What happened at your workbench today?

dunnyrail said:
On the basis of it without messing with the gubbins at the bottom I assume you turn it clockwise, facing middle of tram 1 setting facing towards body the other setting? I do like it very clever.
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Unusually for a tram it only has one controller, having been converted from an accident-damaged centre cab loco; it had winter use only, receiving the pole, controller and trucks from a passenger tram. Because there were no turning facilities on the Manx Electric, the driver would have driven either sideways on, or with his back to the controller, when travelling south. The ratchet brake is at the Ramsey end (shout out to @Fezwig for passing on this info), and is turned clockwise, i.e. towards Ramsey, when switched on.

That's a longer explanation than you wanted really, isn't it? :nerd:
 
Northsider said:
Unusually for a tram it only has one controller, having been converted from an accident-damaged centre cab loco; it had winter use only, receiving the pole, controller and trucks from a passenger tram. Because there were no turning facilities on the Manx Electric, the driver would have driven either sideways on, or with his back to the controller, when travelling south. The ratchet brake is at the Ramsey end (shout out to @Fezwig for passing on this info), and is turned clockwise, i.e. towards Ramsey, when switched on.

That's a longer explanation than you wanted really, isn't it? :nerd:
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Oh I was referring to your use as the on/off switch! But thanks for the other interesting information.
 
Northsider said:
I've been a bit coy about the on/off switch on Nº23, mainly so that I could ignore my plan if it didn't work! I've opted for just two positions: on, and off/charge, and have used a cam-operated microswitch that is turned by the ratchet brake handle. Fortunately it is stiff enough to stay in place, and even if it loosens up with wear it should lock in place, as the 'on' position is top dead centre. Needless to say, I am ridiculously pleased with it...
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Off/charge...

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...on...

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...and the business end.
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Wow, practical and beautifully made!
 
Finished the stone painting this morning and taking a big breath, tackled the the angled joints using the ruler method but clapped in the work mate. Not sure if I'm pleased or relieved!! But it's now ready for gluing together tomorrow.
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Well, we all know the score by now: I start a quick lash-up project, and then a rivet-counting Jiminy Cricket starts whispering in my ear...
So, Nº23 needs a trolley pole?
Tick
And KW Trams do a nice casting?
Tick.
And you could make a trolley head, with a wheel that goes round, and have it sprung so that it stays in contact with the wire, and of course the pole will be a scale 12 feet long?
Tick, tick. Oh, and tick.
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I enjoy it really, y'know. ;)
 
Northsider said:
Well, we all know the score by now: I start a quick lash-up project, and then a rivet-counting Jiminy Cricket starts whispering in my ear...
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I hear "the Voices" too, Yep! Hook, line and sinker :D It's when you start doing the "little" details, that in all honesty, only you know or will see, guilty as charged of replicating turned bench seat legs!! with several other offences under the "Must get out more" act.:nerd:
 
Fezwig said:
I hear "the Voices" too, Yep! Hook, line and sinker :D It's when you start doing the "little" details, that in all honesty, only you know or will see, guilty as charged of replicating turned bench seat legs!! with several other offences under the "Must get out more" act.:nerd:
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Perhaps we should start a Support Group?
Oh, hang on...
 
A double disaster today :(

I missed a bit with the paintbrush :oops:

The party speaker broke - the on/off switch which was a bit dicky has gorn 'ome literally; broken off the PCB o_O

I had been listening to Andrew Lloyd Weber's Requiem, and was reading the sleeve notes about purgatory - well, decorating is a close enough experience for that, thank you :shake::shake:
 
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After a last minute hiccup with its trolley pole, Nº23 made an appearance in the yard at Glen Auldyn.
As @ge_rik says, a railway should have a purpose, and I would suggest that that should probably be extended to locos and rolling stock, too. So the back story is that lead mining was established at the top of Glen Auldyn (the geology shows similar rocks to those at Foxdale, which were mined extensively), and a spur built off the old MNR main line between Lezayre and Sulby Bridge. The Auldyn Mining Company acquired Nº23 to haul ore from the mines to Ramsey harbour, and return with coal to power steam-driven pumps, etc. So she will either carry ore
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Or coal
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@Fezwig has kindly volunteered to drive...
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...and directional lights help show when the Piko RC is in forward, reverse or neutral:20260120_145824.jpg
I'm just waiting for the motor/axle assembly to arrive from the Appletree Railway, but everything else is signed off.
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More work on the goods shed, glued the walls together and added some reinforcement to the bottom of the walls before running out of glue for the hot glue gun, thought I'd take it out to see how it will sit, looks like a track relay to get it the way around that I want it with the windows at the front.
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