What is everyone doing this weekend with their model railways?

[Go_West]

Great to see your 3d tank engine job keep us posted on how it turns out, me this weekend am building a layout to take to the North Devon Railway Show as they have asked me to run some of my live steam engines there must get on?

[choralc]

'Train Day' organised by the lovely lady.

 Had not worked on the layout for sometime but have recently started to put in the point motors. A few bits of the track were replaced and the outside loops cleaned supervised by Pippi who has reclaimed her sun-bathing spot and watches the trains go by.

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The lovely lady made a little diesel as the Chuggington was set up on the lounge room floor.

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When it was time to run the layout I put on a B1 with sound and the little one was told it would make a noise. Apparently this is what one does when you mention noise!

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Now to finish installing the point motors (a mix of R8014 and 8243) followed by another Point/Accessory decoder so I can install the remote uncouplers.

There is a scenic section planned for each of the long sides for those worried about the proximity of the track. Thomas unfortunately had a disagreement with the cat shortly after the first two photos so was a non-starter for the day - sigh.

[Twintop]

 

I finally got started on modifying my main station, with the plan being to turn 2 bay platforms into 1 through line and one through to the branch and then add replacement bay or bays.

I have lifted the main SQuick station building and the end of bay platforms and cleared the station car park and some fencing, signal box and a signal. Platform 1 - a bay  is out of use as there is no passenger access.

I feel like Dr Beeching is at work !! I wanted to keep trains running so have implemented "wrong" line running via a couple of existing crossovers whilst the "demolition" was occurring !    Buffer stops are relocated away from the ends of the bays so at least platform 2 - a bay can be used.

Next stage is to insert a point off the main line and and rewire in another section and then once that is done services can them calll once more at platform 3 on the main line. Passengers are having to use the island platform buildings.

After that it will be removing the current engine release crossover in the bays and relaying track to join the inserted point on the main line. After that, it will have to be laying new platforms including a subway onto Platform 1 that was previously reached around the end of the bays.. This will include replacing the platform 1 bay narrow platform with an island one to faciliate the later phase of adding back in a bay platform.

So - some time to go yet, but I think the increased through lines from 1 to 2 on the UP side will be useful, and I may add a crossover so the second "through" line I added can also be routed onto the main line as well as down the branch.  .

 

 

 

  

[Train duuudeee]

Well today i have to build a platform which will be the longest on my layout. Once i have done that i have to ballast my track and put some hedgerow around my station car park

[96RAF]

Trying to work out why my Class 56 3-pole ringfield motor was smooth (but gutless) before I swapped the magnets to a 2 piece neo one (same shape and size as the originals) and now it is very notchy and hard to turn. Nothing else has changed except the magnets which appear to be identical in size to the originals.

To add to the confusion my Class 90 with a single piece neo replacement magnet is as smooth as silk and ready to undergo DCC conversion with a nylon brush plate screw..

Could I have got the 2 piece magnet poles mixed up - I fitted them in the same orientation as I got them.

[walkingthedog]

I guess you're going to have to change the magnets around to see if it helps RAF. What a pain. 

[Howbi]

RAF, may I suggest that the magnetic field around the two neo magnets is rather different from that around the original single magnet ie.. N((()))SN((()))S as opposed to N((((()))))S so the effect on the windings could be dramatic.The clue may be in the name Ring-Field. HB

[walkingthedog]

He says the original had 2 magnets howbiman. It was the CL90 that had a single magnet. 

[poliss]

The advice when replacing magnets is to use a compass on the ones you're taking out. Mark the poles with a fribre pen, then use the compass on the new magnets to ensure correct orientation.

[Howbi]

Did not the original 3pole ringfield motors have a single "rubber" magnet?

[walkingthedog]

Did not the original 3pole ringfield motors have a single "rubber" magnet?

 

 

 The ones I had only had one but they must have made them with two as well. 

[Fishmanoz]

RAF, may I suggest that the magnetic field around the two neo magnets is rather different from that around the original single magnet ie.. N((()))SN((()))S as opposed to N((((()))))S so the effect on the windings could be dramatic.The clue may be in the name Ring-Field. HB

 

 

Sorry, but my memory of the physics of magnetism tells me there is no difference between N(((())))S and N((()))SN((()))S.  In fact you can cut them up and stick them together to your hearts content.  What is different is N((()))SS((()))N.  If you tried to put it back that way, and the magnets would be trying to fly apart if you did, I don't think you would get much rotation at all out of the motor.  I suspect erratic running will be an assembly rather than a magnet orientation problem as such.

 

[96RAF]

Its not running erratically as when you get it going it runs smoothly. It just feels very notchy when you turn it by hand as if the magnet was not suited to 3-pole armatures.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. The compass trick seems to be the best way forward to see if they are installed the same polarity as the originals. As stated above that's a pest of a job to do again. I spent almost 1/2 hour chasing springs and brush holders the other afternoon.

 

The magnets I have are 8th down on this page:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/bowlerscroft/m.html?item=380362574700&hash=item588f604b6c&pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

 

They came attracted to each other as in the picture and thats the orientation I installed them. The original magnets were the same shape and size, but the top one was light grey and the bottom one dark grey/black.

 

As stated earlier the Class 90 (with the live pantograph) has a one piece fully circular magnet, (with the odd locating bumps and notches).

 

Looking at the variation of ringfield magnets available its not surprising people get muddled between which motor has which magnet shape, but Malcolm Inston of Bowlerscroft is very helpfull and knowledgable about which one fits what.

[37lover]

RAF96,

8th down appears to be a single block! I presume it's a live link so the sequence / order could have changed.

[96RAF]

RAF96,

8th down appears to be a single block! I presume it's a live link so the sequence / order could have changed.

Yes it has moved - its this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEO-MAGNET-FOR-HORNBY-CASTLE-COUNTY-CLASS-56-ALSO-FOR-MAINLINE-DAPOL-/381239812401?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item58c3a9e131

Can't find my compass (must have left it in UK) but I do have a bar magnet with red and blue ends marked N & S so thats just as good for this job.

 

 

[96RAF]

RAF96,

8th down appears to be a single block! I presume it's a live link so the sequence / order could have changed.

 

 Yes it has its this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEO-MAGNET-FOR-HORNBY-CASTLE-COUNTY-CLASS-56-ALSO-FOR-MAINLINE-DAPOL-/381239812401?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item58c3a9e131

I can't find my compass but I do have a bar magnet with red and blue ends marked N & S so thats just as good for this job.

 

[96RAF]

Reply seems to be playing up making me submit 2 replies as the first one didn't post, even with a page refresh, so I have reported myself to bring it to Adam's attention..

Just replied to another post and that was OK so maybe its the link...

[Chrissaf]

Rob (RAF) I've noticed this behaviour too (i.e even using the page refresh doesn't appear to complete the post) when using the Blue reply button to include a quote. It gives the impression of a lock-up. I have found however, that if instead of using refresh you just use the 'page back' function then go back into the thread, the post has been accepted without the duplication.

Chris

[96RAF]

Arch shaped magnets - now thats interesting (to me anyways) - when tested with a known polarity bar magnet (in lieu of my lost compass) the outside of the arch was opposite pole to the inside of the arch.

One was north at the outside and the other was south.

 I was expecting one end to be N and the other S, same as a horse magnet, which is just bent bar magnet, as I thought these would be.

So I tested a circular magnet and it had 2 norths and 2 souths, 1 of each inside and out diametrically opposite. The notched sides were benign.

[Robespierre]

Not a happy weekend as, the SDJR Jinty had a massive shunt, falling off the dining table and taking the BR push pull coach pack with it. Bent buffer plate on the loco folded back into place but the carriages split into their constituent components, snapping all the fittings. grrrr.

 

Small man now briefed on the emergency stop button.

[2e0dtoeric]

I'm doing nothing to my railway this weekend, because I am busy repairing crash-damage to an r/c model plane that decided to smite the ground very hard, on Sunday!

There is no emergency stop button that would have saved it, even if I could have reached for - and pushed - it, fast enough. I had about half a second between losing control at high speed, and the sudden stop!

Oh what fun!!! 

[Fazy]

Has spent a few hours running in the LMS Flatiron 0-6-4t. Just needs black top coat lining out, numbering, and Chipping. Then onto the MR 2f or the LNWR cauliflower. 

[choralc]

Relaying track using flexitrack and installing drop wires and point motors on 'practice' layout after spray painting foam underlay with car primer.

[choralc]

After fault-finding a short in my DCC bus I am in the process of connecting point motors using Lenz LS150 and R8216 accessory decoders.

[The son of Triangman]

Chipping an R.066 Duchess ot Sutherland and R.357 Duke of Sutherland, making some more of my working buffer stop lamps for the R.083 and R.394 buffer stops, Stripping some weathering paint on a R.214 Hopper wagon and looking around a fair for the front bogie for a Tri-ang Baltic tank engine.