Paisley St James Spaghetti, new shoots

[Ian Smeeton]

Right, lets see if we can add a few more:

 

https://goo.gl/nPzXUf

 

Here is one to be going on with.

 

All great for detail.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Ian Smeeton]

Templot help needed here.

 

The new 1:1250 & 1:2500 maps from the NLS showed that there had been quite a change in the track layout of the sidings.

 

I fancy building this:

 

 

 

 

Bearing in mind that all of this pointwork has to fit on one 4' long board, I have standardised on 1:6 crossing angle for the points.

 

The Templot plan here was based on the 1909 layout from a signal diagram on the CRA forum, and from the britain from above photos referenced earlier.

 

psj 8-17.bgs

 

I am struggling to draw the scissors crossing top right on the map, and to get it all to fit.

 

Any help appreciated.

 

Regards

 

Ian

Edited to insert recalcitrant map.

 

 

Edited October 15, 2017 by Ian Smeeton

[Echo]

I will happily have a go if you like, Ian. Shouldn't take too long. I assume it's all bullhead?

[Ian Smeeton]

Hi Ian,

 

First link worked and took me to the photo plus a slideshow along the bottom of the page.  Second link failed, but if I stripped out the src= bit it took me to the photo, but without the slide show.

 

Jim

 

Hi Jim,

 

Sorry for the delay

 

Links now replaced.

 

This Computertrickery is way beyond my simple brain.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Ian Smeeton]

I will happily have a go if you like, Ian. Shouldn't take too long. I assume it's all bullhead?

Yes, it is bullhead, standard 2mmfs components and my bodgery.

 

Regards & thanks

 

Ian

[Echo]

OK give me a couple of days or so - It will probably be easier to start again from scratch than to try to adapt your earlier plan.

[Echo]

Ian 

 

I have done a quick stab at the plan after downloading my own copy of the map to get an accurate scale. Having looked at the options, I reduced the longitudinal scale of the map to 85% which brings the pointwork within your 4ft maximum. It also means that the relative sizes of all the turnouts remain the same.This should improve the appearance of the layout no end - in my opinion anyway - getting away from the 'Setrack' look as far as possible. I tried to stick to whole numbers for the crossing angles, but one or two turnouts proved impossible in this respect. Easy enough to make these in situ though, without needing jigs. There were one or two clearance issues with the tracks on the map. I moved one or two things very slightly to eliminate the problems. OS maps are not completely reliable anyway!

 

 

I suspect some of your problems in the original design were due to sticking rigidly to 1:6 turnouts. For the scissors crossing to work, for example, I had to use different angles for each turnout.

 

It still needs a lot of tidying up, but if you are happy with progress so far I will do all that for you either tomorrow or Wednesday.

Edited October 15, 2017 by Echo

[Ian Smeeton]

Ian 

 

I have done a quick stab at the plan after downloading my own copy of the map to get an accurate scale. Having looked at the options, I reduced the longitudinal scale of the map to 85% which brings the pointwork within your 4ft maximum. It also means that the relative sizes of all the turnouts remain the same.This should improve the appearance of the layout no end - in my opinion anyway - getting away from the 'Setrack' look as far as possible. I tried to stick to whole numbers for the crossing angles, but one or two turnouts proved impossible in this respect. Easy enough to make these in situ though, without needing jigs. There were one or two clearance issues with the tracks on the map. I moved one or two things very slightly to eliminate the problems. OS maps are not completely reliable anyway!

 

paisley_2017_10_15_2333_47.jpg

 

I suspect some of your problems in the original design were due to sticking rigidly to 1:6 turnouts. For the scissors crossing to work, for example, I had to use different angles for each turnout.

 

It still needs a lot of tidying up, but if you are happy with progress so far I will do all that for you either tomorrow or Wednesday.

 

Echo,

 

That looks fantastic.

 

I bu66ered about for ages trying to compress the OS map, and so on.

 

What a wonderful chap you are.

 

Many thanks

 

Ian

[Echo]

Ian

 

PM sent with box file attached.

[Ian Smeeton]

Pm Received, downloaded and admired.

 

Many,many thanks for going to the trouble.

 

Whole number crossings are easy, but having had a quick run through in Templot, I see a few where I will be feeling my way very carefully.

 

Once again, many thanks, Echo.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Echo]

There are a few curviform vees as well, so I wouldn't recommend using jigs to make them. Probably best to use the Templot templates as your guide. Squeezing what was already a congested arrangement into 85% of the space is asking for complications. I was surprised, to be honest, how many whole number turnouts I was able to fit in. Just don't try compressing somewhere like Glasgow Central or St Eunuchs like this. They would probably be enough of a challenge full size

[Ian Smeeton]

I know my limitations, and my comfort zone has just gone twilight!

 

Thanks again,

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Echo]

Welcome to the real world

 

Seriously, there's nothing incredibly difficult there. I am sure other 2mm modellers could offer help and advice.

[Caley Jim]

Welcome to the real world

 

Seriously, there's nothing incredibly difficult there. I am sure other 2mm modellers could offer help and advice.

There's nothing specially difficult about using crossings whose angles are other than whole numbers.  The angle of the point and splice rails doesn't need to be exact, as long as it is within a degree or two.  Just line the rails up accurately with the Templot print and make sure you have the tip of the point rail in exactly the right place.    Just as you would for any turnout.

 

Jim

[Ian Smeeton]

Thanks, both,

 

I will persevere

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Echo]

Persevere sound like some kind of punishment you have to endure

 

Enjoy it! That's what model railways is about!

[Ian Smeeton]

It has been slow progress.

 

I took the decision to relay the  main station board as I was not too happy with the pointwork.

 

To get some practice in on points and plain track, I decided to concentrate on the fiddle yard.

 

Nothing groundbreaking, just practice, practice, practice.

 

Still not perfect, however all points and board joints have now been 'proved' by hand propelling coaches and wagons over them. (I still haven't acquired or converted any 2mm fs motive power yet)

 

I did get the first train moving just before Christmas using a 9v battery connected across the rails, proving to SWMBO that I would have something running before Christmas. (A Union Mills J39, unconverted, however it was quite happy on plain track, both copperclad & Easitrack.)

 

 

Starting to look a lot like Kingmoor!

 

 

Gravity shunting seems to work.

 

Electrickery next? or should I start on the Station boards?

 

Regards

 

Ian]

Edited December 31, 2017 by Ian Smeeton

[Ian Smeeton]

As the weather is not quite clement enough for outdoor carpentry, I thought that I would start some of PSJ's more complex parts off the board so to speak.

 

The 1949 track plan included a scissors crossing, and being the masochist I am, I decided to tackle that first. (Fool)

 

 

 

 

I have been reading Hayfield's, and others' threads on trackbuilding (most of which is in 4mm rather than 2mm.

 

How hard can it be??

 

Getting the sequence right is the hardest part, surely. Yup. What IS the sequence?

 

This is my sequence so far.

 

 

Crossing timbers & sleepers laid out on an extract of the whole plan.

First straight stock reil soldered in place, along with 2 of the common crossings.

 

I had to solder these upo freehand, as I have only just paced an order with the 2mm shops for filing jigs and assembly jigs.

 

Just a little cursing, and minor finger singeing followed. White tack came in handy, as did elastoplast, ice cubes and sympathy. One of the above was not forthcoming!

 

Progress so far at close of play tonight:

 

 

Slowly, slowly, catchee monkey.... Anyone want a monkey?

 

Stopped for the evening, unless anyone on here fancies pointing out the right, or better way of doing things.

 

Beer is next on the Agenda, but not very much as it is first day back at work tomorrow, and I will have to be able to focus on the alarm clock rather than common crosssings.

 

Happy New Year all

 

Regards

 

Ian

PS Copied across to CR Association forum, too.

 

Edited several times to get the map to load.

Edited January 1, 2018 by Ian Smeeton

[Stephen 28]

Looks good so far. Once you get enough rails laid to test the various routes, do so exhaustively, and don't convince yourself that good enough will do. With such a key piece of track it needs to be as near to perfect as you can get it otherwise it will be a source of derailments and frustration on the layout.

 

This promises to be an impressive layout, I look forward to your progress reports.

[Ian Smeeton]

Well, time passes, and as the temperature in the shed has stayed resolutely f  f   f  f  fairly cold, I have been working indoors much to 'er indoors dismay.

 

Today, however, with the temperature about f  f  f freezing, I heated the shed, played (badly) with Templot while it warmed up, and set to with a Jig Saw puzzle of Templot pages.

 

 

Great fun (I don't think) freezing my one remaing.....too much information, and the first few templates laid on the centre board.

 

 

Looks like I am living up to the message on my mug.

 

Now to wait a while for the PVA to go off, and then I will start the second most boring job known to modellers...... sticking down hundreds of copperclad sleepers and crossing timbers.

 

Why did I decide to go 2mm fs?

 

I must be mad!!

 

Once more unto the breach

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

PS Iam going out, I may be some time.

 

 

 

 

[Ian Smeeton]

Slow going, Pritt Sticking copper clad timbers to the Templot plan.

 

The three boards have been split, now that the Templot plans have been glued down.

 

The central board carries all of the points except those in Underwood Yard proper, and the Oil works sidings.

 

 

General view showing progress so far.

 

 

 

Closer view. The diamond is in place, built earlier on the Scissors....etc thread. I have a little fettling to do on the single slip and the scissors before placing them on the board.

 

I did consider using Easitrack on the plain line sections, however, due to the slight rail height difference, I think I will use all coppercaled between the various sets of points, and keep the Easitrack for the lead in from the adjacent boards.

 

Any advice always appreciated.

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

 

 

[Ian Smeeton]

Two whole  months have one by since my last post.

 

I have not been idle....

 

Actually, I have been quite idle, or at least concentrating on other things.

 

Only in the last couple of days has time and inclination been available to put some work in.

 

 

 

The station end of the throat, with the goods yard to the top, main lines at the bottom.

 

 

End-on view of the central board, looking towards Gilmour St and Underwood Yard, accessed from the scissors crossing (Mk III)

 

Rail laying is progressing slowly, with my usual ham-fisted bodgery. I even cleared most of the tools from the board, so that you could see the layout!

 

Onward & upwards

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

 

[Ian Smeeton]

I cannot believe that 2 months have passed since I last updated this toopic.

 

Underwood Yard has gradually been taking shape.

 

Some rather labrorious wood cutting has been going on along with a bit of track laying.

 

Being the clever sort, I had always planned on cutting back the sheets of ply top surface for some (light) relief. Being on the thick side of the clever sort, I failed to plan ahed with regards to underboard supports, and board ends.

 

More elbow grease required than would have been the case if I had planned ahead!

 

'Any thicker, and he 'd set' was  the report recieved on a new member of staff, once. Sometimes I think that it also applies to me.

 

 

Looking downhill into Underwood Yard

 

Underwood Yard was primarily a coal depot, but in later years there was a flow of Animal feedstuffs, (to Wisbech, I believe). I am uncertain when this started, but I could always backdate it to give a bit of variety.

 

In laying out PSJ, I was always concerned that I would have to compromise on length. Unfortunately, now that I have got this far, it is apparent that the sidings will be far too short. i think that I can live with them at the moment, but in stead of planning for a backscene a the bottom end of the yard, I am going to run the sidings right to the board edge, and when funds permit, I will build another 2 x 3 foot board to extend them.

 

Apart from that, it is going to take me ages to build the stock to fill them.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Ian Smeeton]

NMore progress on Underwood Yard, and the main lines, which will be on an embankment and viaduct.

 

 

Looking 'uphill' towards St James station from Underwood Yard

 

The main lines on the left, are beginning to take shape. Easitrack Sprues have been left on to aid with the six foot way spacing.

 

The diverging tracks on the right, towards the top, are for the Abercorn Oil Works branch, with the coal sidings in the middle.

 

 

Downhill into Underwood Yard, Oil Works Branch on the left, Main lines on the right.

 

I better start thinking electrickery soon, and more importantly, motive power.

 

 

Regards

 

Ian

[pH]

I better start thinking ... motive power.

 

I'll be interested to see what you decide.

 

What date range are you looking at?

Edited August 5, 2018 by pH