Kyle MPD

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Julian Roberts
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Kyle MPD

Postby Julian Roberts » Fri Nov 04, 2022 7:43 pm

John McAleely wrote:In general, for the benefit of future readers, the best way to start an area in 'on my workbench' is to start a thread in the on my workbench forum, and then ask for it to be moved to a new sub-forum that the admin team can create.


'My workbench' haha - currently my caravan parked for a few weeks in the Highlands at Killin!

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Kyle MPD is being constructed, later I'll put in links to specific parts of the build already on the Forum.....Here are the main threads; there may be other small ones that I'll add as I recall them

Track layout at Kyle

viewtopic.php?t=7017

Signalling

viewtopic.php?t=7603

Turntable

viewtopic.php?t=8755

Baseboards construction

viewtopic.php?t=8165

Tortoise point motors wiring

viewtopic.php?t=8567


First I must thank people who've given me much advice and encouragement. Dave B who has written countless emails on the specifics over the last couple of years. Allan Goodwillie for unfailing encouragement and help over many years and fellow members of his "Starters Group". John Stocks of Kettlewell fame and fellow members of the WS4G, Mark Tatlow, Fergus Duncan, Keith Norgrove and many others including people on this Forum who I've not physically met. Particularly Martin Wynne for Templot and who actually designed three bits of the track plan, Tony Wilkins and Will Litchfield.

The layout has 9 signals so will be as much about signalling (of which I knew fairly little) as trains and track.

Plunging in straight away on the latest construction - a Society Mk 2 lever frame. I haven't seen an enormous amount about putting it together on the Forum, so here goes with some very elementary basics.

A few thoughts as a novice lever frame maker, of 5 days experience and 5 levers made.  

First of all, huge thanks to Howard for this great kit.

The frame went together no problem except as I later discovered, I made a mistake with the rubbing strips.  They need to have their end tabs bent as in the instructions photo, at say 90 deg.  If the angle is greater, the lever catch is fouled and it won't engage in the slot to lock.  The instructions warn of this problem but it's difficult to know exactly what to do.  This is an instance of where it is best to make a trial run with one lever and one slot to see how it all works; but I understand the frame is not quite rigid till the strips are fitted.  As it is, having filed two strips ends, I have to correct 7 more strips (at each end!) - luckily I have a nice file just the right size. (Actually I quite enjoy this sort of zero brain work, thinking how nice it is to be retired, listening to the radio at the same time, it's a kind of karma perhaps.) The 10th strip was lost to the GCG but one side of the etch borders will do, cut to length.

The first lever was put together easily.  I overlooked the instruction that the layer with the hook goes in the middle but fortunately there is no resulting problem, not having any intention to use the turned handles.

It was at the catch where ... :o there was a catch.  I couldn't see which way round and which way up the rod should attach to the handle. The relevant photo is two pages later showing its orientation, though I wasn't certain which way up the photo showed.  In fact, I later found, it doesn't much matter.  The hook will be twisted 90 deg in any case.  Having made handles with it both ways round, I think one gives a slightly snappier feeling to the release, but that's the only difference as far as I can see.

I must say I think the way of attaching the 0.6mm axle rod to the catch rod is quite brilliant.  

Having made 5 levers now I did the following to avoid the problem of soldering the moving parts up solid, plus further thoughts to get the best result.  I use a felt tip permanent marker pen as a solder mask. The more layers of marker pen, with time to dry, the better it works, but it's not totally reliable and I use a drop of oil too - the problem being that oil can run and stop the flux working where you DO want to solder...As an aside I find it's incredibly easy to get things the wrong way round when making the catch handle and catchbox.

Before soldering the 3 laminations of the levers together note where the catchbox attaches and avoid soldering in this area. Similarly don't solder where the catch lever fixes, though you won't want to do that in any case while it's on the jig. 

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When it's cleaned up, spoil it by again masking the catchbox area up to the hole and lightly tinning beyond it.

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Discovering I had a new sharp 0.7mm drill I drilled all 0.6 holes to 0.7 to quickly get easy clearance for the 0.6 rod. 

I tinned and permanent marked all items as shown. The catchboxes are masked from centre to the hole, then tinned from there to the edge. The tinning is done the same on the reverse side.

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After tinning the "ears" of the catchlever handle I broached the 1.2 holes here (and on the lever itelf) to the actual size of the nominally 1.2mm rod.

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Dress the doubled back catch handle before going to the next stage. It's easy next to fold the ears the wrong way :( . (Note to self read the instructions - again :? ) - there is a reminder in the instructions at this stage, as well as a general instruction at the beginning, that all folds are with the half etch inside!

The 0.6 rod will need to revolve in the two holes so the masking could extend to there.

I was uncertain in what orientation the catch rod fixed to the handle as the relevant photo is not immediately adjacent in the instructions.  The direction of the hook at the other end doesn't matter as it will be twisted 90 deg. Which way round the fold is doesn't seem to matter either but I think there is a slightly more positive feel to the action with the folded over stub against the handle, just visible below -

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It's easier to get the rod and axle perpendicular cutting the 0.6mm wire after the joining operation

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Folding the second ear of the handle to contain the rod (the correct way round) is the trickiest part of the assembly. In addition to following the instructions I  countersink 1.5mm the second ear's 0.7mm hole. This gives a slope or landing zone as politicians currently say. Cut the entering 0.6mm rod as short as possible, judged by placing the rod through the hole and cutting it flush before this operation.

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In comparison the catchbox is pretty easy. Mask that area of the catchrod too.

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Oil the 0.6 rod mechanism of the catch handle just to be sure before soldering up the other 1.2 end. A drop of oil between the "ears" then deftly solder the 1.2 rod to each 'ear'. (Carefully - the 1.2 rod revolves in the lever.) With both "ears" soldered to this axle rod there was no need to be a brave soul at the earlier stage by soldering the 2nd ear.

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Finished.

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I must say I found the whole thing quite delicious and I'm very pleased with the eventual article; it feels a really high quality item. So nice working with big chunky bits of NS that fit absolutely perfectly together to a superb design. The instructions are super and the above is written in the first place for me to remember how I did those additional nerdy fussy procedures when I next make the time for putting together the other 3 frames eventually needed, and in case anyone finds it useful.

Update August 2023
Making the further 15 levers required, a few further resulting thoughts:

One lever I managed to solder the catchbox assembly with rod and handle the wrong way round (upside down) onto the lever. Very fortunately it unsoldered probably thanks to all the masking procedures. It was the 10th one of the day!

I didn't mention the other thing I found difficult - the curving of the quadrant plate. Today I spent about 2 hours trying to curve it as per instructions and in that time managed to curve it about half the required amount. Throwing caution to the winds I wrapped it with my hand around a cylindrical object almost exactly the right dimension - a "doof doof box" as we call speakers that can pump out that sort of music. It curved beautifully but of course sprang back to its previous radius on releasing my grip. I then did the same, carefully this time, round a glass jar that had contained (nowadays ridiculously expensive) John West anchovies that was about half the required radius. The plate then sprang back to almost exactly the right curve.
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Not perfect, there's a bit of a step where the slots widen out, but having soldered it down carefully to the sides and rubbed it with emery paper for about 15 minutes I think it's OK. The rubbing strips will disguise the issue further.

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Also worth mentioning is that the pivot plate fits equally well back to front, so note the orientation as in the photo above and as per instructions.
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Last edited by Julian Roberts on Wed Aug 09, 2023 7:55 pm, edited 8 times in total.

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Suffolk Dave
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Re: Kyle MPD - Mk 2 lever frame assembly

Postby Suffolk Dave » Sat Nov 05, 2022 8:01 am

Nice work with the levers.

Working out a caravan must have some advantages, mobility being one of them. Could this mean you'll be migrating south for the winter? Will future posts be coming southern Spain, perhaps? :)
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Re: Kyle MPD - Mk 2 lever frame assembly

Postby Julian Roberts » Sat Nov 05, 2022 12:36 pm

:D I'd never get to build a layout if we were away the winter too! Actually we like the caravan for getting to stay away in rural Scotland as opposed to living in Glasgow - though that has its benefits too.

Sorting out the slots took only some of this morning. The photo shows the three strips to the left still to be dealt with, and the others filed to give unimpeded clearance to the catch. To my surprise the two on the left turned out to be fine and didn't need work.
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Rather than use a bit of etch border for the missing strip I raided the next kit, to see how it went on now I know the issue. I found it is simplicity itself - with the tabs folded correctly the curved strip is thereby held in place flush with the quadrant plate, easily soldered. Took just a few minutes, result, an easily operational catch. More brilliant design, thanks Howard!

The strip in question was the RH one on the middle slot of the 5 in the frame, as the signalman looks at it.
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This will be the yard control. Four turnouts and one turntable. Electric point motors controlled through microswitches
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John Lewsey
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Re: Kyle MPD - Mk 2 lever frame assembly

Postby John Lewsey » Sat Nov 05, 2022 5:49 pm

Thats very nice work

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Kyle MPD - Mk 2 lever frame assembly

Postby Julian Roberts » Tue Nov 08, 2022 9:37 am

Thanks John!

I've realised what I have mistakenly referred to as the instructions are actually titled "Assembly Guidance Notes". The excellence of this whole process, design, guidance, fit of the parts together, and chunkiness of the finished product, has prompted me to revise my previous opinion that a Mk2 locking frame for the 15 lever signalling required would be way beyond my capabilities. So my next stage is to work out what is required and how I might integrate that with the designs for interlocking already in process.

47331xosIM
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Re: Kyle MPD - Mk 2 lever frame assembly

Postby 47331xosIM » Mon Nov 21, 2022 9:50 pm

That looks superb Julian. A couple of these are on my ‘must acquire’ and ‘to-do’ list so I’ll make a note to refer back to this thread!

Rich

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Kyle MPD - Mk 2 lever frame assembly

Postby Julian Roberts » Tue Nov 22, 2022 9:50 pm

Thanks Rich. Next stage is getting the microswitches on this frame and getting the yard points operational. Quite a long step till that happens yet! No track down on board yet, nor even the trackplan. Here is the plan lying on the boards with the longest train that will fit in the yard for shunting between Down and Up sides of the station. This defines the likely maximum length of my Fiddleyards.
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Re: Kyle MPD locoshed

Postby Julian Roberts » Fri Dec 02, 2022 9:59 am

32FTXiZsHoAW6noHJDhrg3W8ZKHVFSsLYM859aTDCF8iErPZvfAfmELRnnbLxDNUfQKpWeXUVi2VvcwrU6oGtdt6n91yd5imkH8GJJz8F2BLSZb764keYfLdwcbKWE7SM2Ywq5mgzXHhFTYA (1).jpg


Just as I was alighting on Kyle as a good subject to model, by a remote chance I saw that Timbertrax were selling their last kits of the locoshed specifically to the Kyle design. So I snapped it up right away, and was committed. The only problem with the model (and this was well advertised) is that the stone effect is quite different to the real place, being ashlar regular size stones, while Kyle was made with semi-random stone.

The task of correcting this has been put off for the last two years, but now has been a good time to get round to it. The basic outline of the shed was put together earlier this year to help me decide on various aspects of the layout

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Brian Lewis suggested I could make some irregularity by prodding it with a damp cotton bud but I decided the only way was to face it with plastic "random stone" sheets. The task has been made more problematic by my having stuck on the quoins at the corners. So it has been a laborious business cutting the plastic around them and filling in the gaps.

I found three "random stone" sheets - two from Slaters, where one seemed too random, and the other too regular. The other from SE Finecast or Squires suggests a rather heavier surface irregularity but the randomness is basically in lines which seems about right.

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I started with the end wall which will be hardly visible, using the Slaters random stone, and then went on to the wall facing the sea which from the normal viewing perspective will be quite invisible, where I tried the Squires sheet. (There are lean-to buildings here in the gaps.) On the end wall I tried to skim a layer of Polyfilla where the edges had been filled in, and on the back I tried Araldite.

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Neither are quite satisfactory as they both make a rather too smooth surface. On the front I've made more effort to fill in with as precisely cut bits of the sheet as I felt I could without going to what I suppose the ultimate modeller would do, and aim to use paint to hide where there are joins.

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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Julian Roberts » Sat Dec 10, 2022 5:41 pm

Progress hasn't been described up to here but I might write it up sometime. So base boards having been made they were painted undercoat all over, varnish underneath. I had intended to get the trackplan etched onto the cork but this turned out less practical than getting the plan on one large bit of polypropylene for about 10 quid more than on paper.

Screenshot_20210714-121705_Gmail.jpg


What thickness of cork to choose was a problem. The layout will include at the rear the drop in level to the sea inlet called the Pladaig. At less than high tide this was a marshy area until at some time it was reclaimed. Now the sea doesn't come in and is a sports and leisure area. I intend to model this area as before reclamation even though that's not accurate for 1949. But the drop of about 6 feet would demand around 20mm cork for the track level as I had not felt up to designing the woodwork to incorporate this level change. That thickness would add a lot of weight, and lighten the bank balance considerably. I've gone for 7mm which with the sleeper height will give a 2ft drop. I may cut a hole in the baseboards to create more depth but where they join this won't be possible as there is too much structure to lose. The outline of the edge was conveniently curvy at just this place and this might be quite prototypical. In any case this is all background so not as immediate to the eye. The other option is to model the tide right in.
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Enough cork was bought for the track area. I chose the least expensive, coarse grade, reckoning that the smaller bits that make the fine grade are actually a nuisance. So far I think that has been the right choice. Following a trial it was stuck down with PVA and weighted down several days. This gave a slight height mismatch at part of the boards join that I hadn't noticed before - maybe weighting was unequal. Pieces of card have been glued down to make a gradual gradient and the actual join level, not ideal but hey ho.
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Only at this stage did I start to investigate how to stick down the polypropylene. The internet told me it isn't possible except by some quite fancy means. I tried gluing down in various ways off cuts of the spare sheet that I had - the first one had been printed undersize by about 30mm over the 2400 length. One trial piece was stuck using PVA diluted with water to about single cream consistency brushed evenly over the cork. Although this had not taken much at all after a day, after two weeks it was adhering very well, so much so that an attempt to peel it back had it separating (delaminating). It also lay completely flat with no rippling.

So a couple of days ago I put this into practice. I cut out the parts that are not on cork, and a couple of "windows" along the board join line so I could see the actual board join. It was necessary to start laying it from the centre as even on the 2nd version the overall length was about 5mm short, no issue except for the actual join.
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Having brushed the PVA mix onto the cork of the Down (station end) board making sure all little holes were covered in glue I rolled the sheet out from the centre. It immediately clung like a limpet and was really quite difficult to adjust to exactly align with the board break and front edge, fearing I might tear it. That was accomplished however and the same procedure followed for the Up board, no more adjustments being needed. I then cut along the board join to be sure the boards didn't join together, and slightly separated them.
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The shed now has the front entrance stonework done. Painting will be soon. I remember Tom Harland telling us at a Scaleforum an easy way to get the effect of subtly different stone colours and lighter colour mortar running between them, but am hazy on what the technique actually was.
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Now I'll prepare Tortoise point motors while the track plan adheres fully. The edge connectors seem to be unavailable, so unless any appear probably I'll solder wires to the tags and connect them to choc/terminal blocks; which may be a better option in any case. The aim is first to get the yard trackwork laid and wired up. Step 1 will likely be the siding turnout for the initial learning curve of connecting up a Tortoise, as this is easily accessible but will be harder to see in detail behind the high scenery that will be here. The intention is to actuate the beefed up stretcher bar operating wire approximately where the point lever will be, thus hidden from view. This point lever spot is handily unlikely to need ballast in the immediate area of the operating hole in the baseboard.
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As I'm on a rail journey I'm posting this before adding pictures to avoid losing everything in a connection loss
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Suffolk Dave » Sun Dec 11, 2022 7:08 am

I am rather curious about having your track plan printed on polypropylene. It's not a method I've come across before but then, I am something of a newbie around here. I guessing you find an advantage in it over paper. Will you be building your track directly on to the polypropylene and what will you use to adhere the sleepers to it?
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Julian Roberts » Sun Dec 11, 2022 9:16 am

Hi Dave, yes the intention is to glue the trackwork onto the plan, with Evostik probably. I was going to get it done on paper but the poly was offered for really not too much extra cost, and I went for it without thinking very much other than it would be stronger and less likely to cockle or ripple than paper when glued down. It was £55 including delivery to the door.
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby andrewnummelin » Mon Dec 12, 2022 9:06 am

Julian Roberts wrote:Hi Dave, yes the intention is to glue the trackwork onto the plan, with Evostik probably...

Be careful in your choice of adhesive, ordinary ones are liable not to work, especially long term. A quick internet search came up with suggestions that seemed excessively expensive or impracticable for things like layout track plans. It might be worthwhile asking the film manufacturer for advice.

From my time in R&D in the plastics industry, I remember the problems of painting when PP was introduced for things like car bumpers - special surface treatment is necessary.
I once did a drawing on drafting film and one surface had a special coating to take ink but the other side was VERY smooth and I suspect would not accept any adhesive long term. I wonder if your plan is on something similar.

My first thoughts would be either:
- tack the plan down, tack sleepers and timbers to the plan, build the track, remove the plan, fix the track to the baseboard;
or,
- if the printed side of the plan has been coated so as to give a suitable surface, confirm you can glue ballast to it as well as sleepers (long term), install the track floating (mechanically fixed only at critical places) to give a quiet system.

I am intrigued to follow your experience as I can see significant huge benefits from having a moisture resistant, strong print on which to work.
Regards,

Andrew Nummelin

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Julian Roberts » Mon Dec 12, 2022 10:34 pm

Many thanks Andrew. Yes you're confirming the warnings as I described two days ago.

In fact I've glued the whole thing down but I'll take additional measures like screws, tacks etc to be hidden by the ballast that will cover a lot of this layout. I thought I'd make lots of holes or windows so that the track, ballast etc glue is sticking to the cork underneath too. With your warning heeded I'll make sure to take more care over that than I might have otherwise. Thanks again :thumb

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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Julian Roberts » Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:10 am

Happy New Year folks. First turnout to be motorized to the side held in place with drawing pins. Apologies rather awful appearance of the extra sleepers. This will be tarted up but will be largely invisible in any case.



This is the basic idea, the beefed up operating wire runs loosely in an oversize tube at the far end.

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Also for anyone initially uncertain as I was, here is the microswitch holder of lever frame and how it fits with the rest.

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Here is the drilling template

MK 2 LEVER FRAME drilling template snip.PNG

MK 2 LEVER FRAME drilling template.pdf


Edit on 27 Dec 2023, a year later:

I've taken some pictures of the orientation of the microswitches assembly relative to the frames on the group of 3 x 5 for the mainline - I found this worked better, if the microswitches are a slight distance away. I had had some problem of a lever/microswitch jamming though I can't remember if I established what exactly the problem was. Anywas so far no jamming with it set up thus: - note that I had to find some heritage shallow screws or things were fouled
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Now THAT'S service!

Postby Julian Roberts » Fri Jan 20, 2023 5:11 pm

Ordered yesterday morning from the Stores, arrived this morning - thanks Jeremy!

Having planned to use Exactoscale Fastrack since the beginning, it was only a couple of days ago I started fitting the first piece - and saw for the first time that there are no keys in the chairs. Does it matter?! Making all the plain track with individually applied chairs was never something that I intended - but having made all the pointwork with each individual chair (in two halves) - not that it is at all perfectly executed - it seems a bit incongruous to turn a blind eye to unkeyed plain track. Anyway that was my order yesterday - trial single packs of Exactoscale plain track base and chairs to see how it works out in terms of extra time taken versus appearance :o .
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Philip Hall » Fri Jan 20, 2023 6:09 pm

I have used FastTrack for all the main running lines on the new layout and quite honestly, from a foot away, the lack of protruding keys in the chairs does not show. There are keys there, they just don't stick out, in common with almost all ready to lay track. The one big advantage of the FastTrack is the consistency of gauge in both standard and widened varieties, and its rigidity compared to thin sleepered RTL track. It is laid here on 3mm cork, with 1mm cork underneath ply and rivet pointwork.

There might be some comparison in the goods yard pointwork near to the front of the layout, which will be made up of plastic sleepers and plastic chairs. The reasoning here is that if anything needs adjusting over time, it will be easy to reach and I have it all to hand from stockpiling over the years. Are FastTrack bases are still available?

Philip
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Julian Roberts
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Julian Roberts » Fri Jan 20, 2023 7:11 pm

Completely agree Philip, I'm disappointed that I may abandon that ease of construction - but will give the similar depth plastic sleepering system with individually applied chairs a go. This is a quite small layout, there are 17 60ft track panels to make, if I do.

Terry Bendall
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Terry Bendall » Sat Jan 21, 2023 10:24 am

Julian Roberts wrote:and saw for the first time that there are no keys in the chairs.


The reason, as related to me by the late Andrew Jukes, was that the production methods available at the time did not allow the keys to be included.

Julian Roberts wrote:Does it matter?


A matter of person choice of course. As Philip says, from a resonable distance away, it is not really noticeable

Philip Hall wrote:Are FastTrack bases are still available?


Yes they are - from the Stores.

Terry Bendall

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Julian Roberts » Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:43 am

Yes Terry - 'does it matter' was a rhetorical question of course; some people, for whom I have the utmost respect and admiration, model every detail of their tank loco backhead - while I leave the casting as it is and sometimes have none at all - we all have our lines in the sand. I think on a layout this size keys in the chairs are worth going for - while if I was making Brimsdown and had a whole shed full of layout it would be pointless. This layout hopefully will express the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway motto "Multum in Parvo" :D

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Going back a little at first I found the outside levers of the lever frame sometimes got jammed - the microswitch seemed to foul the side of the frame occasionally. However now I'm finding that's not happening, and I don't know what has changed. Anyway a little piece of strip soldered to each side will be a simple guard if it does arise again.

I found that the wiring diagram of the Tortoise motor wasn't totally representative of the microswitch that comes from the Stores with these lever frames. The top and middle terminals have to be wired the other way round. Here is the 9V DC setup - the middle terminals can all be soldered with one joining wire as a bus.



After Nigel Cliffe had kindly sent me some diodes I wired it up for 16V AC. In this version the same inversion of top and middle terminals applies; and the both the middle and bottom rows can be wired in one bus (each row). There is no extraneous buzzing as I had feared.

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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Julian Roberts » Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:59 am

Timed how long it took to apply the plastic chairs to the rails this morning. Two track panels to make the end of a siding I'm doing with one length of rail - more or less 100 chairs took one hour.

The most time consuming bit so far is the baseboard joint.
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This photo shows the most complicated bit so far - the upper rail has yet to be cut through. There was an issue whereby a mistake in construction meant the boards were not precisely level at the join, so some shimming with paper has been required. The Masokits system gives - I hope - a secure rail end. The end sleepers are nailed down to the board so the intention is that the chairs and rail are soldered to them as well as the sleeper.

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Two things I've learned about the Masokits system to save time - file the gap in the sleeper before anything else; and apply the dropper wire under the fishplate during construction if using the EMGS ones. I've spent annoyingly long persuading the wire through the loop post construction where the space is tiny.

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That photo also shows I'm partially cutting away the poly-whatsit track plan before glueing down in case the EvoStik doesn't work long-term on it.

If however having to fix the dropper to the rail side, it's fairly satisfactorily concealed by somewhat oversoldering the chair. Looks rather awful but when it's painted it comes out much better!

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One interesting thing about the layout is that although the overall curve of the main line looks incredibly gentle it is all within the radius where 26 sleepers per panel is the standard. There is just one tiny bit where it is the next radius envelope where 25 are needed; there are just two short bits of straight track where it's 24. Even the lines into the shed are the 26 curve.

Mind you I had to adjust the Templot auto-setting of 25 per panel - I wonder whether to suggest to Martin that for P4 the sleepers per panel auto-adjusts to be prototypically correct. The reason for the auto 25 per panel is to do with the 00 gauge compromised appearance.
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John Donnelly
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby John Donnelly » Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:50 pm

Julian Roberts wrote:Timed how long it took to apply the plastic chairs to the rails this morning. Two track panels to make the end of a siding I'm doing with one length of rail - more or less 100 chairs took one hour.


Whilst I've not counted them, I reckon I've threaded well over 5,000 chairs on to rail so far on South Pelaw, I don't even want to think about how long it has taken :mrgreen:

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Julian Roberts » Sun Feb 12, 2023 8:11 am

Six weeks after track laying started the Yard is laid, and wired up under the Up (Inverness end) board. The Yard is divided into 13 sections so that several locomotives can be stabled at various places. The shed is long enough for a long and short loco on each road. For testing the track all the sections are temporarily hitched together electrically until I make the control panel with the switches.
20230210_182629.jpg

One issue I noticed was where I have fishplates soldered to one rail but not the adjoining one, so that it can slide with expansion: it doesn't give any electrical continuity, as I expected, but this also means that a possible short circuit is undetected. Thus if that rail expanded to touch the next one and thereby gave a short, it would be one of those infuriating intermittent ones. This arose because of a change of mind how I was going to wire this part. The fishplate is now removed. I've found the Exactoascale insulating fishplates very easily disintegrate where the track might move like this, but are fine so far cut into two and glued onto the sides of the rails where there are gaps within the turnouts.
So here's the first trial run through all the turnouts. They are all still switched by putting the over length leads onto the terminals of a 9v battery so I skip that bit.

And here's a bit of slow running more close up, some places need a little fettling.


A few pictures. First shows the whole thing. The posts sticking up are bolted on and act as legs for working on the upside down boards wiring; and give extra stability when boards are placed perpendicular to the floor.
20230213_143744.jpg


And here is the Compound doing some slow motion route sampling
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Julian Roberts
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Julian Roberts » Sun Apr 02, 2023 3:10 pm

The Yard lines are now fully functional. I expected to be at this point by the June Perth exhibition but its good to have some time to sort out gremlins. A good part of yesterday was spent working out why I have an intermittent short on my Compound. Again I eventually found the motor connection collar had slipped round to touch the motor frame, which I thought I'd corrected previously. The tightest bend is the 1st turnout road on the tandem which showed up this short, and is causing a similar problem on the 0-4-4T.

The wiring up has seemed to take as long as laying the track. A Yard control box is a separate item as I may want to stand/sit in several different locations, so it will hang wherever convenient. As it's the Yard where the most precise movement takes place the Pentroller is part of this box. The satellite Pentroller Rover will be used for main line moves. This couple of random action videos are rather slow moving while I get used to Pentroller control. But this is the quality of controlled "fine running" that I've always been after. :?



20230401_162935.jpg
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Philip Hall
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Philip Hall » Sun Apr 02, 2023 3:47 pm

Very good Julian. I love the old fashioned switches!

Philip

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Julian Roberts
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Re: Kyle MPD

Postby Julian Roberts » Mon Apr 03, 2023 5:15 pm

Thanks Philip - I thought they might be a Marmite touch so I'm glad I'm not the only one that likes them. Don't know how I came by them - they've been hanging around a couple of decades I think. Not very pukka electrically - but adjustments are simple to get them working reliably.

Finding the reversing switch on Pentroller isn't fully reliable - when reset to the right sometimes there's no connection. May be worth a separate thread.

I've found the lever frame works the bank of microswitches better with a tiny little more distance between the two assemblies. No jamming now. I'll try to illustrate exact amount when I make the bank of 15 levers needed for the main line, though that is some time into the future still.

0-4-4T working fine now BTW - the chassis was loose but is now fixed firmly which seems to have sorted what must have been caused by the sideplay required for a 48" curve on the inner drivers.
Last edited by Julian Roberts on Tue May 16, 2023 9:15 am, edited 2 times in total.


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