kyle 7mm (working title)

HNY all!

 

New Year - New Project! 
 

Well...not quite yet...am 100% committed to completing Wenford dries first...however there has been an idea long in my mind to recreate my 2FS extract of Kyle in 7mm scale. Strange you may think to recreate an identical layout in a different scale...well, Ian Futers, long a hero of mine did it with Lochside I recall (P4 - 7mm) and for me it gives the perfect excuse to run a blend of passenger, parcels and freight, all short trains.

 

The idea first came about more than 10 years ago when I was living in BCN. Eager to toe dip in the senior scale (after all, I was the good side of 50 then ) I purchased a Lima class 33, a PMP conversion kit to make a class 26/27 and three Lima S/H passenger coaches. Said items all resided in the gloat box and were surpassed when the Dapol 08 arrived along with a few hoods...which eventually made it to my now ‘work in progress’ extract of Wenford Dries. So called extracts as I choose a prototype and then due to space extract the ingredients to try and capture a sense of time and place of the area.

 

Regular follows also know of my obsession with IKEA Lack shelves as baseboards, again something that came from BCN in 2007. Kyle in 7mm has been mapped out many times on different lack shelf templates, 1100mm long and 1800mm long as I enjoy the constraints they bring (Wenford uses 2 x 1100mm shelves) However even back then I realised that the 260mm width would just not capture the scene, only the track. The dock side harbour edge and the platform/station building in relief would need to be added to the width.

 

Fast forward to now and my need to look beyond Wenford as a layout project. Coupled with the news of the re-release of the Heljan classes 26 and 27 and a preordered Heljan 37/4 which I will tell you more about another time  

 

Mojo was low the last few months, so after a reread of some Ian Futers layout articles I dusted down the project to start pre planning. Current thinking is it needs a Scenic board circa 2m long and the same for the Fiddleyard, probably custom made. This would allow a 37/4 and three coaches. I also have a backup option using IKEA 1800mm boards although with this 7mm stuff it’s hard to manoeuvre them around the apartment...1100mm just about doable on my own.

The other dilemma I have is either to recreate what I did before in 2FS or to add more interest, model the other side of the station.

 

(Link posted here but it’s showing the image - assume that’s ok Mods?)

 

Both would again be reduced in width to allow the water, so you get separate water, trains and mountain datums which give it depth. The other side of the station is not as well documented in photographs and also features an additional turnout on the run around loop having not been simplified in later years. This creates additional operational interest but am slightly worried it crams too much track in...this one I am pondering some more.

 

The lengths were first worked out using rough templates drawn over Wenford in pen on tracing paper. Here’s where the Lima stuff comes in use again to gauge train lengths. When you see the Lima Mk I’s think Heljan, Dapol or Darstead and when you see the 33 think Heljan 26/27  

 

 

Following this I drew them in CAD approximately using dimensions based on Wenford but increased in width. Here I have flipped the layouts showing options of either side and also 2000mm and 1800mm board/shelf versions (1800mm not shown) Plan and fascia elevations shown indicatively. 

 

 

In terms of construction, my usual cantilevered proscenium arch arrangement allowing 50mm ribs at the rear to support a hidden light at the front. For the FY this arrangement would be flipped with the ribs at the front fascia edge and possibly some horizontals to store some stock. 4 track traverser assumed but I might have a separated head to allow loco runaround (2FS Kyle requires lifting and turning the locos...they are not as heavy as these though!) Here’ a sketch of how the arrangement may come together...

 

Following this, I decided to make a quick n dirty mock up. In 2FS you can do the whole thing, but whilst I didn’t feel the need to recreate all the 4m length of it, being an Architect I was keen to see how the cross section worked. An ‘extract of the extract’ if you like that would show proportions, as well as viewing portal and general relationships between track and scenery...a lot cheaper than doing it all in timber first!

 

The two different (part) track arrangement were laid out in plan cobbled from some C+L paper templates.

 

 

 

The first option represents the view as per Kyle 2FS with simplified runaround. The second option represents the other view as per prototype picture above.

 

Here’s some pics of the full size mock up...again, when you see the Lima Mk I’s think Heljan, Dapol or Darstead and when you see the 33 think Heljan 26/27 - stay with me on this one   

 

Overall view from viewing side...

Extract of harbour side, platform and relief station captured...

The other option allows some extra stock to be left in the siding...

Wagon left on harbour side whilst loco runs around train...

Depth allows the three datums as per 2FS Kyle...

From above...

This represents Kyle as my 2FS one so would have a fence between tracks...

 

So what I have learnt from all this over the festive period? Well a number of things:
 

- I think the project is doable (either option still works for me)

- 7mm takes up a lot of real estate (Adding the FY gives me big storage issues!)

- The harbour side on the mock up should be reduced in height (thanks Mickey!)

- The width can probably be squeezed by 50mm giving 450mm overall depth.

- The viewing portal will be increased another 50mm in height.

 

The latter height of 250mm was based on Wenford but that has a shallower depth so works proportion wise. This extra 50mm will also allow more mountain backscene.

 

So that is where I am at...expect it to be a slow burn as I am committed to complete Wenford Dries first...but I think I have the all important ‘next project’ lined up.

 

As always, comments welcomed...

 

Pete