The Farthing layouts

Mikkel

 

Very impressed with the workmanship, especially the ballasting of the turnouts points, lately I have grown fonder of the Exactoscale plastic timbers, especially when used in conjunction with plastic plain track. But I must say your hand built plain track on ply looks far superior to RTL plastic.

 

Its a great pity there are no GWR slide chairs and special chairs available, still cutting and shutting 2 bolts in conjunction with them is far better than having nothing

 

At the moment I am building a Masokits etched 2 bolt turnout, I could either be wrong or change my mind but with the exception of the slide chairs I feel the moulded chair is far easier to use and looks better. Still a long way to go in the build though

 

In my recent house move I decided to dispose of the 2 layouts (small) I was building, one was just a stop gap till I moved, the other intended for use at the club. As my modelling room is many months off I had thought of building a diorama which could be turned into a small layout later, I have a plan based on Bodmin General and if modelled in a preservation era I could run both GWR and SR locos together. Looking at your layout has stirred up my thoughts on this project.

 

It has also confirmed ply timbering is the route I should take, as I am going to hand build the plain track and have plenty of GWR chairs (both Exactoscale and C&L). The section around the engine shed is the diorama, but I will be swapping the turnout into the shed (which has 2 catch points within it) for a double slip. This I hope will keep the complicated piece of trackwork but add hopefully to the operational interest and add an extra loco storage road. I have decided to build it to 4SF + 2 mm gauge.

 

The other thing is rather than a tiebar to change the switch blades I am using a copperclad timber (duly gaped for electrical isolation) with the slide part of a cast slide chair soldered to it and the switch rails soldered to the slide chair half. The outside parts of the slide chair will be soldered to the stock rails, then use plastic microrod to represent the tiebars

 

Hi John, many thanks, I'm really glad you say that, as I was worrying whether I could do your points justice!

 

The ballasting of the points did give me some grey hairs. Being ready-built I couldn't just slosh polyfilla all over them. I first tried Chris Nevard's approach using DAS model clay, but I couldn't get it to look right under the rails, so eventually I laid a thin layer of polyfilla, and once it was medium-set (after half an hour) I pressed the point hard down into it until I was sure it had contact with the underlay and was all flat. I then lifted the point back out again, leaving a neat imprint. I could then add glue in the imprint and stick the point firmly down.

 

As mentioned the points work perfectly. I don't have sufficient knowledge to engage in the 4-SF debate - all I know is that I'm satisifed with how my variety of scratchbuilt and kitbuilt wagons run nicely through the points with no wheel-drop at all.

 

Sounds like a great idea to do a diorama until your modelling room is ready. Shouldn't be too hard to design something that can be expanded into a larger layout later. A Bodmin style joint layout sounds great, not least with your trackbuilding skills.

 

I think I've heard about that technique for switching before. Would be interesting to see it in operation. I didn't think I'd worry about a closer-to-scale tiebar myself, but once you start looking closely at things it suddenly begins to matter! 

Great to see you back Mikkel,

 

Lovely work as ever and really interested to see your process - the placing of buildings should allow some terrific photographs and accompanying narratives

 

Staying tuned for more

 

Pete

 

Hi Pete, thanks, work on the buildings has started - I'm working on the loading area for that biscuit shed just now.  I really should be fixing things around the house, but what's the worst than can happen? The roof may come down but never mind :-)

I too was wondering!  What great work, Mikkel, always inspirational.  I am on a temporary break but your post has me itching to get back to France and carry on.

 

Hi Paul, thanks - it's nice to have started on something new, I like running (shunting) my stock but building is what keeps me going. Can't keep up with your progress on Legge Lane though, which is very impressive. I hope you're enjoying the break, there is nothing like a bit of absence from modelling to get the juices flowing!

Glad to see more developments in the Farthing series. Could you post on using foam board for baseboard construction?

Drduncan

Glad to see more developments in the Farthing series. Could you post on using foam board for baseboard construction? Drduncan

 

Hi Drduncan, if it's any help there is a bit in this earlier post: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/blog/75/entry-2400-soft-body-in-a-hard-shell

 

Also a bit here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/75/entry-15772-progress-on-the-sidings/

 

There seem to be several different types and brands out there, and unfortunately I don't know what brand I'm using as I just get it in loose weight off the shelf in a local handicraft shop. Must remember to ask.

 

After using foamboard for my traverser without any problems (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/75/entry-13913-flight-of-the-bumblebee/) I got a bit cocky and thought everything was possible with this material. With the current layout  I am beginning to experience the limitations. Eg I used cork as an underlay stuck down with PVA, and in one places it seems to have reacted with the foamboard top and swelled up slightly! So I had to remove that part and "sand" it down. I've also become a bit worried that my very simple bracing on this longer layout (150x37 cm) is sufficient. It hasn't warped yet (it was built 1½ year ago) but it doesn't feel as sturdy as I would have liked, so I'm thinking of adding some additional bracing.

 

 

As mentioned the points work perfectly. I don't have sufficient knowledge to engage in the 4-SF debate - all I know is that I'm satisifed with how my variety of scratchbuilt and kitbuilt wagons run nicely through the points with no wheel-drop at all.

 

Sounds like a great idea to do a diorama until your modelling room is ready. Shouldn't be too hard to design something that can be expanded into a larger layout later. A Bodmin style joint layout sounds great, not least with your trackbuilding skills.

 

I think I've heard about that technique for switching before. Would be interesting to see it in operation. I didn't think I'd worry about a closer-to-scale tiebar myself, but once you start looking closely at things it suddenly begins to matter! 

 

 

Some of the debates about 00-SF/4SF have been well over the top, it both works and looks better than standard 00 gauge. I was going to build the diorama to 00-SF through the crossings using mostly RTR plain track. Your new layout has changed my mind about using chaired track (with key detail) on ply sleepers, which would mean building all the track to 00-SF standards, which in its self is not a problem, but why not do it in EM gauge !!

 

The tiebars will be plastic rod and cosmetic, its the sleeper which acts as the tiebar so should give the impression of working prototypically and have no unsightly lumps of copperclad or plastic giving the game away

 

Sorry cannot add a photo to the reply

Hi John,

 

One advantage of ply sleepers, in my opinion, is that you can use sleeper stain to colour them, which is a quick and easy way to achieve a good effect. I do seal them with matt varnish to avoid any risk that the stain seeps into the ballast/groundcover when the latter is applied wet.

 

I'm following your thread so will be interested to see the sleeper-as-tiebar method in operation.