Wavenham.

[PMW]

I will not say I have completed the layout plan for the upcoming "Wavenham" layout, but I offer it up here with for your perusal. I am sure somebody will suggest a failing in my design, that's OK. I am not, nor do I claim to be an expert. I shall not be offended if anyone would like to suggest that a particular crossover is pointless (sorry about the pun, I would like to say it was not intended but I'll take all the credit i can get). Likewise somebody might like to suggest an operational shortcoming that should be fixed. The layout will be a bit of a mish-mash as it will be  based on the sum of the bits and pieces I have gathered over the years, and a few pieces that we have bough and put away for our first born until he reached a suitable age, which at ten we guess he just about has. 

 

I make no apology for that mish-mash, the aim is for Jamie to be able to play with his trains without having to get them out on the barely big enough dining table then put it all away again. 

 

So here it is. 

 

It will be based on the mid 1970's era which suits the "youngest" of the locos, with an unidentified reservation railway using platform four on the inner loop. 

 

The total dimension is 96 x 70 inches, the yellow arc is the opening door, carefully measured so as you can see literally every square inch of available space is being used. Access to the central operating area is via hands and knees with the door way providing a second operator space or viewing gallery. Sadly the location of the door does not favour reversing the opening, we have considered that, and we are keen to retain the door to be able to lock it when younger playmates, or our three year old take an unwanted interest.

 

The basic design is a double mainline loop with a partial inner loop and additional holding platform spurred from the inner and outer main lines respectively. The north of the board is dominated by a four platform mainline station of typical 1960s design capable of handling a full rake of five bogie coaches on either of the mainline platforms 2 and 3. The south features a turntable for additional animation. This was to be a swing bridge, however we have had to concede that the space available just doesn't lend itself to that project. Maybe we'll put that one aside for a future adventure. The east side features locomotive storage whilst to the west and north are a pair of extended coach sidings.

 

There are some shortcomings, firstly and most obviously to me there are no wagon sidings. We have about half a dozen mixed wagons so a siding would be useful but to my mind the layout is busy enough as it is. The other failing is that it is flat, but in 96 x 70 space is very limited for a reasonable incline to lift, or lower a train the 100 or so millimeters or so that would be necessary. So flat it remains, though we will look to add some "rolling" contours with scenery and perhaps raise the mainline loops at the very bottom of the layout by an inch or two to allow some very slight embankment to detach them from the turntable. 

 

It will inevitable be built in stages, though as far as I can estimate without a stock update which must wait until after the holidays next week we should have all of the track sections needed. I fell upon a nice deal on facebook where I acquired about sixty straight tracks of varying lengths, mostly Hornby double straits or longer, fourteen electrified points plus about a dozen non electrified points, some straight and some curved for £100, a deal I couldn't pass by, especially as most if it is unused. I also picked up a BR Blue Class 08 to handle shunting duties, filling a gap in the rolling stock list so we should have just about everything we need to get going, barring control. 

 

How to control the layout has been the single biggest issue of late. As the layout has become more and more complex with each redesign and moved further and further from a simple double loop with some sidings the decision has swung firmly towards DCC, or more realistically DCC++. Building a DCC++ system based around an arduino holds no fear, it's actually quite straight forward to get it to the level where it will run trains, operate sound chips, turnouts and even the turntable. Initially it can be controlled by an android throttle running from a tablet, though later I will look to ad a Raspberry Pi to control the adruino and connect a wired or blue tooth analogue throttle. The ultimate aim is to code programs to set specific routes, run trains on different routes in order, lift and return carriages to the sidings etc and then allow the layout to run randomly within a list of preset parameters. This is serious coding, but something to keep me busy during the long winter nights.  It will require block sensors across the whole layout so I will build an IO shield into the command center to allow this at a later date. 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2020 by PMW

[PMW]

I did say not absolutely final, a slight update mostly to the Loco depot to enable the placement of an engine shed to give my scratch building an opportunity. I have also tunneled the main track at the bottom of the plan, this may or may not happen. I have also added a head shunt on the coach sidings. There is one failing that I can see which is locos exiting the depot cannot cross the turntable straight onto the main line, I don't see much that can be done about that. They can of course be turned and exit to the mainline that way. The boards for the base should have arrived today, they have been delayed due to a hold up in the sawmill, so will not now arrive until after half term. That will give me time to order the Arduino, I/O and motor shields and make a start on the DCC. 

 

 

[PMW]

The decision on baseboard has been made, or rather made for me. I have spent the last couple of days repainting the factory floor before the agent comes to photograph it next week, and on top of the office I have found three unused rack shelves, nine foot by three foot three inch thick chip board. 

 

So that came home last night, sadly the weather is closing in so no chance to cut it today, will get that done on Monday all being well, there should be enough strips from taking it down to the desired width to make the cross braces to hold the four finished pieces that will make up the layout.  All i need to do now is decide what to top it with, xps board being the current favourite.