Thoughts on fiddles
What makes for a good fiddle yard?
I suspect that there is not a single answer to this question but I think the closest I will get to an answer to this question is "One that works for the model in question". Now this is not a huge amount of help when you are trying to design one.
With the redevelopment of Avonwick I need a new fiddle yard. I have managed to impose some restrictions on what I can build through my desired operating location and maximum radius (caused by a wish to run Avonwick at home and not having endless space). These restrictions / limitations have led me to reconsider my original idea for a conventional fiddle yard comprising of 3 through loops (see plan 2). This led me to wonder what would happen if I were to build a yard as shown in plan 1.
The red line on the plans indicates a baseboard join. Plans are most defiantly schematic only as the real baseboards are curved.
Why do something like this for a fiddle yard?
Against
- I loose the ability to run round (Would I really be doing this at an exhibition?)
- The maximum length of train is reduced. (Realistic maximum of large loco and 5 coaches on the longest sidings).
- More handling of stock.
For
- Allows for end to end operation.
- Larger minimum radius (This is a major selling point to me).
- The through line should never be blocked by a train that is stored.
- Only a single line crossing the baseboard joint.
- All points are in a small area making it easier to monitor their positions.
- Easy to expand - This would have implications for the maximum train lengths though.
- Aids the memory in showing me which trains have run in which direction and how they need to be returned.
What am I missing here?
These are only ideas at the moment, but as ideas are cheap and easy to make alterations to I quite like them.
As an aside to the Avonwick building bits.
Loco's
I have been poking at my class 11 and it lives. I even managed to solder the coupling rod retaining washers on without locking up the whole mechanism. I still have an intermittent short occurring when the body is placed on the loco and the running is not as smooth as I would like (It runs nice and smoothly without the body work on) so I need to keep poking.
Through my door this week also came a nice little envelope. The castings and etchings for a pair of Black 5's are now in the pile awaiting their turn in the workshop on the work bench. Having got the class 11 going I feel reasonable confident to have a hack at one of these now. I'm still scared of the 9f though! Not quite sure how I can justify these on a small ex GWR branch line in South Devon though, Farmer Giles may feel that the cyder is getting to him when he sees one trundle past
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