drmditch Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 Happy New Year, and Good Afternoon from 'down the line'. Splendid progress. Very impressive I'm making some progress too, and if my pictures are any good, I'll update my build thread when I've been out to enjoy the sunshine! Please may I ask two questions: What is your minimum track curvature radius (including 'hidden areas')? Have you found any convenient light source for your storage/'hidden areas'? I've realised that I do need some convenient LED type lights, otherwise it's quite dark in Newcastle/Darlington/the Rest of the World, and I can't see to operate them. WWW search not come up with anything suitable yet. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share Posted January 9, 2021 (edited) 7 hours ago, richard i said: This is really becoming like one of those American model railroads you see in model railroader which have a whole system which snakes around the room. Seeing those and following a train around can be really satisfying. this looks to have all these qualities. richard I hadn't really thought of it like that but I know what you mean. The US 'basement' layouts that I like are the ones that snake between several rooms such that the operator in the 'staging yard' can't see what's coming until it rounds the corner. That's always kinda appealed to me but it won't generally be the case on this layout. 2 hours ago, Barry O said: it must be less than warm in the railway room though.. Yes, very much 30 mins at a time at the moment then retreat to the warmth of lounge (with roaring fire!). Especially the case now I've done with sawing and hammering (and screwing and banging) for a little while. That at least used to keep me warm. Looking ahead, I possibly see a pattern whereby the layout goes into semi-hibernation in the winter, with it part-dismantled to get a van in for exhibition purposes. Plenty of stock projects to work on in the winter. Summer time is then scenery time - and play time! But we'll see ... 2 hours ago, drmditch said: Please may I ask two questions: What is your minimum track curvature radius (including 'hidden areas')? Have you found any convenient light source for your storage/'hidden areas'? 1. Three foot radius everywhere. Largely 'because I can' given the space available. Trying to make 'on view' curves somewhat more generous than that 2. Not really ... because I haven't really looked in anger yet. Most storage areas will actually be on view and most hidden areas will be just a stretch of double track en route to somewhere else so I'm not sure I have much of call for lighting in the way you describe. We've taken to using LED strip lighting for both Grantham and Shap in exhibition mode and it seems to be a good option to me. Edited January 9, 2021 by LNER4479 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted January 9, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 9, 2021 3 hours ago, LNER4479 said: (and screwing and banging) for a little while. That at least used to keep me warm. It's amazing what some people get up to in the confines of a model railway room! Mike. 1 1 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony Teague Posted January 9, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 9, 2021 5 hours ago, LNER4479 said: Yes, very much 30 mins at a time at the moment then retreat to the warmth of lounge (with roaring fire!). Especially the case now I've done with sawing and hammering (and screwing and banging) for a little while. That at least used to keep me warm. This might be a bit radical for you, and of course you may enjoy all the screwing and banging, but have you thought of installing some heating? I find that leaving a fairly low wattage convector switched on in the railway room during the coldest part of the year is just enough to make a considerable difference. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share Posted January 9, 2021 Tis a huge, huge space (a former methodist chapel) - and not just length and width but height as well. We're tried all sorts of different heaters in there since we've had it; nothing seems to make much difference. We've replaced the windows, re-tiled the roof, including installation and there's a full sealing arrangement around the main sliding door (where the exhibition van gets in). It's all made a slight improvement. Learning to live with it ... 1 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
drmditch Posted January 9, 2021 Share Posted January 9, 2021 My railway room may be only about 1/3 the size of yours, and my design and and concept a bit 'toylike' compared with yours, but it's actually about the warmest room in the house! When the virus has subsided you must come 'down the line', and visit. (You will have to bring something to run of course!) 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted January 10, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 10, 2021 2 hours ago, LNER4479 said: Tis a huge, huge space (a former methodist chapel) - and not just length and width but height as well. We're tried all sorts of different heaters in there since we've had it; nothing seems to make much difference. We've replaced the windows, re-tiled the roof, including installation and there's a full sealing arrangement around the main sliding door (where the exhibition van gets in). It's all made a slight improvement. Learning to live with it ... Destratification fans to get the warm air back down to the floor? Used to work well in rolling stock depots. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted January 10, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 10, 2021 3 hours ago, St Enodoc said: Destratification fans to get the warm air back down to the floor? Used to work well in rolling stock depots. Probably not very PC these days, but known in my gas board days as punkah fans. Mike. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted January 10, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 10, 2021 4 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said: Probably not very PC these days, but known in my gas board days as punkah fans. Mike. I always understood those to be a sort of fore-and-aft reciprocating "paddle" arrangement, whereas the ones I have experienced were slow axial-flow rotary fans. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted January 10, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 10, 2021 Just now, St Enodoc said: I always understood those to be a sort of fore-and-aft reciprocating "paddle" arrangement, whereas the ones I have experienced were slow axial-flow rotary fans. Oh yes, a totally different style, but did basically the same job, most of the clients we dealt with knew them as the same name, it was probably a throwback to the number of ex military in India people that were about back in the day. Mike. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manna Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 G'Day Folks If the roofs more that 15' high, build another story inside the building, it will give you two smaller rooms (heightwise) but a lot easier to heat, and as a added bonus, you would have a second room with the same footprint, so more room for more layouts...........simple. manna 6 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted January 10, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 10, 2021 But then you can't get the van in to load for exhibitions... Baz 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 5BarVT Posted January 10, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 10, 2021 8 minutes ago, Barry O said: But then you can't get the van in to load for exhibitions... Use a pick-up instead . . . Just leavin’ Paul. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted January 10, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 10, 2021 26 minutes ago, Barry O said: But then you can't get the van in to load for exhibitions... Baz Floating floor? Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted January 10, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 10, 2021 21 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said: Floating floor? Mike. it doesn't flood in the Chapel... 2 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post LNER4479 Posted January 10, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 10, 2021 2 hours ago, Barry O said: But then you can't get the van in to load for exhibitions... Baz And you can't get views like this: For those that haven't (yet) been, this might give some idea of height (and thus volume!). The big sliding door to the outside world is behind the red curtains. 17 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 1 hour ago, Barry O said: it doesn't flood in the Chapel... ... much 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted January 10, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 10, 2021 Hi Graham Looking at your photos I have a question. Will all the clutter be tidied up before operating sessions commence? Now many will think this a health and safety question, I don't give a monkey's cuss about the health and safety of those daft enough to help Graham. My concern is when I was in the army I wasn't very good at assault courses and this could lead me to be spilling more tea than I deliver to those brave enough to partake in helping Graham. 2 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony Teague Posted January 10, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 10, 2021 Wow, that's high! I quite like the 1st floor idea..... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 (edited) Hmm ... my logic is that a five figure sum spent installing a mezzanine buys an awful lot of locos, coaches, wagons, track, controllers, (etc, etc). All stuff required if this thing is going to be finished within a reasonable timescale. The other thing that is impossible to convey until you're actually in there is the feeling of space and the sense of theatre. Its a difficult thing to describe but it's quite invigorating and inspiring ... a sort of feng shoo-y thing. It is for me, at any rate. I don't do claustrophobia - I like big open spaces (eg Shap Fell) - room to breath. And - yes, Clive. It will (obviously) be tidied up when we're operating. It's a building site and there's simply too much 'stuff' in there at the moment. All in good time. Edited January 10, 2021 by LNER4479 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted January 10, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 10, 2021 it will make it easier for me to move from operating position to operating position(!) Another operator who lives close to the Chapel should be up for helping too! Baz 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted January 10, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 10, 2021 58 minutes ago, LNER4479 said: It's a building site and there's simply too much 'stuff' in there at the moment. All in good time Perhaps a wood burner would solve your problems. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 (edited) Modelling the S&C is one thing, enduring the S&C climate whilst modeling is taking realism too far... I shall wear a snorkel parka when operating 'the rest of the world' and require constant hot tea from Clive 'Sherpa' Mortimore... Edited January 10, 2021 by Dr Gerbil-Fritters 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 2 hours ago, LNER4479 said: Hi There, Do you have a plastic model of Mc Caigs tower, Oban ready for a West Highland extension or is it just a grey laundry basket that I can see ? Gibbo. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 37 minutes ago, BoD said: Perhaps a wood burner would solve your problems. One of many options that have been considered. Still a helluva space for it to heat ... and I just have this innate fear of it burning wood I'd rather it didn't burn ... Don't worry chaps. As I've already said, the plan is that full layout operating sessions will be April-October (say) events only. The layout will be part un-mantled during the winter for so long as bits of it are requested for shows, so full-blown winter operating sessions simply won't be possible. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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