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Showing results for 'Templot' in blog entries.
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Although rather late this is my entry to the 2mm Association and RMweb layout challenges. The layout will be based somewhere in South Wales around 1969/70, so will be requiring quite a few mineral wagons and 21t hoppers for the coal traffic along with a selection of general freight. With all the recent stuff coming out in N gauge, I was quite taken by the Bach/Farish class 37 when released and opted to purchase one, which followed with a few other locos and the odd bit of rolling stock. This was followed a couple of months ago by joining the 2mm association along with purchasing a few wagon kits and some of their "Easitrac" components to build my own track. I decided that i needed to do something layout wise and with joining the 2mm association, i received with my members pack which contained a flyer mentioning the GJ layout challenge, I thought this would be an excellent opourtunity to get something built, nothing like a deadline, then with the announcement of the RMweb 2010 , the chance was given too run the two alongside each other. So with a few days holiday over the festive season a start has been made on the layout. This blog will show a breakdown of progress made on the layout and it's stock, so should hopefully be easy to follow. This will run alongside my layout thread which will give people the opportunity to interact. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/6363-2mm-layout-based-in-south-wales/ Anyhow onto the layout, the scenic section will be 4' x 18" deep with two small end to end fiddle yards, which consists of a two track branchline with a small good yard and two other sidings for something else possibly a coal yard or something similair. The trackplan of the scenic section using Templot And a couple of pictures of the the constructed scenic board with the printed Templot track template stuck down ready to lay the track, although the runroud has now been changed for an extra siding in the goods yard and the crossover is now trailing instead of facing.
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The following photos represent approx. 3 months of progress. As I said, I don't have much modelling time...! The board is a MDF stair tread which just happened to be lying around. I have another one which could be utilized for a fiddle yard at some stage. This pic shows the board with the final Templot design taped down. It's my first complete design in Templot and I'll admit is far from perfect, but it's good enough. Timbers and sleepers laid. The rest of the plain track will be SMP. Couple of pics showing progress on the turnouts. With a bit of luck I should have time over Christmas to complete the board, which needs the usual 2x1 bracing, which will allow room for the wiring, point actuators etc.
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Over the past couple of days while making progress on the design work for my 2010 entry, thoughts have come back a couple of times as to what I will do with Blackcombe Torr. This was the original track plan. The change focuses around the complete removal of the mainline, along with all of the TPWS gear. The brick bridge on the left hand side would be replaced with a smaller 2 part stone structure (probably half girder half arch). The branchline will be removed either leaving a loco length headshunt or more likely removing the two points (purple dots)and replacing with a single B/C 9 and a catch point on the loop to protect it. The two points with red dots should ideally be replaced (both being A6s) however I doubt its possible without major track alterations. The plan here is going to be drawing up the layout in Templot and seeing which (if any) is possible to be replaced with minimal realignment. The biggest change is on the right hand side. Instead of the original 4ft fiddleyard, the intention is to add another 3ftscenic baseboard which will contain the other end of both the works runaround loop along with the branch loop. The branch line will then continue off scene to a 2ft fiddleyard (intended to handle a 2 car DMU service). The new plan Along with the scenic changes I am also planning a number of modifications to improve running, most importantly fitting some C&L dowels to sort out the alignment issues, and relaying the short lengths either side of the baseboard joint. There will also be a througher inspection of the track to eliminate any other defects. The left hand fiddleyard will be a new treverser, 4ft length Now this is all more of a long term plan (certainly I am not looking to start until after the new project is finished), though that said there is a possibility some of the repair work might be started over the summer if I hit any delays with parts etc for the new one (really must get a name sorted!) The intention is to get a layout built principally for my 80s china clay stock thats not going to be suitable for the 2010 plan.
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More problems with that platform
The Fatadder commented on The Fatadder's blog entry in Inspired by Botley - Closed
With the reduction in length of the platforms, its more a case of moving an extra 100mm or so off scene than cutting it out of the plan, the issue with the width is more a case of confirming to 'real' standards. A key criteria in my design is that while the layout will be a fictional location, it must still be accurately modelled to the prototype. This said, I have now been looking back at the prototype that has inspired the trackplan, which does have very narrow platforms. According to my caculations based upon the plans/maps I have available it actually looks like my platforms are actually slightly wider than those on the prototype inspiration (20ft rather than 14ft) however that said the prototype branch platform has been closed for a long time. The materiel Ravenser posted (along with some more information that was PMed) has further convinced me through showing many similar prototypes with equally narrow platforms that all is ok. As for making mockups, it is something that I have tried in the past, but I just find that I get on a lot better doing these things electronics. The Templot file for the trackplan has been directly imported into Autocad allowing buildings to be placed on and moved around etc. The problem comes when the small scale print outs are then expanded to full size (when things suddenly start to look a bit tighter than they are!) Still, all seems to be going well now, really must get on with starting to build platforms.... -
Ok, so where to start? I've been messing about for ages, armchair modelling, building Parkside kits, modifying coaches, chipping locos etc. etc., but apart from a circle of track on the floor (for running in purposes you understand!) I've not had anywhere to actually run trains. It really was about time I did something about this. Time is limited due to work, chores, cycling, football... you get the idea, so instead of attempting to build one of the grand plans we all have I've finally decided to start small, and build myself an Inglenook. Apart from being something I can actually run trains on, it will also be a test-bed for ideas and methods I want to try; the plan itself is in Templot, and the turnouts will be built using a mix of C&L and Exactoscale parts, to DOGA fine standard, using SMP for the plain track. The turnouts will be operated using memory wire, and the P4Me-style couplings will be operated by (hopefully!) home-made electro-magnets. More, with photos, to follow shortly...
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Cheers for the feedback. I was intending to model the coal ramp just for a bit fun, actually I think the rear would be a little devoid of detail if I didn't include it. In keeping with the competition 5 ethos I was contemplating setting the date as 1955. I just need to check the configuration at that time. I really need to draw up a time line of the various modifications because there were quite a few. Not a comprehensive list but off the top of my head it includes The original station used to have a canopy over the tracks later removed. The original coaling stage was next to the shed, it then got moved opposite and put on the ramp. The shelter over the ramp wasn't always there, again I need to check details. The malt house behind the shed at some point had windows put in the tiled roof. Towards the end of the shed life the terrace houses behind got demolished. Again towards the end the trackplan got simplified, maybe a couple of times, down to one or maybe two turnouts for a return line into the shed. A small brick built "utility" room got built infront of the shed ( one photo caption labels it as a privvy!). I can see myself poring over photo's again tonight. As for the 3-way - that could be the basis of another posting, following the examples on the Templot site I used the GIMP to tweak a photo and build the templot plan on top of it.
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The four turntables are 20ft in diameter and were used to enable small Midland locos to gain access to the works. After the LMS reorganisation of the shed in the 30's the works they were no longer used for their original purpose. The procedure was to uncouple the engine from the tender and haul it into the works. During my regular visits to the shed in the early 60's the turntables I did not ever see them in operation. I haven't yet decided on the construction of these small turntables but would like them to be operational. I have a number of track plans for the shed. One is a copy of an early plan circa 1890 which shows shed pre LMS modernisation with an outside 42ft turntable and midland coaling stage and the other is a later plan, from the OPC stable { now presumably in the NRM }, which is super-imposed on the Templot plan to give the position of the structures.
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Hopefully I'll get the copyright issues sorted out soon then I can publish a couple of photo's to show what I'm trying to capture. In the meantime I have the OS maps and the beginnings of a templot plan. On this map the goods yard, mainline and station are off to the right. The shed is to the left of the malthouse on Station street. It was called station street as the old Birmingham and Gloucester Railway used to have a branch terminus here, it's the covered bit by Sun street. The line then runs down left along quay street down to the quay. My understanding is that quay street was the limit for loco's, the wagons were then shunted around the quay by horse power. However I think I'll be using a little modellers license and allow loco's down to the quay if it ever gets that far. Crown copyright. The quay area is shown here, which is the location of the quay photos posted a few days ago. Crown copyright As mentioned there is no way this will fit in 2010" so for the moment I'm just concentrating on the shed area. I've made a start on a templot plan For the challenge it's just the middleboard and righthand board which works out at 100" by 20", annotated with a quick sketch to show the main features. The fiddleyard will be off to the right hand side hidden behind the Malthouse. The plan shows a board for the old B&G station on the righthand side, this will be a future extension down to the quay.
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Boxfile Kyle - Point taken...
Rammstein2609 commented on bcnPete's blog entry in coombe junction - moorswater
Hi Pete, Thanks for your reply. I bought Templot over two years ago and only recently learned how to properly use it so my plan was to just print of a track plan and use standard turnout sleepers as I have done the same previously in 00 gauge. Seeing these EASITRAC bases made me wonder if they were any good. They seem a lot quicker than the traditional way. Cheers Martin -
Hi Robin, You certainly have your work cut out with all that trackwork but its looking superb, it certainly makes life easier when you have templot or the like to make sense of what goes were so to speak. thanks for posting. Peter
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Here is the Templot for the South Exit to the shed which consists of a B6 turnout and a Single Slip onto the mainline. The full size template attached to 6mm ply ready for fixing the ply sleepers. That's enough for now - back to the workbench.
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Boxfile Kyle - Point taken...
bcnPete commented on bcnPete's blog entry in coombe junction - moorswater
Martin, Thanks and welcome to the world of 2mmFS! It's a fair question and a good one - To be honest, to date, I have only seen turnouts completed prior to ballasting. The base is quite thin as with the small low spacers between the plain track, however a thin layer of ballast should cover it, albeit, it looks like it will need to be done extremely carefully. You could perhaps speak with Bryn of this forum who is currently building his turnouts off templot plans using sleeper timbering, including a beautiful 3 way turnout. Over to you Bryn! Feel free to jump in anyone who has seen or ballasted an EASITRAC turnout... Pete -
Missy has asked if I had a track plan for what I'd be building. Well, sorta! The background is a combination of a scan from "Manchester Victoria Station" by Tom Wray and screen shots of Google Maps. The scan represents Manchester Victoria in the 1930's, and Google Maps show the area post-Arena. The yellow lines are track I've worked out from photos etc were around in the 1980's, the light blue line I'm not 100% sure about. The green area is the approximate non-scenic area of the baseboards. As it stands with the 20' x 4' of baseboards I currently have, there will need to be some modification of the track-plan, especially at the western end to enable the track to get into the fiddle yard while maintaining a decent minimum radius. I do have room to extend each end by a foot or two, so I will probably end up doing that instead. I have traced most of the yellow into Templot, ready for the track to be built, but I thought that this version was easier to follow. I'll post the Templot .box file for the layout when I've tidied it up a little.
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Spent a pleasant hour or three doing the basic Templot plan for Balcombe station yesterday, using the 1910 25-inch OS map as an underlying picture shape together with some photos in the 1950s to modify some of the detail/errors in the map and changes due to the subsequent elapsed time - notably the change in position of the trailing crossover between the two main lines from the platform area to north of the entrance to the down refuge siding. FB on the main line (thanks to Martin Wynne for pointing me at the correct switch option ) - nice D12 crossover! - and BH in the yard. Will probably leave the detailed tweaking until we get the available photos from Lens of Sutton. At full size this bit alone is about 9m long - but we should be able to compress it a bit by reducing the length of the two refuge sidings.
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More problems with that platform
richard_t commented on The Fatadder's blog entry in Inspired by Botley - Closed
Sorry if you've already tried this, but have you tried slewing the bay line in Templot? -
Well, I've tried playing with templot, and sadly havent had much success with the platform modifications. Thanks to some information on DEMU and some diagrams from the Scalefour Society I was able to confirm how wide the platform should be. Unfortunately after completing both of my planned modifications (shifting the point back and increasing the curve on the platform track) I still have not been able to get the width of the platform to comply with even the minimum standards (let alone those for a high speed line.) Now I think I am right in saying that a secondary mainline located west of Bristol would be 100mph max speed not 125, so I guess that does mean that I can just about avoid the 100mph + requirements (this is thinking in terms of the layouts expansion rather than how it will be initially). This does help me slightly as it does allow a narrower platform (all be it not as narrow as mine would have to be.) At the moment the platform is approximately 80mm (20ft) wide (edge to edge) at the left hand end, and approximately 100mm (25ft) at the buffer stop. This is further compounded by the extra width that is required if you want to have any platform seats (let alone having the bus stop type shelter that was planned). This has the unfortunatly affect of not only the platform being rather suspect in its accuracy should the build go ahead, but also means that actual modelling involved becomes rather dull, as there is no opportunity to add any canopies, buildings or any other detailing to the platform tops... There are options to enable more width, none of which are really much use. The point accessing the branch platform could be moved back further increasing the distance between it and the mainline, however given its close proximity to the baseboard joint, the only way to do this would be to move it off scene, build another baseboard or to shift the whole layout along by another 12inches or so (loosing 12 inches of platform). Moving it off scene looses too much operation/building interest, building another baseboard means I may as well start again with a new plan thats designed from the outset to use that space, and having already chopped out 100mm of platform the station will start looking silly if I remove any more (particularly chopping out another 300mm!) The only other option is to use a tighter radius point (thus getting the curve finished sooner), Given that I am already using a BV8 I really dont want to go much tighter (particularly as given a BV7 wouldnt make enough of a difference it would require using a 6 which is just too tight (and looks a bit rubbish tbh). So where does that leave the layout... The first step is going to be research! I am going to have a hunt for a similar prototype station which has a mainline on one side of the platform and a branch on the other, with a narrow platform. If I can find a suitable prototype to use as precedence for the design then all is good and I can stop worrying about it! If not, back to the drawing board I guess....
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More planning and thinking and research
10800 commented on 10800's blog entry in Ouse Viaduct/Balcombe/Lewes project
Thanks Martin - as it happens I might be firing up Templot this afternoon to start this, so that's very timely! -
More planning and thinking and research
martin_wynne commented on 10800's blog entry in Ouse Viaduct/Balcombe/Lewes project
Hi Rod, For pre-1959 FB renewals use the FB-109 switches in Templot. These are in effect "drop-in" replacements for the REA bullhead designs, and virtually identical in geometry. For post-1959 renewals use the BS-110A/BS-113A Inclined switches in Templot. These use fully curved switch planing, and the turnouts are slightly longer as a result. Don't use the Colin Craig BS-113A Vertical templates for the 1950s and 60s -- these were introduced for renewals only from about 1970. (They should also be 1432mm gauge / 18.79mm.) regards, Martin. -
Not a whole lot more has been accomplished since I posted the introduction yesterday, but there has been one pretty significant issue come up. As mentioned earlier I have based the trackplan on that at Botley to the point where its a pretty accurate representation. The problem has come with the branch platform, which on the prototype is just a headshunt which runs parallel with a platform. the problem is that this requires a much wider platform in order to satisfy the requirements (its currently only 20ft wide) I think I can get the width up a little more by pulling the point back 20mm coupled with a slightly tighter curve before the platform rather than having it parallel with the mainline might help a bit, most annoyingly this does mean lifting up templates that are very well glued down! I have also made a start on the track construction finally, having dug out all the components for the branch platform, found out that due to the short half metre rail lengths I have for bullhead rail, I am actually short of a lot more track than I thought as each length will only do one rail for one 60ft panel, so given the amount of wastage I am going to have to buy a pack of bullhead rail before I can build more than 2 panels. On the plus side this is the section that needs redesigning anyway in order to get the platform in anyway so its not too much of a hold up. Will be returning to Templot this afternoon to get things sorted!
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Yes. it is rather sharpe. One or two people have questioned whether it is viable in P4, but it is as near scale as we (Tony Wilkins, actually) could get using Templot. I've successfully pushed my WD 2-8-0, tender first, propelling a couple of 16T minerals round by hand. No problems (there's gauge widening and continuous check rail to help) but it might be different under power. The Ivatt/BR class 2 tanks have a nice, short coupled wheelbase, so they might be OK. Lancky class 27 0-6-0's are probably what were used in real life? Dave.
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Heyside Trackwork
dikitriki posted a blog entry in 'Heyside', 7mm Scale Layout, BR Late 50s/Early 60s
One of the areas I had to address was the trackwork in general, and pointwork in particular. Since the rebuild was to be so extensive, I was faced with building a good few points. I didn't realise just how many until I got stuck in, but suffice to say that none of the original ones remain, apart from 4 Vs and 9 stock rails! In many ways that is a good thing in that there is going to be a consistency of construction, and it will be nobody's fault but mine if it doesn't run well. At the outset, Clive and I spent nearly all of one day positioning just one key board, from which everything else had to follow, and although it's taken a great deal of time since, we pretty much got it right. The available space was measured, and the ideas were sent off to Flubrush (Flubrush and Dikitriki eh! God help us!)who very kindly played around with Templot to see if our ideas could be turned into reality. They could, and they were, but it was all horribly tight with little room for manoeuvre. I had to start with the crossover approach to the yard... and the exit from the goods loop... as these were at the start of the curve to the fiddle yard, and were very close to the limit of the layout. Here the crossover is in place in front of the huge warehouse modelled on that at Royton. Some detailed shots of construction - stretcher bars, switch anchors and fishplates. At the other end of the layout, the 3 existing points were found to be under a 4'6" radius in places, so they had to go. That of course caused considerable problems with alignment as they were replaced with 5'6" radius points, so space suddenly became much tighter. In fact I was able to get away with a reduced radius on the inner main loop of 5' 9 1/2" instead of 6' so it's not worked out too badly. It was Clive who worked out that we could put a yard run round in, so I had to build 2 further points, but it will much enhance operational interest. Here are the new points at the branch throat showing the run round, and the board in place in front of the factory. I also wanted to expand the minerals yard in front of the factory, so a new board was built, but I also needed a very compact layout. Alan MacMillan and Martin Wynne came to my rescue by Templotting a 3-throw point. Very unusual in model form (not that common in real life either) because they are tricky to build as there are 2 pairs of blades occupying the same space. However, it all worked first time, and I enjoyed building the rather unusual turnout. This illustrates the difficulty with a lot of rail in a small area. The next 3 photographs show the blade settings for the different routes. and here are 2 pics of the finished item... The railway room is in a mess currently, as we are all working on different areas. The last of the boards should have the droppers and bus finished tomorrow, which means the whole thing can be put back together and we can have a massive tidy. At that stage, I shall take some more photos so you can see where we are now. Richard -
Hi Peter, good to hear from you. I have a set of A1 size Templot sheets - see earlier photos with your coaling tower - which will be fixed to the baseboard when I start the tracklaying. For making thepointwork I also have a set of Templot turnout templates copied from the main plan. These have been cut out and stuck down on offcuts of 6mm ply using thin - 3mm - double sided sellotape. Ply sleepers are temporarily fixed to this templot template using the same tape - the yellow/brown stuff in the photo - and away we go. Credit for the Templot plans must go to my good friend Morgan. Cheers, Robin I have just spent ??15 on a 'Roger Sanders' gauge 'for fine tuning pointwork - brilliant - why didn't I get one earlier!
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Hi Robin, Nice to see it develope, is the Templot permantly fixed to the baseboard or is it just used primarily to taylor make the track formations etc? Its looking good and looking forward to seeing it progress. cheers Peter
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Track laying continues, but progress is quite slow. I thought plain track would be quite easy, and I suppose it is technically, but it still takes an age. Progress is not really helped by my attempt to replicate the 60 ft and 30 ft track panels used on the real thing. It appears that only the main platform road was 60 ft, all the other being 30 ft. To achieve this, all the sleeper ties on the flexi-track have to be removed and sleepers moved along to the correct spacings. I've already marked the position of the rail joints as near as possible from the Templot track plan. All this cutting and sleeper moving takes time. Then there's a limit how many jar-weights I have to hold the track down whilst the glue dries and there's the ply sleepers with panel pins to be soldered at the board edges...... Anyway, I've now got most of the track in position on the station throat board - just the loop head shunt left to do. Meanwhile, a Delph motor train arrived, hauled by the Fowler Cl 3 2-6-2 tank and consisting of M45 driving trailer M3419M and M12 non-driving trailer M3425M - both beautifully modelled by Coachman. Thanks Coach!! Overall view of the station throat track-work. Lead filled jam jars on the coal drop road whilst glue dries. A taste of things to come. Typical 1950's motor train crosses the curved diamond which gives access to the mill siding. Dave.
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You seem to have mastered Templot much better than I have, I have tried to understand how to make 3 ways, but it all goes over my head. I resort to splicing two plain turnouts together. I will try and keep an eye on your blog as I find trackwork interesting
