Wednesday 24th April

Littlehampton - 4 weeks to go!

Worklist:
Check layout fits in the car.
Check the carrying system works.
'Cable-up' the lighting.
Test lighting.
Prepare notes for setting up the layout.
Fix more things down.
Review the new ticket office.

The first job was to allay any fears about getting to the show. The seats in Geoff's car were dropped to check how much room the layout would take up. Sighs of relief all 'round - bags of room. A final checklist of things to take has not been prepared, but with Stephen taking his car as well, no problems were now envisaged.

We then reviewed the panels Geoff had made to transport the two main boards. Rather than bolt the boards face-to-face (the top board inverted) we had decided to keep them both the same way up. Both ends were installed quite easily using the layout joining bolts, and lifting the assembled unit was not a problem.

A simple tray top will now be made to enable light items to be stacked on top and some side panels to prevent damage to the layouts. The end board already sits on the fiddleyard and takes up little room. Protection will be assessed in due course.

As we set the layout up, we noted that the position or orientation of certain elements needed to be better marked to make setting up much quicker. The trestles are usually set out to markings on the floor, but in a show, we need to be able to set out the positions dimensionally. We decided this could best be fully addressed when we took the layout down at the end of the day, once we knew everything was in the right place.

Geoff had been very busy since the last meeting - fitting sockets for cables into the the lighting pole bases, painting the poles, fitting the LED strips into the guttering and wiring them up. Lighting extension cables now need to be inserted into the pipe supports, which was accomplished using a draw-cable. Tee pieces had been fitted into the poles to accommodate the cables out of the bottom.

With the lighting installed, we could see the full effect of the system for the first time and it was impressive. Because each LED strip was separately switched, we could vary the lighting a bit between colours and intensity.

However, Geoff warned that the LED's (which equated to 840w in old money) ran quite hot and was concerned that being fitted to a curved surface, they might not adhere too well. So, when we broke for lunch, the lights were left on to see how they behaved. When we returned, one strip had already dropped down and a few ends were parting company with the gutters.

One solution would be to physically fix the strips in place and another was to find some strong, clear tape to tack them in place. Maybe just the ends needed to be fixed? We'll see.

Geoff returned to preparing small items for painting. Stephen wired-down the wagons on display near the coal staithe fitted the quarry siding yard crane that Geoff had overhauled. Laurence made further alterations to a trestle. Later, Stephen looked for a suitable location for his shed/ticket office. The caravan was originally made for this role, but in making the shed for a 'joke' at his bowls club, it was easily converted to a make-do office, with a shuttered window in the side. A triangular space beside the goods shed looked ideal and was approved. The caravan, being mobile, was better suited in front of the generator room entrance and will now be decorated as the site rest room/cafe.

Stephen had also made a set of A frame advertising panels and put together a selection of adverts. Geoff argued that an embryonic association of that time would have limited funds and aspirations, so advertising material would have been very basic. He will investigate further and produce something more appropriate. The signage and panels for the ticket office being either 'hand made' or generated from real posters can be retained.

As the layout was taken down, measurements were taken for trestle setting out and marks/notes made on the layout boards and backscene panels identifying key points.

Wednesday 17th April

Worklist:
Lighting
Wagon loads
Paint people
Glue things down

The previous week, we had been a bit concerned about the warmth of the power adaptor for the new LED lights. Geoff had checked the lighting load of a 3m strip of LED's and found it exceeded the adaptor rating, hence the overheating. He subsequently contacted the supplier, who immediately offered to provide three higher rated supplies. However, thinking operationally, Geoff then proposed that we break the 3m lengths into two to give 3 x 1.5m strips each side (2 bright and 1 warm) and feed them from separate adaptors. Apart from the loads being comfortable they would be separately switched. Failure of any individual strip could be balanced by switching off the corresponding strip on the other pelmet. More supplies were required, but by chance, another supplier had an offer with supplies at less than £2 each.

Geoff had also been busy on the lighting framework, extending the pipe supports and fixing the gutters to them. The ends had also been adapted so that cables can be fed through the pipes to feed the lights.

 Finally, a central joint/alignment mechanism had been made to align and stiffen the joint.

Laurence continued to scour the layout and glue various scenic items down, whilst Stephen painted the paving areas he'd repaired the previous week. Stephen then painted the glossy bits of epoxy glue around the cow's hooves which had been annoying him. He then went on to add wagon loads to four of his ore wagons. The cream 'rock' material came from John's original stock and was what was used in the aircraft workshop where he worked to soak up oil spillages (similar to cat litter). After carving and fixing two layers of polyboard to fill the bottom, the ore was fixed using diluted PVA with a drop of washing-up liquid, in the time-honoured way.

With Geoff's four, we now had two complete trains of fulls and empties.

 

 

As usual, stock on the layout meant a little test run and this week was no different. The first time full ore trains had been exchanged between the quarry and mainline.

Wednesday 10th April

Worklist:
Signal electrics
Lighting
To-Do-List

A full house and all were eager to view the LED lights that had arrived. However, Stephen had a final task to complete on the signalling - setting the correct output voltage for the signal module. Signs on the remote signals and the switch/bell box were also fitted. Laurence was then given a tutorial on using the system. The dismal bell didn't seem quite so dismal after the volts boost - maybe it'll be ok.

There was discussion about fitting the cabling for the signals, but it was soon 'put to one side'. However, two small squares of plasticard were fitted to represent the treadles that 'announce' the arrival of trains on both tracks. These were painted galvanised/silver.

The layout was moved down the workshop to enable the fiddleyard trestle to be tried out, possibly, for the first time. It needed height-adjusting and a block fitted to stop sideways movement of the layout. The backscenes and the light poles were fitted...

... as were the gutter holders. These will be fixed to the gutters in due course and allow quick fitting and demounting.

Three 3m lengths of LED's had been purchased - two bright (one for each gutter section) and one warm white to be halved - one for each gutter. A doubled-up bright white was temporarily taped to one gutter and loosely held in place. A very nice intensity albeit cold, as expected.

Adding a single length of warm white had the desired effect.

The final arrangement

Seeing shadows from stock at the front of the layout led us to decide that the gutters should be moved out to the front of the layout. A small pipe extension was required, but this will be worked into the ongoing name board design. The name board had been approved and sent off to Stephens brother for printing and assembling. We'll see how flexible the sheet is before deciding how to fix it to the piping/guttering.

The To Do List came out next and tasks undertaken. Stephen filled holes around buildings and Geoff weathered some 'Jubilee' track for the quarry siding. However, with everything set up, Laurence couldn't resist having a play and we all soon 'fell in'. Geoff's tipper wagon coupling problem had been resolved and was on the layout for testing. A few other locos and wagons soon joined them for a good-old shunting session.

Wednesday 3rd April

Worklist:
Install new signals
Modify cassette shelf arms
Modify the coal truck
Nameboard?

Just Stephen and Geoff this week. As the layout had been put away the previous week, just the board required to fit the new signals was clamped upright to the trestles. Stephen fitted the new 5-way socket and wired it into the signal connector strip.

The two track signals were fitted into the pre-drilled holes and wires run back to the connector. The signal comprises a flashing light (1.8mmdia. LED) with a black surround. (The stop sign has yet to be fitted). The other signal is beside the main line, beyond the bridge mouth.

The next board was set-up and the new socket fitted. The frame signal (LED on top of a pole) was fitted, together with the sound unit (ringing bell), activation relay and 5v power supply. The speaker will be fitted in position after testing.

After extra wires were added to the loom, the layout was put up and the signals tested. The lights worked well, but the bell sound was disappointing. The sound quality is nowhere as good as the generator engine, but Stephen had been unable to improve it any more. The conclusion was that either the unit was defective, or the frequency range simply didn't suit the 'inexpensive' sound recorder/player. Trials with speaker mounts will be carried out, but at least we had some sound.

Due to the addition of the backscene and pipe clips for the lighting poles, the brackets for the cassette shelf had to be extended by drilling new pivot holes, which Geoff carried out while access was available.

The previous week, Geoff and Laurence had discussed modifying the coal lorry by neatly cutting out one of the sides and moving it to the 'folded down' position. However, Geoff tried to use a cutting disk in the Dremel, but failed. He then cut the side out without trying to save the panel. The inside surfaces of the open wagon had no planking detail, so Geoff fitted scribed plasticard panels and made a new plasticard drop-down door. So much more realistic.

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Stephen and Geoff also discussed the design of a name board. Stephen subsequently circulated a list of possible features/criteria and created a photo mock-up, for discussion. Designs and discussions ensued...