Carmarthen Junction – The Layout

RosiesBoss · April 5, 2020

Background

In 2013, I posted several articles about stock on my fictional GWR layout “Carmarthen Junction”. Links to them are available at the end of this post, for those who may be interested. I am grateful for the kind comments and encouragement I received at that time.

Since then, much modelling has been done, most of which has been reported in this forum, with images of the newly completed models posed on my layout.

I have been asked recently (in another forum) to provide more information about the layout itself: size, design, operation, etc.

The layout’s name was chosen long ago, in recognition of my Welsh roots (Radnorshire and Carmarthenshire). It does not pretend to be any particular place. It exists to display my collection of model trains and give them some context when operated and photographed.

My first permanent layout was shared with my brother at our parents’ home, in a 12ft x 8ft garden shed that our father converted from being his workshop to becoming our train shed in 1965. This was the origin of the size of successor layouts. Here is an image of this first one, taken in 1972.

I left home in 1977 and built a new set of baseboards – a group of 8 boards which bolted together to make another 12’ x 8’ layout. Eventually, it was sufficiently detailed to be exhibited at my Church’s model railway club’s first model railway show in 1986.

In time, this layout needed refreshing, so it was stripped and rebuilt. Here it is, at another of my club’s shows in 1998.

As time passed, the old boards became rather tired. No surprise here, as they had been recycled from old office partitions. A new set of boards was designed and built from scratch using finger-jointed pine frames and 8mm thick MDF tops. They rest on a set of plastic-topped trestle tables (cheap, but effective). A new track plan was devised to suit the boards and their joins. It was planned to be built in two stages: the ground level first and the inclined track and elevated rear section after that. So far, I have not begun the second phase.

Design

Materials

Only Boards 1 to 5 have been built. Board 2b is yet to come. Temporary elevated scenery is in place over Boards 1 and 3 to simulate tunnels and help conceal the rear storage sidings. Most boards are joined using case clips and located with patternmakers’ dowels. Track circuits are carried from board to board via multi-pin plugs and sockets and heavy-duty wire. Point control circuits are carried on rainbow coloured ribbon cable,

Tracks and points are all Code 100 Peco, with live frog points wherever feasible. Each rail join has a wire soldered to each side of it to minimise voltage drop across it – essential for live steam operation.

Fishplates are in use, to allow for thermal expansion/contraction, as Sydney’s temperatues range from around 0 to 40 degrees C during the year. Points in the hidden siding area are operated by Peco point motors equipped with an accessory switch which lights green/red LEDs to indicate which tracks are selected. These same points also have latching relays to ensure proper electrical connection, instead of just depending on the point blades.

Points are activated by means of electric pencils, boosted by a CDU unit.

At every baseboard join, the rails are soldered to brass screws. Cables, plugs and sockets take the power from rail to rail across the join.

Once all tracks were installed and wired up, they were extensively tested and adjusted until everything ran smoothly. Only then was the track ballasted, using Faller ballast for the main lines and granite chippings for the sidings.

Control Systems

There are four independent 12V DC circuits, each equipped with a PWM controller. Each panel has a relevant track diagram which mimics the relevant track layout and provides the contacts for the electric pencils.

The two main line controls are side-by side and include DPDT switches to select either 12V DC or 17V live steam systems.

The loco and shunting yard area has numerous isolation switches to facilitate shunting of the MPD. The Peco turntable has its own home-made PWM controller and DPTD switch to control its home-made motor/gearbox.

The layout’s wiring loom has provided connections for the planned elevated branch line terminus. Its control panel is next to the controls for the hidden sidings.

When live steam is to be used, the relevant main line DC system is switched out and the 17V LS system selected. Here we can see the Hornby rolling road, used to warm locos up before use, the standard Hornby control and the Hornby Live Steam Club’s superior hand-held “Live Drive” controller.

Scenic Details

This early image shows the layout at the beginning of detailing. Many of the buildings ultimately used had not yet been constructed.

Another early shot, which is much more advanced and which features the bespoke card platforms.

The layout was built over a six-month period in 2010 and was sufficiently complete to be shown at my club’s annual exhibition in November 2010.

The model buildings derive from many sources, including Airfix, Alphagraphics, Dapol, Peco, Hornby, Metcalf, Prototype, Wills, Mike’s Models, Builder Plus, etc. The loco shed was scratchbuilt. Where feasible, the shops have suitable signage and interior details. Scale figures and vehicles have been used to give little cameos to further enhance the illusion of reality. The following images are of the scenic areas used as backdrops for the model train images featured in the links listed below.

The Salvation Army shop has a bilingual sign!

For those who took pleasure in the “Great Gathering” of A4s, here’s my version, featuring 4468 (motorised GBL), 2509 (Hornby LS), 7 (Hornby-Dublo 3-rail), 60030 (Hornby-Dublo 2-rail) and 60008 (Hornby LS).