N gauge size options - South West Scotland plan

[Karhedron]

Do you have a prototype in mind for your creamery? I am trying to find some typical building details and features of a Scottish creamery/milk depot. Hoping to produce a model based on Merchiston Station, Edinburgh with associated Edinburgh & Dumfriesshire Dairy Depot sidings, timber yard, stone works and finding very few reference images apart from some good mapping details and photos, mainly of English and Welsh creameries? I still need to check through Caledonian Railway books as well.

Sorbie is one possibility although I am sure there were others.

 

 

[Marly51]

Sorbie is one possibility although I am sure there were others.

Thanks for these Karhedron - I lived not far from the milk depot, etc in the 1950s, but didn’t pay much attention to the trackside buildings! A factory is just a factory when you’re under 10! I’m working on a few things at present - hope to do a bit more research in Edinburgh later on this year. The model may end up a little generic in the absence of relevant Edinburgh photos. Found a few more images taken inside - creamery and bottling plant? The National Collection of Aerial Photographs still has a large percentage of images awaiting digitisation, but I can arrange to book in for a session and browse through the originals at some point.

 

Marlyn

[barney121e]

Thanks Karhedron, gives me food for thought for a creamery.

[barney121e]

Well my list of stations is firming up, a little worried some might be lacking in track movement but the station and possible things around them would also interest me and they do sometimes say simple is better than complicated.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Not exactly simple. I have been in discussion and come up with a plan that fits the constraints of the room (doors, window) and models four stations: Kirkcudbright, Tarff, Castle Douglas and Kirkgunzeon. All have been simplified a bit as BR might have done if the line had stayed open after 1964. Still a need to model some very large cattle docks, even if the track alongside is disused.

 

Not yet drawn Kirkgunzeon and the "Dumfries" fiddleyard behind, but it all seems to work albeit with 9" curves that need to be hidden.Port Road - Castle Douglas & branch.pdf

[Joseph_Pestell]

I have now completed this drawing to include Kirkgunzeon and the "Dumfries" fiddleyard. I was going to put in a reverse loop but it does not seem necessary. Better to use the space for added hidden sidings.

 

It all still needs a bit of tweaking. The aisle between Kirkgunzeon and Tarff has got a bit too narrow but than can be sorted.

 

As the OP, a diesel era modeller, wants to model at a later date than the date at which the Port Road closed in reality, I have added in a little feature by singling the line between Dumfries and Kirkgunzeon.

 

In reality, by closure in 1964, Kirkgunzeon had lost its sidings and we may want to take another look at that to make it more interesting.

 

Also, looking at pics of Kirkcudbright, I see that it lost its train shed in later years.Port Road - completed drawing.pdf

[barney121e]

Thanks, that is a great starting point. Have drawn baseboards and gap between them is about 18inches, is that enough?

[Joseph_Pestell]

Thanks, that is a great starting point. Have drawn baseboards and gap between them is about 18inches, is that enough?

 

Only if you are very slim. Minimum really should be 2' and that's not very comfortable.

[barney121e]

Only if you are very slim. Minimum really should be 2' and that's not very comfortable.

Might have to have a rethink then, but at least have a very good base to start with.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Might have to have a rethink then, but at least have a very good base to start with.

I am sure that with a bit of work on it we can create the necessary space. Or we could leave out one station in favour of more plain track....

[barney121e]

Well Tarff is a must to stay. Kirkcudbright seems most logical. Could just do those two stations, and then running into fiddle yard. Could widen boards slightly to allow more scenery.

[barney121e]

So have come up with a possible plan.

 

 

Could also put Tarff opposite Kirkcudbright and maybe have a helix to the fiddle yard. Think I can extend Kirkcudbright as well. What do people think?

[Joseph_Pestell]

So have come up with a possible plan.

 

tarfftake2.jpg

 

Could also put Tarff opposite Kirkcudbright and maybe have a helix to the fiddle yard. Think I can extend Kirkcudbright as well. What do people think?

 

Nice and straightforward with a real feeling of space.

 

Only issue really is that the branch would have a rather limited variety of trains/locos.

 

But I think that you could very well start with this and, if you use the baseboards cleverly, keep the stations for use in a more complicated scheme which includes some of the main line.

 

Edit to add: Did you see the March RM? Good articles on Whithorn branch and on building a helix for N.

Edited March 12, 2018 by Joseph_Pestell

[barney121e]

Nice and straightforward with a real feeling of space.

 

Only issue really is that the branch would have a rather limited variety of trains/locos.

 

But I think that you could very well start with this and, if you use the baseboards cleverly, keep the stations for use in a more complicated scheme which includes some of the main line.

 

Edit to add: Did you see the March RM? Good articles on Whithorn branch and on building a helix for N.

 

Hi

 

Yes did see the railway modeller. One thing I take from the article is his comment about stock as being a branch line it does limit the stock but as I am running it as a what if line I could feasibly run anything but will try and keep things at least with a Scottish flavour.

 

The helix article is interesting but might be beyond my skills. I know you can order helixes, might be an option.

[Joseph_Pestell]

You won't need a helix unless and until you want to expand the layout further and, perhaps, need more levels to be able to model other parts of the Port Road.

 

With fairly restricted trains for the branch, you have plenty of space (on a 2' wide baseboard) for the hidden sidings to be behind Tarff. You could even continue on round so that you can have a continuous run through Tarff. Non-prototypical but you did say early in the thread that you were not too sure about the appeal of end-to-end terminus to fiddleyard.

[barney121e]

You won't need a helix unless and until you want to expand the layout further and, perhaps, need more levels to be able to model other parts of the Port Road.

 

With fairly restricted trains for the branch, you have plenty of space (on a 2' wide baseboard) for the hidden sidings to be behind Tarff. You could even continue on round so that you can have a continuous run through Tarff. Non-prototypical but you did say early in the thread that you were not too sure about the appeal of end-to-end terminus to fiddleyard.

 

Well have had a play with plan and come up with following.

 

 

My main concern is where the red dot is, as where the track goes round in a circle, not sure if I need any fancy electrics. Will be more tracks in the fiddle yard area. But any other glaring issues?

[Marly51]

Well have had a play with plan and come up with following.

 

tarfftake3.jpg

 

My main concern is where the red dot is, as where the track goes round in a circle, not sure if I need any fancy electrics. Will be more tracks in the fiddle yard area. But any other glaring issues?

Delighted to see you might be considering a creamery for your plan, Barney? The Edinburgh City Planning Archive are getting in touch to let me know if they have plans of the old Edinburgh & Dumfriesshire milk depot/creamery - will keep you posted in case there are some details which might be useful for your layout.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Well have had a play with plan and come up with following.

 

tarfftake3.jpg

 

My main concern is where the red dot is, as where the track goes round in a circle, not sure if I need any fancy electrics. Will be more tracks in the fiddle yard area. But any other glaring issues?

 

As you will be working in DCC, you need a special unit for a return loop - you would not if it was a circle. But not difficult to install.

 

I think Tarff needs to be a bit longer.

 

At Kirkcudbright, a diamond on the lead into engine shed, not a facing point from the platform road.

Edited March 13, 2018 by Joseph_Pestell

[barney121e]

As you will be working in DCC, you need a special unit for a return loop - you would not if it was a circle. But not difficult to install.

 

I think Tarff needs to be a bit longer.

 

At Kirkcudbright, a diamond on the lead into engine shed, not a facing point from the platform road.

 

Ok, this is where I get slightly lost. What do you mean about a diamond and not a facing point?

[Joseph_Pestell]

Ok, this is where I get slightly lost. What do you mean about a diamond and not a facing point?

 

In a sense, it does not matter much as you probably won't put in the engine shed and turntable road anyway.

 

But access to the shed was from the run-round loop, a LH point plus a diamond crossing. Your plan shows a crossover and a further LH point.

[barney121e]

In a sense, it does not matter much as you probably won't put in the engine shed and turntable road anyway.

 

But access to the shed was from the run-round loop, a LH point plus a diamond crossing. Your plan shows a crossover and a further LH point.

 

Ok, can understand that. I might put them in as could add some interest and should have the space for them, but if not then so be it.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Just realised that your Tarff is, I think, wrong way round.

[barney121e]

Just realised that your Tarff is, I think, wrong way round.

 

Yes, you are right. Been thinking of the scenic and how they will fit in and how to adjust my 8 flat 4x2 baseboards.