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Sheffield Exchange, Toy trains, music and fun!


Clive Mortimore
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I wonder if your plan can be broken down into stages so that you could get something running quickly. You must be quicker at doing things than me (the rest of the world is) but the thought of all the joinery for the boards and trestle supports is pretty challenging if done at once at the start. Maybe do the central section, the station area and throat first, running into some temporary fiddle yard, before you embark on the greater plan.

 

Another idea to get up and running more quickly would be to live with your cream carpet, so no work on laying flooring, and get some cheapish rugs for protection in the construction stages. Purely personal and subjective, but I like having carpet in my railway room, being part of the house it makes it feel like home.

 

John.

Thanks John

 

The carpet is old, and I don't want all the problems of the dust they can create. The idea of stages seems sensible but even that won't happen. Every time I suggest a start is made on the room, something else is more important, if especially her  29 and 25 year olds need something.

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Hi Clive,

 

I was reading the Peco Track Plans Compendium last night and I had a small brainwave about your design. It took me all day, on and off, to get it into a working state. It was a bit tricky!

 

If you're committed to your existing design or I've failed to take something crucial into account, or you just don't like the idea, please ignore this message. No problem.

 

The idea is to use a deliberate reversing loop to get "up" trains to run "down" whenever you want without having to bring them into the station immediately. Trains can leave the station and run on the "up"/inner/anti-clockwise circuit continuously for as long as you want until you're ready to reverse them. Then you run them round the reversing loop and after that they can continue running on the "down"/outer/clockwise circuit until you're ready to call them into the station on either the L&YR or GNR tracks. And this is all on one level.

 

Here's a sketch. The fat grey lines indicate two parallel up and down tracks and as many storage sidings as you need, or will fit. The thinner brown line is the single track reversing loop.

post-32492-0-24529500-1507410306_thumb.png

 

The station is slightly diagonal to make best use of the space and to ease the connection out to the main running circuits.

 

The line feeding the north storage sidings is also used to feed the reversing loop, so does double-duty, and the sidings fit inside the loop. The loop line might be hidden where it runs alongside the station. It would crossover from up/inner to down/outer where it rejoins the main circuit on the west side. The reversing loop is long enough to hold a full-length train. If you were using DCC (which I understand you're not a fan of...) trains could run non-stop through the loop using an auto-reverser. The single-track reversing loop runs over a lifting section to allow you to get access to the north storage sidings (the blue area shows roughly where the operator can comfortably get to).

 
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Thanks Phil

 

I think I will stick with what I have designed as it has been sized with a paper version on the floor and me and my belly being able to move around it with ease. I want a good number of years play out of it so designing for my comfort is very important. I have visited some layouts where the owner has to twist and duck to fit in. I am not that flexible. 

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Many moons ago I brought an edition of the Railway Modeller, November 1970. In it was an article by Mike Cole about scratchbuilding diesels. Wow, models of what I was trainspotting, twelve years later I made my first loco. Railway of the month was Derek Shore's Avondale, a terminus served by ex LMS and ex LNER trains, each with their own circuit and a station on the main line. He ran it to a timetable, trains reached their destination after so many laps. An article on how Derek devised his timetable appeared in Model Railway News around the same time, sadly that magazine has long ago departed from my collection. A real operators layout and one I wanted then and now. A really inspirational edition.

 

3 years later I purchased  "Plans for larger layouts, 2nd edition", plan L33 had a circuit of track with two sets of junctions leading to a terminus down the middle, I always thought it would be great as a WR layout set in early BR days with Granges, Saints, Halls, Castles, Saints and Counties dealing with the mainline trains and moguls, and prairies local traffic. I worked out years ago should I ever have the space I would like to build a composite of these two plans that can be operated by me on me own.   With our recent move I have been given a big room and after going through zillions of permutations I have arrived at Sheffield Exchange mk2. Instead of two stations I have sets of sidings that will represent the various towns trains from Sheffield Exchange will be dispatched to. I dropped the idea of WR locos as I had amassed a lot of stock from the ER and recently LMR and NER to run on Sheff Ex Mk1 so decided to keep to the same idea of a joint L&YR and GNR station in Sheffield pointing northwards with most services going to Yorkshire or Lancashire. The L&YR heading north -west towards Barnsley and the GNR going north-easterly to Doncaster, hence the Y junction at the station throat. Both Leeds Central and Bradford Exchange will have sidings on both sides of the room as both railways have services over their lines to those cities.

 

If a mod reads this post can you let me know If I can reproduce the track plans, please?

 

As soon as the electrician has done his bits in the train room I can paint the walls sky blue and get on with building it.

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Many moons ago I brought an edition of the Railway Modeller, November 1970. In it was an article by Mike Cole about scratchbuilding diesels. Wow, models of what I was trainspotting, twelve years later I made my first loco. Railway of the month was Derek Shore's Avondale, a terminus served by ex LMS and ex LNER trains, each with their own circuit and a station on the main line. He ran it to a timetable, trains reached their destination after so many laps. An article on how Derek devised his timetable appeared in Model Railway News around the same time, sadly that magazine has long ago departed from my collection. A real operators layout and one I wanted then and now. A really inspirational edition.

 

3 years later I purchased  "Plans for larger layouts, 2nd edition", plan L33 had a circuit of track with two sets of junctions leading to a terminus down the middle, I always thought it would be great as a WR layout set in early BR days with Granges, Saints, Halls, Castles, Saints and Counties dealing with the mainline trains and moguls, and prairies local traffic. I worked out years ago should I ever have the space I would like to build a composite of these two plans that can be operated by me on me own.   With our recent move I have been given a big room and after going through zillions of permutations I have arrived at Sheffield Exchange mk2. Instead of two stations I have sets of sidings that will represent the various towns trains from Sheffield Exchange will be dispatched to. I dropped the idea of WR locos as I had amassed a lot of stock from the ER and recently LMR and NER to run on Sheff Ex Mk1 so decided to keep to the same idea of a joint L&YR and GNR station in Sheffield pointing northwards with most services going to Yorkshire or Lancashire. The L&YR heading north -west towards Barnsley and the GNR going north-easterly to Doncaster, hence the Y junction at the station throat. Both Leeds Central and Bradford Exchange will have sidings on both sides of the room as both railways have services over their lines to those cities.

 

If a mod reads this post can you let me know If I can reproduce the track plans, please?

 

As soon as the electrician has done his bits in the train room I can paint the walls sky blue and get on with it.

Great Plan and a Great project mate, that's the sort of thing I was trying to do with Whittaker St and BritVic, but as a Terminus to F/Y and that's why mine didn't work. 

 

I have built L33 in a small room (16ft x 8ft, Ex Garage) but the radius out of the Station was to tight each way, and no Belly room at the Buffers, even for SLIM 30 year old at the time.

 

I like the idea of Buffers to the end so that you can view arrivals and departures from there.

 

Enjoy.

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Many moons ago I brought an edition of the Railway Modeller, November 1970. In it was an article by Mike Cole about scratchbuilding diesels. Wow, models of what I was trainspotting, twelve years later I made my first loco. Railway of the month was Derek Shore's Avondale, a terminus served by ex LMS and ex LNER trains, each with their own circuit and a station on the main line. He ran it to a timetable, trains reached their destination after so many laps. An article on how Derek devised his timetable appeared in Model Railway News around the same time, sadly that magazine has long ago departed from my collection. A real operators layout and one I wanted then and now. A really inspirational edition.

 

3 years later I purchased  "Plans for larger layouts, 2nd edition", plan L33 had a circuit of track with two sets of junctions leading to a terminus down the middle, I always thought it would be great as a WR layout set in early BR days with Granges, Saints, Halls, Castles, Saints and Counties dealing with the mainline trains and moguls, and prairies local traffic. I worked out years ago should I ever have the space I would like to build a composite of these two plans that can be operated by me on me own.   With our recent move I have been given a big room and after going through zillions of permutations I have arrived at Sheffield Exchange mk2. Instead of two stations I have sets of sidings that will represent the various towns trains from Sheffield Exchange will be dispatched to. I dropped the idea of WR locos as I had amassed a lot of stock from the ER and recently LMR and NER to run on Sheff Ex Mk1 so decided to keep to the same idea of a joint L&YR and GNR station in Sheffield pointing northwards with most services going to Yorkshire or Lancashire. The L&YR heading north -west towards Barnsley and the GNR going north-easterly to Doncaster, hence the Y junction at the station throat. Both Leeds Central and Bradford Exchange will have sidings on both sides of the room as both railways have services over their lines to those cities.

 

If a mod reads this post can you let me know If I can reproduce the track plans, please?

 

As soon as the electrician has done his bits in the train room I can paint the walls sky blue and get on with building it.

 

My copy has got 2/6d on the cover. As my kids would say "thats ancient dad just like you", so it must be out of copyright. :drag:

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My copy has got 2/6d on the cover. As my kids would say "thats ancient dad just like you", so it must be out of copyright.

70 years after the death of the author.

Most of us on here (including the younger contingent) will be dead before it is out if copyright.

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Room update, the electrician has done his bit :yahoo: I have put filler in all the holes. Paint has been purchased. Sandpaper and them paint brushes await my attention. I think using the vacuum cleaner between sandpaper and painting might help.

 

I printed off the latest edition of the track plan in full size. I laid the station area out on the floor to check I had made the platform lengths 8 Mk1 coaches long, yep that was OK. :yes: When looking at it laid out I thought "Them there platforms do seem a bit too wide". :umbrage:  I had a design size of 6 inch wide platforms, looking at many model railways platforms seem too narrow, but the track spacing seemed far too wide with platforms of 6ins width. I had a look on Old Maps at various terminus stations and measuring and calculating from the images on the computer screen a scale width of about 4 inches seemed to be the norm. I redrew the station part of the plan with narrower track spacing and reprinted the station. Last night I laid the new station on the floor and plonked some rolling stock on it, well :imsohappy: :imsohappy: :imsohappy:

 

Photos once the light gets better.

 

post-16423-0-95469300-1508395567_thumb.png

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Hi Clive,

Plan looks good, with plenty of operational opportunity! If your from the Andy ‘Speedmaster’ Peters school of modelling then I estimate your just about wiring the trackwork up. If your in the Marsh Lane class however, your still stood looking at locos on the paper plan running through all the moves in your mind! Hehe!

 

Looks good tho - hope to see you at Caistor.

 

Rich

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Hi Clive,

Plan looks good, with plenty of operational opportunity! If your from the Andy ‘Speedmaster’ Peters school of modelling then I estimate your just about wiring the trackwork up. If your in the Marsh Lane class however, your still stood looking at locos on the paper plan running through all the moves in your mind! Hehe!

 

Looks good tho - hope to see you at Caistor.

 

Rich

HI Rich

 

Still, not even sure if the mind is working.

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Wowser Clive, that looks like some MONSTER your unleashing there matey. Loads of conflicting movements will keep you on your toes, or the Locos will be dropping on your toes, hahah.

 

Looking good mate

Hi Andy

 

Maybe some conflicting moves are possible but with a well trained signal man and a signal engineer who sets things up properly there shouldn't be. Also I can only drive one train at a time, you know my little brain cannot cope with anymore than that.

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Heck Clive, that is a project and a half! Have you got shares with one of the big track manufacturers?!

Hi Martyn

 

It will be my last project to last me until I cannot drive trains anymore, I retired earlier this year so can take my time (Mr P please note) and when built drive trains when and if I like. 

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The light never got better today but I have taken some photos this evening , like normal not the bestest but hopefully illustrate my intended model railway, well the station part. 

 

With reference to your earlier comments about platform widths, when I look at those photos I reckon you’ve got the proportions just right. Any wider and the platforms would look a touch short, and any narrower would reduce the impression of an important station which has to deal with peak loadings and lots of luggage.

 

Nice one.

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Clive, I can't help thinking you need a double scissors crossover from one set of lines to the other, rather than just the single one, at least if the two companies plan on exchanging traffic. Track might get too complex though.

 

(Bear in mind that I know even less than Harlequin says he does.)

 

Alan

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Clive, I can't help thinking you need a double scissors crossover from one set of lines to the other, rather than just the single one, at least if the two companies plan on exchanging traffic. Track might get too complex though.

 

(Bear in mind that I know even less than Harlequin says he does.)

 

Alan

Hi Alan

 

Thank you, I hope I can make my track plan seem logical. The concept of the track plan comes from Kings Cross remodelling in 1977, which is basically still the same today. From any of the four running lines you can enter or shunt to any platform.  There will be times when trains are exchanged between the two "companies" and the single crossover should be sufficient for the amount of traffic. It will mainly be used to shunt diesels or steam locos to and from their respective yards, "Life was so much simpler when both lines had their own steam depot, damn diesels" says Charlie the signalman. All shunting will be signaled so that it takes place on the GNR Up line or L&R Down line (exit lines). If you look at the plan neither loco sidings can be accessed from anywhere but an exit line and locos cannot get directly on to the inward lines. 

 

post-16423-0-20805100-1508574393_thumb.jpg

Kings Cross 1977 track plan, thanks google.

 

post-16423-0-65202500-1508574420_thumb.jpg

The blue lines are what I took out and the red are what I added. I reduced the station to 8 platforms 11 would be too greedy, I added the loco facilities, the cross overs on the outer platforms so they could be accessed from all running lines  and the center road between platform 3 and 4. Also with Peco track I was able to add a point between the single slip to the steam depot and the double slip at teh end of platforms 6 and 7 to allow access to platform 8. 

 

post-16423-0-04454600-1508574434_thumb.png

There are crossovers on the running lines, these are on the Kings Cross track plan but the other side of Gas Works Tunnel, I have bought them to the station side of Dignity Street Bridge.

 

post-16423-0-86008500-1508575119_thumb.png

Here is the provisional signalling plan.

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Looking good Clive. I agree that the platform widths look spot-on.

Though don't forget the trap-point for that centre siding.........

 

Just one thought. I began building an eight-platform terminus with four approach tracks in the 1980s. Laid all the track etc. Trouble is I just found it TOO BIG and lost interest..........

 

 

 

Off in a minute to see a Deltic passing through Poole on a special from Burton to Swanage.

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Looking good Clive. I agree that the platform widths look spot-on.

Though don't forget the trap-point for that centre siding.........

 

Just one thought. I began building an eight-platform terminus with four approach tracks in the 1980s. Laid all the track etc. Trouble is I just found it TOO BIG and lost interest..........

 

 

 

Off in a minute to see a Deltic passing through Poole on a special from Burton to Swanage.

Hi Peter

 

Thanks. Also thank you for reminding me about the trap point, something we all keep telling Mr Peters about.

 

Along with me wanting to recreate Avondale and L33 I have had desires to model Kings Cross after reading an article Passenger Loco and Ranelagh Bridge that appeared in Model Railway Constructor, you may remember it. To get Passenger Loco to work I concluded you at least need the suburban station and if you model that why not the whole lot, it is doable in 4mm but my track building skills might not be up to it. In the course of my research I noticed that the 1977 track plan was very doable and almost with Peco track so with my compromising of my three mainline terminus ideas I came up with this thing. I do realise it will be big and I have semi planned how I am going to go about things, once the baseboards are up then down with the track solder up the wires and get playing. From there I can take my time in getting the appearance right and I have the rest of my life to do that.

 

post-16423-0-43043900-1508586978_thumb.png

Charlie the signalman is now moaning that the lever for the trap point is right down the other end of the frame.

 

 

I hope you enjoyed the Deltic.

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