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SouthernMafia's Projects & Portland - a 'what might have been' NSE layout in Dorset


SouthernMafia
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Thanks all for your kind words. A successful weekend for Portland, the layout ran well generally but a few back to back issues and flange way gaps to sort out for next time. Lots of suggestions and tips from my Winchester Railway Modeller colleagues who I must thank for their help operating and packing up. The layout received two verbal invitations to shows in 2017 and 2018 so hopefully these will be confirmed and another target date to aim for! I'll post a few pics soon and be good to see any others too.

 

Mark, thanks for your comments and sorry I didn't get a chance to chat more with you. The B2B gauge was given to me by a friend but I'm not sure where he got it from. I will try and find out for you.

 

Good to meet you too Ian and chat with you about all things NSE!

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Very nice Rich and looking forward to seeing what else you do as the finish was very good on it so far, the entertainment of the suddenly shrinking operator was good too ;)

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I like the way you've used a corner efficiently - I had thought of similar designs in the past but been put off by the curve in the corner ending up too "setrack-looking".  What radius have you used there?

 

Thanks guys. The main running line is 48 inches (4ft), the tightest curve into the yard is 32 inches, which an 08 and various wagons negotiated without a problem many a time during the show.

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Thanks - something I need to revisit then.  48" curves in OO are quite generous really when you think radius 2 is 17 1/2" radius.

 

Next time you have the layout up, is there any chance of a couple of photos, one with a train on it and one without, looking properly at the curve?  I can't quite see it properly in those images above as you've got good shots of both ends but only distant views of the corner.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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That might be due to the tighter curve on the inside and the way the two curves are connected. It's also a decent radius compared to most 4mm OO curves so is better anyway.

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All a bit quiet on the layout at the moment following the show whilst some planning takes place and the odd small job completed. Currently mid-way through construction of the small mimic panel for the front of the layout at exhibitions, and completed some re-wiring of some bits that needed tidying up. Thought it was time the station lights were illuminated too :)

 

post-8166-0-30135600-1466880766_thumb.jpg

 

Pleased to report official invitations received for Weymouth 2017 and Basingstoke 2018 :)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi, I live on Portland, and happy that someone is modelling it.

 

My question is why Portland? Yes it is if it stayed past 1965 but i wouldn't imagine a oil depot and diesel depot on this small island, since at weymouth its good enough yard. Also, the layout doesn't show the continuation to Easton, if i am thinking this right that this version or portland is based where the old one used to be next to victoria square. It seems like its completely your idea and just have used the name Portland for the layout.

 

Im not trying to be rude, please don't read it that way, as i said im happy that someone is modelling it. But in places it confuses me.

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Hi, I live on Portland, and happy that someone is modelling it.

 

My question is why Portland? Yes it is if it stayed past 1965 but i wouldn't imagine a oil depot and diesel depot on this small island, since at weymouth its good enough yard. Also, the layout doesn't show the continuation to Easton, if i am thinking this right that this version or portland is based where the old one used to be next to victoria square. It seems like its completely your idea and just have used the name Portland for the layout.

 

Im not trying to be rude, please don't read it that way, as i said im happy that someone is modelling it. But in places it confuses me.

Yeah, I think you'll find its fictious but based on the area. Imagination is the key .....

Why an oil depot ? Bloody great navy helicopter base maybe.

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This is looking really good Rich. I wish I had the ability to build track like you have - I would've preferred that route instead of the Peco stuff I've butchered.

 

I'm really pleased with the number of modern image layouts that are popping up recently and it's layouts like yours, and a few other guys on here that have really helped me with moving mine forwards.

 

Mike

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Hi all,

 

Thanks for the comments. Apologies I've been delayed in responding, life (and currently sunburn) keeps getting in the way, so modelling and RMWeb have taken a backburner for a little while.

 

Portland is indeed a fictitious layout, but based on the concept of a 'what might have been' branch line had it remained open. You're right Jwnewall, a small MPD would probably have sufficed at Weymouth, but I couldn't fit the idea of Weymouth in my bedroom so Portland it was haha!

 

Thanks Mike for your kind words about the trackwork, there's nothing to it really! Like many, I thought it was a fine art that took time and skill to perfect, but once you can build a point kit to get you started it becomes very easy (and addictive!)

 

There has been some work to Portland but it's very behind the scenes. The small mimic panel is complete and works well, I must get a photo of this uploaded soon. The other work currently ongoing is some rewiring and the installation of 4 MERG DCC circuit breakers to split the layout up into power districts. For those not familiar with this, basically if there is a short on one piece of track, usually a derailment, it will only short out that power district instead of the entire layout. The 4 districts will be the fiddle yard, the MPD, the yard & carriage siding, and "everything else".

 

Cheers for now.

Rich.

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Here's a couple of pictures of the newly completed mini panel which sits on the front of the layout:

 

post-8166-0-52465300-1470764139_thumb.jpg

 

Still some annotations to be added onto the panel. The Green LED denotes power when the panel is switched in by the signalman on the main panel, at which point the main panel will have no control over these points. The Red LED denotes when the points into the carriage siding are set against the shunters route. On the layout a 'STOP - obtain permission to proceed' board will denote this. Looks like I've got a yellow LED to replace already !!

 

post-8166-0-72402700-1470764146_thumb.jpg

 

The panel in situ at home. At shows, the main panel on the left sits on the back of the layout effectively upside down.

 

It was evident at Brockenhurst that the yard shuntman was struggling at times to shunt as he had to constantly talk to the signalman to get points changed. A suggestion was put forward about having a small panel at the front to alleviate this issue, so that's what has been done. It is only part of the layout as it was too much of a faff to do the whole MPD bit as well. In any case the yard shunter would need to liaise with the signalman to ensure no conflicting movements occur when using this area, so I've kept it simple. One can now shunt the area in green up to points highlighted below:

 

post-8166-0-13404200-1470764842_thumb.jpg

 

Also I took these shots of the station lights at night which I thought looked pretty cool:

 

post-8166-0-12771600-1470764126_thumb.jpg

post-8166-0-88979400-1470764131_thumb.jpg 

 

 

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