what are people doing on their layout right now

[GeeBee]

Nothing done for the last 2 weeks I have been to busy helping to close down our local church after the congregation numbers fell below 6 sad but that seems the way things are going these days, so hope to restart work next 2 weeks, tried out the circuit to detect point change on KATO switches and points looks like this will need another logic board to drive it correctly. will post more if I am succesful
 

[EtchedPixels]

Cutting point motor rods, and starting to add the 40 plus wires needed for this board

[D1042 Western Princess]

I have been working on my second hill and tunnel mouths. One thing I found putting plaster (( lightweight hydrocol ) straight over paper and cardboard is a no no, mind it was only cheap paper from packing. I just thought I would save on plaster cloth, but when I make the final hill and tunnels I will use plaster cloth again.

Another fine mess and expensive mistake, eh?  Well, we all do those from time to time.   Better luck with the next attempt.
But from what that picture shows it looks as if you are going to have a good layout at the end.
Best wishes,
Greg.

[talisman56]

Brewery buildings completed (barring ridge tiles and colouring the edges)
[smg id=11451]

Brewery window issue solved: 
[smg id=11452]

[ColinH]

Very neat and practical solution. Also adds individuality to the structure.

[Chetcombe]

Getting very frustrated trying to get the couplings on my Dapol Mark 3 coaches to stay connected

Have resorted to tiny bits of blue tac, but surely that shouldn't be necessary!!!

[Bealman]

Didn't realise that Chetcombe was in the Mark 3 era, Mike! Why won't they stay coupled?

[Chetcombe]

Didn't realise that Chetcombe was in the Mark 3 era, Mike! Why won't they stay coupled?

The Chetcombe era is 1965 to 1976 to allow maximum flexibility in rolling stock without having to invoke rule 1

Incredibly on a Western / Southern Region layout somewhere in West Dorset this allows everything from Halls, Castles and Bulleid Light Pacifics in the last days of steam, thru the diesel hydraulics of the late '60’s / early ’70’s, then the Class 25s, 31s, 37s, 45s, 47s and 50s of the diesel electric era to the introduction of HSTs in 1976. Truly an amazing 11 years in terms of variety

As for the couplings on the Dapol Mk 3 coaches, well I'm not sure what they are designed for, but it sure isn't for keeping an HST set coupled together around Chetcombe

[D1042 Western Princess]

A layout set on the West Dorset coast, jointly operated by BRWR/SR seems perfectly logical to me; Weymouth immediately springs to mind. And as you say, a great time to be an enthusiast, which is why my layouts are always set around 1970 - everything you describe, but the only kettles around are making tea!

As to your Mk3 coupling problem, does this only happen with the Mk3s, or with other stock too? Is it always the same coach? Does it always happen in the same place/places?
If it is always the same place could it be a tracklaying problem? If so it might need relaying.
Have you looked at the couplings to ensure each is not drooping? I once had a similar problem with a Farish coach and found the coupling at one end had not been fitted correctly. It pointed down by about 45 degrees! This would have been around 1980 something and quality control was not as good as today!
Do you always run your Mk3s in the same formation? If it is the same two vehicles all the time then it might be that the two couplings are incompatible (sounds silly, but try changing the formation around a bit)
If your vehicle is new, recently purchased, you should return it as faulty but if you've had it a while, or it's secondhand, then you might be able to replace the coupling, or sadly may have little choice than just have to live with it. Sorry, but I really can't think of anything else at the moment. But I agree, it is not a requirement of operating Mk3s that blue tack needs to be used in order to stay coupled!
Good luck,
Greg.

[Wingman mothergoose]

At the moment on 'Sherwood Central', I've ripped out my facing crossover and am trying to work out where to put its replacement trailing crossover. Also, as the facing crossover was mainly intended for trains from the storage sidings to gain access to the inner loop without reversing, I'm wondering whether to move it closer to the fiddle yard and combine two points with a single/double slip, or to not bother at all and just stick with 2 trailing crossovers in a proper GC style...

[Bealman]

Mike, ignore my post about the Mk 3 coaches. I think I was having a brain spasm. I knew the era of your layout! 

George

[EtchedPixels]

I found the Dapol mark3 couplers a problem as the nem sockets were drooping different amounts. In the end I 3d printed some bar couplers to join the rake.

[Chetcombe]

Hi Greg

As EP says, the problem is with the height of the coupling, not with the track. It is only the Dapol Mk 3s I have had any trouble with

Thanks to the kind offer off a forum member, I am going to give the bar couplers a try

[Dave95979]

i am doing ballasting  i think however i need finer ballast i will wait to see what i have dun already when i go to the shed latter 

[EtchedPixels]

Fitted point motors and uncoupler magnets to the front part of the new train-set layout. That also meant cutting a chunk out of the bottom board so I could get it at in future. Fun with 6mm ply and nothing but a hacksaw, drill and file. Tis done now although I seem to have acquired a blister in the process.

Main power feeds are done, next job is to test the motors and figure out where to stick the controls.

Alan