gavinravenlane

Hi This is just a reminder that MOD22 is this Saturday in Ludlow, should you fancy a trip to the wilds of the Marches. The attractions remain as posted above. Looking forward to seeing anyone who is interested. Gavin

As it is now very close to the layout being exhibited at Scaleforum ( https://www.scalefour.org/news/209.html ) I thought it would be nice to post up some more of the wonderful pictures (such as the one on the cover of the Scaleforum Show Guide) that Gordon Woods has been taking of the layout. Due to pressures of time in the next few days I am not going to add any comments at this time, but you are welcome to come and ask any questions at the show. So here is a handful to wet your appetite... first a view through the trees Then one across the coal yard And finally one along the length of the layout Hope to see some of you at the show Gavin

Hello Gents Thanks very much for the nice comments - much appreciated and helps spur me on to try and finish it completely - as the builder my perspective is inevitably slightly blurred and I always see what is left to do, so outside comments are always encouraging. In answer to Branwell - Scaleforum 2018 in Aylesbury in September. In answer to Regularity - yes you have it correct in your description of the numbering. I actually have two copies of the panel board that shows the track and numbers - the one you see and one that is correct from the back. When it was first done it was not clear whether it would be better to operate from the front or the back, but a) the back scene, and b) the fun we have operating from the front, has made the rear view obsolete. Thanks again Gavin

Hi I thought I would shock Tim and Gordon, who have contributed most of the pictures, by actually adding something to my own thread, mainly in answer to the question about the signalling diagram in MRJ 259. A small bit of history of the layout's origins will help - essentially started by myself after a desire to have another bit of layout that could be taken to a show, and after a lot of prompting by members of the local group, in particular the late John Bailey, and the very much still with us Geoff Taylor. Lots of debate about track plan, size and scope, ensued, with John's interests in the LNWR providing a nice counterpoint to mine in the L&YR. Eventually, after much muttering about track plans such as Delph the Kerrinhead track plan was settled upon. So that is how the track plan was devised. Then came the signalling. This is intended to represent typical L&YR practice towards the end of its existence, and being a member of the L&YR Society help was sought through the membership. Chris Littleworth provided suitable technical and historical knowledge - he is the author of a number of books on the subject. He also performs various other roles, including something along the lines of 'Signalling Officer' for the East Lancs railway, and used his knowledge and contacts in the real signalling world to try and produce the best 'typical' signalling arrangement for Kerrinhead. Of course, Kerrinhead is very much an atypical L&YR branch terminus - most of the real ones were double rather than single track. However we are very comfortable with what was decided upon. Essentially the signals are all about controlling access to the running line. I am hopefully attaching a picture of the control panel which will show that there are actually 'three' frames in use. The first, of 20 levers, represents the frame in the signal box, and contains levers for all the signals (currently being constructed), and for all the points that interact with the running line, and associated locking levers. The only exception to the running line levers is the single lever that controls the crossover at the end of the platform (labeled X), which is intended to represent the ground frame which would have typically been used for such points in this situation and which is itself locked by one of the levers in the signal box frame. There is a third frame of 5 levers, which represents the 5 hand levers which would have operated the points to the sidings off the loop. Since these are not part of the running line they are not part of the main frame. They have been labelled and drawing green to visually differentiate between these and the rest of the track work. So to get back to the original question (I hope) - the arms on ground signals on the loop (17,16 and 4,5) are about controlling access to/from the running line and have no relationship with the yard paintwork Y1-5. At the end of the day I do not fool myself into thinking it is perfect, but it is as perfect a representation as I have been able to make within the constraints of time and space, with which I am quite satisfied. Maybe the next one will be even better! The red buttons in the centre control electromagnets for uncouplers, the single one to the right is for the Bell, one day to be Electric Train Token somehow, and the five buttons top right control the turntable. Some final things - should you be interested the lever frames are from the Scalefour Society and the five-lever frame on the right hand side (for the yard points) is actually the first test etch ever assembled for this kit (many years ago), and is still going strong should anyone wonder how reliable the kit is. And the whole control panel works through DCC, and thus plugs in just using a NCE CAB Bus cable - something often asked about and which might cause me to write another article should we find more people keep asking questions. Hope all this is of some use - the next trip to a show is Scaleforum 2018 in Aylesbury Gavin

Hi Here is one of the excellent photographs courtesy of Gordon, from the weekend away at Keighley Gavin

This has moved to a Layout blog http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/118943-the-kerrin-branch/

Hi Here is a track plan - sorry it is not very fancy - I am afraid I do fall foul a bit of what Tim suggests, spending time modelling rather than computing - thats the day job! So apologies for the delay and the unsophisticated plan. Essentially it is a single-track branch terminus. It is around 16 feet long and approx. just under 3 feet wide. Hope this is useful

After some discussions in our local group it was decided it would be useful to have a place to post progress on, in particular, the Kerrinhead layout, since it will be making its second outing, this time to Keighley, in March. As a starting point some pictures will be posted up over the next few days. Hope it is of interest to at least a few people. Gavin

After some discussions in our local group it was decided it would be useful to have a place to post progress on, in particular, the Kerrinhead layout, since it will be making its second outing, this time to Keighley, in March. As a starting point some pictures will be posted up over the next few days. Hope it is of interest to at least a few people. Gavin