Jump to content
 
  • entries
    5
  • comments
    18
  • views
    929

Could I plan the layout better?

Yan

Entry posted by Yan in Layout Planning

651 views

 Share

The new "Man Cave" is an extended Dunster log cabin and in part of its construction there are two walls that protrude into the internal space of the room.

376218808_ManCaveFloor4.jpg.0b5cdd7d5a3ffaaff3d147f8684fdbcf.jpg

 

Initially I was thinking about turning Rospeath Lane into a "roundy roundy" but these two walls hindered this to some degree. Many plans were drawn but I began to realise that it would become a very ambitious layout. One that may require more time than I have left to bring to a reasonable state of completion. Also I started to have thoughts about how I was going to continue with exhibiting a layout along with improving and learning more about the hobby. That the main reason why Boscarne Junction has been born.

So could I have designed it any better?

 

I've tried a few different ways of fitting the plan into the space but didn't want to compromise too much on the track plan. My main though was to keep the integrity of the track layout with the only compromise being taken on the siding length. The result being the track plan below.

899766650_BoscarneJunctionincavefullcolour.jpg.73fc56592d10d583aa031bea8250d809.jpg

 

 

After posting my thoughts and ideas on a couple of forums I received a good few replies with excellent suggestions. The major problem I had with the track plan above was transferring cassettes between Bodmin North/Wenford and the Bodmin General cassette boards. One suggestion was to curve the Bodmin North line so that the Bodmin North/Wenford and Bodmin General cassette boards could be combined.

 

I was not sure about curving the Bodmin North line as I felt it would deviate too much from the original and therefore loose some of the genuine feel of the junction. Even so, I played around a little and finished up with the plan below.

 

768867092_BoscarneJunctionv5_2FiddleYards.jpg.2108ab5dd579ab8ba7d92d27c4439bb0.jpg

 

I must admit it solves the problem very well with transferring full and empty clay wagons between the Bodmin North/Wenford and Bodmin General Lines. The other bonuses this plan gives are; 

  • It will allow me to include the Southern Railway bridge over the River Camel. 
  • With enough trees this compromise of curving the Bodmin North line could be masked quite well.
  • The trees will also be a natural break between the bridge and junction to give a tantalising glimpse of trains running over the bridge to/from Boscarne to Bodmin North/Wenford before they appear at the junction or disappear into the cassette board.
  • By extending the Bodmin North line will allow any shunting of Siding 2 from this end to be contained within the scenic section of the layout.

As this curve brings the two lines closer together I need to work out the land contours leading up to the Southern Railway Bridge. Also the new baseboard is going to complicate storage and transportation. 

 

One of the many decisions I need to make is whether to include a track around the back of the layout.  This would be used to exchange clay wagons between the Wadebridge and Bodmin cassette boards rather than carry a cassette the length of the layout. I need to discover how regular clay traffic travelled via Wadebridge and along the North Cornwall Line. Then decide if this is a movement I'd include in the timetable.

Edited by Yan
Better layout diagrams

  • Like 4
 Share

12 Comments

Recommended Comments

BachelorBoy

Could you repost the graphics, please? The images are very small and my ageing eyes can't read the words. Thanks.

  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Yan
4 hours ago, BachelorBoy said:

Could you repost the graphics, please? The images are very small and my ageing eyes can't read the words. Thanks.

 

High resolution layout diagrams uploaded.

Thanks for the heads up that they were difficult to view.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Pete the Elaner

I like the Y shaped plan because of the way the track flows. 2 fiddle yards at one end is a compromise to make this work.

You mention exhibiting. If you mean exhibit this, it raises some issues:

A Y shaped layout is awkward to fit into an exhibition. A curved layout such as your second alternative would also need careful planning & some understanding from the exhibition manager to fit it in.

Your boards are different sizes & 1 of them is 5' long. This is manageable but not a convenient arrangement & I have heard many state that their boards are too big & cumbersome. Boards of the same size can be stored together in some form of frame to save space & keep them protected during transport. Curved boards are also much harder to build nicely. It is nice to see something different but straight edged boards are common because they don't present this challenge.

Link to comment
drduncan

I think the general traffic flow for China clay was Wenford - Boscarne - Bodmin GW. I can’t remember seeing any references to working China clay via the N Cornwall line as the China clay was heading to Fowey for loading onto ships. 
 

Duncan

  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to comment
Chris M

I'm not sure whether this will help but here is a doodle for Bodmin & Boscarne in 00 at 21ft by 2ft. Obviously compromises have been made to fit everything in but I think it would make a nice layout.

1323249789_bodmingeneralandboscarne(2020_06_0806_12_27UTC).jpg.1140016644f762bf50eb3a595fbead50.jpg

Link to comment
Yan

Yan 275

Posted (edited)

On 08/03/2023 at 15:13, Pete the Elaner said:

I like the Y shaped plan because of the way the track flows. 2 fiddle yards at one end is a compromise to make this work.

Must admit I'd prefer to have the Y shape. The problem being when operating the layout at home I'd be constantly ducking under the Bodmin General FY to get to the Wenford/Bodmin North FY. I think as I progress with age this would start to become very tiresome.

Quote

A Y shaped layout is awkward to fit into an exhibition. A curved layout such as your second alternative would also need careful planning & some understanding from the exhibition manager to fit it in.

Your boards are different sizes & 1 of them is 5' long. This is manageable but not a convenient arrangement & I have heard many state that their boards are too big & cumbersome. Boards of the same size can be stored together in some form of frame to save space & keep them protected during transport. Curved boards are also much harder to build nicely. It is nice to see something different but straight edged boards are common because they don't present this challenge.

As for exhibiting, this is a few years away and I'd also need to round up a team of at least 4 to help.  I also realise the layout would need a corner at an exhibition and at a sports hall venue is normally where exit doors.

 

I've started to work on different baseboard configurations to help with storage and transportation. As for construction I'm toying with following Gordon Gravett's principal of using insulation board for the baseboards. This might help keep the weight down and also help to construct the curved boards. I have a number of sheets of the stuff which was purchased many years ago to create wargaming terrain. Hopefully the 5ft boards will work out to be light enough for me to handle while at home.

 

Edited by Yan
  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold
scottystitch
  • RMweb Gold

Is it possible to retain the Y arrangement but have the Northern line feed into the lower fiddle yard?

 

I hope that makes sense?  In other words, have the Bodmin North line curve down into the lower fiddle yard, as in the second drawing, but off scene so it doesn't jar with the prototype layout. No ducking under then required.

 

Best


Scott.

Edited by scottystitch
  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Yan
22 hours ago, drduncan said:

I think the general traffic flow for China clay was Wenford - Boscarne - Bodmin GW. I can’t remember seeing any references to working China clay via the N Cornwall line as the China clay was heading to Fowey for loading onto ships. 
 

Duncan

In Michael Messenger's book on the Bodmin & Wadebridge railway he mentions that (around 1920s);

"Some clay went to Wadebridge & Padstow but much more when to the deep water port of Fowey".

He goes on to say in the paragraphs about the line after nationalisation that;

"China clay from the Wenford line went mainly in bulk to Fowey for shipping, via Bodmin General and Bodmin Road, but some was sent away bagged in vans and tarpaulined wagons over the North Cornwall line".

My understanding is these opens would not be clay wagons though (somewhere) I have seen a photograph of a Beattie Well Tank leaving Wadebridge with a few clay wagons in tow. At the moment I cannot find the photograph so cannot if it exists nor confirm the date so its relevance for my project.

Link to comment
Yan
11 hours ago, drduncan said:

Incidentally, what software did you use to produce the plans?

D

I have a very old copy of Adobe Illustrator running on an old Windows 7 laptop.

Link to comment
Yan
11 hours ago, Chris M said:

I'm not sure whether this will help but here is a doodle for Bodmin & Boscarne in 00 at 21ft by 2ft. Obviously compromises have been made to fit everything in but I think it would make a nice layout.

1323249789_bodmingeneralandboscarne(2020_06_0806_12_27UTC).jpg.1140016644f762bf50eb3a595fbead50.jpg

Is that a project that your contemplating Chris?

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...