So here goes my first step away from the blog format and into a thread. As stated in my blog I have become somewhat unhappy with my current layout...Gloucester Road; so plans are a foot for my next layout. Real estate has been allocated, 151 inches by 42 inches and planninng is in the early stages. The current idea is for a point to point design, in a large u shape. Four seperate boards so that it can be moved easily, either outside or to some local shows.

Some thoughts for the new design

• code 55 track
• large radius curves
• large radius points
• curved backscene
• do i paint or use photo backscene? like the photo ones
• concrete ties
• static grass
• an elevated two track mainline with an elevated station (along the line of the GRESBY topic) with a freight avoiding line
• a lower level and completly seperate freight line (with some shunting opportunities) leading to the obligatory fueling point/stabling point and engine shed
• I envision the right side of the u having a country scene gradually blending to an urban scene on the left side of the u with the fueling point.
• keeping in mind that i dont want things to get to "cramped" as i like the look of openess that can be achieved in n. Something missing on Gloucester road.

Have purchased some Atlas code 55 track for my test board peco 55 has been ordered and should be here next week. Love the look of code 55 and much to my relief, have heard stories of Farish and Dapol locos and wagons not running, all except for the short wheel base class 08/03 worked. Now i did have to open up the guides on the points with a Dremmel to get the Dapol locos to pass. Also once power was conected and the frogs on the points had power all locos including the 08/03 moved under their own power. So we have a small Atlas double mainline and awaiting the peco track to compare. The obvious advantage to the peco track is...it is correct for Dapol and Farish stock no dremmel needed and has concrete sleepers, except for the points.

Here is the track loose on "the board"

Track has been clued and dremmeled (is there such a word) to fit

Points wired and soldered

Dapol class 156440 makes a first tenative run

So we wait for a delivery.

Stephen

So, Millers Dale is mothballed at the mo and the likelihood of me getting the garden workshop built and finished this year is pretty much a pipe dream of epic proportions therefore getting MD back up and running is sadly a year or two down the line. Now I am a hands on modeler and keeping my butt firmly clamped onto my hands modelling wise makes for a grumpy Cav therefore I need something to do until I have the space to build MD. Cue Burton on Trent. Looking for somewhere in the midlands that realistically is able to provide a scenic backdrop to the N gauge stock that I am building up for MD I inadvertently looked at Burton. The trackplan is simple yet with its small PW yard to the east provides mainline running, station activity and shuntiness into and out of the PW yard. It has what I need. Its also a real place so fits my new found love for modeling real locations. There are issues though but a quick flash of my modelers licence to the authorities should take care of that.

First up is compression, although the real location translates to approx 9ft in N its still too large for what I have in mind so the squishometer has been broken out of storage and used to reduce the trackplan into a 6ft scenic section. It has worked ok but will require slight shortening of some services i.e. 6 coach HST set for example. I'm pretty happy to do PC, TGS, TS, TS, TS, RB, TF, PC though to be honest.

Secondly, Shobnall Road bridge. The bridge to the south of the station was built somewhere between 1988 and 1993 but not sure when. As my stock is 1988 based this could be an issue however to provide a scenic break I MUST model it. I can pretty much get away with all of my stock except for the class 45 however if I set the layout to span the period 1988 to 1993 then I can run all my stock and just use the old modelers licence for the bridge.

Thirdly the Silos in the adjacent yard. These also went sometime between 1988 and 1993. I don't need to model these really but would be nice to have them. I just need to know whether the bridge existed together with the Silos and if so I'll put them in. If not they are gone!

Fourthly, The signal to the south before Shobnall road. This is a later addition as the signal was originally just beyond the bridge albeit the same design. This was moved after 1993 but I wonder if it would be better to put it in for interest sake. I do like a signal! Without it there will be no signals on the layout at all.

Anyway here's the templot, it will be handbuilt track to the standard I will use on MD. The scenic section is 6ft long and the return curve boards are 350mm x 3ft to get the tracks to the rear 6ft long traverser.

Comments as always welcome.

Hello everybody!

I first started this thread, and indeed building my layout (Gresby) in 2009.

Gresby is a small town in north Nottinghamshire, just outside Sherwood Forest. I have never decided whether the line runs from north to south or east to west, but it definitely connects Lincolnshire/Immingham/South Yorkshire, with the Midlands and the North West.

The line was built by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway which became the Great Central Railway, the station was opened the same time mas the London Extension was being built, following a standard design.

These days (roughly 1990s sectorisation to 2007) Gresby is served by Central Trains and Northern Rail stopping services, with Midlands Mainline and Transpennine Express services passing through. There is also a rail-served factory on the site of the old colliery exchange sidings.

The scenic part of the layout is (now) 9.5ft x 1ft, the total layout size being 12ft x 2.5ft.

This first post has always been a bit rubbish, but until I get round to properly drawing up a track plan etc I would probably skip passed it and read the rest of the blow-by-blow account of building the layout.

This includes:

• The early days as a shelf layout, laying the track and building buildings
• Its extension into a mainline exhibition layout
• The wiring
• Building more buildings to fill all the extra baseboard
• Scenery work
•  

I started putting rolling stock on here but I started a workbench topic (link below) so it didn't get too confusing.

Feel free to ask any questions, hopefully one day you'll get to see the layout at another exhibition!

Here are a pair of pictures from when the layout was first planned:

The original aim was to jam as much stock into a 2 platform suburban terminus as possible...

hi Cav, the couplings look really good mate.

Andy

A typical West Highland Station

I did build a West Highland Station in N Guage in 1985; still have it but it needs a little TLC

While going through the various forums on RMweb I came across

Rannoch MoorWest Highland Line Modern Image Project Started by MRDBLUE17

This kindled a little fire in my head and I just had to have a go I managed to get a set of window and door etch done by Pete Harvey to Marks design ; I think they sat beside my printer for a year.

In the meantime I searched the WWW for as much info as I could I also had some old photos taken for the first model of Arrochar and Tarbert which had a little detail in them but the best plans I could come up with were from the 1944/7 booklet by LNER The Story of the West Highland the plans are to be found in Appendix A; these were not printed in the later reprints of the Book

It should be noted that although the West Highland Stations are of a similar design; based on Swiss Chalets, each one is different in length and internal layout this one was built as a typical West Highland Station with no particular station in mind.

The plan was scanned and reworked to as near 4mm as I could get it it was time to buy some of that plastocard and a bottle or two of plastic weld

I bought most of my materials at the Perth MR Show and invested in a Chopper ( I wish that had been a 1000cc one in royal blue) and a balsa stripper both made life a lot easier

I used various thickness of plain plasticard and for the shingles I used Wills rounded tiles in OO it would have been better if this was N guage but I could not find any.

A copy of the plans were made and I started with the ends

The first problem I encountered came when I started on the sides the etched windows were oversize as were the doors. I decided to go ahead and use the etched doors and make the winows out of strip plastic

my method of construction was to cut a strip of 40th plasticard to width and glue the embosed plasticard to this cutting out the windows as I went along following the drawing.

First side done shown with both ends

To make the windows I made up a sheet as a template to build them on; I used glossy photographic paper big mastake as the windows stuck to them had to soak them off in luke warm water

I used plain paper and used a gray background which made things a lot easier

End on view notice the glazing this happened by accident as I knocked over a bottle of plastic weld!!

I used foam board top and bottom to hold the structure together

I made a mock up the roof in card when I was satisfied that it was correct I dismantled it and used it as a template to make the roof in plastic sheet

Ready for a coat of Halfords white primer

Next time I make a building I will paint the station at this stage and glaze the windows, as it would be a lot easier to mask off

Once sprayed I left it in the greenhouse to dry overnight

Underside of roof

I still have to do a little filling, touch up the paint, and to find suitable guttering as well as glaze the window’s

For those intrested I still have plans in 4mm scale and the following mock up of the window and door template which needs to be done in CAD to make up for brass etching any takers please contact me.

I have added gutters which were plastic u section which I rounded of a corner added micro strip to look like joins the downpip is plastic agein with micro strip for joins I also added the glazzing and new chiminy pots

I am pleased with this attemt the painting leaves a lot to be desired but the station does look the part

So what does one do on the eve of a royal wedding with the wife and daughter out and setting up a celebration tea party? One reveals one's plans for a small N gauge layout.

I have never managed to complete a layout, my attempts have always been somewhat half-hearted or over-ambitious. Without further ado, the plan is below.

This is unashamedly based upon/inspired by Steve Farmer's excellent Lymebrook Yard. The track plan is pretty much identical. His layout is beautifully executed and if I can come up with a first layout that is 50% as good then I'll be happy. There will be some differences though...

• The layout will be set in the transition era ca 1961-1966
• The layout will not be based upon an actual location but the intention is to have a cross-city branch line feel, hinting at a south Manchester location without ever explicitly being so.
• I'm toying with the idea of using overhead catenary for the mainline to add some interest with "Electric trains stop here" signs and as an excuse for diesel traffic (to access the non-electrified goods yard).
• Alot of the traffic will be cross city DMUs and, whenever my ambitions and skills grow, I'd like to try to represent some class 304 EMUs.
• On the electric front, a couple of Class 86s will be backdated and will manage cross city empty coaching stock or parcels services (it's probably a bit unrealistic to have a class 86 pulling a 3 coach express).
• Steam locos will be lingering with a Fairburn 2-6-4 tank, couple of 3MTs and a few others.
• There will be plenty of green diesels making an appearance too.

Why does building this layout appeal to me?

• I grew up in south Cheshire where a train ride to Manchester was the ultimate excitement!
• The layout will be a manageable size and hopefully it won't be too daunting.
• I already have a fair amount of rolling stock that will be suitable

Things I'm a bit worried about

• Carpentry! I have the baseboard assembled but adding the elevated sections and backscene will be a challenge for me
• The stream. How easy is it to countersink a stream into a flat baseboard? Will it be worth the effort?
• Drilling accurate holes for Cobalt point motors. I know, I should get one of their template kits.

The name?

I'm thinking about calling the layout 'Trinity Road' (to me it just sounds like every city should have a Trinity Road and for some reason the quasi religious feel appeals to me).

Any comments or questions are welcome!

Thanks

Nigel H

Hi,

A layout I operate on from time to time. Thought it was too good not to share, below is a link to its Flickr page.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/135257675@N08

I'm not on RMweb very often, if at all so any comments/contact are best directed via the link to the layout's owner. Thanks and enjoy the pictures!

Carl

Hi,

At this years Lydd rail there was discussion of a challenge layout for next years event.

The basics of the rules are that the scenic part of the layout has to be 4'8.5" X 12" and have at least 1 working point. The fiddle yard has to be no more than 288 square inches.

I wanted to keep the theme on the southern region so that I could use the stock that I'm building for Tonbridge. As such I could either do a small station for 4 car units or something for all the wagons.

After a bit of thought and searching through photos I liked the idea of the P.A.D area behind Hither Green depot.

There were a few down sides to this. Most photos online are of locos on the depot not of the area I wanted. (Paul did send me some) the space allowed would not let me have a scale model of the yard, so I decided it would be a representation of the yard.

So with planing done 2 weeks ago I started building the boards and laying track. Over the last couple of weeks things have progressed so that wiring, ballasting, construction of a road and painting of the backscene are done. Progress can be seen below

Cheers

Carl

I have always wanted to model a real location and always had a interest in the Blaenau Ffestiniog branch due to my mother and her side of the family coming from there. I used to go to Blaenau frequently in the 70's visiting by car or when I was old enough by train. I still go several times a week and to Trawsfynydd now with work. I intend to model Maentwrog Road with its siding for the explosives traffic from Cookes Penrhyndeudraeth. in 1986- 87. I am indebted to Merfyn Jones for all his help with photos and information to help my research.

A few views of the site to be modelled taken by me in July 2017, the old GWR goods shed still stands. The Blaenau Ffestiniog & Trawsfynydd Railway Society have plans to reopen the line and have been clearing the site, hence the container placed on the siding.

I have chosen to bow to circumstances and set my first toy railway layout to one side, but not forgotten. It WILL have to change ‘though - but more of that another time.

It seemed better to make a smaller layout, which could be very portable and brought into action quickly. As a result the “Sandwich, with Sides and Tea” was created - ‘though not yet completed - in line with other modelers' traditions  .......  

Not a very ambitious project but with the right size Sidings and Head Shunt - it makes for an entertaining Shunting Puzzle. Not my idea but inspired by the Inglenton, shown in the Aug 13 Hornby mag [75] and spotted at Melksham, Bentley, Train-west Exhibition a couple of years ago -web here - 

http://ingletonsidings.com/  and based on - http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/sw-inglenook.html 

It is pretty obvious that the “Sandwich” is thin 3mm Ply for the bread and 40mm foam for the filling. The “Sides” comprise 3 Sidings and a Head Shunt. The “Tea” is simply the copious quantities which were consumed during contemplation and production. The layout is enough  to provide satisfaction for many a mealtime  - “For the 3rd time, dinner is on the table and if you don’t get in here within the next 30 seconds, it will be in the dog!!”

Construction of the Board is relatively easy and it can be made in a variety of sizes and shapes. It is strong enough to stand on and a similar larger one [at 4’ x 3 ‘] deflected only C 1mm when stood on and supported at the ends. [Amazing risks some people will take for their children  ……. ]  

It is clearly away from the traditional 16 Ton Tess,  -  6’ x 4’ frame braced every 2ft by 2” x 1” topped with 12mm Ply, with reinforced 4” x 4” legs. Nothing really wrong with that and used for many years  ……   but "Stevenson", rather than "Airborne" Rocket science ……….  

Easy to stick with - "well it worked for my Dad and his before him" .  On the other hand on quite a few Threads, people have stated their requirement for a lightweight Base-board, for a number of perfectly sensible reasons and looking for a new solution to their requirement - BUT - when the Sandwich was mentioned ...............  “That looks a good idea  ...   but  ..... “   ……..  and out comes the 3' x 1" frame  ………..  

WHICH ........  got me to wondering  how many other new ideas there have been in recent times  ..........     ………..  with the WOOSH factor    ………..   

J

IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST VISIT TO THIS LAYOUT THREAD, WELCOME, AND THANKS FOR LOOKING.  MY ADVICE WOULD BE TO FAST FORWARD TO THE LAST PAGE AND THEN BROWSE BACKWARDS, AS THE LAYOUT HAS SEEN A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS SINCE THIS FIRST POST, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO THE APPEARANCE OF THE TRAINS THEMSELVES, BESIDES WHICH MANY OF THE EARLIER PHOTOGRAPHS DISAPPEARED IN THE GREAT RMWEB CRASH OF  2021.  STOKE COURTENAY FEATURED IN THE APRIL 2019 ISSUE OF BRM. 

After 4 years I've just (almost) finished my layout, a loft-based affair in 4mm scale using 00-SF standards.  So time to take a breather and post a few pics.

. 

Stoke Courtenay represents a small GW junction station in the 1930s, the track layout being based on Brent, south Devon, with a few variations.  If there's any interest, once I return from holiday in a couple of weeks I'll post a bit more info and some more pics.

Unlike many retired returnee modellers I have no lifetime's collection of stock, just a rag bag of new and second-hand items, and unbuilt kits, gathered together over the last four years.  I've been exercising a self-denying ordinance on these pending completion of a layout to run them on, so at present they're all more or less as I bought them.  So I look forward to spending the next four years detailing, weathering, kit-building, repainting and general tarting up.

I can see I'll also have to investigate some better lighting for layout photography.  A lot to learn there, and indeed in all other areas, having been out of this game for 40+ years until 2012.

John C.

PS.  Track plan inserted below on 22 August 2023.  It seems the original was lost in the Great RMweb Crash of 2021.

 

Also, if your trains have toilets, don't forget the small clumps of white and brown in the four-foot...

 

I don't think that I have ever seen that on a model...and I don't think that I want to.

On 22/02/2020 at 22:16, Duncan. said:

Hi Tom,

I would like to see you a tree following the same technique but using seamoss as the base, mine follow the same process except I haven't added leaves at the last stage. And to be pedantic (sorry) I would say most trunks and branches are shades of grey and perhaps green if moss is present. I do like the density of the branches.

Cheers

Duncan

Hi Duncan.

I have used Seamoss in the past, but not on any of the other trees already completed for the layout so I'm sticking to the same method for continuity reasons! I only used sleeper grime on these as it's the only near suitable colour I had in a rattle can, plus these trees are for the very rear of the layout and the trunks are largely obscured by other things, but I do need to make some more prominent trees for which I'll use a more appropriate colour. 

Cheers, 

Tom.  

Well after much nudging and prodding I have decided to add Little Muddle to this forum.

The layout was started as a permanent one in our forth bedroom back in Jan 2009 as an 'L' shaped layout around two walls and then in July 2013 the next section was added to give a 'U' shape.

How do I know the dates well I sensibly wrote the starting dates on the framework as I knew I would never remember them in the future.

The layout in based somewhere around the Bristol area and was to depict a railway running through a prototypical English countryside with trees and fields aplenty.

Most of the current pictures where taken on either on Air Pad 2 or an I-phone 5s as I was using them as a modelling aid. I find a picture highlights problems or issues far better than the naked eye can as the camera narrow downs the viewpoint.

Though I have posted over 70 pictures on the modelling galleries some will be used again here but I propose to take even more new pictures in the future which I will post here.

The main aim of this layout was to model the countryside with a railway passing through it and not the otherway round.

To support this I have modelled over 320 trees to date, with more planned, of which only one of them is ready-made

I have over 1200 pictures so I won't be short of a few in the short term and some might be of interest anyway showing the timeline of this layout.

There have been many changes and tweaks to this layout over the years as I have better ideas, new techniques and pure changes of mind........do we ever finish our layouts? 

Here are the first batch of pictures of Little Muddle

Time to share my Progress on the layout continuing on from my thread on the old RM Web.


Background

For any readers who had not passed by the thread, that was started in Feb 2009 I will briefly re-introduce Vale of Oxbury.
Set in the Western Region, early 1960??™s, a freelance design inspired by the track layout at South Brent, Devon but located in my mind in the Wilts, Oxon / Berks area. So, plenty of Swindon Work??™s finest products from Kings to Westerns. Souhern visitors welcome from nearby as I have a soft spot for their loco's as well!


The layout is 12 ft by 4ft built on 3 Boards from Birch Ply, supplied by Brilliant Baseboards, it will be exhibited at an height of 4 Ft 6???. Code 55 Peco Track, DCC control throughout. Double track Main line, Branch line, small yard with Goods & Engine Shed with Turntable. Rail served Dairy. 8 track Fiddle Yard to store 16 trains.

Latest Progress

Having wired in the DCC Track Bus I was able to run trains on both up and down lines, only 1 Snag to address, the Branch line exit track from the double slip has a short! A problem yet to be resolved so, I may be asking for help later!

The left end baseboard with the tunnel now has the topography 90% complete, it was time consuming but, strangely satisfying to hand carve the Kingspan Insulation foam board.

Main focus over the last 2 months has been the centre board, I was able to negotiate with SWMBO to have the board in the house, I now work in our rarely used Dining room! Winter modelling in a cold garage no more, fingers crossed.

DCC trickery has continued, I have installed Team Digital SMD82 Point decoders, I was amazed that I got all 8 Seep PM1??™s to work from the unit 1st time, from my NCE Powercab. I have yet to attempt route settings, just changing 1 at a time for now.

The platforms have been built using Peco Brick edging with plasticard surface. When the buildings are placed, it??™s starting to look like a real railway at last.

Having planned the roads on the layout, they have been laid using Hardboard; the road under-bridge has been scratch-built using Ratio brick sheets and cut down Peco steel girders.

Next jobs

Will be to finish the roads on the centre board, fit the Motorised Peco Turntable that is currently being modified by Andy at DCC Supplies to be fully DCC controlled and fix the short on the slip!!

A couple of pics to show progress, taken with a flash so a bit underexposed at the back. As always feedback and suggestions appreciated.
Carl

Hi,

Probably obvious to most people, but can someone please tell me what do the grey and bauxite colours of 16T mineral wagons and similar signify please?

What are the approximate eras / dates for each?

Would they run behind steam and / or diesel?

Would the 2 colours be mixed together in a single train?

Would the 2 colours be seen at the same time, even if not mixed in a single train?

Thanks, Gary

Hello everyone.

Now I really wasn’t going to get into this, but I think I should probably share some of what I’ve been doing as I’ve asked quite a few questions on here since I joined and all of the replies have been helpful, open and friendly.

So first a bit about me and second a lot about my project.

Me:

I live within view of Cowley Bridge Junction. Grew up and spent most of my life around Exeter.

It’s 2020 now and I’m 47 years old.

I started spotting on my own at St David’s in 1986, and by the age of 15 a year or so later I’d got into haulage bashing, anything at first, but I soon got into Sulzer stuff - 33s, 45s and 47s, although I like anything from that era to be honest (especially a class 31 or 37).

As a kid I travelled on the North Devon line a few times - including behind 33013 from Barnstaple to Exeter on a summer Saturday with my parents sometime around 1985, and also on a triple 118 lash-up a few years before which was one of the last trains to visit Torrington (we also went up to Meldon).

So mid 80s to early 90s is very much my favourite era, although I’m also interested in the steam era too.

The project:

 Part 1

My best friend Paul and his son George (other Beatles are available) got me into N gauge a couple of years ago (it was George’s Dapol 33 that finally tipped me over the edge) and I started to formulate a plan to model Seaton Junction set sometime around 1988 when it still had a few sidings left and plenty of loco hauled trains flying non stop through the derelict station.
Mrs C and I did a site visit, took some photos, and I did lots of research on the place while I formulated a plan...

I realised (mainly due to Pauls advice) that it was going to be quite a large undertaking due to the sheer size of the place. So it was time for a bit of a rethink.
I thought that maybe I could try a practice project of a smaller location to hone my skills (having never modelled in N gauge before), and the choice for me was between Whimple or Lapford set in the very late 1980s when both stations had remarkably retained their (although much rationalised) goods yards...

Lapford won out in the end and the more research I did the more I found it fascinating.
I’d driven over that skew bridge on the A377 next to the station hundreds of times over the years and glanced down at the remaining sidings which in the early 90s often had a couple of log wagons, a Cargowaggon, or maybe a Polybulk sitting there waiting to be picked up.

I started this off by realising that to do it justice I’d have to build pretty much everything from scratch, so after another couple of site visits by Mrs C and me I decided to have a go at building the distinctive skew bridge at the end of the platform first using balsa wood and plasticard. Here’s a couple of photos of it:





It was a lot of work, but enjoyable, and as I hadn’t ever made anything in this scale before I was quite pleased with it. I later realised that it wasn’t skewed enough as it were, but don’t tell anyone as I won’t be doing it again!

Then I tackled the charismatic station building:

It’s actually two cheap Kestrel kits bodged together and hacked about to make something vaguely resembling the original. I might redo this at some point because it’s not perfect, but then again I might just stick with it because it’s not too bad really.
  

Part 2

I was trying to work out how to make the (very distinctive) old Ambrosia Dairy building and warehouses, and in the end I drew up a sketch with some guessed measurements of them and texted it to my stepbrother who had a go at printing the frontages out for me. The first couple of goes looked a little bit too ‘South Park’ but eventually he sent them down and I made the rest of the buildings up again out of balsa wood and plasticard:
Here’s a brief look at the process:





It was quite an undertaking but enjoyable nonetheless as I could sit and listen to something on the radio while I tinkered around with it at the kitchen table...

If I did them again now I’d probably try and fit proper windows rather than the 2D printed ones I went with but I just didn’t feel like I had the skills at the time. There’s still a few more bits of detail I’ll add at some point as well.

After that there were a couple more bridges to make and also the little ground frame shed which were all done over the next few weeks and painted ready to be plonked on the board when I built it:
 

Oh and it’s not in Lapford (although it will be on the layout) but I also built our house: 
 

As you can see I got quite into making the buildings in the end...

It was a useful time for me to make all the buildings and bridges before tackling the actual railway as when I started with N gauge I only had a couple of locos and a bit of rolling stock. Doing it this way meant that it came together quite quickly.

I’ve actually more or less finished this section now and am planning the next phase but having been encouraged to do so by @Ramblin Rich among others I thought I’d better write out what I’ve been up to.

To be continued and thanks for reading...

Nick

*pictures back from page 29, intermittently from page 27*
 

Hello everybody!

Now that I've got my modelling bits out of storage I thought it best to split my building stock out of my layout topic - it was getting a bit confusing for me - I'm still building the O Gauge Tram but its taken a bit of a back seat while I stare at everything I've done wrong with it.

On this thread I'll be showing progress and various projects for the three N Gauge layouts I'm involved with; My Layout: 'Gresby' modern image East Midlands secondary line (currently a terminus - see link in my footer thing), 'Farndon Road' 50s/60s BR steam fictitious East Coast Mainline by the former Newark & District N Gauge group now part of Bingham MRC, and 'Parnhams' pre-war Vale of Belvoir - a layout I sometimes help to exhibit. Most of the stock on this thread will be for Gresby (and its replacements) but there's always bits and bobs coming over to me for building, painting and detailing from the other layouts - so check back often if Steam's your thing

In January I was spurred into action after reading the 'editorial' in the N Gauge Journal referring to our piles of Un-Finished Objects (UFOs) I decided to pick out ten UFOs from my box and get them finished and either put away, sent to their owner or sold by the end of the year; obviously moving back to the UK and putting all my stuff into storage for three months has hampered my efforts slightly, but I live in hope! I finished one item from the list before leaving Helsinki:

Three Dapol fish vans I'd been putting off finishing off - they're a bit too dirty I think but they shouldn't stand out too much in the rest of the Farndon Road fish train. They were replaced in the UFO list by this:


A BR Blue headcode disk class 20, which I converted and painted a year or two ago but hadn't finished because of another housemove (should probably move into a caravan or something) and when I got it out to photo and see what needed doing to it I had a rather nasty surprise when I took the body off the dummy chassis:


The resin chassis block had warped, which affected the running. I found a similar problem when I got back from Helsinki with one of my dummy class 37 chassis, so I decided to see if I could fix it with hot water and a bit of gentle persuasion:


I couldn't. Which brings me nicely round to last nights modelling session - I made my own replacement chassis from plasticard and the usable bits from the ISM chassis.


I made a replacement base-plate out of two layers of 2mm plasticard, the bottom layer shaped to the shape of the Farish 37 body, the top layer smaller to clear details like the doors. The bit in the middle was so the back of the cab sat at the right height and to add a bit of strength to stop it sagging under the weight of the fuel tank.


Next I spent forever cutting the fuel tank away from the remains of the old chassis and adjusted the bogie centres to fit the tank and let the bogies swing (I'd drilled the original holes slightly too close together)


Next I cut off the cab details from the original chassis and stuck them on. I need to see how well it runs, the bogies will be tightened up when its been painted, I'm not sure about adding weight - the 37 will be used to top and tail so will need to run just as well being pushed and pulled.


Just need to paint the chassis and I can get detailing the buffer beam

Thats all I got done last night, I've still got the class 20 to re-chassis and when I get somewhere to paint sorted I can get cracking with the rest of my pile.

Lots to do!

Simon

On 15/11/2020 at 18:02, MrSimon said:

Thanks Nigel - it certainly provided one of the stranger kitchen experiences I’ve had!

 

 

How much do you think will be sorted out with a white metal body pressing everything down?

 

Many thanks

Simon

Hi Simon,

The white metal body made a great difference to running and pickup. I opened out the axle holes for Simpson springing a bit more than that recommended (1.7mm vs.1.6mm), so the loco waddles around a bit, though this might be because there is a lot of sideplay on the axles. However, it does run well for a 2mm 0-6-0T.

Nigel Hunt

Hello all,

A good debut for Nick's layout Molinnis at the March model railway show. Just a few electrical niggles, but broadly speaking trouble free so far!

As a taster, a class 67 arrives at the warehouse with a short freight.

More pics to follow.

Cheers

Ben A.

Anyone interested?

At last my new railway room is complete and in use, the existing St Enodoc layout has been set up and I am ready to start building the new Mid-Cornwall Lines, but before doing so I thought I would tell you a little bit of history to put the project in context and, I hope, explain why a little slice of Cornwall is taking shape in suburban Sydney, Australia.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin.

My life with model railways goes back to when I was about three or four. Not, as was often the case, with Hornby Dublo but Tri-ang 00. My Dad built a very simple but enjoyable layout consisting of a single-track oval, an up-and-over loop and couple of sidings. On one track ran a Princess Elizabeth (with smoke!) and on the other a Transcontinental electric, later joined by a BR 2-6-2 tank.

I’ve no photos of this layout but after a house move Dad bought a job lot of stuff from a local enthusiast who was giving up the hobby, which was set up in the spare bedroom.

There was double track on two levels, plus two loops giving the option of running as a dumbbell or two ovals, and although I rebuilt it later as a single level line that was probably more realistic, the first layout was a lot more fun.

I built a separate, very small, layout called Cwm-Don for a school open day at which it was connected by a long single track around the physics benches to another small terminus called Llangogin, built by my classmate Steve Berry.

At about this time, in the late 1960s, we started to go to Cornwall for our annual family holidays, and I found myself captivated by the beaches, the scenery, the weather, the china-clay industry and the railways. Dad then had a small win on the pools, which allowed me to start a new layout that pretty well filled the spare room. It was to be a double track terminus to fiddle yard, with a low level continuous single loop. In my mind’s eye the terminus was Newquay (although the track plan was derived from Cheltenham St James) and the passing station on the loop became Goonhavern Halt.

The continuous loop was all that got built before Dad changed jobs and we all relocated to Edinburgh. That was the end of Cornish holidays for a while, but one good thing was that the house had twin garages. As we only had one car I was allowed to claim one garage as a railway room, and next time I’ll describe what I did with it.

I tried posting about this layout as a blog, but I now feel it will work better as a thread


The layout is a work in progress and has been for in existance for nearly five years now.
It is in a bedroom which used to be part of the attic, which the previous owner had installed.
When we first moved into the house, my wife also had her piano in the room.
This restricted the space available and I to build the storage loops under what used to be the eaves.
Which mean the layout was about 2ft off the floor and I could only have 3 storage loops.
I have since negotiated to have the piano moved out on to landing and now have the room to myself other that for an old settee, as part of the agreement the room still has to usable as a bedroom


The room is 12ft x 9ft




When I revised the size of the layout I realised that the area behind the station
No longer looked right and I wanted the corner to be a curve
All of this is built as a module so it was relatively easy to change to




The station building which is based on the GWR one at Langley, where I used to live many years ago, is built around a perspex shell which gives it strength and provides the windows



A view of the building which is dropped into a cutout in the station platform



I've still got to fit a station canopy

.
With the changes to the layout I had a space to fill at the far end under the window.
Then I read "Gas Lane" article in the Hornby Magazine Nov 2009.
So this is my take on it




The shed holding the purifier and washer is scratch built









Alot of scenery has been added since I took this photo

The first part of this topic covers my branch line terminus, Marlingford.

When I got more space I started on a mainline layout, Langford Lane (originally I called it Begbrooke), loosely based on Kidlington, the junction station for the Woodstock Branch. This layout incorporates Marlingford as the branch terminus in lieu of Woodstock. The track plan for the mainline layout and its development starts here

-----------------------------------------------

Hello

First post here, but long time lurker, have gleaned plenty of useful information already - thanks.

I'm building a small OO layout. The space I have available is small, in the corner of our attic room above the stairs (which double-back on themselves). It's a strange location, here's a picture to make sense of it:



The space above the stairs is around 1200mm x 800mm but with some overhang on the sides away from the wall I can get a 1500mm x 1000mm (ish) baseboard on there. It's by no means ideal but until I build a shed I it's realistically all the space I can hope for.

I've realised that an end-to-end layout offers much more potential for such a small layout. The space I have though means I'm going to have to have a U-shaped layout. What I'm proposing is a GWR branch line terminus. (Cliched I know, but I'm a GWR fan and don't have space for anything else right now and N gauge doesn't appeal to me.) .

Here's the plan:



I'm envisaging a home counties GWR branch, the track layout is a bit of a mixture of Wallingford and Marlow; like Wallingford engine shed opposite plaform (I like the view down the layout into it) but with CWS creamery put where the gasworks was (to fill the scenic space in the centre of U) but with layout of runaround loop and position of goods shed like Marlow.

As drawn, it uses the mixture of track I already have from temporary layouts I've had to date, both Peco Streamline and Setrack with a couple of Hornby curved points thrown in. To get it to fit I've had to resort to R1 curves but having laid the layout out in rough, the stock seems to run ok on it. The intention with the fiddleyward is to build a cassette or hinged section to attach to the stub in the top left.

Stock will standard GWR branchline stuff - Airfix/Dapol14xx & Airfix autocoach, Bachmann pannier and Hornby B-set, Collett Goods and a Dapol Dean Goods (if only it went as well as it looked!). I also have a small Prairie, a Grange and a 43xx but they don't fit the prototype - lesson: plan layout, be realistic on what you can do in space, get stock later. If following the prototype I think it would almost exclusively be the 14xx autotrain including mixed trains but for interest I will mix this up a bit but hopefully within the realms of plausibilty, have through coaches/through workings or excursion trains (giving an excuse for the larger tender engines perhaps) - I think they had this at Marlow to some extent. (I have the Paul Karau books on these branches and the branch line terminals book.) At the moment, due to the livery the stock is in, post war GWR is favoured.

The buildings will be card, Scalescenes kits or kitbashed or reworked Hornby stuff from my childhood. I've started on these and they are in dark red brick - one of the reasons why I am not looking at a west country layout as they would be stone buildings I think. I intend that the Creamery will be based on the CWS creamery which is relatively compact.

Any comments or suggestions would be very welcome - any fundamental flaws in the layout idea or improvements? As explained, the space is tight and the layout inevitably horrendously compromised but I am open to ideas before I commit to this! (I'm looking for some reassurance before I start sticking things down!)

Anyway, that's enough for now - thanks for your interest.

Cheers

Jon