GWR Branch - Castle Down. Mostly GWR with an odd SR working

[sjrixon]

As the nights start to draw in, I've been thinking about the layout and there maybe trouble ahead. I've been distracted all summer by my garden railway and the layout hasn't had any love. I'm now getting very tempted to remove the 009 from the railway room and possibly put the fiddle yard where it's located. I can then extend the 00 from that corner, over the desk and have a longer run to the station. 

 

I've been putting this off for a while, but I just can't maintain 3 scales, 009, 00 and 16mm is too much. The 16mm takes up most of the summer, so then either the 009 or 00 is totally neglected. 

 

[Mulgabill]

Hi Scott

 

An interesting quandry there, may I play devils advocate.

 

First I would question what you are really gaining by moving the fiddle yard around the corner? As, I assume,

you are not going to cover your desk with scenery. And if you did, I suspect it will involve a pretty tight curve.

 

Against this you have a 009 layout which has clearly given you pleasure in the past, and could be a relaxing

distraction in future.

 

I would be inclined to feel that it's not doing any harm, and unless it will fund further developments on your

current projects, or you are really fed up with it, then keep your options open.

 

All the best with your deciosion, which is of course entirely up to you.

 

All the best

TONY

[sjrixon]

Not going to argue Tony.. Kind of why I poste..

 

I think phase 1 is to tidy up and see what that curve looks like. The fiddle yard is already on the desk, so a scenic board of about the same size isn't going to change much. 

[NHY 581]

Just a thought Scott. 

 

Why not raise the 009 layout and run the fiddle yard beneath?  

 

You'd then have room for the scenic board and retain the 009 layout in the shed. 

 

However I would consider moving the desk. It looks a tad cramped. 

 

 

Rob. 

[sjrixon]

Cramped, my desk..  No, there is loads of room, just too many projects and loads of rubbish off the layout on there right now. 

 

One of the advantages of getting the 009 out of the way is the fiddle yard is narrower, so will make the desk feel roomier. It was built with a sliding fiddle yard at the back, so never really worked when I re-did the shed and then couldn't get behind it.

[RJS1977]

It would be a shame to get rid of the 009 - it's a nice layout.

 

Presumably it's possible to run straight through the 009 fiddle yard, so you can keep something running continuously - it's just changing trains that's difficult.

 

It looks to me that the standard gauge fiddle yard could fit over the 009 one. If it was built in the "pick it up, turn it round and put it back down" style as proposed by Cyril Freezer in one of his plan books (and used by me on my home layout), it could be lifted off easily to enable access to the back of the 009 for track cleaning etc.

 

Additionally, if you had more than one such fiddle yard, you could swap them over and keep the spares on the white shelves above the desk, rather than loose stock.

 

It also occurs to me that it might be possible to bring a branch off the 009 to a new fiddle yard where the washing up bowl, tram engine and paints are, which would be more accessible than the traverser round the back and might encourage more operation.

[sjrixon]

Washing up bowl? Ah, the IKEA tub with a project in. 

 

That is the 009 fiddle yard! It's under the rubbish. 

[37Oban]

Hi, 

as I've previously mentioned in another thread, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet!  If you are not operating the 009 layout are you keeping it for sentimental reasons?  Better to let some-one else have it who's prepared to love it and sort out the fiddle yard rather than having it gathering dust or making a half-hearted attempt of sorting it out.  I know it sounds a bit harsh but it will give you the space you need to complete your plans for your OO layout and you won't be constantly tripping over it!

 

Roja

[sjrixon]

 

Not going to make any quick decisions, but just getting the 009 out of the way and into the garage has given me room to have a sort out. 

 

Part of the issue with two layout and 2 young kids, they constantly want to jump between them, neither is clean, stock in the way, so it just gets messy as then I don't have the time to tidy up. 

 

Get clean and then maybe sort a few unfinished jobs, yes, we have all said that before haven't we!! 

 

 

[TheQ]

Hmm, A Coningsby Typhoon picture on the wall.

As appropriate as the 1/32 Tornado F3 Model I've made space for above / behind, my to be built layout.. That along with the T84 radar in the window..

Your railway Shed is much too tidy..

Edited September 22, 2020 by TheQ

[MrWolf]

That makes me feel better about the Dornier 17 lurking over my layout. Probably on a recon mission for the upcoming peace in our time...

Edited September 22, 2020 by MrWolf
Stupid autocorrect

[RJS1977]

3 hours ago, sjrixon said:

 

 

Part of the issue with two layout and 2 young kids, they constantly want to jump between them, neither is clean, stock in the way, so it just gets messy as then I don't have the time to tidy up. 

 

 

 

 

 

2 young kids - one layout each! ;-)

 

Just looking at your latest photo has me wondering - would it be possible to move the desk to under the Typhoon picture and put the 009 where the desk was? That looks as if it should have a number of advantages:

 

1) You still have both layouts so the kids can operate one each, and you can keep an eye on both of them at the same time.

 

2) Access to the desk is easier.

 

3) More natural light on the desk as you will be at 90 degrees to the window so won't be working in your own shadow as much.

 

[sjrixon]

6 hours ago, TheQ said:

Hmm, A Coningsby Typhoon picture on the wall.

As appropriate as the 1/32 Tornado F3 Model I've made space for above / behind, my to be built layout.. That along with the T84 radar in the window..

Your railway Shed is much too tidy..

Good spot! 

 

My brother in law was based there. It's signed by the demonstration pilot, pretty cool picture. 

[TheQ]

I've worked at every RAF and RSAF Site that had ADV Tornado's,  plus Scampton,  Sealand, MOD Boscombe Down and BAE Warton. All to do with the Radar.  I was based at GEC Marconi Milton Keynes where the Typhoon radar was designed before the Site was closed and the work taken to Edinburgh. 

 

I recognized the station plaque in the corner of the poster,  as from 88 to 96 I spent about 3 weeks  a year at Coningsby in various week long lumps. 

 

Edited September 22, 2020 by TheQ

[MrWolf]

Small world, I have worked at BAE Warton, at Coningsby on the flight simulator, which is partly a tornado cockpit sunk into the floor, my uncle was stationed there as a mechanic in the 50s and my grandfather worked for Marconi on radar development work during WW2.

Edited September 22, 2020 by MrWolf

[sjrixon]

He managed to get a very private tour of the bbmf a few years back. Had great fun climbing in the Lancaster. The air show for the families day was probably one of the best days though. 

[MrWolf]

That would have been quite some day out! 

[TheQ]

A friend I knew from sailing in Norfolk was posted from Coltishall to Coningsby, to become Warrant officer in charge of engineering of the BBMF,  when he retired from the RAF he carried on in the same job as a civilian.  He has settled up in the area so I've lost contact.. 

 

[sjrixon]

Should this signal have been on the left of the track? 

 

[RJS1977]

Just now, sjrixon said:

Should this signal have been on the left of the track? 

 

 

Not necessarily - I think a lot of GWR locos were built as right hand drive (I read somewhere that that was because when the Broad Gauge was abolished, it enabled the GWR to plant signals in the 'gap' between double tracks, but I don't know how true that is.

 

It also saves having to run the linkage across the track....

 

[sjrixon]

Thanks Richard.. I need to fix that signal, but before I do I figured I'd check.

 

I ran a piece of set track to the end of the fiddle yard to see how much space it would take up. The straight track from the curve the main line is about 80cm and about the same if I move the fiddle yard. 

 

 

I'm going to leave it for now! Plenty of other work to do.

[RJS1977]

The other advantage of having the signal that side is that as it's the same side of the platform, the driver can watch for both the Guard and the signal from the same side of the cab.

[sjrixon]

I got a little carried away fixing the signal.. I ordered an electric one from Dapol  I'd been holding off doing this as I didn't have a DC feed into the layout for any accessories. This now gives me an opportunity for other lights etc as there is now 12v DC bus.

 

 

[Danemouth]

Looks very good indeed. May I make a suggestion? - a piece of black  card the other side of the tunnel mouth when taking photos would remove a distracting highlight.

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

[sjrixon]

Dave, not a bad idea! My kids must have some somewhere.. Thanks.