Jump to content
 
  • entries
    17
  • comments
    23
  • views
    6,161

An introduction:

The Fatadder

Entry posted by The Fatadder

325 views

 Share

A new blog for a new project, given that Bodmin is now officially on hold for the foreseeable future, I've now got on with my new project, 'Un named Junction' The idea behind it has been discussed in its companion topic here, in short it is a terminus station with branch line allowing operation in a similar way to what I would have had on Bodmin, however the station is designed to allow future expansion to be a full continuous run layout. The track plan is based upon Botley on the southern region, with some slight compression (loosing 100mm of the platform and shortening the distance between 2 points)

 

The Fact-sheet:

  • P4
  • DCC
  • 1998 and 2003 operating periods (this may be further reduced to just 1998)
  • Located 'somewhere' between Tavistock and Plymouth at a fictional town, the idea being that it was the location of a secondary mainline to Oakhampton (and then onto Exeter) which was closed in the 60s, the branch serves another smaller town that is popular with tourists resulting in a frequent summer service, along with a large amount of freight serving both a large quarry and china clay.
  • Eventually will be 8ft by 2ft scenic area, reduced with a temporary backscene for the competition
  • Trackplan is shown below:

blogentry-54-12589106455815_thumb.jpg

 

 

So far the track templates have been glued to the baseboards, and the track building has commenced. the first step is going to be preparing the down mainline (to be built using exactoscale parts using my plastic jig to ensure the sleeper spacing is right.

Next will be the bay platform (again exactoscale parts in Bull head this time), annoyingly I am 1 yard of rail short to lay this given that my last 2 half metre lengths of steel BH rail are both damaged with kinks in them. Very annoying as I brought all of the rest of the rail from Exactoscale yesterday and the only other BH rail I have is nickle silver (and hence no good for the secinic stuff. Hopefully will find a couple of lengths while im home, else this will have to wait until I next see exactoscale.......

 Share

2 Comments

Recommended Comments

Ravenser

Rich:

 

Glad to hear things have clarified in your mind. Given that this one seems to offer a similar set up to Bodmin in the initial stages , but be naturally expandable to a main line layout meeting your future ambitions, it can kill two birds with one stone . Am I right in thinking it's significantly smaller than Bodmin would have been, as well?

 

Picking up the discussion on the old thread, if you are running low on square inches and thinking about making the bottom platform derelict anyway, then to start with the RHS sector plate or cassette fiddle need only be long enough to take whatever loco you're using on the freight. (A Dapol 22 would be extremely convenient here , but sadly out of period...). What did you have in mind? maybe a 50??? or a St Blazey 37??

 

Then , once the Challenge is over , you only have to build a longer replacement cassette to take a 2 car 158 : a relatively modest task.

 

Bourne End/Marlow - operating details from Plan of the Month RM Sept 1979:

 

6:06 am Maindenhead/Marlow via Bourne End : bubblecr + trailer

6:27 am Maidenhead /Bourne E - 2 x 3 car . Arrives at BE just as previous train arrives back in the bay from Marlow, then departs again leaving the second train as a shuttle to Marlow

 

The 6 car train then shuttled to/from Bourne End till 8:05 when it ran through to Paddington, leaving the branch to the other set on an hourly frequency. A similar arrangement existed in the evening.

 

This arrangement was to allow a greater frequency in the peak than if a single train worked the whole branch , when the round trip time restricted the frequency to hourly - an issue on other "passenger siding" branches with commuter traffic

 

I seem to have been in error about joining and splitting but in your scenario , the first 2 trains could equally well be combined as either 2 x 150 or 150+153, dividing at the station with one unit working the branch and the other returning to Plymouth as the first commuter train out .Presumably distances would be rather further than to Bourne End, and if sections of the line back to Plymouth are single (as they are on the Gunnislake line) line capacity could be a real issue

 

And it would be perfectly reasonable for the RHTT to run 3-4 times a week in the autumn, even on such abranch

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold
The Fatadder
  • RMweb Gold

Yea this project is 4ft shorter than Bodmin in scenic area, but once you start adding in the treverser at the bridge end the length is getting pretty close to Bodmin's. The advantage is that at home it can be set up without said treverser and still ran properly, (just using one platform.)

 

Freight would be a 37, though in case I did end up going ahead and running a bit of 2003 stuff then a 66 would be needed.

 

One thing I have been thinking about is to do away with the traverser, make one casset and use that at both ends (after all for the sake of judging, there is never a time when I will need to have a casset fitted at both ends of the layout at the same time.

This way I can get a full length casset made up that will hold a unit and still move units from one road to the other.

 

Of course after the competition is out the way I would then start looking at adding proper fiddleyards that arnt built to the smallest possible space. I think by having a casset which is only as wide as the rails would shave off a few square inches along its length (but of course in exhibition conditions would be completely impractical.) I think post competition I would add a proper treverser at the bridge end (although given that the 3 tracks at the other end go off at two different angles I think that end will be stuck with cassets until the full expansion!)

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...