Earlswood Station (previously Ember Brewery)

[Nathaniel]

After seeing the first video for the Argonne Forest, I became inspired to try to do my own layout again, with the Scale Scenery base boards making it much easier for me to start my layout. I have tried to make a layout last year. However, I became nervous and abandon it. This time, I really want to see it through and to help me do that and find encouragement, I would like to keep updating this blog with my plans and progress for my layout. 

 

After purchasing the baseboard and some track, I plan to make a little yard that would serve a small Brewery and a small good shed along side it for the nearby village. 

 

Have the track plan as the above photo, with the long siding serving the Brewery and goods shed. The Brewery will be placed to the far right, built on top of a raised platform of broken stone sheets from Wills, roughly where they are placed as below. This will be cut to shape to fit in to the limited space, although I am unsure as what material would be used to support a rough platform in real life. Thinking possible using offcuts of the material to form the front of the platform, or using some Metcalfe stone brick work underneath. For the Brewery itself, I am currently waiting for the kit I will use to create the brewery, while planning to use a photo to show the inside of the storage area, A this idea coming from the Argonne Forest. I would also be looking to wire up an LED light inside and in a couple other locations in the Brewery. This will be a learning experience on how to power this on a model railway, as I have never fully built one.

 

Talking about wiring for lighting, I am considering using point motors for the two points. As I have one Hornby controller, I am unsure if this can support both the lighting and points so will be looking for advice and researching about powering the points and lighting. 

 

Have noticed one thing I may need to look at with my 87xx, as coupler frame is not wide enough for the points, which it forces the wagons to sometimes derail when passing over a turn.

 

I am very much  looking forward to this journey.

Edited January 12, 2022 by Nathaniel
update to name

[Jerry1975]

Good luck with your new project,  looking forward to seeing it progress. 

 

Jerry. 

[Nathaniel]

Last night I started work on the recent received Metcalfe Crofters Cottage, which I am using as the Brewery. Have not yet put each part of the buildings together as still playing around with the layout of it. My use the lean to and have the planned broken stones going all the way to the edge of the layout, fenced with stone with a gate. The left hand part of the building must be against another section as the right hand side as you face it, is not fully bricked up. 

Edited March 12, 2020 by Nathaniel
adding photo after pressing the wrong button

[chuffinghell]

Oooo very nice! very nice indeed

 

Chris

[Sweet pea]

Nice start to your build project. Look forward to seeing this layout develop.

[HonestTom]

16 hours ago, Nathaniel said:

Last night I started work on the recent received Metcalfe Crofters Cottage, which I am using as the Brewery. Have not yet put each part of the buildings together as still playing around with the layout of it. My use the lean to and have the planned broken stones going all the way to the edge of the layout, fenced with stone with a gate. The left hand part of the building must be against another section as the right hand side as you face it, is not fully bricked up. 

 

I never thought of using that kit as a brewery, but assembled like that, it definitely has the look.

[Nathaniel]

Thank you all for the great feedback. I think I will keep the buildings as they are. Have a picture ready to print off to go in the storage area and have received some barrels, wiring equipment and a screwdriver/drill. Awaiting for the Sealer I have ordered, to seal the MDF as it may be a while before paint gets applied, while want to ensure it stays nice till it does. With a few days off work next week, I will be able to make a few more updates in the next few days.

[Nathaniel]

Little bits of work done for the brewery. Dry brushed the sleepers with Brown Wood. Built the platform for the brewery and completed the building of the Brewery itself. Have a small number of LED lights on there way for it and have some barrels to clean up and then paint up. Have had a look round for potential figures. If anyone knows of some good figures that might fit in, please let me know.

 

Hope you all enjoy my progress shown below, is not fixed in place as planning to lay down some corkboard soon.

 

[MAP66]

Have a look at the range of 3D figures available from ModelU. They cover industry and all era's even Victorians, you should find something suitable there.

Loving the build so far.

 

All the best

Mark

[Nathaniel]

Thank you Mark, I have favourited their site as seen a couple figures that look really cool.

 

Been to the local store today to purchase points and supporting wiring and find the points I purchased will be unsuitable to get through the baseboard. Hopefully the store has a returns policy, so I can get either some surface mounted versions or motors with extended poles. Talking about wiring, I received this morning two flickering LED's and have wired the up for testing with in the Brewery. Done the wiring after painting and applying sealer to the rest of the board. 

[Jerry1975]

Looking good,  the lights bring the building to life.

 

Jerry. 

[Nathaniel]

Thank you Jerry.

Have glued and pinned the track and the Brewery platform and fixed in to place 4 push to make switches. Currently working on the right hand side making a little greenery area behind a wall, the wall extending round the back of the platform. Will show photos later.

[Jerry1975]

Looking forward to seeing the photos of your latest work.

 

Jerry. 

[Nathaniel]

Morning all, here is a couple pictures showing the work I have done on Ember Brewery. Will be slowing down on my project so that I may continue to work on it slowly. Next things I would be looking to do over the next week is fitting the extended pin point motors which are sort of confusing me for power supply, ballasting and laying down some scatter grass.

[Elliot Friend]

looking great! keep up the good work!

[SteveyDee68]

On 12/03/2020 at 18:49, Nathaniel said:

Last night I started work on the recent received Metcalfe Crofters Cottage, which I am using as the Brewery. Have not yet put each part of the buildings together as still playing around with the layout of it. My use the lean to and have the planned broken stones going all the way to the edge of the layout, fenced with stone with a gate. The left hand part of the building must be against another section as the right hand side as you face it, is not fully bricked up. 

 

Hi Nathaniel

 

That's a really neat, small structure you have come up with.  I am having problems with visual balance with my own Inglenook, Woodhey Quay, due to the Metcalfe Brewery buildings and Gatehouse being too big, but this is altogether a much less overpowering composition. Hope you don't mind if I shamelessly steal (although currently toying with the coach house as the basis for something similar!)

 

Keep up the momentum!

 

Steve S

[Nathaniel]

Thank you very much. Go ahead and use it as inspiration for your own work. From my knowledge many Breweries would have been small affairs serving the local areas. I remember their is a couple famous brands nowadays that are very small, compared to the mass industry brewery type buildings that are typically thought of and recreated by most available kits. Plus many Pubs and Inns may have had their own brewery for House Specials.

 

In planning my Layout, the original plan was for it to serve a Pub with its own rail served brewery. However, felt I would not be able to have enough space to achieve this. Thus, the layout I am now working on with the addition of a general goods area, this being in keeping with my original plan, serving other minor business's in the nearby village. In my mind my layout is connected to a small station further away, serving a number of villages with a small through station, a couple sidings, and a pilot shed for moving the goods around from the station to nearby goods yards. In keeping with this, this gives me an excuse to have the odd wagon or van on my layout just being left in the 2 smaller sidings. This I hope makes shunting more tricky.

[Nathaniel]

Installed the point motors in to place but not tested them yet, namely as I am confused on how they need to be powered. They are Peco extended point motors showing that they need an AC power source, I thought they can take power from a DC power source. My controller has an inbuilt CDU so was hoping that would power them. If anyone one can confirm that my controller is still okay to power them I would be grateful.

 

Also been beavering away at laying ballast and some static grass. Some parts of the Ballast are still loose so added glue to where it is loose. Have checked the electrics after cleaning the rails and had to play with both points to get the layout running again. The first one had to be cleaned at the contact points as while it sent electric down the long siding, it was reduced a lot. Wit it cleaned it should no longer be an issue, unlike the second one despite it fully moving after installation. It has reduced in movement by 1 to 2mm's after the ballast was laid and no ballast has got in it's way above the sleepers. Have slightly bent the switch rail and this resolved it so may have to check the contact before any running session and bend it back in to place as required. Otherwise, runs well and does not affect the running of my loco.

 

Lastly in my update, worked on the platform end on the left hand side, you will also see a bed of stones behind the Lyle and Sons wagon which are planned to serve as a platform for a crane. Not found anything in the right size that could be used as a low relief good shed, instead I plan to have a Wills kit yard crane raised so that it may operate and also provide enough ground room so that horse drawn carts could come alongside a goods van. This would allow in the long siding up to 3 vans/wagons to load/unload at the brewery and up to 2 vans/wagons to load/unload for nearby villages/farms/industries.

[Nathaniel]

Not done much work recently on the layout as laying the ballast still needs work to get right as keep finding parts that need to be glued again. Otherwise, have received some buffers and the yard crane I have purchased, while awaiting some trees and some more PVA glue and 3 wagons I have ordered. 
Have built the crane, which has given me an idea on how high I would need to raise the stone platform I have cut out for it. This would be done by layering card till it is high enough to unload/load wagons with general goods.

[Nathaniel]

A tiny bit of work done this morning on my layout.

[Nathaniel]

Here is an update of my layout, received 3 new used 7 plank wagons. Which now allow me an idea how to operate my layout. Will likely want to get a couple more pieces of rolling stock. Know I would like a flat wagon for machinery for local farms/industries.

Work on the goods area is nearly done with the Wills kit Crane nearly complete. Just have some grey powder to go on the ground there. If I can find a hut and then some odd crates and planks have them strewn about to the side. The blue background will need a touch up.

And behind the throat to the layout static grass has been applied. Think a hedgerow would look nice along the back and a tree oddly placed. 

And after finishing all the wiring to the points had a little running session. Points work well, though have to run the engine over the track several times to clean the track. Even after cleaning it with a Peco rubber the engine kept stopping before the first layout hitting a lot of resistance. Only resolved it after plenty of running the engine up and down.

[Nathaniel]

Since receiving my new wagons, I have been operating may layout and trying to create a fun schedule while I set aside some money for future purchases for the layout. What I have come up with so far would represent a days worth of shunting after the pilot for the local station arrives with its own goods train. 

 

Pilot comes in with goods.

Goods pick up from and to Destination A drops of goods and picks up new train from Pilot.

Goods pick up from and to Destination B drops of goods and picks up new train from Pilot.

Pilot finishes shunting and forms returning train and heads off.

 

This gives me 3 shunting periods with goods coming in and getting two loads of beer in wagons to two different locations. Not been timing the operations very well so far. A couple more wagons will be great to add more variety including a flat or 1 plank wagon. Be great to have end up with enough rolling stock that wagons only return to the layout from the off scene destinations on the right trains. That will be for later.

 

If you like to know more while I keep trying the schedule I have made, please let me know.

 

 

[Nathaniel]

Been playing with two pictures that I have found to put inside the Brewery. They are;

 

 

Not sure which I prefer, thus I would like to hear some opinions on them.

 

The barrel is one 0f 10 I have painted up ready to be placed around the brewery. 

[Adrian Stevenson]

I think I prefer the lower picture.

[Nathaniel]

Hi Adrian,

 

After having looked at it a few times and running a couple sessions, I do feel the lower one is better. Will fix it in to place attach to the building after I have maybe painted the backboard black a little so that looking inside the windows does not give you the nice summer blue background.