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Abbotswood and Norton Junctions - layout build


Phil Bullock
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Phil, I hope we can have a big discussion over curry with the track plans on paper in a couple of weeks ;) More than happy to help in any way I can when you get started.

 

 

Andi

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Good luck with this Phil, we will see progress soon I’m sure.

I’ve bought a few lengths of C&L bullhead for my spoil sidings, and the sleeper spacing really makes a difference to peco code 75. Like you I’m sticking to OO for the foreseeable, but if starting all over I’d certainly want to look at correct sleeper spacing especially out on the mainline.

Although I’ve only done 3 sessions with mark 1, a few more fiddle loops would be good, but making it all transportable is always the downside here.

Neil

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That is most kind Andi!

 

Not sure I'll make the curry but am sure I'll be around at the show....

 

Is Mr Mortimore turning up?

 

Phil

Dear Lord Bullock of Abbotswood

 

Owing to a prior engagement I am sorry to say that I cannot attend this October's exhibition in Cheltenham. I off to sus out the local show in Caistor. Hopefully I can get down to the April show.

 

Last night I was searching high and low for photos of Abbotswood in the late sixties and early seventies to see if I could work out what rail types were used on each line. Despite having loads of books on the the Midland I came up with nought. So went to bed viewing photos in a book on LNER V2s, cor blimey the amount of flatbottom track they ran on.

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Interesting...

 

by figure of 8 do you mean a dog bone?

 

Phil

No, I don't. MR going towards Brum curving round below  the OWW and coming back underneath.

 

PS: If you give me the overall dimensions, I will try to draw something. I can see easily a way to make it work in N but OO is a tad more difficult. What is your minimum radius (hidden)?

Edited by Joseph_Pestell
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Dear Lord Bullock of Abbotswood

 

Owing to a prior engagement I am sorry to say that I cannot attend this October's exhibition in Cheltenham. I off to sus out the local show in Caistor. Hopefully I can get down to the April show.

 

Last night I was searching high and low for photos of Abbotswood in the late sixties and early seventies to see if I could work out what rail types were used on each line. Despite having loads of books on the the Midland I came up with nought. So went to bed viewing photos in a book on LNER V2s, cor blimey the amount of flatbottom track they ran on.

 

Ah that's a shame Clive! April then....

 

How about these from Brian Thomas

 

post-7138-0-08617800-1508262807_thumb.jpg

 

That's up siding, up main, down main going away from camera

 

post-7138-0-06333800-1508262843_thumb.jpg

 

Train is stood on down loop

 

Cheers

 

Phil

Edited by Phil Bullock
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That's kind Joseph

 

We are looking at 27ft x 12ft with a 2ft x 21 ft central operating well

 

Ideally 3ft min curve but would accept 30"

 

Phil

I've never actually operated a layout from the inside, for despite my home layout having a well in the middle I operate it from the front, and Abbotswood Mk1 was operated from the right hand side.

 

The layout would look very impressive at Warley, 27ft of greenery (and a bit of brown, maroon and blue) should add some colour to the hall with horrible sodium lighting . . .

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I've never actually operated a layout from the inside, for despite my home layout having a well in the middle I operate it from the front, and Abbotswood Mk1 was operated from the right hand side.

 

The layout would look very impressive at Warley, 27ft of greenery (and a bit of brown, maroon and blue) should add some colour to the hall with horrible sodium lighting . . .

 

Was originally the intention to operate Mk1 from the centre Liam but evolved to be the side - friendlier for the punters.

 

Happy for MK2 to evolve to whatever works best too....

 

So now lets throw in another variable - height.

 

MK1 is 40" which is a compromise between operator and user comforts. Easy to elevate the smaller punters on steps but not so for anyone with compromised access.....wheelchair etc. Yet to go lower makes it uncomfortable for operators and difficult to get underneath if (when) electrical repairs are needed.

 

What are others experiences?

 

Phil

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HI Phil

 

Looks like you will have some exciting track laying.

Up siding, bullhead....use Peco

Up Main, flatbottom CRW concrete sleepers, Pandrol clips, C&L fast track bases code 83 rail.

Down Main, flatbottom CRW(?) wooden sleepers,Pandrol clips, Peco Indiviulay on C&L wood sleepers or copper clad sleepers with Peco or Colin Craig's Pandrol clips (cosmetic).

Down Siding, flatbottom jointed, wooden sleepers Mk1 baseplate and clips. Copper clad with Colin Craig's Mk 1 baseplates.

 

Points could be anything at the moment except the trap point for the Up Siding, bullhead.

 

OR stick to Peco Streamline. :scratchhead:

Edited by Clive Mortimore
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That is very kind of  you Mark

 

Are you sure you don't want anything for them? Would be great to have a play with!

 

Phil

Edited by Phil Bullock
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Slim crew only Andi - you will be OK, not sure about me though....

 

Will think about that

 

Experience with MK1 makes me prefer outside access - suspect will need both on this one

 

Phil

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With 12' overall width, there should be plenty of scope for at least 3' wide operating well. Even that implies a front scenic board at least 5' deep which certainly needs access from both sides.

 

But the good news is that 12' overall width gives plenty of scope for simple loops rather than lots of gradients.

 

Are you looking for the layout to be viewed just from one 27' long side...or more? With that much space to play with, one could think of solutions that enabled viewable scenes all round.

Edited by Joseph_Pestell
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Scenic section 27 x 5 viewed from front and ends only. Very happy for public to be able to view fiddle yards though....

 

Phil

 

That's what I thought it would be. Involves a few compromises with the directions of the tracks and distances between the various bridges but should make for a great looking layout.

 

Does also mean perhaps, because you are flattening the curve of the chord between the two junctions, that you really should look at some option for the junction pointwork other than the 12 degree Peco.

 

A 5' wide scenic board implies that you should probably go for a 4'6 wide operating well and 2'6 wide fiddleyard boards - the most that one can comfortably reach over at 40" height. And operators can get past each other with 4'6.

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Hence access to fiddle yard boards from inside and outside layout....maximising fiddle yard capacity is key with the intention they will be storage roads rather than fiddling roads.

 

And you are right about the pointwork it's that very issue that started my train of thoughts on the trackwork...

 

Many thanks for thoughts and advice

 

Phil

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I do get the point about wanting to be able to operate a wide variety of trains without having to take them on and off tracks mid-exhibition. But you are looking at a seriously humungous storage yard there. Have you thought about how long it is going to take to put all those trains on the layout and take them off again?

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I do get the point about wanting to be able to operate a wide variety of trains without having to take them on and off tracks mid-exhibition. But you are looking at a seriously humungous storage yard there. Have you thought about how long it is going to take to put all those trains on the layout and take them off again?

Hi, I'm following this thread with considerable interest, mainly to see how you you resolve various issues!  Regarding the storage yard and putting stock on them, I had a different, although somewhat similar issue with an N gauge layout I'm building for the Hull show next month.  I haven't the space for a large number of loops so what I came up with is a mix of loops and cassettes.  There are 2 complete loops and 2 loops with cassettes in them.  This means that not only can trains be removed and changed quickly, if the stock is stored in the cassettes then there isn't a problem with getting it onto, and off, the rails!  

 

As an alternative, perhaps a short siding, minus the buffer stop, could be used in the storage area and cassettes attached to this.

 

Roja

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Hi, I'm following this thread with considerable interest, mainly to see how you you resolve various issues!  Regarding the storage yard and putting stock on them, I had a different, although somewhat similar issue with an N gauge layout I'm building for the Hull show next month.  I haven't the space for a large number of loops so what I came up with is a mix of loops and cassettes.  There are 2 complete loops and 2 loops with cassettes in them.  This means that not only can trains be removed and changed quickly, if the stock is stored in the cassettes then there isn't a problem with getting it onto, and off, the rails!  

 

As an alternative, perhaps a short siding, minus the buffer stop, could be used in the storage area and cassettes attached to this.

 

Roja

I recollect Gilbert doing this on his 'Peterborough West' layout.

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