Atlantic's works: Portable layout - Scenic details next

[Mercator II]

Hadn't thought of the insurance cost to the host show

12 trains would be enough to entertain viewers, one out/one in in either direction so something always moving

When I get mine up and hopefully invited, my fiddle will only hold 5 trains plus have room for a couple rakes on scene, so will be swapping sets

Remind me when your deadline is again please? I want to say May '25

[Atlantic 3279]

Correct, it needs to look right, work properly, be able to survive travelling, and be possible to erect / dismantle without drama by May of next year.

...and of course, with signalled, switched sections in the scenic/public portion of the layout, it will already be perfectly possible to move trains around the layout from section to section, and for each loop as well as having one short train standing with its loco beyond the "auto stop" break it will be possible to drive in a second short train to a manually controlled stop behind the first. There is therefore scope, if desired, to have up to 24 trains in the loops plus possibly another one "up" and one "down" on-scene, if the operators fancy operating in that manner.

Some through running for public entertainment is probably necessary though.

[65447]

Correct, it needs to look right, work properly, be able to survive travelling, and be possible to erect / dismantle without drama by May of next year.

Some through running for public entertainment is probably necessary though.

Hornby's Coronation set might finally be released in time - that would be a stunning crowd-attracting non-stopper...

[Atlantic 3279]

Well if you're offering to buy a full set and bring it along...

[Woodcock29]

Hi Graeme
The storage area looks good and sounds to me like you'll be able to operate sufficient trains to maintain public interest at shows. I can't recall if you told me how/where you'll be able to set it all up for full testing?
Andrew

[65447]

Well if you're offering to buy a full set and bring it along...

Well, I do have the full set on order, including the Observation Car, provided that Hornby don't mix up the running numbers as is possible given that the observation car belongs to the second set.

But will the wheels run ok on your skinny rail profile and can I bring myself to cross one or more county boundaries, where the trans-dimensional quantum forces come into play? And where might this show be held; will I need a visa? So many imponderables, so little encouragement.

[Atlantic 3279]

Hi Graeme
The storage area looks good and sounds to me like you'll be able to operate sufficient trains to maintain public interest at shows. I can't recall if you told me how/where you'll be able to set it all up for full testing?
Andrew

The only place I can now set it up for test running on home territory is our lounge, which requires a certain amount of carefully arranged domestic disruption of course. I am however currently discussing arrangements to take the whole lot on two hour journey to friend's spacious workshop where it can be set up and tested by us both for a couple of days. That may provide a very handy indication of matters requiring priority attention before next May.

[Atlantic 3279]

Well if you're offering to buy a full set and bring it along...

Well, I do have the full set on order, including the Observation Car, provided that Hornby don't mix up the running numbers as is possible given that the observation car belongs to the second set.

But will the wheels run ok on your skinny rail profile and can I bring myself to cross one or more county boundaries, where the trans-dimensional quantum forces come into play? And where might this show be held; will I need a visa? So many imponderables, so little encouragement.

The "good" news is that no visa requirements apply for visitors from East Anglia coming to this part of the world, and no vaccinations are needed to protect you from taking something unpleasant back home with you (subject to personal behaviour...). Modern Hornby wheel profiles shouldn't be a problem either, as I have plenty of examples in use without trouble, so long as the BTBs are suitably checked. I think I get away with those thanks to the use of of SMP plain track, Peco BH points, and a handbuilt slip on copperclad sleepers with only the outside chairs cosmetically added, whereas I think I might have had "chair riding" of flanges had I used C&L track. A visit to the show would however involve the crossing of at least one county boundary from any part of GE main line country, with unknown effects on the space-time relationship, as the location is that jewel of the East coast, the port of Immingham. I imagine that could be a rather a long and indirect journey for a day visit!

[65447]

Interesting journey and alternatives - 132 miles and 3hrs 11mins via King's Lynn, or 183 miles and 3 hrs 14 mins via A14, A1 and Lincoln...

But how not to get waylaid in the vicinity of Boston, or tempted by donkey rides, fish and chips and the other dubious delights of dear old Skaggy?

[Danby Wiske]

Probably quicker to go by sea...

[Atlantic 3279]

Interesting journey and alternatives - 132 miles and 3hrs 11mins via King's Lynn, or 183 miles and 3 hrs 14 mins via A14, A1 and Lincoln...

But how not to get waylaid in the vicinity of Boston, or tempted by donkey rides, fish and chips and the other dubious delights of dear old Skaggy?

If you happen to suffer a sudden rush of blood to the head, causing you to undertake an epic journey, you will of course be most welcome.

Quicker by sea? Quite possibly, in the right kind of craft. It could be speed versus comfort though. No point turning green on the way. Helicopter anybody?

Of course, if they ever build the Wash tidal barrier and causeway the road journey might get easier, but the potential lure of Skeg Vegas will remain...

[Danby Wiske]

I wouldn't like to hazard a guess which would be more expensive - the helicopter flight or the Coronation set!

Fiddleyard looking very impressive Graeme, although it's a shame you won't quite have room for the P1 plus a hundred wagons...

[Mersey508138]

I imagine that even with 40 or 50 wagons on, the P1 would still get a good workout hauling them. Hopefully someday I will be able to give my locos a good workout when I can get them to run properly.

I say that because I have over the last 2 or 3 days been trying to get a fictional locomotive based on a standard class 4 or 5 locomotive body mounted on a 2- 8- 0 chassis using parts and valve gear from the 1990s 9F locomotive to run properly, but not having much luck. I'll be continuing my efforts to make the loco work better and hope to have better news soon.

Can I ask please if you know whether the valve gear from the 1980s / 1990s 9F can be used with markits locomotive wheels for the hornby 9F. I tried something similar using locomotive wheels ( not sure if they were Comet or DJH wheels ) on a hornby A3 but couldn't get the loco to run as 1 thing I have never done before is try to attach valve gear and fix it in place on the wheel using solder and unfortunately the only thing I succeeded in doing was locking the wheels up.

Consequently I am weary of attempting to repeat the process using kit wheels in case I goof it up again.

[Atlantic 3279]

Use of the Hornby valve gear on Markits wheels is likely to involve challenges, as Hornby valve gear typically has larger holes for the crankpins than are necessary (or suitable) for Markits crankpins. You may have to bush the holes in the valve gear, by inserting (and probably soldering in) washers or other spare material to reduce the size but keep the holes central, or you may have to add short pieces of close-fitting tube over the crankpins to fatten them up. Either way, a working clearance of say 0.1 to 0.2 mm(or more) between the pins and the rods will have to be preserved. The typical stepped and shaped Hornby crankpin that carries the big end of the con-rod and the return crank for the valve gear should give you plenty to think about when you try to emulate its features on a Markits crankpin! Alternatively, you could of course look at the possibility of de-mounting that complicated Hornby crankpin and fitting into a carefully enlarged hole in the Markits wheel. One way or another, you are likely to have to solder new joints in the vicinity of previously soldered joints. As well as using thin paper spacers, or other solder-resistant barriers such as a good coating of marker-pen ink, to stop things such as retaining washers from getting soldered to the rods, you'll have to either use high temperature solder first and then a low temperature solder and reduced heat for later soldering, or develop the art of getting a good joint even when you only nip in and out fairly quickly with the iron. That demands clean metal parts, enough flux on the workpiece, in the right place, a hot enough iron with a clean bit in good shape, a suitable amount of solder on the tip of the bit, proper contact with the intended part of the workpiece (and not with other parts), and careful observation to see the moment when the solder has flowed so that you can smartly remove the iron. All of that while holding the job in the right place....

[Hatfield Shed]

...Hopefully someday I will be able to give my locos a good workout when I can get them to run properly...

The workout can be easily achieved. My trainload 'test equipment' is two Triang R118 bogie well wagons in near original condition: plastic wheels*, steel axles in the open ended axleboxes of the cast mazak bogies, unlubricated for spectacularly good 'no roll' performance. *The original deep flanges have been shaved down to avoid running on the railchairs.

Each wagon is loaded with a 24 oz. steel chair screw, (salvaged from the lifted trackbed of the Hatfield Luton and Dunstable branch) the square head rests stably on the end platform with the flange tidily in the well for stability.
One such wagon is good for representing the usual maximum trainloads at the end of steam operation, twelve to fourteen carriages, sixty 4W wagons, total train weight in the range 2 to 2.4kg, all on free rolling pinpoint axle metal wheelsets; which should be within the compass of a class 5 or higher rated loco to start with minimal slipping on level track.
Using both wagons represents such feats as Silver Link lifing 25 carriages out of KX, with the loco starting on the gradient in the tunnel, and P1's dragging 100 of mineral.