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Elbow Lane. Having a rest while I build board 4.


dasatcopthorne
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I’ve never had a layout at home, not since about 1961/1, anyway. Over the last year or two I have been considering a small layout but have had little or no room. Having recently seen some very interesting small layouts around shows, thoughts turned to something about 4 or 5ft long plus a little fiddleyard.

 

Now I’ve found a shelf free after a massive clear out of stuff I thought I wanted, layout thoughts have surfaced again.

 

I can fit two 2’ 6” long boards at about 12” deep. I would have had one 5’ board but the layout had to be removed from behind an upright that supports the shelf above. So, the split is necessary but it also makes it easier to fit in the car.

 

Having built other layouts but not at home, I decided to dig out some very old track and points I had saved years ago for this very purpose. A plan came up and track has been laid on temporary flat boards to see if the design is feasible both in construction and workability.

 

For couplings I have settled on the ‘Brian Kirby’ mod the Bachmann couplings to allow for hands free magnetic operation and suitable Neodymium magnets have been obtained. They need enough pull to work from the underside of the baseboard but not too strong to attract steel axles. They also need to be long enough to actuate two couplings at the same time.

 

Not sure yet how I’ll operate the points. It may be manual from behind but that doesn’t help things at home on the shelf. Mmmmmmmmm!

 

Elbow Lane Plan.jpg

Edited by dasatcopthorne
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So, some progress has been made in as much that some track has been laid. Buy, this old Peco stuff is not good. Plastic frogs. Yuk! Still, it's all I have at the moment.

 

Here is the main board with the most pointwork on it.

 

EL

Board_1_wired.jpg

Edited by dasatcopthorne
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I have now laid out the complete trackwork as a test bed.

The small fiddleyard is intended to have tree tracks and be of the swinging table type.

Run rounds of some stock will take place using the fiddleyard.

 

Now to get down to some 'play' to see if the design works and to refine train lengths.

 

EL

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Because I can only fit 2' 6" long boards on my shelves I am waiting for a quote from Tim Horn for this intermediate size he doesn't list on his site.

 

I know he's very busy but I rather hoped he may have them for the Newark show in Oct.

 

Also waiting for the Peco BH Double Slip.

 

EL

Edited by dasatcopthorne
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Well, some progress has been made but only slowly.

 

The trackplan has been settled on but I have now made a swinging 'table' style fiddleyard.

 

I bit more running now needed to see if this style is feasible with the trackplan and can be operated with not too much trouble.

 

Here is a very short shaky dark video.

 

EL

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I collected my baseboard order from Tim Horn at the Newark Show.

 

Lovely bit of kit that almost holds itself together without the glue. It's so well made.

 

I'm going to have a lot of fun with this.

 

In case you haven't heard of them, check them out here. https://www.timhorn.co.uk/

 

Here's most of the parts of one layed out.

 

ELane

Photoplank_board_Elbow_Lane.jpg

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Now the boards are here I have been thinking about the track plan and the logistics of trains arriving and running round to shunt into the sidings.

 

It suddenly dawned on me that the original Loco spur woulds block the view of the layout behind it to many viewers.

Then there was the fact that one of the entry routes only lead to the rear siding and involved backing off scene to get to the front two sidings.

 

Finally, it there was a train in the platform (an EMU?) it would also block the view to the rear.

 

Not much has changed but the platform is now at the rear along with the Loco spur pushed back.

The two roads coming/going off scene (the run round) are now at the front and lead straight to the two front sidings aas well as the platform with a short shunt.

 

I feel much more satisfied with this version.

 

EL

 

 

ElbowLane3  map.jpg

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Whilst at the Lincoln & District Club's recent 'Post Modernisation Show' in Newark I spotted Jason Johnson of Customlayoutsigns.   Great show by the way. Will be there next year.

 

Instantly placed an order following a quick inspection of the product.

 

Well, it arrived today and I'm really pleased with the sign and its quality. Holes in the rear to hang it, if required, from a couple of roundhead screws.

 

No connection to them other than a very happy customer.

 

 

20191029_121654.jpg

20191029_121755.jpg

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2 minutes ago, ElbowLane00 said:

Whilst at the Lincoln & District Club's recent 'Post Modernisation Show' in Newark I spotted Jason Johnson of Customlayoutsigns.   Great show by the way. Will be there next year.

 

Instantly placed an order following a quick inspection of the product.

 

Well, it arrived today and I'm really pleased with the sign and its quality. Holes in the rear to hang it, if required, from a couple of roundhead screws.

 

No connection to them other than a very happy customer.

 

 

20191029_121654.jpg

20191029_121755.jpg

 

That sign is the dog's.

 

Dave

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On 25/10/2019 at 13:21, ElbowLane00 said:

Now the boards are here I have been thinking about the track plan and the logistics of trains arriving and running round to shunt into the sidings.

 

It suddenly dawned on me that the original Loco spur woulds block the view of the layout behind it to many viewers.

Then there was the fact that one of the entry routes only lead to the rear siding and involved backing off scene to get to the front two sidings.

 

Finally, it there was a train in the platform (an EMU?) it would also block the view to the rear.

 

Not much has changed but the platform is now at the rear along with the Loco spur pushed back.

The two roads coming/going off scene (the run round) are now at the front and lead straight to the two front sidings aas well as the platform with a short shunt.

 

I feel much more satisfied with this version.

 

EL

 

 

ElbowLane3  map.jpg

 

I've just noticed how the track plan has changed.

 

There's certainly some sense in that for viewers.

 

Dave

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Preparation for the build continues, hoping that Peco come up with the Bullhead Double Slip soon.

 

Over the last day and a half I have built and tested the following projects for controlling various aspects of Elbow Lane. 

 

A DCC District Cut Out module.

 

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A Megapoints Control Board.

 

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A Megapoints Remote Setter module

 

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and a 5vdc supply for LEDs.

 

20191102_132830.jpg.1f4b4d42f8886096e4ce7471a9b648ba.jpg

 

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