Bantam Street Yard

[Gareth001 519]

Having started modelling in 7mm scale, and decided I'd never go back to anything smaller, I made the fatal mistake of ordering a Hornby Peckett, just because they're so gorgeous. In ex works livery, it sat in it's box for over a year, while work on my O gauge layout had almost stalled as I'd been spending time on commissions and making resin and CNC cut 7mm scale buildings that I produce on a short run basis. I started to wonder about producing a little "photo plank", to give the little Peckett somewhere to shuffle about and perhaps as a presentation piece if I scaled down some of my buildings to 4mm scale.

 

While I was thinking about this, I came across the Norfolk Heath Works Micro Modules baseboard kits, intended for 009, and wondered if I could squeeze a little OO gauge micro onto them, so ordered 3 modules (including a sector plate) which duly arrived. They went together very easily and I can report they are a very nice piece of work, and reasonably priced. Then came the challenge of whether a believable little scene with a bit of operational interest could be made to fit. I had a few bedraggled old bits and pieces of track from a previous stalled layout lurking in corners of the garage, which were enough to come up with this basic plan.

 

Edited December 28, 2020 by Gareth001

[Wrenn 1,593]

I agree the Peckett is a lovely looking loco and is one I hope to purchase very soon. I like your idea of a small photo plank and the design of your layout. 

I will be watching with great interest.

[Gareth001 519]

Track now laid, and held in position by blobs of superglue prior to painting and ballasting. The point at the exit of the fiddle yard is a cut down curved Peco point to save space....it was the only way I could get a run around loop in the tiny space. 3 wagon trains will be the order of the day. Track is all doctored Peco code 75.

 

[TechnicArrow 1,037]

Very ingenious track layout, and one with plenty of operating potential - I used a similar one for Arrow Paints, and regularly enjoy running it. I do especially like the use of the point crossing, although I can't help wondering if you'd have more capacity if you simply ran both tracks to the sector plate separately.

[Wrenn 1,593]

The baseboard and traverse look great and I love your layout design.

[Enterprisingwestern 15,871]

8 hours ago, TechnicArrow said:

Very ingenious track layout, and one with plenty of operating potential - I used a similar one for Arrow Paints, and regularly enjoy running it. I do especially like the use of the point crossing, although I can't help wondering if you'd have more capacity if you simply ran both tracks to the sector plate separately.

 

I am using a similar track plan on my micro Span Yard, my fiddlestick is your right hand siding.

I also think that you could have gained a bit more elbow room, but by replacing the 2 nearest RHS turnouts with Ys, and come off with 2 separate tracks therefore saving on the butchered turnout, this would give a bigger run round loop.

Looking good though.

 

Mike.

[steve1 7,528]

With a sector plate in the fiddleyard, I would have left out the point in front of it. Seems a complication too far. 

 

Rule 1 of course, your layout etc. Just an observation.

 

steve

[Gareth001 519]

Thanks for all the replies....all very valid observations. I did think about running the tracks separately to the sector plate...that's a good point. But because of the limited width and the limited movement of the sector plate itself, the tracks on the plate can really only line up to a single track along the centreline. I've pushed the envelope to get the alignment on the 2 exits on the truncated point....and if I'd left the point out I would have lost the run around loop. I did also originally plan on using y points throughout, but being a skinflint adapted things to suit what I had in the junkbox. Should have called it Scrooge Lane Sidings.

 

Quick squirt of paint and the addition of a check rail on the tightest curve follows. The pic shows the particularly naff condition of the recycled pointwork, but a lot will be buried under the usual industrial grime.

 

Edited December 30, 2020 by Gareth001

[JimRead 1,440]

Hello Gareth,

 

I had a conversation with the MD and one of the staff at Hattons about those baseboards. I explained that with one end on a carpet and a foot on it, the other end in your hands was it possible to twist it any more than a couple of millimetres. If it was then it would warp and I recommended some diagonals to prevent it.

 

I never got a reply, I wonder and I hope you don't mind asking if you would be good enough to try the same with your boards joined together.

 

Cheers - Jim

[Gareth001 519]

Hi Jim....they seem pretty rigid to me. They are designed to be bolted together, but Ive permanently stuck mine, and there isn't much in the way of twist, at least not without risking damage. I have noticed a very slight sag in the 3mm mdf baseboard though, so I'm going to add some bracing as you suggest. I think they're up to the job though.

 

I'm in the process of designing some card baseboard kits (made from mounting board, well braced) which I think I'm going to make in 2' x 1' modules to start with...I'll post updates on here to let you know how I get on! They'll be light, strong and cost effective. I'm also thinking about fitted backscenes and presentation arches to suit.

[JimRead 1,440]

Hello Gareth,

 

Many thanks for your reply good of you to do the test, I would advise anyone else to do the same. For the cost of a few bits of plywood one can be absolutely sure that a board will never warp.

 

Bear in mind that a cubic metre of water weighs a metric tonne and 1 Ltr milk bottles make very good heavy weights. Warps can be taken out using a diagonal with the weights on or on the top if the warp is upwards.

 

Over the years I have seen scores of layouts on these forums sink down the ranks never to be seen again I would wager that 50% have warped.

 

I'll come onto what might now Gareth be something you will dislike. Your track plan; the ethos of the micro layout is slow running and shunting. I would gladly do a video of one of my layouts to show that running can be both enjoyable and at the same time tax your brain in a similar manner to a crossword puzzle. 

 

The other 50% of sinking layouts do so because they are boring to operate.

 

Cheers - Jim

[Barnaby 2,093]

Your layout is very impressive with some inventive track formation to the fiddle yard.

Well done so far Gareth and as the saying goes "where there's a need there's always a way". 

 

I add this to my ones to follow list and to accompany your 7mm layout build.

 

Best

[Gareth001 519]

Good to hear from you Mark, and hope you're well. I've made a little progress on the O gauge layout, but I've spent quite a lot of time on commissions...plan to do a bit less in the new year. I'll update soon, and I have a new terraced house kit nearly ready. 

 

All the best to you and yours for a happy and healthy 2021.

 

Cheers, G.

[JimRead 1,440]

Hello Gareth,

 

I saw your post about making a card baseboard, in one of my forays into OO I made one. With 2mm grey card thinking that Artists Mountboard at 1.2mm would not be stiff enough.

4 A4 2mm grey boards coated with Shellac, the very best varnish it soaks into the card and the next coat dissolves into the first.

 

The underside

 

With 2mm grey card at the sides and the cross members and diagonals made from 1.2mm Artists Mountboard. I couldn't twist it more than a couple of millimetres.

 

Here's a little video of the traversers

 

 

The traverser boards have a tongue and groove at each end and sit in a guide slot. I introduce some 'wobble' into the slots since they work into two positions and the screws you can see align them. They both need some cabinet makers wax to make them like melting ice on melting ice.

 

As I progressed into the build I realised that it was going to cost far more than an O Gauge layout. I offered to give it away in the thread Id started, it was going to be called Yff (it's possible). A student who lived fairly close and who had got a place at a German university collected it and was going to take it with him.

 

If you would like the rest of the photographs detailing the build you will be very welcome to them.

 

Cheers - Jim

Edited December 30, 2020 by JimRead
speeling

[Gareth001 519]

Hi Jim..always interested to learn from someone else's ideas, so very grateful for the pics. I'm looking at a die cut or CNC cut solution, so I can produce an accurately repeatable square and rigid module. Of course the design has to be right, so lots of planning and prototypes to make. I'll post updates, and thanks for your input

[JimRead 1,440]

Hello Gareth,

 

Many thanks for your kind comments good of you to explain what it is you are going to do and how you are going to do it.

 

I forgot to add in the track plan for the above

The criteria for designing it was; the least amount of points with the maximum amount of operating potential.

 

Please feel free to use it or indeed any of my track plans on my little blog site.

 

Cheers - Jim

[Gareth001 519]

Thanks Jim.

 

If I needed reminding why I moved up to 7mm scale, cutting chairs in half for the check rail certainly provided it: more on the floor than on the bench, and several more pinging off as I tried, with maximum magnification, to fit them in place. Railway modelling is not supposed to be this close to extreme violence, but having resisted the urge to launch the lot into the field, we got there in the end. Now for some sparky bits and see if we can get some movement.

 

Edited December 31, 2020 by Gareth001

[Barnaby 2,093]

On 30/12/2020 at 15:21, Gareth001 said:

.......and I have a new terraced house kit nearly ready. 

Sounds interesting Gareth I look forward to seeing it when ready.   I'll have to see where I may be able to fit one in my scenic build.

 

Best

[Gareth001 519]

Some basic wiring done with a couple of simple bus bars and micro switches on the sector plate....

 

Edited January 6 by Gareth001

[Gareth001 519]

The first little waddle of the Peckett across the yard. It really is a lovely piece of work by Hornby, and with a bit of fettling runs smoothly over the recycled pointwork. Point control next, which is again going to be courtesy of old bits and pieces from the back of the cupboard: this time some servos courtesy of Heathcote Electronics. Dangerously close to playing trains, or would be if I had any rolling stock. The wagon in the background is all there is at the moment!

 

 

[Wrenn 1,593]

Nice little running session Gareth, two lovely locos.

[Gareth001 519]

Well, I have an excellent supplier!

 

[Barnaby 2,093]

Great stuff Gareth.  That Peckett is perfect but not in 00 for me as I'll stick with 0.

Bantam Street Yard is spreading its wings.

 

Best

 

[marc smith 3,555]

Hi @Gareth001 Great looking plan. You've managed to squeeze a lot into a small area, and in rather neat fashion, it doesn't look cramped - that's a neat piece of careful design.  

Looking forward to seeing this project progress 

Edited January 11 by marc smith

[SZ 36]

On 06/01/2021 at 11:40, Gareth001 said:

 

 

I'm interested in that fiddle yard, to line up on all tracks surely the pivot point needs to move, maybe along a slot cut in the top sheet (an arc?).

 

The sector-traverser is invented! - or maybe re-invented?

 

Edited January 11 by SZ