JST Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 Hi, I have now built the baseboard for my BLT and started the back scenic effects but need help to sort out a track plan. In an effort to give as much information as possible here are some details:- It will be code 100 track with medium radius and/or curved Peco electro frog points. I want to keep the minimum radius to 4th radius if I can. It is GWR Era 5 steam/diesel. Prototypical design comes a poor second to operational fun/practicalities. The station operations will be a bit like Minehead, Newquay, Kingswear etc. in as much as it will handle the occasional through summer holiday specials. The latter means I hope to be able to accommodate a tender loco being able to run around a six coach train. This will involve a curve in the platform I also want to be able to process short goods trains. The space is an L shape and here is my crappy hand drawn picture giving dimensions and an initial stab at a track plan. I have no idea if this is feasible and hence my need for your help. The red line is a points motor no-go area due to bracing and the corner triangle short sides are 34cm. Here are a couple of pics of the baseboard to give some context. The triangle at the end will be a small station forecourt with exit road going into the scenery. Previously the worthy members of this forum, notably Harlequin helped design my loco depot and here are a couple of shots of that which will also give you an idea of my lowly level of modelling and hence what I am hoping for from the BLT. The track on the bank next to the class 08 is the branch line which runs for about 60 feet to the BLT. Many thanks for reading this and in anticipation of your views. John 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 Given that you've got a big loco depot down near the junction, what do you need the engine shed for? Similarly, could you do away with the second platform? You'd get more space in front of the station if you can push things back. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 Good point on the loco shed. Maybe I will ditch it. On the platform thing, I am keen to keep the bay platform as I run a pannier and auto coach on ABS shuttle mode and want to keep that separate to the longer trains. Part of the fun will be running other trains while the pannier is in shuttle mode without having to resort to the big red button! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stokes Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 Are the two parts of the layout going to join up in some way? Also the platform seems much longer than it needs to be. How many coaches will be in trains that use the main platform? Is there going to be provision for a fiddle yard? Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harlequin Posted February 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 16, 2020 Hi John, How big is the triangular fillet? (The loco depot looks great, BTW.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted February 16, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 16, 2020 1 hour ago, JST said: Hi, I have now built the baseboard for my BLT and started the back scenic effects but need help to sort out a track plan. In an effort to give as much information as possible here are some details:- It will be code 100 track with medium radius and/or curved Peco electro frog points. I want to keep the minimum radius to 4th radius if I can. It is GWR Era 5 steam/diesel. Prototypical design comes a poor second to operational fun/practicalities. The station operations will be a bit like Minehead, Newquay, Kingswear etc. in as much as it will handle the occasional through summer holiday specials. The latter means I hope to be able to accommodate a tender loco being able to run around a six coach train. This will involve a curve in the platform I also want to be able to process short goods trains. The space is an L shape and here is my crappy hand drawn picture giving dimensions and an initial stab at a track plan. I have no idea if this is feasible and hence my need for your help. The red line is a points motor no-go area due to bracing and the corner triangle short sides are 34cm. Here are a couple of pics of the baseboard to give some context. The triangle at the end will be a small station forecourt with exit road going into the scenery. Previously the worthy members of this forum, notably Harlequin helped design my loco depot and here are a couple of shots of that which will also give you an idea of my lowly level of modelling and hence what I am hoping for from the BLT. The track on the bank next to the class 08 is the branch line which runs for about 60 feet to the BLT. Many thanks for reading this and in anticipation of your views. John Your sketch almost replicates St Ives although the goods yard would be where you have the loco shed. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 41 minutes ago, Harlequin said: Hi John, How big is the triangular fillet? (The loco depot looks great, BTW.) Hi Phil, The short sides of the triangular fillet are 34 cm ( I guess using Pythagoras I could work out the hypotenuse!). I love the loco depot and spend hours pointlessly moving locos around and shunting coal trucks! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Moxy Posted February 16, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 16, 2020 2 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said: Your sketch almost replicates St Ives although the goods yard would be where you have the loco shed. That has reminded me, didn't C J Freezer draw up St Ives in one of his Peco track plan books? I can't find my copies of the Peco books at the moment, but if I remember correctly, it was drawn to fit in a cupboard under the stairs, with an extension into the hall. The shape of the site is about the same as yours. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCB Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 Rather an unusual space for a BLT, long enough for 9 coach trains in the platform. Thats St Ives and Minehead territory, half as big again as Bodmin GWR. The kick back sidings will be hard to shunt which is why they are rather rare on GWR BLTs. I think I would shorten the back platform to provide a dock, i.e a non passsnger platform with a higher platform height to suit loading vans etc and have an extra road beside the run round loop. My Anyrail has died so no doodle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 I rather want to keep two passenger platforms as I want the bay for shuttle autocoach working and the other for longer passenger services. The platform is long due to my desire to run around a six coach train. I get the point about goods shunting being a bit non GWR and it would involve using the run around loop but I can live with that. Shame your Anyrail has died David as no doubt it would tell us if my plan is workable. Thanks for comments thus far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 5 hours ago, Robert Stokes said: Are the two parts of the layout going to join up in some way? Also the platform seems much longer than it needs to be. How many coaches will be in trains that use the main platform? Is there going to be provision for a fiddle yard? Robert The branch line comes up from the main layout via a 1 in 100 climb starting down the other end of the layout so no need for a fiddle yard. My drawing is not to scale and yes, the platform looks long but that is because it is. As I said in my original post I want to run a tender loco round six coaches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 It's not GWR (though it was handed to the WR just in time to be run down and closed), but is there anything of Ilfracombe you could use? Carriage siding(s) parallel to the platform maybe, and some limited freight near the throat. You could have a lot of freight shunting in that space, but it would probably cost you the ability to have long passenger trains - which is more important to you? It sounds like passenger, but just to be certain... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 Thanks Zomboid but you are right, it is passenger stuff that floats my boat. I have goods because all railways had goods . I will take your suggestion though and look at Ilfracombe - went there on trains a few times as kid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 If you're not interested in running freight, just put the yard on the other side of the bridge and forget about it. Use the space for a turntable instead so you can turn your tender engines. And pinch as many of Ilfracombe's sidings as you can. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
clachnaharry Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 If you put s long carriage siding parallel with the run round would be good. If you kick the goods sidings back off it, it will give you extra length for your long Saturday trains, but can also function as a goods headshunt during the week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 (edited) I know its SR, not GWR, but Seaton as rebuilt by the SR from its cramped LSWR version might also be worth a look. It was on a narrow, shelf-like site, and had a 'model railway' track plan. It did get annexed by The Empire later, when BR regional boundaries changed, so was served by Panniers and 14xx with autocoaches. There, in reality, they solved the goods vs big long trains on Saturdays conundrum by making the bay dual purpose: in the week it was goods siding, loading from the "off" side, and on Saturday a passenger platform. The goods shed was actually part of the passenger station building, as was the signalbox. Oh, and the loco shed road also had a cattle-dock. One thought I have looking at your drawing is that it might be worth swapping things over, so that the bay is at the front. That way, the "threepenny bit" affect of long coaches on a tight curve will be more hidden from the viewer for more of the time, an auto train will get past that bit quickly and on to the straight. Personally, I would forget the goods facility as you've shown it. Edited February 16, 2020 by Nearholmer 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stokes Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 16 hours ago, JST said: As I said in my original post I want to run a tender loco round six coaches. Sorry for missing this. I must try to start reading the whole of a post and not just enough to find out what it's about. Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harlequin Posted February 17, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2020 (edited) Hi John, Does this look right dimensionally? Each grid division is 305mm. The top edge, excluding the end triangle, is 2880mm including the 550mm width of the fatter board, right? Edited February 17, 2020 by Harlequin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted February 17, 2020 Author Share Posted February 17, 2020 21 minutes ago, Harlequin said: Hi John, Does this look right dimensionally? Each grid division is 305mm. The top edge, excluding the end triangle, is 2880mm including the 550mm width of the fatter board, right? Hi Phil, Pretty much there Phil except the length of the top edge excluding the triangle is 2840 including the "fat" 550 board (just been up for a re-measure to make sure). I think I put 2800 on my original sketch but allowed a bit too much for the scenic bank. John 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted February 17, 2020 Author Share Posted February 17, 2020 1 hour ago, Robert Stokes said: Sorry for missing this. I must try to start reading the whole of a post and not just enough to find out what it's about. Robert Hi Robert, No need to apologise. We have probably all been guilty at some stage of not fully reading posts. My modelling skills are not great and I rely on this forum for help and guidance so I am immensely grateful that people bother to take the time and interest to comment at all. Cheers John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted February 17, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2020 This is quite a generous site for a BLT model, albeit a bit constrained by width. A mirror image Kingsbridge could be a possibility. We need to know a bit more about the OP's preferred features. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted February 17, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2020 (edited) A net 2.3 metres of straight baseboard available if we allow that the station building is Bodmin-style across the end of the platform and on the triangular end board. That should be plenty for a straighter platform able to handle six-coach trains (even if 64' Mk1). I also note that the gradient up to this board is a generous 1:100. If that were increased to, say, 1:50, St Ives definitely becomes a possibility with scope for scenery below track level in the terminus. The viaduct would be lower than in reality but the overall effect would be right. Edited February 17, 2020 by Joseph_Pestell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted February 17, 2020 Author Share Posted February 17, 2020 50 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said: A net 2.3 metres of straight baseboard available if we allow that the station building is Bodmin-style across the end of the platform and on the triangular end board. That should be plenty for a straighter platform able to handle six-coach trains (even if 64' Mk1). I also note that the gradient up to this board is a generous 1:100. If that were increased to, say, 1:50, St Ives definitely becomes a possibility with scope for scenery below track level in the terminus. The viaduct would be lower than in reality but the overall effect would be right. I will check my measurements but I calculated that it needs more than 2.3 metres to allow for the loco runaround at the station end. I am happy about doing curved platforms as I have some in the main station. The gradient is fixed now and there is no possibility of changing it due to the building constraints . The branch line crosses the 4 main lines in the hidden (or will be hidden) section as it enters the new baseboard. At this point I perhaps need to explain my fixation with long trains. As a lad I used to get frustrated with 2 short platforms and trains of 4 coaches max as was the norm on the standard 6x4 type layout. I have now gone in the other direction and my main station has 8 platforms 4 of which will take 10 coach trains. The shortest platform (the branch line bay) takes 5 coaches. A tad excessive maybe, but I love it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harlequin Posted February 17, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2020 The drawing that I canibalised to create the baseboards above was for a layout about the same size and it only had a 4 coach run round ability. So 6 coach will have to include the curve onto the fat board and I'm going to try to make it smooth and organic. (But not today, sadly.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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