RMweb Gold JustinDean Posted August 25, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 25, 2023 Those chickens still going strong in ‘63 Jay 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted August 25, 2023 Author Share Posted August 25, 2023 Those sleepers still haven’t been used either though the ballast heap might’ve grown a bit! Fascinating photo: I’ve not seen that one before, have you any further information? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JustinDean Posted August 25, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 25, 2023 34 minutes ago, Tortuga said: Those sleepers still haven’t been used either though the ballast heap might’ve grown a bit! Fascinating photo: I’ve not seen that one before, have you any further information? It’s on the Buxton Line and railways of the High Peak Facebook page. Text reads: ”A busy day at Alsop-en-le-Dale on 26th May 1963. Photo taken by the late Ken Woolley from a train approaching the station at which a DMU is standing.” Jay 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted January 30 Author Share Posted January 30 Having finally got Project Offspring’s Mega-Wardrobe/Bookcase/Desk to a more or less completed state, I currently have more time available to devote to modelling pursuits. However, having got something to run under its own power, my enthusiasm for ‘Whaley Shunt’ has lessened for some reason and I’ve been looking to spend some time on “the main layout”. Unfortunately, the sporadic and geological progress on Alsop have left me with a partial supporting frame, several versions of a track plan, two partly assembled boards, no clear idea of what the next part of the project was and a dissatisfied feeling with the whole thing overall. As a result, the re-revised, revised layout plan (mk2) v3.6 - I think that’s what iteration I was on - has been scrapped, and a new layout plan (taking all the available space into account this time) has been started from scratch. I’ve got rid of the traverser fiddle yards in favour of maximising space on the scenic section and I’ve swung the ‘Buxton’ fiddle yard through a further 90 degrees to form an “island” in the centre of the railway room, which allows it to accommodate a much longer version of the Alsop Moor Quarry Train than previously. In addition, the whole scenic section is now on a curve of extremely large radius (over 11m), which avoids the intrusive corner while being sufficiently large to hopefully negate any issues with curved platforms. Two versions of the layout plan are shown below. The first has scenic boards of 610mm (2’) depth (board joints are indicated by the three lines perpendicular to the track) The second has boards of 750mm (2’ 5 and 1/2”) depth: The track is the same distance from the backscene in both cases; only the depth of scenery at the front of the layout changes. Thoughts please folks - which depth should I go for? 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JustinDean Posted January 30 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30 10 minutes ago, Tortuga said: Having finally got Project Offspring’s Mega-Wardrobe/Bookcase/Desk to a more or less completed state, I currently have more time available to devote to modelling pursuits. However, having got something to run under its own power, my enthusiasm for ‘Whaley Shunt’ has lessened for some reason and I’ve been looking to spend some time on “the main layout”. Unfortunately, the sporadic and geological progress on Alsop have left me with a partial supporting frame, several versions of a track plan, two partly assembled boards, no clear idea of what the next part of the project was and a dissatisfied feeling with the whole thing overall. As a result, the re-revised, revised layout plan (mk2) v3.6 - I think that’s what iteration I was on - has been scrapped, and a new layout plan (taking all the available space into account this time) has been started from scratch. I’ve got rid of the traverser fiddle yards in favour of maximising space on the scenic section and I’ve swung the ‘Buxton’ fiddle yard through a further 90 degrees to form an “island” in the centre of the railway room, which allows it to accommodate a much longer version of the Alsop Moor Quarry Train than previously. In addition, the whole scenic section is now on a curve of extremely large radius (over 11m), which avoids the intrusive corner while being sufficiently large to hopefully negate any issues with curved platforms. Two versions of the layout plan are shown below. The first has scenic boards of 610mm (2’) depth (board joints are indicated by the three lines perpendicular to the track) The second has boards of 750mm (2’ 5 and 1/2”) depth: The track is the same distance from the backscene in both cases; only the depth of scenery at the front of the layout changes. Thoughts please folks - which depth should I go for? I’d be going for the greater depth so the railway is properly set within the countryside. That’s gotta be the point if you’re modeling a slice of Derbyshire right? Im liking the new design Nick! Jay 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 35 minutes ago, JustinDean said: I’d be going for the greater depth so the railway is properly set within the countryside. That’s gotta be the point if you’re modeling a slice of Derbyshire right? Im liking the new design Nick! Jay What Justin said. It's going to make the layout seem much larger and allow the trains to disappear into the landscape, better for the illusion of reality. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold lezz01 Posted January 31 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 31 What they both said. Deeper is better. Regards Lez. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Middlepeak Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 One very practical point - make sure your arms are long enough to reach a train at the back without potentially damaging any of the scenery at the front. I speak from experience! 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 55 minutes ago, Middlepeak said: One very practical point - make sure your arms are long enough to reach a train at the back without potentially damaging any of the scenery at the front. I speak from experience! Good point, when I made the 610mm wide station board 150mm wider I found it awkward to work on the back of the layout with the height of the boards at 1350mm, so when we dismantled it to move house, I cut down the legs to 1200mm, which made it much easier to work on. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted January 31 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 31 2 hours ago, Middlepeak said: One very practical point - make sure your arms are long enough to reach a train at the back without potentially damaging any of the scenery at the front. I speak from experience! There's also no requirement for the front of the layout to be straight and parallel to the back... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWolf Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 26 minutes ago, Nick C said: There's also no requirement for the front of the layout to be straight and parallel to the back... Definitely not, I found that a big help in creating an illusion of space, even in 12' x 2'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 4 hours ago, Middlepeak said: One very practical point - make sure your arms are long enough to reach a train at the back without potentially damaging any of the scenery at the front. I speak from experience! Good point. Also, fiddling with 3-link couplings, hence the 2’ 5 and 1/2” rather than any deeper. The furthest track is 550mm (21 and 11/16”) from the front edge by the way. 2 hours ago, Nick C said: There's also no requirement for the front of the layout to be straight and parallel to the back... Very true. I was toying with extending the scenery up to the wall, but I’m not sure how to accommodate the “intrusive corner” pushing in at the left hand end? As shown, the back of the layout is parallel to the front, but curves with the line of the track. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Following the advice given, I’ve gone ahead with a board depth of 750mm: any deeper and I doubt I’d be able to get them out through the loft hatch! Wood butchery has already begun, with the corner board (first installed at the start of the project) being removed and a new framework taking shape in its place: There will be a supporting leg in the corner nearest the camera and a cross frame inside the outer pieces. The framework to the left is at the right height to support the scenic boards, but needs completely redoing to accommodate the changes. Onward! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted February 4 Author Share Posted February 4 Cross framing and temporary support leg now in place. Most of the frame to the left was removed after I took this photo, but further progress was halted due to an urgent demand from my eldest daughter to play ‘CoraQuest’. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted February 6 Author Share Posted February 6 Yesterday’s work resulted in the ply “face” being fitted to the corner frame; an attempt at the support leg; partial removal of the lower, narrow frame and a start made on its wider replacement. Unfortunately, a level check along the depth of the layout revealed the support leg was 3mm too short - and I measured more than twice before cutting! - so first job today was to make and fit a longer leg, before continuing work on the lower frame. I’ll shape the ply “face” when I start work on the scenic boards, since it shares the profile of the cutting with the end of the adjoining scenic board, but for now, it’ll stay like this. Last job today was to shift everything stored on the remainder of the narrow frame onto the new corner frame to keep it out of the way while work progresses: Looking the other way, the remains of the narrower frame awaits removal: Onward! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted February 20 Author Share Posted February 20 After removing the rest of the old frame, various things conspired against any further progress, including, but not limited to, our boiler deciding it would quite like most of its major components replacing. Today however, I finally found the time, energy and enthusiasm to restart work on the support frame: I finally gave in and bought new timber rather than trying to make do with the old - the varied assortment of different thicknesses and depths wasn’t helping progress - and now I’ve got a frame with proper right angles! At present it’s sat on the aborted second attempt and still needs securing to the wall, but once in position it will form a “datum” from which to build out from - unfortunately the previously rebuilt frame will need some corrective work due to additional squiffy dimensions (previously unnoticed) of the loft. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 Bit more progress since last post - the longest section of the main frame last seen resting on the aborted second attempt is now attached to the wall, the “bridge” section in front of the access door into the eaves is done and the corner frame has been modified slightly to accommodate the squiffy dimensions of the railway room. Just need to modify the short section which fits between the corner and the “bridge”, then I can sort the legs out and start on the frames that support the fiddle yards. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 Main frame done and secured to the wall. One leg done… …but the rest is temporarily supported for now. I think I’ll do the frame that goes where the traverser is currently sat next. 3 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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