Hello everybody - Corky is back...Oh My Lords! I had hoped to publish this last blog update of the year before Christmas but events overtook me yet again and I ran out of time. I hope everyone had a fantastic festive season and all is well with you all - even if you now have to loosen your belt as a consequence of one too many mince pies! This update will show my continuing progress with the helix, detail the latest arrivals on the Corkscrew-Lines and outline my thinking regarding targets and goals for next year. I hope you enjoy it - here we go...
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| A slightly deranged looking Corky is about to solder his fingers...again! |
Helix Progress
I have now settled into a regular and easy routine with regard to adding new turns to the helix. I spend about an hour a day completing each of the stages required to complete each turn and so far I have managed to add almost 3 complete loops. There are numerous stages to the system I have chosen but none are difficult and after a stressful day at work I find it quite therapeutic to perhaps be laying another few feet of track or painting the wiring or preparing the threaded rods for the next level. You can see from the shots below that the helix is starting to grow taller almost by the day. It was possible a month ago to easily step over the woodwork and into the centre but not now. It was nice while it lasted but I now have to get down onto the floor and wriggle my way - it has to be said, in a most undignified fashion, into the centre of the beast. The combination of a wide access opening and a smooth laminated floor means it is a quick and simple process and completely worth the effort to see the turns continue to be added at such a fast rate.
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| A couple of weeks ago this was the scene with 2 turns added. |
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| Tin-Tastic - Dreadful! |
The electrics are being added as I discussed last time with easy access to the wiring on the top of the boards from inside the helix. My soldering skills seem to be improving too. Although they don't look that great, the joins between feeders and the DCC Bus wires are becoming faster and stronger which bodes well for the main layout where I may actually be able to produce a neat and unobtrusive soldered joint when it actually counts. Painting the wiring matt black certainly distracts the eye from the spaghetti looping around with the track. The helix is never going to be a thing of great beauty but I am happy that it is thankfully also not proving to be an eyesore and boxing in and painting the base seem to be good decisions.
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| Track feeds from the main DCC Bus prior to painting. Powerbase fitted under the climbing grade. |
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| Painted wiring in cruel close up |
I suppose potentially there may be some of you out there - scattered among the real world of rational, normal souls, who may also be contemplating constructing something similar to my helix for their own model railway. Surely I cannot be the only delusional fool building such an extreme contraption? If you are seriously considering following in my footsteps then the following data may be of some interest;
Helix track radius (inner and outer tracks) - 29" & 32"
Helix Grade - 1.5%
Height separation distance between turns - 3.5"
Track laid per complete turn of double track - 16ft up & 16ft down
Those who have followed the Corkscrew-Lines from the beginning will realise I absolutely love the entire process of designing and constructing the helix and finding solutions to any problems along the way. This is the second helix I have attempted and all of the lessons learnt on the first have now been incorporated into this version. As long as you plan ahead and do your homework regarding grades, heights and track radius then I honestly believe anybody could construct a helix. Adding Powerbase by DCC Concepts has proven to be very straightforward and I am hopeful that if my early tests prove to be consistently reliable then I can now almost double the length of any train climbing the grade. Small steam locos with limited traction benefit the most and can now tackle the grade without slipping.
Incidentally, you may have noticed the addition of a pair of floor standing lamps in the Helix-House. The solar powered lights already fitted to the ceiling in the room are excellent and a fantastic long term solution for when access to the room will be infrequent and brief. Right now however during this season of limited daylight, I am finding the batteries in the solar lights are only able to hold a charge for perhaps an hour or two without plunging the room into total darkness. Not ideal conditions for accurate track laying! As a short term solution I recently purchased a pair of cool white LED floor standing lamps in a rather racy shade of senior citizen beige to provide all the additional lighting I need. They were an absolute bargain at only £35.00 each from my friends at Amazon and when I no longer need them in the Helix-House they will be taken to the Ned-Cave to provide illumination to the spray booth - Dreadful!
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| Late night track laying action is now possible - Dreadful! |
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| Excellent flexible lamps were a shrewd buy. |
The Corkscrew-Lines is proving to be an expensive hobby right now as you would expect when a project of this size is in the early construction phase. One area where I have been able to make significant savings is by reusing all of the Peco Streamline code 75 flexi-track that was lifted from the original helix. Approximately 100 yards was successfully lifted by using a steam cleaner to dissolve the Copydex adhesive - see update No.47 for full details. The large box full of reclaimed track has now been opened and I am working my way through it with indecent haste! Most of the yard lengths are in as new condition and are now being installed on a helix for the second time.
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| Approximately 100 yards of Peco Streamline Code 75 ready to lay again. |
Latest arrivals on the Corkscrew-Lines
In the last update I mentioned that the brand new model of the class 73 Electro-Diesel by Dapol was expected here at Jones-Towers and I am pleased to confirm that this has now indeed occurred. The first of 3 locos arrived a few weeks ago and it is a wonderful model to behold and I personally think it completely captures the rather boxy and austere look of the prototype to perfection. On DC control on the test track the model proved to be very smooth and quiet and mechanically a huge step forward from the previous Lima and Hornby Railroad versions.
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| The frustrating Dapol Class 73 |
However, I am unfortunately unable to be positive about everything with regard to the ED. Regrettably not everything about the model is a step in the right direction. It pains me to criticise a model manufacturer because generally I am very satisfied and happy with the new models which are now routinely produced by the likes of Hornby, Bachmann and Heljan. The improvements in detail, finish and in particular the advances made with regard to lighting, electronics and provision for DCC control are all very welcome and now regarded as basic specification features on new releases. Unfortunately Dapol have in my opinion seriously let down modellers by releasing this model prematurely with too many serious flaws - something which is all the more galling when you consider just how many years we have been waiting for it to be released.
The first major concern is wiring the loco so the cab lights (which as usual are far too bright) cannot be switched off. The loco can only run with both cabs fully illuminated which is worse than having no interior cab lights at all. Train drivers do not travel on the main line with the cabs permanently lit - I should know! This is a ridiculous situation considering switchable cab lights have been available on models for years now - Dapol...what were you thinking? Even on DCC they remain permanently lit - so frustrating.
But even worse, and I don't think I am being unreasonable or exaggerating, is the error that has been made with regard to the PCB on the loco which as installed from the factory cannot correctly implement DCC control. I have not yet attempted to fit a decoder in the loco but it has come to light via the internet forums that the DCC interface is incorrect and a DCC chip cannot be fitted correctly. Chips need to be inserted upside down and then various CVs need to be changed just to get the loco lights to work in the right direction. The original specification for this model placed great emphasis on the inclusion of a state of the art DCC control board and chip interface and realistic lighting functions - seriously... come on Dapol. How have you allowed a model to come to market which needs to be attacked with a soldering iron before the lights will work correctly? You have produced wonderful models previously which had none of these flaws and issues so why was this mistake not picked up during quality control checks?
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| The latest Dapol arrivals. |
Luckily for me it seems my green liveried example is painted in accurate colour shades (or at least not too far removed from the prototype) and there is nothing obviously wrong with the external appearance of the loco. However, if you want a BR blue liveried example or an Inter-City or Dutch version then the shades used are all wrong and in some cases a completely different colour to that used on the prototype has been chosen! Oh dear! - how difficult can it be to produce the correct shade of BR blue when you did it with the Western model only a couple of years ago? When my model has been weathered and toned down then the variation in shades of green used by manufacturers should become less obvious and no longer a problem.
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| Excellent detailing but what about the colour? |
I am not sure what to do with this model. I should really return it because technically it is not fit for purpose. However, it looks great and various people who know far more about electronics than myself have already found ways to put things right with a soldering iron and no doubt I will follow suit. I will let you know what I decide to do but I don't think there is any doubt this has been a total fiasco from Dapol and to be honest I will now think twice before proceeding to order anything else from them. With another two locos due to arrive imminently I am hopeful perhaps amendments and corrections have been made on the next batch. The whole experience has been one of totally unnecessary frustration by deciding to allow the release of a model into the market which was obviously seriously flawed and not quite ready. Let's hope Dapol put things right and offer modellers a means of correcting their models without undue hassle.
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| As it was on the Southern Region in the 1960s |
I really don't like to rant on this blog and I hope you will agree I normally have quite a positive and enthusiastic attitude when it comes to new loco releases. So let's be delighted and impressed again now with my other new diesel arrival this month - the extraordinary SLW Sulzer type 2 or class 24. Wow! This model goes a long way to redress the balance...
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| The bar for British RTR diesels has just been significantly raised |
Having been a previous customer of Rail Exclusive I was offered the opportunity of being one of the first people in the country to purchase an example of this brand new model from a brand new manufacturer - Sutton's Locomotive Workshop. There are far too many extraordinary things about this model to list here and I have no doubt the model railway magazines will include full gushing details of the model in their next editions. Suffice to say this is the best model locomotive I have ever owned by a country mile. My model came supplied with DCC Sound and once again this feature alone, using multiple state of the art mobile phone speakers, blows every other sound fitted model I own out of the water. Actually, thinking about it - you shouldn't place any sound fitted loco in water - Dreadful!
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| Packaging from SLW is impressive and works well |
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| Beautiful storage tin includes full model details and loco history on the base |
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| The best packaging for any model I have ever owned |
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| Plastic desktop display case and assorted bags of accessories |
Next year I will be once again producing some videos of action and progress on the Corkscrew-Lines and this little critter will be featuring heavily. In a world of compromises and the "that'll do" mentality this model is a breath of fresh air and whilst certainly not cheap, I think it is actually excellent value for money. By rights I don't actually need a class 24 and I wouldn't normally go for a loco without a small yellow panel but once I found out about this model and saw it via the SLW website I just had to have it. This model shows how it can and should be done - please take note Dapol! The detailing is sublime and the implementation of the lighting and the DCC control has certainly raised the bar. If sales go well then SLW will be following up this release with variations - presumably other class 24 versions and one would expect a class 25 in the future. I hope SLW becomes a major player because everybody else will need to pull their socks up and that can only benefit Cranks like me...Dreadful!
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| Extraordinary detail and perfectly captured profile |
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| If only all models were this well detailed |
The problem with placing pre-orders for models is you really have no idea when they will actually be released. For the last few years I have carefully surveyed the manufacturers catalogues and then chosen the models I would like for the layout and pre-ordered them hoping that when they eventually materialise there will be an even spread of releases and funds can be allocated at regular intervals. How naive am I? Approximately 50% of all the models I have had on my long term pre-order list have arrived in the last couple of months - ouch! My wallet has conceded defeat and is waving a white flag! Thankfully the vast majority of this years announcements at the Warley show don't really fit in with my era or area so apart from some wagons - Heljan Type-B tanks and possibly a Janus diesel shunter from Oxford-Rail there are no additions to the pre-order list. The jury is still out on the Locomotion Models/Rapido prototype HST. It'll be a seriously impressive piece of kit but it is out of era for me. Mind you so was the APT-E and that didn't stop me. We'll see!
To illustrate the previous point, Hornby have just released a batch of Bullied Pacific locos, some of which have been outstanding for at least a couple of years. Just a few days ago I received a "spam-can" and a rebuilt model of a pair of rather magnificent West Country class locos. The photos of "Bude" and "Okehampton" probably won't do them full justice because despite the relatively long time these models have been in production, I still think these Hornby versions of the light Pacific's are some of the best steam loco models available. These will almost certainly be my last large Southern steam loco purchases because I now have a large enough stud of locos for the Corkscrew-Lines. It has certainly proven to be a very expensive period on the locomotive purchasing front and I am very pleased I worked some overtime and Sundays this month to cover the costs...as is Mrs Corky it has to be said!
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| Spam-can power |
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| Magnificent models which run beautifully straight from the box |
"And now for something completely different"... A few weeks ago I
received a package from Key Publishing which contained a pair of BR Brake
Tenders. These are the Dapol models
which were commissioned by Hornby Magazine.
For those that don't know, these peculiar creations were an attempt by
BR to give unfitted freight trains some additional brake force during the early
diesel years. The lightweight diesels
struggled to get unbraked freight trains under control and the addition of a
brake tender increased the trains brake force.
These interesting models will certainly add to the fun when running
rakes of mineral wagons with small diesels and can be positioned either ahead
of the loco or behind depending on which region is running them...the Southern
specified the tender should normally be tucked in behind the loco. As with all of my rolling stock, they will
need to be heavily weathered and the couplings changed to Kadee types.
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| Unusual and very welcome additions to the fleet |
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| Loco lamps are especially well done |
Some more model vehicle arrivals from the prodigious Oxford Diecast have arrived on the layout. The Ford Thames is a particular favourite and I can see a lot of these appearing on the layout in all sorts of liveries and colours.
The helix contains a huge amount of track. In fact, there will be far more track within
the helix than there will be on the scenic sections of the layout. This is one of the compromises you have to
accept when constructing a multi-level layout with a helix at its core. I have attempted to make the helix as
reliable and problem free as possible.
The grades are comparatively gentle, the DCC Concepts Powerbase system
means smaller locos will no longer struggle and I have eliminated all
point-work and crossings from the Helix-House. To aid reliable running, one thing that cannot be overlooked is the rather mundane task of cleaning the track. To ensure the rails are as clean and
conductive as possible I have purchased a bottle of Track-Magic which has
received rave reviews in the model railway press. I am hopeful regular use of this cleaning
agent will allow me to stretch the cleaning routine and maintain smooth
running. The separation distance between
the helix turns allows sufficient room to get in and clean the track so fingers
crossed it won't be too big a chore.
Roll on battery powered locos with no need for track electrics at all!
So far with the construction of the Corkscrew-Lines mk2 I have been using
DC control to check the layout electrics and wiring are working correctly. The ultimate goal has been to reach a stage
where I have a sufficiently long mainline run that I can make the switch to
pure DCC control. As I have been
exclusively concentrating on constructing the helix so far I have had simple up
and down lines to wire and DC control has been fine for the odd spot of loco
running and testing. However, once I
start laying tracks in the Lower Yard area then the low level return loop which
sits at the bottom of the helix will need to be connected to the yard and that
will incorporate a DCC controlled polarity changing module to deal with the
switch of power that results from a return loop. Therefore, the switch to DCC is imminent.
A few days ago my good friend and Corkette, Posh Colin, paid a visit and
enthusiastically (yes really - he likes this kind of stuff!) dusted down and connected
up the mothballed Roco Z21 kit. After a
few false starts due to the sometimes inscrutable nature of communication
between mobile phones and the router, we had a connected wireless signal
between the command centre and 4 separate mobile devices. I busied myself filling the room with the
sounds of a class 37 and a 40 while Colin fevered away with the inadequate
handbook for the system. He quite
rightly pointed out that I was not helping much and I should keep quiet or do
something more constructive like make a mug of tea! Well it is a well know fact that any model
railway issue or problem can always be eased or solved with the application of
a mug of tea - so off I went to fill the kettle - Dreadful!
Thank you Colin for all of your help and assistance in rigging up the
temporary DCC system which currently sits on a makeshift shelf whilst awaiting
a permanent home away from the mess and dangers of layout construction. I am toying with the idea of housing the
system in the Helix-House and therefore away from the main layout. This needs much more thought because with a
layout of this size I will also require multiple DCC Boosters in the future so
locations and power supply issues need to be considered properly. Anyway, for now, DCC sound equipped locos can
once again be heard on the Corkscrew-Lines and visiting Corkettes will now be able
to control the layout via their Smartphone’s or can be supplied with a tablet
or old Smartphone of mine - Hellfire!
Having a flexible and easy to use DCC control system is an essential
requirement for a layout like the Corkscrew-Lines because it is at it's heart an operator’s layout. It is designed to allow multiple trains to
run simultaneously over long distances and it was so obvious during the
previous CLAG days on the mk1 version of the layout - CLAG of course meaning
"Corkscrew-Lines Alternative Gala", that a simple and logical means
of allowing visitors to jump in and control trains is a must. There will be the first CLAG day on the mk2
version of the layout later this year and I am determined to completely master
the Roco Z21 system and understand all its little idiosyncrasies and quirks...no doubt with assistance from Posh Colin. Thanks again Colin - you are an absolute star.
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| Temporary home for the newly resurrected DCC system |
The Next Large Project - Lower Yard
Progress with the helix has exceeded my expectations. I am happy with the system and confident it will work well. So what is the next construction challenge for the Corkscrew-Lines? It has to be the Lower Yard on level 1 of the layout. This will be the area where all of the trains are shunted, stored, re-marshalled or loco changed and it will be the area where for the first few years of the layout most of the action takes place. From the moment the tracks leave the Helix House and enter the yard area I want to ensure that no space is wasted when it comes to the efficient handling of trains. I have many competing ideas and options in my head right now but I do seem to be favouring an idea with a long 6 track through yard which could potentially hold two complete trains per road. This would sit partially under another 6 track dead end storage yard for ECS. The higher yard would be accessed via a grade from the mainline and would hold the less frequently used rakes such as Pullmans or inter-regional workings. Flying over the top of both storage areas would be the branch line which runs around all of level 1 linking the scattered scenic areas with the basic and purely functional zones. I think a full description of the ideas and reasoning behind the Lower Yard can wait for the next update but for now I have included some shots of the area in question with some spare Peco track used to just mock-up some ideas.
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| Lower Yard baseboard on the right with Helix-House beyond |
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| Lower Yard on left and Peninsula boards to the right. |
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| Main lines to the fore with through yard behind and ECS sidings above |
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| Flying branch line ideas. The Lower Yard will not be a scenic area |
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| Through Yard tracks are partially hidden but all points are exposed for access |
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| Through Yard tracks are partially hidden but all points are exposed for access |
Full Sized Adventures
Back in 2010 I visited the delightful market town of Okehampton in Devon. This was of course a town on the
ex-LSWR route from Waterloo to Plymouth and the original station still remains and has
been fully restored. I spent a couple of
hours wandering around enjoying the Southern atmosphere and taking photos of the
magnificent goods shed and the wonderful "iceberg" signal box which
has probably only a third of its total height visible from the platform. I drew enormous inspiration from the location
and I will no doubt be incorporating various elements of the station area and buildings into the Corkscrew-Lines
where I can. When Hornby announced the
West Country class Bullied Pacific named after the town I knew I had to have
one. The recent arrival of the model
locomotive prompted me to find the images of the station and I thought I would
share a few with you here.
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| Wonderful Southern atmosphere |
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| I love the Signal Box design |
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| Oh No! Some bald Ned has got in on the shot! - Hellfire! |
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| Now that's what you call a Goods Shed - Dreadful! |
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| Original tracks remain in the roadway |
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| FGW skid training using a 143 unit - Oh Dear! |
Looking Backwards and Forwards
It has been a remarkable year for the Corkscrew-Lines. There may not be as much track laid as I had
hoped for this time last year, but the full conversion of a double garage and
then the planning and construction of a separate Helix-House have taken up so
much time that it is a wonder there is any track laid at all. I have to conclude that 2015 was the year for
establishing the correct environment and infrastructure for the layout. This included the building works, planning
and installing the new steel shelving system for baseboard support and the
design and commencement of the helix.
With all of this foundation work completed I am confident that from this
point on it is all pure layout construction.
So what objectives will I be setting myself for 2016? I have produced a list of the projects and
stages I would like to complete next year and given good health and good luck I
think they are achievable. In fact, I
have even added some bonus objectives that would speed up the whole
Corkscrew-Lines project if I can manage to find the time to complete them next
year. I will probably regret publishing
this list if I have obviously fallen short at the end of the year but it should
also provide an added personal incentive to keep me focused and to keep me
going...
KEY OBJECTIVES FOR 2016
1 - Complete all of the lower section of the helix linking level 1 with
level 2. This is to include the tracks
leading onto level 2 - Southern Region Scenic level.
2 - Find a permanent home for the DCC system components and begin full
running on DCC power. This will include
a full comprehension of the DCC systems capabilities and a rolling program of
loco conversions to DCC power.
3 - Complete the mainline trackage on level 1 of the layout between the
return loop and the approach to the helix to include Lower Yard and all planned
storage sidings for stock.
4 - Design, test, construct and install a swinging bridge section to allow
track to cross the doorway into the garage.
This will be a multiple level bridge which swings in one smooth movement
and positively locks when closed. This
is the major construction headache for 2016.
5 - Lower Yard to be completed in full allowing for marshalling and storage
of at least 12 complete trains with additional capacity for loco changes.
6 - Complete a small ex LSWR country terminus station "Shinbash"
to be incorporated into Level 1 of the layout.
This is to be fully scenic and to be a self contained mini layout within
the main layout to test scenic construction techniques and ideas and to allow
visiting Corkettes to "play"
7 - Install a multi camera CCTV system including a flat screen TV into the
Garage section of the Corkscrew-Lines to allow remote monitoring of the
progress of trains on the helix. This
will be incorporated into the end wall of the peninsula section of the layout
at the stage when visibility into the Helix-House becomes restricted due to
layout progress.
8 - Create a full and accurate layout plan for level 1 and the Helix-House
so everybody else can share the vision I have for the layout which currently
resides within my head. This will be
added to the appropriate section of the blog.
9 - Reintroduce the "Corkscrew-Lines Totaliser" to chart track
laying progress on the layout. This will
be incorporated into the monthly blog updates and will include statistics on
track, stations, freight facilities, point motors etc.
10 - Drink gallons of tea, enjoy constructing the layout and invite as many
Corkettes to visit as I can to enjoy all the fun. Arrange the first CLAG day for the
Corkscrew-Lines mk2 - Hellfire!
BONUS OBJECTIVES FOR 2016
1 - Complete all of the middle section of the helix linking level 2 with
level 3. This is to include the tracks
leading onto level 3 - Western Region scenic level.
2 - Complete the Southern Region steam shed scene on level 2 including the
installation of the turntable. This will
be fully scenic and allow storage on the layout of the full steam loco roster.
3 - Fit painted fascia panels to level 1 of the layout and where
appropriate incorporate switch panels for local point work/uncouplers etc.
4 - Fit under baseboard lighting to level 2 baseboards to fully illuminate
level 1 below.
5 - Add video content to the monthly blog updates to demonstrate how the
layout is constructed and how each element is incorporated.
6 - Try to get a full 12 blog updates published in 2016 at roughly monthly
intervals.
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| Corky will be aged 50 in 2016. Don't be surprised if one of these beasties arrives on the Corkscrew-Lines next November. Well they are 1960s locos so will fit my era (if not my region!) I love this recent scan of 50 030 at Reading taken on the 26th November 1982 - Happy Days! |
Happy New Year!
So there you have it - the final update for 2015 - I hope you enjoyed it. I would like to thank all of you for taking an interest in this project and for all of the support you have provided during the last year. Next year will be exciting with loads of interesting challenges and conundrums to solve no doubt. I hope you'll stay with me for the ride.
Happy New Year to you all.
That's all for now folks...
Corky!
