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I'm posting this with some trepidation. This will be my return to modelling after a 10-year plus gap. I was inspired after seeing the excellent Brewhouse Lane at Calne model railway show. This is designed to be a testbed layout where I can try out different types of building and couplings and gradually move over to DCC. Oh, and have some shunting fun!

 

The layout is designed to be a run-down yard around 1980 in a city. A small amount of Speedlink traffic keeps it going, but it is a shadow of its former self and industrial buildings are gradually encroaching over what was once railway. So lots of grime and decay.

 

The track plan is based on two 3-way points. The two lines to the bottom left of the picture are the top of the run-round loop from the main branch. The top two lines to the left are Speedlink sidings, the top right line is the top of the loop and there is a useful kickback siding bottom right.

 

Layout sixe is 4 x 1ft with an optional 20" fiddle extension.

 

I'm hoping posting here will mean that I am given plenty of encouragement to show some regular progress!

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That looks good so far Matt, I've been looking at a similar plan so I'll be following this with interest. I'm sure you'll get plenty of encouragement on here,  would your fiddle yard be a sector plate? If so just make sure you've got enough room in the loop to run round stuff if that's what you plan to do. Hope that makes sense.

Steve.

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That looks good so far Matt, I've been looking at a similar plan so I'll be following this with interest. I'm sure you'll get plenty of encouragement on here,  would your fiddle yard be a sector plate? If so just make sure you've got enough room in the loop to run round stuff if that's what you plan to do. Hope that makes sense.

Steve.

Thank you Steve. My woodworking skills are non-existent (plus I hope this will be a quick and easy layout!) so the fiddle yard will simply be two lines and a loco lift.

I'll be posting another update soon!

Looks good. Like the idea of having 2 3 way points instead of having lots of smaller points. It will definitely compact down your track plan and maximise siding space.

Thanks Luke. I spent last night wiring the points up for live frogs. I'll be interested to see if everything runs well on these, rather than traditional points...

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I've gone for two lines and a loco lift on my layout but, if I'm honest, I wish I'd done a sector plate. I've got to learn new woodworking skills for my next layout.

Looking forward to some more updates.

Steve 

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  • 1 month later...

I had no idea if would take me so long to get two points on the board!

The journey included sticking one point down, realising the hole for the motor didn't quite align, taking the point up to enlarge the hole, damaging the point spring in the process and dropping a replacement spring on the carpet while fitting.

Anyway, at least I have two points with working motors and fronts switching correctly (that was another saga, and I still have no idea quite why it works in the final wiring setup...)

Looking forward to some slightly more speedy progress with the  track laying - I hope!

 

 

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Fortunately, progress has now been a little more speedy :)

 

The fiddle plank has been attached. The majority of the trackwork has now been laid and I include the obligatory shot of the weighted track drying. There are a couple of last sidings to lay, but these will wait until I have decided the exact positioning of the goods depot platform so everything aligns correctly.

 

I have also been working on the back story of the yard.

 

Next on my to-do list:

 - source and construct the goods depot (or at least get it to the point where I can lay the final track)

 - complete track wiring and test

 - source and construct a viaduct for the off-scene break

 

Next on my tnink about so I'm ready to do list:

 - backscene (I want a really empty, grey-skied industrial backscene)

 - start planning what buildings I want and where

 

What am I missing?!

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Guest ShildonShunter

Matt is nice to see your layout is starting to take shape, books do come in handy at times looking forward to seeing more.;)

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Thanks for the encouragement Kevin!

Here's a photo of how the track is looking. The two sidings top right have yet to be laid - just waiting to finalise the design of the Speedlink depot which will be very loosely base on the one at Gidea Park. I'd better go and start looking at canopies for it!

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Looking good Matt, do you have any photo's of the gidea park depot? That's where I live and I cant seem to find any, I think I can remember seeing cargowaggons there when I was a kid but was never sure what the depot was. Love to know more about it.

Steve.

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This is my version of what you're doing Matt, only I used a Y point and an ordinary point. Looking forward to seeing this progress. Nice to see Walbys Axiom being obeyed too!

 

Disgusting of Market Harborough

You have a lovely looking layout! Is that a boxfile?

 

And what is Walby's Axiom?

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Looking good Matt, do you have any photo's of the gidea park depot? That's where I live and I cant seem to find any, I think I can remember seeing cargowaggons there when I was a kid but was never sure what the depot was. Love to know more about it.

Steve.

Hi Steve,

Here's a link to a great set of photos I found on Flickr thanks to another thread I found on RMWeb: https://www.flickr.com/photos/55938574@N03/sets/72157650522858358/with/16564811336/

This is the most comprehensive set of images that I have found. It's a little later than the period of my layout, but I don't think much will have changed.

It's an impressive canopy - I'm not sure if I have the skills to scratch build something link that...

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Thanks for that Matt, just had a quick glance and the pictures look great. I'll have a better look later. I'd love to see some pics of the old Romford goods yard or coal depot but they seem a bit elusive. You've got a good plan there Matt, look forward to some more updates.

Steve.

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Great stuff Matt, I have a tentative idea for something similar when I've got the current project a little more complete; small suburban diesel era terminus with a Red Star Parcels depot. It would be about the same size, so following with interest  :good:

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Great stuff Matt, I have a tentative idea for something similar when I've got the current project a little more complete; small suburban diesel era terminus with a Red Star Parcels depot. It would be about the same size, so following with interest  :good:

That sounds just up my street! I look forward to seeing what you come up with :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

I had no idea if would take me so long to get two points on the board!

 

The journey included sticking one point down, realising the hole for the motor didn't quite align, taking the point up to enlarge the hole, damaging the point spring in the process and dropping a replacement spring on the carpet while fitting.

 

Anyway, at least I have two points with working motors and fronts switching correctly (that was another saga, and I still have no idea quite why it works in the final wiring setup...)

 

Looking forward to some slightly more speedy progress with the  track laying - I hope!

Oh yeah..... holes for point operating; a very sore point.  I didn't think it through when I did the only two points on the scenic section of my layout Tillingham, and should have installed the pushrod and wire hand operated bits earlier than I did. One works (just) and the other I'm having to do again and bore a bigger hole, 'cos not only does it not always carry the current in one direction (dead frogs) but derails some items. Fortunately haven;t knackered the spring mechanism. Yet.  :no:   Good work here, keep it up!

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  • 9 months later...

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