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Everything posted by simon b
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East West rail, Bletchley to oxford line
simon b replied to porkie's topic in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)
But it's still useless as you can run through electric freight, which was part of the original "electric spine" plan. Your back to trying to justify electrifying a route solely for the use of 4 trains per hour, I'll bet the maintenance costs alone outweigh the benefit. If it was a deal breaker that EWR had to be electrified from the start it wouldn't get built at all, too expensive. -
East West rail, Bletchley to oxford line
simon b replied to porkie's topic in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)
I'm sure I read somewhere that wiring further than Didcot had been abandoned due to the massive cost increase over what was projected, Bi modes being the solution for the time being. If wires do ever reach Oxford it wont be for another 10 years at least, or until someone does something about the price of electricity for trains. -
Sellafield North in 6ft x 30ins - No jokes please
simon b replied to TravisM's topic in Layout topics
In that case your latest plan will be perfect, the loop should be able to handle a decent sized bogie wagon so it all works. -
East West rail, Bletchley to oxford line
simon b replied to porkie's topic in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)
I agree completely, and it doesn't look like the wires are going to reach Oxford anytime soon. I've tried explaining this to people before, no point wiring EWR if it doesn't connect with the great western electrification for through traffic. -
Sellafield North in 6ft x 30ins - No jokes please
simon b replied to TravisM's topic in Layout topics
Just needs a longer loop, but should work great. I'd be tempted to have a second track entering the steel warehouse, and have the traveling crane coming out of the side of the building. -
Sellafield North in 6ft x 30ins - No jokes please
simon b replied to TravisM's topic in Layout topics
I assumed that was the exit to the fiddle yard as the signal was on it, and all the others were dead ends? It gives you a usable length run round loop for your class 60 that way, you can always use the fiddle yard as the headshunt. -
East West rail, Bletchley to oxford line
simon b replied to porkie's topic in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)
One thing that I should point out in that video is that all the bridges on the Bicester to Bletchley section have enough clearance for OHLE. No further modifications will be needed to install wires. Any that didn't clear have already been rebuilt. It isn't getting wired now because the few multiple units that will use the line doesn't justify it. -
Sellafield North in 6ft x 30ins - No jokes please
simon b replied to TravisM's topic in Layout topics
Watching those video's does give you another type of train to run, PGA stone hoppers. Perhaps you could use the Kibri loading plant on the siding above the loco shed. -
East West rail, Bletchley to oxford line
simon b replied to porkie's topic in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)
Due to the drop in passenger numbers from covid, enough 196's are surplus to operate the service. Chiltern are operating it on behalf of EWR, but I would expect that a few years down the line they will merge into Chiltern anyway. If it turns out the rumors of the mk5's heading to Chiltern are true, that would free up a few 168's which could also be used to operate the service instead of the 196's. The 175's are rumored to be going "up" in the world. -
Sellafield North in 6ft x 30ins - No jokes please
simon b replied to TravisM's topic in Layout topics
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Sellafield North in 6ft x 30ins - No jokes please
simon b replied to TravisM's topic in Layout topics
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Prototype for everything corner.
simon b replied to jonny777's topic in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)
It's refered to as a no2 tunnel, no1 has twin bores for part of its length. A good prototype for use on a layout with its arched roof though. -
Prototype for everything corner.
simon b replied to jonny777's topic in UK Prototype Discussions (not questions!)
A while back it was mentioned about tunnels not having more than two tracks, today I discovered Hockley tunnel. -
Sellafield North in 6ft x 30ins - No jokes please
simon b replied to TravisM's topic in Layout topics
It's a lot beter without the front track, what about having more of the tracks enter the buildings? -
Realistically if anyone does the 74 it will be Hornby, they only need to make a retooled body shell as the chassis is already there. It's on my list to do at some point, I've got a 71 here to butcher using the silver fox 74 body shell fitted with the Hornby cabs. Although the 74 is limited to one livery and the southern area of operation, it will still sell out. Many people will just want it to complete their collection, even if nowhere to run it in a prototypical fashion. 20003 could be a bit more of a problem as it was longer than the other two, depends on how accurate you want it to be.
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Middle sized city station plan - 13ft by 8ft
simon b replied to Danfilm007's topic in Layout & Track Design
Curved points are your friend to get the maximum length from the loops, use them on the left side of the yard and you could fit a pair of stub end tracks on the righthand side. -
Looks great, especially with the rake of green coaches behind. At the risk of a thread divert are there more pics of your layout anywhere?
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Middle sized city station plan - 13ft by 8ft
simon b replied to Danfilm007's topic in Layout & Track Design
If you want the upper loops longer you can use curved points to start them sooner, them as Chimer has suggested a few stub ends on the shorter lower loops. I'd loose the 3 way points if it were mine, they are expensive so I only use them if no alternative. -
Sellafield North in 6ft x 30ins - No jokes please
simon b replied to TravisM's topic in Layout topics
If you start with the center diamond positioned to the left of the board joint, none of the points land on a joint. -
Middle sized city station plan - 13ft by 8ft
simon b replied to Danfilm007's topic in Layout & Track Design
If I honest I think this design would work better for the space you have, loose all the stub end sidings and you can make the loops longer. Seems a more flexable design in that the loops can be accessed from either end without blocking both running lines. -
Middle sized city station plan - 13ft by 8ft
simon b replied to Danfilm007's topic in Layout & Track Design
Is 8 loops going to be enough? Have a think about how many you need and design it around that number. -
Most of the old lima models were like that, worked well.
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Sellafield North in 6ft x 30ins - No jokes please
simon b replied to TravisM's topic in Layout topics
What about stretching the first plan over 2 boards, then the fiddle yard on the third board? If you stretch it out a bit you can have more warehouses with tracks going in, then that track layout makes more sense. -
I'm convinced it's the bogie castings that are warped, not the chassis. Waiting for a reply from rails on what to do with mine.
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Sellafield North in 6ft x 30ins - No jokes please
simon b replied to TravisM's topic in Layout topics
It would be fun trying to shunt it without jamming yourself up, kind of a puzzle in itself. You could design it so your 60 brings a rake of wagons onto the layout, then the 08 picks them off to get them into the various buildings? If you have your headshunts that short you may find yourself limited to what stock you can run, large bogie ferry vans being a good example. Which tracks go off scene on the plan, just the bottom pair?