Brilliant Charlie. Absolutely brilliant. Got a reason now to slog on with mine for the next two weeks. Never give up. The pleasure you give is not measurable. God bless you. Steve
Google is your friend, loads of wiring diagrams just on the first couple of lines of images. For electrofrog - essentially isolate the slip by sticking insulated joiners on the end of all rails then power the slip via wires from your power bus. To switch frog polarity/power the frog, wire each frog to its opposite tiebar via a point motor, or a SPDT switch (ie the left hand tiebar controls the polarity of the right hand frog, and vice versa) For a bullhead Unifrog, on a DCC layout you can use it as is from the box, no isolation needed. Its is still recommended to power the double slip rather than relying on fishplates for your electrical connection. In this configuration the frogs will be dead, so you can power your frogs as described above or with a frog juicer. It sounds more complicated than it is, the wiring diagram is alot clearer than my description! Good luck
@johnland7318 My understanding is that if you don't insulate you will have polarity issues, and a short will be caused when you enter an adjoining section of track.
Tip for attaching boards, first screw some blocks to the underside of the main base board. Then rest the backboard on these. Mark out and trim to terrain shape . Attach backboard as required. Remove blocks from underside.
Two things on woodworking - Clamp a couple of wood scraps to hold the facia board to rest on while you're attempting to screw it in. Second - use a scrap thin board under your cut line and that should cut down on the splintering.
Loved the video, especially the construction part. Here in the USA, we have access to something we call "Flexi-Ply", which is basically the same type of material you were using, except that it's plywood, instead of MDF. As a result, it's a lot safer (environmentally) to work with, and the large sheets we get are easily cut down to more manageable sizes on the table saw in our high school's theater scene shop (where I volunteer). To cut thin stock, plywood or MDF, with a jig saw, I frequently use a very fine-toothed metal cutting blade, rather than a fine-toothed wood cutting blade, as the teeth-per-inch are much finer and the resulting damage to the thin wood sheets is significantly lessened.
Ah! It's one of those "Mr Bishop Thursdays" that don't come often enough! Lovely stuff Charlie, informative and painstakingly put together. Fair play for promoting Buffers too, as you have said in the past and we all know only too well. Use them, or lose them. My best wishes, Nige
The sawcuts which allow the mdf to be flexible, also expose the internal structure of the mdf ...... The down stroke from the magic saw blade, can or will blow out lumps from the thicker islands of the mdf. Its the nature of the material, (the resin bonding of weaker inner layers ) the hard skin flaking away.
Hi ya Charlie, another fantastic video as always 👏 So pleased to see the progress that you're making. These kind of videos always inspire me to crack on with my own layout.... so thank you very much for making them👍👍 It really made me happy to see Buffers in this episode. Due to work etc, I haven't been as much as I would have liked. I had hoped to pop in before my holiday so it was almost surreal seeing the shop from a very hot and sunny Boa Vista 😎 Keep up your brilliant work as always my friend and I shall very much look forward to the next episode 😀 All the very best Russ
@russelfletcher114 Thank you for the typing of my thoughts as well. Charlie, nice work, much appreciated and inspiring me to push on with my 30 feet of fascia; I fear to admit estimating hours or days of work ahead. Supporting the local brick & mirror hobby shop as I can.
Hi Charlie, Another great video looking in from a novice. The good yard you are building is interesting. Have ever used sandpaper for. roadway and good base for some of railway. Use PVA glue to base and paint to the required colour the affected looks good. I have used it for roof of building. Steve Cane
Hi Charlie, nice video as usual I particularly like the scenic episodes where you create some sawdust! I'm looking forward to the course in May and finally launched my channel this week!
another briliant episode Charlie always making great progress and cant wait for the next one wish you could do a weekly episode but i know it is not possible
It must be wonderful to have a big house and a big garage in which to do all this stuff. I'm about the same age as this man, 69. But I became homeless in 2014 and I now live in a lodging house for homeless men. I do remember having a Hornby Double-0 locomotive named the Duchess of Montrose when I was a kid though.
As usual very useful and interesting. Two issues. 1. The point connection to the incoming/outgoing track was not aligned with the Any Rail plan as you fixed it down - thus tightening that difficult curve significantly. 2. I look forward to show how you wire the 3 way symetric points to avoid shorts between the moveable elements - with three tracks there are 6 possible positions and one of them is a dead short. After struggling for years I gave up and went for the assymetric. Regards from Basil
Thanks Charlie for the lovely visit to Buffers. In 1999/2000 we spent 7 months in Dorset and made many happy trips across to Axminster. So many happy memories. 😂
Nicely done with the impact driver. I had a panic attack when I saw you were going to use it to secure the MDF to your base board. I was worried that the screw would end up in the TMD! This episode also provided us with some very good footage of your helix. It really is a thing of engineering beauty. Quote of the week: "This is a shunter's paradise". Top tip regarding track placement and alignment.
Hi Charlie. I tend to use the track 'centre line' function of AnyRail rather than the 'track' or 'sleeper' option view to print out where the track is going and points etc need to be positioned. I then tape the printed A4 sheets together like you have done and pin to the board. Using a stitching pattern pin wheel, I then roll the pin wheel along the track centre line on the printed pages which come out on the boards \ track bed. This method correctly positions the frogs of the points and slips as you're using the centre lines. HTH anyone using AR and printing their plan out.
Super show this week Charlie, thankyou, lots for me to take on board. If it hasn't been raised already, a pin wheel works well to mark your track out. Don't go too fine a wheel as it may not indent into your cork enough. I've used your wiring methodology on my layout and would appreciate seeing how you wire up double slips and 3 ways.
THE SLOTTED / SLATTED MDF Charlie, I have used this previously for any number of tasks, including model railways, and I noticed very early on, (as you have), that it 'spalls' very easily. From experience I have used very fine types of saws or even Exacto or Stanly type blades which involves some care in scoring it, especially if the aim is to retain all of ones fingers at the end of the process. If this is done carefully it works fine. I do recognise that for a long length run, as you have used for the backing to the hillside, this might take a while to do......but there you go. I have found Jigsaws far too harsh, even with the finest of blades. One of the things that I have found useful is to clamp a length of timber along the cutting line. It serves as both a guide and as protection against 'spalling'. In this way an ordinary Tenon Saw is best, although obviously the finer the better. When this method is used it is always possible that some bits 'spall' off anyway. However, the use of a clamped length of timber means the bits are not lost on the floor and can be easily glued back as required. Whilst you have used it here for the backing to the hilside, (the ability to curve being its virtue), it is actually very useful for modelling buildings, wagons etc...etc...........where it gives an easily identifiable 'planking' or board effect. Another excellent video.... Thank you.. James Hennighan Yorkshire, England P.S. Given its flexibility it can also serve to form track gradients.....!
Cheers Charlie… I’ve just had one of those “I’ve been there!” moments, Buffers is a lovely little shop, I visited a couple of times a few years back when I was supervising the creative fit-out of the newly built ticket office/station on the Seaton Tramway. Happy days
Another great watch! If you every need to cut flexi-board again from the notched face, get a downward cutting blade for the jigsaw; yours are obviously upward cutting.
Nice work. I watched a video a while ago - regrettably I can't find it now, where an American modeller laid up his track with point formations on his desk. He would solder everything at the rail joiners, and he could do this right on the paper plan. He would then lift the entire section (minus paper) onto his layout, glue (and optionally pin), and he would cut isolating sections after it was all set. His argument was that it's easy to lay track on a workbench, and the joins on curves won't kink. To keep the rails isolated, he would insert some plasticard and trim it to the rail profile. I like this idea and will be trying it on my layout for the more complex areas like station throats and fiddle yard entrances.
Excellent as always Charlie. Also massive respect for filming yourself doing DIY type stuff - if it was me the video would consist mainly of me swearing and having to redo it when I’ve botched it up!
“I left this part open for cleaning up derailed Class 37s” 😂 In all seriousness, this was very useful, thanks for the info! I’ll be taking lots of these tips into consideration for my own layout, as I have tons of flex track lying around that I figured I wouldn’t use, as I find flex track very fiddly, so I tend to just use set track, but that method with the paper looks like it might help me!
Charlie, I don't have any model railways or trains at all due to the cost. I would love a set up like yours. I am interested in dioramas, hence why I love your chanel. Thank you
There is an alternative way round the curved setback point problem. I use five setrack points including two curved models on my very space-restricted layout. These were converted from insulfrog to electrofrog points by Pat Nicholls via a website contact. These have proved entirely successful and can be thoroughly recommended.
If you wish to try a DIY approach, last year I was looking into converting a Double Slip, although I have yet to try it so don't know how well it works. The technique was to paint the frog with conducting paint and the use the Gaugemaster DCC Auto Frog (DCC80) to stop it shorting out. The DCC80 may also be a solution to your Double Slip shorting issue.
Hi Charlie Pete from Australia again, it seems that I have lead you up the garden path. The points that I described before were not the ones that I meant but the correct numbers are SL-U76 and SL-U77 sorry about that, cheers Pete.
Use carbon paper under your anyrail print out and a pointed roller/ pin wheel to leave a clean outline for the track on the base board (can even mark the joins etc). will save you a bunch of hassle, especialy removing and replacing paper later on
No doubt somebody else may have suggested a peco set track curved point that has a uni-frog. Discovered them the other day at my local model shop. Great video as always Charlie. Take care, Julian
The weekend is saved when it starts with another brilliant installment from Chadwick. You are lucky to have a shop "nearby" - I have about 250 miles to my nearest, so have to rely on mail-order. Thanks for sharing. Greetings from Sweden 🇸🇪.
If only we could be so lucky. Closest shop is in a next country, and even they barely have anything for sale. Sufficed to say , model railroading has been dead here for a few years already.
Pity about the shirt. Maybe we’ll need to get you an apron 😂. Another great video, Charlie. For the next one, detail on the differences when wiring the MT10 vs the Tortoises would be useful. See you then.
Hi Charlie I’d be interested to see how you get on with installing the MP10 point motors under the board and seeing how much clearance you need to still run you locos and wagons. I’m going to taking a similar approach to you with a raised depot/freight yard. Thanks another good video😀👍🏻
Hi Charlie, Another very interesting video, it's good to see the progress, could you use a short peco point for the entrance to the freight yard, it has a radius of 24 inches. Regards, David.
Another good video. A tip when trying to fit your back panel, is to temporarily screw or clamp a piece of wood to the underside of the baseboard.. You can then rest your backpanel on the timber, gets it level and holds it allowing ease of fastening. … then remove when done.. Like the freight yard plan.. Did you know you had a drone following you ? 🙄 Nice jiggery pokery laying track, removing paper. Well done .. Love to see details of wiring the point work up. x The Bigfella x
Another excellent demonstration video. I love the Anyrail track plan pages and the way you attached your track based on the paper plans. Thank you for taking the time to show us.
Hi Charlie, an idea for using the Anyrail full scale print-out for locating track is to print the view with track centre line only. Then, with the whole sheet of paper taped strategically to the baseboard, progressively, track by track, cut along the centre lines and use the revealed edge to mark the baseboard (or cork) with a pen. Then lay the track to the centre lines. I hope that makes sense….it worked for me anyway!
Many thanks for sharing your process Steve. I’ve replied to this comment before, but somehow it doesn’t appear. Hopefully this will be my last anyrail track plan print. Regards Charlie
This is fascinating how you go about different parts of the layout build. Great insight as to the methods and materials used as usual but the thought process really shines in this one. I'm sure that Class 25 is getting a tad restless while waiting for track laying but I'm sure it'll be well worth the wait. Many thanks as always for sharing Charly.
An excellent explanation of track laying and problem-solving is carefully explained as part of the curriculum for GSCE Model Railway Building. I find this fascinating, and a pleasure to watch, and enjoy seeing the progression of Chadwick and District.
Afternoon Charlie ,watching you with the groved MDF was was interesting, down under here we we can get 2.5 ml MDF cover sheets from the local timber merchant, very easy to deal with, great progress
Absolutely exceptional, as usual Charlie. You have really given me pause for thought, as I will be modelling a TMD with a DMU line. Thanks for another great video.
Hi Oscar, I always like the low level, close up footage in the intro. Great running session and interesting trouble shoot on the variable radii. Knitting patterns and model railways are not compatible so spontaneity wins the day. The running plan is always scuppered by something apparently more interesting 👍 😀
Hi Charlie, I really need to put more tonic in it, especially midday 😂😂😂 I was watching your video, always good stuff and inspiring. I had just watched Oscar Paisley’s video and was commenting on my phone which, unknown to me, was linked to the TV playing your video, hence you getting a gobbledegook comment, no hope as they say 😂 Best regards, Gordon
Regarding where you explained a change to the track plan due to the PECO ST-244 curved turnout being Insulfrog: You may be interested to know that last year PECO released the SL-U76 which is the same geometry, but features a Unifrog allowing the crossing area to be powered.
Thank you Charlie for your great inspiration - I always have to disappear for a few hours on my model railway after watching a new video. Greetings from the north of Germany, Carsten
Lovely work, and seeing you going to buffers reminded me I must pay a visit there this summer when I’m on my jolly’s. It’s a bit far from Worcester unless I’m in the area. Lovely helpful people.
Interesting as ever Charlie. Great to see the progress you are making. Just one little note - if those spaces between your screw holes were "150 cm" you'd need a MUCH longer piece of board.
Dear Charlie, when next you’ll going to mount fascia in any form, whether flexible MDF, hardboard, masonite, flexible plywood, it may be helpful to create a temporary support under the baseboard to hold the fascia in place whilst you’re making your scribes for the cut lines. Also, the visible splice block at the corner under the hillside won’t be covered by the fascia height, as you were going about this job. That made me think; I don’t know how you’ve planned and if you’ve planned to distract the eyes from the visual aspect of the helix, but to elongate the downward overlap of the fascia below the lower edge of the baseboard, will allow for any possible solution there. You could of course mount a similar structure on and inside the lines of the downward looking surface of the baseboard, to achieve a similar effect. Nevertheless, such a construction narrows the gap between the outside of the helix and, let’s call it: ‘the upside down curb of the helix trim.’ This means it simply becomes more complicated. Do realize that leaving the helix visually exposed may be your first choice. However, where you’re putting such effort and dedication into the upper freight yard, the fascia and in a later stage most certainly the scenic aspect of the first glimpse on the layout, it may be worth while sharing this idea. Don’t get me wrong Charlie, I’m fully aware it’s your layout, therefore your choice. Cheerio
@@ChadwickModelRailway maybe I should have added that even a piece of curtain would suffice. With the overhang I suggested this would be a breeze to install. Even if only a curtain, it would prevent dust from entering the helix. Thus your cleaning interval would significantly be reduced. Still, I get your point, just as I said before. Cheerio
New to this hobby as of this week, this channel is such a wonderful discovery. Informative, entertaining and inspiring, you deserve every success. Heres to 100k!
@@ChadwickModelRailway It seemed to work OK, but normally one would not put a joint on the curved bit, even if it meant cutting it into more pieces so that all joints were on a straight section, I am a retired carpenter
Quite an entertaining video. The man starring in it is either a genius or a madman! When you construct your scenery, keep in mind you'll need a spot to place the camera! Thanks for uploading.
Very interesting and useful. I find it quite amusing you're using 3 way points when you've voiced your antipathy towards them in the past. Great video, as always
Excellent drone shot of the trip to the hobby store! I am always amused by driving videos on narrow roads reminiscent of F1 racing!,gasp!,lookout,lookout Charlie you almost hit that wall!Another solid all round video cheers! Yes up for another point wiring clip!
I did look at other sidings/shunt head point ideas, but you do have the most optimal solution, however maybe curve the siding along with the mainline which may give it a more natural look, although it deeps on if and what you're gonna do with the scenic service road Personally, I'd have screwed through the paper, then just stanley knifed out the parts you're putting track down on, unscrew and slide out paper, screw back down, then you'd still have all the other parts still laid out, but whatever gets the job done right, no right way or wrong way.
Hi there to reduce the amount of splitting on the MDF cut towards the uncut side and you may have to get a down cutting blade for your jigsaw thay are great for cutting finished surfaces as they don't chip the edge as the cut is a downward moshon and not an upwards as normal
Doing that facia board is a case where you need six pairs of hands Charlie!!!!!!! What would we do without modern day tools though. Freight depot looking good so far and it will certainly be a great addition to Chadwick. Keep well. All the best, Kevin
Hi Charlie, I am liking the way things are shaping up. Shame about the loss of the head shunt, but like you said, it seems to be the best option. I thought maybe having a curve after the three way point, then the other point, might solve it, but I couldn’t square it in my head, and you are also running into a little bit of an S-Curve if you do it my way. Although, the 08s wheelbase may not be a problem. I am also not sure the head shunt would be any longer than it is on the revised plan. I don’t know, maybe it would work in the programme, but the more I think about it, the more problems I see. Same with most of my plans really.
Loved the road trip! When cutting boards, to prevent splintering, use strong masking (painters) tape on both sides over where you're cutting, and keep the side that you want to keep the cleanest down. The teeth of the saw blade will bite in there and spit out the other side. So, for that scored MDF, keep the scored side down, put one or two layers of tape where you're cutting, then draw your lines, and then cut. That should greatly minimize splintering. Have a great two weeks! ~Maarten
Charlie the only way to successfully cut thin sheet materials is to follow the absolute fact that 3 teeth or more must engage the thickness, as the saw cuts. So for the Flexi MDF, I would use a jigsaw blade for metal sheet. It might be a bit slower than a wood blade, but you will have a better finish. If using a hand saw for a straight cut , in say, 2mm MDF making/using a very shallow angle of attack will make the 2mm of material apparently thicker, to the tenon saw. A additional problem with Flexi MDF, those saw cuts that allow the curve, leave weak ribs of MDF that can be broken away very easily. The MDF is formed with two hard skins with the central core much softer, extremely easy to split with a chisel into the edge. The ribs can be split off with a craft knife or a blow from a downward cutting jigsaw blade..... 3 teeth or more in contact. !!!!!!
Lovely way to finish February! Thanks Charlie. My vote for a little bit of focus is installing the MP10's, especially how you get on with hooking them to your DCC stationary decoders ... DS64's, I believe? MTB intends the MP10 to be physical AND ELECTRICAL analogs for the Tortoise, but I look forward to you sharing your "in the real world" experience. Thanks again!
Great progress Charlie , finishing off around the celotex makes such a difference. I would be interested in seeing how you wire up the double slip. Thanks
Hi Charlie, excellent content as usual. You don’t have to modify your track plan, Peco now produce the SetTrack Curved Point as Streamline, and even better it’s Unifrog, so no IRJ’s required. I have two on my layout they are superb. Put your track plan back as designed and enjoy your long headshunt
I'd love to see you putting in the new motors in the next video, purely due to them being different! On the "new" plan layout, have you considered making the waiting line go further round, possibly linking up with the track as it enters from the Bowstring bridge? I am not sure if that's even a possibility given existing layout but would give you waiting room for more loco that you lose on by having a smaller headshunt.
I will certainly cover the installation of those point Motors Kieran. However, no I cannot extend either waiting line around to the bridge. Regards, Charlie
Hi Mr Bishop, Nice to see the layout taking shape ever nearer to all the track being completed and you did very well fitting the flexible mdf to the curve you like me are alone in the building process so using your cramps just use them to put a bit of wood to the bottom of your ply base and where the mdf is flapping in the wind use a very useful tool you must have namely a tripod to hold it up I use them all the time and as we speak they are holding up one end of my new end to end layout which I am building. I would think coming up to London and attending the Ally Pally show is a bit far for you to travel but if you are it would be nice to know as I am sure lots of YT'ers and your viewers would love to see you. Well done on this and keep on track I am sure you will. Cheers Robert.
Dear charlie, at about 5:00 in to film- 6" (ins)=150MM (Millimeters) is not 150 centimeter Which is 5' (feet) or 1.5 meters but Love working on this video. Nice to local Model shop
Ace Charlie.. Love it when you go into more depth in the video instead of just talking about it.. Its a shame we can't subscribe more than once, but give it time and you will get there.. Cheers
For straight line cuts, if you are clamping the mdf ... clamp some sort of straight edge at the same time. Use the distance from the jigsaw blade to the edge of the saw base to position the straight edge out from the cut line. Then just push the say along the straight edge when cutting.
Another great video, as somebody has already mentioned about wiring double slips I will say yes please that would be very interesting. Keep the good work going👍👍👍
Jigsaw tip. To avoid splinters, put maskingtejp on the board before marking it. Mark on the tejp and then a finer tooth blade and cut at the line.. That will keep the board edge clean. Thank you for the video. Regards from Sweden.
Hi Charlie, really enjoyed this one, very useful 'how to'. Next time 'how to' on wiring those slips and three way point would be very handy please as I will have some to do later. cheers, Phil B.
Hi Charlie you could use your new short siding as the place the shunter waits for a train to arrive and if you can get a Triplet past the 3 way point use it as a short headshunt Lawrence Hill yard in Bristol used to have a very short one after remodelling in the 70’s
What a great episode Charlie! Learnt so much from it. As they say: "Where there is a will there is a way!" Yes, please a little depth explaining re the wiring of double slips would be much appreciated. Cheers, David M (NSW, Aust)
Hi Charlie. Minute 24. Having got the screws in the sleepers, lined up the track on the plan, why not the wizz the screws through the paper a bit to start in the board, the back them out, then remove the paper, then you would have holes started to screw back into. Just a thought from me sat in my arm chair. 😁
