Andy R Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 A sunny summers day in NZ today, but at Budden's Farm on Budden Lane in Dorset, every day is summer. Pigs and horse loving the warmth. This country scene is at the junction end of Hawkinsfield and served by a hump back bridge over the branch line. I will be adding further trees to the area where the lane merges into the back scene. Andy R 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 With a holiday weekend here in homebase I thought I would sketch out a layout plan to try and assist illustration of the layout project. This is not to scale but readers will get the idea I trust from the plan. As will have been gathered from my earlier posts I am currently working on the Hawkinsfield junction side although I have DCC running over the whole track laid to date (apart from branch see below). Have got all track working well, ballasted, and all points wired and controlled by temporary push-pull rods, Polarity is changed by the Bluepoint manual switches sitting directly below each point, and I have found these to be excellent if you want manual control. They are American and easily available here in NZ. I have turned attention to scenic and building work, moving along the junction station and vicinity from the junction end (Budden Farm/Lane) to the goods yard end. The main road bridge serving the station and goods yard has only been mocked up so far (it is behind the engine shed), and the turn table is digit (finger) controlled, but can turn locos. No start has been made on the branch other than the junction and related trackwork leading up to the just past the rear junction bridge over the branch. Also the branch diamond crossing has yet to be wired for running into that track, but all trains run through the mainline part of diamond. As noted before there is a long way to go but the project is enjoyable and relaxed as I work quietly away at it bit by bit. Thanks, Andy R 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john flann Posted January 27, 2015 Share Posted January 27, 2015 Impressive, a lot of scope for operation and scenery. Interesting to watch its implementation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Many thanks for your positive feedback John, which I really appreciate coming from an experienced modeller like you. The plan is achievable as a long term aim with plenty of work ahead. I am retiring at the end of March and so may get a little more time in the man-cave. While the mechanical and electrical side of things are my weak suite, the landscape creation pushes the buttons. Down the track reliable and enjoyable operation will be the main aim, so automatic coupling is in the back of my brain as a future challenge- you run kaydee I note, which from my looking at English layouts recently appears to be taking hold more than in the past. All my American modeller friends say its a no brainer -even with 'toy' British stock! thanks again -Andy R 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john flann Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 (edited) Andy, Those are very kind words. Hintock gives me a lot of fun and if others do too then that is all to the good. I have enjoyed, and still do enjoy every day of my retirement and the model railway hobby is so suited to that period of one's life. So make the most of it. Like you I do find paticularly the scenic and operating aspects most appealing and where too one's infenuity and imagintion are stretched. It's both an intellectual as well as imaginative challenge. Juat what is needed for a rewarding retirement.. All good wishes, Edited January 29, 2015 by john flann Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 John -what's your opinion on the use of kaydees on British stock? You certainly seem well settled on this approach. Do you standardise the numbers for locos and wagons etc...? thanks, Andy R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbr1295 Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Hi Andy, like the plan. Certainly can see the Grandborough Junc influence. I've always liked the aesthetics of a junction with the main and branch diverging under a bridge like that. Cheers, Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john flann Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Andy, I'm sorry I missed your post so hence the late response. I find #18 generally work fine with wagons and coaches, #20 and #22 with locos. The trick in using Kadees is to achieve a standard coupling height. This is easier said than done. It's a long and frustrating task. But worth doing. On the subject of Kadees I had a series of exchanges commencing at post #739 on my Hintock thread, with your neighbour in OZ, Chesterfield. It's a pretty comprehensive account of my experiences. I Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 Forgive me John -I had forgotten your earlier reply and have referred to it on your Hintock topic. Thanks for your helpful info Andy R 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 I have been down to the railway room last week to get some updated photos now I have progressed along the junction station a little with track, buildings and scenery. I thought I would post over the next few weeks a little at a time, starting from the Budden Farm end (RH as operator sees it) moving along Hawkinsfield Junction towards the goods yard end (LH as operator sees it). The first attached photo is an 'overview' one of the station area generally as one enters the railway room. Budden Lane/Farm on the right... As posted previously there are many years work ahead but this junction station is emerging into a scene I feel comfortable with. There are lots of detail to be added yet of course but the idea was to get trains running and move along this station side first from one end to the other working up the form and structure of the area before going over later with those little extras that really count. regards, Andy R 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 And the first of the recent photos from the Budden Farm end, with the branch line curving away between the farm fields connected by Budden Lane bridge. regards, Andy R 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 The next photo is looking back towards Budden Lane at the junction bridges. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 Sorry -I have tried to resize the photo a little 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 And the next photo moving further left along the layout shows the passenger slowing through the junction itself to enter Platform2 of Hawkinsfield Junction station. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 ....and looking the other way across the junction towards the bay. The layout concept is joint running rights between GWR and Southern in this section of Dorset, somewhere northward of Weymouth- Dorcester area. Andy R 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 ...through the junction and arriving into Platform2 of Hawkinsfield Junction station. First photo from under the junction road bridge, and the second from the main station approach road bridge which is still under construction with foamboard as the base (hence the white ness in earlier overview photo) Andy R 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Looking at these photos I do apologise to members as they are not, on viewing on the forum, the great quality of others. I am using a vary basic digital camera and clearly have more to learn! I will just keep plugging away on getting better quality. Thanks, Andy R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbr1295 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Hi Andy, really like the picture of the junction on post 39. Really gives the impression of the branch going in a different direction from the main. I like the bridges too. Cheers, Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
south_tyne Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Hi Andy, I for one appreciate the photos. The layout is looking great! As above the junction photographs are great, the second image in post 41 is superb!! David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Hi Andy, I for one appreciate the photos. The layout is looking great! As above the junction photographs are great, the second image in post 41 is superb!! David David, Les and others who have pressed like I thank you for your comments. The Y junction that Peter Denny built at Grandborough Junction has always been at the heart of my thinking about creating a similar junction effect in any layout I created. I think I have achieved a reasonable comparative but never as good as his work. The branch line is not yet wired up so locos are yet to actually drive through the cross-over exiting the branch. A treat in store one day when I get to that point! Regards, Andy R 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 Moving along the layout into the station and yard area; Second one looking along platform1 and the bay platform with M7 taking on water in the bay. This is a kit built by a friend who has since passed away. It needs a lot of further running in. It is DCC chipped. First one is looking along the small lane into Ralph and Sons Coal and Wood merchants which is feed from the front rail siding (front to facia) of the marshalling yard, which also provides a feeder into the engine facilities (see plan above). In this general area telephone poles, more embankment vegetation and also some further roughing up of the lane hedge is likely having looked hard at the photos...the camera doesn't lie and is a harsh teacher. Grass base along the facia edge is carpet felt as covered in earlier posts and worked over with static grass, woodlands scenic and other bits and pieces lying around. regards, Andy R 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share Posted February 19, 2015 Further along the layout the station building and platform1/bay area has been basically finished, but platforms 2 and 3 (island platforms) are not yet finished and need work with lamps, passengers, and the island building properly attached to the platform. The engine shed scene opposite the main station is basically finished but the station approach road bridge and the turntable road are work in progress. Andy R 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 21, 2015 Author Share Posted February 21, 2015 Another couple of views across the station area and marshalling yard. The yard will be the focus of operations eventually as goods trains are broken and reassigned to other places up or down on the main or made up for the branch itself. Because of this the choice of an automatic coupling system and fitting that on the wagon fleet and working magnets into the tracks are a future challenge. (the advice in John's Hintock on Kaydees is keenly digested on this matter). While not in a hurry on this, there is a need to decide soon which way to go. Andy R 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy R Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 Moving further down the layout we go beyond the station road bridge (still under construction from foamboard and awaiting stone cladding- either Slaters stone or scribed plaster as per the junction bridges -still unsure). I am in two minds about the signal box, which maybe too small for the mainline trackwork in this vicinity?? any observations invited by members here please... The road bridge also feeds the goods yard corner via a lane descending from the bridge, behind the signal box. The goods yard area consists of a dirt yard (I have tried to represent the local chalk land in this part of Dorset) with goods shed, loading dock with crane and a second siding for the future cattle dock. I am thinking of a half relief, disused industrial building at the back of the yard to break up the landscape bank and greenery and add variety of scene. That's the current state of play on the junction station from right to left, with much more to do on the island platforms 2/3 and the turntable area. My next project is to start installing the point levers along the front of the station fascia to operate the bluepoint mechanisms that sit under each point in the station area (20 so far). I have imported GEM levers from UK but do note that they have very little 'play' so transferring the movement from the lever to the bluepoint mechanism under each point will be a challenge -work in progress. Another project is to realign the storage sidings opposite to a) get three sidings in each direction, and B) relocate to the front of the branch terminus (see layout plan in earlier post). Both projects seem good winter projects as we move out of summer. regards, Andy R 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john flann Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Andy, I have checked and the SBox at GJ was about a third larger than your current one. It was also in a central position where the signalman would have had on all round view, placed as you have it his view is restricted by the bridge. A further think? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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