WEST ORTON

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Steve M
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Re: WEST ORTON

#731

Post by Steve M »

I am becoming increasingly impressed with MERG.
Delivery of ordered goods is very quick indeed. I had to order an extra servo mount (monday) but got an email yesterday from them to say the package had been returned by the post office as someone had trodden on it.
Paul at MERG 3D printed a new one which arrived today!

I've also completed two more twinkler modules for the station lamps then realised I should have ordered an extra one for the wall lights on the station building. Doh!

Additionally I made a start on the many servo driver boards needed. A little sceptical after the rookie error on board 1 but board 2 worked first time.

Still waiting for a few bits and bobs through the post before I venture back under the baseboards and I still have to decide where to fix the switches on the control panel. I should really put them on the track plan alongside the point switches and LEDs but that may be little crowded so they may end up in a bank below the plan.

And then I can start on the signals alongside the MPD. :?
"Not very stable, but incredibly versatile." ;)
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Brian
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Re: WEST ORTON

#732

Post by Brian »

The panel below was built by my club members for a new OO layout and the isolating section switches are on the tracks, but the point switches are as per real BR signal box panels in a bank and each numbered to reflect the point(s) it operates.

Image

Where as my own has push buttons and they are near to the points position.

Image

I think its a personal choice thing!
Image << Click the Icon to go to my website
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Steve M
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Re: WEST ORTON

#733

Post by Steve M »

Personal choice? I’d better check with the memsahib first. ;)

I have a distinct feeling that a redesign and rebuild of my main panel won’t be far away. The one for the MPD lends itself to a row of switches above the trackplan.
"Not very stable, but incredibly versatile." ;)
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Steve M
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Re: WEST ORTON

#734

Post by Steve M »

MERG are toying with me.
I bought a multipack and a couple of individual kits for the servo drivers. My struggles with the first one are well documented and thankfully behind me, but now I find that the multipacks contain a jumble of loose components and they are built to an older, different design with different components. :?

But I still got it to work. :D
"Not very stable, but incredibly versatile." ;)
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Steve M
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Re: WEST ORTON

#735

Post by Steve M »

That’s the last of the servo drivers built and tested. First one took four days, the last one was thirty minutes.
Now the fun and fettling starts under the boards, or at least it will when my servos arrive from China.

Image2022-06-26_12-24-06 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr
"Not very stable, but incredibly versatile." ;)
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Steve M
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Re: WEST ORTON

#736

Post by Steve M »

Ahead of a possible future rebuild of the control panel, I added the on/off switches for the signal servers on this side of the layout.

Image20220629_192756 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr

I’ve also worked out the designs for the bracket signals on the MPD board and built the basic post work. The starter/shunt to sidings bracket has been done - the first to have the control rods through the baseboard ready for the servos which are definitely still on a slow boat from China.

Image20220629_192554 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr
"Not very stable, but incredibly versatile." ;)
Hound Dog
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Re: WEST ORTON

#737

Post by Hound Dog »

Is it just me that is feeling inadequate after reading your posts and the seeing the work you are putting in ?…….I think simple colour lights signals will suffice for me, if I ever get around to it - LOL
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Steve M
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Re: WEST ORTON

#738

Post by Steve M »

Hound Dog wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 9:25 pm Is it just me that is feeling inadequate after reading your posts and the seeing the work you are putting in ?…….I think simple colour lights signals will suffice for me, if I ever get around to it - LOL
“Simple colour lights”. Wish I’d thought of that. ;)

I considered adding a small LED to each lamp in anticipation of lighting them up but it would have meant replacing the arms with etched brass versions and I couldn’t easily find ones to match. The lenses on the Ratio arms are solid mouldings and way too fragile to drill out the centres. Eventually decided it was a step too far for me.

And if I had fitted lights Brian would suggest I made them twinkle as well!!
"Not very stable, but incredibly versatile." ;)
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teedoubleudee
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Re: WEST ORTON

#739

Post by teedoubleudee »

Why did you order your servos from China Steve? All but the strong ones designed for model aircraft are cheap as chips in UK.
Most people are shocked when they find out how bad I am as an electrician
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Steve M
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Re: WEST ORTON

#740

Post by Steve M »

teedoubleudee wrote: Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:11 am Why did you order your servos from China Steve? All but the strong ones designed for model aircraft are cheap as chips in UK.
Lack of knowledge and experience,TWD. I played it safe and ordered from HobbyKing as recommended by MERG. Have learned a lot since I started this journey though.
TBH the final part of this, i.e. actually fitting the things under the boards, is a little daunting so the delay puts off the inevitable extra challenges a little longer.
"Not very stable, but incredibly versatile." ;)
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