HVR reborn

[ebay mike]

14/07/13 Two Sundays off in a row - must be a record. Too tired to tackle anything major so thought I'd just fettle up last weeks efforts. Track alignment and levels checked and all screws and clamps tightened. Usual story - you're never there when it happens. Photographer waits patiently for ages, then pops indoors for a quick snack of pork pies washed down with a can of the frothy stuff. Emerges to find ballast train has visited during the refreshment break and track now firmly tamped in place!! Undeterred I decided to press ahead with track 4 and potential storage sidings. Found I could squeeze three in using R1 points and R2 curves giving over 12 feet of space. May be able to put more in on the other parts of the overlaid figure eight. That, however, will have to wait until my next rest days.

 

[ebay mike]

17/07/13 Early finish yesterday so had a bit of a tidy up and went for 'test fit' of track 4. As it started to cool this evening decided to have a quick running session. Tagged latest acquisition on the end of the NQ coaches, just for fun (rule 8 permits jollity too, I understand). Always wanted a crane, but somehow I've managed to accumulate 4 now.

 

[ebay mike]

Work commitments have meant I have only been able to grab the odd hour or two to progress things over the last month or so. The good news is that circuit three is now finished which only leaves two thirds of track 4 and a few storage sidings to do. Track plan has been revised a couple of times since my last post and consequently the hacksaw and rail bender have been called into service.

 

[ebay mike]

A little progress over the weekend curtailed by wet weather on Tuesday.

 

[Gizzy]

Coming on nicely Mike!

I guess with all that trackage you have opted for DCC....

 

[ebay mike]

No Gizzy. Strictly analogue with a bit of r/c live steam and battery thrown in. There's isolating rail joiners all over the place and all sidings are current free so I can use them to stable locos awaiting their turn of duty. ATM I've only got LGB controllers (max is 1.2amp) so will need to invest in something heavier. Any idea what the current draw will be on a double headed 66? I can get one to crawl along with two wagons on a start set job, but that's all.

Coming on nicely Mike!

I guess with all that trackage you have opted for DCC....

 

[PhilP]

Class 66's?? - What radii are you running?
You need minimum R3 for the Aristo Class 66..
Light engine, on a straight they draw about 0.3Amp once off and moving.. Hit a curve and you can get to 1.3Amp.. Add some stock, put the smoke on and 'give it some welly' and you can hit 3Amps on the curves no problem.
I suppose it should be less (per engine) if you are double heading. Try and find a Gaugemaster 10 LGB (at least the 5Amp) I would suggest.

 

[ebay mike]

Outer two tracks are 12 ft minimum diameter. Third track is 10 ft and the inner overlaid figure of eight is 6.5 ft. Nearly all points are R3. Aristocraft 66s run happily on the three outer tracks - I've tested.

Class 66's?? - What radii are you running?
You need minimum R3 for the Aristo Class 66..
Light engine, on a straight they draw about 0.3Amp once off and moving.. Hit a curve and you can get to 1.3Amp.. Add some stock, put the smoke on and 'give it some welly' and you can hit 3Amps on the curves no problem.
I suppose it should be less (per engine) if you are double heading. Try and find a Gaugemaster 10 LGB (at least the 5Amp) I would suggest.

 

[PhilP]

All my track is piled in the shed.. So I find it difficult to work out what I see on other's railways..

 

[Gizzy]

ATM I've only got LGB controllers (max is 1.2amp) so will need to invest in something heavier. Any idea what the current draw will be on a double headed 66? I can get one to crawl along with two wagons on a start set job, but that's all.

I believe the 66 has a high current draw, so I would suggest at least 5A.

A double headed job would be twice this. I reckon if you could find a LGB 50100 Jumbo, then this would be ideal. However, these aren't easily available.

Other suggestions would be the LGB 50110 Transformer and either a 51070 Indoor Analogue Throttle or 52120 Outdoor Analgue Throttle.

Before I went to DCC, I had a ART Train Engineer with a 12A Power supply, which I found to be an excellent combination.
PhilP mentioned the Gaugemaster 10LGB, but I've heard these are prone to failure. They do have a lifetime guarantee though.

The other suggestion is the Helmsman http://www.helmsmanuk.co.uk/ Controller. These also come with a lifetime guarantee and I've heard of excellent customer service from this manufacturer....

 

[ebay mike]

17/09/13. Had a couple of hours spare today so had a quick tidy up and moved all the paving slabs into the middle in readiness for a couple of seats in due course. As there is not much tracklaying left I sorted out the last half circle and juggled points about to squeeze in as many storage sidings as I could. The area taken up has been dictated by the amount of sterling board I have left. It's just the one sheet and a few oddments I kept 'just in case'. The chap I got them from doesn't anticipate being able to obtain further supplies so this is it.

 

[ebay mike]

19/10/13 THE GOLDEN SPIKE MOMENT. Well, not quite. Had to make do with a stainless steel hex-head screw. Final piece of track laid and fixed at 1.25pm just before it chucked it down. Got wet doing the ballasting but couldn't leave it unfinished.

Just need to wire it all up now but that will have to wait for at least a week as only got today off. Looking forward to seeing 4 trains circulating.

 

[Gizzy]

Looking really great mate....