Howey Garden Railway

[kenbrunt]

Hi Mick, I am lucky the neighbour came into the hobby about two years ago and as a nice layout in his shed. Which was the reason I came back to the hobby. All I have been doing is tinning small lengths of wire to solder onto track. After reading the comments about wiring a layout in other sections which have been of use to me.

[mick]

1 hour ago, kenbrunt said:

....I am lucky the neighbour came into the hobby about two years ago and as a nice layout in his shed....

That's great Ken...a shared interest and someone close by with experience which will always come in handy.

Happy 'tinning' - monotonous I know but well worthwhile.

[kenbrunt]

Hi Guys, not to bad a weekend. Have been out laying track for two days . My finger nails are a mess, with working on top of roofing felt. I have still got about half of the wires to join between rails yet. Unfortunately promised the C E O we would go away for a couple of days. Of cause its going to be dry and when we are away and come back rain. Still she deserved a treat for allowing me to proceed in our limited garden we have. Here's a picture of a Dapol Virgin Pendolino EMU. got for a cheap price. Runs nice to say the track a mess, but oh those fiddley copulins. Not made for my saw fingers and poor sight. (men in white coats here for me tomorrow) I not finish and thinking of stage 2.

Thankyou all for your very useful articles about your railways its a enjoyable way to spend a odd wet hour looking at all the ideas

[kenbrunt]

Just packed away and hopefully finished with the soldering. Had time to run a few locos I had picked up on eBay and had not been able to run them. What as surprised me is that I have only connected one power feed and so far runs ok. I was expecting to have to take a second feed up to the small loop end.

Tornado as some pulling power had nine Pullman coaches without a problem. While that was running my camera was flat, so picture of LMS and BR maroon stock.

I always wanted a blue Pullman when I had my N gauge layout. They came into production just as I sold off all my N stock. The price today in 00 is beyond my small budget but was able to get old of a Triang one. In good condition as not got all the bells and whistles but runs well and am looking for a couple more coaches to fill it out. Love watching the come into Snow Hill Station, Birmingham on a Saturday with my Ian Allen ABC book of loco numbers. Fond memories.

Then to close my evening running tried the Class 66 and was the only one to give me problems with the leading bogie and 5 LMS coaches was to much for it. Hopefully when its run in it might improve.

 

[Clay Mills Junction]

Looking good and nice to see trains running and a nice selection of stock you have.

[kenbrunt]

I have had a great time playing trains and watching them pass by. Sorting through my stock to find out what runs or not and so stared with  one of my Wrenn Duchesses and a Bachmann Jubilee. Very pleased that the Wrenn loco performed well. I know they not the most detailed Locos around but they have good weight and seem to pull well. Next a Western Class 52. Very pleasing to see them have a good run. The Dean Goods ran well but poor pulling power. Now these two newer sets  GWR HST and Class 67 with a rake of Pullman stock behind. So far all have managed curry loop by the shed well. Hopefully will try my older steam to see how they like playing outside.

[chris]

Looking great with all your stock out and running.

When I have a problem with a coach I try two things. Rotate the coach through 180º. If it still runs badly (derails) then I move the coach within the rake. Trail and error usually leads to a formation that can run smoothly (in one direction!).

The big issue is coaches from different manufacturers with coupling at different heights or arm length. Careful matching of coupling type is sometimes required.

[kenbrunt]

Chris, thanks for the advice. I should have thought about different manufacturers. Coming from N gauge I did not have this problem. Once I can get phase 2 laid into the shed. I would be able to keep rakes of stock together in sidings. I I wonder about magnetic couplings.

[Clay Mills Junction]

Hi Ken, are you thinking you'll need an incline to get the tracks over into the shed?

[kenbrunt]

Yes its the only way to get over the two loops (I think) I have from the end of the station to the shed wall which is about 13 ft ( sorry don't do foreign) I had a play today so I could find out length, using some incline risers.  If I do this I will use something a little more substantial.  I have enclosed photo of loops and another of the inclines. Do you think its to steep?

The idea is another long board down the side of the existing one, then join the two main line before the top end loop starts after the station.

[Clay Mills Junction]

The same guidance about inclines applies outdoors as it does indoors, just to consider that adhesion level may be lower than indoors so the maximum gradient will be less.

So, the lower the gradient the better. Curves increase resistance so shallower are better. Etc.

I don't know if things like Powerbase would be suitable outdoors. Fitting steel plates under the track might just rust out in a few years.

 

[ba14eagle]

5 hours ago, Clay Mills Junction said:

The same guidance about inclines applies outdoors as it does indoors, just to consider that adhesion level may be lower than indoors so the maximum gradient will be less.

So, the lower the gradient the better. Curves increase resistance so shallower are better. Etc.

I don't know if things like Powerbase would be suitable outdoors. Fitting steel plates under the track might just rust out in a few years.

 

Powerbase works outside. The parts are coated so wont rust.

[kenbrunt]

11 hours ago, Clay Mills Junction said:

The same guidance about inclines applies outdoors as it does indoors, just to consider that adhesion level may be lower than indoors so the maximum gradient will be less.

So, the lower the gradient the better. Curves increase resistance so shallower are better. Etc.

I don't know if things like Powerbase would be suitable outdoors. Fitting steel plates under the track might just rust out in a few years.

 

Thanks for the info, Now an elderly moment, (what's Powerbase?) Plus another thought Would a cat flap work for a strong seal to the weather when closed?

[kenbrunt]

5 hours ago, ba14eagle said:

Powerbase works outside. The parts are coated so wont rust.

 

5 hours ago, ba14eagle said:

Powerbase works outside. The parts are coated so wont rust.

Thanks for that ba14eagle, Where would one get Powerbase?

[Clay Mills Junction]

I think it's a dcc concepts product. It's basically just magnets under the loco and steel plates under the track to increase traction.

I'm not sure if there are competitor products available or a DIY option. You can buy small magnets and plenty of ways to get a slim bit of steel under the track.

Have a look at the price, it might be a price you're willing to pay or you might want to build the incline and see if your trains are OK then only buy if really necessary.

[kenbrunt]

I have had another rethink about incline and its going to have to happen, so I can get into the shed and use during the lovely winter nights. During this hot weather I have added one long board extension and a smaller cross link to join between new extension and the old shed end loops. In some ways its going back to my original idea of having the branch line in the centre of the two main lines all passing through Howey Exchange station. I can now used the space in-between the loops both ends. Hopefully the enclosed photos will explain better while I was playing with odd bits of track. This should now give me moor length for the incline.

At some point I will have to find out how to writing in-between photos.

[Clay Mills Junction]

So, you're going to have the main running loops going onto and over the new extension pieces and then the incline going up the middle and over to the shed?

Is the shed branch one or two lines?

[chris]

An incline on a garden railway is a really bad idea. Mick's original Selby Garden Railway had the shallowest of gradients and it didn't go well.

I'm not understanding why you can't go from your outside loop into the shed. Why are you planning to go from the inside, up and over?

[kenbrunt]

On 21/07/2022 at 15:08, Clay Mills Junction said:

So, you're going to have the main running loops going onto and over the new extension pieces and then the incline going up the middle and over to the shed?

Is the shed branch one or two lines?

The idea was for just one line from shed.

[kenbrunt]

On 22/07/2022 at 09:04, chris said:

An incline on a garden railway is a really bad idea. Mick's original Selby Garden Railway had the shallowest of gradients and it didn't go well.

I'm not understanding why you can't go from your outside loop into the shed. Why are you planning to go from the inside, up and over?

Thanks Chris for your remarks about the incline, which was very much appreciated. In fact the idea of going off the line by the shed made sense. The only problem would be inside shed as it would only be 2’ 6’’ high inside so would need to incline inside to give me a suitable and comfortable working height, with a rough 7’6’’ by 4’ area to play with.

This as given me lots of drawing on bits of paper planes during this wet period.