Seven Mills Sidings, from TOPS to the POD, Page 169 and Bench Road, Stabling and Fuelling Point from Page 245

[pwr]

42 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

I don't think there will be a New Project as I like Seven Mills to much, plus the  expense, wiring etc. The basic idea drawn up this evening is for the Main Line and Goods Relief Roads that go under the Bridge to turn 90 degrees and then joint to make it a single Track, and the two Fuel Roads to continue as Loco Stabling, maybe with one or two more sidings for Loco Storage. The left hand end either continue over the Level Crossing as a Single Track to form the Loop, or if I have enough length revert back to running on past the disused Platform.

The new plan wont have room for a Fiddle Yard as such as I want as much Countryside as I can get in, so basically almost 3 side for me to do  Fields and Lanes etc so back to what I enjoy doing and plenty of room to do it. The total run should be almost 60ft.

 

Great news Andy.

 

I like the concept of the additional loco sidings - you'll need more locos. Any thoughts on the new Heljan 73 announced over the weekend. I always figured this would be on the cards but I thought we would see a 58 first.

 

Paul R

[Andrew P]

1 hour ago, 34006 said:

I'm liking it already Andy.

I hope it comes and works, I'll know more tomorrow.

[Andrew P]

38 minutes ago, pwr said:

 

Great news Andy.

 

I like the concept of the additional loco sidings - you'll need more locos. Any thoughts on the new Heljan 73 announced over the weekend. I always figured this would be on the cards but I thought we would see a 58 first.

 

Paul R

Yes, I have to agree, I thought the 58 would be first to go with the 56 and HAA Hoppers.

 

I very much doubt about a 73, or anything at the moment as I need to cost out the changes.

[woodenhead]

You don't want a ladder, you want steps - sorry to say this, you're not getting any younger and you've had scares - you want something that will not put too much strain on you.

 

Could you consider a staircase from POD to the loft, your family appear suitably skilled to help.

[Andrew P]

28 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

You don't want a ladder, you want steps - sorry to say this, you're not getting any younger and you've had scares - you want something that will not put too much strain on you.

 

Could you consider a staircase from POD to the loft, your family appear suitably skilled to help.

Yes indeed, this is what I've been looking at,  an open tread one that will slide up into the Loft. My Dad made one like this that slid up on the hatch when I was young, I wish he was around today, or I had learnt more from him.

Edited October 26, 2020 by Andrew P

[Physicsman]

Andy, I'm really pleased to hear that you're sticking with Seven Mills as it's very clear how much you enjoy it. I always thought you regretted getting rid of Trebudoc. You have an excellent collection of O gauge stock and good ideas of how to use it. It would be a great shame if you shipped it off on the chance a 4mm layout might be as good. 

 

As for the stairs. Get your son-in-law back down to build some for you. As has been pointed out, you are going to have to look after yourself if you are always nipping up and down (I doubt Dee will provide waitress service for your meals!!) Decent stairs will be the dog's danglies, as you or Clive might say!

 

Pity I didn't live nearby - I'd love to knock some stairs together for you.

 

Sweet dreams and happy planning for the roundy-roundy.

 

Jeff

[Andrew P]

8 hours ago, Physicsman said:

Andy, I'm really pleased to hear that you're sticking with Seven Mills as it's very clear how much you enjoy it. I always thought you regretted getting rid of Trebudoc. You have an excellent collection of O gauge stock and good ideas of how to use it. It would be a great shame if you shipped it off on the chance a 4mm layout might be as good. 

 

As for the stairs. Get your son-in-law back down to build some for you. As has been pointed out, you are going to have to look after yourself if you are always nipping up and down (I doubt Dee will provide waitress service for your meals!!) Decent stairs will be the dog's danglies, as you or Clive might say!

 

Pity I didn't live nearby - I'd love to knock some stairs together for you.

 

Sweet dreams and happy planning for the roundy-roundy.

 

Jeff

Cheers Jeff, Mike that did the Garage conversion has injured himself and cant do much at the moment, and Son in Law that helped fell off a ladder trimming his hedge a few weeks back and now needs an operation on his shoulder and already had both shoulders pinned a few years back from falling off the HOUSE ROOF TWICE whilst putting up the Christmas lights, lucky for him he landed on the Conservatory roof both times. What's your going rate, haha.

I can get a ready made staircase for £150 so then it will be just a frame to sort out which should be easy. Grandson will help get the Layout up aloft.

[Andrew P]

This morning its chukkin it down, so here's a pic from a sunny day of 08, No 08174 crossing Yard Lane and entering Seven Mills Sidings.

[Donw]

I agree about the stairs if possible, if it has to be a loft ladder buy a sturdy one. Not sure what the loft space is like. One of the best options for insulation is the multi-layer quilt  Tri-Iso is a god make.

 

It doesn't show the quilt in these pictures. Even with the quilt only about  20mm thick but equal to about 10 inches of the rolls of rockwall, it still needed some celotex between the rafters. You cannot fill the space between the rafters there much be a 2 inch gap for air and I had to fit ridge vents.

 

You can see in picture two the dwarf walls resting on two 8x2s bolted together to span across from supporting walls and support the floor. This was to provide a proper room that met building regs for a 'habitable' room. You can probably get away with less if treated as storage space. Incidently the velox rooflights can be fitted from the inside without the need for scaffolding. I have done about half a dozen now. Your family could do them easy.

 

Regards Don

[David Bell]

12 hours ago, Andrew P said:

Important announcement.

 

Today I have requested Planning Permission to use the Loft and convert Seven Mills Sidings into a Roundy Layout for the first time.

 

Permission was INSTANTLY GRANTED, and so now the planning begins.

 

It will be accessed via the 4ft x 2ft hatch in the Garage / POD / Pit of Doom, via a ladder to what will be the new Play Pen all being well.

That is exciting news. Will follow your progress with interest. Cheers,David

[Hal Nail]

10 hours ago, Andrew P said:

 

How about two next to each other and create an incline railway?

[Andrew P]

50 minutes ago, Donw said:

I agree about the stairs if possible, if it has to be a loft ladder buy a sturdy one. Not sure what the loft space is like. One of the best options for insulation is the multi-layer quilt  Tri-Iso is a god make.

 

It doesn't show the quilt in these pictures. Even with the quilt only about  20mm thick but equal to about 10 inches of the rolls of rockwall, it still needed some celotex between the rafters. You cannot fill the space between the rafters there much be a 2 inch gap for air and I had to fit ridge vents.

 

You can see in picture two the dwarf walls resting on two 8x2s bolted together to span across from supporting walls and support the floor. This was to provide a proper room that met building regs for a 'habitable' room. You can probably get away with less if treated as storage space. Incidently the velox rooflights can be fitted from the inside without the need for scaffolding. I have done about half a dozen now. Your family could do them easy.

 

Regards Don

Thanks Don, The loft will only be treated as a storage area, but major insulation was done about 2 years ago with a specialised spray foam between the rafters under the tile felt and is a couple of inches thick. I went up in the height of the summer and it was more than bearable. When I went up the other day when it was cold and raining it was as warm as the POD.

The floor I'm told was prepared for a future loft conversion, but there is a covenant on the Estate banning any form of Loft conversions or rooms, hence the previous people sold it as they needed more Bedrooms.

It will be a simple affair, no frills, just somewhere to give the Trains a longer run, and room for me to do more Scenics.

 

Your room is looking superb.

Edited October 27, 2020 by Andrew P

[Andrew P]

33 minutes ago, David Bell said:

That is exciting news. Will follow your progress with interest. Cheers,David

Thanks David, I'll be going up later with the tape measure and seeing what needs doing.

[Andrew P]

18 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

How about two next to each other and create an incline railway?

My Tracklaying normally ends up as an incline anyway, even when I try and get it level.

 

Bodgit by name, Bodgit by nature,.

[Donw]

That is great if the work has already been done for you.  The pictures came from our last place. We moved for other reasons. I have a room roughly 12x 9 here but I am also building somewhere down the garden which will give 18ftx 10ft with storage for outdoor trains at a low level and an 0 gauge layout above. 

Don

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, Andrew P said:

Thanks David, I'll be going up later with the tape measure and seeing what needs doing.

So will you be standing on the ladder/stairs ( insert word as appropiate as it will probably have changed by the time i finish typing this). What about a small lift?

On 04/10/2020 at 11:29, Andrew P said:

 

 

Edited October 27, 2020 by Winslow Boy

[Andrew P]

3 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

So will you be standing on the ladder/stairs ( insert word as appropiate as it will probably have changed by the time i finish typing this). What about a small lift?

 

Just so long as its not a motion activated one as there's so much going on in the Sidings that it'll never be off!

 

Still struggling with the

No, I will be able to walk up the Stairs, and then stand on the floor, as that is where the highest roof point is.

 

Yes it is a motion activated for recording but is also on all the time, so I can look on my phone of an evening and see if the lights are on. Although I can also see that from the kitchen window.

[Andrew P]

1 hour ago, Donw said:

That is great if the work has already been done for you.  The pictures came from our last place. We moved for other reasons. I have a room roughly 12x 9 here but I am also building somewhere down the garden which will give 18ftx 10ft with storage for outdoor trains at a low level and an 0 gauge layout above. 

Don

18 x 10 is a sensible size, my biggest problem is that my POD is just to narrow at 7ft 2 inches to fit a curve in, hence looking elsewhere.

[pwr]

Any thoughts on track plan Andy

 

Paul R

[Andrew P]

2 hours ago, pwr said:

Any thoughts on track plan Andy

 

Paul R

See below.

[Andrew P]

18 hours ago, Andrew P said:

Important announcement.

 

Today I have requested Planning Permission to use the Loft and convert Seven Mills Sidings into a Roundy Layout for the first time.

 

Permission was INSTANTLY GRANTED, and so now the planning begins.

 

It will be accessed via the 4ft x 2ft hatch in the Garage / POD / Pit of Doom, via a ladder to what will be the new Play Pen all being well.

Well I've been up for a proper measure up, and unless I go for floor level it wont work.

 

Same problem as in the past, the maximum width I can have at 3ft high, which is a bit low, is 8ft 6 inches, which means using a Peco Set Track Radius curve @ 40.5'' Radius, but the the OAA's / VAA's wont take that curve, so very disappointed but it is what it is. 

[Andrew P]

1 minute ago, Andrew P said:

Well I've been up for a proper measure up, and unless I go for floor level it wont work.

 

Same problem as in the past, the maximum width I can have at 3ft high, which is a bit low, is 8ft 6 inches, which means using a Peco Set Track Radius curve @ 40.5'' Radius, but the the OAA's / VAA's wont take that curve, so very disappointed but it is what it is. 

Plenty of room for a nice OO though.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Andy, sounds like OO is your only option then. But at least it will give you something to go at. 

 

Cheers, Ade.

[Andrew P]

24 minutes ago, Adrian Stevenson said:

Hi Andy, sounds like OO is your only option then. But at least it will give you something to go at. 

 

Cheers, Ade.

Thanks Ade, Chris Stafford has just made one of my photos the new header in the O Gauge - Home Based & Exhibition Facebook. Well chuffed.

[47606odin]

9 hours ago, Andrew P said:

Well I've been up for a proper measure up, and unless I go for floor level it wont work.

 

Same problem as in the past, the maximum width I can have at 3ft high, which is a bit low, is 8ft 6 inches, which means using a Peco Set Track Radius curve @ 40.5'' Radius, but the the OAA's / VAA's wont take that curve, so very disappointed but it is what it is. 

 

that’s a shame, I was hoping to see an expansion of the layout