bit tidier. The screws that I used to screw down the copper clad shall be removed one by one and the copperclad countersunk to get the screw heads down flush with ground level.
Then I am on to connecting up the Cobalts and installing a track BUS. I am still in two minds how the Cobalts will be operated, through the NCE Cab, or via toggle switches. I am thinking toggles as its quicker to throw the points on such a small an slow operating layout whilst keeping firm control of the locos via the Cab.
Once I have the above done, I'd like to get some kind of ground form down to try and bring the whole thing to life a bit and start giving it an identity.
All in good time.
more as it comes. comments etc as usual.
cheers
Toto

 

Hi Paul.
I've been looking at that but it would restrict movement to one loco at a time.
The DCC quest must go on ..........

 

NCE SB5 ordered.

 

NCE switch 8 mk2 also ordered to control the Cobalts. 4 outputs spare after switching 4 number Cobalts.
Electrics will be fitted by next weekend.
I need to check what decoders the fowler and hudswell clark takes. I think I have some 8 pin XEN decoders with stay alive.
Any advise from others with the same would be handy.
toto

 

Thinking further ahead, with the exception of the pit area around the turntable, I think this is going to be a " Townstreet Fest "

I will order up the Platform edges from Pat. I'm going with the brick finish. Still not sure what the platform buildings will consist of but there are some choices from within his range that will fit the bill.

The ground cover will be mainly mucky ash/ coal deposits and general crud. The main through line which will be opened up if the layout becomes modular may be of a slightly more definable type ballast but still quite dirty all the same.

I am still looking at ways to utilise the pit area as a kind of coal drop, maybe on to a barge as Paul suggested. If not, it may remain up scenic and blocked from view meanwhile. We'll see what happens.

........ Lots more thinking to do.

Cheers

Toto

 

Thanks guys.

A long way to go yet but it's had a good push now so just trying to keep the momentum up now. Electrics coming next then the ground cover Ron.