Pelton Level

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Fri Sep 30, 2016 2:29 pm

With the lever frame and traverser temporarily wired up, playing, sorry testing, of the layout has begun with a completely inappropriate loco but never mind...

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So far so good, I've had to change the polarity on one of the Cobalts but, other than that, all is working as it should.

John

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Fri Oct 07, 2016 10:27 pm

Cheers gents. Ballasting continues and, as a break from that, I've started on the retaining wall for the incline made with Wills stone sheets. Hopefully, with a little filler and some re-scribing (as per Karl Crowther's article in MRJ 247), you'll not see the joins...

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John
Last edited by John Donnelly on Wed Oct 12, 2016 1:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Knuckles
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby Knuckles » Sat Oct 08, 2016 12:29 am

Have not seen Crowthers article but that back wall indeed does look seamless.

Interesting indeed because the straight join lines have always put me off using the stone sheets.

I usually try to bodge these type things with filler and carve with dental scrapes and files...but if there is a better way.

Great progress so far.
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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Sat Oct 08, 2016 8:52 am

Knuckles wrote:
I usually try to bodge these type things with filler and carve with dental scrapes and files...but if there is a better way.



Karl's article is, essentially, what you describe but with care taken not only to 'join' stones with filler but to also separate existing stones so the random nature of the stones is carried across the joins.

John

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Re: Pelton Level

Postby Armchair Modeller » Sat Oct 08, 2016 9:42 am

It is an excellent article - well worth buying a back copy of MRJ247 just for that piece alone.

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Sun Oct 09, 2016 3:50 pm

The landscapers are working fast:

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The grass is a mat that I picked up at Scaleforum, it has static grass already applied along with some scatter material. It wasn't cheap (£40 for a roll 4' * 18" which will be enough for both embankments) but, for me, it gives a much more realistic starting point than the hanging basket liner that I've used in the past...

John

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RobM
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby RobM » Sun Oct 09, 2016 4:23 pm

Looking good John, when do the brick layers start ?………
Rob

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Sun Oct 09, 2016 10:27 pm

Cheers Rob. I think I'm going to mock up the shed and water tower in card first and see what they look like before committing to laying any bricks...

John

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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Wed Oct 12, 2016 5:48 pm

I've been working on the retaining wall for the incline at the rear of the layout. It consists of 6 sheets of Wills stone, the joins aren't perfect but are pretty much invisible from the front of the layout. So far it has had a base coat of Tamiya Dark Yellow followed by a black oil wash and individual stones have been picked out with a mixture of tans, buffs and greys. It needs toning down and will get at least one more wash of the black oil...

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John

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Re: Pelton Level

Postby Armchair Modeller » Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:32 pm

Carefully merging and painting of those Wills stone sheets really brings them to life, John!

Just one awkward question though - will there be any capping stones? Gut feeling is it looks a bit bare on top. Apologies if you have a prototype photo etc etc ;)

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:59 pm

Yes, capping stones need to be added.

John

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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Wed Oct 12, 2016 10:37 pm

A couple more black washes later, everything has toned down nicely and I think I'm done. Given the walls location in the middle of the Durham coalfield, I could probably have gone a lot darker with the weathering but then I would have lost a lot of the colour differences between the stones so I'm happy to leave it as it is...

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Next job is to fix it in place and move on to the capping stones.

John

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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Fri Oct 14, 2016 10:09 am

The retaining wall now has it's capping stones. To make the stones, styrene strip was cut in to 12mm lengths then each edge was filed down. Once the stones were glued in to place, liquid styrene cement was 'painted' on top of each one and then stippled with a brush to add a little texture. The stones were then painted and weathered in the same way as the wall with black oil paint which really highlights the texturing done earlier.

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John

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Re: Pelton Level

Postby Armchair Modeller » Fri Oct 14, 2016 12:08 pm

The Wills sheets definitely have potential, despite what its critics say. Even better with capping stones. Sorry for being impatient earlier ;)

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Fri Oct 14, 2016 8:03 pm

This evening I've mocked up the engine shed and water tower behind it just to try and get a better idea of scale. Not sure about the shed yet, I may lower it 5mm or so...

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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Thu Oct 20, 2016 10:52 am

Done some more layout testing and while I had the 24 (which now has the correct headcode for the iron ore train if not the correct number) out, I couldn't resist this shot:

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John

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Wed Jan 18, 2017 12:30 pm

Having spent the last few weeks or contemplating and cogitating, there is a pretty good chance that I'll not be progressing any further with this layout...

This has come about for a few reasons:

1. The visit to see the EM gauge version of South Pelaw Junction http://southpelawem.blogspot.co.uk/ the weekend before was a real eye opener in to what I've let myself in for. Whilst that layout coves a larger area than I am contemplating, it has taken a team of around half a dozen modellers 10 years to get to the stage that they have reached. It made me think, do I really want to spent another year finishing Pelton Level when I could be getting on with South Pelaw?

2. Whilst the main section of South Pelaw is 18' long and there is only one place in house that I would be able to set it up, it occurred to me that Pelton Level is, with the main board and two fiddle yards, is almost 13' long which would mean that, in the same space, I can set up two thirds of the South Pelaw layout which, for general construction at least should be more than enough.

3. I pulled out issue 152 of MRJ the other night which has the article on Derwenhaugh by Dave Bradwell where he suggests that you just get on with building rather than spending all the time planning.

4. Last Sunday would have been, had she not passed, my wife's 60th birthday and was another reminder, not that I really need one, that life is too short...

So, onwards and upwards for the South Pelaw layout...

John
Last edited by John Donnelly on Wed Jan 18, 2017 7:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Colin Parks

Re: Pelton Level

Postby Colin Parks » Wed Jan 18, 2017 6:21 pm

Hi John,

Sorry to hear of your sad anniversary, but I wish you well with South Pelaw if you go ahead with the project. That is really going to be some effort for one person to take on, judging by the photos I have seen of the EM rendition of that location. I seem to remember that you had developed a Templot plan of the track formation already, so at least that is done.

Colin

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Wed Jan 18, 2017 7:59 pm

Thanks Colin, yes South Pelaw Junction has been 'Templotted' already.

John

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Re: Pelton Level

Postby hughesp87 » Wed Jan 18, 2017 8:23 pm

John,

A bold but very understandable decision in the circumstances. I hope that you will retain Pelton Level, at the very least as a test track. I find it's very important to keep the impetus going by having somewhere to run things!

Best wishes and keep us posted on progress.

Geraint
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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Wed Jan 18, 2017 9:00 pm

Thanks Geraint, the boards will be retained, as you say, they'll be useful as a test track until the main boards are built for the new layout.

John

pete55
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby pete55 » Thu Jan 19, 2017 12:43 am

Hello John,
sorry in one way our EM South Pelaw brought this reaction, was enjoying the development of Pelton Level!
You are right about the time taken so far with our version, and not sure I would fancy it as a solo flight as it were....but onwards and upwards as it were and good luck with yours...You know where I am if I/we can be of any help with info too.

Pete

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Paul Willis
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby Paul Willis » Thu Jan 19, 2017 7:28 am

John Donnelly wrote:Having spent the last few weeks or contemplating and cogitating, there is a pretty good chance that I'll not be progressing any further with this layout...
...

3. I pulled out issue 152 of MRJ the other night which has the article on Derwenhaugh by Dave Bradwell where he suggests that you just get on with building rather than spending all the time planning.


A brave decision, and it sounds very much like a sensible one.

Your point #3 is definitely something which resonates strongly with me. I've achieved a lot more modelling in the last few months by just deciding to spend five minutes in the morning doing one or two elements before work (this morning was soldering some feed wires under my test track, and working out what is the next bit of wiring needed) than prevaricating until the time is right, the planets align, I've thought everything through, etc, etc.

I know you've been collecting a huge amount of information. Perhaps you have as much as you need to make good progress?

All the best, Flymo
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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Thu Jan 19, 2017 7:55 am

pete55 wrote:Hello John,
sorry in one way our EM South Pelaw brought this reaction, was enjoying the development of Pelton Level!
You are right about the time taken so far with our version, and not sure I would fancy it as a solo flight as it were....but onwards and upwards as it were and good luck with yours...You know where I am if I/we can be of any help with info too.

Pete


Thanks Pete, last Sunday was both a revelation and a massive inspiration and I look forward to seeing it again.

I'd guess that, at 48, I'm probably towards the younger end of the members on the forum but seeing the layout as a whole did make me realise that I'd better pull my finger out :mrgreen:

John

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John Donnelly
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Re: Pelton Level

Postby John Donnelly » Thu Jan 19, 2017 8:06 am

Flymo748 wrote:I know you've been collecting a huge amount of information. Perhaps you have as much as you need to make good progress?


More than enough and that is another thing that has delayed a start on the layout, I've been enjoying the research so much, I've been at it for 3 years. If I'd spent half that time on the layout, I might have some track down by now...

John


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