Warrington Bank Quay - The Northern Approach - OO DCC

[Psiborg]

Saturday, we went to the DRS charity open day at Carlisle Kingmoor Depot, a good 3.5 hour car trip each way for us!  On the way back we decided to take the opportunity to travel via Warrington Bank Quay for a photo stop.  The first time either of us had been there and it was interesting enough for us to plan a future midweek trip.

 

I can see why you decided to model here:  Interesting track plan, good variety of stock and an awesome backdrop!

 

Here are a couple of pictures taken on our visit to Warrington Bank Quay...

 

 

Keep up the good work

Simon

[Satan's Goldfish]

Physical progress has been virtually none existent on the layout for the last few months, however currently I am trying to figure out how to arrange the fiddle yard to provide the greatest flexibility in operation. The fiddle yard will be approximately 18ft (unless I can build any points into the curved boards), and 2ft wide. I imagine I could fit maybe upto 12 tracks across. The tricky bit however is the two centre roads will be full length sidings to take large freight rakes (imagined as 19 HTAs or 36 HAAs and a Class 56/58/60/66), but because I do not wish to purchase two rakes to allow for an Up and Down set, these siding must allow a train to enter or leave the siding in either direction and cross onto the slow lines before reaching the scenic sections.

 

Ideally the Fast Lines should have stabling for upto 4 passenger sets 390/22X/HST (2+7 or 2+5 Challenger)/MK3 rake and potentially stabling for two medium sized freight rakes. This would then allow two sidings (albeit the shortest) for the slow lines, this would hold a mix of DMUs, Short set LHCS & freight rakes.

 

I think the key to optimising the fiddle yard will be allowing straightforward access between the fast and slow lines.

 

Wild Boar Fell

Possibly a bit late with this reply, but in my rebuild plans I'm also tackling an 18ft fiddle yard that needs 2 long loops. My original plan was the same as yours having the long lines down the middle. However I've moved them to the edges of the fiddle boards now; it's worth bearing in mind clearance under the board edges for point motors! For your layout it would also help with keeping your long freights in position for the slow lines. You do lose your wish of being able to have both long freights being able to go in either direction, but I'd suspect that's a function that seems nice in the planning stage but you may find awkward in operation. Plus the big disruption it would cause to the fast lines every time you bring out a long freight. Having just 1 big freight in each direction makes it a bit of an event each time one comes out rather than it just being the norm too.

 

If you look at the Wulfruna thread linked in my signature it may help with your FY layout, the first approach points are on the curves. Wrt train length, the point positions I've used have limited passenger train length to loco+7 (2+6 If I used HSTs) which from experience looked more than long enough on an 18ft scenic layout. Move all the end points onto curved boards and you should be able to get an extra coach length in for a 2+7 HST.

 

HTH.

 

 

 

Edit; also seen 4 track layouts where the lines are paired by direction like yours that drop to just 2 tracks off scene before the fiddle yard. 3 effects of this; makes it easier for any train to be on fast or slow lines, reduces train frequency 'on scene' to slightly more realistic levels, and gives you an operational reason to signal check trains on scene!

Edited July 24, 2017 by Satan's Goldfish

[njee20]

Mmm, I sort of wish I'd done that, I've not got any off-scene crossovers between fast and slow, I think having an "up fiddle yard" and a "down fiddle yard" is more versatile than having separate UF/US/DF/DS ones.

[newbryford]

Mmm, I sort of wish I'd done that, I've not got any off-scene crossovers between fast and slow, I think having an "up fiddle yard" and a "down fiddle yard" is more versatile than having separate UF/US/DF/DS ones.

 

As long as your loops between the two track and any signals on the four track can handle your longest trains.

 

Nothing worse than having a train stopped on the slow to let a fast one through when the stopped train is that long it is trailing back onto the 2 track section from the yard before it goes up to four

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Wild Boar Fell]

Psiborg, 

Glad you enjoyed your trip to Bank Quay, get there at the right time and you get a good mix of passenger and freight.

The backscene is one of the main reasons I've wanted to model this, on photos it makes full size trains look like models.

 

SG, Thanks for that, really useful. I'll have to have a re-think of my plans (building of the fiddle yards has just been deferred substantially, so plenty more time to plan). Good to see Warren Lane will live on as Wolfruna! I think you are right about the potential to block the fast lines, centre road might be a better place to put Pendolinos & Voyagers that can easily be reversed. 

Also nice job on that FJA!

 

Work has continued on the layout this week, pretty much all the concrete edging has now been added, more of the under surface layer too. Platform 2 has also been clad with brick as far as the bridge. Today the cross-over trackwork has been cut through with the Dremel and the boards have been split for probably the 1st time in 1/2 a year. The 5 boards have now been re-assembled together to allow platform work to continue.

 

The photo below shows the progress to date, although the edging on the very north end of platform 3 (in white, bottom) isn't yet secured. It's a start, but still a very long way to go.

 

The below two photos are taken looking in roughly the same direction, but from different heights. Think I'll leave modelling the yellow fleet to Newbryford though, though tempted to make 950 in its previous colours.

 

 

 

Wild Boar Fell 

[Wild Boar Fell]

Today's work, planning the most vital part of any layout.... 

 

Actually, looking at how to progress the trackwork at the North end to make the transition to the fiddle yard less abrupt. Got a slightly unusually plan, which needs plotting first.

 

Wild Boar Fell

[d winpenny]

Bus on a bridge no layout is complete without one

[Psiborg]

Any progress to report? 

 

Cheers

Simon

[Wild Boar Fell]

Hello Simon,

Unfortunately not, sports taking priority whilst the weather is decent.

 

Hopefully more progress later in the month.

 

Wild Boar Fell

[Wild Boar Fell]

Just a brief update, North Board has now been transferred from its home in the Midlands to allow the Further North Board to be built with it. The plan is also to fit the skeleton of Liverpool Road Bridge and the backscene board at the same time (this board will be semi-scenic). 

 

As the photo below shows, the plan is to narrow the trackword down to fit onto one of Tim Horn's 1ft wide curved boards beyond this point. This means only 5 of the 6 tracks will continue across the joint. The remaining siding will probably become a dead end, behind Aldi. The option remains on whether the 2nd siding will continue to the fiddle yard of merely for a headshunt. 

 

 

With the sun falling the other day, I couldn't resist attempting to take an arty early evening shot of WBQ (It must be noted that at this point the North end of the layout is actually facing near South).

 

 

Hopefully some actual progress soon.

 

Wild Boar Fell

[Wild Boar Fell]

Race to the North - Pt.1

 

Construction of Further North Board (FNB) has commenced, the structural woodwork, alignment dowels and catches now assembled and fitted. 

 

 

This allowed for the rough layout of the track to be planned which has now been followed with the laying of the cork. The 5 easternmost tracks will leave this board within a width of 1ft. The westernmost track will terminate on this board.

 

 

One thing that I hadn't appreciated is the sheer width of Liverpool Road bridge, at the best part of 1ft wide in scale. I had also underestimated the angle the bridge makes with the track, believing it to be near perpendicular. The photo beneath shows the approximate location of the bridge in red. Fortunately both these factors should make it more effective as a scenic break. 

 

 

Similar to Further South Board, the plan is to lay track only upto the 3/4 mark of this board.

 

Modelling the bridge itself is going to bring some interesting challenges, namely blending brickwork (2 bonds), steel, concrete & sandstone together.

Anyone any clues on how to model sandstone please?

 

Wild Boar Fell

[Wild Boar Fell]

A little bit more work achieved on the layout today with some landscaping taking place to build up the bank at the front of the layout. Some makeshift piers have also been made for the bridge to allow me to better visualise this area.

 

With the former Wild Boar Fell fleet to hand, I couldn't help taking a few 'backdated' images.

 

Rest assured, I am not changing era again...

 

Wild Boar Fell

 

Need to find a good use for my Jubilees though.

[d winpenny]

Looking good bud

 

David

[Wild Boar Fell]

Thanks David,

More progress over the last few days, the landscaping mentioned in my previous post has now been covered with a base layer of grass. This area will eventually be turned into an overgrown mess with security fencing running through it. The road surface has been treated to a layer of styrene sheet and awaits the curbstones adding before it is painted and textured. From photos it appears this area was used as an unofficial overflow car park for the station. Think it needs afew semi-abandoned cars adding.

 

 

Track laying has now progressed too, all tracks are now down to their intended length for now. The tracks will then be cut (at the board join) once the glue has firmly set, Some local ballasting has taken place to assist the fixing of the track.

 

 

The final area of attack is the bridge itself, a few more formers have now been cut but require cladding before they can progress.

Glad there is finally some colour on these boards now.

 

Wild Boar Fell

[Wild Boar Fell]

In the words of Monty Python... 'And now for something completely different'.

 

Apart from picking up some more supplies for the layout on Monday, this week's focus has been on 1:1 scale railways.

 

Boar on Tour - South by South Western

 

This week was the return of my now annual holiday to visit more of the 'premier' preserved lines. This year the focus was on two lines I visited as a child but too early for me to properly remember (and possibly my first exposure to a steam loco), namely the Swanage Railway & West Somerset Railway.

 

Not being based 'down sowf' the journey down necessitated an intermediate stop, so plans were drawn up to re-visit the GWSR to inspect the progress made with the Broadway extension. Unfortunately our plan became unravelled when the DMU failed preventing us from travelling up the extension. A separate visit was also made (by road) to the new Broadway Station which is under construction, this truly looks like it will be stunning when complete and a real credit to everyone who has worked on it. 

 

Broadway this way... Coming 2018

 

 

Travelling was behind 7903, the first Modified Hall of this tour.

 

It was whilst at Toddington that I learnt of the passing of the artist and enthusiast David Shepherd, an earlier visit to Toddington being one of my first railway memories being dwarfed by his 9F 92203 'Black Prince' on a shed tour. 

 

Hmm I wonder which Freightliner 47 I should get next...

 

7903 Foremarke Hall looking immaculate

 

 

Next up was the Swanage Railway, with a visit to Corfe Castle Station.

Unbeknown to myself, the Swanage Railway were marking the end of Southern Steam in their own way that day, all their steam locos were out of action so two 33s were in traffic (not that I was complaining).

 

Eventually the rain eased and some of the great scenery along the line could be admired. I even managed to spot another R&R 45t Breakdown Crane.

 

Crompton 33111 1 of 4 Class 33s seen in the last two days.

 

Sunny old Swanage, good to see a few different steam locos including newly restored 257 Squadron.

 

Whilst heading into Corfe Castle village, we quizzed some photographers who appear to be waiting for another service. We were then informed that a charter was due in shortly, hauled by 60009. Excellent, I don't think i've seen Carnedd Dafydd before....

 

Doh!

 

Token Corfe Castle shot...

 

And the last service, whilst waiting to see 60009 head back to the mainline

 

 

Last but not least was the mammoth 20 1/2 mile West Somerset Railway, at Bishops Lydeard we were greeted by the sight of another Modified Hall 6960 - Raveningham Hall. Unlike a certain big green loco from the east, the Hall didn't put a foot wrong all day in the glorious sunshine. At Williton we were also treated to a Manor in steam (7820 Dinmore Manor), but sadly I failed to photograph it. 

 

No prize for guessing where this is...

 

S&D 88 was also on shed, looking good in black. Last time I saw this loco it was in Prussian Blue on the GWSR.

 

To bring this back relevant to the original thread, a visit to the gift shop a Toddington did yield a RES liveried Bachmann GUV, long out of production it was still at the original RRP rather than the new inflated prices, excellent! This will now sit between some Super BG's to form part of the loco-hauled mail train. 

 

Normal service will be resumed.

Wild Boar Fell

[Wild Boar Fell]

This evening my workbench has been in danger of seeing some actual modelling being done. 

 

Below shows tonight's work so far, the coach is one of the Hachette Mk1s which I am in the process of repurposing. Work has included removing the grab handles and steps from the vehicle ends, blanking all the windows in preparation for filling them in and most obviously chopping one bodyside into 3-sections. I will naturally show in more detail how I have done this once the build has progressed a bit further, the question is though, what am I modelling?

 

 

In other news, all 6 boards have been joined together for the first time (photos to follow).

 

Wild Boar Fell

[Wild Boar Fell]

And the answer is it is a Diagram 726 Post Office Sorter, which is being followed through the works by a Diagram 724 Post Office Stowage Van. The photos below show the current level of progress, with 3 layers of filler on the 726 (left). Doors still need to be added to the body and final prepping, then attention can turn to the roof and chassis. The 724 awaits filler. Both vehicles require B5 bogies as well. 

 

It's been quite an interesting project so far, being nothing like I have attempted on a railway vehicle before, I also have a pair of Southern Pride TPOs ready to build to follow these. Eventually the Diagram 720 Sorters shown will be replaced with the appropriate liveried vehicles and hopefully joined by one of the soon to be released Bachmann Diagram 732 Stowage Vans.

 

Ultimately I also wish to build or obtain a pair of PCVs to bookend the rake.

 

 

Wild Boar Fell

[big jim]

Aren't the hachette coaches great for converting into other things, clip apart, individual sides, easy to remove glazing and best of all dirt cheap!

 

My rake of 10 that I use as a west coast rail train is slowly dwindling down as one gets picked out to become a UTU, another taken to become something else and so on

[Wild Boar Fell]

Aren't the hachette coaches great for converting into other things, clip apart, individual sides, easy to remove glazing and best of all dirt cheap!

 

My rake of 10 that I use as a west coast rail train is slowly dwindling down as one gets picked out to become a UTU, another taken to become something else and so on

 

They certainly are, and at £4 you don't feel as bad if it ends up a complete write off. 

 

Funny you should mention a WCRC Charter set, that's what I bought these ones for, hence the paint on the ones shown above (was planning to convert them into TSOs).

 

Wild Boar Fell

[big jim]

Funny you should mention a WCRC Charter set, that's what I bought these ones for, hence the paint on the ones shown above (was planning to convert them into TSOs).

 

im lazy, i just stuck west coast decals and OHLE flashes on mine!

 

(and painted the roofs and cant rails on them,)

[Wild Boar Fell]

So this weekend was the annual pilgrimage to the Warrington Model Railway Exhibition, as always it was a good show and gave me the opportunity to operate a couple of new layouts. These being the 1950s NE region Lindale (DCC) & the Austrian industrial layout Steindorf (DC), thanks must go to both layout owners for allowing me to 'have a play'. 

 

The exhibition was also useful for getting some more stock for WBQ, I managed to track down a collection of six Lima Super GUVs in good condition and at a sensible price too! The plan is to modify these to accept the far better Bachmann or Replica commonwealth bogies and possibly add some further detailing. This being preferable to hacking around some Bachmann GUVs.

 

With the previously acquired Bachmann Super BGs this has allowed me to make two complete 'Railnet' sets (Super BG - Super GUV - Super GUV - Super GUV - Super BG), I have also managed to track down a correctly liveried Dia. 720 sorter too.

 

I still need to get a decent photo showing all six boards together though.

 

Wild Boar Fell 

[d winpenny]

Looking great bud nice haul

 

David

[Wild Boar Fell]

Finally found a view that I've been trying to track down for ages, a view of the station forecourt and building pre-refurbishment. 

As you can see, it's a stunning architectural marvel up there with the likes of St Pancras, Paddington, Kings Cross, Temple Meads.... erm maybe not.

Not difficult to see why it was voted one of the worst 10 stations in England pre-refurb. I really want to have a crack at reproducing the grime of the station as it was, half way through the 'Decade of Progress'.

 

 

The building appears to be of the CLASP style and consists of two structures (Ticket Office and Red-Star Office). The Red Star Office I believe was then demolished and the Ticket Office extended towards it, as the below link would suggest. Looking at the size and positioning of the windows, the building was basically re-clad and re-glazed rather than rebuilt, meaning measurements off the current structure should hold true.

 

http://abcrailwayguide.uk/images/stations/WBQ/wbq-warrington-bank-quay-3575-1200.jpg

 

Interesting to see the Portacabin where the disabled car park is now.

 

But that backscene! Gives an otherwise dull station some presence. 

 

Wild Boar Fell

 

*Image reproduced under the Creative Commons License 

[Wild Boar Fell]

Platform Progress - The ramps go in.

 

The last 24 hours or so has seen progress resume on the layout, primarily focusing on the platforms.

Firstly Platform 3 has been fully back-filled and given an undercoat as far as the main platform section. Holes for the remaining platform lights will be added.

 

Along with this, all the platform end ramps have been constructed and clad, but with the exception of Platform 3 these have not yet been back-filled with Polyfilla yet.

Edging has now been added to part of Platform 1, edging to the rear of Platform 1 and 4 + the dock will be added next to allow those platforms to be progressed. The remainder of the platform work will have to wait until a start has been made of the platform building foundations.

 

Hopefully the photos better explain the progress.

 

 

Wild Boar Fell

 

 

[Wild Boar Fell]

And now to contradict what I said I would do next...

 

I realised that I had previously worked out that the platform buildings do not begin until the north end of South Board (although the canopy does extend over South Mid), as a result I decided it would be feasible to continue platform work up to the baseboard joint.

This has now had a framework added and been clad with 10 thou sheet as per the other platforms. Using a Mk3 coach and a voyager as a guide, the platform edging stones have also been added but require full painting. Back-filling this area is going to take a lot of filler!

 

 

 

 

If it works properly, the below link should give you a 3D view of the real station from a similar perspective

https://earth.app.goo.gl/mvTu

 

Wild Boar Fell