davidprentice

Hi Am I alone in noticing a quality problem with the newest Mk3 DVT from Hornby - R4996 in Intercity Swallow? The issue I have is that the spring-equipped doors to the drivers cab are (perhaps like me?!) very fussy. You push them in and then they are a total pain to get to reseat properly, without looking like they are left ajar. It's an issue I've not had before on the doors of either HSTs, DVTs, 08s, 60s, etc. Be interested to know if others have had the DVT issue... or the same door issue on other recent stuff? Having also recently had a bad experience with a Hornby HST, I'm increasingly minded to try to resist buying any more stuff as the quality just doesn't seem to be what it was. David

Just a note to say the R3679 Network Rail HST I received had replacement body shells already fitted - but very poorly. To the extent that not all of the screws were properly seated. A warning for anyone buying these that it is definitely worth inspecting them on arrival, especially if you aren't likely to run them for a while.

Struggling to process all the comments - but have made some further amends. I've moved the loop into the top left corner, and have the fiddle yard tracks accessing the loop. I've also indicated where the entrance way to the operating well is. If I go with the ramp idea, then I will likely have these on hinges so that they can lift up out of the way, perhaps with the scenic layout on hinges too, so I'm not having to crouch down to get in/out! As others have rightly pointed out, I'll need to think about the interference re baseboard frame and point motors. Also, I'm perhaps most nervous about the 3-4 points in the top left of the board - since these are probably some of the least accessible. I'm not sure if points tend to fail fast, rather than randomly, if so, I should be ok, as don't anticipate getting on to the scenic level for some time, so would have plenty of time to see how they get on. On the lift, I'm minded to keep it in situ for now, and then perhaps make a final call on whether to actually make use of it, once I've (eventually) got started on the scenic level.

Quick update to show the ramp line running into the reversing loop. This frees up a little space and also means trains can leave the fiddle yard from either end and get onto the ramp line. Likewise, anything coming down the ramp line can either go direct to fiddle yard, or do a quick reverse. I expect I'd keep 3/4 car DMU/EMUs in the sidings on the right hand side. From here they can quickly get to the lift... or continue on to the ramp line... I figure I can probably tidy up the top left hand corner with the reversing loop.

Forgive the quick and dirty nature of the below - but it's a bit of a quick update. I've shrunk the layout, to give myself approx 50cm at one of the layout to gain access to the deepest sections of baseboard. The added advantage is that on the scenic level, I'll have an alterantive point of view, which I'm sure will add some interest for me (even if it means crawling under the boards to get there!). I've also kept the lift for the moment, but also added a ramp line, up to the scenic level. On the basis of a 2% incline, expect this will take between 1.5 and 2 laps of the layout to give me 40cm clearance. If I were to 'ditch' the lift completely, I'm trying to think what I would do differently to use the space.... though I do feel wedded to the lift (partly sunk costs... and partly the fact that it will be quicker to move a 4-car train than sending it up a ramp) but also I like the idea of having the 'upstairs' of the lift inside a loco/DMU shed, and magically having 166s, 168s, 220s, etc appear. The ramp line will be single track, but at perhaps the half way point, I may have some point work that peels off and provides a 'down' so that trains don't have to reverse down the line... and so that I don't have to have a reversing loop on the scenic level. EDIT: P.S. Would welcome thoughts on whether it's better for the ramp line to enter/exit at the reversing loop rather than where currently located... Might ease operations as would allow me to route trains direct to the fiddle yard or else to route for reversal.

@gordon s, I've contemplated this possibility. My intention is to ensure that the scenic layout "up top" is modular and removable, in order that I can gain full access to the fiddle yard and do any repairs etc as needed. I may also try to work into the trackplan every effort to keep complex trackwork to the fore in order to minimise the need to remove the top section... Will see how that goes! I'm also minded, once I've settled on the final fiddle yard track plan, to look at how I might further segment the fiddle yard boards to make them smaller and more removable... Will see how feasible that proves. The separation is approx 40cm.

Great idea @H2O - and I can't quite believe I hadn't thought of this. Since I intend to make the lift platform itself blend into the 'scenic' part of the layout 'up top', it would be a shame to not incorporate some sort of through line so that I might still be able to make good use of the fiddle yard and perhaps get trains ready to appear 'upstairs'. Will try to incorporate both your suggestions in an updated track plan shortly. @RobinofLoxley you are right about the need to get the stock lift to land neatly in place, the same place, each time it goes up and down. Coming down, so far, there seems a reasonable degree of consistency. I certainly intend to make use of some guides to help get it to the same place each time. Will figure out how to the same 'on the up' once I'm there. I'd like to use some sort of bolt and perhaps a funnel to help guide the bolts into place each time. Will have to search the ironmongery stores for something that looks fit for purpose! On the point of curves onto and off of the loco lift platform, I'll try to avoid, but according to Anyrail, the space available necessitates this for now, but will see if I can make a few modifications to avoid this - as I agree, it's adding complexity on top of already a quite complex mechanism. And would be very annoying if it didn't pan out. Will try to get an updated trackplan uploaded later.

@BR Blue, thank you, I'm struck by the "less is more" point. I have followed Everard Junction for some time and I know that when he re-did his layout, this was something he was very keen on trying to do. I'm hopeful that having a pretty big fiddle yard might help me keep a "less is more" focus on the scenic area. @Peter-C, yes, been to Oxford quite a bit too. I'm mostly using "Oxford" as an excuse to run Thames Trains/FGW/GWR/Chiltern/Virgin/Intercity/Cross Country stock. In my head, 'Oxford Junction' is a reimagined 'Oxford' and 'Oxford Parkway' - bigger and better than both (hopefully)! If I'm really lucky I'll find some backscenes with an Oxford skyline in them... I'd also like to work in some of the Goring stretch as countryside. Today's update: more bracing, more spider proofing, and got one end of the fiddle yard framework pretty much sorted. As you can see, will need to make a few tweaks to ensure the lift (at bottom) lines up perfectly with the adjoining boards. As suggested, have setup a track layout/design thread in the appropriate forum (can be found here) to figure out how to make best use of this space and decent running. Already had a few excellent points raised, i.e. having a through line for when the lift is in the raised position, and taking steps to ensure that the lift starts/stops in the perfect/correct position each time. I'm only sorry that I'm waiting for track to be delivered, or I might have (impatiently) started laying some tomorrow!

I'm posting the layout build over here (Oxford Junction - OO Gauge), but would welcome thoughts on my fiddle yard layout. The space itself is approximately 5.35m (17ft 6in) wide and 3.5m (11ft 6in) deep. The fiddle yard will be beneath the main scenic layout, and access between the "upstairs (scenic)" and "downstairs (fiddle yard)" will be via the three-track 4-car long lift, marked in grey below. This allows a total of a 12-car train (so a decent freight or HST) to be transported in one go (granted it will need to be de-coupled into max 4 car segments). I've built the lift itself and am happy with it. What I am now keen to do is make the most of the fiddle yard itself. As you can see, I've tried to ensure that I have enough storage and have a reversing loop. Welcome thoughts on how to improve running and also efficient use of the space. At each end of the fiddle yard, I've left a yard of track extending into open space. This is simply for potential future proofing, e.g. further expansion. I should add, that I'll likely build perhaps the 4 or 5 of the 10 storage lanes initially... as I'm not sure I'll need them all, at least for now, and could do with pacing myself in terms of build costs! Thanks in advance for all thoughts and suggestions!

Some more progress today, extending the baseboard frame, adding the adjustable feet to the legs, and generally making the space more spider-proof, i.e. sealing up some of the cracks and crevices where the blighters seem to lurk. I don't want to find any trains covered in cobwebs!

Hoping to make the most of the bank holiday - and off to a good start today getting some of the other framework put together so that you can see the beginnings of the fiddle yard level. The furthest board in the photo below will see (hopefully) three lines from the loco-lift turn into one (ambitious, I know), and the track will then circle around and on the left-most board the single track will expand into an approx 10 lane fiddle yard, that will loop around behind the camera. I've also got some adjustable feet that I may yet add to the legs of the board, depending on how level or not I find the whole enterprise.

Thanks @RobinofLoxley. Yes, you are right would be stacking trains. I'm increasingly of the view that the trackplans above are going to look wildly different in time. I will probably get a layout planning thread running to help with more of that side of things and keep this one focussed on the build process and progress. On which note, I've figured out how to upload a video of the inaugural loco lift rising - and falling!

Just a quick update to report that the 12V DC power supply arrived today and have connected up to the linear actuator and it worked brilliantly, transporting the inaugural train - a Bachmann Class 168 of Chiltern Railways - up and down a few times without any issues. Will figure out how to do a video on here and then post that later.

Not a huge amount more to progress, beyond getting the actuator attached and adding some bracing to the underside of the lift platform to help keep it to a good shape, and to help distribute the forcefrom the actuator. It is also becoming clear to me that the layout i have planned is quite the monster and that the development of the scenic level will undoubtedly be quite tough, as I have a layout up to 1200mm deep and at about 1100m off the ground. It basically means I'll have no choice but to build a modular/removable scenic level, so that I can do much of the work and then slot the items into place. I'm a little nervous about this, as am conscious that the tolerances on trackwork aren't enormous and so will have to think carefully about how the trackplan interfaces with the modular layout. Oh well, all fun for another day. Hoping to make some solid progress on the fiddle yard level next week.

Finally made some progress on the loco lift today - with the results below. The frame for the lift is pretty good. After cutting the timbers to the required lengths, I put it together using some metal brackets and screws to speed construction. The lift itself currently runs on two 45kg-rated ball-bearing drawer runners. The drawer runners can extend, I think about 500-600mm, but the linear actuator (not pictured below) has a maximum of 400mm, and to be honest anything above 400mm and the scenic level (the upstairs!) of the layout starts to become too high to be properly enjoyable. Next steps, include adding a bracing-frame to the lift platform as there is a little bit of warping, and then adding the linear actuator. The first train to grace the lift was my Virgin Voyager - pictured below.