Whitemarsh Yard

[Will Vale]

I've been meaning to enter for ages, but I wanted to get a head of steam up before committing. This means I'm hoping to enter a layout which has been under construction for a wee while, but this has all (or nearly all?) been in the period of the challenge. I don't think this is against the letter of the rules, but I'd rather adhere to the spirit, so if it's bad form to declare a layout in progress as a challenge entry please let me know so I can un-enter

 

On the assumption that it's OK, the project is a post-privatisation layout set in East Anglia, not all that far from where I grew up at Witcham Toll. I built a couple of boards with a simple track plan intended to offer a small Inglenook with an add-on bit to provide run-around facilities and a stabling point. There is also DCC and sound, sorry to those that don't like this trend So this isn't breaking any new ground in terms of typical D&E fodder, but it's new to me - I haven't done any UK or indeed OO/4mm modelling since I was a lad.

 

 

Having settled on boards, plan and theme I went looking for inspirational prototypes and found the rebuilt Whitemoor Yard. I know this is the wrong order but I think it's close enough in some ways to use for inspiration. There's some more about this part of the process here. I think the plan sort of works, with the Norwood Road bridge at the left-hand end, and for the moment a fiddle yard (as yet un-built) acting as the yard sidings accessed under the bridge. Not like Whitemoor, but much smaller since the same sector plate can represent the yard and the rest of the network. Eventually, if I can find some more space at home I'd like to swap this around and have the rest of the yard at the right-hand end as it should be, but that's going to be much too big at the moment. I still can't quite get over how much space a 66 and a few modern wagons take up. Thank goodness for rusty Limpets etc.

 

Since getting the boards together, track laid and wired up, I've mostly been ballasting. There's only a little bit of this left to go and then track weathering. After that I can get onto the fun green bits, such as they are, plus I really need to stop being a coward and weather some locos. I have a handful of suitable wagons ready bar Sprat and Winkles, plus some more unweathered which require attention.

 

Whitemarsh has an exhibition deadline at the end of November, so my plan is to "complete" the layout for the challenge with a handful of stock, and then work on remaining stock in a mad panic before the show.

 

Not a whole lot to show so far, but this gives a fair overview:

 

 

There's a bit more detail on my RMWeb blog. How are people with blogs managing the challenge posts, do you just post everything twice, or link blog entries from the thread, or is there a more cunning approach?

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[pitbull1845]

Hi Will,

this looks really good, anything with diesels and shunting is right up my street, especially with dcc sound too.

Good luck with it and keep the updates coming please, as you know we all like photos on here.

Cheers

Scott

[James Hilton]

I was using the blogs, then just linking through, perhaps with a teaser photo! that was when Rose Hill was likely to be finished!

I think entering a part finished layout is fine Will... good luck

[Will Vale]

So I've finally fitted some S&W loops to my 60, and have been doing some experimental shunting. The couplers work well on the straight, but as I sort of expected, the 60 can't propel through the pointwork without buffer locking and/or derailing a wagon. A 66 will presumably be marginally worse. However, it can pull stock through the pointwork fine although it looks a mite silly doing so. This isn't too bad, since part of the fun is bringing in a train with a main line loco, detaching it, and pushing it back into the yard with one of the 08 pilots while the train loco goes to get some fuel or just hangs around on the loop.

 

The problem is that my slip is single not double - see pics above and the plan here. The "slip" side (curved) is towards the bottom of the plan, the crossing side to the top.

 

 

The lower of the two loop lines in the image is the one that has access to the yard via the off-board link at the upper left. So trains which want to use the yard have to go in using the loop, which is also the access to the depot bit at the bottom right.

 

This means that if a train is dropped off on the upper loop line, it has to be pushed back under the bridge and brought onto the lower line to access the yard, which seems a bit daft and will tend to block things up a bit more than it should. Likewise it won't be possible to propel a train into the loop with a big engine (which would allow a much longer train from time to time, justified by it having come from the "down line" at some off-stage junction) since the loop headshunt is available for wagons. At least it won't be without then taking it back under the bridge, and onto the loop again.

 

So... what to do? I could live with it, since it sort of works as-is and there's track and ballast down, everything wired, etc. Or I could *gulp* lift the single slip and replace with a double slip, which solves the problem nicely. The Peco code 75 double slip seems to be the same size and geometry (following Hattons' description) as the single slip, and could use the existing point motors as-is. There are reasons I put the single slip there originally, but they don't make sense anymore as far as I can see.

 

Is there some kind of operational dodge I haven't seen? Should I bite the bullet, or should I press on regardless? How easy is it to replace pointwork in-situ, given that it needs insulated joiners etc. so they can't just be slid out of the way. I really don't want to rip up the whole board :(

 

Hmmm....

 

Will

[eldavo]

If you can live with it visually how about some very thin blackened wire between the loco buffers. Easiest solution to stop the buffer locking problem between the larger engines and the stock. Alternatively you can do the same to the rollingstock and leave the locos without.

 

Cheers

Dave

[James Hilton]

That's interesting - I'm using Kadees - the only thing I struggled with was the Seacows - I've got them too close at present. The advantage of Kadees is they enable close coupling but also are pretty stable at keeping buffer distances when propelling. I find with a Bachmann 37 and my short radius points the buffers do touch and compress slightly, but no other issues.

 

As for the single/double slip - I'd be tempted to live with it I think. It depends how operationally limited you feel this is...

[RBE]

Looking pretty good. I know what you mean about the long loco's though. My Outon Road mini layout is only 4ft with 2ft cassettes as a fiddle yard. Can hardly get anything on them with a 60. I'm setting the layout around 1993 so not really having to worry about the 66's. I think I'll just pretty much use them as stabled loco's or light engines either pretending to be arriving from somewhere or running around an off scene train in the imaginary off scene yard. Buffer locking shouldn't be a problem then!! The rest of the locos should be fine.

 

Have you thought of fitting slightly bigger buffers heads to your short wheelbase freight stock, they are the ones that have given me trouble in the past as they all seem to have really small buffers. It may help to prevent locking if its a juster and more prototypical than a wire across your buffers or a Kadee if you want to run 3 links.

 

Cav

[Will Vale]

Lots of neat ideas there, thanks. I think the buffer locking isn't a huge problem - preventing it is possible, but it will still look odd, which is a sign that I shouldn't use those locos for that purpose - the upper loop line has only minimal curves, so the big locos can run on there happily and look good doing it. On the slip front, I've ordered one from Hattons so that I can agonise over it a bit more when it arrives... In the meantime I'll get on and make the bridge I think.

 

 

One thing I should add - I'm really pleased with the Sprat + Winkles - they work well, are pretty small, and not that much of a pain to fit. Plus the 3mm diameter magnets I'm using are very easy to install.

 

Will

 

 

[Will Vale]

A parcel arrived this morning - I'm scared

 

 

I've talked myself into doing this - if I desolder the metal joiners and remove them, and cut the inside web of the plastic joiners by the vee rails, I should be able to lift the single slip out without disturbing the surrounding track. What's left of insulated joiners ought to support the vee rails since the outside webs will be like clips, both pushing inwards. New metal joiners can be slid back out of the way and then pulled into place with pliers. I think...

 

I need a strong drink before continuing.

 

Will

[Will Vale]

Well, I've gone and done it. At least I've done the fun destructive part... Inspecting Man is having conniptions though

 

 

More details here:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/blog/321/entry-4481-thats-funny-the-damage-doesnt-look-as-bad-from-out-here/

 

I think a lie down is in order...

 

Will

 

 

 

[Northpoint]

That's interesting - I'm using Kadees - the only thing I struggled with was the Seacows - I've got them too close at present. The advantage of Kadees is they enable close coupling but also are pretty stable at keeping buffer distances when propelling. I find with a Bachmann 37 and my short radius points the buffers do touch and compress slightly, but no other issues.

 

As for the single/double slip - I'd be tempted to live with it I think. It depends how operationally limited you feel this is...

 

Will - I would wholeheartedley support James on the Kadee issue - I have used them for years on all types of stock. The main problem is the fitting if the NEM coupler box is the wrong height (Bachmann please note), but then again, fitting S & W couplings isn't always easy.

 

 

Well, I've gone and done it. At least I've done the fun destructive part... Inspecting Man is having conniptions though

 

 

 

More details here:

 

http://www.rmweb.co....-from-out-here/

 

I think a lie down is in order...

 

Will

 

 

 

 

I'm sure you feel a lot better now! I know from my own experience how daunting it can be but now it's done you can move forward.

 

Look forward to seeing the next progress report.

 

Best,

[Will Vale]

Cheers Nick! I did consider Kadees but after almost going for Brian Kirby-modified tension locks, I plumped for a mix of 3-links and S&Ws, with the 3-links in rakes and the S&Ws on the end. I've had a little experience with Kadees (and clones) on an On30 module, and I found it really difficult to site the magnets - even with very short stock they were completely intolerant of misalignment, whereas the S&Ws couple and uncouple nicely on the gentle curves on Whitemarsh. It's really only buffer locking which is an issue, and it's not such a bad price to pay (now that the slip is in) for propelling stock by the buffers - I find that very satisfying

 

On the slip front, it's now installed and ballasted:

 

 

 

I've even made some legitmate progress and started roughing in the bridge so I can make the landforms. It doesn't look like much yet though:

 

 

More here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/blog/321/entry-4501-norwood-road-bridge/

 

I think one of my favourite modelling activities is building things with foamboard, masking tape, and PVA. It's so fast, and it always looks nice when you've done it

 

Will

[Will Vale]

I've been working on the left hand board and have shaped the drain along the front at long last, and picked out a small farm sluice from the area to model. I'm not sure yet whether the culvert for the larger drain under the railway should be a "concrete wall and tube" type, or something a bit more interesting with wing walls. I'm also not sure whether to reinstate the drain on the far side of the tracks, or whether it's better to leave it covered. The retaining wall in the background is in place temporarily, there's more about it here if you're interested.

 

 

 

In other news, as of next week we'll be in the Netherlands for just over a fortnight visiting family (while a friend of mine minds the house, yay!) and it struck me that it wouldn't be that hard to get to East Anglia. Swimming is probably out, but it'd be possible to fly e.g. Schiphol -> Norwich and then hire a car. I could then visit March, Ipswich and go and check out Trains4U in Peterborough. That's on top of the possibility for revisiting my childhood stamping grounds of Ely and Witcham.

 

All this would need to be agreed with the domestic authorities, but It's certainly a lot closer than we usually are in NZ, which makes it extra-tempting. Hmm...

 

Will

[Taigatrommel]

If you can have a couple of nights on ferries, there are excellent Rail and Sail deals covering NS and National Express East Anglia. The ferry berths are very comfortable, I'd recommend it highly.

 

http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/rail-and-sail/holland/

[Will Vale]

It sounds like a good scheme, and if you go to stenaline.nl it's possible to book NL -> UK -> NL. Will see how much free time we have when we get there.

 

W

[Will Vale]

I made some lamps as copies of the Whitemoor ones - if I fit as many as the real thing it would get very expensive to buy RTR, whereas my efforts work out at about a pound each. Done 4 so far, and installed three in the concrete pads on the RHS in front of the pointwork. They slot into brass tube sockets - I've done some experiments and I think I can make these conduct both poles rather than just one, but that might be for down the line a bit. 'Scuse the dodgy focus in the picture, but you get the idea:

 

 

I'll post some daylight shots once they're weathered and I've sourced some washers or similar for the base - they have gaskets or something where they meet the concrete.

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[James Hilton]

Will - looks good - inspecting man really should get home to his family!

[Will Vale]

Yes he does appear to have pulled an all-nighter in that one. I wonder what Inspecting Woman thinks of him...

 

I finished the lamps earlier in the week but have had a hard time trying to take a decent picture. They appear to be zinc flake coated in real life, so I rubbed down the grey primer lightly and drybrushed with gunmetal, flat aluminium and white, being fairly blotchy to try and get the flaky/bloomed look. The decal is a cut down Fox OHLE flash which required 3 applications of Micro-Sol to get it to lie down. It ended up bedded in really well though, and I used Micro-Flat over the top. So far this seems like a really useful bottle - it's a brushable flat finish with water cleanup.

 

The messy shade is my brush painting white over grey, I should have thought twice and primed the shades white, so when I get a minute I'm intending to strip them and redo it. OK for now though:

 

 

 

I'm tempted to go back over the wagons with updated OHLE flashes since the localised Klear over the decals glints in photos if I'm not careful.

 

Next job is making a few buildings and the NIMBY fences while on holiday, hopefully.

 

Will

[mr45144]

Looking good Will - just committed to Railex to help Rich.

[Will Vale]

Cheers Kev! Perhaps you can be persuaded to take the helm on Whitemarsh too, if you can stomach being associated with Yet Another Engineering And/Or TMD Layout...

 

Things have been a bit quiet owing to being on holiday, but I did take some modelling supplies with me and am slowly putting together some bits for the layout, viz. the following picture. I've made up the walls (but not doors or windows) for the depot office, based on the long thin building at Ipswich. This was a pain to draw up since it's partially blocked in every picture I have apart from Google Maps/Bing Aerial where occupies only about 100x40 pixels. The external framing is a bit overscale at 0.75x0.5mm, but I've sanded it down to about 0.3mm thickness (ish) which improves matters.

 

 

Also visible are one of the Whitemoor NIMBY screens, awaiting primer and cedar cladding when we get back, plus the posts and brackets for the fuelling point roof. I was tempted to get the Knightwing kit, but a) everyone else has it, and B) the posts aren't the right section, so I'd really be paying for the roof! The columns are 3mm square telescopic brass tube which I'm in the process of sheathing with styrene. This should give a relatively solid structure, electrical continuity, and a surface that's easy to detail and won't require much if any filling. 

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[Will Vale]

A bit more going on - I've done the bridge pillar and abutments, so when they're varnished and stuck down I can finish the earthworks at that end and get to the brown + green stage. Not quite panicky yet, but close, since there's a fair bit of work left and I have a day job deadline almost at the same time as the challenge.

 

 

More details here in a blog post but briefly they're mostly mount board covered with Scalescenes dark blue brick paper, albeit fairly heavily recoloured with pigments and paint afterwards.

 

Will

[Taigatrommel]

I note the nod to Wellington with the graffiti- I only mentioned its existence to Kev on the weekend as we had Joy Division on in the car on the way up to the Hunter Valley.

[Will Vale]

I note the nod to Wellington with the graffiti- I only mentioned its existence to Kev on the weekend as we had Joy Division on in the car on the way up to the Hunter Valley.

I did try and resist (for all of 30 seconds) but I thought it was a nice idea since I was unhappy that the wall had been painted over, though I'd have been hard-pressed to define exactly what separates it from other graffiti in the right-vs-wrong debate.

 

As an antidote to all that card and paper, I've been working on the bridge girder and site office, both made entire from styrene. I started the office (shaped and detailed the walls) on holiday but I've only just put it together today. I was pleased to see that the bow in the walls seems to have come out nicely - the floor is doing its work, although I might still add a ceiling panel to ensure squareness. It's not a big building, but I was surprised just how much the walls bowed (about 4mm in 120mm) before assembly.

 

 

The girder is in primer now and needs a wee bit of filling on the road side, but nothing too egregious...

 

 

"Would you say you were an egregious person, Pauline?"

 

More here and here.

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[Will Vale]

Still plodding along here, I think I have a chance of getting it to a finished state, although I suspect there'll be plenty of detailing jobs to do between the competition date and the exhibition. Here's where things are at with the boards, plus some posed half-built bits to give you an idea of what's been done and what is still to do. Click for a bigger version:

 

 

The container-with-door needs to be re-done, luckily I have a spare! I made two mistakes with that - I got the door one rib out (schoolboy counting error) and also the thin plastic overlay warped slightly. I think I can re-use the container as a plain one with something leaning up against it to hide the dodgy door. The office building needs an interior, a roof, and glazing but is otherwise coming on OK. I'm pretty sure I've missed out a third door - the perils of drawing a building from thin slices seen between locos - but I can live with that since this isn't a model of Ipswich per se.

 

The biggest scratchbuilding job left is the fuel road canopy - you can see how that's coming along, but there's obviously a fair bit left. Then details details details. I may end up wanting to make some more of the NIMBY fence - the piece I have looks huge on its own but it rather vanishes into the layout.

 

Oh yes, I've also posted a bit on my blog about the bridge, which is currently the most finished bit - which is not to say it's finished!

 

Next job is to trim off the profile boards on the right board, fit a low bank at the rear, and then get busy with plaster, gesso or other brown goop to fill in the landscape.

 

Cheers,

 

Will

[Pete Harvey]

Very nice Will have you any close up pictures of the layout?

 

Pete