doublecee

I was under the assumption that you could not use DC locos on a DCC layout as the voltage is constant, with the carrier signal. So that would not enable control of the DC loco.

So, I know you cant use DC on a DCC layout. But I seem to recall being told you can still run DCC loco'c on DC only layouts. True?

So, in a moment of weakness, I pre ordered the complete blue / Grey Brighton Belle for the layout. I was almost swayed to the more traditional version, but with a rake of 13 pullmans on the layout doing the rounds, I feel that the BB in the same colors may be a bit samey. The shop reckons April 1st for the delivery, as the latest word has their original date pushed back a bit. Not long to go.

So, A few changes today I will probably lose the points on the bridge. I am liking its simplicity, but I do believe that this is lending itself to some DCC eventually So, playing with the trains in Train player, I found the following. At a scale speed of 40mph, it takes 2 mins and 12 sec to go round once. At a scale speed of 100 mph it takes just 52 secs. That 100 mph still looks nippy, so bringing it down to a more aesthetic 85 mph brings it down to a easy on the eye 1 min and 2 secs. I can see my APT's looking delicious on those grand bends... Sure beats the little layout i had set up in my office at crimbo. Heck, you may as well see what I did. Im trying to develop a really dynamic way of shooting scale trains... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHoBkyuqmu8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQiTNAujXU8 And I cant wait to see these puppies go round of an evening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NGzBq-GnRg&hd=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; No that i have finalised the design, Im going to use my spare time to design a camera car for the layout that will accomodate a Flip HD camera. The plan is to have the flip rest on its back, with a mirror assembly fitted above the lens at a 45 degree angle so instead of shooting the sky, its shoots the train, the track etc etc. The mirror can swivel as well, so it doesnt just have to be facing in one direction. In post, I would then flip and invert the image so that its back to how it should be. Dam, I hope that makes sense. The youtube clips are just the flip being handheld but upside down so the lens is close to the track... I then flip it in imovie. Simples. Flip is grainy at low light, but outdoors?? whoo hoo! Anyway, thats all for now. Oh, and couplers sorted thanks to keen-systems.com

Right, reading the earlier posts, I decided to have a play in the kitchen with a nice bit 3rd radius oval on the kitchen table. 1 Bachman class 47 and 10 illuminated Pullmans. Wow, those couplings are shocking!!! I was lucky if I got the rake to go round three times without a derail. Who decided that these couplings were a good idea? The only link is also the weakest link. Granted, your average layout doesnt run full length... but I now need to ask, can these be replaced? And if so, what part would I need. These mini couplings are just so rubbish.

Hi Mick and the guys Well, more changes afoot. The rickety old shed has gone, but so too has the plan for the big corner shed / fiddle. It seemed to detract from what I wanted to achieve, namely a nice big garden dual circuit. Having the train vanish from view seems like an odd thing to do. And the fiddle yard really would only work if I actually had the time for a serious play. At best, a few glasses of wine on a warm summers eve is going to be as good as it will ever get, so having a fiddle in the shed (steady on!) seems to be a bit of a false economy to me. So, I have just marked out the big oval in the garden with the chap thats going to do the groundwork. Due to the raised nature of the top left hand corner of the garden, no doubt due to the tree, I have opted to have the top curve on a post system, as oppossed to blockwork. If there is significant ground shift, I can make adjustments on the fly. The side straights and curves near the house will be on a SGR type wall. So, with the big shed now out of the equation, I have saved a pretty penny, which will probably go towards stock and garden plants. As for the indoor layout, I think thats not going to happen. As well as working on other peoples films, Im also working on my own, with the garden railway being the distraction I need when writers block sets in. So far its working a treat, as I feel refreshed after a bit of garden planning. I think to do a full scenic would put everything into jeopardy. I have had to find a healthy balance that wont alienate myself from the bigger tasks at hand and the family. So, all change, all change. The shed is dead, long live the large continuous oval.

Yep, a pretty serious run. I have been getting stock ready, with the big day in mind. I took my daughter out to Gaugemaster last week, and she treated me to a Hornby open wagon (Shelton Iron and coal), so I promised there and then that that would be the first thing to go round. But after that inaugural run, I have prepared a new Bachman dual green class 47, pulling 10 high detail illuminated pullmans, and on the other circuit, my trusty 1978 HST, with 10 new MKIII coaches (courtesy of a great deal at Vectis Auctions). After that, its open season. Two APT's, Tornado, Flying Scotsman, a few Lima 117 DMU's, Old Mark 1 Blue Greys on a class 37... I can see it (and hear it) all now in my minds eye. The tree stays. Its where I hang my target for the Air Rifle Plus when it leaves, it will afford us a little ambient shade in the evenings. I dont intend to get the Main shed layout done until the floor based fiddle yard for the garden is complete. Then the main scenic layout will get underway once the weather turns again. Im in no rush to do a scenic to be honest... my heart is set and sold on the Garden layout. Something everyone can enjoy, as oppossed to me being locked away in the shed away from those who probably miss out on quality time as it is due to the job and travels. Actually, having just typed that, I just talked myself out of doing a scenic in the shed. I may do one in the home office instead. Just a nice L shape in the corner. The upper half of the garden shed can be used for the more mundane things like storage of tools etc etc and a nice place to sit. This looks like a great forum, because no one will look down their nose and say "Ugggh, oo in the garden... how awfull!"

As you can see, the road is long....

Thanks guys. Im opting for the same breezeblock approach as SGR. The garden is on a slight incline, so the height will be a lot nearer ground level at the shed, and more of a small wall height nearer the house. I will of course then try to establish trees and beds around. Garden is now being cleared as I sit and type this. Getting very excited, but of course have a long long way to go. An insurmountable task. I will be bringing some pretty cool tools and toys to the table, especially for the planning stage. Watch this space.

So, I have been lurking around here for a while, finally registering at the weekend. I have spent many an hour trying to debate indoor or outdoors. I finally opted for the latter, with a little bit of the former thrown in. The plan has evolved as a direct result of reading all about Micks SGR, which I have found truly inspirational. http://craigcrane.co.uk/hornby/Garden_002.jpg The idea is as follows: DC & DCC (switchable until all loco's are chipped) DCC will be controlled by Hornby elite and Railmaster software on spare laptop. Spare Laptop accessed and controlled via remote desktop software on IPAD / iphone, so I can control the laptops desktop (railmaster) from anywhere in the garden or shed. Fiddle yard in Shed just above floor level, with a fixed indoor scenic layout as a work in progress for those not so fair weather days. There is a long list of jobs that need doing before I can even lay the track base down (using the same system Mick used). Job 1 was to have a tree surgeon come in and give the big tree at the rear of the garden a good trim. DONE Job 2 is to have the garden as it currently stands cleared. That includes the old shed, crappy furniture and other stuff. This is getting done on Friday. Job 3 weather proof and strengthen the super long Hornby Suspension Bridge I have put together (made out of 6 of them - 3 for the up, 3 for the down line) After that, the base for the corner shed http://images1.webretailuk.co.uk/productPictures/levhfe297bl.jpg and then mark out the actual area to be dug for the track wall (if wall is the right word) Im very excited by this, as it rights a major wrong from my youth, namely selling my old layout when I was 15 for a pittance. Time spent on the build will be sporadic, as I work in the film industry which just guzzles up time. But I look forward to being able to sit back either this summer or autumn and film some of the antics. I have gone for a simplistic approach (compared to the earlier pond version from a week or so ago), because I want the garden to flourish not just as a railway, but as a nicely established garden to relax in. I loved seeing how the plants in SGR really came into their own. I don't have a single green finger, so I plan to employ the same moto I use at work. K.I.S.S (Keep it simple, Stupid) CC

Oh no. I just spent all of last night and all of this evening reading and watching all of this thread. When ever you mentioned a need to address the viaduct, I would convince myself you would leave it be. I like the viaduct. I was so engrossed in the postings and then I got to page 38. What a terrible shame. I have loved watching not only the layout grow, but the garden blossom. Some of those later stills are so pretty with the established beds in the background. Well, I feel any garden layout developed on the back of reading this thread will have a part of SGR in it. I have come away from the read enthused and excited more than ever about my own project, all thanks to SGR Thanks for the incredible share!

Does the lack of concrete in the ground fixings for the posts affect you during exceptionally wet weather? I ask because I am considering a similar set up to you, ramming posts in and then baseboards. But I am a little worried about shift if the ground gets very wet. Am I worrying too much? CC