Fiddle Yard Update 01-04-2018 And the Fiddle Yard is almost complete, almost!!!

[@WarwickRoadAndy]

Hi Mark, I’ve been away over the weekend working at British Superbikes at Donington so not had chance to view your fantastic update until now. Thanks for the shout out with the mug, made me smile. As I said when I dropped them off, it’s a thank you from me for the help and support you have given me. Plus the endless hours of pleasure watching your videos. I’ve changed my channel to Warwick Road and should start uploading my own video in the next month. Keep up the good work mate 👍🏻

[@WesternCenturion]

Ah spot on Andy, and one of those mugs is making its way to Canada at this moment :0) And I do genuinely appreciate what you did, that was a star thing to do and I still strongly think that you should sell them within this community to help fund your own project. were you a track marshal at Donington? My sister use to live on the Isl of Mann and use to be a track marshal there, plus back in the 80's I use to go to a lot of race meetings around the country, Donington included, even watched Barry Sheen :0)

[@WarwickRoadAndy]

Work for BSB factory Yamaha Team with Aussie Josh Brookes and Niall Mackenzie youngest Taz. We're possibly going to TT again this year.

[@WesternCenturion]

I'll have to find my old 'Team Banana' cap and T shirt, back in the 80's my best friend owned a printing company and he made a load of 'Team Ace Banana' stickers and when ever we went to race meets we use to stick the stickers on all the team lorries, such good memories.....

[@brayworthpark5542]

Great work Mark, and a great layout. All credit to you, you have taken your time and done the job right, now you are reaping the rewards. Look forward to seeing more videos. Cheers Reggie

[@WesternCenturion]

Cheers Reggie, really appreciate it mate. Just uploading the running session now, that was fun and ended in a little bit of a derailment.....

[@petercuttler9651]

Great work Mark. Looks great!

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you Peter, much appreciated.

[@ThePhosphater]

Well done mark, its looking good. You have been busy.

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you John, another step closer to starting the top level :0)

[@peterwrigglesworth7302]

Great to see you back Mark, You have been a busy boy well done on reaching a big milestone reaching this point where you can give your loco's a good run well done mate looking forward to further progress .. Pete

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you Pete, I'm cream crackered now mate, time for a rest and beer lol. First running uploading now :0)

[@giulius7176]

You really have come a long way since I started following you....It looks Great!!!

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you, it's certainly been a long journey, 4 years and there's still a long way to go but just having something to run trains on is priceless, have a great week matey.

[@mamanbear1]

Love those long runs.

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you, another four years and those long runs will be twice as long, and hopefully with a little bit of greenery :0)

[@markhobbs8582]

G'day Mark, nice to see you back and see all the work you have done............cheers Mark

[@WesternCenturion]

G;day Mark.... And thank you matey, I replied to your message, hope you got it, but then again I havent cheeked mine to see if you replied, will do that in a mo :0)

[@rossnation3474]

Cracking video mark! Great to see you back! The yard looks great can’t wait to see some locos moving around the yard. Ross.

[@WesternCenturion]

Cheers Ross, running session video uploading right this moment :0)

[@tonydaly2642]

Well done Mark. Looks very interesting & you have plenty of storage.

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you Tony, feels good to be at this point

[@letzterinstanz]

Great Great Great ! That's the first piece done. You have acheived the first principle of Clausewitz and secured yourself a base. Looking forward immensely to seeing the trains run. BTW - loved the mug - a classic ! ...............Reinhard

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you so much Reinhard, running session completed and uploading right this moment, I had intended on including the Railcar but a derailment at the last moment with a couple of HST put an end to that. Wild Swan does make an appearance though and Keith did make a fabulous job with her :0)

[@FarlandHowe]

Now that is a fiddle yard. Very nice. I am jealous. I have been thinking about getting one or two up cameras for my layout. I have several sidings inside a very large tunnel and I’ve been afraid to start using them. The camera would take away my fear. Rob

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you so much for dropping by Rob, it's a real honour my friend, love your channel and admire your own achievements so much. The cameras I use are 5v dc and 3amp and have connected them to the main 12v accessory bus, but I've used 12v converters from the bus to the cameras to reduce the voltage down to 5v. In error I did actually wire them up to a the 12v, they did work but were very noisy as in speaker feedback, they did survive that though, thankfully. Converters are something similar to this. www.aliexpress.com/item/5-pcs-Waterproof-DC-DC-Power-Converter-12V-to-5V-24v-to-5v-DPC-0505-Buck/32462746648.html?spm=a2g0s.13010208.99999999.305.QvTSuG

[@jimsmoter4510]

Looks good . I bet you are excited to be able to run a few trains at least around the yards ..

[@WesternCenturion]

Hi Jim and thank you mate and yes, it really feels fabulous to actually have some trains running around at long last :0)

[@richardswallow1967]

At last your back, been missed by many, great stuff.Richard

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you Richard and thank you so much mate, really appreciated, it feels good to be back as well, bit like coming home :0)

[@trainsontuesday]

It's really great to see that work done Mark. On to the inclines now. I'll check in tomorrow for the running session. Cheers, David. P.S. Nice mug.

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you David, think I need a rest now.... Running session uploading right this minute and something in the post for you :0)

[@trainsontuesday]

Cheers mate, I'm catching up on a backlog of videos and messages. Just about to watch your running session, just need a coffee first lol. David.

[@stevegrover7852]

Looking great Mark

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you Steve, well on our way now.

[@stevegrover7852]

Western Centurion yeah looks really good and I'm still finding your videos helpful and interesting. I'm still plodding about with mine

[@FredWilbury]

You are right what you had said the other day you’ve done loads looks great ....just love the cameras.....all the best from fred

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you Fred, been stuck in a zone if you know what I mean, meant to phone you Saturday but time got the better of me... phone you tomorrow ok after work :0) hugs to you and Shirley.

[@johncarvil498]

Hi Mark, that is a lot of track. Look forward to the running session...............John.

[@WesternCenturion]

Cheers John and running session is uploading right this moment :0)

[@canalsidingsmodelrailway3411]

Yippee !!! One level done! You have created some very useful storage space there Mark and still retained the ability to run trains down, round and straight up again. Dave Fenton has now joined Merg and made the Megapoints module available as a kit. So I will probably be joining you in using them. Looking forward to the running session. Cheers. ...........John

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you John and that's some interesting news about Dave, and something I feel will bring great developments within the model railway world. Look forward to seeing your videos when/if you start using the controller boards.

[@kinkong1961]

nice to see you are using megapoints controllers they are brilliant and so easy and cheaper than most other systems .plus no clunking when points change and only a couple of quid for a servo and they last so long and reliable.

[@WesternCenturion]

For mine and obviously yours they're the best option, as you say easy to set up and when running they're magical and so quiet, especially now that Dave has fixed the 'chattering' from the servos, I love them :0)

[@GrahamFoulston]

Wow Mark - that was worth the wait buddy, you have done an absolutely fabulous job of the fiddle yard and have reached a massive milestone. I have very similar IP cameras as you have in my fiddle yard and they are great to be able to see what’s going on under the top level when you get round to building that plus of course extra recording footage too. Onwards and upwards mate and looking forward to seeing the running session. Cheers for now. ...............Graham

[@WesternCenturion]

Ello Graham and thank you so much mate, always feels a real treat when you drop by, feels like meeting up with a brother :0) Running session is uploading now, that video hat taken up 8 hours film and edit, might have to book tomorrow off work to recover lol. Just listening to some fabulous jaz on the tv, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Teddy Wilson, pure awesomness :0) Big happy Easter to you and Hazel mate...

[@TonyDocksStation]

Great to see another video from you! Great work and progress! Love the design of the fiddle yard and the use of space. Those cameras look like a good bit of kit too! Looking forward to seeing the next update!

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you Tony, it's been a long slog t get here but so well worth it. Running session uploading now

[@MichaelHenfrey]

Very neat work there Mark! I know what you mean about having to save up for the servo controller boards lol! Cheers, Michael

[@WesternCenturion]

Cheers Michael, lol I'm kinda broke now so need to juggle a few things, or sell the house lol

[@tomjenssen7486]

Mark! Simply WOW mate. That's a very impressive piece of trackwork there. I don't think there's a fiddle yard quite like this anywhere in the World. Well done...Yes, I'm excited, too :) The cameras are a great idea. The whole thing's coming together so well. I'm glad you made that final push :)) Looking forward to watching some trains running on it soon. All the best mate...and good to see you again :)) Tom

[@WesternCenturion]

Cheers me gorgeous dears :0) I'm blinking cream crackered now Tom, might have to take a whole year off and get drunk for most of that lol. I was soooooooo happy when I'd finished, well until I remembered I wasn't even 1/3 finished, and worse still I don;t have any Valium left lol You and the misses have a fab Easter Monday matey

[@NZMOPAR]

Man you have some track work there Mark no wonder it took Abit to get it done and sorted out . Good to see it done so you can get to the top layer

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you matey, still need to get around 15 servos fitted though and then the inclines, not looking at the top level to next year at least "sigh"

[@JumbleLane]

Great to see you back Mark. Looking very good and boy have you been busy. Looking forward to tomorrows running session. Happy Easter. Regards, Geoff.

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you Geoff, been a long old slog to get here but well worth it, and running session uploading right this moment :0)

[@TrentValleyRailway]

Good tour of the fiddle Yard update

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you, so glad you enjoyed it :0)

[@kristianrnne8669]

Looks good Mark.

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you Kristian, much appreciated

[@brentleajunction]

Hi mark was thinking the other day that you haven't done a video but today you have and it looks great nice long fiddle yards I've done some of mine today but I get in when I can keep up the awesome work

[@WesternCenturion]

Well done to mate mate, finding the time is the hardest part, and then getting the old back and knees to stop moaning and just get on with it just hard lol

[@brentleajunction]

Western Centurion yes id love to go in all the time but my wife Tamara says no lol

[@Calvertfilm]

Looking forward to the running sessions Mark. Laurie.

[@WesternCenturion]

Cheers Laurie, running session uploading right this moment :0)

[@LNER1946]

wow, and here's me thinking you had lost your mojo again! brilliant, well done! Glynn

[@WesternCenturion]

Lol, thank you Glynn, let you into a little secret, I very nearly did lose my mojo again due to some hate mail, but thanks to the support from all of you in this fabulous community I brushed them all off, the many are stronger than the few as they say :0) So you see, every positive comment is such a tremendous boost and encouragement to carry on :0)

[@Hornhausen]

Amazing.

[@PetesvilleRailway]

Can you do a video on how you do those sleeper gaps in the track? I have trouble when laying track that I just can't seem to get any sleeper gaps at all? Is it for expansion or something??

[@WesternCenturion]

Hi, the gap in the sleepers is just to ensure they don't interfere with the joining of the track and fish plates. I leave a very small gap between the rail heads in the fish plates to allow for expansion on very hot days

[@alanhudson2986]

And a shave LOL. Well done you.

[@WesternCenturion]

Lol Alan, I shaved the goatie off because it kept growing to the right, giving another go now, bet it grows to the left lol

[@onnomulder9775]

Long time no see Mark!! Everything all right?? Onno.

[@WesternCenturion]

Hi Onno, yea everything is good here with me, just the work monster eating all my spare time, Christmas break coming up soon so watch out for a video ok :0)

[@TONYNORTHEASTERN]

Back with a vengeance Mark I see, Blimey you have been busy. Its amazing what you can do on a long weekend. lol.. Happy modelling and Happy Easter or am I to late. take care Tony

[@WesternCenturion]

Lol, thank you Tony, vengeance is the appropriate word, just so pleased I went with the "Constructive" decision and not the "Destructive option lol. Happy Easter too matey :0)

[@ChadwickModelRailway]

Hi Mark, Could you tell me please the length and width of your railway room. I think mine is a little smaller but I do like your design utilising all the space. Regards Charlie (Ex Swindon train-spotter around 1970).

[@WesternCenturion]

Hi Charlie and than you, really appreciate your support. While I was away doing other things I did keep up with your videos and also watched your older video on the turntable again, it's giving me inspiration for making mine on the fiddle yard. Happy Easte :0)

[@ChadwickModelRailway]

Hi Mark, I think you may have meant to answer someone else. However, I found your layout sizes in a previous video. Good luck with the layout, I'll be watching with interest. I did bag all the Westerns, the last being 1018 Western Buccaneer, it was a great day from my childhood as a Swindon spotter. I now live in central Somerset but I do get up to Swindon occasionally. Regards Charlie

[@WesternCenturion]

Yes you're right Charlie, really sorry about that, it's like speaking before the brain has fully engaged, something I do quite a lot these days. Did you have you your little book with all the Westerns in? I had a couple but they started after the Westerns but I had the class 47s which I saw a lot of and got to look around the cabs and engine rooms, 47088 Samson was a special loco, got to see inside her a few times, same driver as well, and the best bit was, we were allowed to sound the horn each time, them were the days, before health and safety took the joy out of life. When ever you're next up this way drop me a message ok, would be lovely to meet you Charlie.

[@BarnabasJunction]

Great to have you back 😁we all have missed you, now we see why...... Haven't you been a busy bee 🐝

[@WesternCenturion]

Thank you Tony, pretty awesome to be back to be honest, can now give my back and knees a rest before the next onslaught lol. Was your last Saturday live video and the comment from Mark of Kiwi British Rail that prompted me to actually get off my butt and make an update video, so cheers for that :0)

[@robertschworm6036]

I found this article - - -macrodyn.com/ldsig/wiki/index.... about yard design. Perhaps you can check if you have all these elements for good yard operation. bob