Land grab

I don't want to overstate the risks - they are really quite small, but the growth of the use of outdoor sockets has increased the chances of things going wrong.

There's around 400 PEN failures each year, so out of 20 million or so homes in the UK, it's really quite a small number. The important thing to remember is that basic RCD / RCBO protection will not work in these cases, so please don't go thinking "It's OK, I've got an RCD on the supply". They cannot provide protection in all cases.

If you have live track, metal lamp stands, any form of vehicle charging - including just throwing a cable out of the window, any form of metal structure etc. it's worth a minute just to consider the installation.

I have a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and 25 years experience working with temporary event supplies up to 1000A 3 phase, so I'm comfortable working with domestic mains. If however, you have just a basic working knowledge, get an electrician to inspect or advise your installation.
 
3 minutes of fame said:
I don't want to overstate the risks - they are really quite small, but the growth of the use of outdoor sockets has increased the chances of things going wrong.

There's around 400 PEN failures each year, so out of 20 million or so homes in the UK, it's really quite a small number. The important thing to remember is that basic RCD / RCBO protection will not work in these cases, so please don't go thinking "It's OK, I've got an RCD on the supply". They cannot provide protection in all cases.

If you have live track, metal lamp stands, any form of vehicle charging - including just throwing a cable out of the window, any form of metal structure etc. it's worth a minute just to consider the installation.

I have a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and 25 years experience working with temporary event supplies up to 1000A 3 phase, so I'm comfortable working with domestic mains. If however, you have just a basic working knowledge, get an electrician to inspect or advise your installation.
Click to expand...
 
Things may also get "interesting" in places such as N Wales when your buildings stand directly on the bedrock of solid slate.
 
Paul M said:
If you go down this route, it's very important to check your earth is actually earthed, using the right equipment, otherwise you'll be worse off. Just sticking a copper or bronze rod in the ground doesnt guarantee this by any means. Any electrical work should be carried out by an accredited electrician.
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Yes, slightly off-piste, but I could recount a few yarns about earthing rods for lightning conductors - especially in sandy / stony soil :smoke::smoke::smoke:
 
dunnyrail said:
Thanks Paul, yes wooden shed, supply earthed via fuse box in house that trips at the slightest of causes. Separate fuse for the shed power supply so all sounds good. Thanks, can sleep tonight now,
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And of course if this was done after 2005 you have the appropriate Part P certificate :)
 
It's some time since I updated this thread, so to get it back to the subject from the discussion on electrical safety, here is the latest work on my 5" gauge ride on railway. Nothing to do with G-scale, but I'm still waiting for my mojo to return on that subject!

Anyway, I have planning permission and funds for an extension to the existing "Circle Line" which as it says is a circuit of track around my shed. It is almost exactly one chain in length. The plan is to add a "branch line" extension to this, doubling the track length to a massive two chains! It will end in a single track terminus. Here is a picture of the groundwork performed over the last few days while the weather has been kind:

20220318_162112.jpg

This shows the line curving into the proposed station. The land was previously a herb patch so as part of the deal I have built SWMBO a raised bed to hold the herbs. The line will continue for a small distance after this, to make room for a "headshunt" so I can uncouple the loco from the front and another loco can come from behind to take the train away.

20220318_162129.jpg

I will of course, as a result of this, simply have to get another loco. More on that later.

Long way to go yet before trains can run but it's nice to get outside!
 
I negotiated some space, in a neighbours skip..
We (now) live down a pedestrian-width cul-de-sac. Having stopped for a cuppa, SW suggested we could do with a miniature railway, up said cul-de-sac, for moving stuff. .
:inlove:

So...
Looking at alloy sectional track, and a Scamp..
Another long-term project..
 
PhilP said:
I negotiated some space, in a neighbours skip..
We (now) live down a pedestrian-width cul-de-sac. Having stopped for a cuppa, SW suggested we could do with a miniature railway, up said cul-de-sac, for moving stuff. .
:inlove:

So...
Looking at alloy sectional track, and a Scamp..
Another long-term project..
Click to expand...
A cheeper option for an occasionally used line is steel L welded to steel flat made up Jubilee style, perfectly adequate for a temporary 5“ line.
 
dunnyrail said:
A cheeper option for an occasionally used line is steel L welded to steel flat made up Jubilee style, perfectly adequate for a temporary 5“ line.
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I should be renewing my 'ticket' for the miniature line, at Porthmadog next weekend..
It would be nice to be able (eventually) to take an engine of my own there..
That line is 7 1/4, so I would want that here.
Alloy is 'pretty' and sectional track is available commercially. I think this would be lighter, and perceived as 'cleaner' in a domestic environment.

But to get back to the thread..
I too, will be interested to see how this develops.

PhilP
 
idlemarvel said:
It's some time since I updated this thread, so to get it back to the subject from the discussion on electrical safety, here is the latest work on my 5" gauge ride on railway. Nothing to do with G-scale, but I'm still waiting for my mojo to return on that subject!

Anyway, I have planning permission and funds for an extension to the existing "Circle Line" which as it says is a circuit of track around my shed. It is almost exactly one chain in length. The plan is to add a "branch line" extension to this, doubling the track length to a massive two chains! It will end in a single track terminus. Here is a picture of the groundwork performed over the last few days while the weather has been kind:

View attachment 296357

This shows the line curving into the proposed station. The land was previously a herb patch so as part of the deal I have built SWMBO a raised bed to hold the herbs. The line will continue for a small distance after this, to make room for a "headshunt" so I can uncouple the loco from the front and another loco can come from behind to take the train away.

View attachment 296358

I will of course, as a result of this, simply have to get another loco. More on that later.

Long way to go yet before trains can run but it's nice to get outside!
Click to expand...
Mmm no evidence of said measuring chain :p
 
I've found it easier to ask for forgiveness after the event rather than get permission first... I have a slush fund from making and selling 3d printed and laser cut items and this is mine to spend, with anything above this is normally subject to some very good excuses to my dear wife - as to why we couldn't possibly live without whatever new gadget I've just brought home!!

At work things got easier after I created the retrospective cap-ex form. It's much harder for the boss to say no when you are already using said items and (hopefully) making money with them!!
 
A bit more progress. I have done most of the groundwork on the head-shunt area. As shown below there is only a short platform on one side to allow the driver to dismount from the driving truck behind the loco. The area on the right is for another raised bed. I prefer to keep the wooden frame of the raised bed clear of the soil if possible to extend the life of the timber.

20220320_160047.jpg
Below is a before and after shot of the "long straight" (a whole 6 metres!). The circles on the right as where I moved the rhubarb from, the arched arrow shows where the loganberry bush is going to be moved to, and the other arrow shows some "woodland steps" over the current embankment that have to be moved 6 inches to the left. The current paving slabs 60cm x 60cm along the side of the proposed line are too wide. I could have got my angle grinder out but it was easier just to buy a few cheap 40cm x 40cm slabs as shown in the after shot.

20220319_093724.jpg

After...

20220319_155948.jpg

Next job will be to excavate a cutting through the embankment, with the spoil being used to fill the aforementioned raised bed.

Finally I creosoted the wooden sleepers of the new 10' radius point. The track sleepers are mostly recycled plastic but timber is preferred for points.

20220320_160108.jpg

Enough for this weekend.
 
I thought I would include a track plan -1m squares:

garden.JPG

The planned extension starts at the point at the top, to be fitted, and runs around the top of the diagram and down the right side.

Some more progress on the building of the extension. I have almost broken through with the cutting to join the extension to the existing circle. The ferns on the right have been removed and temporarily potted until the can be repositioned.

20220328_142636.jpg

The headshunt area is more or less finished, next to the new raised bed.

20220328_142645.jpg

I hope the fine weather holds but tomorrow's forecast is not too good. Still, no rush really, I'll be done before the new loco is ready.
 
Not raining but too cold to work outside, so I started making up a few track panels for the extension. These are in kit form, 2.5m long aluminium rails with plastic sleepers and rail chairs. It helps if you have a workbench 2.8m long!

20220331_110330.jpg

You slide the rail chairs onto the rail, then plug the rail chairs into the holes in the sleepers. Quite easy but time consuming. The WD40 it make sliding the rail chairs into position along the rail easier. Only four straight and one curved panel to make!
 
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