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

[Andrew P]

Hi Andy,

 

I like the idea of your proposed layout, so much so, that I have taken the liberty to produce it using AnyRail 6

 

7Mill v1.jpg

 

the grid is 6" square. The trackwork is standard Peco O Gauge and I have drawn the pointwork to give the usual track centres, with the toes of the two crossovers at the righthand end on your red line which I assume is your baseboard join.. As you can see, this results in a much shallower plan than you sketched out and if you want the 'full 2ft' as your sketch, you would end up with very little space at the ends of some of the tracks as well as some very strange reverse curve arrangements.

 

I only point this out to help before you spend time and effort in building baseboards.

 

kind regards

 

Mike

Thanks for doing that Mike, The boards will have to come first, as I have an area 12ft x 2ft, once they are done, as I said above, I will throw some bits of Track on the Boards and see what I can fit in. I have 3 x Left, and 3 x Right Peco Points plus some lengths of Peco Track.

 

If it's to tight, and there's not enough room for scenic, then it will be changed as required.

 

When Sketching out, I have a sheet of A4, with a 1 inch grid drawn in Biro, I then lay that under a plain sheet of A4 and use the grid underneath as a guide. I always allow 3ft for a crossover, even though it's a little less. 

 

Cheers again.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Andrew P

[Andrew P]

Good to see 7mm, what a pun! Will you be using Kadees? I am beginning to think it might be a good idea for Penmaenpool, particularly for shunting wagons some distance away from the layout edge. In my case the coal wagon for the coal stage and ash wagon would both be beyond my eyesight and reach.

 

Paul

 

No Kadees in 7mm for me mate, they use them up at our Club, mainly for the Passenger Stock to couple under Corridor to Locos.

 

It will be interesting to see how you get on with them mate.

[Andrew P]

Interesting plan Andy will be watching with interest

 

Brian

Cheers Brian, I'll be interested too mate. hahahha.

[Andrew P]

This is another Plan that I've been working on, not quite so impressed!

 

Edited August 17, 2018 by Andrew P

[ossygobbin]

This is another Plan that I've been working on, not quite so impressed!

Plan 2.png

that looks a bit wantage andy

[Focalplane]

No Kadees in 7mm for me mate, they use them up at our Club, mainly for the Passenger Stock to couple under Corridor to Locos.

 

It will be interesting to see how you get on with them mate.

Andy

 

I have never used Kadees in 7mm scale, but years ago in my HO era I fiddled with all the many Kadee variations and still have dozens of them lying around and attached to various American HO locos and stock. Of course they look the part with American models.

 

I am using MagClic couplers between coaches because they don’t show too much and they are in rakes. To uncouple coaches your hand of god has to simply pull them apart with a bit of force. This might work as well as Kadees but in the case of the coal wagon, if it ends up inside the engine shed how can you pull it off the loco which will not have a MagClic!

 

Let’s see if Coachmann has a point of view.

 

Paul

[Andrew P]

that looks a bit wantage andy

Based on St Davids, Exeter, but that is just a Depot, and has a Fuel Tank Rd where I've put the Warehouse and no run round loop.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Andrew P

[Ray H]

Good luck with the idea Andy.

 

An observation if I may based on your initial plan. I'd assumed that you were going to have the new layout opposite you work bench but then you revealed otherwise hence the following.

 

Could you have the layout the other way round so that the single track fiddle yard is an extension to the main layout and can be accessed from your work bench area - it could still run behind the backscene but it would make it easier to access.

 

And as I was about to pen the above I noticed that the plan as drawn has the fiddle yard in a  corner of TOPS. That's OK if you're not keeping the "baseboard" area across the end of TOPS but I fear you'll struggle to reach the fiddle yard if you can only access it at an angle.

[Andrew P]

Good luck with the idea Andy.

 

An observation if I may based on your initial plan. I'd assumed that you were going to have the new layout opposite you work bench but then you revealed otherwise hence the following.

 

Could you have the layout the other way round so that the single track fiddle yard is an extension to the main layout and can be accessed from your work bench area - it could still run behind the backscene but it would make it easier to access.

 

And as I was about to pen the above I noticed that the plan as drawn has the fiddle yard in a  corner of TOPS. That's OK if you're not keeping the "baseboard" area across the end of TOPS but I fear you'll struggle to reach the fiddle yard if you can only access it at an angle.

The Frame across the end of the shed above the CD / Book Case is only 18 inches wide, and may still be removed. I don't want anything above the work bench, especially a fiddle yard that would need to be at least a foot wide.

 

Not sure what you mean by extension to the Main Layout, there isn't one, it's just a Yard and Fiddle Yard.

 

Thanks for the ideas anyway Ray.

[Andrew P]

There is a Large Logo Blue 37 on it's way to Seven Mill Sidings, just need to sort out a name and number now, I fancy 37430 Cwmbran.

[sp1]

Great name for the layout Andy - I would have been tempted to go for a subtle play on words and add an R and call it ‘Severn Mill’ but that might restrict the location to somewhere near a certain river.....

[Andrew P]

Great name for the layout Andy - I would have been tempted to go for a subtle play on words and add an R and call it ‘Severn Mill’ but that might restrict the location to somewhere near a certain river.....

That's why I left the ''R'' out, and If I can do a Warehouse, it will be the Seven Mill Flour Co. or Seven Mill Engineering, or something like that, so the Sidings were there for the Company.

[Ressaldar]

Hi Andy,

 

I like this one even more than the first, but the geometry has reared its head once again

 

 

 I see where you are coming from using your existing right and left hand points, but this is the best that I can come up with, using 4No 'Y' points to not only get the fit, but more to get the curves on the sidings that you suggest.

 

kind regards

 

Mike

 

[georgeT]

Morning Andy, l would go for engineering ware houses myself as the wagons would be much more interesting than flour ? plus you can then use 3 tone grey Railfreight Metal sector locos...just a thought...

[Jintyman]

Hi Andy,

 

Have you considered building your trackwork at all?

It would solve your 'geometry' issue that Ressalder has pointed out, and it would be quite straight forward to do (and more economical too!!!).

I can help wherever I can, but that way, you have the trackwork fitting the area you have and not trying to get the area fitting around fixed geometry track.

 

Jinty

[matt-b]

What sort of wagons you thinking of using?

Cargowaggons or VGAs for your Warehouse? Cargowaggons look great but they are space eaters being about 20" long per wagon?

 

 

Thanks, Matt

[Clive Mortimore]

Hi Andy

 

I know what I would do, just let my imagination take me to where I want to go.

 

I am looking forward to seeing where your imagination and bodgery takes this one.

[Simond]

Great name for the layout Andy - I would have been tempted to go for a subtle play on words and add an R and call it ‘Severn Mill’ but that might restrict the location to somewhere near a certain river.....

I think it’s been done, anyway. Can’t remember who, what, where, when, but it’s been on the exhibition circuit.

 

Best

Simon

[Simond]

Hi Andy,

 

Have you considered building your trackwork at all?

It would solve your 'geometry' issue that Ressalder has pointed out, and it would be quite straight forward to do (and more economical too!!!).

I can help wherever I can, but that way, you have the trackwork fitting the area you have and not trying to get the area fitting around fixed geometry track.

 

Jinty

I fully agree. There are a number of potential advantages, the key one is that the track does what you want it to. Secondly, it flows. Thirdly, it’s way cheaper (less than half, I’d estimate) and fourth, though perhaps most important, you can adopt 31.5mm gauge through the crossings.

 

The downside is that it takes time (maybe 5 or 6 hours per point, roughly) and you need a basic grip on Templot (which is free), although you can cut-and-shut photocopies of C&L templates for nearly the same effect.

 

The skills required are patience, soldering and filing. The tools required are some track gauges (Debs of this parish), decent track cutters (Xuron), a biggish soldering iron, (say 30W chisel tip or more), a small wood saw, a vice & a decent chunky pair of pliers. You’ll also need a computer & printer!

 

The consumables are sleepers & timbers, rail, chairs, slide chairs, fishplates, tiebars, MEK (get the real stuff on the www), solder, flux, 1mm strip brass & epoxy. I also use some thin card & exterior PVA.

 

Hopefully without reigniting endless debate about 31.5 gauge, it allows the use of just about all modern 0 gauge wheels without wheel drop, and apart from a couple of extra gauges, without extra cost.

 

I’ve told my pointwork story (or at least, the edited highlights) in the PD thread., near the beginning.

 

One other thought, I actually cut my teeth in 0 gauge pointwork on copperclad - might be worth doing one or two of them to start with, as they are easy to build and rebuild, and they can always be used in the fiddle yard.

 

Hope it helps

Simon.

[lezz01]

It's not a bad idea you know Andy, building your own track I mean. If I can build point work in EM and S4 I'm sure you can do it in 7mm. You only really need a template, or a means of printing them off, and a full set of gauges. You've already got everything else. Or you could use C&L components and glue it all together well most of it you still have to have a soldering iron for some of it. I will grant you that switch rails are a bit of a pain but you can build a jig for them or buy them in. In way of compensation crossings are a breeze though. You just need a crossing flange way gauge and a straight edge. There are all manner of guides to help you as well, building track is building track it don't matter what gauge you work in the principle is the same you just have to beef things up a bit. You can use a proper file in 7mm! You might need a bigger iron but they don't cost much these days you can get soldering stations with sensible wattage very reasonably that will cope with all your modeling needs from N to gauge 1.      

Regards Lez.Z.

[Andrew P]

Hi Andy,

 

I like this one even more than the first, but the geometry has reared its head once again

 

7Mill v3.jpg

 

 I see where you are coming from using your existing right and left hand points, but this is the best that I can come up with, using 4No 'Y' points to not only get the fit, but more to get the curves on the sidings that you suggest.

 

kind regards

 

Mike

I prefer ''Y's'' Mike, but I will see what fits with what I have in stock now that I have a clear area to play with as KM has gone, so the new boards will be done in the next week or so.

 

SMS will sit along under the window side.

 

[Andrew P]

Morning Andy, l would go for engineering ware houses myself as the wagons would be much more interesting than flour ? plus you can then use 3 tone grey Railfreight Metal sector locos...just a thought...

Yes, I think your right George, I've also been looking at a smaller version of the Goods Yard at the Club.

[Andrew P]

Hi Andy,

 

Have you considered building your trackwork at all?

It would solve your 'geometry' issue that Ressalder has pointed out, and it would be quite straight forward to do (and more economical too!!!).

I can help wherever I can, but that way, you have the trackwork fitting the area you have and not trying to get the area fitting around fixed geometry track.

 

Jinty

Totally agree Jints, but I already have the 6 Points, and having built 00 Track I know I can do it, but just cant be ar**ed to mess about, so I'll stick with what I have, but thanks for the kind offer anyway mate.

Edited August 18, 2018 by Andrew P

[Andrew P]

What sort of wagons you thinking of using?

Cargowaggons or VGAs for your Warehouse? Cargowaggons look great but they are space eaters being about 20" long per wagon?

 

 

Thanks, Matt

Yes, there very nice, but far to big for on here, it will be Brown 4 wheel Vans etc. for the earlier Blue period, and VBA / VDA types for the Railfreight later period I think.

[Andrew P]

Hi Andy

 

I know what I would do, just let my imagination take me to where I want to go.

 

I am looking forward to seeing where your imagination and bodgery takes this one.

You really don't want to know mate.