Manifold Valley Minerals

[sb67]

If you were to frame the view you could always operate a sector plate with a rod under the base board minimalizing the hands on the layout.

[Mark Forrest]

15 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

If the layout is set in the Manifold Valley-ish, then a somewhat hilly background would prevail over a sky backscene, with more scope for exit subterfuge?

 

Mike.

That was one of the reasons I decided to set it down in the valley; my first thoughts were to set it up on Musden Low but thought an overbridge seemed unlikely up there.  As you say, I might be able to disguise the exit; no Portakabins this time though 

[Mark Forrest]

15 hours ago, sb67 said:

If you were to frame the view you could always operate a sector plate with a rod under the base board minimalizing the hands on the layout.

Yes that might work well, that's partly why I've used a single line leading to a point in the kick back, so the sector plate only has two stops to align against.  Also, the industrial line fiddle yard will be at the front so need to avoid leaning over that as much as is possible.

[Mark Forrest]

I spent a nice couple of hours at Stafford Railway Circle’s exhibition today, catching up with friends, getting inspired by layouts and shopping. I came home with a couple of wagon kits, but also one of these:

 

It’s the first RTR wagon I’ve bought in quite a while and the first Oxford Rail product I’ve ever bought.  I’ve quickly popped some P4 wheels under it to pose it on Fryers Lane, the brakes need repositioning to allow it to run freely.  Interior detail is a bit lacking, there are planks but no bolts/rivets - for £7 though, I’m impressed.  I’m looking at this thinking I may need to improve the detail on some of my kit builds to reach a consistent standard.

 

Also arriving this week (with this project in mind) were a pair of North Staffordshire Railway open wagons from Mousa Models.  I went for one each of 2 plank and 3 plank opens.  Another first for me as I’m a little late to the party with all this 3D printed stuff.

 

My first impression was of mild disappointment with the crispness of the detail, however I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve given it a bit of a clean up and a spray with some primer. I’m looking forward to getting started on these.

 

As far as progress with the layout goes, I’ve made a start on assembling the baseboard, although didn’t manage to come away from the SRC show with the pattern makers dowels that I need, so have to place an order.

[Mark Forrest]

Starting to look a bit like a layout...

[Gordon A]

I like the variation in levels.

 

[chuffinghell]

7 minutes ago, Gordon A said:

I like the variation in levels.

 

 

Agreed and also very nicely constructed

[Mark Forrest]

1 hour ago, Gordon A said:

I like the variation in levels.

 

Thanks, I'm hoping that helps to give the impression of a railway built along (and partly cut into) a sloping hillside.  The two sidings where the wagons are standing are level, the main fiddle yard  is also at the same height, but everything else falls away from that by varying amounts. I've got some scope to adjust the levels slightly if needed, but I'm quite pleased with how it's looking.

[Southwich]

Looking good Mark! Really looking forward to progress on this.

 

Will

[Mark Forrest]

With the layout currently at the Virtual Members’ Day, here’s a brief summary of the story so far...

 

[Mark Forrest]

After a busy day (not) at the Virtual Members' Day I can make my way home having achieved getting something running on the layout for the first time:

 

And having worked out where the uncoupling magnets need to be positioned (marked with an M on the plan below):

[Gordon A]

You may find that you will need four magnets where the track splits into two coming in from the right.

 

Gordon A

[Mark Forrest]

2 hours ago, Gordon A said:

You may find that you will need four magnets where the track splits into two coming in from the right.

 

Gordon A

I'm not sure I follow, do you mean here?

I realise that (in theory) I could get away with just having two magnets placed to the right of these points and rely on the delay action on the couplings, but in my experience the likelihood of wagons recoupling when being propelled is too great.

[Mark Forrest]

They don't call them Rats for nothing, they really do get everywhere...

 

Well, I did always say I wanted to be able to run stock from different eras on the layout, maybe not at the same time though.

[Gordon A]

2 hours ago, Mark Forrest said:

I'm not sure I follow, do you mean here?

I realise that (in theory) I could get away with just having two magnets placed to the right of these points and rely on the delay action on the couplings, but in my experience the likelihood of wagons recoupling when being propelled is too great.

 

Hi Mark,

 

Nearly. The two lines on the right. I am suggesting a magnet near the toes of the two points on the right hand side of your snap shot,

Then follow the two lines exiting right, a magnet on each line before they merge.

 

Gordon A

[Mark Forrest]

Thanks Gordon.  That area will be in the fiddle yard so I must admit, I’d not given much thought to placing magnets there, thinking I’d uncouple manually once the stock is away from the scenic section of the layout.  That said, having taken the same approach on Fryers Lane there have been times when operating that I have thought magnets positioned as you describe would be useful, so I’ll definitely give that a bit more thought - thanks

[Mark Forrest]

Over the past few days, I've been having a look at the scenic break between the layout and the fiddle yard.

 

As the ground level at the rear of the layout will need to be high enough to hide the kick back sidings, the situation lends itself to the classic road over bridge, something I've tried to avoid in the past.

 

I want the bridge to suggest that the mineral line at the front existed (possibly in the form of a tramway) before the mainline railway arrived on the scene.  As a result, what we have is two separate bridges, both will be in sandstone the one at the front being based on a bridge on the Caldon Low tramway, the newer bridge at the rear will be in the style of those built by the NSR on the Churnet Valley line.

 

[Stubby47]

Hi Mark,

 

Are these of any use?

 

https://www.nbrasslocos.co.uk/oonarrow.html

 

 

Stu

Edited June 1, 2020 by Stubby47

[Mark Forrest]

16 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

Hi Mark,

 

Are these of any use?

 

Stu

Hi Stu,

That's interesting.  Where on earth have you found those?

[Alister_G]

22 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

Hi Mark,

 

Are these of any use?

 

Stu

 

4 minutes ago, Mark Forrest said:

Hi Stu,

That's interesting.  Where on earth have you found those?

 

Would love a link to where you found them, also.

 

EDIT: found them... https://www.nbrasslocos.co.uk/oonarrow.html

 

 

Al.

Edited June 1, 2020 by Alister_G
URL

[Worsdell forever]

17 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

Hi Mark,

 

Are these of any use?

 

Stu

 

Trying not to be pedantic, but plateways were laid with L shape rails, fishbelly rails were for larger 'mainline' railways.

[Stubby47]

Sorry, I thought it would link.

 

https://www.nbrasslocos.co.uk/

 

https://www.nbrasslocos.co.uk/oonarrow.html

 

 

The 'Click for N gauge' advert currently appearing.

Edited June 1, 2020 by Stubby47

[Mark Forrest]

6 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

 

The 'Click for N gauge' advert currently appearing.

Ah, that'll explain why I've not seen it.  Thanks for the link.  Looks like a white metal casting.

 

Might have a few bits dotted around the layout to suggest the earlier route of the line, although I guess even by the earliest period I'll be setting the layout would have been fairly long out of use.

[Middlepeak]

Mark,

 

Based on evidence from the Cromford & High Peak, which was originally laid with wrought iron fish belly rails like this in the 1830s, problems started when heavier steam locos arrived a decade later and rails started to break at the rate of hundreds a month. The only ones to survive were in the workshops at Cromford, where locos were not permitted, and in fact they are still there today, either side of the inspection pit.

 

Nice as they are, you might therefore have to be a bit inventive to include them on your layout!

 

All the best,

 

Geraint

[Mark Forrest]

3 hours ago, Middlepeak said:

 

Nice as they are, you might therefore have to be a bit inventive to include them on your layout!

 

All the best,

 

Geraint

Thanks Geraint, I suspected that might be the case.

 

In my made up history of the line, the branch from the quarry follows the course of an earlier tramway, for at least part of its route.  If I have space for it, I was thinking of maybe including some disused stone sleeper blocks after the quarry branch has diverged from the original route.  Whether any rails would remain on this disused section is probably debatable, although it is tempting!