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Worsley Dale Garden Railway


mick
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Yesterdays fiasco with the Peco points has made me feel that I need to look very closely at the products I choose to use on the layout. It's either that or get regularly frustrated when things break or fail to work properly and issues like that could seriously affect my overall enthusiasm for the hobby. It does make me angry that some of the products I have purchased recently have weaknesses or practical limitations in their use but I do accept that using many of these products outdoors isn't what the manufacturer recommends. But in many cases the environment where the product is used isn't an issue. Replacing a failed or broken over-centre spring is a task that could fall upon anyone at any time and it's a far cry from being the simple procedure that Peco make it appear in their rather inadequate instructions. I need to look at removing the risk of having to do this again to make it easier for me.

One way would be to use the SEEP PM-4 in place of my current choice of the PM-1. The integral spring latching mechanism would remove the need for the spring in the Peco points. It would be a good choice to install on the admittedly rare occasion where a Peco over-centre spring fails. I'm not against having to replace things when they wear out but I need to keep my enthusiasm going by limiting it to the things I can see and handle properly.

While we're on the subject of products with weaknesses there's the issue of certain loco and rolling stock couplings. Again, compared to the price of the product it's something that costs a fraction of a penny and yet it causes no end of frustration with derailments and so on.

There's also another area where my thoughts have changed over recent weeks and that's in my choice of motive power. I'm beginning to think that diesels are preferable, in fact I'm looking more and more towards diesel power. They're reliable haulers, smooth runners and the digital sounds are way better than those of a steam loco. I just get so much more satisfaction from being able to 'drive' a diesel loco along the layout and hear the tone of the engine change.

I just want a reliable working outdoor railway where something like a miniature spring doesn't cause a total catastrophe. Where a plastic coupling doesn't cause frequent derailments. I want to be able to sit back and drive trains without any problems around a layout that's taken a lot of time, effort and money to construct. Success shouldn't have to rely on a piece of bent wire or moulded plastic.

Hopefully through the forum we can highlight all the issues we face and continue to come up with some viable solutions.

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I've just had a thought regarding why the Peco over-centre spring replacement might have been so difficult yesterday. I've read that once a replacement spring is fitted it should be trimmed? I guess if the legs of the spring were longer it would make it far easier to put it through the plastic cover plate and hold on to the exposed section whilst putting it in position. The spring I was replacing was the original one which had become dislodged completely and had of course already been cut to fit. Would that make a difference?

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Quick answer, yes.

I replaced a spring that had one of the legs dislodged before I put it on the layout and it was an absolute bu99er to do. In the end I remade the spring with longer legs (from a piece of guitar string of the correct diameter).

It is not a perfect solution, but for the moment it works, and I will send off to Peco Technical for some replacements.

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Well no trouble with little springs today. Instead, apart from doing a bit more ballasting inside the shed I've made a start on ballasting the track over the viaduct. I've gone back to the Gaugemaster real stone ballast as used elsewhere on the outside track but this time I'm using Pledge 'with Klear' floor polish as the fixative so that the two polishes used so far can be compared. This Pledge polish smells very clinical as opposed to the cinnamon aroma of the Astonishused previously, but it does flow slightly better in my opinion. I've given it all a nice heavy soaking using a plastic dropper type applicator so I'll see how it dries. Here's a photo of the newly ballasted sections of track over the viaduct:

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I've yet to decide on what to use as covers over the bus wires that run down each side of the viaduct. It needs to be something that is easily removable should the need ever arise and something that resembles a walkway. The viaduct top walls also need finishing as can be seen in the lower photo - two or three sections require fixing in place immediately in front of the tunnel opening to complete.

I mentioned a while ago that I'd got hold of the Bachmann Sheffield Park station buildings to use as the basis for the main indoor station. In fact at first it was my intention to use these outside to create an outdoor station but I've since decided it would be better with these indoors and to make the outdoor station just a small halt. Here's a mock up of how the buildings fit together - they will of course look better when there are some platforms in place but I'm still waiting delivery of the platform sides before that construction can begin.

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Sorry to hear about that spring Mick. Generally there is an assumption that anything purchased new is going to work. That has never been my experience.

A few years back when I was doing N scale, Atlas code 55 track was all the rage. i built my layout on a door panel with around 23 switches running DCC. When I finally started running trains my locos would derail at switches. I couldn't figure out what was going on with it. Pestered my friends on trainboard forum and no one had a clear answer: Check the wheels with a track gauge; Make sure the trucks turn freely, etc.

I finally ended up having to re-gauge all my diesels using a switch as the wheel gauge. it turned out that almost all my diesels were gauged too tight and I had to pry the wheels apart to get the to run so they wouldn't pick at the points and make themselves go the wrong way.

Seems like an easy fix but it may have been two weeks of tearing my hair out and thinking I'd wasted thousands of dollars on stock and track and what not.

It was after that fix that I forgot a train running on the layout overnight and into the next afternoon. When I came down the next day it was still chugging along smoothly with a rake of Green and Black BN coaches. I never really had problems with that N scale layout again. i also had to give up a lot of sub par locos. Everything ran perfectly once it was only Atlas and Kato locos with Kadee couplers.

(I only recount this long story because we've all been there at one time. )

So, yes the switch is a pain in the backside but I think you'll get it sorted out and be on your way. Personally i hate the agony of fiddly model railroading, but there is no way around it; every layout has it's operational detail work.

On the other hand... A train friend of mine here told me to use Peco switches for this new layout, but I refused claiming that I needed cheaper materials. I went with Atlas switches. They do not have little springs! I see no real reason for little springs if you already have a point motor holding the point. What if you just leave the little spring out? i know that sounds crazy, but still you might give it a try. And if that doesn't work maybe you should consider a different brand of points.

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traingeekboy said:

...A train friend of mine here told me to use Peco switches for this new layout, but I refused claiming that I needed cheaper materials. I went with Atlas switches. They do not have little springs! I see no real reason for little springs if you already have a point motor holding the point. What if you just leave the little spring out? i know that sounds crazy, but still you might give it a try. And if that doesn't work maybe you should consider a different brand of points.

There's not a great deal of choice to be honest Griff. Under normal circumstances the Peco points work just fine. This is the first time I've had problems with that little spring and certainly the first time I've had to replace one. I intend to get hold of the SEEP PM-4 point motor and have one to hand just in case another spring should fail. If it does then I'll swap the existing point motor for the PM-4 model which includes a spring. I really can't be messing about with something so small and fiddly as that pesky spring.

I mentioned the fact earlier that I'm becoming more interested in diesel loco's rather than steam engines and the following images are just part of the reason for that. Firstly there's a Heljan class 26 in BR Blue livery, no. 26024 posed on top of the viaduct. I've fitted this with a sound chip and it sounds absolutely awesome. I've never actually seen a class 26 loco but there's just something about them that makes them ideal for my visions of a preserved railway.

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26024 was quickly followed by another 2 class 26 locomotives but in different liveries to enable me to ring the changes but these are not yet fitted with sound chips. First up is 26003 in engineers Dutch livery

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And below is 26 041 in Railfreight Grey livery

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I was so pleased with the trio of class 26s, especially with them being so reasonably priced, that I decided to look at another class of loco of which I had no examples - the class 33s. One of my favourite class 37 locos is my model of Loch Arkaig in West Coast Railways livery and so I decided to get hold of the pair of class 33s in that same livery. The following two photos show first 33029 Glen Loy at the head of the pair and secondly 33 025 Glen Falloch leading.

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I intend to fit the 4 remaining locos with sound chips as soon as possible and when I've sorted out the video camera I'll post a clip of 26024 so you can hear for yourself.

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Same here George. I'm looking forward to seeing them all in action. Shouldn't be too much longer now :?

This evening I've been making a few small alterations to the viaduct where it enters the shed. I hadn't noticed earlier but there was a slight upward slope of the track through the tunnel so I thought it best to remedy it now before it started niggling me later. I've had to remove a section of roofing felt and file down the small section of block that I've use as a base for the track. Extra work but it looks better for it. I've now got the track fastened back down and if it stays dry overnight then I'll be able to complete the ballasting of the viaduct tomorrow.

From an initial inspection it looks like today's ballasting using the Pledge Klear has been successful so far. The whole lot feels nice and solid at the moment.

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I really like the look of the Heljan 26, especially in the railfreight grey, but it doesnt really fit in with my West Country theme (the rivet counter in me :oops: is stretching it when I am hoping to get a Heljan 58 :D) I bet it really does sound good and cant wait to see a video of it in action.

Despite the misgivings in the popular press about the Heljan 33 "0", I think they are very good locos, with good traction. A word of warning though - If you are tempted to follow the instructions and fit the headcodes, be very careful when pushing the glass with the pin end - the glass cracks very easily, as it did on my 33211 ;) . 33029 was always one of my favourite members of the class and used to work well :) ah yes - and it looks better with the miniature snowploughs fitted too :!::!:

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I've tended to overlook many of the mainstream Heljan offerings. I think my first purchases were a pair of class 58s when they were in one of the popular box-shifter sales two or three years ago now. I've seen the 26, 27 & 33 locos sold off rather cheaply before but I've always had my eyes set on some of the larger diesels and even then I've always chosen the Bachmann 47 over the Heljan version. For just over £40 the class 26s are/were a bargain in current times. The two 33s were a bit more expensive but I like the livery! It's true, the 33s don't get a very good write up anywhere but I know nothing about them myself other than the fact that they resemble a class 33 to me and I'm happy with that for now. An upgraded version of the Heljan 33 can be pre-ordered from the Rail Exclusive website - available later.

Yes, sorry about the lack of detailing parts on the locos photographed today - they were all straight from the boxes. The 33s will look much better with the snowloughs fitted but I'm waiting until I have a better means of storage before adding all the little bits and bobs.

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doublecee said:

My weakness is for a 47....

There are a whole host of new 47s to be released during the latter part of the year. It's going to be hard to resist them. Personally I go for the pretty colours now - that's my prerogative being a preserved railway :)

ba14eagle said:

... wish I could find one now at a sensible price - there doesnt seem to be many around, unless you break the bank for one :x

I wish I'd known you were looking for one. One of the major online retailers listed a batch of new ones for sale only a week or so ago but they went very quickly. They were in the sector grey livery. Are you looking for any particular livery?

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ba14eagle said:

...58037 in original Railfreight...

Right, so the grey livery wouldn't have been of any use to you anyway. I hadn't realised just how scarce Heljan 58s were. I'll keep a watch out for 037. The one on ebay, it states it has only one coupling but not that it doesn't have the detailing parts. Have you enquired?

I hadn't intended watching so much sport today but with the Belgium Grand Prix, then over for the second half of the Liverpool v Arsenal game and the second half of Southampton v Man Utd, I didn't spend a lot of time outdoors. With it being nice, in between the sport I decided to ballast a few more sections of track and go over some that I had part done previously. I did the one remaining full length over the viaduct leaving just that short section where it enters into the shed. The curve immediately before the viaduct is now almost completely ballasted.

I've had a rummage round this evening and found my keyring camera and the camcorder so they're now both on charge. Not sure what I'll be doing with them as I don't have a lot of railway on which to run anything worth filming but I might use one or the other to record the class 26 sound when I get round to it.

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doublecee said:

Get yourself in front of the camera and take us through what you've done

and what's left to do :)

That is actually a very good idea, Craig.

Maybe we ALL should do a little introductory video describing the ideas and processes behind the construction?

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Don't you two have enough to do already? I can't seem to find the time to get on with things that are waiting my attention now never mind starring in my own movie! :) I'll see what I can do.

My Peco platform sides arrived this morning so I've put them to one side for later. I've been trying to sort out the ground behind the viaduct while it's nice and dry to try prevent so much splattering when it rains. I need some more plants to cover the ground I think. I'm still not entirely happy with the approach off the viaduct, through the tunnel and into the shed. I've done some further modifications to the base but although the spirit level says it's okay for some reason I'm still not happy and so rather than ballast it I've left it until later when I'll have another look.

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