Two Short Planks

[Dad-1]

He He, This still existed deep in the depths ......
Well another layout being tidied up, boards screwed together for transport to
deepest Dorset. Last used in an exhibition at the Silverfox clubs 2012 show.
Still works fine - Ahhh from when I was ONLY going to have Blue Diesels !!!!



I still have to get Carsons Quay, Glen Truss, St Oval, & End of the Line ready
for 'transport' south.

Geoff T.

[spiket4]

Only just found this layout today. Amazing is all i can say, It has given me ideas and a kick start for my planned layout.

Regards

Mark.

[skyblue]

I've just had a quick look through this thread and I have to say I'm seriously impressed by your modelling Dad-1. I think I mentioned this in your Castell Mawr thread but you manage to combine incredible neatness with amazingly realistic results. Looking forward to any more updates on any of your layouts.

[Dad-1]

Two Short Planks lives on .....................
Today it was man-handled through the loft hatch and placed on the prepared beams.
Not having been run since August 2012 it needed a deep clean. Everything works fine,
except the New Hornby 7229 2-8-2, although I think it may be that it'll need loads of
running-in. No doubt it should be better than the Blue 06 0-4-0 that I check track with,
but tonight that ran almost faultlessly over two slips at low speed, with & without wagons.





Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

Still struggling to get steam locos to run well although I'm quite certain the track is
now clean. All the stalling is at slow speed on the insulated frog points & slips.
I suppose the moral is either use electrofrog, or design your layout around diesels.
A video taken in the poorly lit loft - the main light switched off for night effect,
but the little digi camera struggles !!

http://youtu.be/4qxlfMvT6n8

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

Right so morgandude thinks all 0-4-0's are rubbish ........... (not far wrong in many respects)
However I decided to give up on crawling steam locomotives across the turnouts of Two Short Planks
and go back to the diesels it was designed for. They all run very well - EVEN my much fettled Hornby
06 class 0-4-0.
Tonight I did this small video showing off the turnout ladder that steam locomotives seem to hate.

http://youtu.be/VPOAvifHap4

Geoff T.

[nickbrad]

Looking good, really can't wait until I have something playworthy. I think I'm going to just wire it up with DC for now, but 1 engine only as it's only a shunting layout and the switches will all be unnecessary once I get the DCC controller. Have to see what Donny throws up next month.

Stick to the diesels, kettles should be kept to making the tea

[Bufferstop]

Hi Geoff
Rigid chassis locos are at a distinct disadvantage going through complex pointwork unless you give them an extra set of wheels picking up somewhere behind them. Pickups on the tender make a big difference. Your little diesel has obviously decided you're the boss and it just better get on with it. After the delightful performance of the Sentinel steam 0-4-0, I'm now awaiting delivery of its diesel counterpart to see if it's as good as everyone says it is.
John W

[Dad-1]

Hi John,

Interestingly the Bachmann Collett Goods Class 2251 0-6-0 steamers run fine, it is noted that there is some very limited compensation
in their chassis. I have two, a GWR and an early emblem BR they almost rival my diesel traction. Too true that Marilyn my little 06 wouldn't
dare play up too much, I do think it's now covered so many hours of running the axle holes have worn offering a simple compensation effect !

For any beginner reading this thread there are two points to note in reducing any problems you may build into your own pride & joy
layout. 1) Use Electrofrog points, preferably with fully switched frogs. 2) Use track pins through your own additional holes on slips
as close to the diamond cross as you can.

Although my boarding here is melamine covered shelving, a long chain of turnouts can develop some 'heave' and the longer basic chassis
of steam locomotives need VERY flat track to prevent one wheel on the plastic frog lifting the others on that side clear. It is not visible
to the naked eye, but lifted they can become, hence a 2-10-0 or a 2-8-0 will usually be the biggest problems.

Currently planning for that junk area behind the actual layout ..... As a result I've not finished with this one yet. You may even get some
additional videos with different locomotives & stock.

Geoff T.

[skyblue]

Interestingly the Bachmann Collett Goods Class 2251 0-6-0 steamers run fine, it is noted that there is some very limited compensation
in their chassis.

I have a different tale to tell about this locomotive. Mine only runs well immediately after cleaning and seems to take a while to warm up. At low speeds it isn't great (although far from the worst locomotive I have). I took it to my local model shop to have it looked at after it started to run erratically the opinion was that the drive shaft sounded loose, which could explain the knocking noise as it runs and that there was some sort of poor connection, which causes its jerky running at low speeds. The shop is not a licensed Bachmann dealer so I didn't have it repaired so as not to invalidate the warranty (I never got round to contacting Bachmann and its too late now). The detail is good and once running at a reasonably high speed I can't fault its haulage power, but I appear to have a dud model as regards the low speed running.

The video was good - that slow speed running is something to be proud of!

[Bufferstop]

I have a 2251 a couple of years old. It is definitely a noisy runner, might quieten down a bit if it had a DCC decoder stuffed into the empty space in the boiler. It has a fairly simple gear train, the worm on the motor engages on a large gear which has a smaller gear on the same shaft. The smaller gear engages the one on the driven axle. If there's any knocking noises I check those gears. Bachmann love to smother the gears in a white grease which is great for trapping and holding bits of muck. The first thing I would want to do is take out the motor and examine those gears. They could probably benefit from washing clean with IPA and relubricating with just the thinnest smear of grease. The pickup wipers run on the backs of the wheels. It would be worth checking that they are all wiping on the back of the metal tyre, not scraping across the insulation.

[skyblue]

The pickup wipers run on the backs of the wheels. It would be worth checking that they are all wiping on the back of the metal tyre, not scraping across the insulation.

I have checked this - two were slightly out of alignment but getting them back in place is difficult as they tend to spring back. Sorry for going off topic on your thread Dad-1!

[Dad-1]

I am indulging myself again, I'm still getting used to having a layout that is permanently assembled.
I escaped for a while yesterday and set up the camera to do another short video. Not as straight
forward as I thought, it took 3 takes to get one useable video. The problem was the incoming
freight derailing over the turnouts, investigation was needed. The fault was slightly droopy couplings
where the hanger was catching on the unused switch rail as they ran over turnouts. This was cured by
snipping about 2 mm off the bottom of each hangar.
The other difficulty is working a camera, and two locomotives at the same time, but here are the results.

http://youtu.be/6Wxddj1ejq4

All nice Blue diesels .............

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

Spent a few minutes earlier this week doing the Free lineside hut that came with February Railway Modeller.
A nice little building - just started painting, still loads more to do like finding
some acetate sheet to glaze the windowns as well as more painting.



Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

I've been playing again.
Trouble with wagon couplings kept me busy, first identifying what I thought was the problem, then trying various 'fixes'.
I was having some wagons that wouldn't couple up well, others that came adrift when passing over pointwork. Several
different makes, Dapol, Bachmann & a few Hornby, they presented More than one problem. Some were 'high', others
particularly Dapol sit low.
Failing to couple up without ramming them was mostly Dapol where the NEM coupling sat slanting down because of slack
in the pocket fixing. These were all tightened up by sanding a few thousandth of an inch off the threaded bush so when
the small screw was tightened it held the pocket without any sag. The other Dapol problem was their weathered wagons
where paint had tightened the hook location and left a grippy surface on the hook edge that should slide over a coupling.
A little lube on the location pin and then cleaning off the hook has almost cracked that.
Bachmann fuel tanks had the couplings rising and to solve this a small shred of paper was fitted under the very front of
the screw on block that holds the NEM pocket.
Proof of the modifications ........ A couple more videos with a split chass Bachmann 04 pulling a short goods out, then
another with the 0-4-0 Hornby 06 pushing a somewhat longer goods into the sidings.

http://youtu.be/AdVWus9cwEE

http://youtu.be/RvogTY5kfl4

Rather like watching paint dry, but I hate seeing small locomotives running at racing speeds in and around sidings. These
few wagons seem to be O.K, now for the other 200 .......

Geoff T.