IP Engineering Simplex

Post by **ge_rik** » Sun Dec 07, 2014 5:08 pm

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of building and running an IP Engineering Simplex kit?

My railway is 45mm gauge but I'm thinking of adding a 32mm gauge feeder from the copper mines and a Simplex would be just the job to haul a few Binnie skips back and forth from the mine to the loading dock and crusher. It would also give me something to run if I went to a fellow modeller's 32mm gauge line.

Any experiences or observations would be gratefully received, particularly as Santa is hassling me for something to put in my stocking (along with the orange, socks and hankies).

Rik

GTB · Post by **GTB** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 10:35 am

ge_rik:106224 wrote:I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of building and running an IP Engineering Simplex kit?

No personal experience of them, but there's an article here that might help....

https://sites.google.com/a/gardenrailwa ... mplex-loco

Graeme

Post by **ge_rik** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 12:56 pm

GTB:106275 wrote:
ge_rik:106224 wrote:I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of building and running an IP Engineering Simplex kit?
No personal experience of them, but there's an article here that might help....

https://sites.google.com/a/gardenrailwa ... mplex-loco

Graeme

Thanks Graeme
Coincidentally, it was John who got me interested in the Simplex via his postings on the GSC forum. I dropped him a line as well as posting this message and got some useful info from him (and from Ivan). I hadn't realised John had posted on the GR Club site as well. On the strength of John's experience, I've now ordered a kit from Ivan plus a couple of delrin sprockets and chain. I've also invested in some low-melt solder (a new experience for me).

I'm also intending to add a shuttle unit based on a Picaxe chip so the loco and a couple of skips will happily chug back and forth along the 32mm feeder spur but will also be able to be run as a self powered loco when I go visiting 32mm railways (if anyone invites me).

I know this sounds a bit ambitious but I was never one to duck a challenge

Rik

Post by **ge_rik** » Sun May 31, 2015 9:01 pm

Well - it's taken me a while since Santa dropped the kit down the chimney, but today I've got the preliminaries done on the build.

Must say, the kit went together well and I am now a great fan of low-melt solder. Can't imagine why I've resisted using it for so long. Immediate bonding but also undoable if it's not quite right.

Still got to fit the electrics, radio control, do some filling, painting and detailing - but pleased so far with the result.

Rik
PS - Please excuse, the dozy temporary driver but he has been waiting since Christmas for me to get around to the build...... :oops:

GTB · Post by **GTB** » Mon Jun 01, 2015 6:24 pm

ge_rik:111261 wrote: Must say, the kit went together well and I am now a great fan of low-melt solder. Can't imagine why I've resisted using it for so long. Immediate bonding but also undoable if it's not quite right.

That's come up well Rik.....

Know what you mean, it took me many years to try low melt solder on whitemetal HO kits. It wasn't until I bought a temp controlled soldering station that I became a convert and now wouldn't use anything else on whitemetal.

Regards,
Graeme

Post by **ge_rik** » Thu Jun 04, 2015 9:35 pm

Been adding a few more details to the Simplex. I didn't like the prominent switches on the side and so I've repositioned the on-off switch underneath and obviated the need for a reverse switch through the use of radio control.

Still got a bit more tweaking to do and then I can send her to the paint-shop and complete the electrics.

Slowly getting there .......

Rik

Soar Valley Light · Post by **Soar Valley Light** » Thu Jun 04, 2015 9:50 pm

What a splendid job! Worth every bit of the considerable effort Rik. It looks much better with the switch hidden.

Post by **ge_rik** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 11:07 am

She's just emerged from the paintshop (and weathering department). Hoping to finish off the electrics this afternoon .....

Halfords Rover Brooklands Green - the default livery for the PLR.

A few extra details added such as toolbox, cab and engine detailing (thanks Peter Butler for the idea of scribing the plasticard planking)

Plasticard chequerplate flooring added to the cab and the area in front of the engine compartment

Weathering done with sea salt beneath the top-coat, acrylic washes and weathering powders (still a bit more to do)

She will be powered by two li-ion batteries in parallel and controlled with a Deltang Rx65b receiver/controller (hidden in the double side wall of the cab)

Will post a video once she's up and running

Rik

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:59 pm

That looks rather good Rik.
What's this sea salt weathering technique then?

Post by **ge_rik** » Mon Jun 22, 2015 2:36 pm

Big Jim:111641 wrote:That looks rather good Rik.
What's this sea salt weathering technique then?

Borrowed from our military modelling colleagues:

http://www.scalemodelguide.com/painting ... hips-salt/

Rik

Post by **ge_rik** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 8:48 am

Thought some might be interested in how I squeezed everything in...

The Deltang combined rx/ ESC is hidden in a cavity in the side wall of the cab. I could have put it under the bonnet but was worried the whitemetal would shield the aerial. You can just see the aerial poking out in the roof space of the cab

The batteries are concealed behind the buffer beams. Rather than the AAAs in battery boxes provided with the kit, I decided to use AA li-ions so the could be recharged in situ (hence the charge socket). As these are 3.7 volts, I connected them in parallel so I can get double the running time.

I used servo plugs to connect the upper and lower halves together. This will also enable me to replace the 32mm sub chassis with a 45mm gauge one (on order from Ivan). The plugs are a bit large (might swap them for something smaller) but they do just squeeze into the engine compartment with the fuse (the blue thingy).

Rik

Lonsdaler · Post by **Lonsdaler** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 11:08 am

Hi Rik,
I've successfully used these
http://www.smallscalelights.co.uk/viewi ... oductid=63
to connect upper and lower halves in a 3v model - smaller than a servo plug/socket. If you need more than two connections, similar products are available with up to 5 connectors.http://www.modeltrainsuk.co.uk/2345-pin ... 1843-p.asp

Phil[/url]

Post by **ge_rik** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 12:00 pm

BaBBLR:111674 wrote:Hi Rik,
I've successfully used these
http://www.smallscalelights.co.uk/viewi ... oductid=63
to connect upper and lower halves in a 3v model - smaller than a servo plug/socket. If you need more than two connections, similar products are available with up to 5 connectors.http://www.modeltrainsuk.co.uk/2345-pin ... 1843-p.asp

Phil

Thanks very much, Phil. That's exactly what I'm looking for.

Rik

Post by **philipy** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 8:27 pm

ge_rik:111673 wrote:The plugs are a bit large (might swap them for something smaller)

Rik

Rik,
Deltang do plugs/sockets that are similar to the ones BaBBler mentioned.

Post by **ge_rik** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:14 pm

philipy:111677 wrote: Rik,
Deltang do plugs/sockets that are similar to the ones BaBBler mentioned.

So they do - thanks Philip. I don't think I've ever scrolled down the page as far as there.

Rik

Post by **ge_rik** » Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:20 am

She now has a driver. After my Fimo efforts looked more like refugees from Madame Tussaud's Chamber of Horrors, I decided to dismember a commercially produced driver ......

...... and reassemble him in a more suitable pose with bits of wire and epoxy putty ........

....... he now looks quite at home ......

Though I do wish that 'matt' varnish did what it says on the tin!

Rik

Post by **ge_rik** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 9:36 am

A more detailed account of the build is now available on my blog if you have an interest

http://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/2015/ ... mplex.html

Rik

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Fri Jun 26, 2015 11:49 am

For a matt finish I use Winsor and Newton Artists' spray matt varnish. This will cover oil based as well as water based paints and gives a better matt surface (from my experience!). I'm sure other brand names do similar products but have no experience of them.

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