Pelton Level

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Armchair Modeller

Re: Pelton Level

Postby Armchair Modeller » Sun Sep 11, 2016 7:02 am

Looks a really nice idea. Looking forward to seeing this progress - especially after the really good scenic work on your last layout.

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Sun Sep 11, 2016 5:14 pm

Despite being an engine shed in the middle of a number of collieries, this layout will have a lot more of the green stuff than the previous layout as it was flanked by fields and a number of trees, particularly on the left hand side.

The frames for the main baseboard are now complete apart from cutting the front and rear to match the contours of the land:

Image

John

Enigma
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby Enigma » Mon Sep 12, 2016 10:13 pm

This is all slightly weird! I've just been given a copy of the relative Railway Bylines magazine at the club this evening and one of our members was born, lived and worked locally. He showed me in the article photos which roads he used to get to school and to work. He's a mine of info. on this area's railways and mining.

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Tue Sep 13, 2016 7:25 am

The baseboard sides have now been contoured to fit with the landscape so all that is left to do it add the supports for the incline at the rear and then drill holes for wirings, turnout activation etc. then track laying can start:

Image

And a look forward a little, NER buffer stop from Lanarkshire Models:

Image

John

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Tue Sep 13, 2016 7:26 am

Enigma wrote:This is all slightly weird! I've just been given a copy of the relative Railway Bylines magazine at the club this evening and one of our members was born, lived and worked locally. He showed me in the article photos which roads he used to get to school and to work. He's a mine of info. on this area's railways and mining.


Parts of the Waldridge incline (off the right of the layout) can still be followed today but the site of Pelton Level shed has well and truly disappeared in the golf course.

John

Porcy Mane
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby Porcy Mane » Tue Sep 13, 2016 10:57 pm

John Donnelly wrote:[b][/b]Parts of the Waldridge incline (off the right of the layout) can still be followed today but the site of Pelton Level shed has well and truly disappeared in the golf course.

John


We may have spoke about this before. The big tree that stood directly behind the locoshed still survives.
PeltonTree.jpg


Don't know if you've seen it previously? You can see the tree in this 1957 aerial photograph in the link below.
http://www.photomemoriesarchive.org.uk/PhotoInformation/19806272865
You can just make out the protection mesh were the aerial flight runs over the rail lines and the bridge over the Eden incline were a young Mick Simpson used to stand and and watch the goings on.

Porce
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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Wed Sep 14, 2016 6:39 am

Thanks Porce,

I wasn't aware of that and the aerial photo helps to put everything in to perspective.

Cheers

John

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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Sat Sep 17, 2016 10:16 pm

Over the last couple of days, the DCC bus bars have been added and all droppers solder to them so the whole layout has power. I've also completed the turnout operating mechanism using a variation of the method described by Flymo here: viewtopic.php?f=90&t=425&p=13048&hilit=tou#p13048

Next job it to wire up the Cobalt motor and see if it all works...

Image

John

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Sun Sep 18, 2016 7:00 pm

The first of the Cobalts has been installed and wired, just two feeds from the DCC bus bars and one from a wire soldered to the frog, all terminals are spring loaded so no need for the soldering iron to get anywhere near the motor.

Image

And with a DCC Concepts lever temporarily wired:

Image

Again, just 3 wires from the switch to the motor and I have the first operational turnout. There is something very satisfying about operating a turnout from a 'proper' lever...

John

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jim s-w
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby jim s-w » Mon Sep 19, 2016 9:21 am

There is indeed. Ironically I've just swapped point control from a lever frame to DCC on brettell road as satisfying is also inconvienient! :?
Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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John H. Wright
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John H. Wright » Mon Sep 19, 2016 11:25 am

FWIW
When I knew Pelton Level in the early 60s it was being worked by a J94 from Tyne Dock. I didn't see this class mentioned in previous posts.
At that time the only surviving N10s were to be seen at Bowes Bridge on the Tanfield Railway ( Gateshead Sub-shed ). Early in 1961 I also observed a J25 at Tanfield colliery ..... the only time I ever saw one on this work.

Regards,
JHW
Regards,
John H. Wright
http://www.xclent.freeuk.com
Modelling the Pennsylvania Railroad ( 1940s ) in HO and P87 and BR (ex.NER c.1948-50) in P4

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Tue Sep 20, 2016 8:04 pm

Thanks John, another loco to add to the roster then...

John

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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Thu Sep 22, 2016 9:15 pm

Wiring is complete, all the turnout operating units are built and fitted and the track has had it's first coat of 'rust'

https://youtu.be/Li8D1rHulpc

Note that, although the loco runs perfectly backwards, it is rather 'lumpy' when it is going forwards - if anyone has any ideas why this might be, I'm all ears...

John

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RobM
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby RobM » Fri Sep 23, 2016 6:45 am

Those of a nervous disposition should only watch the first 10 seconds of the video…….. ;)
Rob

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Fri Sep 23, 2016 10:03 am

:D :D

John

garethashenden
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby garethashenden » Fri Sep 23, 2016 2:11 pm

RobM wrote:Those of a nervous disposition should only watch the first 10 seconds of the video…….. ;)
Rob

Quite a bufferstop isn't it?

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steamraiser
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby steamraiser » Sat Sep 24, 2016 10:31 am

A bit more footage of your 08 running forwards might be useful.
On one of my Bachman 08'2 I had a lumpy running problem caused by the back of an out side crank just catching on a spring moulding on the outside frame.

Gordon A

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Sat Sep 24, 2016 12:37 pm

I'm going to bring it to Scaleforum tomorrow so, if I can get it on the text track I'm hoping someone might be able to point me in the right direction...

John

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Sat Sep 24, 2016 12:43 pm

The last two Cobalts have been fitted and the wires back to the level frame for all three turnouts have been terminated at one end of the board.

Image

Image

Image

Next up, I want to get the right hand fiddle yard board built as that will allow me to fully test the track work before I start on the scenics...

John

garethashenden
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby garethashenden » Sat Sep 24, 2016 4:26 pm

Your TOUs, are they home made or did you buy them somewhere? If they are home made could you describe/show the construction?

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Sat Sep 24, 2016 4:53 pm

They are homemade and are a variation of Flymo's system detailed here: viewtopic.php?f=90&t=425&p=13048&hilit=tou#p13048

The main difference is that I've not used copper clad and just drilled the sliding plastic section to take the brass tube.

John

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Tue Sep 27, 2016 8:44 pm

This evening has seen the right hand fiddle yard build complete with a traverser that will have four roads which should be sufficient for the planned traffic on the layout...

Image

John

Colin Parks

Re: Pelton Level

Postby Colin Parks » Wed Sep 28, 2016 7:56 pm

Hi John,

Its all looking very good and I like the design of the traverser. How will you keep the tracks in alignment with the running roads?

All the best,

Colin

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Thu Sep 29, 2016 11:22 am

Hi Colin,

The plan is just to use a couple of small bolts which will also transmit the power to the traverser.

John

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Thu Sep 29, 2016 9:52 pm

Thanks to Gaugemaster, I now have a 3 lever, lever frame for the layout:

Image

Tonight has seen all the track laid on the left hand fiddle yard and traverser with wiring well under way:

Image

John


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