60091 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 After almost 10 years without a working layout this small piece of S+C has been up and running since July. It's a layout with no name as nothing suitable has come to mind so far. Location could be along Mallerstang or more logically it's just a smaller version of Blea Moor. Certainly for operational purposes the adjacent boxes are Horton in Ribblesdale to the south and Dent to the north. The overall size is 10ft x 3ft 4ins. Track is Code 55 on the scenic side, Code 80 in the fiddle yard. Having spent years trying to find the enthusiasm to build another small 00 Gauge layout on a couple of 4ft 6ins boards I came to realise that the only thing that interested me was the S+C. This is a part of the country I love and when I'm not photographing trains I'm walking and climbing the surrounding hills. 45 077 waiting to proceed on a Mossend - Healey Mills freight. September 1982.. For over 20 years this was the layout I really wanted to build. The only major change of plan was, given the space available, it had to be N gauge and not 00. Although the layout is almost complete and running ,for now, to a 1982-83 timetable, I will try to include some thoughts and info about the design and build, along with a few photos taken during visits to the location. 45 012 on the 10.00 Leeds - Carlisle service. May 1982. An afternoon Kingmoor - Healey Mills freight calls at the box to set down the water cans from Appleby. Same train as above seen from the fellside to the north. The track plan is simple and can probably be made out from the photos. Double track main line with cross-overs adjacent to the box. Down loop and 2 sidings on the up side. My greatest regret having almost completed the layout is that the loop and sidings are too short because of the overall size limitations for the baseboards. Class 47 on an up freight passing under the bridge which carries the access road to the signal box. 40 002 on a Healey Mills - Kingmoor freight catches the evening sun. September 1982. Still haven't got a shot of 6E54 the local ballast working, which runs round in the loop, or any weekend pw workings, when the sidings might see occasional use. I've also been informed that there are no WCML diversions planned for this winter.... (Disclaimer- as the eventual plan is to run a full 1979-80 timetable some loco numbers and headcode details may be incorrect!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Lovely have always liked theS&C its got a special magic that no other line has ,225 Studios have released a dvd Doncaster toKirby Thore the second disc covers the S&C with detailed views it makes you start thinking why not a model of this line .Your scenery is accurate and conveys the wild lands up here ,thanks for sharing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Just a thought for a name Bleak Moor ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted November 7, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 7, 2011 My greatest regret having almost completed the layout is that the loop and sidings are too short because of the overall size limitations for the baseboards. There are always compromises about getting what you want into a certain space, I wouldnt worry too much you are going to have to limit your train lengths a bit in order not to overfill the layout, if you see what i mean? You shouldnt have any regrets, its instantly recognisable and well executed, scenery looks cracking- hope we will be seeing more! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-CRS Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Looking good, real atmosphere of the line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60091 Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 There are always compromises about getting what you want into a certain space, I wouldnt worry too much you are going to have to limit your train lengths a bit in order not to overfill the layout, if you see what i mean? You shouldnt have any regrets, its instantly recognisable and well executed, scenery looks cracking- hope we will be seeing more! Thanks for the comments...and yes , given an overall scenic length of just over 8ft the answer has been to reduce train lenghts. Running the 82-83 timetable means passenger trains aren't a problem as most were only 4-5 coaches. Freights are reduced by about a third. I'll try and post a few more photos of the layout before it's put to bed for the winter. It's in an uninsulated attic so I don't fancy working Gaugemaster controllers wearing thick gloves. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HealeyMills Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 40 002 on a Healey Mills - Kingmoor freight catches the evening sun. September 1982. That's more like it!!! Very Nice. Cheers Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 (Disclaimer- as the eventual plan is to run a full 1979-80 timetable some loco numbers and headcode details may be incorrect!) No need to worry about headcodes after 1976 - just* 0000, dominoes or plated over. * OK, a few exceptions where the old loco numbers were wound round... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
phixer64 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 D1023 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyboy Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 Wow, it was only when I got to the end of the tread that I noticed that it was a N gauge layout and not OO as I initially thought! Nice work! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60091 Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 The layout was almost complete before I discovered RMweb, so unfortunately I only have a few 6"x4" prints of it under construction. I have been amazed and impressed at the amount of thought and detailed pre-construction planning which goes into many of the layouts on the site. I always had an idea of what I wanted from the layout. The ideas were in my head...very little ended up on paper. I have found a handful of the original sketches I made during the planning stage....Does anyone else build layouts based on a few scribbles? This how not to plan a layout... An early track plan. There wasn't enough space for the split up/down fiddle yard. Bottom right it reads (overall length) 10' 6" approx! Initial plan for the pointwork. The up loop was later replaced with two sidings. Below the track plan is the wiring diagram! . Slightly revised pointwork...below I,m keeping an eye on costs! Working out the gradient profile for the hillside to the west of the line, using a 1.25000 OS map. Viaduct profile -based on Ais Gill The viaduct, almost complete - in need of a little more weathering. A few recent shots taken on the line. Sunday freight...47 335 on an additional working running from Warcop. On the same day 40 192 put in an appearance to collect a short rake of grampus wagons from the sidings. Taken a couple of weeks ago - Class 46 on the 3 20pm Healey Mills-Kingmoor passing the old down loop water crane. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
millerhillboy Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 very nice indeed, and a great example of the benefits of N, i.e putting a railway into a hugely realistic and convincing scenic environment. nice choice of era as well, not one you see all that often especially in N Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
devondynosoar118 Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 I like the drift fencing and the way the stone walls follow the hillside, just like the real thing. Also most impressed with the rock faces, very nice. Thank you for sharing your layout, great atmosphere too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60091 Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Many thanks for your comments, sorry the quality of the photos isn't 100% millerhillboy - Couldn't resist the temptation to run blue diesels. Much of the inspiration for the layout came from T G Flinders two "S+C Route" books and memories of my early trainspotting years. I did try as far as was possible ( within 10ftx3ft) to let the landscape dominate the line. However, the downside of covering the boards in scenery is having to operate a fiddle yard buried under the hillside. devondynosoar118 - Couldn't model the S+C without a few feet of sleeper drift fencing, but in a moment of madness decided to make it out of individually cut pieces of 60thou plastic strip! The rock faces are carved into DAS clay then covered with white gloss paint. The gloss seals the clay and allows thinned grey/brown enamel paints to be run over surface. The finished result is probably too white so they'll be toned down when the layout gets refurbished next spring. The large random stones and areas of scree are made from pieces of limestone acquired from Garsdale and Blea Moor...so their colour should be ok.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted November 14, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 14, 2011 Couldn't resist the temptation to run blue diesels. Much of the inspiration for the layout came from T G Flinders two "S+C Route" books and memories of my early trainspotting years Wow- 'On the Settle Carlisle Route, light blue cover was my first serious railway book- what was the other?- my second book was OPC profile of the Class 26/27 - you'll see why I like the Waverley then- best of both worlds!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.C.M Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Very nice, it captures the S&C for me. Cheers Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60091 Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 Wow- 'On the Settle Carlisle Route, light blue cover was my first serious railway book- what was the other?- my second book was OPC profile of the Class 26/27 - you'll see why I like the Waverley then- best of both worlds!! T G Flinders other book was The Settle and Carlisle Route Revisited" It's the usual mix of 60s steam with early 80s diesels,while each chapter has a theme - Stations, People, The Elements etc .Also got the OPC 26/27 profile. Always fancied a Highland branch line....Too late now - sold all my 26s and27s to help fund the N gauge. They'd spent 20 years in their boxes, never turned a wheel. Bought them during the great Lima sale c1990. Don't know if you remember it?,,,all locos £19.99! Love the Waverley Route. I'm sure, for me, it would rival the S+C if I'd ever been lucky enough to see it running. Next year I'm planning a small OO layout but the Waverley would be a serious contender if/when I started thinking about another N gauge project. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mallardsp126 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 well done some exelent work carried out on your layout .hopefuly I may be able to work to this standard on my layout one day its a rearly good standard to aim for keep up the good work Geoff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60091 Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 Very nice, it captures the S&C for me. Cheers Peter. Many thanks Peter..I appreciate the comment - from someone who created Llanbourne, a layout I've enjoyed watching since discovering" RMweb. . Looking at Llanbourne and several other layouts on the site, made me realise what I miss most modelling in N. On Settle-Carlisle 1979-83 I deliberately made the trains only a small part of the overall scene....the N gauge diesels have only been subtly weathered to remove the factory finish. I do miss all that extra converting, detailing and weathering of locos and stock that can be done in OO. Modelling in OO, over several years, I built a small fleet of "personalised" locos that I grew quite attached to! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
devondynosoar118 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Have you looked at the Mercig studios site? They do a lot to N locos, the sound fitted 37 is amazing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRDBLUE17 Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Very nice layout, glad you have shared it on here. Instantly recognisable and it captures the area very well indeed. Must be nice to just sit back and watch trains running through that scenery! thanks, Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.C.M Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Many thanks Peter..I appreciate the comment - from someone who created Llanbourne, a layout I've enjoyed watching since discovering" RMweb. . Looking at Llanbourne and several other layouts on the site, made me realise what I miss most modelling in N. On Settle-Carlisle 1979-83 I deliberately made the trains only a small part of the overall scene....the N gauge diesels have only been subtly weathered to remove the factory finish. I do miss all that extra converting, detailing and weathering of locos and stock that can be done in OO. Modelling in OO, over several years, I built a small fleet of "personalised" locos that I grew quite attached to! Thanks Mate, Pleased you like Llanbourne. Maybe one day you will do some more in 00 but I would be sticking with the N gauge if I were you. There is some great stuff coming out these days the new diesels look suerb, and you can have so much scenary on a layout which is something I would love to have more of on Llanbourne. Keep the pics coming. Cheers Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60091 Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Have you looked at the Mercig studios site? They do a lot to N locos, the sound fitted 37 is amazing. Had a look at the site a couple of months ago, but unfortunately there's no money left for Mercig. This is my first layout in N and starting from scratch in a new scale has been expensive. Their products are amazing although I'm not sure how much the older Farish 40s and Peaks can be upgraded. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60091 Posted November 18, 2011 Author Share Posted November 18, 2011 Thought I'd post a few more photos before the layout is packed away for the winter. I had expected to finish running trains in November but the weather has been so mild, that conditions in the attic have remained bearable. The tank house is similar to the one at Blea Moor and the signal box is the Ratio kit. The box is too large for the location, but an attempt to scratchbuild a smaller MR box didn't get very far! Work ended when my eyesight (and nerves) were wrecked trying to produce glazing bars - then had to admit they were too large. The solution would have been to use the etched frames, steps, handrails etc from the kit. The barns are typical for the area and were copied from photgraphs in a Yorkshire Dales guide book. At 7pm a Class 40 heads for Kingmoor on the final freight of the day. The afternoon Kingmoor-Healey Mills freight slows for it's booked stop, to deliver fresh water for the box. A couple of photos taken in September 1982...... 40 192 preforming the afternoon ritual...dropping off the water cans from Appleby. 45077on 6E65 Mossend-Healey Mills Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
devondynosoar118 Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 All of mercigs techniques are do-able with practice. Contact him about your older Farish stuff, usually they are happy to answer questions. Agreed about the money, the best stuff is certainly not cheap. 2mm glazing is one of the hardest things to do convincingly, too much shine or outsize windows or bars are a common problem. You could probably salvage the original box with a bit of eye straining and carefull scalpel work. Another set of enjoyable pictures too! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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