Inglebourne.

[Kev_Lewis]

Thanks for your kinds words Martyn.

 

However, I find Templot completely unfathomable. Which puts me at a severe disadvantage when it comes to planning a layout with handbuilt track.

[TheGhostofNigelGresley]

Evening Kev,

 

Honestly with your modelling skills you should have a go with C&L , better looking, tailor made to fit, flowing trackwork and cheaper to.

 

If I can build it ( and enjoy doing it ) you would have no problems, and we are all here to help.

 

Martyn.

 

With apologies to Kev, update on your Mojo Martyn ?

[David Siddall]

I've just got to work out where would be the best place for the cattle dock.

Spotted the following which might be of some assistance – posted in the 2mm Finescale section by MarkAustin on 13th August

 

"One point to remember about layout design is that, if there is a cattle dock, they were either as close as possible to the yard entrance, or had a dedicated entrance, in all cases allowing access to the dock without crossing any of the sidings and keeping any cattle being driven in as far away as possible for as long as possible. This was to reduce the chances of an engine (or something) panicking the cattle and causing an accident."

 

David

[Kev_Lewis]

Thanks for the information about siting of cattle docks David.

 

Using The C&L track library on Anyrail I've redrawn my current trackplan using B6 turnouts and a single slip.

 

 

The layout does seem to flow better. But the loop has been shortened to three or four carriages.

[3 link]

Thanks for your kinds words Martyn.

 

However, I find Templot completely unfathomable. Which puts me at a severe disadvantage when it comes to planning a layout with handbuilt track.

 

 

Ahhh  I am the same when it comes to Templot, I have spent many hours to no avail so I understand where your coming from, I am actually relying on a good friend to help me design my layout.

 

  But C&L do have many templates from ordinary turnouts to tandems, single/double slips, they even do a template for an outside slip. The " outside slip " is one turnout that I have set my sights on and I will incorperate one into my proposed goods yard.

 

So there you go Kev you have no excuses left now .

 

With apologies to Kev, update on your Mojo Martyn ?

 

Hi Chris,

 

Thank you for asking, yes I am still without my mojo but it is not the first time this has happened so I am not overly worried.  So much so that I have recently brought the DCC system for my proposed layout, oh and another four Slaters 12ton van kits .

 

Also like a lot of us on here I have many household chores at the moment, including digging a " large " pond by hand . But with autumn just round the corner hopefully I will back to firing on all cylinders, the railway room just needs some flooring laid and then it will be on to building some baseboards .

 

ATB,

 

Martyn.

[Kev_Lewis]

So there you go Kev you have no excuses left now .

 

You may be right there Martyn. I've just spent some time reading David Siddal's thread, particularly his posts about building turnouts. I'll have to order a turnout kit from C&L and give it a try.

 

Good luck finding your mojo.

[David Siddall]

Thanks for the information about siting of cattle docks David.

 

Using The C&L track library on Anyrail I've redrawn my current trackplan using B6 turnouts and a single slip.

 

C&L Trackplan.jpg

 

The layout does seem to flow better. But the loop has been shortened to three or four carriages.

 

My pleasure mate... and whilst I'll probably be ticked off by the pointwork police for suggesting this you might try a version where you swap those B6s for A5s... I'd suggest they're the space-starved modellers bestest friend! Yea, yea, yea... I know that 'A' switches should really only be used in yards and sidings but when space is at a premium I'm happy to accept a few compromises to achieve the overall effect I'm after.

 

D

 

PS: I can't get my head around Templot either and I earn my living as a graphic artist (who's worked on computers since they were introduced into the profession) and I'm also a part-time creative-media/IT lecturer! You either get CAD-type software pretty well straight away or it's a mountain to climb. I don't need another mountain so I combined AnyRail, TimberTracks bases and C&L's own paper templates... they worked for me :-)

[3 link]

 I'll have to order a turnout kit from C&L and give it a try.

 

 

 

Hi Kev,

 

I promise you, that you will not regret it, cheaper and a lot more realistic.

 

ATB,

 

Martyn.

[steve fay]

Hi Kev,

 

I promise you, that you will not regret it, cheaper and a lot more realistic.

 

ATB,

 

Martyn.

You shore your not a Sales rep for C&L ???

Just kidding mate, They do look much better

[Kev_Lewis]

David. The tightest single slip that C&L produce is a B6, so I don't think the A5 turnouts will really work with it. The plan above using the B6 turnouts does work okay, so I think I'll be sticking to that just with one or two tweaks.

 

Steve and Martyn: You both should be on commission!

[3 link]

David. The tightest single slip that C&L produce is a B6, so I don't think the A5 turnouts will really work with it. The plan above using the B6 turnouts does work okay, so I think I'll be sticking to that just with one or two tweaks.

 

Steve and Martyn: You both should be on commission!

 

There is always an outside slip which is not that tight, a bit more complex but once you have built a few turnouts you will find it quite easy.

 

Martyn.

[Kev_Lewis]

After David's excellent suggestion of using the tighter A5 turnouts I went back to my earlier trackplan. Using the tighter turnouts means I can take the curve out oif the loco release and I think this version is a lot tidier.

 

[hartleymartin]

You have room for one additional siding off the run-around loop.

[Kris]

I feel that you have lost something by going back to the earlier plan. The curves that you had introduced to gain space had the added advantage to removing some of the linear look. Whilst platforms are harder to build on the curve they are a very common feature in reality, even in terminus's. 

[81A Oldoak]

I feel that you have lost something by going back to the earlier plan. The curves that you had introduced to gain space had the added advantage to removing some of the linear look. Whilst platforms are harder to build on the curve they are a very common feature in reality, even in terminus's. 

I agree with Kris. Sweeping curves look more realistic and it is not too difficult to construct platforms on a curve. 

[hartleymartin]

I agree, having tracks parralell to the front edge of the baseboard screams out "model" and indeed, I liked the earlier one with the single-slip.

 

You could have used B6 points on the "main line" and A5 points in the sidings to help make the distinction between the two.

[TheGhostofNigelGresley]

Just make a start Kev - it'll no doubt change as it goes along anyway, there reaches a point where one can tie oneself in knots with designs and track programmes, there is no substitiute for 'cold, hard wood'..... 

[Kev_Lewis]

Right, well, that last trackplan received an interesting selection of comments. Especially the issues over the shape of platforms.

 

Moving swiftly on. What put me off the trackplan in post #54 was that what I'd done was to pretty much create a terminus version of Porters Lock:

 

 

And I have no intention of ripping off somebody else's layout, particularly one that I do admire. I spent a long time watching the layout at the Bristol O Gauge Show back in January and took lots of photo's. Also, the single slip and access to the yard across the loop never quite sat too well with me. It was necessary to make shunting practical, but just doesn't look right.

 

So, after a moment of late night inspiration last night, I've come up with a trackplan that I'm very happy with. It combines the parts of both the plans which I liked. The coal yard had bee squeezed a bit but should still be okay.

 

[daifly]

So, after a moment of late night inspiration last night, I've come up with a trackplan that I'm very happy with. It combines the parts of both the plans which I liked. The coal yard had bee squeezed a bit but should still be okay.[/url]

Rule 1 applies of course, but I can't stop feeling that the double slip represents a bottleneck. If the long platform road is connected directly to the bay road instead, the slip can be replaced by a LH turnout.

This enables the loop and goods yard to be shunted without interfering with arriving/departing passenger traffic.

Just my tuppenceworth.

Dave

[Kev_Lewis]

Rule 1 applies of course, but I can't stop feeling that the double slip represents a bottleneck. If the long platform road is connected directly to the bay road instead, the slip can be replaced by a LH turnout.

This enables the loop and goods yard to be shunted without interfering with arriving/departing passenger traffic.

Just my tuppenceworth.

Dave

 

This was suggested somewhere above, but if I were to do that it would mean shunting back into the fiddle yard. Which is something I don't want to have to do.

 

The double slip still allows access to the branch bay platform while the yard is shunted. My original brief stated that it is to be assumed that there is a junction off scene. Also I wouldn't expect a goods and passenger working to be using the main platform at the same time. If they were to meet it would probably be at a passing loop further up the line.

[Kev_Lewis]

I decided to take a break from the layout planning for a bit, which was partly helped by my computer being at the menders.

 

Here is the latest plan:

 

 

The turnout marked with the red cross really needs to be curved, something that can't be done on Anyrail, so don't worry if it doesn't look quite right. Getting wagons in and out of the coal yard would be a little tricky, but that should just make operating more interesting.

[Kev_Lewis]

Hi Paul,

 

Layout planning has stalled I'm afraid. There were too many compromises in the plan above for my liking. I did have another two platform terminus plan, that was progressing quite well, but I've gone off that one too!

 

I'm not too sure what to try next.  A possibility is a larger goods depot with just a small halt near the back of the layout.

 

I just can't seem to fit any of my ideas in to the 20' x 2' space I have.

[3 link]

Hi Kev,

 

I managed to get all four volumes of  "An Historical Survey of Selected GW stations" by R.H.Clark, originally published by OPC, through Amazon and the dearest one was £16.00 where the rest being second hand were between £5- £8.00.

 

Most are scale plans and they will give you lots of ideas and being GWR you won't find many facing turnouts, well maybe a couple .

 

HTH,

 

Martyn.

[Kev_Lewis]

Hi Paul and Martyn.

 

I have Volumes 1 and 2 of An Historical Survey of Selected GW stations, and have sent many hours pouring over them. I also have Volumes 1 and 2 of 'Great Western Branchline Modelling' by Stephen Williams. Volume one gives lots of insight into the different types of trackplan.

 

So I have lots to work from, but I just can't get something to work.

[two tone green]

Keep at it Kev, all of a sudden you will find the right plan and you will wonder why you you had not thought of it before.