Random Depot Layout

[The Black Hat]

Hello all,

 

I have been meaning to get this thread started on the new layout that suddenly came about back at Christmas last year.

​It happened quite by accident and not planned for at all. My other layout "Bishop Auckland" has grown to become quite a monster in size really. Despite being planned to be moved by 1 or 2 people, the boards were made big and heavy and despite it being good, its now quite big to move.

 

My brothers plan was to buy some boards for me for Christmas, so that a smaller layout could be put into the secure garage at my new house. One small layout for me to run on my own, with the other for when a team could be put together. Christmas arrived and I was presented with a set of new boards. I was pleased if bemused - he wondered why. The reason was that I was planning to put another board into the previous layout that could be designed so it could operate independantly or as part of the larger layout - yes... making it even bigger. To this end, I had demolished most of the scenic area where the join was going to be! So I would need to rebuild this later.

 

However, the plan was then to use these boards to get a smaller layout running. Immediately I thought of a depot layout, with a modern shed for a freight company, with another older part of a shed that has been brought back to use with another company, or can be steam. The main reasoning for this was that having many steam engines in my collection it would be nice to get them to run on this too, so a reason was needed for them to be there.

 

Finally, a small branch station in one corner would allow units and some variation alway from the procession of light engines to and off shed.

 

Things have progressed over the last few months, but there now comes a deadline in that the layout will be operating (as a work in progress) at Shildon in a few weeks time.

 

Testing the layout track plan

 

Wiring the layout under the main board.

 

Hope that's of interest...

More coming soon.

 

[37038]

Looks good so far - plenty of operational interest there!

[The Black Hat]

Thanks.

 

More work done on the wiring of the layout over last 48 hours. Track on second board now wired up and should take power. Testing for that to be done tonight. Wiring for the lighting system for the station area has gone in, but lights for the older shed area need to be hooked up and then this system done too.

 

At the moment there isnt a great many photos to be had, as its all wiring.

 

The trial placing of some buildings goes on, but in the end they are taken off to get the wiring done. At least one plan has come about to have an office part for the old shed area that has been bought for a new lease of life. It will see a Wills building kit bashed to make the shed thats wanted and then placed so it can be an area that serves as both an office and a shed for overhauls of engines to be done. Means some engines from the past might feature as a static exhibit or be made into parts that are then done for engines stripped for overhaul.

 

Some trials of engines have found that the Bachmann two road shed is slightly too low and engines are grounding on the roof, so when placed it needs to be raised. Still, at least BIL is finished and can join the roster of engines come less than two weeks, when the layout makes its debut - albeit unfinished.

[The Black Hat]

Track on second board mostly working, just one siding isnt which i expect is a loose wire. Lights look good on board. Added new ones for around station and the areas around the second shed. 

 

Soon be on with scenery... 10 days till debut!!

[The Black Hat]

Loose wire found and been repaired, siding now working. Track added to end of this for the new build steam repair shed to go onto the old depot site. Portacabins and fueling point kits should be arriving soon. Some mini LEDs have been ordered which I hope can be used for lighting various areas of these buildings, as well as perhaps the sides of some of big depot buildings as security lights.

 

I have looked at the platform for the station and that is going to go in nicely. One track needed slight re-alignment but that has been done. Its a bit tight between signals, but some nice narrow clearance signs will be going onto them.

 

Meanwhile I have used the DCC Train Tec signals and found them really great to programme with the ECoS that I am using. Even the three colour signal worked straight away, so that one in the main platform can show a yellow aspect, another with the feather route indicator was activated straight away. These were great to programme, once I figured out how, but will add a nice aspect when they are wired in and working via dcc. These need to be wired on tonight and the rails painted then.

 

More soon...

[The Black Hat]

Hello all,

 

A few pictures to go with the reports of the text above, showing the stages of the layout under construction:

 

Wiring going onto the rear of one of the boards.

 

Trackwork being put into place and tested.

 

Layout under test as the track is inspected and wiring checked.

 

Concrete for the older depot area being placed.

 

Tracks and concrete for the older depot in and showing space left for where the new workshop is going to be built. 

 

Hope its of interest;

 

More soon.

 

 

 

[The Black Hat]

The layout has come along way recently, with a lot of work having been done and having been to two exhibitions. Its fun to operate and gets a lot of attention as people admire the engines and stock, though most still notice and take interest in the steam fleet more.

 

The recent show at Shildon saw the layout in use, running with the GBRf depot and the other shed run with the New North Eastern Railway Company.

 

Some photographs of the latters two new build P2s are below. More photos will be uploaded showing construction and pictures from the exhibitions soon.

 

 

Edited October 9, 2018 by The Black Hat

[The Black Hat]

Some pictures here from the exhibition with the Fragonset fleet, taken into the New North Eastern Railway operations. It shows the class 31s that are in the fleet, with a class 47 to follow later.

 

While I know some of them have had issues with the Hornby super detailed class 31, such lights being wired up incorrectly or had the chassis issues where the mazok rot has killed the model, if you get a good class 31 and tweak it accordingly you have a really good model. My class 31s, enhanced by the wonderful work done by Bryan at Howes really wowed some of the crowds at the last exhibition this weekend gone, with good and reliable running and sounds that got the viewers attention, even if these were older and on the 3.5 chip (just shows how good they are!).

 

They ran excellently over the pointwork on the shed, negotiating the curves brilliantly and providing a real change to the class 66s or steam seen elsewhere at the weekend. 31602, which was purchased off ebay some time ago was a real crowd pleaser as the sound was excellent and front headlight looked great.

 

 

 

[The Black Hat]

Part of the fun of operating at the recent exhibition in Shildon was watching those looking at the layout attempting to discreetly figure out which engines were real and which were not. The easy option was to realise that all the steam engines running where fictitious, with my company the New North Eastern Railway standing on the depot en masse. However, when all of the engines on shed, were sat in the same paint scheme, with the same layout in the way that the lining was applied, it was not so easy to distinguish them from being real as they all had the uniform appearance, being Darlington NER Green lined out in British Railways late crest scheme.  

 

I have to say that together as a fleet the engines did look impressive, the lighter green compared with BR 'Brunswick' Green looking brighter and attractive, where as the traditional real scheme while looking stunning in some light can look dark on occasions.

 

Pictures here show a number of the fleet on shed in action. One particular view of L4 67803 taking centre stage with the bigger engines behind being a particular favourite of the weekend.

 

 

 

 

Hope its of interest. Feedback on everything is most welcome.

Edited October 12, 2018 by The Black Hat

[Corbs]

I really like large logo livery on that class 31!

[The Black Hat]

I really like large logo livery on that class 31!

 

Oddly enough Large Logo was never carried by a class 31. The class 37 and 50 were given it after refurbishment so I decided that Large Logo blue on a class 31 would be a good idea. It does sit well on the body of the engine and in many ways its a shame it was never done.

 

Will have to get it alongside a 50 and 37..

[The Black Hat]

Part of the nice idea of having the L4 fleet is that they now match the colours of some of the bigger engines that have been done. Here L4, 67803 in Darlington Green matches the other engines of the fleet sat alongside their smaller stablemate on shed.

 

I do like having the small L4 fleet. Its nice having smaller tank engines getting some attention and being seen in a different light. Preservation really needs engines like this more than some which are proposed or being rebuilt that are either gaps in ranges, or rebuilds of older engines that couldn't match the power and reliability needed today.

 

Another aspect is the matching uniform fleet done out in Darlington green. Here the L4 and the other engines were all seen as one range across the layout and were largely seen as legitimate given all engines were seen in the same colours. Some did notice the difference, but otherwise I'm proud of the fleets uniform appearance and character. Just a shame its not real...

 

 

 

Edited October 16, 2018 by The Black Hat

[saxokid]

Any new updates on this layout??

[The Black Hat]

On ‎13‎/‎05‎/‎2019 at 23:59, saxokid said:

Any new updates on this layout??

 

Sorry, have not been on the thread updating this for some time. The layout is working well and has been to another show. The stock on it gets changed frequently so that other companies in my collection can be seen.

The New North Eastern Railway, with the fleet of new build engines continues to get lots of attention. Now, alongside the L4 project, has been the new build Duke's. This has seen three Dukes been out-shopped into different liveries and given names. They are;

 

71001 Duke of Wellington in BR Black Late Crest
71002 Duke of York in BR Express Blue Late Crest
71003 Duke of Richmond in BR Darlington Green Late Crest (NNER House livery).

Also joining the fleet is 60541. This has been named Thunderchild, while 60540 has been renamed from Orpheus to Thunderbolt.

The layout has had some work done on the building on the end for the works room and office. Lighting can be installed in some areas, but the layout is looking good and has been well received.

Photo shows A1 60541 being readied for traffic alongside new build L4, 67801.

 

Edited November 7, 2019 by The Black Hat
Adding photo.

[The Black Hat]

Some more photos of 60541 being done and being prepared for traffic.