Hi folks, bit of an update after a short break, I’ve been busy with various projects but mostly doing an extension to our O gauge exhibition layout which had a deadline in April, we made it, only just, but the rush to do so meant the garden took a bit of a back seat until then.
The main upgrade works outside include remodelling of the lower station throat now that the rabbit hutch has gone:
As you can see the lower inner circuit is now on its own path and can be isolated from the rest of the layout with a DPDT switch so analogue only locos can run merrily around in a circle, the point under the front of the train leads to the lower circuit passing loop, and in the direction the train is going, to the lower main station.
It’s all a bit thrown down at the moment, making sure I’ve got the layout right for our operational requirements before levelling and screwing down. I’m after some more R3 points and a double slip at some point to make it a little more simple.
At the top of the garden, in preparation for laying the inner line of the main spiral with gentler curves and a reverse loop module, the triangular junction was relaid on a slightly different alignment, this left space for a couple of storage sidings along the top of the wall:
99 6001 is on the outer upper circuit heading towards the point that allows access to the inner circuit (which 99 222 is stood on). Heading straight on from the “Prairie” is a siding, the middle of the three roads that disappear out of sight at the bottom of the picture is the continuation of the outer circuit, which splits behind the camera to allow access down the inner spiral.
Like the lower circuit, the inner circuit at the top has a changeover switch to become independent from the rest of the railway and run on its own analogue controller (located in the shed).
The inner spiral line was relaid 2 weeks ago using R2 curves instead of the R1s previous. The 2-10-2s are ok on R1s on the flat so long as you don’t use them constantly, whereas they really struggle on them on gradients. And, although the alignment of the track is closer to the edge of the boards, it works a lot better than it did:
The Massoth module for changing polarity has been installed meaning a train can now run up the hill, around the top and down again without running round.
It makes for much operational fun, with most trains taking the outer spiral line to climb the easier grade, then down the inner. I’m on the lookout for a small building to cover the module, the reason why I located it on the supporting beam.
Trains wise I made a purchase of some more Trainline coaches from an auction, completing my fleet for now, I bought a cheap MTS black Spreewald to replace the chassis on my green one, which despite my efforts wasn’t happy with a decoder hardwired into it. I reverted this chassis to analogue, and it is now for sale with the black Spreewald body.
Then I stumbled across a 99 241, the West German loco from the same batch as Spreewald, and for a reasonable cost this was acquired, it has since been toned down with some Matt black paint, I moved the smokebox door number and added a hand wheel to resemble the prototype:
And, just to round up the post, some more pictures of trains on the railway in the last month or so:
All the best
Tom
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It’s cousin; 99241 has had some weathering as per contemporary photos of the loco from its heyday. Much more subdued and realistic.
