A.R. Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 (edited) Whittlesmarch Brickworks Hello all, I have only just joined the forum so please forgive me if I have posted this topic in the wrong section! I am currently building a fictitious, though hopefully nonetheless realistic, brickworks-based 00 gauge layout set in the late 1950s. I have scratch built all the buildings and the gantry crane and the vehicles are from a mix of suppliers. I have attached a couple of up-to-date photographs below but over the next few days I will sort through my in-progress photos and put a few up to show how I got to where I am at now. I have no industrial rolling stock at present so a few mainline locos from my collection have been involved in running duties thus far. However, I am planning on starting some scratch built industrial locos in the near future. Many thanks for reading! Alex p.s On a side note, does anyone know of drawings for a Neilson Box Tank loco? Edited September 18, 2018 by A.R. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barclay Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 Looking forward to seeing your progress - the building and gantry are both superb. Iain Rice wrote about box tanks in Model Railways in the 1970's, including drawings. I'll dig them out and let you know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barclay Posted September 19, 2018 Share Posted September 19, 2018 Hi box tank articles in June and November 1978 Model Railways. I have November if you need a scan of it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Regularity Posted September 19, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 19, 2018 I have both, if it helps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastworld Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 I'll be watching this with interest as I am planning on having a brickworks layout myself some day (but on a much smaller scale than this). The weeds in the concrete are very effective! Stu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.R. Posted September 22, 2018 Author Share Posted September 22, 2018 Hello all, Thank you for the kind comments regarding the layout and to those of you who have sent me plans for the Neilson's box tanks. I am also interest in the Neilson designed Beckton Gasworks loco No. 1 so if anyone knows of plans for that it would be a great help! I have drawn up a plan from pictures (below) but actual plans would be far more useful! I mentioned in my first post about some photos of layout progress up to now: The board on the right is the layout board and the one of the left is my workbench. Both had subsequent coats of paint to protect them from the outside moisture. Point rodding being put in place. Very fiddly but effective once completed. The kiln building is still incomplete but is, nonetheless, quite an imposing structure. The crossing over the points is made using wooden coffee sticks, painted and weathered. It, like most aspects of the layout, is yet to be finished! Finally, a look at how the concrete was done; using Daz clay. I look forward to hearing what you think! Cheers, Alex 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted September 22, 2018 Share Posted September 22, 2018 (edited) What is the travelling crane for? It seems excessively large and unnecessary for a brickworks. P.S. Who makes the point rodding? It looks good. Edited September 22, 2018 by Ruston Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.R. Posted September 22, 2018 Author Share Posted September 22, 2018 What is the travelling crane for? It seems excessively large and unnecessary for a brickworks. P.S. Who makes the point rodding? It looks good. Hello, I saw a photo (admittedly from the 1970s) of a large gantry crane over a couple of sidings which was used to load wagons with brick loads and liked the look of it. I will see if I can find the photo in question:) The point rodding is from Wills, though each pack only has enough for two points! Cheers, Alex Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.R. Posted January 1, 2020 Author Share Posted January 1, 2020 Hello all, Firstly, a Happy New Year to everyone! Apologies for not updating this thread in over a year! I haven't done much on the layout during this time becuase it was in the loft and other things got in the way. However, I now have it back out of the loft on a more permanent basis which means some real progress should be made in the coming months. I plan to make some slight changes to the layout in terms of the track plan and backscene and will explain these shortIy. I got a number of kits etc. for Christmas and these have been used to help create a sense of how the layout will look! Upcoming Changes The track plan will essentially remain the same but with the addition of a run-around loop to enable locos to run around the incoming brick wagons. This has been made possible by the removal of the old backscene that cut off the right hand corner of the layout for the original, tiny fiddle yard and point control switches. This will replaced with a backscene that goes the full length of the layout and then an additional fiddle yard board will be added which will house the relocated switches. At the other end of the layout, there have also been some changes. The furthest back siding will be shortened (and linked to the aforementioned loop) to allow the kiln building to be situated where the old warehouse used to be (the Triang box is standing in for the chimney that will be part of the kiln!). This will allow direct loading onto wagons placed in the remaining two sidings. Rollingstock and Scenics Finally, I have been working on rollingstock and scenic items for the layout. I have been collecting Triang brick wagons and have converted them for use on bullhead track with Parkside diamond frame bogies and Dapol metal wheels and then weathered them (although not on the inside yet!). I have completed two and aim to have six for the layout. I have also been weathering some box vans that will occasionally visit the layout. I have a Barclay in NCB livery that is awaiting removal of the transfers for something more appropriate, and weathering when I can pluck up the courage; I am using the wagons as practice! I also have some ground signals, a home signal and a pill box that I have made up and painted/weathered over the past week or so! I look forward to hearing your thoughts! Cheers, Alex 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 Looking good Alex, the changes to the track plan will certainly boost the operational interest of the layout. Best of luck going forward! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 As this is a freight only line facing point locks would not be fitted. Gordon A 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.R. Posted January 4, 2020 Author Share Posted January 4, 2020 Hi all, Thanks for your replies and interest. On 01/01/2020 at 16:30, Gordon A said: As this is a freight only line facing point locks would not be fitted. Gordon A Thanks for that info Gordon, much appreciated, I can easily remove the locks. Would point rodding still be used, even on a freight only line? Just a quick update this time. I have now built the fiddle yard board and fitted alignment dowels. I will add toggles to keep the boards together at a later stage. I have also been playing around the with the location of the water tower and an experimental tree. I will be working on wiring over the next few weeks and getting the new track down too! Cheers, Alex Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 (edited) 57 minutes ago, A.R. said: Would point rodding still be used, even on a freight only line? I'm no expert on trackwork and signalling but for a private siding such as this I would say no. If you're having the points controlled by the signalbox then definitely no - the main line railway would not be operating the points in the private sidings. The signalbox could control a point where the main line railway accessed the private siding but with the set up you have then I really don't think there would be a signalbox at what appears to be an end-on junction with the private sidings when that junction is so close to the sidings themselves. It's all complicated with the fact that, by necessity, this, and most, layouts are compressed into a far smaller space than there would be in reality. It's your layout and rule 1 overrules everything but if it were mine I'd do away with the signalbox and assume the connection to the main line takes place at an exchange sidings off-scene. In that case all the points on the scenic section would be operated by individual levers, situated next to each point. No signalling or point rodding would be needed at all if there's only one brick works engine in steam. Even with two you may not have signals. One signal could be sited on the line to the exchange siding to prevent two trains being on the single line at the same time but I'd move it further from the point where you have it now otherwise any loco in the yard can't shunt past it. I hope that makes sense. Edited January 4, 2020 by Ruston 2 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 I agree with Ruston's comments above. Each point would have its own point lever adjacent to the stretcher bars of the point. Gordon A 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.R. Posted January 11, 2020 Author Share Posted January 11, 2020 Hi all, Thanks for the input, I really appreciate it! I will have to have a think about the signal box! I have been working on a mock up of the control panel to assess how big it needs to be and have come up with the following. 'P' is for a point switch, and 'I' is for an isolater switch. The switches will all be wired to a terminal block, which will then be wired to the multi-pin plug which will attach the panel to the layout. This will allow easy replacement of any bad switches or plug failure. I look forward to hearing your thoughts! Cheers, Alex Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.R. Posted February 24, 2020 Author Share Posted February 24, 2020 Hi all, I have managed to progress at a good pace recently and thought I would update the thread with some pictures of this progress! Firstly, I have managed to complete the trackwork, including the new passing loop, and have nearly completed all the under-baseboard wiring. The join between the fiddle yard board and main board has also been completed with copper clad strip. I have also sprayed the track with an undercoat of Railmatch Sleeper Grime and cleaned the railheads. The switches for points and isolating sections are all wired but are waiting for construction of a control panel to house them which is one of a number of things on the never-ending to-do list! Following this work on the track and electrics, I have begun to paint basecoats on the baseboard to give an idea where different surfaces will be (concrete, road, greenery etc.), as well as starting some basic landscaping and test positioning of where the yard lamps will be placed. Hopefully I will be able to get some more work done over the weekend. Cheers, Alex 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.R. Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share Posted March 29, 2020 Hi all, I hope everyone is well. I have been working on a number of different aspects of the layout recently including some of the rolling stock, control panel, scenics and buildings. I have repainted a Shell oil tanker and weathered a brake van, and started to organise which sets of wagons will run together when the layout is in operation. I have also finished wiring the layout (apart from lighting) and completed the control panel which includes switches for point motors, isolating sections and lighting. It also has colour light indicators for the isolating sections. The control panel has a long cable and plug to connect to the layout so it can be used from the front or back of the layout. I have also been working on a number of buildings for which I have set up a workbench thread in the "Kit Building and Scratch Building" section of the forum. You can glimpse the water tower in the above photo, and here is a preview of the kiln: I have also been working on the scenery in the corner of the layout: Finally, I have been having a go at adding some filters to a couple of photos just for fun: I look forward to hearing your thoughts! Cheers, Alex 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Adrian Stevenson Posted March 30, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2020 Nice work. I especially like your control panel. Cheers, Ade. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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