Sandy Bay

[kes]

Well, they always say that when one door closes, another one opens!  A quick check of the garage produced another flush paneled door, which was cut in half, new end sections glued and pinned in place, and doweled together . Two hinged ends were attached, and by setting it up on my existing 41" high trestles, another baseboard was created.  The layout is going to be an amalgam of some of the bits of the Whitby to Scarborough line, so using the location of the Sandsend station, but adding a passing loop and a goods yard behind the station rather like Robins Hood Bay. There will be a girder viaduct, and a beach area.

The track bed will be raised on thin ply 2" above the board. At the rear, there will be a six track traverser and storage sidings. Points will be operated by wooden sliders from the rear, as will the uncoupling magnets, so the wiring will be minimal. The main curves at either end are 10" radius. It should be interesting to operate as trains have to pass each other in the loop, and shunting the goods yard gets interesting!

Edited December 30, 2022 by kes
missing

[jamest]

Hi,

 

Looking forward to seeing this develop - you sure can fit a nice continuous run in a convenient space with N gauge.

 

all the best,

James

[backofanenvelope]

I too am looking forward to seeing this develop as a fan of the Yorkshire coastal route, and some of features are going to be interesting.

[kes]

It has been a bit too cold to go into the garage this last week - there may be more updates next week. Once the track bed is screwed onto the risers I can bring it inside!

Edited November 23, 2016 by kes

[kes]

I finally got around to building the risers for the ply track bed. The temperature had gone up enough to tempt me back into the garage. The space under the ply will give plenty of room for the sliders to operate the points, and those for the permanent magnets for the uncouplers. I have just bought 10 off 10mmx10mm Neodymium magnets and boy, do they have some grip!

 

The well for the traverser is now cut out. I think a couple of small drawer sliders will be going in here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by kes
missing

[Edwardian]

Well, they always say that when one door closes, another one opens!  A quick check of the garage produced another flush paneled door, which was cut in half, new end sections glued and pinned in place, and doweled together . Two hinged ends were attached, and by setting it up on my existing 41" high trestles, another baseboard was created.  The layout is going to be an amalgam of some of the bits of the Whitby to Scarborough line, so using the location of the Sandsend station, but adding a passing loop and a goods yard behind the station rather like Robins Hood Bay. There will be a girder viaduct, and a beach area.

 

 DSCF1388.JPG

 

The track bed will be raised on thin ply 2" above the board. At the rear, there will be a six track traverser and storage sidings. Points will be operated by wooden sliders from the rear, as will the uncoupling magnets, so the wiring will be minimal. The main curves at either end are 10" radius. It should be interesting to operate as trains have to pass each other in the loop, and shunting the goods yard gets interesting!

 

A superb subject for a model, and I very much look forward to seeing it develop.

[kes]

Been a bit of a lull in progress, due to Christmas, New Year, and visiting guests, but now I have progressed a bit further. The sliders are in place under the upper layer, for the points and the un-coupler magnet sliders. These all come back to the rear edge of the board where they connect with slide switches to change the frog polarity. All the points have their switch rails and stock rails bonded to each other, the frog isolated, and connected back to the 3 way sliders.

 

Here is the slider for the entry point into the loop, and the arm which moves the magnet across and under the track.

 

Here are the sliders for the points for the entry to the goods yard, and the arm which moves the magnet across and under 4 separate tracks.

 

Arm moves through arc.

 

Upper surface showing slide switch connected through board to rod, and the upper end of the un-coupler slider.

I can now screw the upper board onto the lower supports so I can commence laying the track. The traverser runs on two drawer sliders, with bolts added so it cannot be pulled right out. Alignment is going to be by sliding brass rod in brass tube, which will also provide the power.

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by kes
missing

[kes]

This week I managed to lay the points, adding copper clad sleepers at the board join, and the 9.5 inch radius curve at the end of the board. I am now waiting for the weather to warm up again this weekend before venturing back into the garage.

 

the loop will hold a tender loco and two carriages, or a tank and three carriages, or a freight engine and six wagons.

 

The point work straddles the board joint, so the ends of the points are soldered to copper clad pinned and glued to the board.

 

The 9.5 inch radius curve at this end will mostly be hidden in a cutting then a tunnel. All my stock including a Minitrix 9f goes around this.

Edited December 30, 2022 by kes
missing

[kes]

All the track is now laid including the temporary bit where the viaduct is going to go. I have wired it up and it is now being tested using all my suitable stock to see if there are any problems before I start making scenery. The traverser is now aligned by two home made sliding bolts at each end, which supply power to the relevant track when aligned. The mechanical magnetic couplers seem to work well, using Peco Easilift couplings and adaptors on the stock. The slide switches change the frog polarity, and feed the relevant siding so there are no section switches required on this layout. I am now planning the shunting moves that can take place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by kes
missing

[kes]

The layout has now moved into our spare bedroom for a while so I have been able to test it extensively and work on the viaduct. The columns are brass tube, set into holes drilled in yet more rocket stick, and cross members soldered on from brass angle and fuse wire. The beams are peco bridge sides which have been shortened and reduced in height. The end stonework are some old double tunnel mouths cut in half and spaced out with stone plasticard. The next stage is to make the supports for the side rails and hand rails.

 

The ends of the beams are filed at an angle so the beams lie under the running rails.

 

The pillars have scrap brass soldered to the top to provide a support for the beams.

 

 

The parts all rest together very well. I think NBrass do a suitable railing for the bridge.

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by kes
missing

[kes]

I have now restarted on this layout, and commenced by making the built-in back scene boards and ends.These are 7" high and should have 3" of scenery at the bottom and 4" of skyline at the top. The corners will be gently radiused. I have been checking clearances for stock, and the traverser and all looks well. The left hand end is going to have a copy of the tunnel entrance at Ravenscar, complete with gorse bushes everywhere. The right hand end may be a plate over bridge, hidden by lots of trees. Kevin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by kes
missing

[backofanenvelope]

Coming along nicely Kevin and the J39 looks good. Another great little layout proving you don't need an empire. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

[kes]

I have now modified tunnel mouth and bridge parts to represent those structures at Ravenscar, and near Whitby, to give me the scenic breaks into the fiddle yard.

 

Peco single track bridge, narrowed.

 

 

Peco single tunnel  mouth narrowed and reduced in height.

 

 

Peco Platform faces in place, and clearance checked with locos and Gresley Coaches.

 

And yes, the platform end at Scalby really was that narrow!

 

There will be a sea wall and promenade built along side the station, with these delightful beach huts situated along it, rather like Whitby.

 

The idea is beginning to gell now. I can visualize what it is going to look like.

 

Kev.

Edited December 30, 2022 by kes
missing

[kes]

Today is a typical Bank Holiday Monday - weather appalling, so I retreated to the shed and garage. I have formed the sea wall along the promenade using Wills 00 Stone sheet, as the blocks scale out about 5' -6' in N so they are about right for those in a harbour wall. The sheets are gently sloped out at the base by packing at the bottom using some card. A row of steps has been cut out of the sheet, to give a way down off the prom onto the beach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additionally I have been soldering some 1mm and 2mm brass rod and tube together to form the basis of some LNER tubular signals which I hope to make work using rods and magnets again - so no electronics. I have just placed an order with MSE for the signal arms and fittings, and their brass ladders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time for a cup of tea I think.

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by kes
missing

[Tangoman69]

Kev,

I spent some time in Whitby last year and thought that a model based on Sandsend would be do able.

Looks like you have captured the feel of the line fantastically.

I'll follow this to see how it progresses.

All the very best,

Karl

[kes]

Thanks for the kind words. My idea was to create a small line which encompassed items from all along the real line, so it was instantly recognisable, but not tied down to one location. John, in our Club has an N gauge scale model of Sandsend which comes out occasionally. I think I got the bug from him!

 

Kevin.

[andyram]

It is looking like a very good project. I look forward to seeing progress.

[kes]

I have now got the signal arms from MSE and they are very well etched. The holes need opening up to take the pivot wire and operating wires, so rather than drill them out, which may split the thin brass, I tried an old trick. Take a sewing needle and clamp this in your pin drill holder. Now you hand gently rotate this in the hole with a little pressure, with the brass supported on a block of soft wood, and the holes will gradually open up, without splitting because you are making the brass flow as opposed to cutting it. It worked for me.

 

I have also acquired the NE/MR diagonal station fencing from that excellent shop TMC at Beckhole. Does anyone know if any manufacturer makes the matching station ramp sections?

 

Kev

[danstercivicman]

Very nice layout

[kes]

I have been very busy with music recently, so I have not had much time to devote to the railway, but now I have some spare time. I have fitted the MSE signal arms to some 0.6mm wire to use as a pivot, and made the operating wire from 9 thou guitar string. This leads down to a brass angle crank underneath the signal, which is fitted with stops to it cannot over travel. Soldered to the vertical portion of this crank is a length of heavy iron wire. This keeps the signal at danger, but also is the operating mechanism. Sometime ago I was speaking with Paul Gallon at the Whitby Club about my intention to make the uncouplers on this layout work using rare earth magnets on sliders. Paul said " You could use the same idea to operate the signals, so there is no direct connection to them". Thanks Paul - It works!  The magnets are going to be on a rotating rod, so when it is bought near to the signal, it operates, when it is moved away, the iron wire weight returns it to danger.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I need to replace that signal ladder - I should not have fitted it before trying to design the mechanism!

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by kes
missing

[Worsdell forever]

Oh, heck...

[kes]

I have finally managed to do a bit more scenery. The retaining wall for the railway is now clad in n gauge stone sheet, and the promenade now has cereal packet card cut into suitably sized pieces to represent the concrete slabs of the structure behind the retaining stone wall. I remembered to make sure the slabs were not glued across the board joint!  I now need to make the capping stones for both the retaining wall and the sea wall. There may be some buttresses to support the railway retaining wall at suitable intervals to break up the monotony of all that stone. 

 

 

 

 

 

The gaps will be filled before any painting takes place, and the beach huts will have their bases sanded so they are flat and even.

 

The right hand end will be gradually buried in the cliff face as it starts to rise form the beach up the the corner.

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by kes
missing

[kes]

I should be making more progress next week. Recently I have had too much going on, and of course we have the Whitby and District Model Railway Club Exhibition at Goathland Village Hall this weekend Sat/Sun 22/23rd July from 10am, entry only ONE POUND!   My tiny N gauge layouts "Four Arches" and the shunting layout "Matlock Road" are going to be there along with many fine layouts.  See you there.

 

Kev.

Edited July 21, 2017 by kes

[kes]

Today I made the last working parts of the four semaphore signals and painted them black and white. I am very glad I decided to only make four of them!! I think they have taken as long to make work, as the rest of the build so far. Next is to build the manual magnetic operating system -  it should be much easier and much larger!

 

Kevin.

[kes]

Here are the signals, they are not highly detailed, as my modelling is not to a very high standard. I might yet add the guard rail to the bracket signal if I can find an etch fine enough and long enough!  

 

 

 

 

The signals are mounted on "spikes" of 1mm brass rod which is soldered to a flat sheet of brass and glued to the bass board. The signal posts are hollow, so slide down over these spikes and are therefore removable for repair to the mechanism.  

 

 

The operating mech is by a sliding bar which has a magnet on the end. As the bar is slid towards the dropper on the signal, it is attracted by the magnet and pulls off the signal. It is important that the mech does not allow the magnet to contact the dropper, or you may never get it undone!

 

 

 

I should now be able to put the platform surface in place, then I can work on the mechanism to make the bus move down the road and into the station...............

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by kes
missing