The Great Bear

Thanks for the compliments. No more progress on Marlingford of late to report, other than some work to my 14xx. After months of frustratiion at poor running over points because of the traction tyres I belatedly realised I could use the wheels from a duff Airfix chassis of the same model I had and swap out the centre wheels. With a bit of trial and error to get the quartering and back to backs it now runs a lot better, doesn't stall on points. As there no gradients on the layout even without the traction tyres it'll haul a decent length mixed train, the autocoach, 5 wagons and the brake van. Progress has also been distracted by a new arrival (14'x10') in the garden: It's not ready for occupation yet, flooring down and outside now painted but awaiting completion of the wiring. I've a few ideas about what to do with this, but despite having had 6 months or so of thinking, there's no plan I'm completely convinced of, which is frustrating so shortly, if you don't mind, I'll be tapping into your collective wisdom for feedback! Once again thanks for your interest, Jon

Thanks, Mike The area at front of the layout has now been landscaped. Here's an overview of the layout: The wiring is still a mess and not all connected up! What this photo doesn't show is that as the bridge is on a section of 1st radius bend to get the layout to fit the clearance to the abutments with carriages is minimal. Not much left to do, only the signals and that will have to wait a while... Thanks for your interest, Jon

Alan, I like the photo of the prairie, it's in focus and that's the main thing and so I think the shallow depth of field is appropriate. Look forward to seeing how you get on with the signal box interior. Jon

Here's some more photos:

The signal box interior has now been detailed, except that it's missing the most important element... Pretty roughshod, but I'm taking the view with this that it's the thought that counts and not noticeable from the outside

Jules, Karhedron - Thanks for the kind comments and encouragement Thanks Neil, the layout's only small and there's been a lot of times of inaction, in particular I prevaricated over whether to do the creamery for ages. I looked at your model of Henley - the station building looked fabulous. Having read the Paul Karau book, Henley is a very interesting prototype and something inspired by that is an option for whatever follows this layout; but a true replica with the carriage sidings and the full length trains would be very large, presumably that's why you're working on another project? More updates tomorrow hopefully, not happy with the photos taken; despite a pretty good DSLR albeit a few years old now I'm not finding it easy to get clear photos. Once again thanks, Jon

I'm having a potential rethink on the signalling, seeing as I am struggling to build a simple operational signal the home signal with 4 arms is far too daunting a prospect. If I reduced my operations so there was only ever one train in the station could the home signal be rationalised? For instance, perhaps: on a couple of signal plans, Lambourn (on SRS site dated 1938) and also Moretonhampstead (also on SRS site) there is a ground signal below the home signal presumably reading to the loop. I'm wondering whether I could do similar and also have ground signals for reading into the sidings? (The ground signals of course would be non-operational given lack of skill/time/patience.) Thanks Jon

At long last I got around to building the creamery, that's in the centre of the layout and made some progress on the landscaping around it. The building is the one that was at Wallingford using the plans in the Wild Swan book on that branch, drawn in CAD with Scalescenes textures, apart from the roof tiles.Some of the model leaves a bit to be desired, the roof lights are bit dodgy (not so visible in these pics) and my effort to hide the joins with a cover paper not always succesful, as in photo above: some others I did manage to hide behind the downpipes. I could have picked an easier prototype as some of the geometry even with the drawings in the book and CAD design didn't come out as expected and some last minute trimming of card was needed. Having got the "signature" item finally out of the way, the next items are to add bit more landscaping behind the creamery, some bushes and more fences and also do a bit more to the goods yard. Signals are on the list too but efforts to date with Ratio signal kit were not encouraging and patience ran out and that will wait a while as the layout soon will be moving, more on that not before too long. More updates soon. Thanks for looking, Jon

Mike, once again thank you so much for your help. OK will bear this in mind. Layout norminally set post war GWR so could go either way, either the two discs presumably on tubular steel post like or wooden one with doll and two short arms. The choice will, I think, depend on which one is easier to build. OK, that's good gives me another spare lever. Thanks Jon

On the long to-do list is to finish the signal box. I want to detail the signal box interior, more out of interest than visual effect as operating the layout one sees only the back of it. I've had a go at the signalling plan based on the discussions before in this topic. Hopefully it's reasonably clear and no great clangers either in design or drafting. For a small layout, even with the ground frame for the loco release points I end up with surprisingly high number of levers. I end up with 17 levers, not allowing for any spares. Would there always be spare levers? (The alterior motive here is that I already have the Springside small interirior kit which has 18 levers so am crossing fingers that it will do, with a spare between 14 and 15 perhaps?) There was recent article on signal box interior in Model Rail and that covered the lever colours so I'm happy enough with that: red for signals incl ground signals, black for points, blue for facing point locks, and blue/brown for the ground frame release. Also, the ground frame, would this only be a single lever or could I use this as well to control the creamery siding. (Dart Castings do two lever frame and cabinet that looks to fit the bill nicely.) If the Creamery was a separate hand lever would it have had some kind of lock? As for the signals, well they're some way off. I've started to put together a Ratio one. Admittedly starting on the starter signal, which I have as a bracketted one because the box gets in the way, was not the easiest place to start and is proving a right pain, in particular getting the wire linkages assembled. Keep on trying, then giving up, patience wearing thin. If it gets that bad, maybe I'll end up having the line as one engine in steam, have the signalling removed and the box as a ground frame! In any case plenty of time, don't want to squash them doing all the other scenic suff. Anyway some assurance that I have got my levers right would be appreciated. Thanks Jon

Thank you all for the interest and kind comments. Jules, I cheated and printed them. The font I got via GWR yahoo group. I made them a bit too big in hindsight particularly the ones under the canopy over the doors. Hope you find something suitable. Jon

Time for an update. The track has been ballasted throughout and have been concentrating on the station and engine shed area, as that's in the far corner and then try and work outward. Here's a shot of the progress: There's a bit more detail to go in the area in front of the water tower, a ground frame as discussed in previous posts and some things to sort like the joints in the plaftorms. At some stage I'll make some better chimneys for the station, they betray its 1970s Hornby origin. The untidy edge of ballast in front of the patrorm is result of using the chamfered woodland scenics foam base and ballasting it then reasiling that the ballast would be laid to the plafrorm. So I cut that back square and infilled using DAS, hence the orange mess. The Preiser figures whilst very nice are a bit small, people on benches feet of the ground. Not a problem for those in coaches but on platforms a bit obvious. Had better brush up on my painting skills and have a go at some Monty's figures I also have got. Thanks for looking. Jon

Thank you for your extremely kind comments Matt At the moment the plan's by the far the best bit, the modelling's going slowly and the standard is...err..variable. But it's a first stab and learning lots of lessons as I go both about modelling and the prototype (thanks in no small measure to the input of people here, especially Stationmaster). The layout may be small, but the additional mess I've created in almost every part of the house isn't. So an agreed exile to a posh shed is in the offing in a couple of months' time. An update showing some progress hopefully soon.

"And I Claim My Five Pounds" - think that was mentioned earlier on. Background to this phrase here Thanks

Thanks for your help again Mike, no problem whatsoever about the delay. Looks like I might need to add small cabinet or box next to the ground frame lever for a bell system to the box which although close view would be obsured by carriages. If so a nice bit of detail to add to the to do list. The release lever in the box (let's say it's in the main lever frame), am I right in thinking it would be blue top/brown bottom? Sorry for asking so many questions: I'm picking up lots of interesting bits of knowledge along the way. Jon

Looks great. What's left to do - I'm struggling to see; are you going to add any signals and a signal box or does the layout not need them - one engine in steam? Jon

Having bought some hand point levers to place in due course, came back to this: I've been wondering how is the ground frame (in my case operating two points on a crossover basis) linked to the unlocking lever in the box, how does the signalman know what position the ground frame operated points are set when the frame is locked again after it has been used by the train crew - simply trust that it is returned to the straight on position? Thanks Jon PS - progress on layout slow, track ballasted and trying to sort out scenic stuff. Not much to show right now. The awkward current ocation of the layout doesn't help so I'm trying to work outward from the buffer stops so I don't crush things when leaning over.

But not the hardest one to the fix, if you are so inclined. All the little details continue to add to making it a convincing scene. Jon

Jules Ah sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! That looks good, I've got that kit haven't got around to doing it yet. And like you am thinking of getting new set of wheels, for me hopefully that might help its poor pickup when running in reverse.I think some folks have hacked off the top-feed lump to get the authentic look for the locos early in their life. I haven't got heart to do that nor the skill. How could you chop up something that looked so cute? Plus as mine is in post war GWR livery I think can just about get away with that and also the 14xx not 48xx number. (Sorry, I've been reading too many books/articles!) Having done the 14xx, if you haven't already seen it, Dart Casting do a detailing kit for the autocoach something I'm considering adding to my list of projects. Good stuff, await more with interest. Jon

Impossible! Trains are marshalled in bits using stub coming off at the bottom. I need to add a fold down section to give some more room for this or somthing similar. Luckily so far I've had only a few derailments, when I have had to hook stock out which is a pain and with risk of damage - someone previously suggested foam pads on tongs which I ought to do. In a few months time the layout hopefully will be moving to a bigger space, so this should be a short term issue. At that stage some re-planning and re-modelling of the layout will happen but for now I thought I'd run trains and progress with the modelling, for practise, but mindfull that some things can be changed for the better then perhaps fitting this layout into a grander plan. Good, that's easier to do, will put it on the line coming out of the goods shed/loading dock Edit: happended to notice in the book on the Henley Branch a double gauge with central post, must have been where I got the idea from subconsciously. But a single one much more appropriate for my little station and could add to shunting fun as suggested. Thanks again for your input Jon

Finally some pictures showing progress. Here's an overview of where I've got to. The track is down permanently for the running lines on trackbed ready for ballasting when I get the courage. A few buildings are done, other items mocked up in rough to get a feel for things. The goods yard: The crane is mock up, I've one to assemble as is the loading gauge. Not sure about the latter, thought I needed one and siting it with the layout of the sidings restricted where it could go, not sure whether need the arm over the back siding or not, makes a different design I suppose! Oh and excuse the jerry-rigged electics visible! I'm inclined not to underlay the yard and put directly on the board so to need less to make up ground up to top of the sleepers. I'm not sure what products to use for the ground here and the ballast, should it be ash? My stab at dealing with the awkward corner: It's a bit of a squeeze between the corner of the goods shed and the adjoining factory! The factory is a rough go, to see what would fit and how I could get a roof end detail to hide the corner. Not sure if I've seen a roof like this in reality. Perhaps put a sign on the face toward the station? View of the corner again with the station: The advance starter signal and home signal: Yep, just about one and half coaches. Excuse the upper quadrant signals, I've got some proper ones yet to assemble, with a distant/home one to change arms on to give the lower shunt arm. It looks worse as shown as my old Hornby junction signal is too big - unless one's trying to sight it over the bridge. But seeing as the train's crawling at dead slow pace around a 1st radius curve I'm inclined to overlook this! (Or it should be if the 14xx could go over the insulfrog curved point slowly without stalling . That's on the list to fix.) The creamery: A mock of the one at Wallingford, except the siding and canopy is longer. Please exuse the crudity of this model, I didn't have time to build it to scale or paint it. And it's on stilts as I go the height relative to the track wrong. Finally, the view along the tracks to the station and engine shed: (I like this angle!) Once I've decided what to do with the yard, I can move forward. I'm not sure what the best order to hit things is. Is it a good idea to leave ballasting until the very end once everything else is done or once happy with running fix the track? Thanks for looking and the helpful input to date. Jon

Jules The track and grass looks good to me (as does the rest of the layout). What have you used for the grass? Regardless of the whether the sign is out of focus the last shot is really good, the sign add nice touch of detail and the farm in the backscene blends really well in. Look forward to seeing further developments! Jon

Mike, excellent - thank you very much for your response OK, that gives me both options depending on whether I think the signalling was renewed or not. Would the discs go side by side on the bracket to the right? Now to check which Ratio kit(s) to bash. Is that the Advanced Starter? Again looks like I butcher a home/distant kit by making my own lower shunt arm. On a single track line how does the shunt arm work, would not the engine have to have the token to be on that section of line so what's the difference between the shunt arm being lowered and the main arm lowered? (That's not really explained in the books I've got.) Thanks my modelling is in its infancy so attractive might be too much to hope for, but the aim is to practise on something manageable and not worry too much if I mess up. Once again thanks for taking your time to help Jon

Given how poorly my new Hornby 61xx runs you could be right! I have a 4575 and that runs so much better. (Too much stock, not enough track.)

Thanks for the compliment and the suggestions are welcome. Coal yard - the plan didn't show this but that's what I intend the back siding in the goods yard for. Not that large but enough for a few wagons. Creamery - I think size varied depending on the extent of the facilities provided. The full blown facilities like those at Torrington were very big things for sure but you could get smaller facilities, the one at Wallingford is what I have in mind, which is relatively modest and not that high rise. From what I've read it wasn't a full processing plant it just chilled the milk and these were put in tank wagons and taken to bigger depots in London for processing. I've made a rough model of that one and seemed to fit fairly well, picture here. I have a couple of milk tankers and they are so cute so I'm pretty committed to the creamery as the main industry Yard crane - good spot, I realised that after plan was drawn. I've a kit (Mike's Models one) to assemble for one. Not sure where to put it on the plan, probably between the end loading spur and the back siding. The blasted chimney breast - sounds like a good idea, one to try out. Certainly a factory of some sort to hide the ugly corner. Thanks for the interest Jon