1st layout, a long road ahead

[briantwigley]

Looking good! Having that much space will make that voyager work!

[DB]

A few more shots. Still no wiring. I don't know why, im just nervious, i should just get on with it and stop acting like lemon

I had a voucher so I went to the local model shop n purchase a nice Hornby Class 60 that was on offer. I don't know if the "super detail" on the box is special, but its certainly better than the other two EWS locos i've got.



The far side of the loft. The bend has had to be tighter than i'd hoped for due to the incline after. I've pushed the trains round it up and down the incline at a fast pace and it didn't derail on either line, so fingers crossed it should be ok. On the right hand line im thinking of a yard of some sort where the tracks stacked up. Later



I got some free polysty from some boxes at work so i've tried using these. Im a little concerned about the top of this incline though as it bends towards a level surface when it meets the first tin in this pic. Its all glued, but i've got a feeling im going to make a small wooden support to keep it held down. Its been a week so far though and its not moved.



And tonight I got the other side trimmed down along with the bridge cutaway. Im just going to add a piece of the same thin wood and add some bridge sides. Im not sure which ones yet? I did want some form of girder half oval shaped ones like the local railway line has (track over track nr london), but i've not found anything online yet i fancy (any suggestions are welcome ). Otherwise the Peco ones look the 2nd option. Just behined the level crossing is though where the road goes under the track, I will use the Peco ones just mentioned. The left hand side will go into a tunnel hillside and re-emerge after the incline and round the bend.



When the bridge piece will go.

[cmeonthemove]

Great work so far. I shall be watching this one with very close interest as I will be in exactly the same position in about 3 weeks time.

[bombadillic]

Great progess so far, keep up the good work. Can't wait to see this layout become alive

BomBaDillic

[wolvesdug]

Great progress i have just started in the loft

Simon

[DB]

Well STILL no wiring, but the incline and bridge is in. I've tested the tracks in this section with a loco and wagons and it seems to pull ok.



Ha haaaaaaa, 2 full circuits at last.



And it was my birthday so i had an extra Pendo coach and the 3 CDU's im going to need. Also got a solder, some wire, and cable. Now im good to go and start getting it powered..



A better track plan (for the moment). Purple are IRJs.

[lmsrail]

Nice plan, you will have great fun driving trains there!

[DB]

Wooooo i've started the dreaded electrics. Its going pretty well so far I tried to practice soldering some copper droppers to the track on a bit of test track. Couple of attempt and a short test of a loco ant it actually worked :clap I then had a few weeks where I didn't have too much time, but i got a few hours over the week and this evening.

So i set about laying some BUS line in and some droppers. I went for the platform terminus first and it worked too, so i've set about wiring the mainline in. I've got the two mainlines 3/4 wired in so I can actually move something I have noticed that the locos struggle a little with a load up the inclines, so im really thinking about levelling off the corner on a raise section, then continuing the incline down on the straight track. The other ends going to be a little more tricky and require a little adjustment to the mainline track, but im really pleased so far.



I've wrapped the wire quite tight so I might not solder it, but just wrap it in insulation tape. As i've got a good connection, should I bother soldering?



Ok its not very pretty, but i've tried my best, and when ballasted hopefully it won't be too noticable.



So now I had my first little play. I had chipped my locos but not tested, so i've programmed them all in now and tested them all. Some are a little noisey at slow speed, im guessing i should give them all a little oil up. The obligitory rubbish phone shots....







Where the far end power car is, i'll raise that end a little to a level surface round the bend, then let it drop another in or so on the next straight (out of shot).



The working fleet...



I'll open the other boxes when the rest of the electrics are working.

[Direct Rail Services]

Very good sir, very good indeed !.

The 60 is one if not the best R-T-R item Hornby or any of the companies make. The detail as you say is excellent ive got two on order at the minute. The 67 you have what do you make of it? as ive got it on order to.....

The nightshots with the 60 and 390 in the station are very good even though they are from a mobile. I do like the 'night' shots. Coming along nicely mate, do you have enough room or plan to run the full length 8 or 9 vehicle 390 ?.

The DCC wiring is a piece of cake isnt it, I was the same as you before I wired up Curzon Street. I going to start to wire the son of Curzon Street tonight and I might go down the route you took by soldering the droppers to the sides of the rails instead of the bottoms. Seems easier?

Good Luck mate.

DRS - Marc.

[DB]

Cheers Im so new to this, but already im really liking the Class 60. Nice model, i'll certainly get another one in another livery

I'd like to run full length, but i think i'll only be able to squeeze another coach onto the Pendolino to fit in the station. The layout size should be able to run full length trains though. I'd like an IC125 as they are classics And I really want the new Hornby Fast commuter as per we're getting on the eurotunnel line.

The class 67 isn't too bad, just found out tonight its got front lights Its not as powerfull as the 60 or 66, and deffo not as quick, but it seems ok so far, and from what I can gather from the ol tinternet, the newer Hornby ones are better than the old Lima ones? I don't know, but it seems fine pulling the 7 rake of hoppers up the (at the moment) too steep incline.

I got 1 more bit wired tonight, and now I have a functioning set of points (not wired yet) but the trains all run accross them fine, so good to continue on the other lines. And i've got to unbox some more PC's at work to use the polystyrene for the level corners. As of now, im not worried about soldering, all that wimpishness for nothing

I think I can neaten the solders as I get more practice. Using the flat blade to make a smoother sloped edge of solder down the outside. Im getting there I'll get shots of my better attempts.

I couldn't resist a few little vids, terrible quality. When its all wired properly, i'll get the nifty camera out for some proper quality shots... I've got some proper lighting to go in too, just awaiting a sparky friend to run some power up to the loft for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6jrLsPPb4Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tnFYW4BFKY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa8MOdJ6Xcw

[DB]

I've raised both corners but still had cars coming off the track. So I removed it all again, more filling and most of it seems to be ok. Next job is one of the inclines has sunk on one side so i need to raise that a little more. Over the back end though behined the water-tanks, my points arn't level so im getting de-railing on the outside line at higher speeds. Another niggle to sort.

But the good news is that i've got two full circuits working now I do need to add more droppers to give a better power supply to certain areas, but im getting to it.

I done another little video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUFfS4VUxZ0

[Sprintex]

I've wrapped the wire quite tight so I might not solder it, but just wrap it in insulation tape. As i've got a good connection, should I bother soldering?

YES !!! It may have a good connection at the moment, but with tarnishing it will quickly go high-resistance(HR) - then you'll have running problems, get fed up, have a tantrum and put an axe through the lot of it

If you don't fancy soldering to the bus wires use these Tap Splices - red or blue depending on your wire size. Quick squeeze with pliers and job jobbed. Nice and cheap on that site too, Halfords will charge you approx 2 quid for less than half-a-dozen!!

So now I had my first little play. I had chipped my locos but not tested, so i've programmed them all in now and tested them all. Some are a little noisey at slow speed, im guessing i should give them all a little oil up.

I take it you did run them in first before chipping them??? All locos should be properly run in for at least an hour at moderate speed in each direction on DC before chipping them for DCC. This gives the gears and bearings a chance to bed-in giving better running quality in the long term.


Paul

[hobby boy]

wow, most of the layout is working now. I didn't realise that the virgin pendolino had lights!
I'm now getting jealous as you have a really big layout in the loft. I'm not allowed to have my layout in the loft
What 3 CDU's! why do you need that many? (oh yes, it is a big layout) CDU's are cheaper to build then buy.

Hobby Boy

[Rammy]

DB
Great space you've got there, very similiar to my loftspace. It's great to watch somebody else building a different idea in a similar space.
Good load of stock you're building up too. I've just been looking at buying the DHL Intermodals too.
Keep up the good progress!
Dave

[DB]

Oooooofffff well its been a fair few months, and i've only been in the loft ONCE in this time, and that was only to steal the carpet to put in the garage for my new baby/hobby. Now its coming to winter, so my new toy will have to go away for the horrible salty months, so I guess I should get my rear back up in the loft and get cracking again. Whilst it was summer though, I had to play with my other bit as much as possible (got a 2nd motorcycle which I've wanted for years )

First up, replace a bulb that blew, and work out why that Pendo was starting to go mad on me..... SO the list starts all over again.