RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted October 11, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 11, 2017 Thanks for dropping in Keith - and no layout is ever finished believe me! So - no flat earth with disappearing tracks on MK2 - those tracks will meet at Norton Junction and the M5 overbridge will be the scenic break at that end of the layout. Was always the intention to extend but rebuild will be better. Sorry about the horses - they need permanent attachment, something else we will do in MK2. I normally go round and dress the baseboard joins with scatter, don't know why I forgot on this occasion but as you say once you spot them they will jar. That is the only one not hidden by a hedge.... Glad to hear you enjoyed watching, am pretty sure we had a chat - am useless with faces, sorry! Kind regards Phil Hi Phil I beg to differ about you being useless with faces, you can pull a myriad of panic stricken through to ones of pure horror when you spot me approaching Abbotswood. :nono: 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 12, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 12, 2017 Its the blind panic that sets in Clive - hide those ex LMS vans, quick! Hee hee Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Sounds like we'll be in for a great adventure with the new layout and I'm sure it'll be a pleaser with crowds and operators alike. But will there be room for it on your patio Phil, for those filming and relaxed operating sessions? If it comes to Toddington again I guess we'll have to tell the Worcester Locomotive Society and Western Locomotive Association to move over so there's room for the layout! And if there's a larger fiddle yard, might there be room for another Wizzo? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 13, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2017 Yes on all counts Liam - will be a lot of work to get there, but the end will hopefully justify the means.... Cheers Phil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris M Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 (edited) At the moment I have two none working Ratio bracket signals on my layout but I always think working semaphores are much better. I have a friend who is going to build me a couple of working ones (quite a challenge in N). He is planning on building working signals in all scales so you might be interested at a later stage. The 7mm signals he has already built are very very good. All the signals will be robust and servo driven but they aren't cheap. I can't imagine you will need any for a while so I will post a photo of mine when I get them - probably early next year. Your signals do of course go the wrong way. It could be argued that, despite being different scales our layouts are not that different in concept as both consist of a junction but no station and capture a real location (although I call mine a caricature because it isn't that close) . Edited October 13, 2017 by Chris M 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBAGE Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 At the moment I have two none working Ratio bracket signals on my layout but I always think working semaphores are much better. I have a friend who is going to build me a couple of working ones (quite a challenge in N). He is planning on building working signals in all scales so you might be interested at a later stage. The 7mm signals he has already built are very very good. All the signals will be robust and servo driven but they aren't cheap. I can't imagine you will need any for a while so I will post a photo of mine when I get them - probably early next year. Your signals do of course go the wrong way. It could be argued that, despite being different scales our layouts are not that different in concept as both consist of a junction but no station and capture a real location (although I call mine a caricature because it isn't that close) . Don't beat yourself up. All we can ever hope to produce is an impression of the real thing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 13, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2017 (edited) Cheers Chris Building signals is something I shall be doing before the baseboards arrive.... On MK2 signals will go both ways - although not at the same time of course - as although Brum - Gloucester line as currently modelled is ex MR the Worcester - Oxford line is most emphatically GW and hence will have to feature this bracketed beauty... http://www.roscalen.com/signals/Worcester/NortonJct.htm Is currently one of (if not the?) last working semaphore distant sited on a common post with home signal - distant currently worked by Gloucester MAS , But a bit of research is required - may have been a fixed distant in our era Also a few single LQ arm posts required.... Phil Edited October 13, 2017 by Phil Bullock 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D860 VICTORIOUS Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 That's interesting thoughts Neil - many thanks for sharing There will be more habitations on the new layout in Norton village so more scope for village scenery but equally more open countryside too What is a daft cameo from your perspective? we have the railway photographers trackside already, plus cyclists and horse riders And as far as I am concerned there is no right or wrong answer, just interested to hear your perspective Cheers Phil As one of the posts has said,being a rural location would suggest that having rural-type scenery,maybe more of the same as what you have now.is the way forward. Helicopters landing,fire appliances with flashing blues,moving cyclists,stuff like that,I just can't se the point...just an opinion!! Unlikely that any of these will be in your plans..? Neil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 13, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2017 Spot on Chris The only exception could be the M5 motorway at the western boundary .... but I generally don't like the sort of cameos you describe , personal choice isn't it? The war memorial at Norton needs some thought too.... https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=3j41uQEi&id=7D6A20771C6B93423C288AA9BC20A74E2AEE8A96&thid=OIP.3j41uQEiTJh5uPsaKcBMqQE4DI&q=war+memorial+norton+worcestershire&simid=608008955320666190&selectedIndex=0&ajaxhist=0 Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 I've got a good idea for a cameo Phil; a farmer on his tractor in a field, trying to chase some schoolboy spotters away and shouting, "Oi, get outta 'ere!" 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Spot on Chris The only exception could be the M5 motorway at the western boundary .... but I generally don't like the sort of cameos you describe , personal choice isn't it? Phil Or better still, what with the M5 being completely gridlocked north of the M42 Junction because of the Oldbury viaduct repairs, just portray the cars in a mass traffic jam. Perfectly realistic! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 13, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2017 Ha ha! This section of motorway was built as two lanes and opened in 1962 North of Lydiate Ash the motorway was only built between 1967 and 1970 so if theres a traffic jam its probably caused by those road works.... Need to track down what motorway furniture looked like in that era... Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Roger Sunderland Posted October 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2017 (edited) Hi Mike I know just where you are coming from! finescale track looks better for sure but probably about 5% of the audience even know it exists let alone recognise it. Peco jars for you because you have the critical eye of an experienced modeller .... and I might look at hand built for the pointwork for the junctions - the prevailing curves on visible plain track should be pretty shallow on the 27ft MK2 and it might not be good to be held to the 5ft maximum radius of Peco.... But I could not contemplate the time to go all hand built! And we do get a lot of comments from the 95% of observers as to how good the trackwork looks on MK1. Cheers Phil I think more people are taking an interest in finer scale looking track, maybe because of Peco themselves. Their new bullhead track is very very good. Edited October 13, 2017 by Roger Sunderland 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 13, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2017 Thanks Roger That could be a good reason to go down the road you suggest.....Peco always comes with limitations! As for traverser - would need to be mega and across 4 boards to accommodate our 10ft trains - have you experience of such a beast? Cheers Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Roger Sunderland Posted October 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2017 Well, our traverser is 12' long on Bournemouth West and 16 tracks wide - a beast indeed. To be fair, although it didn't cause any serious issues at our debut show, it does still need a few tweaks. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 13, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2017 Wow that is a beast! What tweaks have you had to make? Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted October 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2017 I've got a good idea for a cameo Phil; a farmer on his tractor in a field, trying to chase some schoolboy spotters away and shouting, "Oi, get outta 'ere!" Are you sure one of the kids is not Theresa the Vicar's daughter? :scratchhead: She was a really naughty girl. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 13, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2017 You knew her too Clive? Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 13, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2017 So am I right in saying C&L is bullhead only? Looks like we need to be FB on conco! Picture courtesy of Brian Thomas Phil 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Roger Sunderland Posted October 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2017 Phil C&L plain track is bullhead but Exactoscale, from the same stable, do flat bottom track. The tweaks to the traverser have been mainly about alignment. To enable one person to operate this, from the end closest to the camera, and because of the length, we have had to incorporate a brass rod which, by a simple lever locks both ends of the traverser. Because the layout is a terminus, the loop you see enables the fiddle yard operator to accept trains, run them round the loop and then stack them back in their allotted road so they are ready for their next turn. Sorry I haven't got a pic of the locking mechanism. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted October 13, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2017 So am I right in saying C&L is bullhead only? Looks like we need to be FB on conco! 225 (2).jpg Picture courtesy of Brian Thomas Phil Hi Phil C&L do a system called fast track which is concrete sleepers with Pandrol clips. They also do ST clips for flatbottom rail on wooden sleepers, not common on running lines but widely used on point work. Colin Craig does a good range of earlier baseplates and clips for flatbottom of wooden sleepers and he does point kits. Peco in their Individulay range also do Pandrol clips and slide chairs if you are going to make your own track and point work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 13, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2017 (edited) Cheers Clive that would do the job. Am guessing the pointwork would be on wood... And need to check up at Norton Junction too...here we go, from my own photos although these are 1976.... So that's concos on plain track and turnouts on wood on the Worcester side of the junction in the 46036 picture..... and wood on the curve to Abbotswood . Cant see but would guess the Oxford line is wood as well as no investment until singled - we will be doing double track. Got to do a couple of Brush 4s with that Clayton boiler port too - D1103 and D1955 Cheers Phil Edited October 13, 2017 by Phil Bullock 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 13, 2017 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2017 Thanks for the traverser comments Roger I guess that is a limitation - there must always be someone there to work it whereas fiddle yard routes can be automated... Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted October 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2017 Traverser inspiration here Phil. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/49884-automated-motorised-traverser/ Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 I understand the Warships and Hymeks ran on the Oxford line, but did any Westerns? Or did they stick to running from Paddington to Birmingham/Worcester via Cheltenham? I would have loved to ride behind them when they were in BR service, especially on the Paddington to Bristol runs what with Sonning Cutting and Box Tunnel to pass by. Sadly I was born just a few years after they finished in BR service, but at least there's two at the SVR I can ride behind. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now