[cmanvell]

Hi All.

There has been a lot going on at Breitefurt since I last posted (on Tracks, Layouts and Scenery) so I thought an update was due. Sadly there are no photos at this time but I promise that some will be posted next week.

First, Breitefurt is due to travel to Elgin this weekend for their Modelfair so anyone in the area is welcome to come and see it live and have a chat. The exhibition is what has driven the layout's development as I had to get something more than at Inverness last September.

So, all track is in place and nearly everything has power applied from four power packs, though only tree are really needed. (Why four? Up main, down main, branch line & shunting and shunting and loco service. Because of the fact that the Marklin points don't switch the current, the panel is excessively complicated and great care will be needed to ensure that no conflicting movements occur. Considering the complexity of the layout, and that it is my first, there haven't been too many problems so all should be OK by Thursday night when the layout is due to be loaded into the car ready to travel the next day.

Unfortunately I shall have to rip up two bits where a fishplate has gone under a rail end - obviously didn't check well enough. Still, that's life, as they say.

Well, that's it for now. I will let you know how I get on.

All the best,
Chris.

 

[Rowan]

Congratulations on having Breitefurt ready for Elgin . Looking foward to the pictures of the Z layout.

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (cmanvell @ 17 Nov 2008, 12:35) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Unfortunately I shall have to rip up two bits where a fishplate has gone under a rail end - obviously didn't check well enough.

Bin there, done that (in HO !).

Best of luck with the show - don't forget to let us know how you get on.

 

[neil_s_wood]

Good luck with the drive to Elgin. That'll be around three hours but you'll get a chance to do some shopping in Inverness no doubt. Look forward to seeing some pictures Chris.

 

[cmanvell]

Hi Neil; good to hear from you.

QUOTE (neil_s_wood @ 18 Nov 2008, 06:30) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Good luck with the drive to Elgin. That'll be around three hours but you'll get a chance to do some shopping in Inverness no doubt. Look forward to seeing some pictures Chris.Methinks that it will be more like 5 hours. Last night we were forecast heavy snow for Friday. But, then, the forecasters are always changing their mind.

Most important thing in Inverness will be getting a haircut and beard trim! Then cat food (only the best) and then fuel.

Everything is on course now. I had two wires crossed over so sorted that then I found another squashed fishplate (I'm sure they breed) but as I was running a light V60 at 400mph in the wrong direction at the time, and I ran several trains repeatedly over it at over 100mph without any mishap, I am going to let it go! Cannot decide whether to permanently attach railway buildings etc. to the baseboard or not so they are all loose at the moment.

I spent quite a time yesterday selecting what to take with me. I favour sets as they are quick and easy to pack but will be takeing a few other items (esp. locos) with me. And, of course, I shall be taking my Bavarian royal train.

Given time to get them sorted, I am also planning on taking a couple of smaller scale trains and their respective ovals of track. The T gauge ones should raise a few eyebrows!

Anyway, I still have a couple of niceties to sort out so will finish for now.

All the best,
Chris.

PS Just seen forecast and they have changed their minds so may be 3 hours after all.

 

[7113]

I look forward to the piccies.....

Enjoy the show and the fun they bring.

Oh I meant to say this before but I enjoyed your article in Merkur.

Regards

 

[cmanvell]

Thanks Britho.

I was a bit reluctant at first, as a rank beginner, to do a review but did it anyway. I only did the bits about hte exhibition. Mike Burberry padded it out with extra detail. I was surprised at how well the picture came out.

I'll try to remember to take some photos at the exhibition, if not then I will do some when I get home. Actually, I will probably do the latter anyway as I can use the tripod at home.

All the best,
Chris.

Sorry, I should have said the I am also taking along some ZZ, T and TY scale models. The T and TY wil be working displays (I hope; the latter is giving problems).

 

[neil_s_wood]

Good luck Chris. Hope all goes well.

I must admit I was actually thinking of Ullapool to Inverness to Elgin rather than Kyle when I said three hours. Five is more like it from where you are weather permitting.

Look forward to seeing some photos.

 

[cmanvell]

Hi Neil.

Well, on the basis that it used to take 1hr 45min from Kyle to Ullapool (a journey I used to do frequently when I was repairing mobile phone masts) you would have made Inverness in 1hr 30min whereas it takes 2 hours from home to Inverness using the north road (I hate the A82 up Loch Ness) so I guess 3hr 45 to Elgin. However, I will be driving very slowly and carefully so it will be a bit longer. You really ought to do the trip to the Western Isles via Skye and Tarbert some time and drop in and see us.

I've been putting in the finishing touches today and cleaning some of the 30m of trackwork. Tonight it will go down to the kitchen table and I will be able to do the other half. I'm also doing an n scale small static display using three early German trains (Adler, Saxonia and Hoefzug Konig Maximilian II von Bayern as well as, if there is room, the coaches of Ludwig II's royal train. The back of this display, which will carry desriptions of each train, will also be used to mask the hidden tracks so that we can surprise the audience.

And, what the hell, some photos to whet your quoriosity.

 

[7113]

Tell you what Chris, the cat looks a bit over scale!

Looks good though.

Regards

 

[cmanvell]

Hi Britho.

Ah, I forgot to mention that the cat is my workshop assistant. ) She chases the rats out of the wiring! BTW, the power control panel is hinged so that it folds over the layout for transport. The parliament hinges and clamps stop it causing any damage.

I cannot decide whether to have the buildings permanently mounted or to put them in place every time. I guess that the former is the normal procedure but I am worried about damaging them in the move. Also, some of the lights are integral with the building, so how does one change the bulbs if they fail? What do others think?

All the best,
Chris.

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE You really ought to do the trip to the Western Isles via Skye and Tarbert some time and drop in and see us.

I aim to head up that way next time I'm home. I get very homesick being over here. Skye would be at the top of my list of places to go when I'm home next.

Layouts looking good. If you reckon your buildings will get damaged you're probably right. Better to take them on and off if in doubt.

 

[cmanvell]

Well, everything's packed up and in the car. My last act was to clean the track and push home a few proud pins. Discovered two more rail joints where the fishplate had gone under the rail. Neither are critical but, as one is in a siding that I intend to lengthen at the show, I'll sort it out there. Light snow is forecast for the weekend and the NE buses are all on strike Fridays and Monday so that bodes well for the weekend. So, I will be back on line Monday/Tuesday next week.

All the best,
Chris.

 

[Brian Considine]

Have a good weekend Chris & take care - look forward to seeing a report after the weekend.

 

[cmanvell]

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

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.

 

[Abminiatures]

aaawwwww poor dear,

but congratulations on having alot more good things happen than bad

 

[cmanvell]

Deer and sheep are the curse of the Highland motorist. The deer usually run off and heal themselves; the sheep don't. Both can do a lot of damage to a vehicle and human
deaths are not unknown as a result of hitting a full grown stag. Every animal has an upper threshold of speed above which they perceive their own maximum speed. Neither are as fast a a car can be approaching.

 

[Abminiatures]

well as cruel as it may sound id rather it was a deer that got hit rather than a human

 

[Brian Considine]

Hi Chris - thanks for the report & contgrat's on getting an award.

 

[neil_s_wood]

Sorry to hear about you hitting a Deer Chris. It happens all too often in the Highlands and Islands. Many a car on Harris used to have severe frontal impact damage from hitting sheep.

Glad the exhibition went OK though.