My Settle & Carlisle style viaduct - OO Gauge Layout

[reddragon]

That sounds very unlike Hattons. Whenever I've needed to contact them they've been really good - I expect they're just trying to cope with so many orders and the delayed delivery times with lockdowns etc. Peco flexitrack is definitely a valuable commodity at the moment

-Peter

TMC have plenty in stock

Some good bargains in their sale too!

Home Page | The Model Centre

Home Page | The Model Centre

www.themodelcentre.com

 

[Peter C]

TMC have plenty in stock

Some good bargains in their sale too!

Home Page | The Model Centre

Home Page | The Model Centre

www.themodelcentre.com

Ah - Peco must have started up again. I remember in the first lockdown when people were searching everywhere for flexitrack; I expect some small model shops had never seen so many orders!
Thanks for that TMC link: I've just been looking and seen some things I'd like to get...

-Peter

 

[reddragon]

Significant track work is under way today!

So far the down main has been connected to the up main via the transfer siding and the up main has been extended as far as the viaduct! No pics yet as the track is held down.

Updates to follow!

 

[Cowley]

Significant track work is under way today!

So far the down main has been connected to the up main via the transfer siding and the up main has been extended as far as the viaduct! No pics yet as the track is held down.

Updates to follow!

It must be a warm day in loft land...

 

[reddragon]

It must be a warm day in loft land...

Not warm but warm enough! 2 more boxes of tracks have arrived this morning, enough for me to get track laying for days!

 

[Cowley]

Not warm but warm enough! 2 more boxes of tracks have arrived this morning, enough for me to get track laying for days!

Did the track from Hattons turn up?

 

[reddragon]

Did the track from Hattons turn up?

Nope, I ended up cancelling and getting them from TMC

Just extended the up main across the viaduct and into Lemmington Grizzy Station. The reveal will be tomorrow!

Also wired up the west end of the down platforms. Rapid action!!

Saturday update 1

This is my western approach at the start of the day. Since I have connected from the Western to the next point along.



The up main to the viaduct



Across the viaduct



to the new station site



I have now completed the up main loop and have wired it up.

I still need to wire up the Up Main to Down Main transfer sidings.

Next after testing its extending the down main to the crossovers below



And then completing the down relief loop. After that the P9/10 tracks; down main loop and then sidings. The eastern approach needs remodelling now the wall has gone & insulators added.

My Mrs Demi Moore provided tea as it was a bit chilly up there!

 

[Peter C]

Nope, I ended up cancelling and getting them from TMC

Just extended the up main across the viaduct and into Lemmington Grizzy Station. The reveal will be tomorrow!

Also wired up the west end of the down platforms. Rapid action!!

Saturday update 1

This is my western approach at the start of the day. Since I have connected from the Western to the next point along.

View attachment 91949

The up main to the viaduct

View attachment 91950

Across the viaduct

View attachment 91951

to the new station site

View attachment 91952

I have now completed the up main loop and have wired it up.

I still need to wire up the Up Main to Down Main transfer sidings.

Next after testing its extending the down main to the crossovers below

View attachment 91953

And then completing the down relief loop. After that the P9/10 tracks; down main loop and then sidings. The eastern approach needs remodelling now the wall has gone & insulators added.

My Mrs Demi Moore provided tea as it was a bit chilly up there!

Brilliant work there @reddragon - it's amazing how quickly it's all coming together now. apologies if you've said before but how are you going to fix the track down: glue or pins? Everyone seems to have a different way of doing things!

-Peter

 

[reddragon]

Brilliant work there @reddragon - it's amazing how quickly it's all coming together now. apologies if you've said before but how are you going to fix the track down: glue or pins? Everyone seems to have a different way of doing things!

-Peter

I am using diluted PVA, enough to hold it in place, but still able to be lifted without damage if needed pending ballast

 

[Peter C]

I am using diluted PVA, enough to hold it in place, but still able to be lifted without damage if needed pending ballast

Cool. I expect the ballast will do a fair bit to hold the track in place too, once ballasted.

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

Really good work @reddragon. Some serious progress happening here.
Good to see Mrs DM supplying tea. Much needed for the thought process I find.

 

[32475]

It’s all looking superb and you have some wonderful sweeps and curves there which really lend themselves to long passenger and goods trains. Keep up the good work!

 

[reddragon]

I managed to runs a few trains around the up main loop successfully before my son arrived & decided to start off a train against the points which caused a short. Still not resolved so tomorrow I need to trace it.

More pics tomorrow along with track laying on the down loop

It’s all looking superb and you have some wonderful sweeps and curves there which really lend themselves to long passenger and goods trains. Keep up the good work!

I have built the line for full main line operating speeds hence the more life like sweeping curves. When running 8 trains on 4 loops, I am not looking to have to keep slowing one down for a tight bit. At slow enough speed I can do 4 trains on 1 loop, but normally I'll go for 1 train per loop. Not easy with 1 controller & crashes could be expensive!!

 

[Cowley]

Looking forward to some photos today...

 

[reddragon]

My western approach developing. The track 7/8 connection is close to connecting to the down fast out



The up main



The transition curves



The down main has now crossed the viaduct, so 3 tracks over it but the sunshine beckons until later!

 

[Cowley]

Looking very good.
Now who makes a 00 gauge working autoballaster..?

 

[reddragon]

Looking very good.
Now who makes a 00 gauge working autoballaster..?

I know one who lives in Devon with Demi Moore who'd love to ballast in exchange for some serious driving!

OK, Sunday progress - short found (a point) & cables temporarily disconnected

The western approach has been completed for the down main to the cross over points to the down relief, just the down relief tracks to go in next. (and sidings)



The end points



The down relief crossing the viaduct (not actually as wobbly as it looks!)



The down relief has now reached the down point of Lemmington Grizzy one way and one track length beyond the main station head point the other. 10m to go!

Incidentally, the 41.5m loop equates to 3.2km OO scale, 2 miles

Next is the completion of the down relief loop and the western approaches to platforms 9/10. Lots of wiring too!

 

[Peter C]

Brilliant work again @reddragon - it's really interesting to see the layout develop at the rate it is. Two scale miles is pretty good!

-Peter

 

[reddragon]

Working today but was able to lay 2 lengths in a break through Lemmington Grizzy Station and add a power connector.

Decided to do a test run but my Android pad decided to play dead! Used the controller instead !

 

[Cowley]

Working today but was able to lay 2 lengths in a break through Lemmington Grizzy Station and add a power connector.

Decided to do a test run but my Android pad decided to play dead! Used the controller instead !

Nice. I’ve just been tinkering around with one of my new bits.
You could easily spend far too much spare time doing stuff on the railway!

 

[reddragon]

I laid a few lengths today on the down relief - 3 lengths & a point to go and 1 on the down main, plus powered them both up from one end (2 more CNs needed for DR)

Ordered another Multimaus & loaded Z21 onto my mobile since pad died!

Tried programming my chip in the class 491 today. Nope! The problem with non powered chipped vehicles!

 

[Cowley]

I laid a few lengths today on the down relief - 3 lengths & a point to go and 1 on the down main, plus powered them both up from one end (2 more CNs needed for DR)

Ordered another Multimaus & loaded Z21 onto my mobile since pad died!

Tried programming my chip in the class 491 today. Nope! The problem with non powered chipped vehicles!

I had to do a bit of head scratching doing my various DMU cars. In the end I programmed them with separate addresses and added some weight to one of them.

 

[reddragon]

Day off today!

Loop 3 - the down relief is done and mostly wired up. 1 gap to power & 2 defective? points. Transfer siding / line powered up too.

P9 track now 1 point / 1 length apart to complete. P10 link not started

Down main extended both ends but I doubt I have enough track to finish it.

Class 491 DCC coded by putting chip in a powered unit & transferring. Class 416 DCC fitted too.

I should be able to take some pics later!

Update with pics

This is the down relief



The down main western approach - 1 power gap to fill



Inner approach - the points just above L & R of the Western have dead spots to be resolved



The DR loop has now been tested by 3 trains

 

[Cowley]

Excellent. I’ve decided to utilise your PVA method for sticking the track down in my fiddle yard. Did you say that you diluted it and poured it on the sleepers?

 

[reddragon]

Excellent. I’ve decided to utilise your PVA method for sticking the track down in my fiddle yard. Did you say that you diluted it and poured it on the sleepers?

This is decorators PVA, dilute liquid PVA in an easy dispenser.

SKIP20A B&Q DECORATORS PVA | DIY at B&Q

This PVA is suitable for bonding most porous materials including wood, plaster and ceramics.

www.diy.com

Now run out I top it up with this sort of stuff diluted & shaken (not stirred) to paint like liquid

Wickes PVA Admix Building Adhesive - 5L | Wickes.co.uk

Wickes PVA Admix Building Adhesive - 5L

www.wickes.co.uk

Costs little, lets me lay 10m a go, sets in 2 hours. Ignore the various descriptions, just get the cheapest PVA admix, primer, whatever as they are already diluted almost enough

All of my wiring is with this stuff

10m Red & Black 0.5mm Loud Speaker Cable Wire Ideal for Car Audio & Home HiFi 5060227798215 | eBay

2x 0.5mm Squared Cross-Sectional Area.

www.ebay.co.uk

MUCH cheaper than Peco

 

[Cowley]

This is decorators PVA, dilute liquid PVA in an easy dispenser.

SKIP20A B&Q DECORATORS PVA | DIY at B&Q

This PVA is suitable for bonding most porous materials including wood, plaster and ceramics.

www.diy.com

Now run out I top it up with this sort of stuff diluted & shaken (not stirred) to paint like liquid

Wickes PVA Admix Building Adhesive - 5L | Wickes.co.uk

Wickes PVA Admix Building Adhesive - 5L

www.wickes.co.uk

Costs little, lets me lay 10m a go, sets in 2 hours. Ignore the various descriptions, just get the cheapest PVA admix, primer, whatever as they are already diluted almost enough

All of my wiring is with this stuff

10m Red & Black 0.5mm Loud Speaker Cable Wire Ideal for Car Audio & Home HiFi 5060227798215 | eBay

2x 0.5mm Squared Cross-Sectional Area.

www.ebay.co.uk

MUCH cheaper than Peco

I’ve always got loads of PVA (I’m a decorator), I’ll give it a go over the weekend I think. Normally I spot glue the track with superglue and then the ballast holds it in place, but obviously there’s no ballast in the fiddle yard and noticed that one bit of flexi track had kinked earlier.

 

[reddragon]

I've been extending the down main loop and now I've reached a quandary!

I have enough track to: -

a) - finish the down main loop

-OR-

b) - connect up P9/10 and do some sidings.

Almost worth a poll!

Suggestions on a postcard!!

 

[Cowley]

I've been extending the down main loop and now I've reached a quandary!

I have enough track to: -

a) - finish the down main loop

-OR-

b) - connect up P9/10 and do some sidings.

Almost worth a poll!

Suggestions on a postcard!!

I think if it was me I’d probably want to get the loops done as I’d already be in the zone to do it plus it’s a job finished.
What do you feel like doing?

 

[reddragon]

I think if it was me I’d probably want to get the loops done as I’d already be in the zone to do it plus it’s a job finished.
What do you feel like doing?

I'm edging towards the 4th loop and using temp old tracks for sidings until I can get another box

 

[Peter C]

I've been extending the down main loop and now I've reached a quandary!

I have enough track to: -

a) - finish the down main loop

-OR-

b) - connect up P9/10 and do some sidings.

Almost worth a poll!

Suggestions on a postcard!!

I'd agree with @Cowley in that I'd want to get the loop finished: in my case mainly so I could run more trains around when working on other bits of the layout.

-Peter