Chris: My first layout

Hi All.

I'm not sure where I left off on the old forum but I am pretty sure it was before latest developments.

I have, at last, finished laying all my track though I do seem to have one defective turnout which will need investigating. (Curses.) As it is right in the middle of a bunch of turnouts it is going to be really awkward if I have to replace it. At the moment I am connecting up some of the 350 wires that will be needed eventually.

Anyway, for those who are interested, I am keeping a diary on my website (see sig.). Also there are photos and a track plan. (The extension board is a possible future project.)

Some stats.
Board size if 180cm x 61cm (which works out as c. 6' x 2').
Total track length is just over 31 metres.
There are 57 electrical sections including end of spurs.
There are 30 points, 7 curved points and 6 double slips.
Also 25 uncouplers.

I might get round to posting a few images here later.

All the best,
Chris.

Chris, We look forward to the pictures. Sounds exciting. Cheers, Jim CCRR:cheer:

Hi Jim.

Not much to see at the moment as it is just track and baseboard and millions of wires all waiting to be connected up. As of tomorrow I have just 4 weeks to the exhibition in Elgin and I'm beginning to panic. Many of the wires (turnouts, uncouplers) won't be used but I want all the power ones up and running. That's some 75+ wires, but I still need to anchor the other loose wires. Then it all has to be tested and repaired if necessary. (I already had to repair a turnout that wasn't working.)

Anyway, I shall take my camera with me to Elgin and get those photos. I shall have to take a tripod as well so that I can get the best possible depth of field.

All the best,
Chris.

[PS. Still getting those error messages but, apart from being turned into a guest occasionally, things seem to have settled down. I'd love to know what line 257 is after that isn't being supplied.]

Hi Guys.

I haven't posted for a while as I have been really busy with the layout but with no nothing tangible to report. Well, I am delighted to introduce you to my new workroom assistant whose job it is to keep the rats out of the rats' nest! Her name is Cleo and we have been living together now for some 12 years. (I hope she is there - I don't have much luck adding images to posts.

All the best,
Chris.

PS Not sure why but the image has been drastically reduced. (I had to reduce it from 1252 to 626 wide but how does one view it full size?

Chris, Good job. My cat too, is good company in the train room. She wouldn't know a mouse from a GP-9 but still a treat to have around. As for the photos. For now this thumbnail is as good as it gets. We're working on larger photos. If you want to put the photo in an album in the Galleries then you can do most anything with it. Cheers, Jim CCRR:)

Hi all.

Just an interim report. I will be putting up photos on my website in the near future.

Apart from suffering from sickness, I had a great weekend. So, negatives first.
o Evening before I had a complete dead length (three electrical sections) of track but was unable to find why. (Next morning it all
worked!)
o One loco motive went short circuit shortly before the end of the exhibition.
o I hit a deer about a mile before I got home which resulted in my front bumper disintegrating (could have been worse; last time I hit a sheep half the front of the car had to be rebuilt).

Now the good news.
o Apart from the dead loco everything ran to perfection except for some wagons that kept coming off the track - candidates for the lead treatment - before the exhibition opened. Mind you, I did have finger trouble occasionally, usually when engaged in conversation, which lead to a few collisions.
o The really good news was that I am the proud holder of the "Best Operating Model Railway Layout" cup. However, I think that was more by default that to my credit. Mind you (again!), I did keep trains running throughout the entire exhibition whenever there was someone present.
o I should add that my idea of having the control panel swing up over the layout using parliament hinges was so successful that I think I will go down that route permanently unless the scenery prevents it.
o I learned from one visitor that the BR61 (in 1935) had ABS to cope with the change in weight as its water was used up,

I'm far from being up to the Modelrail Scotland standard but hope to be able to attend other exhibitions in Scotland next year.

So, the next stage is to make a longer control pansel so that I can add the extra switches and buttons required to put in route selection and uncoupling as well as sorting out a few minor glitches. Also there is the dream of adding a second board.

Lessons learned:
o Take your own lighting.
o Avoid second hand curved points.
o Test out trains more thoroughly before use.
o Take something to allow the layout to be raised above normal table height and a step for kids to see.
o Take less stock.
o Put images on the front of storage boxes with picture of a) item that goes in that box or b) how contents were backed.

Probably other lessons as well, but I forget them.

All the best everyone,
Chris.

PS. I am copying this to other forums, sorry.

G'day cobber, winners are grinners .

A kangaroo through the wind screen, he's jumping around trying to get out, your jumping around trying to get out, the Land Rovers heading off into the paddocks nearest and biggest gum tree of course.Motoring and meeting the locals is always fun.

Well copying is better then writing it all out twice. Good to hear you had a enjoyable weekend in Elgin.You have some good ideas for exhibiting.Sounds like you have a very reliable lay out so you must have done the right thing when building.

Thanks for the update mate!

Hi All.

At last I have put up a short report about Breitefurt at Elgin. As well as my own layout I have included some pictures of the others there (though no Z I'm afraid - I must get Rolf to email me a couple of photos of his Z scale layout that shared my stand). Have a look at the webpage at:

trains.manvell.org.uk/exhibitions/20081122-Elgin/

The layout diary is at:

trains.manvell.org.uk/z-scale/layout/

Enjoy.

All the best,
Chris.

Chris, Congratulations! This is the biggest prize in my book. Thanks for the photos and info. Cheers, Jim CCRR:cheer:

For about a month after the Elgin show I had been resting on my laurels! However, I have started working on the required signalling. Unfortunately the range of available signals is very limited so there is no way I can do a proper job on it. The worst omission is the lack of the Hp0/Hp1/Hp2 style signal. (For those who are not familiar with German practice, Hp0=Stop (single horizontal arm), Hp1=clear (single upper quadrant indication) and Hp2=proceed at max. speed of 40km/hr (two upper quadrant indications). The latter is used at station entries and at diverging low speed junctions so is very useful. There is a similar lack in the forward/vor/distant signals that precede the home signals.

Anyway, if you are interested, there a a couple of updates on my website covering the subject (see trains.manvell.org.uk/z-scale/layout/). Photos will follow once the wiring has all been sorted out (late January at the present rate of progress.

All the best,
Chris.

PS, my new avatar is an early (1867) Bavarian freight loco class CII (see trains.manvell.org.uk/z-scale/locos-ep1.htm for more info).

Thats a nice Damphlok! I thought I saw someone that made those signals you are talking about..the Flugalsignals..Do you need the old style Barvarian model thats kind of arrow shaped and has the slits in it? I will keep my eyes open..I have lots of Landerbahn era trains in HO ,and its hard enough to find stuff in that scale. It should be easy to make with either photo etched or laser parts.
Conrad has kits to make the single wing and the double wing that is connected.

Hi Kelley. Thanks for the response.

Kelley wrote:

Thats a nice Damphlok! I thought I saw someone that made those signals you are talking about..the Flugalsignals.

With the current state of the pound, I probably wouldn't be able to afford them but a link to a URL would be good.

Do you need the old style Barvarian model thats kind of arrow shaped and has the slits in it?

No, I have settled on the later design. I'm not a purist so have gone for what I can get. There was a German dealer on eBay who was selling signals new at half the price (even with the low pound) than the UK dealers so got a few from them. Also, I picked up a load of unused Marklin old style Hp0/Hp1's when I was still on a 'Marklin only' run. So I am only buying what I do not already have or can compromise with. Anyway, my wife has just committed me to a load of building work so money is short.

I will keep my eyes open..I have lots of Landerbahn era trains in HO ,and its hard enough to find stuff in that scale. It should be easy to make with either photo etched or laser parts.

Not with my rubber fingers it won't. I have never been good at working with fiddly bits and pieces - hands not steady enough.

Conrad has kits to make the single wing and the double wing that is connected.

I take it you mean the Hp0/Hp2. I have some Viessmann ones of those but there are only a couple of places in my plan where I can use them as most of the speed restricted routes also have high speed alternatives. I think have found a use for at least one of my two Vr0/Vr2's on the branch line though.

All the best,
Chris.

Chris,
Thanks for the photo of Cleo, Mariah will love it. She is the President & C.O.O. of my
Blue Valley Short Line RR. I wish others would tell us the name of their owners {we don't
own them, they own us}. Good luck & enjoy your new layout.
Best to you Chris,
Stojiny McCoy

Stojiny,
We have two catz- The blond one that looks like a mini lion is named Charlie-- I had nothing to do with that! And the one that I used in the Avatar with all the engines in his mouth is named Dribbles. On his lower lip are two dark streaks that look like saber teeth. Actually Dribbles is a "dog" in cat's fur.. couldn't be more affectionate and gets excited whenever we show him any attention. Not like Charlie's "I'll think about it"
attitude.
Fred

We had 3 catz until recently. Sadly, one had a massive malignant gowth and had to be put down. That was followed almost immediately by a second having (probably) being hit by a car and chances of surviving an op. were almost nil. So we are left with Cleo who only has a couple of lives left as she lost most of hers when she got trapped between the inner and outer leaves of a cavity wall when we were away. She's getting on in years but still enjoys life and doing what catz do best: eating, sleeping and getting the occasional tickle under the chin. She has the sweetest of natures but is a menace if she manages to get upstairs during the night!

Chris.

PS Maybe we should have a separate forum on here for railway catz.

Sorry about ya cat.
Who makes the Bavarian goods lok mate? Very cool avatar.

Thanks for the updates Chris. The layout is starting to look good.

Thanks for the responses guys.

Today my square file arrived and I have put in the first semaphore shunting signal. I cannot see why Viessmann changed their design from round to square holes; it makes life so much more difficult (esp. is you change your mind and want to revert to a round hole signal).

The CII was manufactured by Railex. I have several other items of theirs, including a Kof, a snowplough and three BVI's. They also cooperated with Marklin and Arnold; I have both the Ludwig II Hofzug and Saxonia trains in both N and Z as well as a couple of of Kaiser Wilhelm coaches. Railex stuff comes up on eBay fairly often and can sell for silly prices sometimes. It's gone way beyond my reach now.

All the best,
Chris.

PS. Forgot to mention that none of the Z scale locos are powered so require a ghost wagon.

Hi Chris,
Sorry for your loss, I know how difficult it is. I remember all of the ones that I've
lost over the years past. I tried to find an Email for you, but, didn't find one & don't
want to tie up this forum with stuff that should be posted on the RAILCATZ forum.
Best to you from Stojiny & Mariah