CJM 2016 - resurrection...
A very good BH Monday afternoon to you all,
Yes, you did read that right...now that Kyle is near completition (bar some additions to the rolling stock) my thoughts turned to my next project. I had assumed I would drop straight into 7mm but perhaps I will hold off a little longer as there is unfinished business to attend to
Seeing Graham's recent terrific blog upload on Trevanion Dries and some very helpful conversations with Nigel Cliffe on DCC/sound also got me thinking...so armed with my sketchbook I departed for a weeks hols in Greece and inbetween swimming, snorkelling, good food and wine I pondered and came up with the following objectives if I were to rebuild CJM:
- reconsider size and format of the layout (that incline was a missed opportunity)
- improved track work (most was my first hand built efforts prior to easi-trac)
- reuse the Moorswater viaduct and dries buildings rescued from before
- wire/prep the layout for DCC and sound (I need to make the break sometime)
- incorporate run-a-round for Moorswater
- phase construction to allow two possible stand-a-lone configurations if possible
With this in mind sketching began including various scenarios with regard to the layout length. My preference is to still use the IKEA lack shelves as I think this will give the width I need as well as possibility for storage etc. which may need to be in our garage. Previously I had 3 x separate 1100mm lack shelves giving 3300mm overall however this time I am considering using 2 x 1900mm shelves giving 3800mm overall and an extra 500mm to incorporate the additions. Let's see.
The idea to include the incline (or at least a part of it) will please Mickey (who unfortunately is no longer part of this forum) as he always campaigned for it I will also hint at a stretch of the line to Looe which will terminate within a wooded area large enough to bury a Bubble car/2 car DMU and will hopefully increase operational interest.
The other idea to incorporate a small run-a-round loop between the viaduct and dries is more protypical as after I started the original layout I realised that locos did not actually enter the dries and run the hoods/CDA's around despite there been a loop. The trains were run-a-round and backed into the dries which will avoid the overcomplicated sliding arrangement under the building I had previously.
The next part of the process is to start to map out the track plan on tracing paper and see how it fits as my sketches were primarily done under the influence
Progress will be slow as Kyle will be exhibited in October at Uckfield and I would like to try and work on rolling stock for that mean time, however I do have a new surge of enthusiasm for this as it was a hard decision to scrap my previous attempts, but we have to keep moving forward and believe better things will emerge. The only thing I can't decide is which phase I start first...I can see pros and cons of each. Will ponder that some more.
Here's a few images to supplement my drivel and of course, comments are welcomed as always:
salvaged MW viaduct...
salvaged MW dries buildings...
overall plans in two phases...
phase one will tackle the incline and CJ halt...
phase two will tackle MW dries, viaduct and run-a-round...
Thanks, Pete
- 11
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