Jump to content
 

North Welsh Coast Railway - Welsh Dragon Rail


Anthony Ashley
 Share

Recommended Posts

Dear David,

 

Thanks for the reply. Yes your response confirms what I thought. Do you know the purpose of the building in the first picture and whether it stood after the construction of the road bridge. From your comments it appears it does but not sure.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Dear David,

 

Thanks for the reply. Yes your response confirms what I thought. Do you know the purpose of the building in the first picture and whether it stood after the construction of the road bridge. From your comments it appears it does but not sure.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

 

I believe that was the Toll House to accept payments for crossing the chain bridge; I'm pretty sure it's still there as part of the National Trust presence.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

The first picture is taken from the Llandudno Junction side of the bridge, before the new road bridge was built. The building to the right was either demolished, or mostly demolished, with the new bridge, the road area still exists as a footpath and partial parking.

 

The traffic lights were to allow a one-way, alternate flow across the suspension bridge - at the Conwy end there was a very sharp right turn into the town.

 

Picture 2 looks to be inverted (left to right) to me... as the rail bridge is upstream of the older bridge and there is no castle in the picture.

 

Stu

Link to post
Share on other sites

Stu,

 

Thanks for your reply. I had not seen the small building prior to the posted photo and thought it may have been demolished. Your confirmation of this means one less building to construct!

 

I am waiting for electronic components to finish wiring the hidden track around Conwy (nearly all hidden track above Conwy has droppers now)00000. I have cut all of the Conwy scenic track but yet to add droppers. A job for tomorrow.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Anthony,

The first picture in post #165, although a long way off, does show the same wall curving down to the suspension bridge, but the area the building would have been is obscured by a tree.

 

However, a quick look on Google Earth shows the building is still very much in place. Apologies for my earlier assumption it had gone.

 

post-7025-0-21839200-1387550675_thumb.jpg

 

Stu

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Dear All,

 

Thanks for the marvellous contributions. David and Stu your efforts are greatly appreciated. The building is obviously quite small and nestles between the main highway and the main line. 

 

Another building to construct once I have some trains running. Still waiting for electronic components which will see me operational I hope.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

Link to post
Share on other sites

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

 

 

Dear All,

I have been on holidays for a few days and done some substantial work on the layout. The first is the scenic area for Conwy has had all the rail cut to size and connected.

 

Next is an alternative to some of the back scene painting by creating a 3D 2d effect on the wall. I shall be after comment son this one way or the other.

 

Last is the completion of the Conwy hidden rail dropper wires prior to connection to the main bus line.

 

Photos are below.

 

 

 

 

 

post-15340-0-02569400-1388060870.jpg

Photo above is looking toward Llandudno with mixed wagons in the goods area waiting pick up. A Royal Scot is going to Llandudno pulling a parcel train. A Black 5 is pulling a mixed goods rake to Hoyhead. 

 

post-15340-0-90206200-1388060898.jpg

Photo above is the Conwy board minus the river area

 

post-15340-0-64300800-1388060931.jpg

Looking to Conwy station which is just off the board

 

post-15340-0-78460600-1388060966.jpg

Close up of the Conwy goods area

 

post-15340-0-80049100-1388060989.jpg

Cattle wagons on the move

 

post-15340-0-18545300-1388061034.jpg

Using ply and plaster card for the medieval town wall I have overlaid the paint work by mother-in-law. Which version do you think loos better the 3 D plasticard version or the purely painted version?

 

post-15340-0-20492800-1388061062.jpg

Close up of the plasticard version

 

post-15340-0-26992100-1388061101.jpg

Painted version without plasticard.

 

post-15340-0-78201200-1388061132.jpg

Hidden tack with droppers complete.

 

Please give me a response in terms of the painting version or the plasticard one.

 

All comments are welcome.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

  • Like 9
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

A agree - the painted version looks better:

Just to qualify my reasoning - It's a visual / perspective thing ... the backdrop painting is 'impressionistic' so the Plasticard looks comparatively rather too sharp and in-focus.

 

Were the Plasticard a few inches in front of the backdrop it may be a different matter.

 

Anyway, whilst I'm here just to say I've been following each update with dropped-jaw at the sheer scale and ambition of this project, let alone the logistics which must be involved!

Link to post
Share on other sites

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

 

For those interested I have attached the proposed passenger time table for the layout based on a Summer 1960 timetable for the line. 

 

Detail shown includes the arrival and departure times form Conwy Bangor and Penmaenmawr. Also shown is the exact train rake formations and the allocated loco to the train. Most trains will start from one of the two  hidden fiddle yards. The rakes are also numbered. Those allocated a colour make a return journey using the reverse rake formation. You will see the colour is duplicated for the return journey and assigned a specific number. 

 

To fill these rakes I still need about 50 SKs in maroon. The attachment will download into an excel spread sheet.

 

All comments are welcome.

 

 

Sunday Train rakes.xlsx

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

Edited by Anthony Ashley
Link to post
Share on other sites

Dear All,

 

To those who commented on the wall versions thankyou. If I use the plasticard version I am going to over lay some other small pieces of card for my painter to paint a few trees on, hence blending in the wall and surrounding terrain. I think this will improve the overall look.

 

I would also encourage comments on the time table directly above if you are interested.

 

All comments are welcome!

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

Edited by Anthony Ashley
Link to post
Share on other sites

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

 

Dear All,

 

A few more advances in the layout.

 

Have completed two new base boards to go down the right side of the layout. The first is only 2 1/2 feet wide and is a section which can be lifted to give unimpeded access to the layout. A friend will be assisting in creating a metal frame to act as a lifting device. I expect to use the sort of gas cylinders used in boots to help support the lifting of a boot to help with the weight.

 

The second section is 5 feet long but only 5 feet wide as I need to incorporate a strip of sea on the outside edge of the board below the level of the base boards. 

This sea area will be attached to the underneath of the base boards.

 

Photos below.

 

post-15340-0-23976700-1388474867_thumb.jpg

 

View of the two new base boards in relation to the existing layout. Small one is resting on the other.

 

post-15340-0-61464400-1388474892_thumb.jpg

 

View from the side showing relative size of the additional base board 

 

post-15340-0-82126000-1388474925.jpg

 

Conwy scenic area has nearly completed with respect to droppers. A "forest of wires". I have now received all of the electronic components needed to wire up for DCC ops.

 

I hope everyone had a good Christmas and has a successful new year.

 

All replies are encouraged.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

 

Dear All,

 

Just a photo showing the range of wire to be used in the layout. Picture below.

 

post-15340-0-34105000-1388560181.jpg

 

The reels of various colours of wire from front to back are .5mm cross section (dropper wire connected to underneath of track- only red and black to show polarity), .75 mm2 cross section (most colours to show track type attached to 50 mm2 dropper wire) and 2.5 mm2 cross section (bus wires) 

 

Track wiring colours are as follows-

 

Scenic down-  black/red;

Scenic up -grey/pink;

goods area  - brown/blue;

hidden storage areas - brown/blue;

hidden track down - black/red;

hidden track up - pink/grey;

hidden loop down - white/orange;

hidden loop up - purple/grey;

point frogs - green;

detection  bus line (1 only) - yellow and green;

scenic bus - black/red; 

hidden bus - brown/blue.

 

Any replies are very welcome. I have had few replies to the query on the post at 211 if you are able to venture an opinion regarding the painted or plasticard version of the town wall. Additionally has anyone seen the time table posted at 214.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

Edited by Anthony Ashley
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Anthony

 

Happy New Year!

 

For sure, the plasticard version is detailed, striking & credible, but it may detract from the foreground if too much so. Also, as you have to "break" the scene somewhere, doing it at a sharp demarcation between painted backscene and top-of-wall might be a bit too harsh.

 

You could perhaps try to separate the wall from the painted flat by a few mm, or a few 10s of mm. This looks ok unless something casts a shadow on both, but shadows on backscenes are a pain anyway!

 

I suspect that given the distance between the front scene and the back, I would tend to want to lose the detail - either by not having the plasticard at all, or by toning it all down so there was no contrast between wall and mortar.

 

Hope it helps

SD

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thought I had better drop in and have a read. 

 

For the legion following - the photos don't really convey the scale of this undertaking.  I'm looking forward to "playing trains" on it in due course - but I suspect there are a few more trees to build for it before then!

Link to post
Share on other sites

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

 

Dear All,

 

Thanks for the reply Simond. Your comments are greatly valued. I think the pan to overlay

some thin plasticard over the edge of the plasticard added already with merging trees painted on may over come the issues you have raised. I shall try it and post photos once completed. Please keep any replies coming.

 

Sith Lord may the force be with you in your arboreal pursuits, particularly as I am the main recipient of those endeavours! I look forward to further visits.

 

I have now completed laying all the hidden and scenic track with droppers and holes for point control finalised. I may take another photo tomorrow. Next is to check all of the wiring underneath for connectivity and loco testing. Then I need to create shelving on the layout for the Conwy Levers blocky Control panel, Controller, and Computer.

 

I have just bought a number of locos. 1 Black 5, 2X BR 5MT, 2 X BR MT, 2X BR 3MT tanker, 2X Class 24 Diesel. All need running in.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

Link to post
Share on other sites

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

 

Dear All,

 

Work has been progressing nicely with all of the droppers complete for the base boards completed to date, including scenic and hidden track. I have also laid the track, drilled appropriate holes for point control etc and tested electrical connectivity. In addition I have spent some time perfecting the wiring diagram for the scenic and hidden areas, including the provision of detection zones. Most of the goods area will be manually controlled with the main lines and goods entry areas automatic or electrical control.

 

I have bought 30 meters of curtail wire (PVC tube with metal insert and 30 meters of tensile wire for the manual point control. Only need a 12 lever frame for manual point control to be effected.  

 

Hopefully the next few days will be further wiring of the bus and sub bus cables.  

 

Pictures are below

 

post-15340-0-06512900-1389103160.jpg

 

showing the Conwy goods area with an unusual visitor (an A1), a class o4 shunter and a 108 DMU on the main line  

 

 

post-15340-0-25169300-1389103042_thumb.jpg

 

DMU in more detail

 

 

post-15340-0-36539900-1389103105_thumb.jpg

 

Close up of the DMU.

 

post-15340-0-42824100-1389103957_thumb.jpg

 

Partially completed wiring for level 1 only (scenic and hidden). All of the main bus and sub busses and drawn. Scenic track on the left and hidden track on the right. Black and red bus is the main scenic bus. Brown and blue is the main hidden track bus and the sub bus for the goods area.  

Pilots are Switch pilot servos

T are terminals 

S are switches

Servos are servos (not surprisingly)

One line of the track detection areas are wired up together to run back to the detection module.

Ii hope the diagram is legible!

 

All sub busses have an on/off switch (blue switch) to allow fault detection on the ECoS system when closing with a short. There are 4 sub busses in the Conwy scenic area, and 11 in the first level hidden area. Conwy, Penmaenmawr and Bangor will have 16 detection zones each. The hidden track level 1 has 48 track detection zones.

 

I obviously have more work on the other levels but it is coming along.

 

If you read this thread please take the time to  reply either positive or negative, as your feedback is very valuable and has made quite a difference to the layout to date.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

 

 

 

 

post-15340-0-82540500-1389103071_thumb.jpg

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

Anthony

 

I remain staggered by the scale of this - it is outstanding, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing some video,  but I just wanted to commend you on your track diagrams - every bit cartographic works of art!   You have given me something to aim for in my own musings!!!

 

best

SD

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Dear Black Sheep, Stu and Simond,

 

Thanks for the encouraging words. I am really happy with the timetable at post 214 above. It has a lot of detail re the timings for entry  and departure from each station, exact train rakes and an allocated loco for the train in most cases. A few more locos are required to finalise the timetable. if you have not opened the file I recommend a quick look as it will provide a very detailed insight into the passenger rakes running on the line.

 

I have yet to create a freight time table as it have not been able to locate one as yet. They are obviously much harder to come by. I do know that they ran nearly everything on this line as it was it terminated in the main port to Ireland.   The freight I am aware of was  some freight types on the line including cattle, granite, domestic and gas coal, general merchandise, live stock, animal feed, implements, petrol and oil, timber an building materials, fish and mussel traffic, PO wagons, sheet open and ventilated vans, cattle vans, low sided wagons, drums on open wagons, open wagons, slate, railway ballast, road stone, dressed stone, concrete products, explosives, mining stores, steel vans, fertilizers, hay and fodder.

 

if anyone has any more detail on freight types or a freight time table on the Chester Holyhead line I am interested to hear.

 

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley
 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...