Cowes

Improvements since May1999
The effort of getting the layout ready for its first exhibition in May 1999 quite put me off railway modelling for about 3 months.I did not plan to exhibit the layout for another year, and though I had a list of improvements as long as your arm, there was no hurry to start work on them. Although I was aiming for the Carshalton & Sutton Show in May 2000, a I answered a plea from my local club (Alton Model Railway Group) to show Cowes in February 2000. Though I didn't feel ready, this gave me a staging post.

Alton MRG Show February 2000

The main improvement for this show was the addition of the motorised "gravity shunt". From the outset I had rejected the idea of building the platform roads on a gradient - a sloping layout struck me as a nightmare for shunting, and I opted for a motorised approach, where one of the carriages in each set is motorised. Though this brought with it numerous complications and implications (such as when I get to building Newport, how will I wire it to stop coaching stock running around the station under its own power), I could live with these more easily than the sloping layout.

Essentially, I had to turn part of the layout (I chose only Platform 1) into a cab-controlled sbu-section. As the locomotive runs around the train, the sections on which the passenger coaches sit has to be switched to a second controller. The second controller sits inside one of the buildings on the layout, and the speed control is never altered from its slow setting. The coaches are powered by SPUDS, or more recently, Black Beetles. The latter are more successful, especially as they come in the correct wheelbase, as well as non-powered versions with pick up on all wheels.

I also built a detachable control panel, which will allow the layout to be operated from the front if necessary.

The layout was exhibited without lighting

Other improvements for Februay 2000 included a new O2 (no. 28 Ashey), and a second, motorised, rake of coaches in BR carmine.I also found a supply of small permanent magnets on a nearby trade stand, and started fitting these to the layout for uncoupling purposes during the course of the weekend.

The layout was not really ready for this show, and we suffered a number of failures over the weekend, including an electro magnetic uncoupler which stuck in the "on" position for an hour or so, but avoided detection for a long time, and nearly set fire to the layout!

Carshalton and Sutton Exhibition, May 2000

A number of scenic additions, including lamposts, telegraph poles, but the most significant additions were the new lighting rig and sound effects.

The first lighting gantry (abandoned at the exhbition in May 1999) had been a disappointment. Being supported from the back, it began to sag during the course of the weekend. The new one was mounted on poles on the front of the layout, and I was surprised by how little they impinged on the view of the layout.

Sound effects were provided through .wav files on a laptop PC, playing through speakers crudely fixed on top of the lighting gantry. We also operated a 30 minute sequence, with recorded commentary. It was noticeable how the commentary, but especially the sound effects, drew spectators to the layout. Even though the sound effects (taken from an IOW CD) were not synchronised with the movements, the effect was created. The sound of a panting Westinghouse brought a smile to many faces!

Romford, November 2000

Improvements for this show include an automated stop for the gravity shunt (using an IRDOT detector), operating signals (powered by servo motors), speakers built into the lighting gantry, edited sound effects, and a new rake of coaches in BR green, 2 SECR coaches and one LBSCR.

The automated stop for the gravity shunt is one less thing for the operator to think about, and therefore a "good thing". The IRDOT detects when the coaches have arrived at the end of the platform, and cuts the power, but only from the second controller. The first controller still operates the steam loco running around the train.

The operating signals use a system built by Bryan Knight (of RBK Electronics), based on an idea I described to him having seen the ECM sempahore signals working at an exhibition. For Cowes, he has configured them so that only one arm can be pulled off at a time, and only if the correct road is set. Eventually, I will wire in an IRDOT at the Station throat to return the signals to danger when the train has passed. There is a tiny amount of "bounce" programmed into the servos for when the signal returns to danger.

For the sound system, I dismantled the speakers used in May 2000, and have mounted the separate components (transformer, circuit board and speaker cones) on the lighting gantry. This is neater, and one less item to worry about when packing or unpacking the layout. One cable is all that is needed to be fitted, from the gantry to the laptop PC. I have also been editing down the sound effects to provide short 20-30 second sequences, which can be made to fit the action. Between trains, there are some seagulls, provided by Colin Duff.

The new rake of coaches is a 3 car set in BR green, made up of 2 SECR coaches and one LBSCR. The LBSCR brake is based on the good old Ratio Midland Suburbans, but has been lengthened, and straight ends, rather than bowed ends, fitted, so that it resembles an LBSCR 7 compartment brake. The SECR coaches are modified from old Grafar Midland suburbans (c1978). The roof profile was achieved by using aluminium Mk1 rooves, pressed down to a flatter, SECR profile. The brake coach has been motorised with a Black Beetle. Unfortunately, the deliberate mistake I made was to build the set in such a way that it will only work on Cowes the wrong way round (i.e. SECR brake towards the buffers). Doh!!

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