Katier Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 My son has shown some interest in railway modelling so as a means to encourage him to visit me more often we've started a joint railway project. It'll be a simple pretty generic BLT using whatever track I can lay my hands on.. which does mean the track plan is slightly restricted. The 3 way at the top was a gift (as was the cross-over) so the goods siding will have a longer run than planned. At the left is a sector plate as the fiddle yard. The alignments aren't 100% right as I need to ensure space for the station platform beside the coaches ( although in 3mm/ft 25cm is ample ) and we'll have a small station building at the right somewhere. He wanted a river, so we have a curved river running along the back of the station platform and the track will run into a tunnel at the top. The small siding at the bottom will serve a cattle dock while the main siding will run up to a good shed with typical services. He also wants a 'Farm' which there probably isn't room for unless I can figure how to put a farmhouse somewhere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nth Degree Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Hello Katier, how old is your son? Looks to be quite a nice potential model. Will look forward to see it develop. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 Been working on the fiddle yard/sector plate as that will set alignments to the rest of the track. Initially I was going for a single track from here onto the layout with a 3 way point I had as the first part of the run around loop but after chatting with a friend I decided this format was better. The plate can probably easily accommodate 5 lanes (plus the option of small extra storage doubling back). This first image shows the end of the sector plate, the bolts will be used ( I hope ) to carry one half of the current. i.e. one rail will be wired perminantely live on the sector plate. Pushing the bolt home will make the other rail live for the corresponding track. I have modified the 'latch' side of the bolt with a piece of brass to it's a snug fit (thus hopefully ensuring alignment and conductivity). Overview of the sector plate with rolling stock for scale. The longest road should take 3 coaches plus loco which is ample for this size of layout. Finally angled closeup - the card under the track is to counter a slight height difference between the two boards. Because the intermediate track is only screwed down I can adjust things if things move over time/multiple re-assembly simply by unscrewing the track and adjusting the packing. I used some scrap brass with two holes screwed in it then soldered to one side of the double sided copper clad sleepers. By using two holes and 3 sleepers I am hoping alignment will be maintained on the curved track ( the straight section uses one hole/two sleepers). Hello Katier, how old is your son? Looks to be quite a nice potential model. Will look forward to see it develop. Steve He's 15 but complete novice.. how much time he'll spend on it god knows but I'm laying the track so he can always 'play trains' even if he's not doing much scenically. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 Just done a test run which worked rather well so seems the bolts will work Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjE2v3lJU8Q&feature=youtu.be Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dorset Wanderer Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Been working on the fiddle yard/sector plate as that will set alignments to the rest of the track. Initially I was going for a single track from here onto the layout with a 3 way point I had as the first part of the run around loop but after chatting with a friend I decided this format was better. The plate can probably easily accommodate 5 lanes (plus the option of small extra storage doubling back). This first image shows the end of the sector plate, the bolts will be used ( I hope ) to carry one half of the current. i.e. one rail will be wired perminantely live on the sector plate. Pushing the bolt home will make the other rail live for the corresponding track. I have modified the 'latch' side of the bolt with a piece of brass to it's a snug fit (thus hopefully ensuring alignment and conductivity). Overview of the sector plate with rolling stock for scale. The longest road should take 3 coaches plus loco which is ample for this size of layout. Finally angled closeup - the card under the track is to counter a slight height difference between the two boards. Because the intermediate track is only screwed down I can adjust things if things move over time/multiple re-assembly simply by unscrewing the track and adjusting the packing. I used some scrap brass with two holes screwed in it then soldered to one side of the double sided copper clad sleepers. By using two holes and 3 sleepers I am hoping alignment will be maintained on the curved track ( the straight section uses one hole/two sleepers). He's 15 but complete novice.. how much time he'll spend on it god knows but I'm laying the track so he can always 'play trains' even if he's not doing much scenically. Kat- I'm often asked at exhibitions how the scenery/buildings are made. When I explain to them that I use mounting card, I then suggest that the youngster makes a model of their house/flat etc. Seems to go down well as they have instant access for measuring- I lay on the educational part- scale, being able to measure etc. Just a suggestion.Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 HI Steve, Thanks for the suggestion, current building project for him will be a Scalescenes goods shed which is a similar idea without the 'scaling'. Just hope he continues with it, although if he doesn't it'll become my focus so I have something to use while the monster is being constructed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Great project - good luck with it, Kat. I like the idea of the brass bolts, very clever. They'd work well underneath too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Finalised the plan, trying to mix economical use of track with what track I have and maintain an interesting layout. Only two points now, down from 3. The three way will feed the goods shed and probably an external dock with crane. The same dock will blend into a cattle dock (sitting between the passing loop and the middle siding) via an end-dock. So the middle siding will serve both an end-dock and the cattle pens. The runaround is quite long but as the platform will be about 2/5ths of the way down the board it's unlikely to see trains anything like that long. Mainly saves on pointwork. Close-up of the alignment center. The boards are aligned using two aluminium 'pins' then kept together with coachbolts - so hopefully everything will stay aligned!! Obviously ultimately there will be plugs and I may split the feeds so I can have two engines in steam as it were. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
south_tyne Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Really interesting this... I've always loved 3mm scale and look forward to seeing how your son gets on. I think it'd be good to be used as a test layout/demonstration just to show what is avaliable and that 3mm scale is achieveable for the 'average'/entry level modeller. Thanks for posting your progres and i look forward to following, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Indeed and a good point is both points are NOT home made. They were made by 3SMR who have a HUGE range of hand built (I guess built to order although some stock may be held) track in a range of formations. Standard points are comparable to OO/HOm Peco in price while obviously looking much nicer and more flexible in formation. So the trackwork for this layout it within the availability of anyone including a newcomer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
south_tyne Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Indeed and a good point is both points are NOT home made. They were made by 3SMR who have a HUGE range of hand built (I guess built to order although some stock may be held) track in a range of formations. Standard points are comparable to OO/HOm Peco in price while obviously looking much nicer and more flexible in formation. So the trackwork for this layout it within the availability of anyone including a newcomer. Little things like that are useful to know. Personally I'm perfectly happy to put together wagon kits and scratchbuild buildings but it's the trackwork and locomotive chassis construction which have always put me off 3 mil... But these things are useful to know and I will keep following. Thanks again, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodshaw Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Little things like that are useful to know. Personally I'm perfectly happy to put together wagon kits and scratchbuild buildings but it's the trackwork and locomotive chassis construction which have always put me off 3 mil... But these things are useful to know and I will keep following. Thanks again, David The 3SMR points really are lovely pieces of work. I bought a batch for a layout some years ago. They go well with the 3mm Society track and sleeper base. They are made to order and the lead time for my batch was about 8 weeks. They are of course live frog, and each switchblade is electrically bonded to its adjacent stock rail so you don't have problems with short circuits or bad contacts. Having said which, you do have to wire the frog to a switching mechanism to change polarity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted June 15, 2012 Author Share Posted June 15, 2012 Trackwork basically finished. Because I have the room the two goods yard sidings will be extended slightly. Normal passenger arrivals will probably be two coach but the platform will take 3. I'd guess the coaches will 'self release' by backing up the coaches into the run around. Should be fun to operate with the sector table seeing a lot of use!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted June 16, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2012 Hi Kat , This looks really good - nice curves! The longer sidings will be good - room for a few coal heaps perhaps a provinder store rather than goods shed if crane and end dock idea works. The narrow platform off Codsall? on Churnet valley will suit as it is over river Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 All the wiring should be done today, except for any future uncoupling magnets. The 3-way took a while but got figured out - doing them is like doing a maths puzzle!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 All current wiring plans are done, track laid ( sector plate will ultimately get more, but it's got enough for now), point motors installed. Close up of the good area. The siding with the two vans and two opens in will feed a cattle pen and end dock. The longer siding will end in a good shed. And the control panel. It's made of two pieces of mountcard, one power feed is for the point motors while the other is the output of the controller. Both operate on 12V DC max so get them the wrong way round isn't going to explode anything. The point motor switches could do with rewiring slightly as the middle switch actually feeds the right hand 'tie' while the right hand one feeds the middle tie (of the 3 tie bars on the layout). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted June 24, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 24, 2012 Hi ,The longer sidings look better and already full of stock ! Looking down the layout I think a pair of single arch bridges rather than a girder would look good for a senic break. Perhaps a small signal box/ground frame hut by bridge as a view blocker/eye catcher. The panel is simpicity itself ! looking forward to see this progress Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWales Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Same here Robert! About time I dusted off my 14.2mm stuff, I think! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted October 9, 2012 Author Share Posted October 9, 2012 BLT has taken a brief break but is back up and setup and will be finished mainly by myself as son is conspicuous by his absence. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinplaskett Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Great to hear this project is to continue, it might inspire me to clear out the shed and do something useful with my boxed collection of bits and pieces. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted October 14, 2012 Author Share Posted October 14, 2012 I think projects like this are fun - they can be done on a bit by bit approach but also get something running quite quickly. Been working on Emmyton more recently but I tend to flit between projects as I can't stick to one thing for more than an hour or so. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted November 11, 2012 Author Share Posted November 11, 2012 Few updates... Goods shed partially compled - scaled down 00 gauge scalescenes. Platform in place Signal in place (n-gauge one but looks about right). IMAG0637 by Katier Scott, on Flickr IMAG0638 by Katier Scott, on Flickr IMAG0640 by Katier Scott, on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 More progress has been made, photos will be forthcoming shortly!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 Brandywine Lane Terminus by Katier Scott, on Flickr Part of the goods facilities at Brandywine Lane Terminus by Katier Scott, on Flickr Brandywine Lane Terminus by Katier Scott, on Flickr Brandywine Lane Terminus-2 by Katier Scott, on Flickr NER 1744 retrieving spoil at Brandywine. by Katier Scott, on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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