Wiring

A short preamble - I really don't like doing wiring.  It scares me.  Which is daft, as I've a Physics A-level, and I've re-wired an entire house before, so I should be comfortable about where the pluses and the minuses have to go.  But for some reason whenever it comes to wiring for models I have a mental block...

You may recall that it was quite a while ago that I finished track-laying on my "demo board" - this will be both a test track for my own use, and also a way of showing those interested in P4 modelling the different types of track that are available.  A while ago I fitted the power feeds to the tracks, and was able to get something running.  The next step is to fit the point motors and the uncoupling magnets.

First of all, an overview of the track-plan, drawn out in permanent marker on the top surface of the board.   Push-button switches have been fitted through drilled holes to provide the ability to just press switches along a route.  I thought that this would be easier, particularly for others that may have a play with it, than a more prototypical lever frame.  The rotary switch in the top corner is for selecting the power supply for each of the three roads.

And this is what it looks like underneath.  There are two separate power inputs - I wanted to keep the ones for the "trains" and the "track" separate.  At the moment the intention is to run this as DC, but I suppose that there is no reason why it wouldn't work equally well for DCC train control in future, if I decide to change.

At the bottom, the rotary switch feeds the three lines of track.  And at the top, the new wiring that I am now putting in.  The bus-bar has the feeds to the positive side of all of the switches soldered to it already.  The red wires are to the point motor switches; the pink ones to the uncoupling magnets.  It's probably an unnecessary distinction, but I can do it, so I did...

 

The track plan drawn on the underneath of the board helps me identify what is what - a tip picked up from somewhere on RMWeb I think, where it was used for a 2FS layout.  It's better if you use Templot to make it look smarter, but I ain't  that clever :-(

The next step is to install the point motors themselves.  For these, I'll be using functional tie-bars beneath the baseboard, and operating the point blades by means of wire running up through small holes.  This is the batch of  tie-bars being made out of copperclad strip.

So maybe I'll try fitting one of these tonight...

Flymo

Bl**dy computers...

Just a quick apology if I've missed anyone's vital news...

I rely on an RSS feed to tell me when a new post has been made on a blog.  It seems that at some point in the last couple of months, one of the automatic updates to Blogspot/Windows/Antivirus/whatever turned off all the alerts for me :-(

And I was just thinking that it was because everyone was busy, and quiet...

Flymo

To complete the set...

This morning I popped a set of pickups on the Y14...

Well, actually I started the process last night by cutting and shaping a length of copperclad sleeper (I knew that the remains of those EM gauge points that I built when I was sixteen would one day come in useful...) so that it fitted between the frames.  I'm always doubly cautious and cut an over-generous gap.  It doesn't do any harm and means that there should be absolutely no chance of a short.

Here they are laid out in the correct order to be fitted.

Then they were fixed using two-part epoxy, and left to set solidly in position overnight.  This is the time that you don't want the modelling pixies to come along and give them a gentle nudge whilst you're sleeping!

Then finally a wipe over with some solder to tin the copper-clad (being very careful to get absolutely no flux on the steel tyres!) and fix the pickups in place.

For this locomotive I'm going to wait until the body is fully painted before wiring up the motor.  The reason for that is that I want to be very certain of the path of the wires before I solder them in place.  I will have to route them up the sides of the gearbox and along the top of the motor, before turning them back to the contacts.

So that can wait until I can handle the whole thing as a single unit.

Flymo

Getting things moving

As a change from the painting, yesterday I decided to stop dithering and see if I could get the tram engine actually moving under its own power...

I had already glued in place some gapped copperclad board and given it a coating of solder to ensure that the subsequent work took well to it.  This is the preparation underneath the chassis, and also shows the amount of space that I have to work with.

As a reminder, the gearbox is one of the slimline High Level models which is articulated so that it fits underneath the boiler.  It is the 1:108 ratio (I think!) to ensure that the tram can creep along at an appropriately slow pace.  You can also see the guitar strings in place from the CSB suspension arrangement.

These are the pickups themselves.  Made by twisting  phosphor bronze wire (in straight packs from Eileen's Emporium, rather than battle with coils of the stuff) around a 2mm wagon axle with a slot cut in the end.  Inspiration from Morgan Gilbert in the thread here (look a third of the way down...)

 And these are them in place.  The gearbox limited the amount of space that I had available for one pair, but there is still enough flexibility for them to cope with the suspension movement.  As the tram wears skirts, I didn't have to worry about the ends of the wires being visible next to the tyres.

This is it completed.  You can see how low in the chassis the motor and gearbox sit.  It's on my short test board.  I hooked up a pentroller to it, turned on the juice, and off it went :-)

It can do with a little lubrication, and some gentle running in to aid smoothness and reduce motor noise, but it runs!

In this final shot it can just be seen through the door and window when the body is fitted.  This will be covered by the boiler.

Although this works successfully, I'm still not confident or happy with fitting sprung pickups (and this method is the best that I've tried so far) so I'm fairly certain that the next new-build locomotive that I start will be a split-chassis one.

Flymo

More painting...

Someone prodded me a couple of days ago to ask how the tram engine was going. The answer is progressively through the paintshop...

The boiler is from the tram, and the backhead from the Y14. They will both be getting gauges, brasswork and similar picked out on them next.

The tram itself has had another coat of teak basecolour, but then washed over with a Dulux teak effect topcoat. It's shiny, but doesn't give a convincing effect of woodgrain in 4mm.

I don't want to lose more of the detail by putting another coat of base colour over the top, so will see what can be done with dry brushing and weathering...

Oh, and the tram interior will have to be painted again, as just after I completed that with a "guessed" colour of off-white, I found a reference that the GER painted cab interiors in tan. There are days when I really wish for a GER equivalent of "Great Western Way"!

Through the paintshop

A couple of pictures of the other locomotives currently going through the paintshop.

First, the Y6 tram engine which this morning got the first coat of teak paint on the woodwork.  In my opinion, it's starting to look rather smart.

The teak will get at least another coat of paint before I start thinking about putting the woodgrain on the top of it.  

I also need to think about the colour of the interior.  I haven't found any reference yet to indicate what the colours may be.  I suspect that it would not be teak, as there would be a need for as much light as possible to be reflected into what would be quite a gloomy interior, with all of that boiler taking up space.  I suspect that I'll go for some shade of light stone, cream or ivory white, all with suitable weathering.

And this is the Y14, after three light coats of GER royal blue.  I feel that it's just about ready to start on the detailed paintwork of the areas of black, and then onto the detailing.  I quite like the satin finish, with perhaps a little more shine in the final varnish coat before the weathering goes on.

More to be done this afternoon :-)

Picking things up again...

It's been a while since I've made a post on Beer and Buckjumpers.  For that matter, it's been a while since I've had chance to do any proper modelling.  In the meantime we've decorated our study, and one of the spare rooms at home, so I can't really say that I've been idle.

However this morning I had some peaceful time, and the opportunity to pick up a smaller paintbrush.  I'm pleased to have been able to make some progress towards finishing the Pug.  I was very pleased that it ran successfully on the Pampisford test day back in June (full story here: [click link] on the Scalefour Society Forum) although it's appearance in the rather bright basecoat probably scared the horses!

So this morning I donned the white cotton gloves, and picked up (very well shaken) black paint and a size 1 paintbrush, and started.  I definitely needed the first strong coffee of the day to steady my hand, but the knack soon returned, and I've made a start at blocking in the colours.

What I'm aiming for is the picture in the background...  Much weathering to be added after the initial painting is done!  I've cried off the panelling and reverse corners on the cab for the moment, but they will probably be done next, when I have a little better light - although I see that the sun has just come out :-)

I've also noticed that I've forgotten to add a replacement smokebox door handle.  The original moulded plastic one was carved off.  I'll leave that for the moment, and hopefully remember to put a new turned brass one on when the majority of the painting is completed.