london 80s London Knightsbridge - 1980's Emu's and Loco's.

[33212]

Page updated October 2021 as the previous 'starter' page is out of date and no longer describes the updated plans for the layout.

 

London Knightsbridge:

 

To set the scene, I live in Kent and as a teenager in the 1980's, used my paper-round money to buy, on a Saturday, either an East Kent railrover, or a Capitacard, both supported by the Railriders club vouchers. Myself and friends would travel on the loco hauled 'Cross London' services to and from Dover Western Docks and spot at all the Kent hotspots, Dover Town Yard, Faversham, Ashford and Ramsgate. The highlight was the Capitalcard trips to London, where we'd meander round to all the termini, most of which had loco hauled services, the depots at Old Oak Common, Willesden, Stratford were regulars for breaking and entering.

 

Exotic lines were visited such as the DMU operated Gospel Oak-Barking, the grotty 2-EPB operated North London and West London line etc, London's railways were very different in the mid to late 80's than they are today, the red and blue NSE paint brightened things up a bit but much was run down and stank of diesel fumes!

 

So the model then, the premise is that there was another cross London route built, connecting to the southern in the Battersea area, allowing access to the various southern region routes, and to the north connecting via a Y junction onto the north London, allowing access to western, midland and eastern regions. The main station on the route is a station at Knightsbridge, which serves commuter traffic to and from the southern, a DMU service onto the north London and cross London intercity traffic, and loads of freight. Basically, it allows me to model what I saw in Kent and London at the time.

 

The layout is the third in the loft, the first being German HO layout, this was dismantled and sold off several years ago, the second was a stalled version of what I am trying to achieve with this one, it failed because I smothered the boards with track, and the main boards were built under the eaves, so to operate you had to kneel down and reach in, it became a chore to operate, never got to the ballasting stage let alone scenery, then the building of an extension to the house took up my time, it stayed unused for about three years mostly, although I did continue to accumulate stock and so last year I stripped it all out and this page will now document the third time lucky layout - totally fictitious and set in grotty 1980's London.

 

 

Edited October 29, 2021 by 33212
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[33212]

So, loads more time has been spent in the loft. Have more time now to spend tinkering, nearly finished track laying and finished wiring it up today and have had the whole lot running with clean track - this takes a few hours to clean as there is quite a lot of it. Spent the afternoon chipping up a pile of locos purchased over the last year, and unboxing stock also purchased, takes ages!

The Cavalex PCA's are just a stunning model and all 12 look great running round. One has a rough running axle swill investigate that, otherwise great models and fit nicely with the cross-London traffic depicted on the layout, I remember seeing them on the Medway Valley line back in the day.

 

I am gradually obtaining the GWR150 liveried class 47's and 50, the 50 arrived via eBay a few weeks ago and is now chipped and roaring around. I opted for the weathered version as, I recall, every time I saw it, it was filthy, whereas the 47's were immaculate.

 

47628 (Bachmann) 47500 (Heljan) and 50007 (Hornby) rest in the carriage sidings at London Knightsbridge.

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by 33212

[33212]

So, another period of inactivity, primarily due to the realisation that more does not always mean better. 2020 has been terrible for so many people and I have suffered three bereavements this year so focus has not always been on matters in the loft. Well not directly anyway. What has happened is much watching of layouts on YouTube and also various websites such as EM gauge 70’s etc. The inspiration from these has led to a new year’s revolution and work has started on a refreshed layout by taking most of it apart! The basic idea for the layout remains the same, but I’m swapping to fine scale code 75 for the scenic bit and all the code 100 will be used up in a new set of storage sidings. Control will be DCC, using my ancient Lenz stuff. Points to be electrofrog. First action was to remove all of the track, completed just before Christmas, second action was to lift the boards and dispose to the tip, they have had three layouts on them now and are full of holes. Next step is to tidy it all up, sorted out all the stuff stored in the loft and board out with new ply ASAP. Even found a box of Roco locos from the German layout, forgot I had them! They will be cleaned, tested and ebayed.

 

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by 33212

[33212]

Further work, have removed the old chipboard boards, the picture below shows the frame of what will become one of the storage yards, this side is 28x2 feet. Plywood boards cut and delivered today so will be lugged up here tomorrow. 

 

Following on from the question I asked about spirals and ramps, the second photo shows two black lines drawn on the roof support, this will be the height of the scenic boards, which allows me to sit at them to work and run trains, you can see the height difference between the storage and new scenic level. If I did not decide to future proof for old age, I’d have be kneeling into the eaves to run trains. Atleast this way, its just the occasional dive under to pick up errant trains. 

 

Have decided that a spiral/helix is the better option. Intend to order very shortly.

 

The third photo show a bit if the second fiddle yard, on the opposite side of the loft. Once one has been built and tested, the stock will be moved over and this one refurbished, it is the last remaining part of the old German layout, so was built to operate ‘backwards’ and later the points at either end changed for British operation, but all the dead end sidings point the wrong way. This will be corrected. This also offer 28x2 feet of storage space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by 33212
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[33212]

So, 10 months on, have a few days allocated to finishing the 10 storage roads on the lower level, having removed a million track pins from previously lifted code 100, this is being recycled going down nicely. All the area laid in January is full of stock so no space to run anything, probably a good job and I'd end up shunting all day and not concentrating on the job in hand!

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by 33212

[33212]

Day four in the loft complete, have laid in total about 250 feet of code100 to finish off the storage roads. New pet hate are the Peco insulating fish plates that seem to made of a softer material than years ago, took an age to get some of them on. Have added them every 150cm on all lines to future proof in case I decide to go down the block detection route. All will be bypassed for now. Started wiring it all up this evening. 

[5BarVT]

8 hours ago, 33212 said:

New pet hate are the Peco insulating fish plates that seem to made of a softer material than years ago, took an age to get some of them on.

I’ve also had the same problems.  Hadn’t associated it with a softer material but now you mention it, I think you’re right.

Paul.

[33212]

Mini update - 12 of 22 sets of points in the lower level storage roads wired up and tested, target for completion of the others is the end of the month so had better get my finger out. This bit of work has required a temporary control panel to be built, its just a simple softwood frame round a piece of plywood, its just there to be able to install point switches and LED's. Will be replaced by a new panel once the final track plan is settled (the last layouts temporary panel lasted 10 years!). Once these points are wired up, it on with the helix, target is Easter to have this installed and working. Ultimate target for 2022 is to be able to bring a train up from the storage level, up the helix, round the scenic level and back down to storage by mid-August, as have visitors who will want to have a look!

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by 33212

[33212]

Whilst working in the loft, I found the London Knightsbridge #1 control panel under a board, its been there about 5 years waiting for me to scavenge the point switches from it. To give some idea of size, the storage roads at the top were 20 feet long, and the station platforms at the bottom right could take 10 coaches (8 coaches and a loco either end). Diagram is not quite to scale. The origins is the layout shown here were actually a German layout started about 2003, and the plan here was actually all right hand running for that layout, to convert to British, required many sets of points turning round - this required the scenic side to have a new control panel, you can see the cut where I inserted a new piece of ply, but kept the original German layout storage roads. Anyway, onwards and upwards.

 

Edited October 1, 2022 by 33212

[33212]

So, after slow progress during the summer, due to the loft being on the warm side, I've managed to get some time up there and complete the helix base, and the ramp that connects the helix to the storage roads, the height difference between the bottom of the helix and the storage roads board is 6 inches, the ramp is 18 feet long, so 1 in 32 in my reckoning, A couple of images added, the helix base and the ramp, with the lower part visible behind. 

[33212]

Helix started, the first level all level cross ways and at the same incline throughout, since the photo was taken have added another level above. I have basically used the notes and experiences of Charlie at Chadwick Model Railway on Youtube and its works very well. 

[33212]

And two odd months, a two week cruise, a bout of covid and Christmas..its done, final level in place. Its all wired and tested, needs re-checking / tweaks with the spanner and spirit level all the way round. I have made up the next layer too but don't think its needed as the exit from the helix onto the 'scenic' level is best suited where it is, just via a shallow ramp. Next steps are to build and fit a board to the wall behind this to take the main line loops round behind. In the future, the area above the helix will feature a terminus station based on Broad Street, and a massive TMD.

 

 

 

[33212]

A little more progress, have had to go round the entire helix checking incline and gaps, quite a bit of fiddling but its all about 2%. Today I ran the first train from one of the storage roads round the approach ramp and up the Helix, a Heljan 33 and 8 Bachmann Mk1's - the train accelerated up the Helix as if it was not there, I could have wound it up even more but it would probably have flung itself off. I have not used any system to enhance traction. 

 

I'm really pleased as it semi-proves that my concept for the layout works, need to try other formations and 30 HAA's with a Hornby 56, that might struggle, but we'll see

 

Work now focuses on getting trains off the Helix and heading in two separate directions. This is the point where we swap from code 100 on a non scenic area into code 75 scenery territory. 

 

The Helix kit was from DCC train automation if anyone if considering one. 

[33212]

So after a weeks leave spent shifting, chopping and building, all the scenic level boards are in situ and ready for the next stage, which is using a marker pen and a Crompton to transfer the vision thats in my head on to the boards. Much of the decision making done though, due to the shape of the loft and the access requirements to and from the helix, I'm pretty much having to go with a large roundy roundy, but will make facility for a branch line to run above some of these boards and with the branch terminus to become the 'helix cover' - think Broad Street in London, there's about 12 foot x 3 foot available. Some initial photos, just need to get some paint to give the back scene a few coats and we're off.

[33212]

Quite a bit of progress lately, the CCTV system (8 camera) for spying on the hidden storage sidings has been fitted and new monitor bolted to the wall, all tested and working - this should avoid spectacular pile ups! Work on the scenic level has been to go round fitting dummy sleepers where needed, as the result of hurried track laying, looks much better without the gaps, wish I'd taken a few minutes extra with each bit. Never mind. The raised scenic layer that hides some sidings and creates the cutting has been finessed with a jigsaw and paint brush, the sides of the deep cutting have been glued in place, the scenic retaining walls have been delivered and will be glued to this at some point. Photo shows the cutting walls being held in whilst the glue dries. The three hidden sidings to the right of the cutting have had IR dot LED's fitted so units shunted in there are stopped at the right place. More soon.

Edited October 14, 2023 by 33212