Popular Post marc smith Posted December 8, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted December 8, 2015 Some of you may have seen my previous modelling efforts, either here on rmweb, in popular modelling magazines, or at exhibition. I’ve previously built minimum-space O gauge layouts, and have been quite pleased with them. As a fan of really small layouts generally, and in an effort to get back some of the modelling “mojo” I seem to have lost, I’ve been pondering yet another very small O gauge layout.I’m after building something very quickly, and at minimal cost. I just don’t have any time these days – what with work and life’s other commitments. I also think that modelling is something of an insular hobby – we tend to lock ourselves away in dens, garages and hobby rooms to pursue this strange and wonderful pastime.This can be a drain on, or test of “domestic equilibrium” and besides, I quite like to be able to model in the lounge (or “living room” depending on local linguistics!) I built my tiny OO layout in a crate “Bracty Bridge” this way – as the box was so small, it would fit on my lap, while sat watching the TV. I even took it on holiday once!So I’m pondering another really small project – in O gauge, even smaller than my previous effort “Poynton Sneer” which was just under 5 feet in length. This time, I’ve decided that’s too big for the lap! So I’ve sketched a design which is just 3 feet, by around 15 inches deep.A modular approach, which will require 2 cassette fiddle yards to run the layout. Although you could run it with just the one fiddle cassette on the left of the design.I’ve decided to steer clear of the typical overbridge or tunnel type entrance to the layout. The track emerges from behind a building on the left, and disappears behind some bushes and the proscenium arch (frame) on the right. I’ve opted for this project as I have most of the elements ready, sat unused in my modelling room. Some of them were intended for other projects.The point on the diagram is really small, but this was another project I had in mind years ago. I picked up a couple of old Lima O gauge points and started to improve their appearance. Although these points are rather coarse, their appearance can be improved, and for this project, much of the sleepering will be hidden by coal dust, grime & general muck. These Lima points are very tight radius and a real boon for saving space in O gauge. So far, everything I tried running through them was fine.Anyhow, if you have any thoughts – let me know 27 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nth Degree Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Like all your projects, I'm looking forward to this one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Hi Marc, Pleased to see you "back". Will watch with interest how this one develops. Cheers, Alan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d600 Posted December 8, 2015 Share Posted December 8, 2015 Will be following this one I do like a small layout. Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Your scrap yard was a great model with lots of character I'm sure a move up in scale will result in the same character filled scenic's. Good luck with the build. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted December 9, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 9, 2015 Have fun with this. My microlayout also uses just one point. Surprising what you can do in a small space. Dava 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 9, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 9, 2015 (edited) Hi Marc, Good to see you posting again. If you are using a cassette, you could dispense with the point altogether and use cassettes mounted on a sector plate. But looking forward to how you do this. Stu Edited December 9, 2015 by Stubby47 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted December 9, 2015 Author Share Posted December 9, 2015 Hi Stu,Yes, I did think of disposing of the point altogetherHowever, it's also nice to see a point, or part of one, as they are so very much part of the railway (obviously Smith! lol)And the point here (pardon the pun) is to use some bits & pieces I already have to handI'd started a thread, ages ago, about modifying these old Lima points - but sadly, like so many projectsI never did too much with it.I had thought of several ways of using Lima points on a larger layout, and several ways of disguising how tight a radius they areand how crude the sleepering and general appearance is.So if this doesn't work out too well - as with other very small projects, it doesn't matter too muchI could scrap the whole thing, or just replace the point with a sector plate, as you sayI also bought half a Peco diamond crossing sometime back (for a quid!) as I wanted to try doing a "stub point"More of that later - and at my current modelling rate....... much later! Cheers allPS. It's good to be back - but not good to quote Gary Glitter! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 This looks interesting already. Having been a fan of all your previous layouts, consider me subscribed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted December 9, 2015 Author Share Posted December 9, 2015 Here's a comparison of the Lima O gauge points.Firstly, as they come (this one's even got the box)Then I cut 2 of them down - to get rid of that awfully sharp diverging curveand cut away that huge box structure containing the switch mechanismOn one point, I have also replaced the plastic check rails with off cuts of rail - which I think also helps a bitAs I said, I think once the sleepers are mostly buried in coal dust a grime - perhaps we won't see the awful spacing so much?The final view shows the comparison with my cut down Lima point, alongside a standard Peco O gauge point 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Would the Ixion Hudswell Clarke and Dapol Terrier go round that curve? No would be a good answer to save me adding any other projects to my to-do list, but I'm curious for future reference! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted December 9, 2015 Author Share Posted December 9, 2015 Would the Ixion Hudswell Clarke and Dapol Terrier go round that curve? No would be a good answer to save me adding any other projects to my to-do list, but I'm curious for future reference! Hi BG John, the current answer is, I don't know I haven't tried my Hudswell Clarke through it yet. However, my Bachmann Brassworks 08 ran through it fine in tests I did a couple of years back I'll hopefully be trying my Ixion through it soon (maybe this weekend) Please forgive my lack of experimentation here - I've only just dug these items out again, after a long time My intention for this layout was to use my 0-4-0 simplex, and possibly an Ixion 0-4-0 diesel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Would the Ixion Hudswell Clarke and Dapol Terrier go round that curve? No would be a good answer to save me adding any other projects to my to-do list, but I'm curious for future reference! The Ixion Hudswell Clarke will happily negotiate a 36" radius curve and I have had one down to 28", albeit with some protest. The Ixion Fowler 0-4-0DM will manage a 24" radius curve, but with long overhangs at both ends. The Minerva Peckett 0-4-0ST is marketed for 36", but will take tighter curves with long overhangs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold wenlock Posted December 9, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 9, 2015 As others have said, good to see you playing trains again! I reckon if you set the foreground line at a slightly lower height than the back one it would add to the illusion of depth. Having one line sloping up from the point and one down would definitely add to the fun in construction, all the more exciting when balanced on your knee! :-) 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted December 9, 2015 Author Share Posted December 9, 2015 (edited) Thanks for that info 81A Oldoak.I'm not actually sure what the radius of the Lima points isIf anyone knows for sure - that'd be greatThinking about it, the Lima points were made to run Lima O gauge stockThey of course made an 0-4-0 diesel shunter, a BR Class 33 (Bo-Bo wheel arrangement), and an 0-6-0 tender loco.I'm fairly sure that among the various coaches and wagons Lima made, there was a long-ish wheel base 3 axle van?Of course, differing wheels and axle sideplay will also be a contributing factor as to what can negotiate the curves tooMy mojo must be returning, as I have just bagged a bargain from ebay - An Ixion 0-4-0 diesel shunter, for a very nice priceI really shouldn't be buying more stuff just yet, but it's an early Christmas present to myself EDIT: Indeed Mr Wenlock, I already had planned that curved front to the layout as slightly lower than the trackbedAs I always seem to include this in a design. Barry Ten once said this was a hallmark of a "Smith designed layout"As you say, it adds more to the sense of depth - but it also allows you to get your camera in there without clouting fences etc Edited December 9, 2015 by marc smith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne 37901 Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Hi Marc, Good to see that you're back modelling. I'm sure this project will have as much character as your others. What happened with the coal themed project, I believe you started laying track? I'm currently busy working on stock. Having a show deadline really does give you a kick up the bum! All the best buddy, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mudmagnet Posted December 9, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 9, 2015 Hi Marc Great to see you back! Been missing your projects. Will follow with interest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY NORWOOD Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Hi Marc Nice to see you back with us again. Will be looking on this project with interest as usual. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
E Pinniger Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 All of the recent RTR O gauge locomotives will manage Lima points and curved track (somewhat surprisingly). The Ixion Hudswell-Clarke and Dapol Terrier will sometimes derail on track joins if they aren't perfectly aligned. Also surprisingly (for me at least, based on previous attempts at combining 3-link couplings with sharp curve radii in 4mm scale) I've had no problems either pulling or propelling rolling stock (up to a 6-wheel coach in length, not tried bogie stock) around Lima curves, though when propelling it helps if all the stock has sprung buffers!I've never posted on RMWeb before but I may post some photos of my layout at some point - it's a minimum-space "tailchaser" with a pre-war light railway setting, the baseboard is in 2 sections so it can be stored in a space about 3x6ft when not being run. I used Lima curves for the main circuit, two of the three points are scratchbuilt ones acquired second-hand but the third (in the station goods yard) is a Lima one, like you I cut it down at both ends and removed the bulky switch mechanism (it's now operated by a GEM manual point lever) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 All of the recent RTR O gauge locomotives will manage Lima points and curved track (somewhat surprisingly). The Ixion Hudswell-Clarke and Dapol Terrier will sometimes derail on track joins if they aren't perfectly aligned. Also surprisingly (for me at least, based on previous attempts at combining 3-link couplings with sharp curve radii in 4mm scale) I've had no problems either pulling or propelling rolling stock (up to a 6-wheel coach in length, not tried bogie stock) around Lima curves, though when propelling it helps if all the stock has sprung buffers! I've never posted on RMWeb before but I may post some photos of my layout at some point - it's a minimum-space "tailchaser" with a pre-war light railway setting, the baseboard is in 2 sections so it can be stored in a space about 3x6ft when not being run. I used Lima curves for the main circuit, two of the three points are scratchbuilt ones acquired second-hand but the third (in the station goods yard) is a Lima one, like you I cut it down at both ends and removed the bulky switch mechanism (it's now operated by a GEM manual point lever) MAY post photos isn't good enough. You're committed now . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 For my US outline layout 'Schiller Point' I built the switches (ok, points) from Code 100 rail & copperclad sleeper strip, using a 1:1 photocopy of a Lima point as a template. even my Atlas 6-axle SD40 can negotiate them, but not pull stock, due to overhang. I had less success with UK stock & 3-links. Especially on reverse curves. If you can avoid those, that might help. As for Marc's 'cut down' Lima point - remarkable just how small it really is, isn't it??!!?? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hartleymartin Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 The Peckett should manage a 24" radius. I've got a Tower Models Barclay which has a silar wheelbase and overall dimensions which managed it. I found that I sometimes needed slightly longer 3 link couplings when shunting stock but sprung buffers greatly help. At the time I was using dumb buffers which made things difficult. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted December 10, 2015 Author Share Posted December 10, 2015 (edited) Thanks for all your kind words folks - much appreciated And E Pinniger - yes please, post some photos, plus welcome to joining in on rmweb. It's the best model railway forum on the planet It's surprising how many odds & ends I've accrued over the years, and my last O gauge min-space layout "Poynton Sneer" was an attempt at modelling on the cheap, and using bits & pieces, and odds & ends I'd either picked up cheaply, or just had lying around the place unused.In similar fashion here, on the plan you may have noted (if you can understand my scrawl!) the building on the left of the layout"Oliver & Evans Co." - this was a very early attempt at scratchbuilding in O gauge, using card. It was pretty much all re-cycled card tooI wanted a concrete rendered building, which had seen better days, and liked the idea of bits of rendering coming off, revealing underlying brickworkAnyhow, here it is, and I also wanted to do something like this, where the track emerges from behind a building, rather than the usual bridge or tunnel.... Edited December 10, 2015 by marc smith 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Really nice building there Mark. I'm trying to replicate that effect myself - do you have any suggestions or a tutorial on how you did it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY NORWOOD Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 Yes Marc Suggestions on how you did wonderful building please. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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