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'The Odiham Branch' a new project in 2mmFS


scanman
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THE ODIHAM BRANCH – WHY?

 

A. Its LOCAL! Only about 7 miles from where I live...

 

B. Odiham is a VERY attractive village, full of potential modelling projects.

 

  1. Its got an AIRFIELD! Lots of potential for different types of passenger & goods traffic....

 

So why 'WHITE HALL'?

 

It makes an ideal crossing-place – and the hamlet itself has some very nice buildings... Being basically a passing-loop with an 'agricultural siding' off, it will make a good starting point, and be exhibitable in its own right.

 

The station will lie at the end of the overbridge carrying Poland Lane. Public viewing will be from the 'WEST' – looking down Poland Lane with its houses, to the station in the distance. A quiet, sleepy agricultural scene – only disturbed by 'Battle of Britain' or S15 locos on troop trains!

 

So - a 'General Map' of the branch, which originates at 'Winchfield' on the 'Main Line'

 

post-3469-0-05765400-1470142350.jpg

 

The initial segment will concentrate on the 'passing station' at White Hall' -

 

post-3469-0-46443700-1470142365.jpg

 

and the 'modelled area' will be approximately 8' 0"  x18"

 

The station building will be based on 'Medstead & Four Marks' from the nearby 'Watercress Line' -

 

post-3469-0-46763000-1470142377_thumb.jpg

 

and the village will progress along 'Poland Lane' to the west -

 

post-3469-0-55299700-1470142388_thumb.jpg

 

including

 

post-3469-0-28423100-1470142432_thumb.jpg

 

White Hall farmhouse,

 

post-3469-0-54671000-1470142445_thumb.jpg

 

A forge (no self-respecting village can be without one!)

 

post-3469-0-21184300-1470142476_thumb.jpg

 

The farm-workers cottage and finally

 

post-3469-0-46495700-1470142464_thumb.jpg

 

The 'Squires House'

 

The rest of the scenery will be of the typical 'North Hampshire' flat farmland (which will cause issues with  exit points etc.  I'm also not convinced that such a small hamlet would justify a road-bridge serving it, so that may well become a level-crossing (good excuse for a small signal-cabin)...

 

Timescale??  Open-ended - but I hope to start the boards tommorrow!

 

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Nice. Quite local for me too.

 

I imagine the farm workers cottage would have been 4 small cottages back when S15s pulled troop trains.

 

Are you planning to create Odiham terminus as well, at some point?

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Nice. Quite local for me too.

 

I imagine the farm workers cottage would have been 4 small cottages back when S15s pulled troop trains.

 

Are you planning to create Odiham terminus as well, at some point?

Hi Ian -

 

Yes to both!  I'll get this module 'finished' first - I reckon that will be 3-5 years work, then make tracks to Odiham.  Just got to work out where the 'branch' off to the airfield will run contour-wise....

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what size to you think the initial board(s) will be ?

Hi Nick -

 

I'm using urethane foam (30mm thick) for the surface, edged with 6mm ply with some softwood framing.  Initially 'White Hall' will consist of two scenic boards 4'x 18" with two smaller boards at each end as cassette boards..  The side & rear ply will extend about 9" above the boards to provide for a back-scene - and I may well employ 6mm MDF to radius the corners.  As I mentioned, the land thereabouts is pretty flat, so I'll have to use some imaginative scenic breaks - probably a wood copse at one end & possibly a barn or similar at the other.

 

I foresee plenty of scope for the 'Emblazer'! :)

Edited by scanman
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No pub?

 

Regards (thirstily)

 

Ian

Unfortunately not that I can find  -although my guess would be that there was a 'brewhouse' in the hamlet somewhere - possibly in the 'forge' complex, with one of the farmworkers wive's providing an alehouse in the front room (shades of the 'Rose Cottage' at Alciston in Sussex if you know it  - although it's been 'gentrified now )

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No modelling (as yet) - but more research....

 

One of the beauties of living so close to the project area is the ability to 'nip along and check things'...  A pleasant stroll across the watermeadows MAY have resolved the issue of the fiddleyard entry at the 'North' end....

 

post-3469-0-29544300-1470322569_thumb.jpg

 

post-3469-0-73964600-1470322582_thumb.jpg

 

post-3469-0-17080900-1470322595_thumb.jpg

 

These buildings - a watermill, millers house & wagonshed (together with the millpond and a few trees) should serve to 'drag the eye' away from the train as it disappears behind them...

 

I also gave some thought to the backscene and shot a series of images at two different locations - trials are shown below :-

 

post-3469-0-02668500-1470322625_thumb.jpg

 

post-3469-0-75816700-1470322635_thumb.jpg

 

Right  -time to do some actual modelling!

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  • 1 month later...

No (apparent) modelling since 4 August?? Well my blog explains the absence (along with some 12"/ft scenic work in the garden...)

 

However, physical progress has been made!

 

I always like to make a card 'mock-up' - it helps resolve spatial issues etc before too much progress has to be reversed!

 

post-3469-0-19355400-1474500209_thumb.jpg

 

IF exhibited, I might well add two 'wings' at the front -

 

post-3469-0-96979600-1474500218_thumb.jpg

 

which will effectively create an 'operators well' (the layout will always be operated from the 'front' - I like to see my models in action rather than hide behind the backscene!)

 

As the baseboard overall size was in any case fixed (as explained earlier) I could also make a start on the main boards.

 

post-3469-0-64937700-1474500251_thumb.jpg

 

Progress was then stalled somewhat by a couple of commissions and the necessity to build a new board for the REC 'O' gauge layout...

 

However, last weekend saw the boards being assembled -

 

post-3469-0-60413000-1474500260_thumb.jpg

 

Construction is from 5.5mm ply, with the  baseboard bed (30mm high-density foam) resting on inner formers attached to the backscene etc.

 

post-3469-0-32325500-1474500272_thumb.jpg

 

An advantage of being a diver is that I have access to lots of heavy weights to keep the boards in place as the 'Gorilla Glue' goes off (it expands quite rapidly and all joints need nailing/screwing or clamping as it sets).

 

Finally today I moved the baseboards into the layout room - a time consuming exercise in itself as I had to make space for it!

 

post-3469-0-59278400-1474500281_thumb.jpg

 

It looks a little like a featureless desert  - but the prototype area is 'Norfolk flat' - the only relief will be the millstream at one end...

 

Right, wonder how long before the next installment??

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Hmmm  -some time since the last update, and to be honest what with 'pressure of work' (retired?? You must be joking!) and normal life issues, there's not been much progress.  The trackplan (simple passing loop with a siding off (and possibly a small headshunt) has been finalised and a start made on the scenics at the 'Northern' (Winchfield) end :-

 

post-3469-0-80439800-1482773835_thumb.jpg

 

One beauty of using urethane foam for boards is it's 'carvability' - nothing a proxxon jig saw cannot handle!

 

The stream will serve 'Poland Mill' (just on the front edge of the layout (its mill-pond will be on a scenic extension).

 

The bridge is 2mm 'English Bond' plastikard courtesy of 'SE Finecast' - the best coursing I've ever seen:-

 

post-3469-0-95756700-1482773842_thumb.jpg

 

  I *could* have cut my own with the laser cutter which might have meant I'd made a better job of the arch - seen here in cruel close-up :-

 

post-3469-0-66252400-1482773850_thumb.jpg

 

thanks to of one of my Xmas presents - a 90mm macro lens, courtesy of our cats and HM taxman(!!!).

 

With the holiday season upon us (and a belated 'Merry Xmas' to you all) I felt it was time to put work aside for the week and do some personal stuff.  So the aim is to get at least 30" of (single) track laid over the bridge, and to complete of many of these beauties as possible :-

 

post-3469-0-94732200-1482773950_thumb.jpg

 

and it does mean I can give the new 'macro' lens a good work-out!

 

'Odiham' is obviously in LSWR/SR territory and will serve the local airfield - hence the excuse to built the 'Air Ministry' tankers.  I've a G6 to build (courtesy of 'N Brass', but that means tackling the chassis....  Watch this space!

 

Regards

 

Ian

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Interesting project Ian, all of which looks familiar living in the area also. It has shades of the Basingstoke & Alton Light Railway about it. 

 

Tom. 

Agreed, I will be following with interest.

Dave.

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Interesting project Ian, all of which looks familiar living in the area also. It has shades of the Basingstoke & Alton Light Railway about it. 

 

Tom. 

A bit heavier than the BALR Tom -with the 'airfield branch' planned, I'd exspect to see some fairly specialist freight working and potentially troop trains (I've got a Dapol S15 awaiting new wheels ans a rake of Maunsell coaches!  The rest of the branch (all two stations!) would probably be mainly agricultural - the reason the Basingstoke Canal (in the lower reaches) fell out of use by the early 50's

 

Regards

 

Ian

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As the 'Old Year' approaches it's end - time for a quick update!

 

Phase one - a length of track...

 

The trackbed was made from2mm 'Depron Foam' - those of you who follow my blog(s) will know that I quite like this stuff, as it is easy to work with. Being a high- density urethane foam DON'T wave a soldering iron near it... It is laid by cutting lengths half the width if the track, plus 1.5mm for the 'ballast shoulder' - which is easily added with a few light strokes of fine sandpaper.  Painted dark grey, left to dry then glued to the baseboard (Again, urethane foam) with a quick-drying PVA.  The inner edge follows the track centre-line.  When the other side is added, effectively the track-centre is transferred upward.

 

post-3469-0-09388500-1483126158_thumb.jpg

 

Rails next - 'Easitrak' of course, with a couple of brass sleepers (suitably gapped) to provide dropper points.  Rail ends where they cross the baseboard joint are soldered to strips of copper-clad, again suitably gapped.  The track itself is temporarily held in place by track-pins passing through suitably-drill holes in the sleepers.  It will all be finally fixed in place when ballasted (probably a mix of 'Cascamite' powder and Chincilla dust) What did I miss?? Painting the rail-sides before laying!

 

post-3469-0-94681800-1483126150_thumb.jpg

 

Phase Two - Some rolling stock

 

The list to be completed includes two brake vans (B&H) two cattle wagons and two 'Air Ministry' oil tank wagons (all 'Association' kits).  In hindsight maybe a tadd to o much for the six days alloted (I hadn't taken into account SWIMBO -being at home, needing work to be done in the garden...)  The BV's will probably take a back-seat (they're 148th anyway - must look round for something closer).  At first I was going to start with the tanks, then thought 'I'll go with something simpler'... Apparently!

 

SR Cattle Wagons

Okay - I'm a GWR man, and my reference shelves reflect that.  I have one book on SR Goods stock - and its the wrong one!  Fortunately the internet came to the rescue, and looking at the various images available it became obvious that I had the parts for Diag 1529 & 1530.  The difference is in the brake gear - D1529 has a centrally-located brake operating lever, whilst D1530 has end-operating brakes somewhat akin to the GW's 'DC' system.  Two types, two kits which will make either - so make both!

 

Dia 1530

The kits come in various sections - the body in plastic, a separate etch for the underwear, and you also need buffers, wheels, couplings and vac cylinder  (all available from Shop 2) to complete.

 

Thisis what I stared with: -

 

post-3469-0-08706200-1483126179_thumb.jpg

 

And as the basic underframes are (initially) identical, it made sense to build them as a pair -

 

post-3469-0-84897700-1483126189_thumb.jpg

 

(Meet my new best friend - does the bendy bits brilliantly!)

 

On then to the different bits - the axle-box/solebar assembly for D1530.  Note the assemblies are 'handed' - if you get both brake operating brackets at the same end - you've done it wrong.  I didn't.  For once...

 

The other 'mod' is to remove the central 'v' hangers from the solebar/underframe.

 

So thats where we are at the moment.  Back to the room now for another hour (SWIMBO wants her hand held during 'HP & The Deathly Hallows Pt I'...)  Personally I hate the little bloke - but I'm frightened he'll turn me into a slug if I say something (and that makes soldering VERY difficult!)

 

To those of you who read this before midnight tomorrow (31/12/16) - all the very best for the coming year.  To those that read it later - too late, you're stuck with it now (but best wishes any way)!

 

post-3469-0-02403700-1483126281_thumb.jpg

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A Happy New Year one and all..

 

Having returned from the festivities, time to crack on with the cattle wagons.

 

The bodies wern't too much of a problem - two variants are provided, and with two underframes on the stocks, there was no argument really -

 

post-3469-0-64594300-1483659382_thumb.jpg

 

The plank-ended  variant - will be a 'Maunsell' to dia 1529 and

 

post-3469-0-96932000-1483659389_thumb.jpg

 

The ply-end variant will be married to the 'Bulleid' dia 1530.

 

On to the brake rodding, etc.  Reach for the 0.3mm rod...  Damn - a trip to Alton - where the thinnest available is 0.35mm!

 

Back at the ranch - it's amazing how much difference 0.5mm makes.  The etched holes are exactly 0.3mm, so out with the 0.35mm drill - and I find that my trusty pin vice wont close on it!  It used to, and by now it was too late to go shopping!  So some time was spent hand-twiddling the drill.

 

Eventually all was ready for assembly - and its at this stage you realise just how small these models are!  Anyway, two hours of cursing and burned fingers resulted in the dia 1529 underframe nearing completion -

 

post-3469-0-61656300-1483659398_thumb.jpg

 

Still to be fitted is the vac cylinder (several are on order from shop 2), and the one mod I made was to remove the brace piece from the clasp-brake rodding.  It doesn't show on the prototype drawing and I was a little concerned about wheel clearances etc.

 

post-3469-0-40466100-1483659407_thumb.jpg

 

A side view of the completed assembly - and yes I've still got to make and fix the axleboxes.  I think I'll give the burns a couple of days to recover!  The work still need cleaning up - but these are rather cruel enlargements of something not much longer than the top joint of the thumb!

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........ - but these are rather cruel enlargements of something not much longer than the top joint of the thumb!

If you think that's small, try a Stevens drop-flap ground signal for size!

post-25077-0-44506900-1483740443.jpg

 

I've just built another 3 for Kirkallanmuir.

 

You can see a pair working on Sauchenford here https://youtu.be/fzH-pDUWWIQ.

 

Jim

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I've a G6 to build (courtesy of 'N Brass', but that means tackling the chassis ......

 

Surely a G6 is inappropriate for a layout like this, they were town yard shunters and didn't normally venture out on the road - which is why there were so few of them (and why, without travelling around the system, they were so difficult to "cop").

 

The last 10 "high cab" O2s were visually similar (but not quite identical) to the G6s from the running plate up and were (both passenger and freight) road locos for lines with low axle-load limits. But then, if you are worried about an 0-6-0 chassis, an 0-4-4 is ......................

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If you think that's small, try a Stevens drop-flap ground signal for size!

attachicon.gifDSC_0326.JPG

 

I've just built another 3 for Kirkallanmuir.

 

You can see a pair working on Sauchenford here https://youtu.be/fzH-pDUWWIQ.

 

Jim

Jim -

 

I've followed your examples of masochism on the VAG!  You must keep Rich Brummitt company in the 'Funny Farm' :onthequiet:!

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

Surely a G6 is inappropriate for a layout like this, they were town yard shunters and didn't normally venture out on the road - which is why there were so few of them (and why, without travelling around the system, they were so difficult to "cop").

 

The last 10 "high cab" O2s were visually similar (but not quite identical) to the G6s from the running plate up and were (both passenger and freight) road locos for lines with low axle-load limits. But then, if you are worried about an 0-6-0 chassis, an 0-4-4 is ......................

Hi Becasse -

 

An element of 'memories' here...  The first loco I had was a 'generic' GF 0-6-0 which with a stretch of imagination coudl become a 'G6'...  It doesn't help that (in the main) I'm a GW person or that I bought Nick Tilstons' NBrass' kit at a show last year.  I'll find some reason to runit (a 'running in' turn from Eastliegh en route back to Feltham perhaps??

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I've followed your examples of masochism on the VAG!  You must keep Rich Brummitt company in the 'Funny Farm' :onthequiet:!

As I've said before, I'm in my own little world (as I suspect are several on here), but it's OK, they know me there!   :beee:

 

Jim (if you're round the bend it's important to be happily round the bend)

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