Hen Ford Run "OO gauge test track"
A good example of a model railway layout in evolution...
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UP TO DATE NEWS FOR HEN FORD RUN
What's in a name?
Part of the old Yeovil complex of stations was a small halt located on the Taunton line called Henford Halt after the area it was located in. There was also an adjacent goods yard serviced by locos from the Yeovil Pen Mill shed. The shed where the Yeovil Model Railway Group are located is an old chicken shed and the test track was to enable us to run trains, hence the term Hen Ford Run...
Beginnings
The test track was suggested by Phil Busby (the current Layout coordinator for Yeovil Town) and Pete Chapman (the current coordinator for South Junction) found some old disused straight sections of baseboard. Phil found that two of these just fitted between the side lower joists of the building (not effectively used by anything else) so without too much ado six of these were fitted along one side of the 4mm room.
David, the grandson of Peter Bedding (Owner of South West by Southern) who was 12 years old at the time helped fix a single line of the new OO track to the rear of these boards.
A DC power unit was installed and locos could be cycled back and forth along the track. Phil then produced a sequencer which automatically reversed the loco at each end and coupled with a resistor on the end section of both ends the loco simply slowed to a stop and eventually returned, thus becoming automatic and "hand's free". This did prove a little temperamental in the colder months.
Digital Command Control (DCC)
There were past bad experiences with DCC among some members of the group but several decided to go down that road (Peter Bedding had purchased a ZTC 505 for his South West by Southern layout, Paul Howes has decided two years earlier that the ZTC 511 was the way to go but it had no computer interface so waited until it was produced and eventually bought one, Phil Busby bought a ZTC 505, Ernie Dunbar had bought a ZTC 511 before joining the club and there were at least two other members with other makes of unit).
All this meant that we either wait for Yeovil Town or South West by Southern to be completed or build / modify the existing test track. Paul Howes had four 2ft by 4ft base boards spare so it was decided to add a separate continuous loop in Peco code 100 OO track. There were no points but the only bends that could be fitted on these boards were second radius! So this track would really test the locos then? Lack of time contributed to the track being put straight down and in some areas with some dips and small twists. Justification for this is that this really sorts the men from the boys when testing new stock or running them in for an hour or so.
ZTC copper tape and Tinned Copper Wire simple bridging links made wiring very easy and the track bed electrics reliable.
Scenics
During the time of the original DC only operation it was suggested to Olivia Howes (a full member of the group) that it would be good to produce some hand painted back scenes to show off the locos as they were run in. Boards were cut and Olivia did her first back boards. With these fitted and the DCC extension it was decided to give Olivia some more "training" so she fitted polystyrene blocks to the loop at one end and after shaping, covered it with modroc plaster impregnated bandages. Plaster of Paris was added to help the process and the finished hills were painted green. There are still lots to do but it's coming along nicely now...
Running
Well some nights there have been queues for the track... There have been many new loco's run in on the track and they often attract a good number of onlookers! Sound diesels and sound chipped Steam locos have mixed with standard DCC models and the odd DC loco on code 0! There have also been sound chipped 7mm models (OO9) swanning around the track. This test track still provides an excellent service for club members who want to show off a loco or run it in. Some just use it to play trains and experiment.
Future
Well the track could be extended the whole length of the shed and we can add a second track on the outside of this one with a bigger loop to accommodate the bigger loco's. watch this space...
CLICK HERE FOR THE IMAGE GALLERY
UP TO DATE NEWS FOR HEN FORD RUN