irishthump

I would've had a punt on this, but the seller doesn't post to Ireland....

Ha! Those wagons better have sprung buffers or they'll be nothing left of them after a while! Seriously though, that's impressive. Something to slow the wagons down would make it perfect.

If the loco runs on DC then it can be converted. With a metal model it really depends on the way current is collected, I'm not familiar with SSM kits but some models with metal frames use it to conduct current to one side of the motor. If that's the case extra care has to be taken to isolate the motor from the frame or chassis. You also have to be careful that the decoder will not come into contact with any metal parts.

This guys has an interesting way to slow the cars..... [video=youtube;-YY55xmNXfQ]

Glad you like the idea, I actually think it would work well. Small neodymium magnets could be placed just inside the rails. It's the magnetic pull on the axles and not the wheels that has the most effect.

You could try magnets. The wheels and axles on most British RTR stock are attracted to magnets. I've notice this myself when using Kadee uncoupling magnets, in some cases the wagon or van would stop dead right over the magnet! It would take a bit of experimentation with the size/power of the magnets and their positioning but it would be possible to get the required effect.

Great video, and lovely job on the plough vans.

Thanks for the comments, Divecontroller. Yes that's the idea, trains will run from either station, do a couple of laps of the main circuit then head into the other station. In the case of the larger terminus after arrival a station pilot will shunt release the loco from the train and it can head to the loco shed for service/refuelling. The smaller station has a runaround loop as you describe. The same with freight trains. This sort of operation was something I couldn't do with my last layout and it was the first thing I wanted to put right!

That's what the upper level will be for!

Thanks for the words of encouragement lads! Here's a rough trackplan (subject to change of course, but hopefully you'll get the idea.)

Thanks Garfield! Although it looks quite cramped from the photos it's possible to walk around most of the layout and there's headroom enough to stand while operating. The track plan is all in my head at the moment but I'll try to sketch something out so that I can post it here.

Been working quietly on the new layout the last few weeks and finally have something to show for it! Progress has been slow but the baseboards are finished and I'll be starting to lay the track hopefully this weekend. I decided to make this layout at a more comfortable height to work on (the old layout was barely 3ft high and it was a nightmare to access wiring under the baseboards). These baseboards are about 4.5 feet high, roughly chest height. I'm also hoping to add another level above this in the future. Here's a few pics... This section is about 15ft long and I plan to put a fair sized passenger terminus and freight yard here. Off to the right; there will be a double track loop about 8ft square. Possibly an engine shed and refuelling point along this side. The opposite side to the planned terminus. This will be another station with a run around so I can turn trains and send them back onto the mainline. And back around to where we started. This section will be removable as it's right over the attic door.

Bank holiday is a colloquialism, the proper term in Ireland is Public Holiday. They are all Public Holidays , as are Christmas Day, Stephen's Day, Patrick's day etc.

Correct. It's not a public holiday, but it IS a bank holiday. There are only two Bank Holidays in Ireland; Good Friday and December 27th.

And a couple of smashed panes of glass!

True. But it's also a bank holiday.

Shouldn't be closed, Friday is only a bank holiday.

Incredible. What strikes me the most about this is that there is NOTHING that gives this away as a scratch built model!

It's gone up to €3.95 but still a bargain! And An Post never get there hands on it!

Glad that worked for you, Declan. The Hattons chips are rebadged Gaugemaster decoders. You can download the manual for them here - http://www.ehattons.com/media/md4instructions.pdf It's the manual for the 8 pin version, but all the CVs are the same.

You won't find a Heljan loco that will be suitable without performing some surgery on it. One idea I had was to use a Heljan drive mechanism and bogies but you would need to scratchbuild a chassis. Howes models sell all the parts needed, see this link - http://www.howesmodels.co.uk/category/'OO'%20General%20spares The bogies come without wheelsets but they are available on the next page.

You can re-map the function keys so that one button will turn the headlights on and off and they will light up in the direction of travel, but you won't be able to control the cab lights. I just looked at the Hattons listing for that decoder and they don't have a manual to download! Try these settings: CV51 - 0 CV52 - 16 CV36 - 4 This should give you directional headlights controlled by F1.

Try Peter's Spares, they have an Ebay store.

That's the problem. The Hattons decoders have 4 functions; 2 are used by the front and rear marker lights, 1 for the forward headlight, 1 for the rear headlight. To operate the cab lights requires 2 more so a 6 function decoder is needed.

Get set up with Parcel Motel. They will ship to them at normal rates (some suppliers post free within the UK) and you just pay €4 to have it shipped to the nearest ParcelMotel machine.