Track wiring complete

All the electrical connections to the track have been tested and reconnected where necessary. Surprisingly few repairs were required - the sections in the coal road which normally caused most problems were all found to be working and only the connections to the shed itself needed rewiring. Point motors still need testing again - the issue with the two on short leads has now been resolved - the leads turned out to be long enough but had been routed 'the long way round', but the point motors  in question still require reinstallation. There are a couple of loose wires on the panel, which also appear to be point-motor related. However the majority of the wiring is complete and I have a working layout again! Rewiring of the block instrument and bells will take a low priority as the revised operating position renders them largely redundant, and in any case, I am planning a new computer-based bell system along the lines of the 'Automatic Crispin'.

Incidentally, as it is dark under the baseboards, I have installed a set of (clear) Christmas lights under the boards to assist in illumination (at a previous address I accidentally used coloured lights, which made tracing wires interesting to say the least!).

Main Lines

With the Rheidol Valley line running, and most of the building lights working, attention has now turned to the standard gauge main lines and the Carmarthen branch. All sections on those lines are now working, although there was a slightly frustrating moment relating to a short circuit arising when I re-soldered one of the connections to the Up Main. After switching almost all other sections off and disconnecting the newly-soldered joint, I discovered I'd left my wire cutters on the track!

One main line train has now run - one of my Lima Prairies accidentally took a trip up the main line when I switched the wrong section on by mistake!

So most electrics now sorted except for the loco yard sections - tomorrow's job!

A milestone!

The first train from Aberystwyth Exchange sidings to Devil's Bridge has now run!

That is not to say the Rheidol Valley section is necessarily complete as the current arrangement excludes the Aberffrwd and water mill sections. However, for the time being, the priority has to be to get the main line working again.

Significant progress!

Since my last update, I have achieved a number of significant milestones in rebuilding the layout:

1)The remaining track on the existing boards has been repaired with the exception of the two sidings behind the coal stage, which were never connected to the rest of the track.

 2) The main line track on the new lifting board has been laid.

3) Devil's Bridge station has been unpacked and placed into position.

4) All control panels have now been screwed into place and all boards reconnected electrically, with the exception of the lifting board, the Rheidol Bridge and the traverser, leading to .....

5) THE FIRST TRAIN HAS RUN!!! The new Liliput 0-4-0 Zillertalbahm diesel has run in both the exchange sidings area and at Devil's Bridge (but has yet to make the journey between the two). Some of the building lights have also been connected and tested.

This now leaves the following objectives:

1) Minor alignment work required on the Rheidol Bridge.

1) Wiring up of the remaining boards as detailed above.

2) Checking/testing all wiring.

3) Repairing the loco shed.

4) Laying of the new loco yard headshunt including connecting up the two sidings referred to above.

5) Reinstallation of the crossover at the end of Platform 5.

Last board built

The final board needed for the rearranged layout has now been constructed. This is the link board that connects the exchange sidings to the lift-out Rheidol Bridge, and also will contain the lower end of the coaling stage ramp.

Now where did I put those N-gauge rail joiners?

Latest progress

You could be forgiven for thinking that as there have been no posts on this blog for three weeks that progress on "A38 & RV" has come to a halt. In fact, the opposite has been the case - I have been too busy on it to blog!

All the standard gauge boards have been re-erected, however there was a brief hiatus in reconstruction when it was realised that to rebuild exactly as per the previous arrangement would block off access to all windows in the room. I have therefore decided to convert the original 45 degree bend into a right angle, avoiding the bay window area completely, with access to the window being via a lifting flap and a removable bridge. The flap has been completed and is awaiting tracklaying, however an infill piece is required to support the VoR bridge.

All buildings have now been repaired, with the exception of the loco shed. Most of the track has also been repaired.

So far the control panel has still not been connected up - that is next week's job!

Reconstruction begins

Apart from some minor electrical work, most of the boards were untouched between October 2008 and October 2010 due to the possibility of another move. Now that possibility has receded, reconstruction has commenced.

So far, the original two baseboards plus the extra board containing the main station building have been re-erected. Thus I am almost back to Mk 2a. However, much still remains to be done before trains can be run again. Several sections of steel track need replacing with nickel silver. One damaged point has already been replaced. The control panel still needs reconnecting (it is currently connected to another board while I wire in point motors). In addition, the smaller of the station buildings has sustained some damage to its canopies and (although not yet required) it has become clear that the goods and loco sheds are also in need of repair.

So plenty for me to do - I'd better get on with it!

Introduction

Aberystwyth '38 and Rheidol Valley is a long-term model railway project to recreate in miniature the GWR station at Aberystwyth in its heyday and part of the Vale of Rheidol Railway. The project's history is as follows:

1990?-1997 Aberystwyth Mk 1 - a shelf layout built around the walls of my bedroom in my parents' house. Completely dismantled when my parents moved. This model was viewed from the south side and the station buildings and goods yard appeared only on the backscene.

1998-2001 Aberystwyth Mk 2a - this time viewed from the north side, Mk 2a covered essentially the same features (goods reception road, passenger platforms and loco shed )as Mk1, but was/is  a free standing layout.

2001 Aberystwyth Mk 2b - as above but including the main station building to fill in an extra 18" at a new residence.

2002 Aberystwyth Mk 2c - inclusion of goods yard.

2003 Aberystwyth Mk 2d - extension of main line and loco depot, including the coaling tower, turntable and the Manchester & Milford exchange sidings with the Vale of Rheidol and the M & M bridge over both the VoR and the river.

2004 Devil's Bridge terminus built.

2005 Shoebox layout based on the original VoR depot constructed but owing to space limitations not connected to the main layout.

2006 Rhiwfron siding module built (again never connected into the main layout) to enter an exhibition organised by Chelmsford MRC for a 30" x 20" layout.

2007 Aberffrwd station module constructed to provide room on the layout for an extra train.Devil's bridge extended to include the watr tower, cottages and ruined mill. Rheidol Bridge module also built as a stand-alone feature for display purposes.

2008 Devil's Bridge, Aberffrwd, Rheidol Bridge and the shoebox layout exhibited jointly at the Kenavon Railway Society's first model railway exhibition. A house move later that year led to all the boards being separated and put into store (although Rhiwfron and the Shoebox attended exhibitions during this period) until October 2010 when reconstruction work began.