The main layout is being built in the loft but as most of my modelling time is in the evening when the baby is asleep access is obviously not ideal (as my wife says 'you wake him, you take him' ) so I've decided to build this as a standalone module that will be screwed down to the layout when complete. The basic construction is very conventional and dull, 6mm ply with bracing on the back and sides (might not seen enough at the moment but since it will be attached to the main baseboard I think it will do) 32inchs x 9inch. The bonus of this means I can work on it on the dining room table and can turn it upside down, round etc to work on it. The track is all Peco code 55 with small radius points operated by Peco motors under the board. Wiring is conventional DC with a couple of isolating sections to help operating. Even with only four points there seems to be miles of wiring to snag and get twisted!!! As much of the new N gauge stuff is DCC ready I may well go down this alley later - but at the moment I'll stick to what I (barely) know. So far all the track is laid and wired and the first go at ballasting is done. Of course at this stage things get waylaid by 'playing trains'. I've got some of the buildings already built so I've put them on and posed a few trains to show what I've done.
This is trying to recreate the Ponts Mill trains that have been a big inspiration. The photos showed a 08 propelling a few wagons up the branch with a brake van, if you change the loco for a pannier tank the picture isn't much changed from the steam era, which is what really made Cornish Clay in the 80s appeal to me. The correct wagons aren't avaliable in N but apparently PGA wagons were used on the Carbis branch when the Tiger wagon was unavaliable so thats what I've done, I need to add the tarpalins. The brake van is an old minitrix I found in my 'bits box' which I repainted and rewheeled.
The local shunter (an excuse to buy a Farish 04) positions a polybulk for loading. This is an N gauge society kit but quite why a 'Grainflow' wagon instead of the usual china clay one is being used I can't explain.
Classic Cornish traction as a 37 leaves the works with a rake of 'hoods' for Fowey. When operating I may 'ban' the 37s from the works to make for more interesting shunting
The 08 positions hoods for loading. This part of the works is inspired by Wenford Bridge. Some of the trackwork (not the points or very curved bits) will be filled in as was common at many clay works. The hoods are a Parkwood kit from the N gauge society. The hoods themselves are not included, so the first batch were made from foil and the second from masking tape. I think the latter looks better so I may convert the others. The colours are from the railmatch range but look far too bright, I'll see what they look like toned down and weathered. I'm well aware they lack buffers - just trying to work out how to safely enlarge the holes to take the Parkside Dundas buffers!
The slurry tank is from the Farish RTP range and the oil tanks are a ratio kit. Unfortunately I can't find a kit or suitable 'bash' for any slurry wagons (the Dapol Silver Bullets are too modern) so this will be a work in progress. Many of the older coal fired dries were converted to oil fired. I've not seen any evidence that they recieved oil by rail but St Blazey recieved short rakes of TTAs for fuel so maybe one or two made it further up the branch.....
View of the far end showing the bagged clay loading point, inspired again by Ponts Mill. The canopy should reach over the tracks but I thought this was a recipe for disaster with shunting and the points!!
So a quick overview of the works. I need to finish the buildings and attach them to the ground then work on the scenics. Its been great fun building a small module, I almost wish I could make this a portable microlayout, but then I'd have to build something else for the layout!!
Please fell free to comment, criticise or ask any questions.
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