Hellier Train Care

Though I havn't actually installed them yet I thought it may be worth doing a little update on my route indicator circuits since last time I photographed it, it has been slimmed down and it has also been suggested to me to upload a copy of the circuit diagram, so here goes. Circuit Diagram from RMweb for point indicator diagram using frog polarity Track side of Tripad Board Component side of Tripad board The main difference between these and my early prototype is that I've slimmed it down into 3 rows instead of 4 and the wires are now fed through the holes in the board to be soldered on the copper clad side. On all of the boards I made up, I also got into the habit of using a digital multimeter to ensure that power flowed through each part of the circuit as it should. I am at this point considering buying the required components to make more and perhaps sell them as well, but this depends if anyone would be interested in buying them.

So for some time I've been trying to come up with a simple way of indicating what direction a point is set too without too much trouble, fortunately I cam across  this post  on rmweb regarding using bi-color leds with electrofrog points. Now the idea stayed floating in my head for some time, given that I had tried it with individual leds first but it wasn't quite something I was happy with. Though as mentioned as I came across the post I decided to give it a go so I got all the items I needed from maplins. Those being a breadboard, leds (bi-color type) resistors, tripad board, the diodes I already had from another project. How the circuit appears on a breadboard Then The process begins of putting it on a tripad board (like stripboard but each each track is separated into 3 holes) Copper Track Side of circuit board Component Side of circuit board. Now you may have noticed there's no led on the finished board...

For some time I have been hunting for a decently priced display cabinet for my locomotives to be displayed in. Some luck came when I came across one for £29.99 in Lidls, and that is the one shown above, and for the price, it is quite sturdy and well constructed and as such is good for displaying my fleet of locomotives which are as following (from top to bottom and left to right) Hornby Taunton Castle from Date with The Duchy Set Bachmann Class 20 BR Green Sound Heljan Class 33 EWS Hornby Class 142 Pacer Great Western Hornby 1400 (number 4819) GWR Bachmann Tornado Bachmann Class 170 in SWT Bachmann Class 24 br Green Sound and finally Hornby Class 56 in EWS. They all get used and unless they are a multiple unit (IE Class 142 and 170) usually end up being run with a specific set of coaches or wagons, though it is not uncommon to have one set of wagons or coaches for 2 or 3 locomotives, that is untill I procure some rolling stock for the specific locomotive. One other thin...

Finally, after much deliberation, I have come up with a name for my railway. The idea came to me at work while talking with one the volunteers we have helping out. So after a bit of fiddling I finally came upon the name for the railway. From this day forth, it shall be the unknown railway no more, It's name will be the Deltrats Line (and yes that's startled in reverse which is how I felt when I started it all).

Quick update first regarding my last post. The problem regarding the track constantly needing cleaning is solved (amazing how a plug not fully connected can affect the running of a layout). So onto the main subject of the post. I have got myself an Autocoach and B set Coach to run behind my 14XX, a few things are needed to be done. First step in a lot of coach rebuilds/repairs is to completely disassemble said coach. Autocoach Fully Disassembled,  front shows both bogies and broken under frame detailing. Middle shows base and weight for coach. Back is clearly the coach and roof is removed and loosely placed back on top First things I plan to do is re-wheel the bogies with metal wheels (which is why they are currently missing), repair the broken part of the under-frame. I will also look at weathering the under-frame and the bottom of the coach. Finally I will add detail to the inner of the coach, added painted seats and passengers. Once fini...

  Well, the ballasting is now more or less complete (places that don't have it at the moment, probably won't ever have it) There's a few problems yet to be solved (such as why after 12 hours a clean track need cleaning to allow you to run anything).  As you may be able to guess I am now starting on the landscaping of my layout, as with everything it will be modular  I glue triangles or card to what will be the inner tracks tunnel wall which will help reinforce the roof when fully assembled. The tunnel mouth is next, where I take a series of measurements from the track and loco heights to craft a twin track tunnel mouth wide enough for two passenger trains to happily go through. Although not pictured I have put reinforcements on the top of the tunnel mouth for the tunnel roof, I have also put extra reinforcements on one edge of the tunnel wall to allow me to link the mouth and wall together. Not quite sure how I will finish the tunnel mouth ...

Since my last post, I've fitted a DCC chip to the 14xx (quite simple and apologies for not adding pictures). However as it's my shortest loco I've found it having issues going over the pointwork on the inner track, such as stalling when on the point blades between the main rails and the electro frogs, after a bit of testing and installing extra wire at the toes of the points I've found that what is causing the problem. It would seem that for some reason the point blades on the inner loop isn't picking up power off the main rails as they do on the outer loop, to bypass this I'll add extra droppers into the point as shown in the image below.  In the image the red rails are fed from the red wire of the dcc bus and the black from the black wire of the dcc bus, the blue section is fed from the point motor to switch the polarity depending on the position of the blades. The additional wires to add extra power to the points will be added where the small circles ...