TAUNTON TOWN Model Railway Club
You are never too young (or too old) to enjoy model railways
NEWS UPDATE FROM 13.02.10.
WORK is still going on apace the holding roads are all most ready to go full operational with led indication being installed .
Test running has been very good and most of the little problems have been fixed The membership are all enjoying the test running with and without a program.
26 March update ( see also at the foot of this page ).
Due to a mistake wityh the power supply this addition has been delayed but we are now going forward again the first 4 roads are working well thanks to KEN and STEVE. this work will go on to compleation.
For me it is very good to have Steve back in the team
PEN HILL PANEL & AREA REBUILD
DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
In order for the control panel to meet the requirements of controlling the section of the layout at Pen Hill station, including interlinking with the other two stations (Yeovil East - the terminus, and Hendford Halt - the country branch station), and to accommodate the uses necessary - two way running on some lines - the design had to be refined over some time. This has entailed a number of meetings, which are detailed in the next section - Concept meetings.
1st.requirement, was to able to be used and understood by ALL members after a short training
2nd. requirement, to be built on the same format as the Yeovil east panel
3rd. requirement, to fulfill the track operation needs
4th. requirement. to be able to show route indication
5th. requirement, to be able to display which controller has been allocated to control the section.
6th. requirement, to be able to id the loco at stand
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CONCEPT MEETINGS
Of course, there are a number of ways of setting up the control panel and all of its requirements, and these have been discussed by the design team. Uses of different switch arrangements, and the different implications of this on any design and wiring is just one example.
Eventually, the ideas settled on the final design, and it was time to make a number of drawings to look at these, to see if there were any changes necessary even at this stage.
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FINAL APPROVED DRAWING
05.07.09. FINAL APPROVED DRAWING is saved
This leaves the computer at A4 it is then enlarged to Max A3 and then is encapsulated this will be the face of the control panel
The computer drawing has been refined to changed and add to more detail. This process has taken most of today as the program has run out of free test time and will not save, so print at HQ and scan back as a photo and saved.
Information shown on the panel includes Controller number, Section Letter, Road name, Switch numbers, Point numbers and approximate location for the buildings. Route setting is shown by LED's along with Controller id. The storage roads have A & D indication route setting and power on status ( A & D is arrive and depart )
Next step will be to build the mock up panel.
The panel face is now ready for the building teams
UPDATE 13 SEPTEMBER 2009
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PAPER MOCKUP
I will now form a cardboard mock up so that the membership can see in 3d the panel from both sides, and until required all switches will be installed and from this the final wiring layout can be built up on to a computer drawing and from that a wiring schedule can be assembled, the final wiring drawing.Then work can begin.
The two sides of the mockup can be seen, the right being a mirror image of the left. They have been carefully aligned, so that the placing of the switches etc will match. It will now be possible to see if the siting of all the switches etc will work, and if enough space is available between them. If not - new design.
This mockup has proved that it could have worked BUT with the re lay of the track, the panel plan was out of date. The panel was redrawn on the computer the new panel has been sited and is being wired. It should be ready for testing next meeting.
update 09.10.09.
03.11.09 update
The panel is well on the way to allowing locos to move around. It is hoped that todays meeting will conclude stage 1 and we will be able to run trains again through Pen Hill.RETURN TO INDEX
TESTING THE DRAWINGS
After building the mockup it was easy to see that the a3 size was very tight for the wiring at the back and as the EMERGENCY WORKS were having an impact on the layout plan its all change.
The re-lay of the layout has allowed some changes but will make the operation much smoother, so the track plan has changed am I glad that I used the computer. See new plan below (sorry the plan has changed every day this week so the plan will be shown as soon as the track is finalised)
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ADJUSTING COMPUTER Drg.
ADJUSTMENTS have started due to the relaying of the track in the Pen Hill area, the enlargement of the baseboards and the new design of Pen Hill junction with the track re-lay back to Wood Lane. WE must update the approved drawing.
Thank goodness for the computer !
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RECORDING THE BUILD ( FILM )
This will be recorded as photos initially, but some detail will be videos, to be part of a final video to show the gradual development of this project.
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EMERGENCY WORKScompleted at last 04.11.09.
fast links for this page SINCE MY LAST REPORT
STATUS REPORT AND THERES MORE 17.09.09.
AND THERES MORE 18.09.09. AND THERES MORE 19.09.09.
AND THERES MORE 22.09.09. AND THERES MORE WELL JUST A BIT 24.09.09.
AND THERES MORE 25.09.09. AND THERES MORE 28.09.09. there will be by 9.00pm
AND THERES MORE 29.09.09. TO DAY IN THE CLUB ROOM 30.09.09.
Members helping during the day 06.10.09 update 09.10.09
UPDATE 21.10.09. UPDATE 31.10.09. UPDATE 04.11.09.
THE WHAT AND WHY WITH THE WHEN
Well the planned EMERGENCY WORKS were to take up the holding roads add improved support and relay NEW track on Sundeala. Well that was the plan but, all good plans can be improved so we did after taking up the damaged track from the holding roads.
At this point some questions needed to be answered. The first that came up was could we include the proposed Pen Hill junction at the same time - the answer come back yes but we needed to have 2 inches added in the joint with Wood lane baseboard. Once we had made the this leap into the dark well, this was a flood gate opening and very soon the whole of Pen Hill track was removed , existing baseboard topping removed and the new end at east hill was gone!
Ouch! WELL I am pleased to report that the NEW baseboard frames are in place awating the fitting of Sundeala. By the way the layout is now 6 inches longer and 6 inches wider so we will have to tidy up or stay outside !
During the rebuild extra braces have been included the whole layout is far more stable (like a brick whotset).
The extension of time means that we hope to be running within the next three weeks or so NO FURTHER CHANGES WILL BE VOICED by order rule 1.
more news as it happens your crime reporter!
(To see the layout as it is changed got to the Club Room news page)
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SINCE MY LAST REPORT
Work has gone on at a pace and I am pleased to report that the lining paper is down and setting out will be underway and hopefully we will be laying track this Tuesday and testing next week, may be! I am sure that this program of work will make a very large inprovment.
more as it happens YCR.
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STATUS REPORT
AFTER Many hrs of looking laying and relaying there has been some progress as you can see from the pic taken to night after the meeting
More from me as it happens this is your crime reporter
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AND THERES MORE 17.09.09.
I am pleased to report that the Pen hill station and Loco yard are laid and very smoth the next report i hope will be that the branch or the holding roads are compleated but if the 3 way point arrive then the holding will be layed first . More pic with next report.
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AND THERES MORE 18.09.09.
The work goes on a pace 48yds of track laid and lots more togo Plus a tall dark member has spent 10 hrs today working on track finishing some more pic to prove it.
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AND THERES MORE 19.09.09.
As the time is 23 .10 and we have just finished here are some photos to keep you up to date.
EAST HILL END WEST Hill end
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AND THERES MORE 22.09.09.
ALL HANDS TO THE PUMP WORK goes on at a good pace
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AND THERES MORE WELL JUST A BIT 24.09.09.
Today has seen some more progess with the start of the wiring all main sections have been layed in and should be soldered to the track some time Friday all being well. sorry no report yesterday as the whole day working out the wiring plan so now it onwards and upwards. My target is to test some of the new track Tuesday. more with pic about 9.30 friday night
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AND THERES MORE 25.09.09.
sorry no pic but SECTION testing is going well
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AND THERES MORE 28.09.09.
After a full day progress it's going well. Pen Hill area is almost wired and with a helping hand from Larry the holding roads are ready to be tested. However it is not worth taking pic as we have all seen a pile of wire before. The next area is to make the control panel the design has been changed 4 times since the rebuild of the layout but its all good fun! Hope the printers can print it for us tomorrow. I will report more as it happens YCR.
TODAY IN THE CLUB ROOM 30.09.09.
Today has seen another milestone passed. The point motor wiring for the Holding Road area, were put in and are ready to instal the motors (slow action for the 3 ways and Peco for the rest.)
It was pleasing to welcome Keith back into the club room as he made it possible for the numbers of wires to be layed in.
Some work on the new platform has been done today - thanks go to Keith and Stuart for their time today. I hope to bring some more news tomorrow with a picture to prove the facts. YCR
Another day in the club room
Yet more work has been completed but here are the photos just to prove my claim
See more photos click here
Members helping during the day 06.10.09
Members have given more time to help move the works on. Today has seen many of the point motors wired and some work on the control panel starting to wire the panel to the terminals
So next weeks meeting should see some train testing all being well . Well at 0031 I am off to bed - more news as I can YCR
UPDATE 09.10.09
Members are still giving their time to help keep the job on track .Yesterday 4 members spent many hours working on the Layout.
Most points on the Pen Hill board were wired and the control panel is now being connected. A small test proved the track connections were good - its down to panel wiring today
It is still my target to test run next Club night - more as it happens YCR
UPDATE 21.10.09.
TRACK TESTING started last night and we had 4 locos running at one time on separate sections of track with only a few minor modifications required . I hope to test with a simple program next week
A detailed report will be published on how we did it when it all tested
UPDATE 31.10.09.
Sorry for the delay in reporting to you but, its a case more haste less speed but we are moving forward again .
The main problem came from the board joint between the old and new sections. I used a double sided copperclad strip for this for the first time, so pinned the strip to the edge of the base boards as you do. This all went well the thickness of the strip was as the man said just right sleeper height , so I push on and soldered the rail to the copper clad strip before cutting the rail - all going well, so far so good next. I cut the copperclad and all seemed to be fine - cut the rail tested it for shorts all very good, so I moved on.
Some time later when testing we found that odd thing happened- locos moved without control, & all the operaters said it not ME! The shorts were starting to creep in but not all the time.
During the last Club testing it was asked if a loco could go across the main up and down lines and stop in the new bay - yes why not and try we did.......SHORT.... SHORT...and again when we tested this and that and most things not need to be tested. No still no joy .....then it was time to go home but the problem was still there. The member who asked for that movement was very sorry he had asked . The time was late and I was tired.
The next morning my eyes were giving me pain and were not to clear but I had a plan Oh YES! FIRST start from the new to old joint and work round- there is a major junction just on the new board so here yes I found a short ( well 1 short lenth of track and a point could it be the point ) so I removed the point, that will fix it, BUT NO the short was still there how can 4 inches of track give a short ?.....THINKS....WELL >>>>at this point the brain & I were looking at the board joint.....lets test it again.......SHORT yes but how??? i recut the copperclad between the up and down lines this time to the base board not just the top layer of copperclad THAT must be the answer ..... well NO short still there ... then, you remember that I said that my eyes were not too good.
I ran my finger over the copperclad: I had PINNED it down, well the pin route was through the top layer of copper, through the paxalean and the through the second layer of copper which had not been cut ! REMEMBER a pin is metal, copper is a good conductor and in time the two had to get together. I hope this will help all of you how through that I never do it the other way... well I did OK.
We are now able to complete the test move and the member who asked was the first to see it happen. I hope to report an end to this set of works VERY SOON.
report by YCR ps SOD is my brother and lives here! next report soon or MONDAY
UPDATE 04.11.09.
Today sees a big move forward. Yesterday OPENED Yeovil Pen Hill Station to trains in both directions and we're running freely from Yeovil East .So far only holding road 1 and 5 are working but most are hoped to be working by next meeting. AT last good news to report ycr
UPDATE 26.03.10.
This job has taken more time than i had planed but ALL good plan can changed so during Club Days we will continue the work on this section until we all can turn to the new Yeovil east job