Jump to content

Selby Garden Railway


mick
 Share

Recommended Posts

The class 24 does sound excellent, very realistic. Sorry to hear that your still having problems with your couplings but persevere and i'm sure that you will sort it eventually, it all adds to the fun of model railways!

I'm having more success of late with the couplings and their tendency to derail. It's clear that they are a potential source of trouble but the bigger the radius of the curve the fewer problems they create. I've also paid more attention to getting track level in the areas where I have encountered problems and things are steadily improving. I may have to take some of the blame myself :oops:

The following videos have already been included in the video section of the Selby Garden Railway website but they are recorded here to maintain a chronological record of the layouts progression and the stock available.

The first video features the magnificent Kestrel from Heljan while the second video features 60007 on a long rake of Tilcon hoppers.

_5rqhr52ip8

v3s09ehaEyU

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • Replies 388
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

It's been more than a month since my last update but during that time I have had very few opportunities to make any progress with the layout. Running sessions have been out of the question apart from the odd day due to either rain or simply the damp conditions prevalent at this time of year. The track and track base are fine but it's the underfoot conditions around the perimeter of the layout which have prevented me from getting out there. My only easy access to the rear garden is through my living room patio door and it's not feasible to keep coming and going through there with a couple of inches of mud at the base of your footwear.

The weather hasn't prevented me obtaining additional stock and at the moment there is a real glut of newly released products available to tempt even the most hardened modeller. I have a second sound-fitted class 24 along with a green sound-fitted class 25. I obtained another green Deltic and a sound chip and speaker for the driving end of my HST (I will be fitting sound to the trailing end as funds allow). And of course, I couldn't resist the new Bachmann Class 411 CEP even though it's miles out of my main area of interest but it does look amazing and I had to have one as soon as I saw some available!

I'm contemplating setting to work again on a small indoor layout which I began about 12 months ago. I only got as far as building 2 baseboards before deciding to head outdoors but it would be nice to have somewhere to operate even when the weather is against me. I have the track already so watch this space!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your work so far is very impressive. I know what you mean about not being able to run much, I am having withdrawal symptoms from my own 00 garden layout (and the G scale one too) but this time of year is when I start work on improvements. Like Diggermart I am in York, perhaps we should organise a round of visiting each others lines for next summer? Just a thought.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never realised that garden railways were so popular in OO gauge so it's great to learn of other local garden railway modellers. Welcome to you both.

diggermart: As for tips all I can offer is to reiterate what has been said already. Make sure that your track is laid level to your best abilities, bond all rail joints and keep gradients to an absolute minimum. Modern diesel loco's have few problems hauling scale length trains over gentle gradients but very few steam locomotives can handle the same gradients with anything nearing a scale length load. I have been disappointed with the performance of many of my steam loco's in comparison to the diesels and have been looking at adding more diesels to the 'fleet' rather than steam.

I know that the British climate isn't generally ideal for garden railway modelling but the past year hasn't been that bad in my opinion. Even now, in early December, the weather is fine enough to be outdoors if only the ground conditions were suitable. Looking back over the past year I have had ample opportunities to run trains and hopefully with the start now made and some experience gained, next year will prove to be even better and more successful. I have a couple of sections I want to relay to remove some of the gradients and try to make life a bit easier for the steamers so that should keep me busy for a while.

tgfoy: I've had withdrawal symptoms for a few weeks now and been itching to get out there but it's just too messy underfoot. That's something I hadn't initially thought of but need to address. I want to get some more filming done as I enjoy watching the videos later.

Not sure that my efforts to date can be classed as anything nearing 'impressive'. Its just a few breeze blocks and patio decking boards fastened together that anyone could master and likely make a better job of than I have done. I don't think things through and plan ahead meticulously (my failing I guess) but usually I get close (in a fashion) to where I want to be. If I can get things better sorted for next year then an open day may be possible but right now I don't feel I have anything worthy of closer inspection :oops:

Hope you will both feel like starting a thread about your own plans/layouts etc.. so that we can keep up to date with each others progress.

Mick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mick: Well I would say that your progress this last summer was impressive, you have got running very quickly. I would look forward to seeing your line given the opportunity. We all build them for our own enjoyment I think and I would not say my efforts stand up to close inspection either infact it took me a few weeks thinking befor I even added the thread about my lines to your forum. Glad I have though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had plenty of free time available to get things running so quickly but the construction was new to me and there are things I would like to change and would certainly have done diferently had I known then what I know now. I'll get everything ironed out by next spring/summer so that running sessions aren't spent just trying to keep stock on the rails. However, I've definitely not been deterred by anything and strongly believe that OO has a place outdoors and is in fact enhanced by being taken into the garden.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd almost overlooked these clips taken back in November shortly after I had obtained the latest Bachmann sound-fitted class 25. Impressed with the sound of the Bachmann BR Blue class 24 I already owned, I had then purchased the BR green class 24 so thought it would be a good idea to run both the green liveried 24 and this latest BR Green class 25 loco together. I unpacked a dozen MK1 coaches and shared them out, set the locos running and caught the following action. There wasn't a great deal of time as it was almost time for the schools to turn out and living close to the main street as I do, sound loco's do have a tendency to attract attention if you're not careful.

KKuzg0qYF5c

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After the heavy rain showers over the past day or two, as it was a nice dry and bright morning today I thought I would just check on the condition of the viaduct. It's been covered with a double layer of plastic sheet to protect it from getting wet but when I removed the covers I discovered that the water has found it's way inside and onto the track base. The track base itself has been sealed with bitumen and a layer of roofing felt before the track was put into position so I'm hoping there's not too much damage.

I knew to expect problems using a wooden structure outdoors and it's only exterior WBP plywood and not marine grade so I wouldn't expect it will last that long anyway. I may need to consider constructing something a bit more resilient to the rain next year, something that I don't have to keep covered with plastic sheeting all the time in case it decides to pour down unexpectedly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've taken advantage of the sunny weather today to test one of my newly obtained Bachmann Class 411 CEP 4 car EMU's. I was going to put them both on track together but as I don't have any 21-pin DCC chips available just yet I have had to alter the track wires to enable temporary DC running on one line only. After coupling my blue/grey model together using the supplied coupling bars I'm glad I decided only to run one of them. The coupling bars are fiddly and the integral electrical contacts look flimsy so I wouldn't want to be coupling and uncoupling them regularly, especially after trying to handle a permanently coupled 4 car rake. It's a great idea by Bachmann to produce these sets so that only one decoder is required for the complete set but perhaps a better way of coupling/uncoupling can be found. There must be a lot of modellers who haven't got the facilities to leave their 4 car CEP's permanently coupled or on track all the time.

I was please to find that the viaduct seems to be none the worse for its soaking (at least there are no signs just yet) and after a quick brush around the circuit before a wipe over the rails with a track rubber and damp cloth, running was under way. I have been very surprised by how little cleaning is required before you can commence running - especially since we haven't had particularly good weather of late and when it's been a couple of weeks or more since the track was last used. It takes just a few minutes to go round the whole circuit before it's ready for use.

I have 2 videos of today's action to upload. One features the CEP while the second contains more CEP action as well as a glimpse of the new Bachmann class 47 'Sir Rowland Hill'.

fFzCrNzt-VY

2adIqSLaBnA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seeing as I currently have the layout connected up for DC running after yesterdays 4CEP action, I thought I would take a short film of the Bachmann Royal Scot locomotive I have decided to put up for sale. I have accumulated two of these engines, both from the Bachmann 30-020 Royal Scot train set, and so I really do need to thin the collection out and raise possible funds for new additions. As it turned out I ended up with both locos coupled together hauling a short rake of 4 BR MK1's (the respective coaches from the 2 train sets) and never managed to film one loco working alone!

fEgeZPx-q7s

The weather has certainly turned these past couple of days. By the time I got round to covering up the viaduct at the end of the session, the 3 layers of plastic sheeting I have been using for protection have been frozen solid almost. There is so much damp and moisture about that they never get the chance to dry out and as soon as the temperature drops they set hard! Seems an age ago that I was leaving the viaduct totally uncovered for a period of 2 or 3 weeks during those lazy summer evenings.......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My garden sees a bit of sun for a short time during the winter months but it's not anywhere near strong enough to dry anything out. I must admit that the couple of days I've managed to get outside this past week have been pleasant and I've not really had to wrap up well against the cold - but if you can trust the weather forecast it sounds like something much colder is on its way by later this coming week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Mick,

A very nice looking garden railway, i love that viaduct it is very nice

Kind regards Tom

Hi Tom, and a warm welcome to the forum. I wanted the viaduct before I wanted the rest of the layout but now having a few second thoughts about it. Nothing wrong with it but having to keep it covered up half the time due to it being made of plywood isn't a lot of fun. I was going to construct shuttering and cast one in concrete initially but then changed my mind - now wishing I'd gone through with it. We'll see how it goes through the next year.

Mick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had thought about clearing the running lines and running a couple of trains round this afternoon but as nice as it might have been, would it have been worth the effort? In the end I decided against it so you'll just have to make do with a photo of the slightly snowed in and under-wraps SGR.

IMG_3245.jpg

I've seriously been considering purchasing one of the recent Hornby sound-fitted steamers. I'd rather like Herring Gull in LNER garter blue as it would look great hauling my rake of Gresley teak coaches but whereas I already have a garter blue A4 I don't yet have an example of the Black 5 at all. I've been trying to source some video footage of these new model loco's in action to gauge what the sound is really like and I'm disappointed that Hornby themselves have not yet decided to release a preview of them. Perhaps that suggests they could sound better? On top of that I'm still undecided about getting Tornado. I keep telling myself it's a modern day loco and doesn't fit in with the majority of my collection but will I regret not doing so?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMG_3272.jpg

Today was a very special day as the Selby Garden Railway received a visit from 'The Queen Mother' - 47541 to be precise, in the superb Scotrail livery with yellow cab roofs and fitted snowploughs. The snowploughs came in very useful but I have to admit that I did have to clear away the covering of snow with a handbrush before the Queen Mother could stretch her legs. Bachmann models are so very realistic but they haven't quite come that far just yet.

hQ8MOJRrNhU

The layout is still temporarily wired for DC running and I will have to look into the wiring so that I can enable a switch between the two systems - shouldn't be too difficult but I haven't given it any thought whatsoever just yet. At least on DC I get the chance to run some of the locomotives that have been sitting in the cupboards and which have never been used since I got hold of them. Today however, I used the opportunity to test out my latest class 47, 47541 'The Queen Mother', a limited edition from Rails of Sheffield which is rather more expensive than the standard Bachmann release but it's so nice that I am beginning to convince myself it was worth it. I also gave a run out to another of my Bachmann 4-CEP sets, this time the early BR green liveried version without yellow warning panels. As for the DC loco's from the storage cupboard, I grabbed hold of a Bachmann class 158 in WYPTE Metro livery that I've had for ages and never seen running before.

VDR119T55Uk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A4 sound is on it's way to the Selby Garden Railway. Normally I seem to buy a loco and then start getting rolling stock for it to haul but this time it's the other way round. I have a rake of LNER Gresley teak coaches just waiting for a special loco to haul them and an A4 fitted with digital sound has got to be "the best a man can get". I've taken the plunge and ordered one so I really hope I'm not disappointed when it finally arrives. I'm looking forward to comparing it to the other 2 sound-fitted steam loco's I have available and perhaps tweaking it to get the best possible performance from it in terms of sound quality and equally, traction.

As for the Gresley teaks well what more can you say. These newer versions are streets ahead of the original Hornby offering but they do command a very high price and at the current time are nigh impossible to get hold of. Despite their high price they are in need of light weathering to tone down those pure white roofs so I'll have to summon up the courage to tackle them once I have had a bit of practice with something substantially less valuable.

Having other sound locos to compare it against I will do a full review and give my personal opinion of the A4 'Herring Gull' just as soon as I can.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This afternoon I took delivery of one of the latest Hornby sound-fitted steam locomotives, LNER blue liveried Gresley A4 'Herring Gull'. Sadly, amid all my hopes and expectations I have been left deflated and disappointed yet again with the sound quality of a RTR steam locomotive. It just doesn't do it for me but there is potential to get more out of it with some major tweaking as I found later.

My very first impression of Herring Gull as it was handed to me by the postman was how light the whole package was. In fact, at first I wondered if something had been omitted and half expected there to be just a tender or only a locomotive inside when I opened it but no, everything was as it should be. I've not yet compared the weight of Herring Gull to other steam locos as I've never felt the need to pop any on the scale before now, but at 305grams I have grave doubts that my all singing blue A4 will be hauling anything near scale length trains.

However, it wasn't just the weight of the locomotive that disappointed me. Electrically coupling the loco and tender by means of the fiddly plastic connecting plug as used on the sound fitted Duchess is a real pain, even more so to uncouple afterwards but having finally managed it I pressed F1 and the sound of steam began emitting from the 'tender'. At close distance it is painfully obvious that the speaker is located aft of the loco but from a distance of a few feet and more it's less and less noticeable. The sound appeared tinny but I proceeded and set the loco in motion. There was some muffled 'chuffs' but nothing deep and meaningful - it certainly didn't stir anything within me. The faster it went the less clearly audible the 'chuffs'. All in all it took me back to my first impressions of City of Sheffield, Hornby's previous attempt at a sound-fitted steam loco and Herring Gull appears to have much in common with the Duchess.

IMG_3289.jpg

After removing the tender top, the inners of the A4 tender closely resemble that of the Duchess. The speaker is mounted in much the same way. Just by looking at it, it becomes clear that there's very little way that any purposeful sound can ever be emitted from within. The speaker isn't sealed within its enclosure and there is very little room beneath the tender for the sound to escape cleanly.

IMG_3281.jpg

With the sound chip and connector board removed along with the metal weight that they are fastened to the speaker can be seen facing downwards onto the tender axles and keeper plate. However, in the photograph below you will see just how restricted that area is and how any decent sound would have to fight its way out.

IMG_3288.jpg

I did try adding a second speaker (simply by holding the wires onto the already available terminals of the original speaker) and with a better speaker the sound is improved greatly. A bass reflex speaker emits a nice deep and purposeful 'chuff' which is sadly what I was expecting and hoping from Hornby in the first place. There is a glimmer of hope and I'm sure that with an additional speaker mounted in the loco the sound quality can be greatly enhanced even at close distance. Should anyone have to go to those lengths to obtain decent sound? Well no, I don't think they should as it will doubtless void any remaining warranty and it shouldn't be down to the owner to produce themselves what they really should have rightly expected to get from Hornby for this kind of money in the first place.

My initial disappointment meant I didn't get the chance to give Herring Gull a run outdoors so video of her in action will have to come later.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although the snow covering my track has slowly been clearing over the past couple of days, when I went outdoors yesterday to clean the rails in anticipation of a running session I found that the rails and sleepers were covered with a thick layer of solid ice, in places it was above the rail tops. It was too much to clear and so running was postponed to another day.

Wanting to film my disappointing 'Herring Gull' I decided to put it on my rolling road indoors. The following two videos show the model in action. The first video is of the model exactly as it arrives from the factory with the Hornby default settings and was filmed for the duration of the entire 28 speed step cycle. The second video shows how the sound can be improved with some amended CV values to try to get the exhaust beats at 6 per wheel revolution.

J1w3vRWRX38

8LcoyDyzldc

The second video is certainly an improvement over the original but it's going to need a lot more tweaking (and certainly better speakers) before it resembles anything like an A4.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share


×
×
  • Create New...