Jump to content
 
  • entries
    11
  • comments
    60
  • views
    10,826

James Hilton

711 views

Well the old stuff is still live and available on the old forum, CLICKY CLICKY, but I thought to start off the blog it would be good to recap a little, so here we are - the history and development of a small scenic shunting plank...

 

Paxton Road started life back in September 2007, my return to modelling spurred on by the arrival of my first child and a realisation that the track day car project was a non-starter! I should explain that Paxton Road is actually a childhood memory adaptation - and I'm not a Spurs fan!

 

gallery_6671_14_5913.jpg

 

With the realisation that I didn't have much space I shopped around for minimum space ideas - and a 6'x1' grew to 7' x 18" plus! I used brown wrapping paper and cardboard models plus some old track to work out if it would work and spent an enjoyable evening pushing stock around on the floor!

 

You may notice the distinct lack of a layout fiddleyard - at either end - the layout was originally conceived as a shunting plank to fit in with the rules of the 2007 challenge. The size increased but the fiddleyards were never added to the design. The layout can be operated by anything from an 08/09 up to a Class 58 and still be 'shuntable'.

 

The initial scribblings were based on a industrial estate railway - similar to Trafford Park, with the excuses of van traffic and short trains in a gritty location. However things quickly headed Southern with my new found love of the Heljan Class 33.

Research showed MOD workings also used short trains with small vans - perfect for a space starved modeller - so the layout concept was set as a small MOD establishment receiving explosives and general merchandise in largely van traffic but potentially the odd open.

 

Paxton Road had just been 'somewhere in the Southern region' until I was browsing a book on the Didcot Newbury and Southampton railway. I read about Worthy Down, just north of Winchester and it's part in WW2. I summised it's importance continued after the war and when the rest of the line was abandoned the chord built during the war for access from the GWR to the Southern, just north of Winchester, remained open as far as Sutton Scotney - although abandoned any further north than Worthy Down. Paxton Road is the ficticious name of the road that crosses the line on an overbridge (the centre of the layout).

 

gallery_6671_14_87601.jpg

 

The baseboards were built using some foam insulation board after reading about in Pugsley's 2007 challenge layout thread. This proved lightweight and fairly stiff, but does have drawbacks - being hard to fit wiring and point motors. This foamboard was framed with 9mm plywood - cheap stuff from a DIY place - I'd use decent marine ply next time. Underside was strengthened, and the sides cut deeper than the foam board to allow wiring to be tucked out of harms way.

 

Trackwork is Peco Code 75 (with short radius electrofrog points - another thing I'd not do next time - definitely worth medium or large radius if you can afford the space) which was laid on some grey foam I had from work - about 4mm deep deep this would give a realistic height for the road bed above the surrounding landscape and give a nice ballast shoulder - something missing on a lot of layouts which does impact the realism in my opinion.

 

I really wanted to do a good job on the scenics of this one - and although I'd inherited a large quantity of Woodscenics scatter I was drawn to static grass - which I'd see in Model Railway Journal and on layouts like Cement Quay and Chittle. Not wanting to splash out on a static applicator I took the plunge and ordered some ready made 'grass mat' and 'static grass tufts' from International Models (Silflor is the brand) - which led me to the Noch puffer bottle at a later date.

 

gallery_6671_14_17170.jpg

 

gallery_6671_14_58350.jpg

 

Which brings us bang up to date with my last update on the old RMWeb. A major milestone - 2 years on and first half, all 3' of it, is 'about' finished! It's been an interesting two years. In the same time I've churned out a fair number of models on my workbench, some of which have been moved on and others still prized possesions. I do enjoy the layout and scenics, but I find myself split between that and modifying ready to run stock and weathering - so one day I'll get there with Paxton Road - and probably with too much stock!

 

gallery_6671_14_38970.jpg

 

gallery_6671_14_27701.jpg

 

Thanks for reading! I hope you'll visit again to see how we go from here on this, my new layout blog!

9 Comments


Recommended Comments

Lovely presentation and ballasting James.

 

Would you consinder removing your 'nipples' on the tie bars from the points?

Link to comment

Lovely presentation and ballasting James.

 

Would you consinder removing your 'nipples' on the tie bars from the points?

 

Thanks for the kind words Andy - brown ballast seems to be typical of the Southern region, it seems to weather quite quickly to this colour when you look at prototype photos, and it makes a difference from the usual greeny grey granite chippings.

 

The track is weathered with Humbrol 98 applied liberally to the sleepers. Once dry and ballasted, I've picked out the rails in a light rust for the main running line, and a darker gungier rust on the sidings.

 

As for the nipples, I've started removing one from each point. They're currently un-motorised and there is no other easy way of setting them! (is there?) The nipples at least mean you don't damage surrounding scenery and weathering so much but I'm open to suggestions.

 

I have toyed with the idea of drilling through from underneath to fit point motors, but I've a suspicion that when I finish the layout I'll end up starting another with all the things I've learnt about this one factored in from day one!

Link to comment
a suspicion that when I finish the layout I'll end up starting another with all the things I've learnt about this one factored in from day one!

I think you're spot on with this one! That's exactly whats happened to me (and funnily enough my second layout is using ply, rather than the foam too)

Link to comment

Hi James,

The layout is looking good, I love that pic up the top with 33019 and the Seacow. Not sure about this Blog lark but I think I am going to have to give it a go.biggrin.gif

 

Cheers Peter,

Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold

Love this layout, even tho' it doesnt really tick boxes for me on era/location it does look superb.

 

Agree with Andy that the points would benefit from modifying but on the whole the track is so good to an extent that makes me question the sanity of messing about with EM stuff given the lack of time I seem to have these days!

 

I like the weathering, detailing etc on the stock and structures too.

Link to comment

I like the look & "feel" to this layout a lot!

Looking at the photos above, of the right-hand end - you almost get the feeling that you could build the aforementioned fiddle-yard immediately to the left of the bridge.

 

Sounds odd, I know, but you could then alter the roster of trains, and you'd end up with an even more minimum-space layout - which can also be extended to its' present form - quite flexible really.

Marc

Link to comment

James,

 

You have my vote of support.......I love the look and feel of the dutch Crompton and Mainline 350' in your pics.......

 

Both would be welcome visitor's at 'Battersea Stewarts Lane' from next year - when I start to build it that is !

 

Best of luck mate......

 

Dave

Link to comment
James,

 

You have my vote of support.......I love the look and feel of the dutch Crompton and Mainline 350' in your pics.......

 

Both would be welcome visitor's at 'Battersea Stewarts Lane' from next year - when I start to build it that is !

 

Best of luck mate......

 

Dave

 

Excellent - cheers Dave!! They'll be OO though, and aren't chipped! ;) so you'll need a DC siding somewhere on there!

I'd love a high spec 73 too :(

 

Currently working on a 58 in Mainline... progress photos soon :)

Link to comment

The track looks very good - I like the cable trunking and the little patch of concrete for the electrical box. Personally I wouldn't rush to remove the nipples - as you say they give you something to hold onto, and I don't think they jump out of the picture exactly. You could always cut them off later if/when you motorise the points.

 

 

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...