Spitfire2865 Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 With university being a big portion of my life, and restricting my modeling efforts in a small dorm room, I made the compromise to build a folding layout based on the feel of a photo of the Midland Railway's Curzon Street Goods station. Specifically, this photo. Obviously, I do not own this photo, so I claim no rights to it. But what to build? At my dorm, the desks have shelves 9" deep and 24.5" wide. So I had my length set by furniture. But due to the brilliant layout thread "7mm in a Motorhome", I realized I could fit a good bit more if I folded the boards lengthwise. So total scenic area of 24" x 10". Now trackplan. I wanted to keep the feel of the photo above, yet fit a usable trackplan into the space, as well as keep everything from looking boring and ordinary. So thus I arrive at this. A sector plate allows a hidden runaround to shunt a cutaway corner if a medium sized goods shed to also hide the sector plate. The right side board holds an inglenook disguised with those lovely island docks. And along the backscene, half loading dock, half warehouse. All will be inset trackwork laid with stone sets, which will be fun around that double slip. Im trying to decide between clay inlay or plastic sheet. Ill probably do a mix of both to ease the work around the points. Track has been ordered, and hopefully will arrive by the weekend. Then the fun task of modifying that double slip/point combo to sit inside eachother as well as sit over the folding joint. I see much soldering in my future to ensure that central joint lines up right. Hopefully updates soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
380John Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Well done! I take my hat off to you for determination in such a small space and for not letting a small space stop you enjoying the hobby. Nice to see the basis on an actual location. To help with the small space have you considered using 'forced perspective ' it's quite a common thing in the modelling press, although I haven't tried it myself some of the results are quite impressive. It allows a lot to be put into a small space but at the same time creating an impression of depth and space which isn't actually there. Just an idea. Good luck with it. I look forward to seeing your progress! Cheers, John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted January 19, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 19, 2016 Looks interesting, good luck! Folding baseboards look neat, I think I'd be tempted to cut a hole at the sector plate end that would allow you to add a separate fiddle yard if you find yourself with a bit more space in the future. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire2865 Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Well done! I take my hat off to you for determination in such a small space and for not letting a small space stop you enjoying the hobby. Nice to see the basis on an actual location. To help with the small space have you considered using 'forced perspective ' it's quite a common thing in the modelling press, although I haven't tried it myself some of the results are quite impressive. It allows a lot to be put into a small space but at the same time creating an impression of depth and space which isn't actually there. Just an idea. Good luck with it. I look forward to seeing your progress! Cheers, John Curzon Street has just so many great photos which ooze atmosphere to me. I especially enjoy the road/rail interfaces of those island platforms. Ive seen some articles about forced perspective, unfortunately my backscene is so limited I dont have the room for it! Im still trying to decide whether or not I want a warehouse, or generic offices backscene. Let alone making it forced perspective. My real issue is the station building front left, due to the shape of the space, I have to nail down a design, fit it into the height requirements, figure out how to make it look real, and finally figure out how to build an angled roof cut at a diagonal. Looks interesting, good luck! Folding baseboards look neat, I think I'd be tempted to cut a hole at the sector plate end that would allow you to add a separate fiddle yard if you find yourself with a bit more space in the future. If I ever decide on it later, I always can unscrew the board. Though if I had more room, Id go bigger in general. But lets get one layout done before I start planning a new one! Haha. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire2865 Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Well. Though it may look like a lot of progress, its not. I didnt have a newer picture until now, so a few days ago the cork was laid down. Last night I finally finished the cork around the sector plate. Lots of rough measuring and hoping. Luckily, I got it right first time. Here you can see I actually have planned this out, the headshunt will fit a Jinty and 3 wagons, but the runaround can hold 2 OR store 1. Rough estimate of how the station will block the sector plate...somewhat. Last night I had a go at figuring out how I want to do the station. Midland design tended to have multiple roads so I figured maybe add a dummy track to the front. Problem is where do I end it? I could continue it straight and end it at the hinge, though it wouldnt really look right, or I could end it right after it exits the building, as if the main entrance is off scene left. Ive seen the idea of tracks exiting a goods station on the back side for a short bit in some plans, but not sure how it would look here. Thoughts? And towards the left, simple inglenook but with the addition of wagon turntables connecting all 3 tracks and extending into a door in the backscene, or passing between two buildings as in the photo of Curzon. The idea being the turntables block the siding lengths, better enforcing the inglenook rules. Currently, the runaround and points are the only things which have no wiggle room. The 4 sidings can always be adjusted, and Im waiting for the track to arrive so I can have a play with maybe adjusting the sidings to better suit the scene. Thoughts? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 As others have said - good on you, for showing determination to build a model railway, despite life's demands & constraintsIf you can complete this project, and study - then even better A lot of people think that lack of space is a limiting factorWell, in some senses, of course it is. But it can work for you as well. It can help focus your designThere's less of a temptation to "cram a depot in the corner" or add another couple of sidings....plus you have more of a chance of completing the project, and it can teach you a lot of skillsThat's a nice design. I think you have resisted the temptation to put too much trackwork into the area. It looks as though it will work nicelyand give plenty of operating potential and interest. I've built several small layouts over the past few yearsand I'd also suggest thinking about placing a mirror on one end of the layout.Friends on here will ask "where's the mirror going to be?" as a first question, when I design a layout It can help make a small scene look larger, and less crampedIt seems to work particularly well with warehouse & factory buildings on the backsceneRe the granite setts - I'd say yes to DAS modelling clay or similar, for those awkward curved and oddly shaped nooks & cranniesAnd as for the hinges, I immediately thought that you could turn the rear one into a water tower base,and simply add the tank on to the top when unfolded. It needn't be a railway type water tower - it could easily be associated with one of the works..Good luck with the project, and of course, good luck with your studies Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
380John Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 The mirror idea is an excellent idea in fact there's a layout in this months railway modeller based on a real location (can't think of the name off the top of my head) that has a mirror on one end. The effect is great and well worth considering Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 Here's an example of a mirror on a very small layoutI built "Hendre Lane" several years back now. It's only 3 foot 6 long, by about 18 inches deepThere is only one class 25 diesel in the photo. The other, in the background is a reflection in a mirrorThe mirror is disguised by a low relief chimney on the backscene, and a low relief footbridge running across itThe footbridge is in fact just half modelled. The other side of it again being a reflection of the back of it,and pipes running across the scene further help to hide the join between real & virtual model Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 Sorry to hijack the thread lolBut here's another example of a mirror on a layoutand this layout is only 4 feet 11, including fiddle yard..... and it's O gauge Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesg Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 Curzon Street looks like a fantastic subject to model; there's a lot going on in quite a small space. Laying the track at a slight angle to the edge of the baseboard, as you have done, helps disguise the edges and makes the layout appear larger. I'm looking forward to seeing how this layout develops, good luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire2865 Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Wow. Fast service from Hattons. Track arrived today, and the first thing I got to was modifying the double slip to sit partially inside the left hand point. A bit of nerve wracking work trying to create as few cuts as possible and maintain the structural integrity of the track as well as avoiding ruining the £35 double slip. I think I managed. While soldering, I only slightly nipped the guard rail, but its so slight it wont make a difference. Before you all start yelling, "You forgot the insulated gaps! The electrics wont work!" I already thought of that. The baseboard join is the electric break. No sense trying to link the two physically. Just wire them together to form two completely and independently controllable baseboards which just happen to perfectly match up. Only issue is between the time I glue it down and cut the track joint, I cant fold or move the boards. Wouldnt be so bad if it wasnt on the only table in my dorm. And to ensure the track is strong at the joint, Im soldering copper clad pcb to hold the gauge and ensure I dont knock the rails when folded. Now no class for the next 4 days, lets get to work! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire2865 Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 Well. Soldering is done for this central bit. The track is nicely soldered to copper clad, all the joints are nicely soldered, and now tomorrow, hopefully I can get the left board mostly done up to the sector plate. Im still deciding on the track going into the station, and I still need to order some wagon turntable etches because I need 3, and I doubt I can make 3 to a consistent standard without messing up the gauge. Still taking advice for the station tracks. Would it be unheard of to maybe have a through track next to a road which exits the building yet stops maybe a wagon length or two past? Something like this? Obviously this implies there is much more to the station to the left off scene as well as this wall actually being the "back" of the station building. In my mind, this implies this bit of the yard is a bit of a bottleneck between the main goods facility off scene left and a more open air, road/rail goods handling to the right. Actually, much like Curzon in the photo I added. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted January 21, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2016 You mention wagon turntable etches; is there an existing supplier of these or is it something you are looking to draw up and get etched? Either way I'd suggest getting yourself a couple of track gauges rather than relying on aligning by eye. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted January 21, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2016 Would it be unheard of to maybe have a through track next to a road which exits the building yet stops maybe a wagon length or two past? Something like this? image.jpg Obviously this implies there is much more to the station to the left off scene as well as this wall actually being the "back" of the station building. In my mind, this implies this bit of the yard is a bit of a bottleneck between the main goods facility off scene left and a more open air, road/rail goods handling to the right. Actually, much like Curzon in the photo I added. Would something like this work? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Spitfire, The most long-lasting layout I ever built was a micro in (I think) roughly the same space as yours. I built it when I bought a first, very tiny, house, and was simultaneously broke and busy. Since it was 009/HOe, it wasn't such an achievement/challenge as yours,though. Pictures here http://www.carendt.com/small-layout-scrapbook/page-57-january-2007/ Because it packed away so small, it survived house moves and other upheavals - it is still around somewhere, and is now just short of 33 years old - I remember making the baseboards on the garden path (no workbench!) on a lovely warm day in Summer 1983. So ........ Go carefully with the build, and yours might be around in 2049. Kevin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire2865 Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 You mention wagon turntable etches; is there an existing supplier of these or is it something you are looking to draw up and get etched? Either way I'd suggest getting yourself a couple of track gauges rather than relying on aligning by eye. There are comercially available etches for wagon turntables. http://www.phd-design-etchings.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=138 Just not exactly the cheapest option, but not too terrible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire2865 Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 Would something like this work? tipton crop.JPG Could I ask where that scan is from? Are there better photos?And is it a goods shed? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted January 21, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2016 Could I ask where that scan is from? Are there better photos? And is it a goods shed? Tipton, LNWR; 1904 OS map. Yes, that is the end of the goods shed. I'm currently on the lookout for photos, but not seen any showing that area, unfortunately. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethashenden Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Trevor, You can get old OS maps here. Look at anywhere in the country, very good for layout research. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire2865 Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 This evening, Ive started the most annoying part since laying out the sector plate. Manual point operation. Now regular points are easy. Push up to go to the top road, down to go bottom. Except for double slips. Along with a tierod controlling the opposite frog polarity, the orientation of the tie rods are inverse and opposite to the direction they control. So naturally, me being the idiot I am, have devised a simple way to easily orientate the switches to correlate not with the tie rods, but with the road the switch is turned to. As if contorting the control wires to their minimum radius was not enough, Peco have thoughtfully made their double slips have half the throw as their standard points... So the plan of just directly wiring the tierod to the slide switch wont work. Time to bend omega loops out of wire way too tough to even flex in that way. So now I have to source a ~.8mm flexible and springy wire to substitute the incredibly stiff wire that I have. So I doubt I can get much else done for a bit until I can source that. So happy I decided to run all the control wires on top of the baseboard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lincoln40a Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Hi Trevor l had this problem 20 yrs ago, instead of an omega loop l just bent three sharp bends in the wire leaving an open ended triangle, the larger the triangle the greater the flexibility. Graham Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
croydon junction Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Well. Soldering is done for this central bit. image.jpg The track is nicely soldered to copper clad, all the joints are nicely soldered, and now tomorrow, hopefully I can get the left board mostly done up to the sector plate. Im still deciding on the track going into the station, and I still need to order some wagon turntable etches because I need 3, and I doubt I can make 3 to a consistent standard without messing up the gauge. Still taking advice for the station tracks. Would it be unheard of to maybe have a through track next to a road which exits the building yet stops maybe a wagon length or two past? Something like this? image.jpg Obviously this implies there is much more to the station to the left off scene as well as this wall actually being the "back" of the station building. In my mind, this implies this bit of the yard is a bit of a bottleneck between the main goods facility off scene left and a more open air, road/rail goods handling to the right. Actually, much like Curzon in the photo I added. Looks great! Keep up the work, and the trackplan looks great! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire2865 Posted January 22, 2016 Author Share Posted January 22, 2016 Hi Trevor l had this problem 20 yrs ago, instead of an omega loop l just bent three sharp bends in the wire leaving an open ended triangle, the larger the triangle the greater the flexibility. Graham Ive tried that. Unfortunatley the wire I have is too brittle to bend past 90* without snapping. What kind of wire would work best for that? Its really making me hate Peco that their double slip has less throw than their standard points. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lincoln40a Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Ive tried that. Unfortunatley the wire I have is too brittle to bend past 90* without snapping. What kind of wire would work best for that? Its really making me hate Peco that their double slip has less throw than their standard points. standard piano wire or stainless steel welding rodsGraham Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty3f Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 So now I have to source a ~.8mm flexible and springy wire to substitute the incredibly stiff wire that I have. So I doubt I can get much else done for a bit until I can source that. So happy I decided to run all the control wires on top of the baseboard. Guitar strings are cheap, in different gauges, easy to work into an omega or other shape, and still sufficiently springy / rigid enough to operate the tie bar. I have 2 double slips which operate this way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.