Elmham Market in EM

[James Spooner]

I’ve been concentrating on maintenance on Elmham Market in advance of the local EMGS meeting. The irdots have been frustrating as the two sensors seem to creep together then illuminate permanently, which isn’t the big idea. Both yesterday and today I switched the mains on and both lights lit up. Protracted fiddling then got them working but the same happened today. Has anyone out there used them and have some good ideas for reliable operation?

As therapy from this I took one of my stock of ABS wagon kits and soldered it up. They are rather lovely castings and do give some weight to a train. Photo attached.

Nigel

 

[simond]

Never used an IRDOT but the same principle is easy to arrange with components and a bit of veroboard / stripboard. I did it to “zero” my turntable each revolution.

It is likely cheaper, but whether it’s worth the hassle is another question, of course.

Would a bit of thin wall brass tube pushed over the emitter or detector serve as a light shield?

atb
Simon

 

[James Spooner]

Never used an IRDOT but the same principle is easy to arrange with components and a bit of veroboard / stripboard. I did it to “zero” my turntable each revolution.

It is likely cheaper, but whether it’s worth the hassle is another question, of course.

Would a bit of thin wall brass tube pushed over the emitter or detector serve as a light shield?

atb
Simon

Thanks Simon,

Both the emitter and detector have long sleeves encasing them, which come up several millimetres beyond the actual pieces of kit, presumably to reduce the chance of light transference and I think that is the same as your suggestion. I am wondering whether something wedged between the emitter and detector might make them point slightly away from each other and cure the problem?

cheers

Nigel

 

[simond]

Well, it might, but then it might also stop it detecting at all!

there isn’t a bit of cobweb or something is there?

 

[James Spooner]

Well, it might, but then it might also stop it detecting at all!

there isn’t a bit of cobweb or something is there?

Good point! Got the vacuum out and I think there were some bits of sawdust that had dropped in to the sleeve surrounding the emitter/detector. It seems to be working now but something I will need to keep an eye on.

cheers

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

So, apart from dusting away bits of sawdust, Thursday evening’s running session identified some maintenance issues that hadn’t previously presented themselves. In addition, it was politely pointed out that I had the brake levers on the wrong side (I blame the gravity train as brake were pulled up rather than pushed down and I had mentally transferred that to the six plank wagon - my story and I’m sticking to it!). So today, apart from some gardening between the showers, I have been hard at work on sorting out the new maintenance problems and have reversed the brake levers (as well as adding a wire crossing between the two levers).

Nigel

 

[NHY 581]

Lovely finish on the Buckjumper, Nigel.

Rob

 

[James Spooner]

Lovely finish on the Buckjumper, Nigel.

Rob

Thanks Rob. That was an old Riceworks kit I made about thirty years ago and was on the shelf after a bit of running maintenance.

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

With this rain I have been attacking my stash of wagon kits. Another ABS LNER six plank unfitted wagon has been completed up to painting stage (the second one is 10’ wheelbase whereas the first was 9’). Now working on a fitted six plank and up to the stage of fitting the brake rigging. Sadly the rigging seems to have been designed for 00 rather than EM or S4 as the components don’t quite reach from brake block to brake block. I’m fettling some new rigging out of 1mm brass angle sitting in my stash and will then attempt an impression of brake gear and safety wires. A few photos of progress to date…

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

I have attacked the brake rigging on the fitted six plank today and it sort of got a bit like Topsy and just growed…. I fettled some rigging out of brass angle in my stash, then thought they would look a bit silly if they weren’t attached to something and so it went on until I finally added the safety hoops as well. Fortunately, before I did all that I looked in Taplow and realised I had added spoked wheels when they were generally built with three hole wheels, so swapped them out. The fitted wagons also seem to have screw couplings rather than three link so I added them too. It has now joined the queue for the paint shop…

Nigel

 

[AJC]

All looks good - though the safety loops look a bit heavy to me: what gauge wire have you used?

Adam

 

[James Spooner]

All looks good - though the safety loops look a bit heavy to me: what gauge wire have you used?

Adam

Yes, they were about 0.6mm diameter and I was wondering whether they are too thick. I might sleep on it and replace in the morning.

Nigel

 

[AJC]

Yes, they were about 0.6mm diameter and I was wondering whether they are too thick. I might sleep on it and replace in the morning.

Nigel

The real things are about 1" (so 0.3mm), if that helps at all?

Adam

 

[James Spooner]

The real things are about 1" (so 0.3mm), if that helps at all?

Adam

Thanks Adam. I’ll take a look at it again in the morning.

Nigel