BR Blue 4mm scale 1980's Midland region

[CovDriver]

Having decided to abandon my last project as it was a bit boring operationally. 

I have decided to start again with a whole new approach.

This time I've opted for 3 of the minimum size baseboards from scale model scenery as the main scenic area which gives me roughly 5ft x 10ins of scenic area.

I've decided on a terminus of a scottish branchline that has no run round facilities but just a couple of engineers sidings to the front.

The plain track is DCC concepts/legacy flexi track and 3x handbuilt points it's all wired for DCC operation and I've installed cobalt iP digital point motors on the points. 

The scenic boards took about a day to wire up fully and so far no faults. 

As of today this is the stage I've got to

 

The class 27 in the first picture was purchased from Rails via Ebay and it was an absolute wreck it had an awful weathering attempt bits missing but now it's been fully rebuilt,renumbered and detailed and tuns beautifully. 

Hope you all like the new project. 

I'm just such for a name for it how about some suggestions? 

 

Cheers 

 

Colin 

Edited May 24, 2022 by CovDriver

[treggyman]

Hi

Nice start but curious to know if using loco hauled stock why no run round....

Unless you're modelling part of the station with the 'business' end off scene..

 

Looking forward to seeing this progress.....

 

heers Bill

[CovDriver]

The loco hauled stock was being used for testing and clearance purposes only.

When I eventually get to the stage of running the layout the passenger side of things will be in the hands of class 101,108 and 121 DMU's 

All other services will be hauled by the 27 and also class 24's,25's and the odd 37/0 

 

Cheers 

 

Colin 

[Andrew P]

Nice idea Colin, and a nice size, and that's just how my Deesdale Road started, it's now in the hands of Peter BB and is about 22ft long.

 

And Peter @PeterBBlooking  very please as he had just bought it off me, and Mike my other operator looking shocked.

[PeterBB]

Wow - this photograph approaching nine years ago, Deesdale Road last outing June 2019 and one for 2019 was of course cancelled.  It still has many 'pull-wire' point changers but the added section points are motorised.

 

What adds interest is operational shunting.  In simple terms with small layouts, see Andy P's West Shed, shuffling cards gives many different scenarios and in the case of West Shed took roughly an hour each time so small layouts can give hours of interest.

 

Hope progression proceeds well.

 

Cheers Peter

Edited January 30, 2021 by PeterBB
Incorrect years originally entered

[37Oban]

Hi,

also curious to know how the freight side of things will operate?  Is the station a terminus because, if so, and without a run round loop, freight trains will have to be propelled out of the station.  Or maybe the loop is off stage, past the platform, in which case a propelling move is still needed to be able to shunt trains from one direction.  Or am I missing something?  Wouldn't be the first time!

 

Roja

[PeterBB]

33 minutes ago, 37Oban said:

Hi,

also curious to know how the freight side of things will operate?  Is the station a terminus because, if so, and without a run round loop, freight trains will have to be propelled out of the station.  Or maybe the loop is off stage, past the platform, in which case a propelling move is still needed to be able to shunt trains from one direction.  Or am I missing something?  Wouldn't be the first time!

 

Roja

10" is wide enough to get 5 lines in and the above will be practical with an engine shed and short freight  'trains' and sufficient placed points bearing in mind that the passenger locos are short DMU's should work.  Engine shed with back scene as there will not be much room for scenery.

Having said that CovDriver is in charge of Rule 1!

[37Oban]

I'm looking forwards to seeing how this pans out!  

 

Rule 1 is a godsend!  Use it myself, and will be invoked in my current project and stuff the nay-sayers!

 

Roja

[CovDriver]

3 hours ago, 37Oban said:

I'm looking forwards to seeing how this pans out!  

 

Rule 1 is a godsend!  Use it myself, and will be invoked in my current project and stuff the nay-sayers!

 

Roja

Totally agree with the Rule 1,

Also I've no more handbuilt points to put in a run round at the far end. 

 

Colin 

[CovDriver]

Further more to some of the replies regarding why there is no run round facilities.

After trawling the web for pictures of Balloch Pier which finally closed in 1986 I'm hoping to capture something similar a bit of run down Scottish region branch/spur from a mainline around the Glasgow area.

The front sidings are for civil engineers wagons waiting for the weekend possession.

As Balloch pier was electrified with 25kv A.C I may consider adding that at a later date but for the time being it will have to be 1st generation DMU's for any passenger services there will be no freight as such apart from engineers trains into the sidings for stabling. 

 

Colin 

[50002Superb]

Great idea, can’t wait to see more progress 

[CovDriver]

This is how the layout currently stands the track is laid on the scenic section and is wired up for DCC operation the only 3points are now wired up correctly with cobalt ip digital motors. 

The track has been sprayed with acrylic railmatch sleeper grime thats been toned down a shade. 

A start has been made on the retaining wall I'm not sure on that yet. 

And the loco is a Heljan 27 that was bought via ebay it was an absolute wreck but I've managed to rebuild it and detail it up to a half decent standard. 

Im stuck for a name on the layout i was going to base it upon Balloch pier but not use that particular name. 

Has anybody got any ideas? 

 

Cheers 

 

Colin 

 

[5BarVT]

How about Balmaha or Balmaha Pier?  It had a pier and could feasibly have had a link to the Balloch to Stirling line from roundabout Croftamie.

Paul.

[CovDriver]

Well the Layout now has it's name Loch Doon yes it's a play on words of Lockdown but seen as it's Scottish region based I thought Loch Doon would be more appropriate.

The name comes from an actual freshwater Loch in the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland. 

there has been no work as such carried out on the layout as such for the past two weeks as work and home schooling is taking up way much to time at the moment. 

But I'm trying to fit in the odd half hour a day doing research and detailing rolling stock.

 

That's all for now 

 

Colin 

[CovDriver]

Well after what seems like an absolute age here's an update on my small BR Blue layout.

The wiring is 99% complete just the yard and platform lighting to install.

The scenics are getting there I'm not sure what to put on the small clear section opposite the platform I was thinking that a small section of a bus depot as my Rapido trains fleetline in Wmpte livery would look good. 

Anyway hoping to do a bit more on the station buildings this week and possibly upload a video of some shunting. 

 

Cheers 

Colin

[5BarVT]

That’s looking really nice.

Not sure about WMPTE and ScotRail though!

Paul.

[CovDriver]

21 minutes ago, 5BarVT said:

That’s looking really nice.

Not sure about WMPTE and ScotRail though!

Paul.

I've edited the title now and dropped the Scottish theme and I'm sticking to what I grew up with. 

I'm looking at opening up the other end of the layout with a traverser so I can run through short freight and engineers trains. 

 

Cheers 

Colin 

[Ramblin Rich]

Like the look of this in its new guise, nicely uncluttered despite the small size. I've started thinking about a small West Midlands layout in the same era, a cross between Stourbridge (DMU shuttle) and Pensnett / Langley Green for RfD and chemical traffic. This certainly has that vibe.

 

One thought, you could extend the back line on the left through the bridge to give you a run around using the fiddle yard area.🤔

Edited May 24, 2022 by Ramblin Rich
cos yeah

[CovDriver]

Thank you for the input that idea has some serious potential I'm going to have a look an measure a few things up maybe swap a few points around in the fidleyard and see if it's possible.

The idea of a 121/122 bubble car doing a Stourbridge shuttle type of thing has been tried and it looks good as I've just weathered and DCC'd a Dapol 121 for this purpose. 

[CovDriver]

Just a couple of pics from today's work on the pair of 25's for the layout. And a heavily weathered Bachmann 37 detailed and renumbered to 37227.

 

[Dragonboy]

Very nice indeed. 

[CovDriver]

Well a its been so long since an update on the layout I thought I should pull my finger out and upload two pics of the current status of the layout. 

Both pics show the scenic boards all set up on trestles with fiddleyard attached but out of shot.

Here's the thing I've hit a bit of wall since coming back from the DEMU show. 

And to be honest I'm a bit bored with the layout itself so I'm in two minds to either scrap the layout completely and salvage what I can for a future project or in fact sell the layout as it stands minus the NCE powercab. 

 

Cheers 

 

Colin 

[CovDriver]

Took the decision today to mothball the layout and place it into storage in the loft, I'll be keeping the fiddleyard and the trestles along with a spare blank baseboard that's about 3ft long and maybe build a small diorama as a photo plank until the layout bug comes back.

So until then I'll be concentrating on building various wagon kits and detailing projects that should keep me occupied.

 

 

Cheers 

 

Colin