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Parsons Vale Carriage sidings - 00 BR Blue layout now Sold


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Following on from the sale of Peafore Yard, my thoughts have turned to the next layout. I have quite an extensive collection of BR MK1, MK2 and NPCCS stock which saw very limited use on my previous layouts so I fancied building a carriage sidings. The minor problem with this type of layout being the length required to properly depict a carriage sidings and one only has to look at the fantastic Aberdeen Kirkhill to see what I mean. As a dyed in the wool small layout person with no space this would always be a problem that I had mused over and never resolved.

 

Through building Peafore Yard I found a way to model the end of a mainline station effectively enough in 4ft so reasoned with an extra foot to play with that I could do the same and with the help of a scenic break of some description.

 

I used to work close to the site of the old Malago Vale carriage sidings in Bristol (although they were long gone when I worked there) and have always thought it would make a good layout especially as it had a footbridge across the sidings, an ideal scenic break. Effectively the pictures linked below shows what I will model, less the mainline element.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/richard_davies_collection/10627579214/in/photolist-hc883o-gSRHKP-cRFuvU-nV5Ev8-gJmJQ2-pamULQ-8hzC8n-gJmgUu-bGvTrZ-eaGuHK-gGVhr7-gGVgXm-aYFuDK-nMr8zJ-yfnau4/

 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47500cdb/8411127843/in/photolist-dPgegz-dPgdee-9Fzf1V-o2BB1R-aL4c9Z-CPZQo3-dswuwa-dPmQPq-NM6vbN-znypuE-dPgcrp-aYFudz-cbFzfW-qXu3pU-aykPRL-U4ywMo-7f7RJX-dPmPnJ-bHtjjc-oPTqvN-oxtXTU-jvXvts-EtDE4K-ERDoTW-Auy5Z3-dPmRyb-2nqj6-nKqBsQ-HmMJBD-pYvpSG-znynzs-2nqj9-tawNhc-EA2L39-GNnJw7-CYHFXG-AfiqHe-BFYGGu-FXxGrs-R8WnkU-qqDNfP-Ncfo36-PgrgS1-P298F3-nemipu-NM5CzY-rDnQz7-rFyQnz-qCAuLq-ri15c3

 

Potentially a ladder of 4 sidings could be quite boring to operate, but there were a few quirks at Malago vale to help with operational interest:

- There was no road access so waste was taken away by rail in industrial bins on 2 old Lowmacs, one of which I have already built. 

- The pictures I have seen show defective carriages shunted out of rakes, this is again planned to form part of the operation.

 

From my experiences of Pallet Lane, I made some significant improvements in how I built Peafore Yard, most of which have worked as planned and will be incorporated into Parsons Vale:

- Operated from the front - I will never go back to rear operation as I like being able to see the public view of the layout and interacting with the public at shows

- Single box board - Peafore Yard can be packed up and on the road in just under 10 minutes at the end of the show, I aim to improve on that with this layout

- Cassettes for the fiddle yard

- Use height to hide the narrow width of the layout.

 

I built my own track on Peafore Yard which I really enjoyed but a couple of things are steering me down a different route:

- The availability of improved Peco track - I want to give the new Peco track a go to see what it is like, and with some careful weathering I think it could look good

- Time - I am even more time poor than when I built Peafore Yard and it took me around 5 evenings to build each point for Peafore Yard, that would be nearly a years worth of work on my current progress.

 

I can't wait to get cracking...

 

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That sounds good Rob, will certainly be following this.

 

Malago Vale is a location I've looked at many times (often as part of the hunt for "Muck Truck" photos while I was building mine) and found it an area which rarely interested photographers, although it is more likely that they were interested but couldn't get there!

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Having been festering in London all week in hotels which afforded a bit of thinking time, tonight I did a bit of planning on the top of the dining room table (quite literally). The table top is 9mm ply added to extend the table and is a result of a handy bit of advice from B&Q some years ago about how to create more space for family Christmas.... At 5ft long it is perfect for layout planning and is normally covered by a table cloth so I can scribble away.

 

In addition to the points mentioned earlier, one other design feature I was determined to replicate from Peafore Yard was the curve to the sidings and this also matches the sidings at Malago Vale which were also on a gentle curve. I personally hate sidings parallel to the baseboard edge and it also lengthens the sidings slightly. By curving the layout away from the viewing side it elongates the viewing window and means that coupling up is slightly easier - yes I am insane enough to be sticking with 3 links.

 

Anyway onto some photos of the overall layout:

post-7400-0-22211400-1508439739_thumb.jpg

post-7400-0-67947700-1508440058_thumb.jpg 

 

The viewing side is the edge of the table and this edge will be straight so I can have a fold up cover. The rear edge may be curved as denoted by the blue line or I may keep the board straight and curve just the scenery, I am undecided. At it's widest point the layout is 16 inches wide, narrowing to 14 inches in the centre. The blue dotted lines denote the track plan and are identical to the layout at Malago Vale, including a double slip to access the headshunt (where the motorail flat is), these will be properly mapped out later with templates. The track will be raised up on an embankment rather than flat on the board as seen here

 

Trains will arrive from the carriage end of the yard, loco's uncloupled and will run round to go off scene. Trains will be recovered to the fiddle yard by being pulled through by hand or pushed by an 08 from the scenic section. Shunting interest will be from the removal of a "defective" coach and the movement of the waste truck. I hope to avoid the need to actually couple a carriage to a loco on the scenic section, something I managed to achieve with the upper level of Peafore Yard.

 

Here are some close ups of the centre and end of the layout:

post-7400-0-44380700-1508440479_thumb.jpg

post-7400-0-90259500-1508440500_thumb.jpg

 

I am quite excited by how this is developing, hopefully if Peco can get the new scale points out this month I can make some progress soon

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Sounds like a great layout concept - if you wanted to do DCC sound you can have some of "the turn your engines off" signs so common when sidings were near houses!

Thanks Chris. Re Sound, it is unlikely to happen, I can't afford the 4 figure investment in chips and speakers for my fleet, but I like the idea of the signs, do you have any photos to hand please?

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Great looking project Rob.

 

As far as sound is concerned you could fit a couple of permanent speakers under the board wired to a Hornby TTS decoder.

 

I would have that keeping the board straight at rear with curved back scene would be easier to build.

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Thanks Chris. Re Sound, it is unlikely to happen, I can't afford the 4 figure investment in chips and speakers for my fleet, but I like the idea of the signs, do you have any photos to hand please?

Sadly not - I just recall seeing such signs where sidings back on to the inevitable railway terrace - the approach to Newport springs to mind

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Great looking project Rob.

 

As far as sound is concerned you could fit a couple of permanent speakers under the board wired to a Hornby TTS decoder.

 

I would have that keeping the board straight at rear with curved back scene would be easier to build.

Thanks Richard, I will see how I get on re the board, I am keen to save weight but having a box rather than curve shape does make sense for storage etc.

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I'm quite intrigued to see what a curved background would look like as it will widen the view at the periphery. Maybe a straight baseboard, but with curved back ground board, would work?

 

Would the Clifton suspension bridge be visible in the distance from there?  

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I'm quite intrigued to see what a curved background would look like as it will widen the view at the periphery. Maybe a straight baseboard, but with curved back ground board, would work?

 

Would the Clifton suspension bridge be visible in the distance from there?  

I'm not sure it would be; I had a look using Google Earth, which showed quite a lot of buildings that would block your line-of-sight.

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I'm quite intrigued to see what a curved background would look like as it will widen the view at the periphery. Maybe a straight baseboard, but with curved back ground board, would work?

 

Would the Clifton suspension bridge be visible in the distance from there?  

Unfortunately not Adrian, the hill that formed the A38/Parson Street is in the way and the Suspension bridge is round the corner behind the houses.

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Many moons ago I read an article in Railway Modeller written by Hillside Depot of this parish which stuck in my mind as Adrian had modified a number of his locos to have open cab doors. It always struck me as a great idea and one which is harder to do these days due to the chassis design of modern locos compared to the older Lima models where one end at least was free of obstructions. I also think smaller layouts such as PVCS rely on details such as this to draw the viewer in.

 

One of the more modern (albeit still 15 years old) locos which lends itself to this mod is the Bachmann 08. Ground breaking at it's time, the model still holds it own today (although many prefer the Hornby version) let down by poor pick up design on the first release which I have fixed on mine by an alternative design. 08949 was chosen for the mod as it was on the workbench in bits having laserglaze fitted. To do this mod you need to remove the body from the chassis and then remove the body from the cab:

 

 post-7400-0-36001300-1508943101_thumb.jpg

 

First off a small part of the plastic chassis needs trimming back in front of the cab steps:

 

post-7400-0-66292900-1508943174_thumb.jpg

 

Next, turning to the body remove a corner of the fake cab floor to create room for the door to open. I painted the interior which is much more visible with Laserglaze:

 

post-7400-0-38097500-1508943235_thumb.jpg

 

I followed the same method as Adrian; with a brand new scalpel cut around 3 sides of the door and then score the 4th side, just enough to allow the door to fold inwards but not break off:

 

post-7400-0-24187000-1508943407_thumb.jpg

 

The cab and body were reunited, the edge of the inner chassis will be painted black later and will be obscured from view by a man:

post-7400-0-47960700-1508943509_thumb.jpg

post-7400-0-87934900-1508943524_thumb.jpg

 

Where the hinge is the plastic is a lighter colour where it has been cut:

post-7400-0-77039300-1508943572_thumb.jpg

 

This is fixed by a gentle application of matt black with a cocktail stick

post-7400-0-08841100-1508943587_thumb.jpg

 

To hide the chassis a man is glued in place in the open door way:

 

post-7400-0-71129800-1508943677_thumb.jpg

post-7400-0-21643200-1508943693_thumb.jpg

 

All done, new handrails fitted and a test run on Peafore Yard to check all is well:

 

post-7400-0-30558800-1508943741_thumb.jpg

 

On the layout itself, progress of sorts have been made, the control panel being drawn up and switches ordered. Also ordered is the track for the layout although this will be held up awaiting the arrival of the new Peco points. 

 

 

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You must have a good memory, that article was a long time ago! It was about my first proper layout, Hillside Depot (hence my user name) and I came across a whole stack of photos of it, including those used in the 'Modeller article, only a few weeks back as I hunting though the uncatalogued part of my otherwise reasonably well ordered photo library.  

 

Not one that I've done, but I know someone who has done the open door mod to the Guard's door on a BG, which might be something for PVCS. And as I typed that I remembered I've done an open corridor connecting door on a Bachmann RMB for a "loose" vehicle on Westonmouth Central. As much as I admire those with big layouts, and lots of stock, I do like the little details on smaller layouts, where each vehicle is an individual.

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This looks like it's going to be another 'winner' :)

Thanks Chris. Re Sound, it is unlikely to happen, I can't afford the 4 figure investment in chips and speakers for my fleet, but I like the idea of the signs, do you have any photos to hand please?

I knew I'd seen something like this in pictures of Goodrington & just tracked down this post in the "Captain's travels" thread - 9th picture. One sign regarding HSTs is sadly cropped, but another sign reads: "Residential area.Keep locomotive noise to a minimum".

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You must have a good memory, that article was a long time ago! It was about my first proper layout, Hillside Depot (hence my user name) and I came across a whole stack of photos of it, including those used in the 'Modeller article, only a few weeks back as I hunting though the uncatalogued part of my otherwise reasonably well ordered photo library.  

 

Not one that I've done, but I know someone who has done the open door mod to the Guard's door on a BG, which might be something for PVCS. And as I typed that I remembered I've done an open corridor connecting door on a Bachmann RMB for a "loose" vehicle on Westonmouth Central. As much as I admire those with big layouts, and lots of stock, I do like the little details on smaller layouts, where each vehicle is an individual.

Thanks Adrian, The original backscene for Peafore Yard featured a BG with an open door and agree it would be a good one to have a go at. I also noticed that some MK1 corridor stock had a rubber(ish) curtain in the corridor which would be good to model as well.

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This looks like it's going to be another 'winner' :)

I knew I'd seen something like this in pictures of Goodrington & just tracked down this post in the "Captain's travels" thread - 9th picture. One sign regarding HSTs is sadly cropped, but another sign reads: "Residential area.Keep locomotive noise to a minimum".

Thanks Rich, will have a go at creating one of those signs, plenty of details in the Captains pictures to copy on the layout 

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I will be following the progress of this with interest.

As well as the skip wagon Malago also received the occasional TTA tank of oil which I believe was used fuel the boiler used for carriage heating,

though I cannot find any photos at present. I think they may also have used a highfit to load scrap brake blocks, though again no photo evidence at present,

 

cheers

Kevin

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I will be following the progress of this with interest.

As well as the skip wagon Malago also received the occasional TTA tank of oil which I believe was used fuel the boiler used for carriage heating,

though I cannot find any photos at present. I think they may also have used a highfit to load scrap brake blocks, though again no photo evidence at present,

 

cheers

Kevin

 

Hi Kevin,

 

Thanks for the above, really helpful and certainly adds some operational interest and it will be music to Alan's ears who will likely be the main operator! I have the TTA's on hand from Pallet Lane as well. I have also found a picture of 50028 with two of the APT POP cars which would be an interesting project to have a go at and somewhat different...

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I have been away for a couple of weeks so missed the start. A carriage sidings doesn't quite do the same as a small yard for me but after the excellent PL and PY I look forward to following this project.

Thanks. I know what you mean about small yards, I have had great fun with the other 2 layouts. I think one of the biggest reservations I had about doing this layout was potential lack of shunting opportunities, but hopefully with the operations we have planned plus the other wagon movements that Rivercider mentioned above it should provide enough movement and operator interest.

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