Danemouth - a Seaside BLT

[Danemouth]

If the name of the layout is familiar some of you will have followed my tribulations with various incarnations of Danemouth, a seaside BLT – this was Mark 4:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/112850-danemouth-mk-4/page-3&do=findComment&comment=2461259

 

This layout was interesting from an operational view but the fiddleyard and more particularly the ninety second radius curve onto the scenic part of the layout was operationally a nightmare and any attempt to hide it resulted in moments of unwanted interest when operating.

 

I became disheartened to the extent that I’ve powered the layout a handful of times in recent months and done no work on it whatsoever. I was contemplating ditching the whole thing when a couple of months ago SWMBO remarked it was about time I finished a layout and perhaps exhibited it if only once. This has germinated inside what I call a brain and I’ve decided to go for it aiming to show something at the Cardiff Small Show.

 

Recent perusal on RMWeb at small BLTs has further encouraged me, especially Pen-y-bont, Hintock and Mayshill which to me have all amply demonstrated what can be achieved in a relatively small space.

 

So I’ve ripped all the track up and removed the old fiddleyard board leaving me with a baseboard 12 feet by two feet – eight feet for the scenic area and four for the fiddleyard.

 

I did debate new boards which would have allowed for an additional 50 centimetres in the scenic area but the cost of new professionally built baseboards was 350 notes – my woodworking skills are absolutely appalling. Now I don’t feel inclined to spend that sort of dough for just 50 cms so I will stick with the boards made for me by Peter Midwinter nine years ago.

 

Location:

 

“Danemouth”, somewhere on the South Coast, one of those seaside resorts that the Victorians expected to be big but somehow never happened. I see Danemouth at the end of a single track secondary line 5 or 6 miles from the mainline junction.

 

The time period is late fifties/early sixties with late crest steam and the occasional Green diesel.

Traffic is:

• Branch trains of B set and Autocoaches
• Two coaches detached from an express at the “junction”.
• Branch goods train.
• GUVs etc. mainly using the end of the bay platform.

The steam locos will mainly be various Panniers and Prairies (Large & Small). Diesels are a Flying Banana, Warship, Hymek and Class 22. Some of my locos have sound fitted and others will be also fitted with sound chips as things progress.

 

Track and Control:

 

Danemouth, like it predecessors will be DCC operated using a Powercab. I will continue to use Cobalt motors operated via decoders.

 

The fiddleyard will be in code 75 FB with small points, the scenic bit will be using Code 75 Bullhead plain track with medium points. I did contemplate using the new Bullhead points but they take too much additional space.

 

The track plan

 

 

My  c@ck-handedness is of epic proportions so in designing a trackplan I not only looked at lots of prototype plans but also considered what was available in terms of RTP buildings and Metcalfe kits i.e. something that gives a pleasing result with my limited skills.

 

The Highley Station building and signal box will be reused together with a Bachmann GWR Goods Store.

 

Any comments or advice on the plan is most welcome. The next step is to finish clearing the boards and to lay the track out using Peco paper point templates – I find this always finds issues and tweaks that are not obvious on an AnyRail plan. In particular I hope to find some opportunities to curve the track in places.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this lot,

 

Dave

 

[Jules]

Hi Dave

 

Thanks for the Mayshill name-check!

 

I look forward to seeing this incarnation of Danemouth develop. 

 

Jules

[rovex]

Good to see you back. Looking forward to seeing how things develop

[McRuss]

Hello Dave,

 

maybe you could build an additonal segment with 50cm in length. And add these between the fiddle yard and the station boards. Maybe your local home improvement store could cut the required wood for you in length.

 

Markus

[The Stationmaster]

Morning Dave,

 

Good to see the old name back.  Two things - one practical and the other probably a bit loony - you can decide which is which.   The 'goods shed' looks a bit lost and needs a siding through it or along one side of it.   What would happen if you moved the fiddle yard and entrance to the modelled area nearer to the lower edge of the plan and then curved the approach to the station as it came into the modelled area - could you gain a bit more space in the yard area without losing any room for the station building and bay?

 

I duly look forward to a further visit to the scout hut in January

[Danemouth]

Morning Dave,

 

Good to see the old name back.  Two things - one practical and the other probably a bit loony - you can decide which is which.   The 'goods shed' looks a bit lost and needs a siding through it or along one side of it.   What would happen if you moved the fiddle yard and entrance to the modelled area nearer to the lower edge of the plan and then curved the approach to the station as it came into the modelled area - could you gain a bit more space in the yard area without losing any room for the station building and bay?

 

I duly look forward to a further visit to the scout hut in January

 

Mike,

 

The goods shed I currently have is shown on the left of the last picture in this post

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/112850-danemouth-mk-4/?p=2370234

 

On the plan the shed should have been moved up closer to the track

 

However I have an idea which will move it to the other side of the layout. I intend to lay the paper templates etc for the plan shown above and also for another idea which is germinating at the moment before I make a decision.

 

I will also be looking at ways to add a gentle curve to the track.

 

The Cardiff Small Show is eight months away and if I pull my finger out and don't hit any brick walls I should have something to show if not fully detailed.

 

Warmest Regards,

 

Dave

[Danemouth]

Hello Dave,

 

maybe you could build an additonal segment with 50cm in length. And add these between the fiddle yard and the station boards. Maybe your local home improvement store could cut the required wood for you in length.

 

Markus

 

Markus,

 

I did consider that for about one second originally and then remembered my woodworking skill which is more akin to butchery :yes:

 

The three boards I have are of superb quality and have been the the garage for nine years without a sign of warping.

 

So I will try and make the best of what I have.

 

Warmest Regards,

 

Dave

[Danemouth]

Today I've finished clearing the track from the boards and disposed of the former fiddle yard board, The scenic backboards have been slightly altered to close a gap.

 

I ended up removing all the old cork and then filled all the holes e.g. where point motors were.

 

Tomorrow should see me sanding the boards, I can then commence playing with track and paper templates.

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

[jazzer]

That's a pretty good track plan. The problem for most of us is that on the real railway BLTs were originally built primarily with goods traffic in mind ( in the days of the horse and cart of course ) and if you are modelling the steam era the real goods yards tend to be much bigger than most of us have space for. Therefore the trick is to make the oo guage goods yard look more extensive than it actually is. I think in your plan you've made quite a reasonable job of that in the space available.

 

I like the headshunt running parallel to the running line. It helps the illusion of making it seem more extensive, and is fairly prototypical. If Iwas being ultra fussy I would say perhaps consider having the bay platform on the goods yard side to make it more prototypical e.g. Swanage but that's a very minor thing and personal preference.

 

I look forward to seeing more as it takes shape.

[Nearholmer]

Well, with the weather all sunny, it’s nice to be able to take a trip to Danemouth.

 

I like the plan, although, like Stationmaster, I’m worried about the location of the goods shed.

 

The ‘bay and goods yard’ thing isn’t something to worry about. There were plenty like yours, Hayling Island springs to mind.

[Happy Hippo]

Dave,

 

First it is good to see Danemouth back on the map.

 

Secondly, bite the bullet and build a traverser!

 

The extra trackage you'll gain in the storage sidings is well worth the effort.

[Andrew P]

Hi Dave, as others have said, it's good to see Danemouth re kindled. I do like the Track Plan and thanks for the Pen Y Bon mention in your inspiration.

 

Also it's not dissimilar to Glen Roy, (see link below) that had a slightly curved entrance, and the Goods Shed helped to hade it as it was on the front left of the plan with a coal yard in front.

 

Good luck a keep the pics coming mate.

Edited May 22, 2018 by Andrew P

[NHY 581]

Evening Dave.

 

This looks like a bit of fun!

 

 

If I can be so bold, what if the siding off the head shunt was removed. It seems a bit sticky outy. In addition, what if the point off the double slop was moved away a bit and the goods shed moved further towards the buffer stops?

 

 

Would this open things out a bit?

 

I've had the crayons out and played about before I ate them.

 

 

 

Rob

Edited May 22, 2018 by NHY 581

[Danemouth]

Thank you all so much for taking an interest in my 'umble efforts.

 

AndyP I saw the thread on Glen Roy some time ago and was greatly impressed by it, I will go back and re-aquaint  myself with it in a moment.

 

Richard (HH) my woodworking skills being what they are means I can't knock a nail in straight leave alone make a traverser :yes:

 

Rob, it's funny you should modify my plan to exactly to what I was playing with this evening. However I may have to adopt a slightly unprototypical approach and substitute a three way point for the two points currently in the station throat. In the long term who knows, Norman Lockhart may come and take photos of it in operation :)

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

[NHY 581]

Thank you all so much for taking an interest in my 'umble efforts.

 

AndyP I saw the thread on Glen Roy some time ago and was greatly impressed by it, I will go back and re-aquaint  myself with it in a moment.

 

Richard (HH) my woodworking skills being what they are means I can't knock a nail in straight leave alone make a traverser :yes:

 

Rob, it's funny you should modify my plan to exactly to what I was playing with this evening. However I may have to adopt a slightly unprototypical approach and substitute a three way point for the two points currently in the station throat. In the long term who knows, Norman Lockhart may come and take photos of it in operation :)

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

 

It's on his list Dave. Just have to convince Ivor Peterborough to fire up the Bentley. It's a bit far for Murray to totter to.

 

 

Rob.

[Danemouth]

Well I've played about with paper templates and old bits of track and come up with this:

 

 

I've put in an end dock with the small goods shed adjacent to it,

 

Any further ideas welcome, I shall be buying the track at the beginning of next week.

 

Cheers,

 

Dave

[Andrew P]

Will the Goods Shed opposite the Station not spoil the look / view of the Station with a Train at the buffers Dave?

[Danemouth]

Will the Goods Shed opposite the Station not spoil the look / view of the Station with a Train at the buffers Dave?

 

To be honest Andy I would prefer it to be the other side of the layout and am thinking of re-instating the siding off the headshunt and putting it there. I would be most grateful for (polite) suggestions from you all.

 

Many thanks,

 

Dave

[Andrew P]

To be honest Andy I would prefer it to be the other side of the layout and am thinking of re-instating the siding off the headshunt and putting it there. I would be most grateful for (polite) suggestions from you all.

 

Many thanks,

 

Dave

I think if you can get it to the left, the Layout, like a good painting, it will be better balanced.

Edited May 23, 2018 by Andrew P

[ejstubbs]

Instead of the trap on the bay road, have you considered a point leading to a short spur?  You might choose to think up a reason for its existence but on the other hand it might simply add a bit of flexibility - as in "somewhere to stable the odd bit of stock that's not needed for anything right now".

[NHY 581]

To be honest Andy I would prefer it to be the other side of the layout and am thinking of re-instating the siding off the headshunt and putting it there. I would be most grateful for (polite) suggestions from you all.

 

Many thanks,

 

Dave

How's this Dave. I think increasing the gap between the sidings will give an impression of more space. Goods shed moved to left but no extra siding added off the head shunt. The goids shed will block the view of trains emerging from the fiddle yard.

 

Other side of the tracks, a kickback is added to the bay. A nice Syphon would look nice stabled there.

[Harlequin]

Hi Dave,

 

Your trackplans and other people's suggestions here are similar to a design I've been thinking about. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/129876-hampton-malstead/?p=3175236

 

Here are some of the things I've done that you might find useful:

• I set the station on a diagonal to make better use of the baseboard space and make the design a bit more "dynamic". That also helps to push the fiddle yard connection to the front of the baseboard (important if you go for a traverser).
• Splayed the goods lines at a different angle to the platform to give the yard more space, add a bit of variation and further break the alignment with the baseboards.
• Tried to make space by pushing buildings to the sides where they are used as view blockers to hide track exits and to suggest there's more outside the box than can be seen.
• I took the goods line and run round crossover off the main line before the bay connection so that both the run round loop and the goods sidings could be longer. (So no headshunt, which wouldn't have been long enough anyway. Just using the mainline for shunting.)
• Pushed the engine release crossover as close to the far end as I dared for my intended size of locos, to maximise usable platform length.
• Used the end of the run round loop for end-loading and cattle pens.
• Used kickback sidings to make use of valuable baseboard real-estate alongside the station throat and to help "balance" the trackwork within the scene. They can be difficult to shunt, I know, but it should make operation more interesting!

Edited May 24, 2018 by Harlequin

[sjrixon]

Hi Dave... I'm liking the last version that's been posted, why? Because it's quite similar to what I've done on my layout!

 

The kick back sidings do make it more interesting to shunt. I've also added a loading dock and creamery to really add to the shunting. 

 

The kick back also means that more of the shunting moves are kept on scene. If the sidings all flow the same way as the station the the wagons could be pulled back through the scenic break to clear the siding. 

[The Johnster]

I'm thinking that the 2 sidings close together, a goods shed road and what is presumably a mileage road, jar on my senses a bit; how is the mileage road accessed for loading and unloading?  If you can infer that there is space not modelled off the front of the baseboard it makes a bit more sense, but if the yard is that spacious, why are they not separated by the usual horse and cart turning circle.  Post 16 is my personal favourite so far, but with Rob's bay kickback from post 21 only closer to the main line and hemmed in by the cutting, maybe retaining walls, the perfect place to store an auto trailer or the branch train overnight, or stand one over on at peak periods.

[br2975]

 

 

Danemouth Mk 5.jpg

 

 

 

 

From my point of view, for a small branch terminus, the plan featured in Post No.16 appears just about right, as most 'promoters' didn't normally build anything bigger or more involved than could cater for the traffic on hand, and would not lay track or build structures greater than could cope with the projected traffic..

.

A few things I would consider, are;

 

(i) Assuming the station to fiddle yard scenic break is an over bridge, I would extend the head shunt into the fiddle yard area ( but not joined up to any FY sidings ) in order to (a) increase it's length and assist shunting, and (b) to make the station look a tad 'busier'

.

(ii) Your station throat has two points off the 'main' as you approach the station platform, one leading to the bay, the other to the loop/goods yard. Have you considered replacing these two points with a three-way ? It could safe you a bit of valuable space.

A purist might say that to have a three way and a slip in such a small branch terminus would not be prototypical due to the real world cost....but Rule No.1 applies.

.

(iii) Assuming the branch is operated mainly by an auto train (with a 'B' Set for the early morning and afternoon services - schools contract ?) , then shunting of the mid-morning branch goods can take place, and the mid-morning auto train could run into the bay and leave again for the junction without entering the main platform or interfering with the shunting.

.

(iv) If you design the goods yard carefully, it could be shunted as an Inglenook, your two yard sidings contain the wagons which have to be shunted into a set order on the loop before departure. All you need are 11 'spots' for  8 wagons ( laid out in the 5 + 3 + 3 format, where 5x SLU are accommodated in the run round loop and a minimum of 3x SLU  in each of the two yard roads )................. which five wagons would be just about the right number for a small branch freight.

.

(v) I would consider a small cattle pen, horse landing and end loading dock.............probably at the buffer stops, off the loop siding opposite the main platform.

.

(vi) Don't make the usual modellers mistake, and have your platforms 3'0" above the surrounding ground level. Almost all platforms are of the same level as the street outside, as are loading docks. So, I'd have all the scenic area built up with card to about 3'0" above rail level, easily done, and the effect moves a train set into a better portrayal of reality.

.

Submitted for your consideration.

 

Regards

.

Brian R

Edited May 24, 2018 by br2975