Oxford Junction - OO - 1990s-Present

[davidprentice]

Hello

 

Oxford Junction is a fictitious station, set in the environs of the real-world 'Oxford'. It is probably best thought of as an entirely rebuilt Oxford station. I intend for it to allow me to run GWR/FGW/FGWL/Thames Trains/Chiltern Railways/Virgin/Intercity/Cross Country passenger services and a decent mix of freight, plus the occasional steam-powered rail tour! 

 

It shall live in a double garage, and hope that it will naturally have a main 'Oxford' station, and plenty of scenic areas, with perhaps a TMD for good measure!

 

I have made a start on turning the double garage into a more comfortable layout room, but have some construction to finish on it, namely putting some studwork in the door spaces, and to board these up, and generally make the place a bit more air-tight and insulated, ahead of the autumn/winter that will eventually roll around.

 

Pictures of the garage to follow, but for now, a train set and some locos I've finally taken out of their boxes and run around a quick and dirty loop!

 

Looking forward to sharing progress!

 

Best

 

Dave

Edited September 22, 2019 by davidprentice
image resizes

[davidprentice]

Been able to make some good progress recently, building and fitting studwork into the garage door frames, and then more recently adding insulation and plasterboard on top.

 

Looking forward to giving the walls and ceiling a good lick of paint etc. before setting to work on the baseboards themselves!

Edited September 22, 2019 by davidprentice

[Clagsniffer]

I’ve recently done the same in my garage, albeit a single not a double. I also boarded and insulated my floor, made a huge difference. Temperature is nice and stable, didn’t even need heaters really. 

 

Looks like you're off to a good start, good work!

[davidprentice]

 

 

 

On 25/05/2019 at 23:49, Clagsniffer said:

Looks like you're off to a good start, good work!

 

Thanks Clagsniffer.

 

I'm pleased to report I've finished boarding and insulating. Need to finish up making good on the joins between the boards and a few other gaps, before sealing, and then painting.

 

I've also procured a laser-level so that I can ensure that the frame for the baseboard is nicely level around the room, even if the floor of the garage slopes away or is otherwise uneven. Can't wait to get some baseboard frames in place, so that I might be able to get some track down and feel a little bit closer to being able to run the trains again!

[davidprentice]

So, apologies for the delay but work and various things rather got in the way. So, I've finally made some progress on plastering and pushing the conversion onwards. Some more bits to fill, sealing to do, and then it shall be a good lick of paint and then onto the baseboards!

Edited September 22, 2019 by davidprentice

[davidprentice]

Finally (!) another update as things take shape - having made progress on painting and generally finishing bits off.

 

Looking forward to getting the baseboards started!

 

 

I also received some display cabinets that I will look to hang on the walls...!

 

Hoping that as the baseboard build starts, this thread may start to get a bit more interesting!

 

[Adrian Stevenson]

Looking very nice indeed. A great place for your layout.

[EWS FAN]

Looking forward to seeing the progress of your layout.

[davidprentice]

So the last year and a bit has been quite unprecedented. Since my last post a few things have happened - and among them, my modelling space has changed, and I now have a slightly smaller, but still more than adequate space of 5.3m x 3.5m (17ft x 11ft). Following another house move, gone is the converted double garage, sadly, but I am now rejigging plans and would welcome thoughts and any tweaks anyone is able to offer on the below, which I have produced in AnyRail.

 

The plan is for a top baseboard that consists of the scenic sections, with a two-track loco/train lift that will allow trains to move from the top scenic level down to the lower fiddle yard level.

 

It will likely seek to emulate the general era and feel of the original layout above - 90s/2000s/to present. I've opted for Code 75 streamline rail, at least for the top level, and may utilise Code 100 streamline and/or setrack for the fiddle yard for added robustness and/or speed of build.

 

The top level is still a work in progress, but will incorporate from the top left: a town scene atop some 'tight as i can make them' curves, and to the right will be an (abridged) mainline station scene consisting of six platforms, comprising a fast up/down, a slow up/down, and then a couple platforms to serve a small TMD yard in one direction, and that will connect with the twin-track 4-car lift and some sidings to the right. Moving clockwise around the board, will be the general approch to the station (haven't got this right yet, but want it to have four lines running in, turning into the six lines through the station. Continuing clockwise, will likely have a scenic break of some kind in the bottom right corner (tunnels perhaps?) to then open out into a countryside scene with the 4 lines running through, followed, perhaps by a scenic break in the bottom left corner, and then into a more industrial looking section with a TMD in the foreground with a headshunt.

 

  

 

The twin-track 4-car lift is intended to be about 4ft long, with an electrically operated linear actuator coupled with some guide rails, enabling this section of track (presented on the top level as a pair of sidings ending in some buffers) to rise and fall by approx 400mm, between the scenic level and the fiddle yard. I considered building a helix but frankly can't face the idea of it - and also considered a long gradient allowing trans to move from one layer to the other, but again couldn't quite face trying to incorporate that, so in the end have settled on a four-car lift. This means that most DMUs/EMUs will be able to just drive onto it without issue (158, 159, 166, 220, etc) and that other trains (up to loco + 7 coaches) can be split in half across the two tracks and be moved in one go. Full length HSTs (8+2) or other long trains will be more of a pain, but I may just learn to moderate the length of my trains! Welcome thoughts on this approach.

 

The fiddle yard plan is a bit further along in AnyRail, but I suspect has some significant room for improvement - not least I think I might be trying to cram in too many tracks too close together, and could probably make a more efficient use of the top left hand corner. I am basically keen for the lift to come down to this level, where the train or loco can either use a reversing loop and/or run into one of the (currently 13) storage tracks. 

 

 

[davidprentice]

Just a quick update to say that I'm hoping to now make some good progress on the loco lift - utilising the linear actuator, the guide rails, and newly arrived 12mm birch plywood. Pleased to say that at 130cm long and 15cm wide it easily accommodates a 4-car DMU. In this case I've tested with a Bachmann Class 220 Virgin Voyager. The intention is to have two tracks, but it could take three - and the upshot of that would be the ability to accommodate up to 12 cars... and therefore a full-length HST!

 

 

The intention is that the lift will make use of a total of four guide rails (beautifully smooth drawer rails rated at 45kg, so very solid). One at each end and then two approximately where shown below, with the linear actuator located in the middle, providing a total rise/fall of up to 40cm. The plan will be to then have this allow me to take trains from the lower fiddle yard up to the main scenic layout, and back down. For this reason, in time the lift platform itself will be ballasted and weathered etc. I still need to source the 12V DC supply for the actuator, but there are plenty out there.

 

 

Been great to finally get some of the trains out. This Bachmann hadn't been out of the box for close to a decade, so looking forward to making some progress and being able to give it a good leg stretch on something other than a rolling road once I've got a functional loop up and running. The hope is to make some real progress on the new layout, frame, and lift, this weekend. Fingers crossed!

 

[davidprentice]

Finally made some progress on the loco lift today - with the results below. The frame for the lift is pretty good. After cutting the timbers to the required lengths, I put it together using some metal brackets and screws to speed construction. The lift itself currently runs on two 45kg-rated ball-bearing drawer runners. The drawer runners can extend, I think about 500-600mm, but the linear actuator (not pictured below) has a maximum of 400mm, and to be honest anything above 400mm and the scenic level (the upstairs!) of the layout starts to become too high to be properly enjoyable. Next steps, include adding a bracing-frame to the lift platform as there is a little bit of warping, and then adding the linear actuator. The first train to grace the lift was my Virgin Voyager - pictured below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 27, 2021 by davidprentice
edit

[davidprentice]

Not a huge amount more to progress, beyond getting the actuator attached and adding some bracing to the underside of the lift platform to help keep it to a good shape, and to help distribute the forcefrom the actuator. It is also becoming clear to me that the layout i have planned is quite the monster and that the development of the scenic level will undoubtedly be quite tough, as I have a layout up to 1200mm deep and at about 1100m off the ground. It basically means I'll have no choice but to build a modular/removable scenic level, so that I can do much of the work and then slot the items into place. I'm a little nervous about this, as am conscious that the tolerances on trackwork aren't enormous and so will have to think carefully about how the trackplan interfaces with the modular layout. Oh well, all fun for another day. Hoping to make some solid progress on the fiddle yard level next week.

 

[davidprentice]

Just a quick update to report that the 12V DC power supply arrived today and have connected up to the linear actuator and it worked brilliantly, transporting the inaugural train - a Bachmann Class 168 of Chiltern Railways - up and down a few times without any issues. Will figure out how to do a video on here and then post that later.

[RobinofLoxley]

Theres nothing like starting on the hardest part first!

 

I would make one comment on the plan, and that is the station area will finish up being redesigned I would say. You would get more comments in the section on layouts and track plans than here, its unusal to post  a plan and get no comments within 24 hours. Just at the most fundamental, the inside curves are too tight, did you use first radius? You will need to set the curves to 2nd/3rd/4th if so, with implications elsewhere.

 

Presumably you are planning to stack trains in the fiddle yard as the siding lengths are from 2x to 3x the length of any trains that can be accommodated on the plan, and looking at that the other way you are talking about train formations that will well exceed the maximum platform length unless I'm very much mistaken.

 

Until you post a complete upper deck plan its hard to comment further - comments will always tend to focus on beneficial changes.

[davidprentice]

Thanks @RobinofLoxley. Yes, you are right would be stacking trains. I'm increasingly of the view that the trackplans above are going to look wildly different in time. I will probably get a layout planning thread running to help with more of that side of things and keep this one focussed on the build process and progress.

On which note, I've figured out how to upload a video of the inaugural loco lift rising - and falling!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[davidprentice]

Hoping to make the most of the bank holiday - and off to a good start today getting some of the other framework put together so that you can see the beginnings of the fiddle yard level. The furthest board in the photo below will see (hopefully) three lines from the loco-lift turn into one (ambitious, I know), and the track will then circle around and on the left-most board the single track will expand into an approx 10 lane fiddle yard, that will loop around behind the camera. I've also got some adjustable feet that I may yet add to the legs of the board, depending on how level or not I find the whole enterprise.

 

[davidprentice]

Some more progress today, extending the baseboard frame, adding the adjustable feet to the legs, and generally making the space more spider-proof, i.e. sealing up some of the cracks and crevices where the blighters seem to lurk. I don't want to find any trains covered in cobwebs!

 

[BR Blue]

You are making good progress. I shall be following with interest. I too would have some concerns over the tightness of the curves. You do seem to have plenty of space and often less is more, i.e do not try and cram too much into it.

I have seen the train lift idea in operation of N but in 00 it does limited your train lengths. Doing a double track section as you are doing will help. What you are proposing is very unusual and I wish you success with it. The videos look promising.

[Peter-C]

Oxford is a station I've been to quite a bit and so I'm looking forward to seeing how this develops. Sounds as though you have plenty of space to design a sizeable layout in!

 

-Peter

[davidprentice]

@BR Blue, thank you, I'm struck by the "less is more" point. I have followed Everard Junction for some time and I know that when he re-did his layout, this was something he was very keen on trying to do. I'm hopeful that having a pretty big fiddle yard might help me keep a "less is more" focus on the scenic area.

 

@Peter-C, yes, been to Oxford quite a bit too. I'm mostly using "Oxford" as an excuse to run Thames Trains/FGW/GWR/Chiltern/Virgin/Intercity/Cross Country stock. In my head, 'Oxford Junction' is a reimagined 'Oxford' and 'Oxford Parkway' - bigger and better than both (hopefully)! If I'm really lucky I'll find some backscenes with an Oxford skyline in them... I'd also like to work in some of the Goring stretch as countryside.

 

Today's update: more bracing, more spider proofing, and got one end of the fiddle yard framework pretty much sorted. As you can see, will need to make a few tweaks to ensure the lift (at bottom) lines up perfectly with the adjoining boards. As suggested, have setup a track layout/design thread in the appropriate forum (can be found here) to figure out how to make best use of this space and decent running. Already had a few excellent points raised, i.e. having a through line for when the lift is in the raised position, and taking steps to ensure that the lift starts/stops in the perfect/correct position each time.

 

I'm only sorry that I'm waiting for track to be delivered, or I might have (impatiently) started laying some tomorrow!

 

 

 

 

 

[Peter-C]

1 hour ago, davidprentice said:

@Peter-C, yes, been to Oxford quite a bit too. I'm mostly using "Oxford" as an excuse to run Thames Trains/FGW/GWR/Chiltern/Virgin/Intercity/Cross Country stock. In my head, 'Oxford Junction' is a reimagined 'Oxford' and 'Oxford Parkway' - bigger and better than both (hopefully)! If I'm really lucky I'll find some backscenes with an Oxford skyline in them... I'd also like to work in some of the Goring stretch as countryside.

Ah cool - sounds like a very interesting plan indeed. This is definitely a project to watch!

 

1 hour ago, davidprentice said:

Today's update: more bracing, more spider proofing, and got one end of the fiddle yard framework pretty much sorted. As you can see, will need to make a few tweaks to ensure the lift (at bottom) lines up perfectly with the adjoining boards. As suggested, have setup a track layout/design thread in the appropriate forum (can be found here) to figure out how to make best use of this space and decent running. Already had a few excellent points raised, i.e. having a through line for when the lift is in the raised position, and taking steps to ensure that the lift starts/stops in the perfect/correct position each time.

 

I'm only sorry that I'm waiting for track to be delivered, or I might have (impatiently) started laying some tomorrow!

 

 

 

 

 

You've got a fair bit done then. That lift idea sounds really interesting - I've heard people use them for continental layouts but never a UK model railway. 

 

-Peter