Looking back to go forward.

As per usual at this of year, a stocktake of the previous twelve months takes place. The idea is to keep some perspective and a sense of progress.

As I look back on posts from this time last year, the main project at the time was the ever expanding empire.

 

 

Now

 

 

Twelve months ago

I believe that the layout has reached its physical limits in size at this present time and present location, the last year has increased the layout area by at least fifty per cent, along with more operational scope and with a more cohesive narrative.  The concept of a depot has been a successful inclusion.  Operationally, the layout performs excellently, track issues and bugs have been resolved during the year.

On the technical side, the DCC control and interface with JMRI that delivers wifi capability is also at the level required/exceeded at this time.

This leads to the coming year, this year will be about finishing off the layout with details, such as lights and trolley wire, at the moment all of the structures for the layout are in the final process of being built and/or illuminated. Then Victoria Street will be complete*.

Then the further expansion of DCC conversion/improvement of operational rollingstock will be considered.

I think with this layout, I have avoided the most common error of taking on too much, too soon. It started off as a modular micro layout that has gently expanded over time. I haven't fallen into the trap of buying a shed load of wood, track and structures then slapping it together in a hurry, only to find that I hate it, pull it all up, throw most of it out, then only to repeat the process again, nor have I been seduced into the latest offerings from competing manufacturers of Austrailan prototypes, scorch a hole in the credit card, and then have boxes upon boxes of rollingstock with nothing for it to run on.

As a bloke with a missus and young kids, like most, I don't have the time or the resources to engage in the fore mentioned issues in the above paragraph, any modelling time is precious and it would be pointless to frustrate oneself in the pursuit of 'happiness', remember we all should model for relaxation, gratification and entertainment.

I started Victoria Street as a re entry into model railways/tramways for something quiet to do when my oldest child was born, as opposed to blasting out classic Australian pub rock at 140dB, that was over seven years ago, the tramway modelling and the micro layout option was due to the available real estate issued at the time. So my secret to this ongoing saga, is to think twice, do once, enjoy your work, then think twice again.

Here is something I thought would never appear on Victoria Street when I first started.

 

The oldest with 'her' tram, cutting notches at the ammo factory on wifi.

 

The eye and lippy war paint come from a monster high doll tart up kit, as I say, it is her tram.

(Mehano mech under a Manner promotional tram fitted with a NCE D13SRJ decoder with led lights)

From under the wires, in the same space as a toy hospital for reassembling dismembered Barbie dolls,
Glenn

*Is a layout ever finished?

That time of the year again.

As per usual at this time of the year, the annual Christmas card from Victoria Street.

 

For some people have to work on Christmas Day.

 

Enjoy the season, be safe, try not to eat and/or drink too much, and who knows, those that have been good this year may do better than a lump of coal.

 

 

From under the sparkly overhead wires.

Glenn.

Clocking up a milestone.

It is only just recently that this blog site, that has been online for the last four and a half years has passed the 50000 visitor mark,  I would like to thank those who regularly visit and those who leave the odd comment of encouragement for making this all possible, also those who post links from their blog to this one.

As you may have noticed there are no advertisements on or around this site, I intend to keep it that way as I have no interest in attempting to make money here, all I wish to do is post updates along with photos of the going ons of this model tramway layout, and hopefully inspire, educate and entertain you in the process.

Feel free to wander through the back catalogue of posts, and thank you again for your ongoing interest, for I believe that layouts are to be shared, either online and/or at an exhibition. We all can learn and appreciate from the efforts of others.

 

Thank you, from the locals of Victoria Street.

 

From under the wires after 50000 odd visits.

Glenn.

This is how we roll.

Just a quick update, I have obtained a set of rolling road (DCC Concepts) for Victoria Street, this will allow myself to fine tune DCC equipped rolling stock and run in some of my recent/sticky DC trams.

This is because there isn't enough running space on the layout for my fleet to get a good gallop up before it finds itself at the other end, and as a point to point shelf layout there also not enough real estate for a complete loop for some "roundy, roundy" action.

'Mind the step'

With enough roller assemblies for six axels, I have the resources to give three, four wheelers a whirl at one time, also the set includes spacers for those who choose to operate in other gauges, now to get the good laptop off the bride so I can start dyno testing the DCC fleet with JMRI.

A closer look.

Eventually I will set up some track on a plinth with both HO and N scale, with a feed from the layout operated/isolated by a switch, for running in/ programming purposes, as the only place I can slot these rollers on the layout is on the open ballasted track at the Ammo factory module

Watching the wheels turn but not going anywhere,
Glenn.

Lights are on.

The work at the moment is concentrating on structure lighting, on the junction module, the servo, the depot administration office and the terraces are now fitted with internal lighting. The old house is not far behind, but will be fitted with a quick connect plug and socket so I can remove the house for depot photos. I even knocked up a hills hoist.

Even the incinerator is illuminated

(The missus will be impressed with the washing on the line)

While the soldering iron was hot, other projects got a go, including an effort of interlocking tram signals for the depot, considering that for a tram to enter the depot, it has to 'bang road' against traffic coming from town and the depot. It involves the combination of a micro limit switch (point direction), a DPDT switch (car in/car out), plus some spare LEDs acting as a diode matrix, feeding a set of pole mounted modified LEDs fashioned to look like tramway 'T' lights, the concept seems to work and is waiting for the Soldering of lights festival beneath the modules.

Testing the 'brains' of the tramway signals.

 

Set against leaving the depot.

 

 

Set against through traffic,

 

 

with a repeater for traffic coming from the Ammo Factory.

 

 

Set against Depot entry.

 

The other episode of cauterised flesh is the lighting assembly for the interior of the depot shed, this features LEDs sourced from Christmas lights soldered along a strip of double sided copper clad PCB board together with some code 100 rail for uprights.  The other trick that I employed is insulating the lighting circuits from the contact wire by cutting gaps on the strips where the contact wire (code 80 Peco N gauge rail) is soldered to the PCB strip.  Bridging wire for the lights are soldered over the contact wire pads.

The concept of this arrangement is that the depot shed to be constructed from foam board, covered in brick paper, complete with a roof that can be 'plonked' over lighting rig/shed overhead, and removed on the occasion of a stalled tram, a dewired trolley pole or a tangled pantograph.

 

In the daylight.
 

The code 80 N scale rail with a wheel type trolley pole,

 

and with the slider type trolley pole.

 

then at night

.

"Let there be light"

The reason for the lack of posts at the moment is due to the bride tying up the internet connected laptop with her studies, leaving myself to compose posts on the tablet/smart phone in text form then uploading the photos for the posts when the laptop becomes available, this issue will cease about Cup week (early November) when her studies finish for the year.

From under the wires minus fingerprints,
Glenn.

Where are the trams?

"Due to a long running industrial dispute, together with a stop work meeting today between 10 am and 2 pm there will  not be any trams services along Victoria Street during that time, delays are anticipated before the stop work action and when services are restored."

'Passengers are to expect some issues with services.'

As in the past and as now in the present, industrial disputes between staff and management occurs when  there is a difference of opinion on how the business operates, most disputes are usually about remuneration and workplace conditions.

In today's workplace environment, certain parties believe that for workers to receive extra income they must trade away long fought for entitlements and conditions, thus improving the 'efficiency' of the business.  The flip side of the argument, is that the worker can only do so much with the equipment that is available at a certain rate that does not endanger themselves or others, while expecting renumeration that enables them to sustain/improve their current standard of living.

The days of spontaneous wild cat industrial action, together with secondary boycotts are long gone, the process now involves mediation through an independent industrial umpire; however, this process can only work if both parties agree on a suitable outcome, now known as an enterprise bargaining  agreement. When this fails, the workers representative can apply for a protected industrial action ballot amongst its members, to gage the feeling of the intent to engage in further industrial action, the result of the ballot can enlighten management to the ill feeling of their workforce, therefore make a more suitable offer in an attempt to prevent possible damaging industrial action.

When the result of the dispute, which willl affect the travelling public, this action gains the interest of the media, who in turn may publish certain details about the workers current wages and conditions that is supplied/inflated by the management in an effort to push the public against the worker. This is not negotiating in good faith.  The workers now have to give significant notice about their intention to withdraw their labour, so the travelling public can make alternative arrangements, this in turn places the ball in the court of the business to come up with a solution that is palatable for the workers before the deadline.

The withdrawal of labour is usually the last thing that the workers want to do as it results in loss of income for that period, as some workers may not have the resources to sustain that short term loss, however, the alternative that is the combination of an uncompetitive wage together with reduced conditions which may include reduced job security means that the workers have no other alternative but to engage in industrial action.

Hence the cameo at the front gate of the depot.

Unity from under the wires.
Glenn.

Watching the grass grow.

A little bit of horticulture has taken place at the junction, the old house is bedded into some natural surrounds, some badly kept lawn and a couple of trees. The grass came from the Easter guinea pig, and the trees are Noch.

The grass came off in clumps from the donor rabbit, so when glued to the painted 'dirt' around the house it does look more realistic than the 'hair raising' method of a static applicator*, this allows the clumps to show a hint of terra firma between the foliage while not being dragged the same way by the laws of physics.

 

'An established neighbourhood'

 

 

In keeping to the time frame of years past before the local authorities (Council/EPA) ruined the art of backyard pyromania involving waste disposal, we have an incinerator fashioned from a 44 gallon drum. (Today they are called fire pits, braziers and chimineas!)

 

 

"Ahh, the serenity"

 

 The drive way, house, vehicles and chattels all received a dusting of pan pastels for that hint of neglect.

 

 

 

A small corner of the world.

 

 

A dull winters afternoon.

 

 

The back yard.

 

 

All that is missing is the Hills Hoist.

 

 

*A static applicator was discussed about with the domestic authorities, but was knocked back due to the potential of a mess during the process and the small amount of real estate requiring treatment, the short answer was NO! 

 

 

From next to wires while watching stuff burn with a few beers.

Glenn