N Gauge Model Railway Layout Building a Canal in N Scale Elvenhome EP 143
Вставка
- Опубліковано 7 лис 2024
- In this video of my N Gauge Model Railway layout Elvenhome, I continue the work to build a canal and canal basin on my layout. I show me building an embankment down from the viaduct to the canal bank, and also the completion of laying out the canal basin. The lock and two barges get painted. I have also been building two buildings of rate timber yard which will form one side of the basin. Finally I enter the murky world of CVs to attempt to calibrate controller
MMR Models
www.mmrmodels....
Zimo website for manuals
www.zimo.at/web...
I was wrong in the video about the distances needed to calibrate the controller. To calibrate for kph you need to measure over a distance that is 100 scale meters. In British N scale that is 676mm
For mph you need to measure over a longer distance equivalent to 1/10th of a scale mile. That is 1087 mm
Stephen,
Good day. Great episode.
A few comments. First a personal input regarding the wood shed. An idea about lightning the structures. Finally setting the measured distances and speed steps.
1. During his life my Great Uncle owned a wood lot & saw mill. For reference, based on your layout, the hown trees would be to the farthest left out of the structures. Proceeding to the right would be the mill and sliding bed. For cutting planks. The lumber would be moved to the right for drying and storage. It would then enter the sanding barn for cutting & milling into furniture carpentry. The final building (office & open barn) was the road side sales space of Shaker & Colonial Americana fine furniture. For your consideration.
2. Next lightning and wiring. As I am not sure of the model building's material (wood, paper, or styrene) it's difficult to offer advice. In my past I have included inner walls with wooden craftsman kits to run electrical wiring up between to fixtures. For styrene I have glued wires to the interior side of the wall and covered it with a photo paper insert of the business view. HOWEVER, paper building's are NOT my forte. I would be concerned that trying to hide the wires in the walls would cause a buckle or bubble to appear. Sorry can't offer any better solution here.
3. The bain of my modeling life has been CV's😤. Similar situations have cause me to reset ALL of my CV's to the manufacturer's presets and FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL, IN THE ORDER PRINTED, set each and every CV to the desired steps. Be sure to keep many notes of your settings written on the instruction's margins.
If, unfortunately, you have your chips set the way you desire. Then days, months, years, experiences later you learn a better way. YOUR STUCK. If you attempt to alter a setting higher in the logic stream, after succeeding functions are set, numerous unrelated steps will by tossed to ballist siding. And trust me those functions WILL HIDE in bytes where it doesn't belong.😢
Your in my prayers. Good luck.😮
Jim in N.Y., U.S.A.
Hi Jim and thank you so much for taking the time to comment so fully. The information on the saw mill is just so helpful. On the lighting the only building which may be problematic is the blower house and sander because it has no internal detail. However I think I may just put and LED in with a couple of resistors on to give a dull light just to get some internal glow. I do have the Just plug system for some of the lights and I may use a spare socket there to give me the ability to dim the light down. The information on the CVs was also so very helpful. I will have another go at the loco setting all the various CV values in sequence and see if can get everything working. If I can the ability to regulate scale speed by CV setting would be very useful. Thanks again and I am glad you enjoyed the episode. Stephen
Hi Stephen I do like these videos where you show how you're doing things like the scenery etc, the canal lock is looking good too. Thanks for an entertaining episode.
Thanks very much Peter. That embankment was worrying me, and I am not sure why. As you can see I knew how to build it, but I was worried I didn't. I was pleased with how the lock turned out. That too was something I didn't think I could do good job with. By the way I didn't mention it in this video but I will be at the N Gauge Society Exhibition in York on 13 May. I hope I have remembered correctly that you are intending to go? If so I may see you there. Stephen
@@Elvenhome Hi Stephen Yes, hopefully I should at the NGS show at York on the Saturday (can't do the Sunday though). However I'm also hoping to be at the York Easter show too, although I may be there on the Sunday but not not 100% sure yey (maybe Saturday instead?)
Look forward to seeing you on the 13th (and who knows maybe next Saturday).
Thanks for sharing your progress. It is very interesting to hear about the CV to arrange the correct speed matching. Maybe one day will be able to buy a model and run it at scale speed straight out of the box without CV tweaking!
Thanks Dave. One of the CVs on the Zimo chip is to allow it to work with a cam sensor to regulate speed. Now who makes a model using a Zimo chip which has a cam sensor I wonder? Stephen
.
Coming along Stephen! You have diffinately packed a lot in your space. While it took me a little time getting to this video, I look forward to the progress of this area.. Cheers Jason
Thanks Jason. I am pleased that taking a step or two back about a year ago is beginning to pay dividends. I'm much happier with this part of the layout now. Stephen
Coming along nicely Stephen, loving the progress and buildings look great. It was great to chat the other day and an honour to be sending supplies you’re direction.. All the best, Chris
Thanks very much Chris. It was good to get to speak and I am looking forward to the goodie box arriving. I am enjoying working on the layout and it is always pleasing when you can see the results of your work. Stephen
All looking fantastic. Great detail and great information as always. Lovely work Stephen.
Thanks Neil. I’m in one of those phases where quite a bit is getting done. Let’s hope it continues. Stephen
The canal area is starting to look decent Stephen cheers
Thanks Ben. It is coming together well and I am enjoying working on it. Stephen
Excellent video Stephen. Canal area is coming along nicely. A great running session. Thanks for sharing. Roy.
Thanks Roy. The canal area is certainly taking shape and I'm pleased with how it's going so far at least. Stephen
Hi Stephen another fantastic video lot's of interesting information and some great running. Sorry we aren't going to bump into each other at York but na mind. In joy the show. Colin
Thanks Colin. It never occurred to me to travel on the Monday. Even after five years retired the muscle memory of doing things on a weekend is still very strong. I am going to be back in York on 13 May for the N Gauge Society show at the NRM so perhaps I may see you there if you are going. Stephen
Very enjoyable Stephen.
Thanks Chris. Stephen
Hi Stephen, you’re doing a fine job with the canal scene, the timber yard building look really good. Hopefully we’ll see the PVA water in the next episode, I’m not sure I’ve seen that used for a large area of water, I’ve seen it used to good effect for puddles and the like.
I’m also interested in how you’re going to do High Elven now that you mentioned it, whatever you do I’m sure you’ll come up with a good solution.
Good grief the Potters Wheel, now that takes me back…!
Cheers for now Stephen, John
Thanks John. I think the PVA will work fine over a larger area, but we shall see. I've seen it used on canals and for areas of sea at the beach for example (although sometimes in addition to lavatory paper) At least if it doesn't work it will provide a seal over which I can pour resin if it all goes belly up. Stephen
Greetings Elvenhome and hello Stephen 👋 As always an entertaining and informative Magazine Show 😍 It’s amazing how clever those DCC chips really are 🤔 especially the Zimo ones 😇 I just wish they could compensate for dodgy track work too 😳 Very best wishes from the Emerald Isle ☘️
Thanks Paul. The things can be done with the decoders are quite remarkable. Most of us barely scratch the surface of their functionality. Stephen
Good video Stephen
Thanks very much Josh. Stephen
Canal scene is coming along nicely. Even without the complete scenery in the area the running session with the trains trundling past looks really good. Hope you have a fruitful trip down to York next Saturday.
Thanks Euan. I am so pleased I will be able to go to York. I am going to be going down again to York on 13 May for the N Gauge Society Exhibition for its deferred jubilee exhibition at the NRM. A senior railcard is a wonderful thing. First class return for £80. The canal scene really is coming together and it really repaying the time and effort to create it. Stephen
Hi Stephen, just watched the video whilst on my lunch break 😊 Enjoyed the video and the canal scenes look great especially the timber yard buildings those MMR kits they are very good and a great finish you have done to them! With painting etc!It will be interesting what you find at York on the scenic side of things but I would personally look to use a summer type grass on your banks and some other grasses with other colours to compliment such as patchy & dead grasses maybe around the tow path areas? Are you planning on going for an overgrown look or a tidier well maintained look? Let’s see how the canal scene develops and interested to see how your water turns out as I am embarking on doing the water on my stream and waterfalls and looking at various options for stream base colour and water materials 😵💫 Cheers Gary
Thanks Gary. I think the main thing on the scenic side is the length of what I have in static grass and some of the colours compared to what I would expect for an untended bankside. I agree that summer would be the main look. I have some sea foam so I can make some saplings and small bushes, but the flock I have for that is all very green. I might want to plant some bull rushes here and there just to show it isn't as well kept as it once was. I think the PVA will give a good effect for the canal. Marklin of Sweden is a great channel for water effects. He use PVA quite a bit for water effects, including waterfalls. Worth a look. Stephen
@@Elvenhome cheers Stephen I will check out that channel
Hi Stephen, thanks for another interesting vid, I do like the mmr models which got me to thinking. You have used many resources throughout your vids, do you keep a list of the links you have placed on your vids? No problem if not, I’m happy to go through them and make my own. I may have missed this too but could you tell me the external measurements of your layout ?which I’m hoping will help me determine plans for my own layout plans, looking forward to the next instalment of the progress on your layout. Thanks , Phil
Hi Phil. I saw on the MMR site yesterday that the present absence of models is due to ill health and it should be back up and running from1 May. I think their models are very good and to have another producer making N scale models has to be a good thing. I don't keep a list of the links I have shared over the videos. I must confess it never occurred to me to do so (other than to save them as bookmarks in my browser). The layouts dimensions are 1.9m along the foot of the L, and 2.9m along the longest side. The baseboards are all 900mm wide. The legs are all at 1M because I am tall, but that does make it a bit of stretch to the corner of the L, especially if you are silly enough to do the scenic work in front of that before you start on that corner (no names no pack drill). Stephen
@@Elvenhome thanks Stephen for the information, I agree N Model suppliers are hard to find but I do like the scale scene approach and your previous efforts at scratch building has spurred me on, I have done a couple of Metcalfes which are good but other options are always useful, thanks very much, Phil
Hi Stephen! As usual this was a very enjoyable video! The canal scene is all coming together nicely, and the Potter's Wheel segment had my mind reaching back a little further than I should be able to remember! Lol! I'm really looking forward to seeing how you use PVA to create the water effect, as I think I'll need something similar for Shelfington reservoir! The MMR models looked great, so that's another company gone down on my never ending list of model suppliers! I see that the subject of the dreaded decoder manual raised its ugly head? I'm not so sure they can be readily understood by mere mortals! :) Oh, I think your description above has a typo, in that it's not a distance of 100 scale miles - I think you were shooting for a distance of a tenth of a scale mile! All the best, Ian.
Thanks Ian. The PVA technique I learned from the Marklin of Sweden UA-cam channel. He used it for his dock scene, with lavatory paper to form waves. I don’t need that for a canal but it would be worth a look for your reservoir. The functionality of the humble decoder is quite astounding, and as you say much of it sounds like a dark art. Thanks for the correction on the scale miles. I’ve adjusted the description. Stephen
Hi Stephen, excellent video as usual and the canal is coming along nicely. I was wondering wether there would be a footbridge over the canal from the side closest to you over to the pub so people can get there with more ease from their mooring points where your finger is pointing here 4:44 .
See you next time.
Nat
Hi Nat and thanks. There won't be a footbridge. I don't intend that barges would moor on the nearside. I posed a couple there because I don't have the basin finished but they will be going in there. The nearside is going to be an untended canal bank, if I can manage to make that look reasonable. Stephen
@@Elvenhome yeah that makes more sense
Hi Stephen, thoroughly enjoying your videos every couple of weeks, thank you for all your time and effort that you put into producing them.
Just a thought regarding the canal scene, would there be a run off / spillway in the basin area to allow all the water from above the lock and from each lock operation to overflow and prevent flooding?
I know that all the locks that I’ve been through have had a channel or underground pipe that runs around the side of the lock to carry excess water down to the bottom of the flight and away.
Happy modelling.
Regards. Graham.
Thanks Graham. Thanks for the info about the run off/spillway. I did wonder about copying the basin of my local canal which has two large gratings at the end, which I always thought must be to regulate the water level. I will do some more research. It will easy to fit in the basin. Stephen
Hi Stephen, I'd never realized until watching your running session, somehow there is a difference between how British and North American steam locomotives operate. Here in North America you have 4 chuff's for each revolution of the wheel, basically each chuff occurs per quarter revolution of the wheel. Have a look at this video for a clearer example of my explanation --> ua-cam.com/video/WjEzExukNMs/v-deo.html Yes the Nickle Plate Berkshire's had a very sharp report at the stack when starting. Your canal scene is shaping up nicely and I look forward following along with the progress on the canal scene. I also look forward to seeing High Elvin once again appear on the layout. Oh yes Stephen, I've also found very fine sandpaper represents a tar paper roof quite nicely. Cheers Rich S.
Hi Rich. The A4 is a three cylinder locomotive hence the six chuffs. The engineer was enjoying using his whistle. Not sure the fireman would have been so pleased. It's a fine engine and makes a lovely sound. The canal scene really is coming along nicely. I'm enjoying working on it. Stephen
Hi Stephen @@Elvenhome, Thank you for the additional information, I had not realized the A4 was a three cylinder locomotive, it all makes sense now. Here in the states it's law the engineer must blow the whistle approaching all highway crossings. The warning is two longs, a short and a long. It has also become tradition for the engineer to blow the whistle while approaching a group of rail fans, first and foremost as a warning and secondly many want to hear the engineer "Play The Whistle" producing the varying pitch and rhythm of the whistle. Personally I'd rather hear the machine working. Thank you again Stephen for the additional information and I look forward to your next progress video. Cheers, Rich S.
Left handed as well, like me. Skilled arty people 😃
All the best people are! Stephen.
Hi what bridge are you using for the canal please. Would it be the same arch as for the railway? Many thanks
@@MrGrahamcooper The viaduct is scratch built by me. I showed how I built it in videos 125 to 127. I did use a similar technique when I built the portals for the tunnels under High Elven. Stephen
Great work on the canal scene and the basin. I really like those MMR buildings, and like you hope they do start to re stock with them. Once the embankment is covered and the tow path in it will look excellent. I'm busy trying to finish some scenics off, which includes printing some signs and graphics for the buildings and streets, so will look forward to your experience of using the software you mentioned. Just an after thought, do you know what size pixel or font is needed for N scale for road signs?
Regards
Steve
Thanks Steve. The canal scene is really coming together and I am enjoying working on it. I did create name plates for the Bagshott Terrace and Longbottom Terrace on my layout. I created the in Word at a good size so that I could see what I was doing. I then exported that as a jpeg file and reduced that in size to what I needed to print out on photo paper. I would do that rather than try and create in the right size. I am sure Inkscape would allow you to do that. Having said that for the road signs, unless I needed a bespoke sign, I would be tempted to go with a commercially produced product. The quality and crispness of the printing will be better than anything that a home printer, except a high end photoprinter, could manage. I've used Trackside Signs for other things and they produce modern and pre 1960s signs. Stephen
@@Elvenhome I shall experiment with word - thanks Stephen
Regards
Steve
Hi Stephen, I've been following Elvenhome for a while now as I was always going to be building an N Gauge layout. I have to say you are an inspiration and I will be revisiting the videos once I get cracking in a week or so. A quick question if I may, what is the width of the canal you have modelled both in real size and to scale?
Hi Chris. Thanks for following the channel and for your kind comments. Good luck with your layout. I you need help feel free to email me at the address at the end of each video. I would be happy to help if I can. As for the canal the section between the lock and the corner before the viaduct is 57mm wide (2.25 inches). This scales to 28ft in real life which is 3 Barges wide (these are the widest craft at around 9ft each in real life). From all the research I did the basins and approaches to steps of locks are each unique and you can therefore do what you want. I thought that I would make it wide enough for a barge to be berthed either side of the lock entrance and still allow a barge to travel between. The basin is 7 inches wide, more than enough to a barge 5.25 inches long (around 77ft long in real life) easily to turn 180 degrees. Hope that helps. Stephen
Hey Stephen, just a guess , but the blower plant could be for drying timber? keep up the good work. Roger
Thanks Roger. That makes a lot of sense Now to find out what would be in there. Stephen
Stephen, more great work. I love the MMR kits. One question, what make is your scalpel handle? It looks very comfortable to hold. Also, does it use standard Swann Morton blades? Looking forward to the next installment. Pete.
Thanks Peter. The scalpel handle is quite old now and I can’t remember who made it. It doesn’t have any makers name on it because it is starting to show its age and I was wondering if I could get a newer one. It does take standard blades but they need a square end not the slightly Swann necked kind. Stephen
9:27 Hi Steve, do your lock gates also need opening levers? So people can open them by hand.
Hi Mark. Yes you're right. Thanks for mentioning that. I'll add that to the detail that I am going to be putting around the canal. I need to give all the barges tillers among other things. Steve
You need 1/10 of a scale mile which in 1:148 is 1.087 meters
Thanks Rodney. I wasn’t too far out at least. Thanks again for letting me know about the CV setting. Stephen
I’ve just realised that you may not have seen that at the end of the description in the video I put reworked figures. I had confused myself in the video by giving the distance needed to measure in kph. Once I read the Zimo manual again I redid the calculations. Thanks nonetheless for all your help here Stephen.