This Blog describes the ongoing development of a 16mm scale 45mm gauge garden railway situated in the North West of England, UK from 2004 to the present day.
Having previously constructed a Manning Wardle 0-6-0 locomotive using a Piko motor block (see How I constructed a Manning Wardle 0-6-0T loco), I decided it was about time I provided her with sound. As with three of my locos, I invested in a MyLocoSound steam soundcard. The more recent Universal card is not only adjusted using an infra red remote control rather than using onboard preset potentiometers, it includes sound effects in addition to the conventional steam whistle. These effects include a guard's whistle, a bell (or short steam whistle), the sound of a safety valve blowing off and an air pump. The effects can be triggered by the remote control or through a receiver and transmitter with the requisite number of spare channels.
Having recently constructed a Deltang Tx20 transmitter (see How I constructed a Deltang Tx20 transmitter kit) which includes two push-buttons to operate Channels 2 and 4, I decided it was worth investigating whether I could use these, together with the bind button and direction switches, to trigger the additional sound effects on the soundcard.
What I wanted was:
To sound the whistle when the bind button was pressed (Ch5 low)
To start and stop the safety valve effect when button 1 was pressed (Ch2 low)
To sound the guard's whistle when button 2 was pressed (Ch4 low)
To sound the bell when the direction switch was flicked left (Ch3 high)
To start and stop the air pump when the direction switch was flicked right (Ch3 low)
A quick consultation of the chart showing the Rx65b's features on the Deltang website .......
Pad 3 gives an output of 0v when Ch2 goes low (ie the button on the Tx is pressed)
Pad 4gives an output of 0v when Ch4 is energised (ie the other button on the Tx is pressed)
Pad 6 gives an output of 3.5v when Ch3 goes low (ie the direction switch on the Tx is flicked down)
Pad 7 gives an output of 3.5v when Ch3 goes high (ie the direction switch is flicked up)
The only problem was that the inputs on the MyLocoSound card are triggered when they are connected to 0v (ie to 'ground' or the negative lead from the battery). This meant that the outputs from Pads 3 and 4 would be fine for triggering the card's inputs, but the outputs from pads 6 and 7 were the inverse of what was needed.
I could have reprogrammed the pads to give 0v outputs (see How to program Deltang receivers), but decided that I would experiment with another way of achieving the same outcome, as I would be posting my findings on this blog and I know many people are daunted by the prospect of programming. Fortunately, I discovered that the output could be inverted using a simple transistor circuit:
After consulting David T at Deltang, who advised me that the circuit would be fine and that I could use the voltage from the input terminal of the soundcard (which is around 5v) provided the 1k resistor was connected between the transistor circuit and the soundcard. He also suggested that all connections between the Rx65 and the soundcard should be protected from the risk of excess current by connecting a 1k resistor between the outputs from the pads and the terminals of the soundcard.
As there were only three components required, I decided to solder them together directly ......
.... and then shroud all the connections in heatshrink sleeving.
The leads from the 10k resistors (on the base leads of the transistors) were then soldered to the pads 6 and 7 of the Rx65, and the emitter leads of the transistors were soldered to two of the negative pads on the Rx65.
The rx with its attached transistors were then shrouded in an additional layer of heatshrink sleeving for added protection.
Flying leads from the 1k resistors (on the collector leads of the
transistors) were then connected to the relevant screw terminals on the
soundcard.
With everything connected, the loco and card were ready for testing. And then the loco was reassembled and ready for test running.
With most aspects of garden railway modelling, there are often many solutions to any given problem. I could have reprogrammed any of the pads on the Rx65 to provide the 0v required, I could have connected a switcher unit to the servo output from pad 10 or I could have even used a completely separate receiver for controlling the soundcard, as I have done on another of my locos (see How I used Deltang receivers to trigger sounds on a Technobots soundcard). There are probably many other solutions, but we all tend to stick with the areas of knowledge with which we feel most comfortable, and as long as it works .....
It has now been nearly two years since I started building and converting locomotives to battery power and radio control and in that time, a lot has happened. I feel it is now about time I presented updated and collated information about developments in the motive power on the railway.
Locomotive No. 1 - "Peckforton" - Peckett 0-4-0
This was constructed from a Garden Railway Specialists kit in 2008 (see How I constructed a Peckett loco). Seven years ago, GRS kits were largely made from preformed Plasticard plus whitemetal fittings. The kits have now improved with fewer cast resin parts in place of the plasticard pieces.
The body was mounted on an LGB 0-4-0 Toytrain chassis which, considering it was secondhand when I bought it, served me well until the start of this year. After converting it to battery power (see below) and radio control, I gave it a load test which it handled well, until it ran into an obstacle on the track. This proved too much for the nylon worm wheels which admitted defeat and stripped themselves of teeth. Fortunately, I had a brand new ToyTrain motor block to hand and this was pressed into service.
She is now powered by three 18650 lithium-ion batteries which are housed in the cab (see Converting a track powered loco to battery power). There would have been sufficient room for them in the saddle tank, but opening-up the tank and removing the lead weights which are firmly glued inside would have required a substantial rebuild.
As Peckforton was my first purpose-built loco for the railway, I am delighted she is now back in service. However, as you can see from the photos, she lacks refinement. I really need to spend some time adding details and I'd like to replace the ToyTrain cylinders and motion with something more prototypical. At present, she does not have a soundcard and, without freeing-up space in the saddle tank, there is very little room left to instal one. However, she runs well and is very responsive to radio control.
I consider her a mixed traffic loco and so hauls passenger and goods trains. In a test run to answer an enquiry on the Garden Rails forum, she ran continuously for five hours and 20 minutes on one charge of the batteries.
Locomotive No. 2 - "Beeston" - Barclay 2-4-0T
This loco was bought secondhand from GRS in 2010 (see Progress Report 26), having been constructed from one of their very early kits (now no longer available). It is based loosely La Moye, a loco which ran on the Jersey Railway and is now preserved in South Africa.
She has an LGB motor block and Walschaerts valve gear presumably from another LGB locomotive (such as the Zillertalbahn U class loco). It was converted from track power to battery radio control in 2014 using a Deltang Rx60 receiver/controller (see Progress Report 51).
Other than a coat of paint and Trimline tape lining, she has not been modified or detailed since she arrived on the line, apart from the addition of some cosmetic buffers. I tend use her mostly for passenger duties. She will happily shunt wagons but as the driving wheels are quite large her crawling speed is less controllable than other locos.
Locomotive No. 3 - "Bickerton" - Hunslet 0-4-0T
I constructed this loco from a GRS resin kit and an LGB ToyTrain 0-4-0 motor block in 2010 (see How I constructed a Hunslet loco from a GRS kit). At present, she is still track-powered and so, as I have now sold off all my DCC gear, she is out of action.
The only place to install the batteries would appear to be inside the saddle tank. This will entail some substantial dismantling and rebuilding as the saddle tank is presently crammed full of lead. However, it will be good to see her back in action on the line.
She is in need of detailing and some light weathering.
Update Sept 2015 - She has now been converted to battery power with three 18650 li-ion batteries and a Deltang Rx65 receiver controller
This was my first scratchbuilt steam loco (see How I constructed a Manning Wardle 0-6-2T loco) and joined the line in 2013. She is based on the Southwold Railway No. 4 loco, Wenhaston. I found that the driving wheel sizes of the LGB U-class 0-6-2T locomotive were the correct size, though the wheel spacings are incorrect - the trailing driving wheels being too close to the centre pair. However, as the motor block included Walschaerts valve gear, I decided I could live with the slight inaccuracy.
She is controlled by a Deltang Rx60 receiver/controller and powered by a 12v li-ion battery which is intended for use in CCTV cameras. These batteries include protection circuits which monitor charging and discharging.
I decided to leave her unlined, as a homage to the Southwold livery which she wore for most of her working life. As my railway is set in 1932, I argue that they bought the loco from the SR when it closed in 1929.I will probably add some finer details at some point in the future, but for now she will happily pull passenger or goods stock.
Locomotive No. 5 - "Tarporley" - Sharp Stewart 2-4-2T
My second scratchbuilt steam loco was somewhat more ambitious as, not only did she have leading and trailing pony trucks, I also had to construct her motion (see How I constructed a Sharp Stewart 2-4-2T loco). She was constructed during 2013 and is based on the second Southwold Railway No. 1 loco, Southwold.
Motive power comes from a PlayMobil 0-4-0 motor block as I found the wheel sizes and spacing were approximately correct for 16mm:1foot scale. She is powered by a 12v li-ion CCTV camera battery and controlled by a Deltang Rx60 receiver/controller.
Once the loco was finished, I spent a while adding smaller details, such as the oiling pots. She also hasworks plates which I feel add an extra touch of realism.
My third scratchbuilt steam loco was completed in 2014 (see How I constructed a Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST loco). She is based on the Manning Wardle locos which ran on the 3'6" gauge railway at Davington. These were shipped to Brazil when the railway closed at the end of World War I. I found this loco to be the most challenging of the three to construct, owing to the saddle tank and making sure there was sufficient space inside the body to accommodate three 18650 lithium-ion batteries. She also has a fair amount of external pipework which proved to be more complicated to construct than it might appear.
Motive power is provided by a Piko 0-6-0 motor block, which I've found to be a delight. It is extremely smooth running, especially at low speed, and is very responsive to the Deltang Rx65areceiver/controller.
She is in unlined livery and has recently been given appropriately number works plates. She has become the stalwart of the line, handling goods and passenger traffic with alacrity. Out of curiosity, I gave her a haulage test and found she could pull 24 wagons up a 1:40 gradient with ease.
Locomotive No.7 - "Tollemache" - Fowler 0-4-0DM
This was my first foray into scratchbuilding in 2011 (see How I constructed a Fowler diesel loco). Based on an LGB ToyTrain 0-4-0 motor block, she is based loosely on the early Fowler diesel mechanical locomotives which ran on standard gauge and narrow gauge railways. Whilst I could find photos of standard gauge and 2' narrow gauge locos, I couldn't find an image of a 3' gauge Fowler and so imagined how it might look.
At present, she is still track-powered, but will be the next loco to be converted to battery operation. The flycranks on the layshaft are, at present, somewhat loosely connected to the driving wheels, as I was unable to source flycranks of the correct size and so overcame this by slotting the holes in the connecting rod. When converted, I will improve this aspect and also add some finer detailing.
Locomotive No.8 - "Wynford" - Freelance 0-4-0DM
This was my second venture into battery power and, like my first battery model (see below), has had a long and chequered history. After three failed attempts to construct a reliable mechanism, I eventually found success by inserting a USA Trains motor block into the chassis. This lengthened the wheelbase, but has proved to be a lot more reliable than any of the previous mechanisms.
The bodywork is from an IP EngineeringJessie kit (now no longer available) which, being constructed principally from steel, provides plenty of inherent weight. As a consequence, I have not had to add any additional weight and yet she will happily haul twenty skips up the 1:40 gradients on my railway. She was originally powered by ten NiMh batteries but these have just been replaced by three 18650 li-ion batteries with a protection board. She is controlled via a Deltang Rx102 receiver feeding into a Brian Jones Mac5 ESC. Because the original mechanisms were so unreliable, I found that trying to control her with a Deltang Rx60 receiver/controller was somewhat erratic. I assume this is because this particular receiver was limited to 1 amp loading and the mechanisms might have been drawing more current (and were probably creating all manner of electromagnetic interference). One day, I will try controlling her with the more recent Deltang Rx65b - which can handle up to 3 amps.
She has a Peter Spoerer DigiSounds narrow gauge diesel sound module (developed by Mktroniks) which, as the name suggests, uses digitised recordings of a real diesel engine, and so sounds rather impressive.
...... this diminutive railcar was constructed as an experiment to find out how responsive Deltang receivers would be with a low voltage supply - three NiMh Low Self Discharge (LSD) batteries = 3.6v (see Evaluation of Deltang with low voltages). In fact, as Deltang receivers actually step down input voltages to 3v, they will happily manage with these low voltage supplies. This model uses a Deltang Rx60 receiver.
I added additional detailing (ie planking and bracing) during construction and she has red/white bi-colour LEDs which change colour dependent on direction of travel. She acts as the railway's permanent way vehicle and has a small trailer wagon which is often attached for the workers' tools (see How I constructed a small PW flat wagon).
This was my first major investigation into the feasibility of battery power and radio control and as with No. 8 the railmotors went through various control systems and mechanisms before reaching their present state. They were 'bashed' from two freelance Andel resin coach kits (see How I bashed two Andel coaches into a 'Ford' railmotor) and the power car is now powered by a 12v CCTV li-ion battery, controlled by a Deltang Rx60receiver/controller and motorised with a MFA Como gearbox motor and bevel gears.
For a while, they were extremely unreliable, becoming derailed when encountering any slight undulation in the track. Eventually, I created a very simple form of compensation on the leading axle of each car and since then have had very few derailments even though they are somewhat top-heavy.
Both cars have operating directional headlights and internal lighting.
At present they do not have a sound card but I am experimenting with various methods of digitising the sound effects of a Model T Ford starting, stopping and running at speed using a small sound recording board controlled by a Picaxe chip.
Locomotive No. 11 - "Linda" - Freelance 0-4-0DM
This was my first venture into 32mm gauge and was bought for a relatively modest sum on eBay. She has an IP Engineering body on an HGLW chassis. She was originally manually controlled and powered by two AA alkaline non-rechargeable batteries. These were replaced by a single 185650 li-ion battery and a Deltang Rx65b receiver/controller was installed.
The receiver has been programmed to operate in shuttle mode as I decided it would be useful to have her pottering backwards and forwards with a train of Binnie skip wagons while I operated the main railway.
At present, she is more or less in the condition I bought her, but I have added more a little more detailing and given her some light weathering. It is doubtful I will add a sound card as space is limited, however, I am experimenting with a couple of small sound modules which are used in greetings cards to see if something could be squeezed in somewhere.
She has also been fitted with a small soundboard which has been modified from a cheap (£1.29) module designed to be used in musical greetings cards. While the sound isn't quite hi-fi, it is quite adequate for this little loco.
She is dual gauge - with interchangeable 32mm and 45mm gauge chassis. Both chassis have been fitted with chain drive which makes her quite a powerful little loco for her size
Quite a lot has happened since the last progress report. I have finished the ex-Davington Light Railway Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST and played host to a fellow modeller from Australia. I have also made a start on bashing a trio of Bachmann Jackson Sharp coaches into something vaguely resembling the balconied stock which ran on the Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway. In addition, I have been experimenting with different forms of battery power, partly because the space inside the Manning Wardle was quite restricted. Finally, I have had a go at re-organising the storage in my workshop as things in there were becoming increasingly cluttered - and also I am starting to batten down the hatches in preparation for the onset of winter.
Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST
After a few trials and tribulations, I have at last completed the scratchbuild of my latest loco - an 0-6-0 saddle tank based (loosely) on those which Manning Wardle produced to run on the Davington Light Railway.
As this railway closed shortly after the end of World War I, I reasoned that one of the three locos was sold to the Peckforton Light Railway - the other two finding their way to Brazil (see How I constructed a Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST locomotive).
Although I have previously scratchbuilt three locomotives, made two from kits and kit-bashed a railbus, I found this particular build to be more demanding than any of the previous builds. This was partly because the extra work involved in making the saddle tank proved trickier than I expected, and also because I ran into a couple of unexpected snags along the way: the Revell filler which I used initially refused to adhere to the plasticard and was susceptible to cracking, and I discovered to my dismay that Evostik is an extremely powerful solvent of plasticard (see How I constructed a Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST locomotive).
Despite these trials and tribulations, I am very pleased with the end-result. Not only does she look quite appealing, I have discovered that the six-coupled wheelbase is extremely powerful when it comes to hauling excessive loads up my 1:40 gradients on the railway.
Here's a video of the loco's first run on the railway (before I had finished all the detailing).
An this video shows her phenomenal hauling capabilities. I certainly did not expect her to be quite so powerful.
I have been really impressed with this loco's slow-running abilities and her responsiveness to the Deltang receiver/controller. Given this and her hauling capability, I anticipate she will become the preferred loco for freight duties on the railway.
Running sessions
With the mild weather in September and the early part of October, there has been plenty of opportunity for me to run trains out in the garden. A few shots taken during one of the operating sessions to show how the railway and its stock are developing.......
Wynford sets off with a train of full ore wagons from the copper mine sidings
She traverses the recently relaid track on the approach to Beeston Castle.
At Beeston Castle, Loco No. 4 Bulkeley (former Southwold No. 4 Wenhaston) passes with the mid morning Down passenger train
The mid-morning Down passenger approaches Bulkeley as the Down pick-up goods approaches Beeston Market
The Down pickup goods coasting beside the River Gowy on the approach to Peckforton with Loco No.5 Tarporley
The Down pick-up goods leaving Peckforton and approaching the mill siding where she will exchange wagons
The Down pickup goods pulls into Bulkeley as the noontime Up passenger waits to depart.
The noontime Up passenger arrives as Beeston Market
The mid afternoon passenger about to depart Beeston Market as the Up pickup goods arrives
Meanwhile, skips are shunted at the Copper Mine.
Australian visitor
For some time, I've been corresponding with a fellow modeller in Australia, mostly picking his brains on radio control and how to wire up and program Picaxe microchips for the operation of signals and pointwork (see Progress Reports 52 and 53). The website for Greg's own garden railway, The Sandstone and Termite, is packed with useful information and ideas and well worth a visit. When he expressed a desire to revisit the UK to travel on the Welsh narrow gauge railways, I offered my services as a local guide. Earlier this month, Greg and Pauline came over for a couple of weeks and spent around a week exploring the locality of Cheshire and another week in Wales. He risked x-ray machines and border controls to bring one of his locos with him, Nick, a freelance railbus. Over the course of his visit we found time for three running sessions as the weather was particularly kind to us.
Sandstone & Termite Railway railcar Nick shunting at Beeston Market
Nick makes an inaugural run down the line, past the Copper Mine
Old and new railbuses are compared at Peckforton
Nick braves the undergrowth between Bulkeley and Peckforton
On light freight duties beside the River Gowy
Beside the Gowy on passenger duties
The two railcars on night duties at Bulkeley station
Greg was pleasantly surprised to find that the weather in the UK in October can actually sometimes be clement. Here we see our esteemed visitor, sporting his Sandstone & Termite Railway tee-shirt, assuming responsibilities as Chief Controller at Beeston Market.
Despite a few early teething troubles, everything on the railway performed well. I'm sure there is a Law of Garden Railway Modelling which says that the moment a visitor arrives, anything that can go wrong will go wrong - and for a while this seemed to be the case. Thankfully, this did not persist for the entire two weeks!
Bachmann Jackson Sharp to Leek & Manifold(ish) coach bash
The passenger coaches which the line presently possesses (see How I constructed coaches from Maddison kits) perform their function very well and although there are only three, this mirrors the level of coaching stock for many narrow gauge railways in the UK (see How much stock did UK narrow gauge railways have?). However, to enhance the railway's operational potential, I have for a while considered acquiring at least another three coaches to allow two passenger trains to operate at times of additional demand (eg market days, special excursion trains). Before constructing the Maddision coaches, I used to run a couple of Bachmann Jackson Sharp balconied coaches which, despite their smaller scale, represented for me something vaguely resembling the stock used by the Leek & Manifold and the Southwold Railways(seeProgress Report 11)
A passenger train on the railway in 2008
For at least five years these coaches have languished in a drawer in my workshop until I came across some drawings of the L&M coaches and did a few quick calculations. I realised that I could produce a foreshortened representation of these coaches if I narrowed the windows slightly and lengthened the balconies a little.
The bodies needed to be increased slightly in height but as the clerestories were going to be removed this would not actually increase their overall height. I already know that these coaches have no problem tackling the tight curves on my railway and so have pressed ahead with the 'modification' of the first coach.
I am presently about halfway through bashing this coach and am using this as a learning-curve for bashing the other two. Two coaches will be opens and the other will be a brake end.
Battery power
Although I am relatively new to the world of battery power and radio control I have already accumulated a fair amount of experience in constructing battery powered locomotives and experimenting with various combinations of radio control devices (see An Introduction to battery power and radio control). Given their power-to-weight ratio, I am now convinced that li-ion batteries are the most cost effective and efficient way of powering garden railway locomotives. There are some risks associated with this form of technology (as witnessed by recent fires aboard aircraft and the occasional horror story about mobile phones bursting into flames), but given that most portable technology is now powered by li-ion batteries (including the laptop computer on which I am writing this blog), it would seem that the vast majority of li-ion batteries are sufficiently reliable to be considered for this application. However, I still have a couple of locos which are powered by NiMh batteries but have recognised that there are better options than normal off-the-shelf rechargeable batteries.
18650 Li-ion
As mentioned above, one of the difficulties I encountered with modelling
the Manning Wardle saddle tank loco (see How I constructed a Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST loco) was finding room inside for the
batteries. My usual source of power; the 12v blue lithium-ion batteries
intended for CCTV applications (seeAn Introduction to Battery Power and radio control)
were too large to fit into the confined space ......
........ and there was no way I
would have been able to squeeze ten NiHh 1.2v AA (or even AAA) batteries
in. After discussing various options with fellow modellers on the G Scale Central forum, I invested in some 18650 style 3.7v li-ion batteries. These cylindrical batteries are what many laptop computers use inside their battery packs and so there is a ready supply and a wide variety of types available. However, even in my limited experience, I have learned that you do tend to get what you pay for. Some of the cheaper, so-called high capacity 18650 batteries do not live up to expectations. The first set of these batteries I bought for a modest sum claimed to be 5000mAh (ie they would power a motor running at 1amp (ie 1000mA) for five hours.
When I did a discharge test on them, they averaged-out at 1.5Ah (ie 1500mAh) - considerably lower than that claimed. I then opted for some more expensive, branded (Samsung), batteries from a reputable supplier. These were labelled as 3100mAh and when tested were not far short of that capacity.
Another aspect which I have appreciated needs to be taken into account is whether the batteries are 'protected'. Li-ion batteries can be damaged, or worse still can catch fire, if they are under- or over-charged. To ensure this doesn't happen, protected batteries include a small circuit board which cuts off the charge or stops the battery from discharging if the voltages fall outside the accepted safe levels. The 18650 batteries I am using in my latest loco are unprotected and so I make sure that I charge them carefully using a balance charger and regularly check their discharge with a small battery checker.
This plugs into the balance charge socket and the LEDs show green if the batteries are OK and turn to red (and the buzzer sounds) if they drop below 3.3v. When running, I leave it attached to my loco but remove it when I store the loco.
NiMh low self-discharge
One of the most irritating aspects of normal NiMh rechargeable batteries is the speed with which they lose their charge when not being used. Many's the time I've wanted to have a quick impromptu operating session and been unable to use the locos powered by NiMh batteries because they've needed charging. My Australian friend alerted me to low selfdischarge NiMh AA batteries which can be obtained from Hobbyking for quite reasonable prices.
These batteries seem to be holding their charge very well. I've detected very little drop in power even after a loco has been in storage for a couple of weeks.
Workshop revamp
Partly inspired by the arrival of my house guest from the colonies, I felt it was time to re-organise the storage in my workshop. Some of the odds and ends which I had accumulated had outgrown the space allotted to them and there were times when I struggled to lay hands on a material or component needed during construction. I had previously organised some of my tools by fashioning a rack .......
...... and so now invested in some storage containers from our local pound shop ..........
...... and constructed a storage unit for larger and longer materials.
Previously, trying to use the conservatory for its intended purpose of sitting, chatting and admiring the garden had not been a pleasant experience. Now it is at least possible.
Preparing for winter
The station buildings have now been brought inside. Previously I had left these out throughout the year but at the start of this year I had realised how dilapidated they had become.
After spending some time re-gluing and repainting them (see Progress Report 52), I decided this was one job which could be avoided, or at least postponed, by storing the buildings inside during the worst weather. If I do need to have some buildings in place during the winter, to take pictures or video, then it takes only a few minutes to re-install them.
To Do List
There is always something which needs to be done on a garden railway - which is really what makes the hobby so interesting. My present and ongoing list comprises:
Having previously constructed a Manning Wardle 0-6-0 locomotive using a Piko motor block (see How I constructed a Manning Wardle 0-6-0T loco), I decided it was about time I provided her with sound. As with three of my locos, I invested in a MyLocoSound steam soundcard. The more recent Universal card is not only adjusted using an infra red remote control rather than using onboard preset potentiometers, it includes sound effects in addition to the conventional steam whistle. These effects include a guard's whistle, a bell (or short steam whistle), the sound of a safety valve blowing off and an air pump. The effects can be triggered by the remote control or through a receiver and transmitter with the requisite number of spare channels.
