Treneglos: The ACE on the North Cornwall Railway

[2ManySpams]

Prior to clearing out the other store I found three more sets of items, the fiddle yards, the backscenes and the lighting rig steelwork.

 

First the steelwork which was fabricated by John's brother in 2003...

 

These are all the component parts:

 

 

This is how they fit together (I'll use the colours in the diagram to explain):

 

 

The L shaped uprights with the diagonal brace (green) fit into a base each (black).

 

 

The two T shaped horizontal bars (blue) join together (joint 2). These then slide onto the uprights (green) at joints 1 and three.

 

 

 

A close up of joint 1 showing they are labeled up. I've not pushed the joint fully home as the steel is stiff and needs a clean/ light lubrication.

 

 

You build all this up once the five scenic boards and two fiddles are up by the way. The uprights are not bolted to the layout until the backscene has been fixed to the scenic boards.

 

The two short lengths of steel (red) fit into sockets in each fiddle yard. You then insert the two remaining L shaped lengths of steel (blue) into the other blue sections (at joints 1 and 3) and the fiddle uprights (red).

 

Here's one L fitted (obviously no fiddle or red upright).

 

 

The are the bolt holes in the main uprights (green). There are matching notches in the backscene (two of the backscene joints are at the uprights and so the backscene panels slide in from either side) and baseboards.

 

 

Each of the red/blue joints is labeled.

 

 

(Edited to correct getting Padstow and Okehampton at the wrong ends...)

[Indomitable026]

Prior to clearing out the other store I found three more sets of items, the fiddle yards, the backscenes and the lighting rig steelwork.

 

First the steelwork which was fabricated by John's brother in 2003...

 

These are all the component parts:

 

rps20171203_144704.jpg

 

This is how they fit together (I'll use the colours in the diagram to explain):

 

rps20171203_150121.jpg

 

The L shaped uprights with the diagonal brace (green) fit into a base each (black).

 

rps20171203_144808.jpg

 

The two T shaped horizontal bars (blue) join together (joint 2). These then slide onto the uprights (green) at joints 1 and three.

 

rps20171203_144915.jpg

 

rps20171203_145024.jpg

 

A close up of joint 1 showing they are labeled up. I've not pushed the joint fully home as the steel is stiff and needs a clean/ light lubrication.

 

rps20171203_144948.jpg

 

You build all this up once the five scenic boards and two fiddles are up by the way. The uprights are not bolted to the layout until the backscene has been fixed to the scenic boards.

 

The two short lengths of steel (red) fit into sockets in each fiddle yard. You then insert the two remaining L shaped lengths of steel (blue) into the other blue sections (at joints 1 and 3) and the fiddle uprights (red).

 

Here's one L fitted (obviously no fiddle or red upright).

 

rps20171203_145134.jpg

 

The are the bolt holes in the main uprights (green). There are matching notches in the backscene (two of the backscene joints are at the uprights and so the backscene panels slide in from either side) and baseboards.

 

rps20171203_145101.jpg

 

Each of the red/blue joints is labeled.

 

rps20171203_144730.jpg

 

I wish we'd labelled these years ago...

[2ManySpams]

Backscene panels next. These were painted by John after we built the 5th scenic board. We went to the first couple of shows with no backscene. The picture John has artfully painted is nearly 24'long overall, 20'rear and 20" returns at each end.

 

They travel in three padded jackets, very fashionable on the exhibition circuit, are were made by my mum. They were made to stop John spending hours taping them up with bubble wrap etc, something he loved doing which ensured we were always last out of the hall on breakdown. ;-p

 

 

The 2'square pack contains the fiddle yard returns, the 4'long pack the two centre sections and the 6'long pack the two rear ends.

 

In each of the packs the painted sides go together with a sheet of padding between them. The fiddle ends have their own inner packet.

 

 

Here's the fiddle yard returns. (note the tall edge goes at the front and there's a hole for attaching them to the fiddle yard upright (red bit in the previous post).

 

 

Here's the two central 4'sections.

 

 

 

The hand outlines are to remind us to handle them from the bottom and not get dirty paw prints on the artwork.

 

Here's the central section together. Note the cut outs in the extreme left and right edges. These are for the steelwork bolts and angle.

 

 

The black stepped line is the underside of the baseboards.

[2ManySpams]

Hi Chris

Sorry see you have sold Treneglos. It great seeing at Barnstaple the other year, I'm sure the new owner will look after it.

Can't wait to see Pencarrow when it's finished.

Thanks Ray. Pencarrow will be a while yet though, I've already comfortably exceeded the Treneglos build time by a good 2 years...

[2ManySpams]

I wish we'd labelled these years ago...

Every show we'd always seem to get them the wrong way around. Just like I have in all the posts so far (now corrected).

[WestCountryClass]

Hi, Not sure quite how to start my introduction to Treneglos, but here goes. My name is Simon, and with great appreciation to Chris, John & Damian, I am the new owner of Treneglos. I have been modelling for more years than I can remember, and have exhibited with previous OO & O Gauge layouts, although this has not been recently. I am very passionate about the hobby, and will now take Treneglos forward, starting with a light restoration, fear not, Treneglos will not alter from the original design, and we will never forget Chris, John & Damian's hard work, bringing this great layout to the public, all those years ago, thank you from all of us.

Edited February 22, 2018 by WestCountryClass

[gwrrob]

Welcome Simon and good luck with Treneglos. You will have a lot of fondness and support with this layout and we all wish you well. Even some of us with Western persuasions.

[Andy Y]

Simon, just watch that Chris doesn't slip John in with the layout.

[2ManySpams]

Simon, just watch that Chris doesn't slip John in with the layout.

Damian is making a grey wooden transit case as we speak. Jayne did say he should be included in the sale...

[Andy Y]

Jayne did say he should be included in the sale...

I bet she did. She may chuck in a parrot or two to keep him entertained en route.

[ColinW]

Simon, well done in getting the layout, and hopefully you will get a lot of enjoyment out of it.  It was good to just stand and watch the trains go by, on it at exhibitions.

 

Chris, thanks for putting up the photos today, Just goes to show how much care is needed when taking a layout like Treneglos to exhibitions.

 

Colin

[2ManySpams]

Simon, well done in getting the layout, and hopefully you will get a lot of enjoyment out of it. It was good to just stand and watch the trains go by, on it at exhibitions.

 

Chris, thanks for putting up the photos today, Just goes to show how much care is needed when taking a layout like Treneglos to exhibitions.

 

Colin

Thanks Colin. I can't take credit for all the timber packing cases, those are Damian's babies, nor the sectional steelwork frame, John's brother sorted them out. I did do a few tweaks here and there, the folding leg braces and the display board clips.

 

It does all show that if you do intend exhibiting a layout then you do have to give some thought not only to how it will be presented when finished but also how to protect it in transit and storage. Also consider how it will also fit in your vehicle of choice.

 

Having been to a few shows it's amazing how often layouts which have taken hours to build are just thrown in the back of a vehicle with little but hope that they won't be damaged in transit.

 

It's testament to all these precautions that the layout needed very little work to keep it in tip top condition for shows.

 

Funny you should say about enjoying watching trains go by. As layouts go it hasn't the most exciting track plan but it was prototypical of a North Cornwall Railway station. The 20'long scenic section, combined with undulating ground does provide for an interesting backdrop to glorious Southern steam.

 

I was always amazed how long some folk stood watching the trains passing. The most satisfying show for that was one year at Wadebridge where a couple of the old Wadebridge loco crew gave a running commentary of their experiences of each of the locos and trains. Smashing.

[ColinW]

I fully agree with how some layouts can be transported.  I am currently in the process of making Avon Junction (a layout I am part owner of) more storage and transport safe!! as well as carrying out some scenic repairs on the layout and two fiddleyard board extensions!  This being because the layout was made to fit into a Ford Focus, and has now grown to need a transit to carry it to exhibitions. 

 

The fact that Treneglos can attract people to stand and watch  the trains go by is probably why it was so popular at exhibitions.

 

Colin

[2ManySpams]

Next up the fiddle yards.

 

Now when Treneglos was first built we had 4'long fiddles at each end. We used cassettes - 3 coach long train cassettes and separate loco cassettes (long enough for a Spamcan).

 

We did the majority of shows with these but they did result in a fair amount of stock handling and we always ran the risk of dropping something as the train cassettes were turned.

 

It was also apparent, after we got further into the real North Cornwall Railway, that a lot of trains should be longer than our 3 coach max fiddle capacity.

 

We did consider turning Treneglos into a continuous run, and Geoff drew up a Templot plan for us, but it meant a significant number of extra boards and storage was already an issue for us.

 

After lots of procrastinating, and far to close to the Aylesbury show, the existing cassette fiddle boards were replaced with train turntables each capable of taking 6 trains of up to five coaches. That was a late Friday night show set up which involved last minute track laying and gloss painting....

 

Anyway they worked well, meant no stock handling, and you could easily operate the layout single handed at lunch breaks or when John wandered off looking for books. The boards are a few inches over 6'long and 2'wide:

 

 

Here we have the Padstow fiddle locked down for transit.

 

 

The end with the green panel goes next the the scenic board, in this case the cutting. It's held in the lower position for transit with hi-tech blutack.

 

 

Release the blutack, fold the panel vertical. Note the socket at the base.

 

 

Insert short length of steel (the red bars in the lighting rig sketch) in to the socket. This keeps the green panel vertical. The holes in the bar go at the top and parallel to the tracks, and they are for the bolt that fixes the fiddle backscene in place.

 

[2ManySpams]

Along with the fiddles are four bent brass bars, two for each fiddle.

 

 

They fit in the brass tubes at each fiddle entry and align the tracks and transfer power.

 

 

At each end of the turntable deck there's a U shaped metal strip which prevents the stock rolling off when the turntable is rotated.

 

 

The end nearest the fiddle entry is raised to let trains pass.

 

 

After the first show using the turntable fiddles we felt that the stock at the end was a bit exposed. Things can go missing at shows due to a light fingered individuals. So Damian knocked up these boards...

 

 

Which fit on the extreme end of the fiddle...

 

 

...like this (after the drapes have been fitted to using the velcro).

 

[2ManySpams]

Roll back a few posts and it was mentioned that the station board sits on the big square box - the master board. All the other boards have just one set of legs and those boards piggy back off the master board. Two boards off the Okehampton end and four off the Padstow end.

 

All the piggy back legs are fixed to and fold under the board they support. Here is a shot of the legs folded under one of the fiddles:

 

 

A toggle is turned which releases the legs to fold out. The central hinged wooden strut locks the legs into place.

 

 

On the underside of the fiddles there are two extra bits of thick ply - see tip of the screwdriver.

 

 

These enable the 6' long fiddle boards to be stacked in transit over the shorter 4' long scenic boards, with a 2' overhang at one end.

[WestCountryClass]

Welcome Simon and good luck with Treneglos. You will have a lot of fondness and support with this layout and we all wish you well. Even some of us with Western persuasions.

Many thanks, GWR is my second favourite, Simon.

[Tony Teague]

Fascinating - especially for someone who merely attends exhibitions, rather than exhibits. It shows just how much really goes in to a quality exhibition layout.

 

Tony

[Oldddudders]

This feels like a masterclass in exhibition layout practices. While it will be useful to Simon, I guess one or two exhibitors may be taking notes, too. Very thorough presentation, Chris.

[Stubby47]

I think John should have explained everything...

[Geoff Cook]

I think John should have explained everything...

 

Like you doing cornish cream scones with cheese scones

 

Geoff

[Oldddudders]

Like doing cornish cream scones with cheese scones

 

Geoff

 

Sort of sweet and sour.

[Indomitable026]

Sort of sweet and sour.

What, Old Gringo?

[2ManySpams]

What, Old Gringo?

I understand there's a possibility of John giving Simon a masterclass in how to pack a van... We may be sometime. ;-p

[Donw]

Very interesting Chris. I do agree that the logitics of getting a layout to and from a show and erecting it are major factors in enjoying exhibiting it. Two examples which inspired me were Bob Harper's Maristow when roped in as an operator and Peter Gentles Mullion when I helped him out at Wells. Both Gentlemen had thought things out. However when I had my own exhibition layout Sparrow's Wharf I had built it to fit into the Metro I had then.  One winter I managed to write off the Metro, its replacement was newer now renamed the Rover Kensington. Same body shell but at Six am when packing to get to a show and set up by ten I realised the bu99ers had moved the rear seat back two inches. I had to take the seat out to get the layout in. 

 

Don