grid56104 Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 When I posted recently in the 'new members' section, I referred to my intention to set up postings re my new layout. This is the 1st one. The layout will reflect my life long interest in coal traffic from Rail Blue to the Present Day. Currently the layout will be known as the 'Maxwell Colliery Loading Point' but this will probably change in due course once I think of a better name. The layout will be a rapid loading tower arrangement such as that at Renstrie (or Ravenstruther) and formerly at Knockshinnoch and Blindwells (refer my photos of these locations). The intention is to have the tower built in such a way (close to the backscene) that as the locomotive pulls empty wagons throught the tower they can be filled up and come out the other side full. In addition to the above, I want to model some single track branch line to/from the tower similar to that on the former Bilston Glen branch and currently seen on the line to Chalmerston and Killoch. The setting of the layout will allow Rail Blue, Large Logo, Trainload Coal, Transrail and Loadhaul locos to be used with Haa's and off course EWS/DBS and Freightliner to run with the latest wagons. It is my intention to use boards only 18 inches wide and use open frame construction to allow much more realistic scenery. At present only the fiddle yard boards are built. I have also attached a 'not to scale' concept plan of what I want to do. Hopefully you can see what I want to achieve from the plan. Due to the proposed shape of the layout the plan has been split into 3 to get it on the page - simply go from the letter at the end of each part to get the next part. Each line represents a single track. Unfortunately this hasn't worked as I hoped and I will put the 'concept plan' up on the next posting. Sorry about that. more postings to follow on my thoughts and photographs for the inspiration for the layout. Max Fowler 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grid56104 Posted August 1, 2010 Author Share Posted August 1, 2010 Track plan concept added below. In essence, the line exits the fiddle yard on double track this reducing to single track beyond the abandoned main line junction - I will leave some overgrown track and have some lifted track to represent this. Beyond this junction, a single track will run off behind the backscene to 'another different colliery' and then the main single track will meander through countryside to reach the loading point via a new piece of track coming from the original colliery line which also runs behind the backscene. My next post will have some photographs of single line coal routes from Scotland - some still open other long closed - which are being used as reference and ideas. I will also post details/photographs of constuction (albeit limited) to date of this layout. Max 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Austerity94 Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 Hi Max, Glad to see someone else thinks that coal is worth modelling. That tower is going to be huge; are you planning to go full-size, or scale it down a bit? That asied, I look forward to seeing more pics of the prototype and the layout. Good luck. Regards, Alex. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grid56104 Posted August 1, 2010 Author Share Posted August 1, 2010 Hi Max, Glad to see someone else thinks that coal is worth modelling. That tower is going to be huge; are you planning to go full-size, or scale it down a bit? That asied, I look forward to seeing more pics of the prototype and the layout. Good luck. Regards, Alex. Alex - I have attached a couple of pictures of the mock up of the tower. Its size is more in keeping with Knockshinnoch rather than Renstrie which appears to be taller but is no where near as long. I need to refine the internal chute though - it nears to be more of a funnel before it goes above the wagons. The eventual tower will be build from plasticard etc although I am unclear where I will get the ladders that go up the side of the tower. I may also introduce a glazing band around the tower - I have seen this in a few of the Rapid Loaders from south of the border. The first picture is the non public side while the second shows the wagon height relative to the tower height. A locomotive also 'just' fits under it just like the real thing!!! Max 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grid56104 Posted August 1, 2010 Author Share Posted August 1, 2010 Work to date has only consisted of building the fiddle yard baseboards and legs which are of conventional construction. See pictures below. Since these photos some of the track on these boards has been laid - photos to follow. The fiddle yard is only 1 foot wide and there are 2 4 ft long boards and 1 3ft long board. I have tried to stack them (for movement) by bracing them between the legs as can be seen in the 2nd picture. I have also attached a sketch showing how I wish to build the main boards to allow me full flexibility as regards scenery etc. None of these boards have been started. Max 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
0O00 Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 Looking good! Will be keeping an eye on this one... Alex Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium eldavo Posted August 2, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 2, 2010 I like the idea of stacking the fiddleyard boards between the legs. Nice compact package for transport. Would it make sense to turn the 3ft board upside down to protect the trackwork? Cheers Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
45157 Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 The eventual tower will be build from plasticard etc although I am unclear where I will get the ladders that go up the side of the tower Max Plastruct do a good selection of industrial ladders and steps, and most of the other other bits and bobs needed when detailing an industrial building. http://www.ema-models.co.uk regards Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimleygrid Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Hi Max, really like the sound of this project. I can just imagine a Grid or a 60 passing under the loading bunker with a rake of HAAs, quality. It is always nice to see a scale model of something that in real life is rather large! Your mock-up certainly gives you an idea of the size of the loading bunker which is going to look great once finished. Are you planning to have a full rake of HAAs? I look forward to seeing 56104 in coal sector livery passing under it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grid56104 Posted August 2, 2010 Author Share Posted August 2, 2010 Plastruct do a good selection of industrial ladders and steps, and most of the other other bits and bobs needed when detailing an industrial building. http://www.ema-models.co.uk regards Stewart Many thanks for this - will have a look and see what they have. Max Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grid56104 Posted August 2, 2010 Author Share Posted August 2, 2010 First posting of some photographs of lines that have inspired me to model the single track coal line. More to follow. Max only 2 have attached then the attachment system failed. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
0O00 Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Who says MGR Coal trains have to be long eh? Pair of Choppers on 12 loaded inc one with canopy. I wonder why that one was so short? Was it typical? Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Banger Blue Posted August 2, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 2, 2010 The above is a video found on U tube showing 56093 on an MGR working at Goldthorpe Colliery. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grid56104 Posted August 3, 2010 Author Share Posted August 3, 2010 I like the idea of stacking the fiddleyard boards between the legs. Nice compact package for transport. Would it make sense to turn the 3ft board upside down to protect the trackwork? Cheers Dave Dave - thanks for your comments. You are correct and I will turn the top board the other way round and protect the trackwork. Max Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grid56104 Posted August 3, 2010 Author Share Posted August 3, 2010 The above is a video found on U tube showing 56093 on an MGR working at Goldthorpe Colliery. brilliant - kind of sums up what I want to achieve. Max Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grid56104 Posted August 3, 2010 Author Share Posted August 3, 2010 More inspiration showing what I want to achieve - hopefully there are more photos up this time. Max 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grid56104 Posted August 3, 2010 Author Share Posted August 3, 2010 Who says MGR Coal trains have to be long eh? Pair of Choppers on 12 loaded inc one with canopy. I wonder why that one was so short? Was it typical? Cheers At the time of the photo, coal traffic was running from Westfield in Fife to Yorkshire, and the trains would operate in and out of Westfield (along the single track branch from Thornton Yard) as 36 wagon sets. There would be a morning service and an afternoon service - usually hauled by a single class 56. After loading, the trains would run back along the branch line to Thornton Yard where they would be were split into 3 - 24 wagon sets (the maximum allowed over the Forth Bridge) ie 24 of the wagons from the first run would continue to Millerhill while the remaining 12 awaited 12 off the second train to form the 2nd run over the bridge with the remaining 24 of the second train from Westfield running direct as the 3rd train. At Millerhill the first 24 wagons awaited the second 24 with 12 of these being added and the train sent to Yorkshire. The remaining 12 at Millerhill were then re-marshalled with the 24 of the 3rd train from Thornton to form the 2nd 36 wagon train to Yorkshire. The photo here shows the first 12 wagons from the 2nd train (originally of 36 wagons) to Westfield heading back to Thornton (loaded of course) to hook up with the 12 left from the morning working as loading was slow at Westfield that day and there would have been a major delay waiting on the full 36 wagons. This way 2 trains had got over the Forth Bridge and one 36 wagon train could travel south from Millerhill. I hope this all makes sense. Max Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
0O00 Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 At the time of the photo, coal traffic was running from Westfield in Fife to Yorkshire, and the trains would operate in and out of Westfield (along the single track branch from Thornton Yard) as 36 wagon sets. There would be a morning service and an afternoon service - usually hauled by a single class 56. After loading, the trains would run back along the branch line to Thornton Yard where they would be were split into 3 - 24 wagon sets (the maximum allowed over the Forth Bridge) ie 24 of the wagons from the first run would continue to Millerhill while the remaining 12 awaited 12 off the second train to form the 2nd run over the bridge with the remaining 24 of the second train from Westfield running direct as the 3rd train. At Millerhill the first 24 wagons awaited the second 24 with 12 of these being added and the train sent to Yorkshire. The remaining 12 at Millerhill were then re-marshalled with the 24 of the 3rd train from Thornton to form the 2nd 36 wagon train to Yorkshire. The photo here shows the first 12 wagons from the 2nd train (originally of 36 wagons) to Westfield heading back to Thornton (loaded of course) to hook up with the 12 left from the morning working as loading was slow at Westfield that day and there would have been a major delay waiting on the full 36 wagons. This way 2 trains had got over the Forth Bridge and one 36 wagon train could travel south from Millerhill. I hope this all makes sense. Max Indeed it does... Certainly looks an easily modellable train (the 12 wagon portion anyway!). I presume you will mostly utilise Hornby's MGR's? Will some Bachmann HEA's and even some 16 tonners for earlier running periods make an appearance? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grid56104 Posted August 7, 2010 Author Share Posted August 7, 2010 Some track has been laid on 2 of the fiddle yard boards. The concrete track on the smaller board was due to the fact that the supplier of same did not have the full quantity of wooden sleeper track that I needed. The fiddle yard track is code 100 but this will change to code 75 at the point end of the yard as it goes onto the main boards which will all be code 75. Max 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grid56104 Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 Now that Model Rail Scotland has come and gone and St Ann's Depot has been bubble wrapped until required again, I now have a chance to advance my new layout. I have attached the revised track plan which will probably be tinkered with again around the area of the double track becoming single track. I have also attached some photographs of the baseboard frames which I have worked on this weekend - first time in months (track will be much higher as I am going to use open frame system - refer previous post). The frames shown are those from the headshunt beyond the loading tower to the board that will have the viaduct on it. Further updates once time and money permits Max Fowler 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mudmagnet Posted March 6, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2011 hi Max, A very interesting layout and look forward to seeing this develop. Lucky that the boards can be laid-out in your garden! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 very intresting i look forward to further updates david Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Fisher Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Neat layout idea you've got there mate, I'll be following this one. The loading bunker will certainly be an impressive model Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grid56104 Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 a long weekend and with no office work to deal with took the opportunity to advance the layout. A number of legs constructed and the last board (ie furthest away from the fiddle yard - refer previous plan drawing) which is the runround headshunt has now been formed with one plywood end in place and the plywood trackbed supports incorporated and the plywood then fixed in place. The first corner board has also been fitted with one plywood end and temporarily joined to the last board to see that bolt positions are correct etc. The attached photos hopefully shows the above and the advantage of the open frame construction that will allow me to have the scenery above and below track level. another long weekend coming up so hopefully weather permitting more progress can be made. Max Fowler 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpleymodeller Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Hi I too am interested in coal traffic so am interested in seeing this layout progress. Do you plan on making the loading bunker operational? At one point I was planning on modelling Liverpool Bulk Terminal and thought of ways to make the loading tower operational. One idea was to make a reloadable box which would be filled with woodland scenics coal/cinders ballast and make some form of electronic opening doors which when open would allow the coal/ballast to fall by gravity into the wagons. It would be complex but would add such a huge amount of realism to this type of layout. Keep the updates coming B) Regards Lewis Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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