Bembridge - A 2mm Layout

[iamjamie]

So, after starting with grand plans I've been scaling back my ideas... Then scaling back a little more...! But now I think I've arrived at the right size of project that I can actually see through to completion!

 

So what's the "pretend" boxfile? Well I'm not quite ready to give up on my obsession with laser cutting! So I'm actually cheating a little bit and creating my own boxfile from scratch, rather than buy and adapt some. They're still going to be dressed up and made to look like boxfiles from the outside though.

 

I think the internal dimensions I'm using might be a tiny bit bigger than a standard boxfile as well, I just took the dimensions of an A4 piece of paper and added 30mm... This gives me dimensions of 330x240mm, or 660x240mm total with two boxfiles together.

 

Perhaps I'm going against the spirit of what a boxfile layout is, but being able to start with a very robust base (and the chance to play with laser cutters) is an opportunity too good to miss.

 

For now I just want some opinions on the track plan. It's an N Scale layout very loosely based on Bembridge on the Isle of Wight. It's been designed with the Finetrax track and points in mind. The track plan I used as a starting point is from Anthony New's Aspects of Modelling book, which may already have been a slight deviation from the real life location. To this I've added what could be a goods shed or an engine shed in the bottom left hand corner. This is to help hide where the track goes through the side of the box.

 

Not being very familiar with how things work I'm not sure how prototypical this layout is? So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

The layout is probably going to be DCC operated, as that's what I already have lying around... Although not the correct stock! I think the platform should be long enough to hold three coaches, certainly two.

 

Anyway, that's more than enough text! Here's the plan... I'm still pretty new to all of this, so go easy on me!

(Edit) Here's Anthony New's version for comparison...

[Class 74]

I like both plans, nice with the turntable at the end.

[iamjamie]

The turntable is one of the deviations that Anthony New makes on his track plan from the prototype... I've restored the correct turntable/sector plate arrangement for my plan. It can be seen in this picture (Credit: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk).

 

I'm not sure, as well as using the turntable to allow the loco to run around, if it could also be used for turning the locomotives as well? Can anyone shed any light on this?

[Saddletank]

Discussed at length a few months ago. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/88480-a-nifty-design-element-for-micro-layouts/

 

I'm looking forward to seeing your layout develop, although I wonder whether having gone to the trouble of laser cutting your own baseboard, would disguising it as a cheap compromise in the form of a Boxfile be relevant or even worth doing?

 

I'm especially interested in seeing how you get on with the finetrax system, I'd like to have a go of using it eventually.

 

Good luck!

[iamjamie]

Discussed at length a few months ago. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/88480-a-nifty-design-element-for-micro-layouts/

 

Thanks for that link, lots of interesting things in it! It does seem from that thread that these kinds of turntables were only used in "sector plate" mode, rather than also being used for turning.

[Steam_Julie]

You're not including the coal wharf, an iconic feature of Bembridge.

[Stubby47]

To me, the main challenge with a boxfile layout is the ability to store the layout as boxes on a shelf; i.e. the lids must be able to be closed. This means the higher parts of the scenery need to be removable and storable in an extra box. 

 

Best of luck, looks a nice plan.

[iamjamie]

You're not including the coal wharf, an iconic feature of Bembridge.

  

Please forgive my ignorance, but what's a coal wharf? Even a Google search doesn't seem to shed much light on the subject (and that normally answers all my questions!). I assume is somewhere for unloading coal? The pictures on http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/bembridge/ don't seem to give much of a clue either - which is currently one of my very few references while I wait for some books to arrive!

 

I'd be more than happy to include it if you could enlighten me as to where it should be...

 

To me, the main challenge with a boxfile layout is the ability to store the layout as boxes on a shelf

Yes, this is the challenge, and also one of the main draws for me. Storage is tight where I live, so having something that I can store neatly on a shelf is very appealing. This is why I've chosen to develop the layout in boxfile size and style, even if it isn't a genuine boxfile(!) I've worked in theatre for many years, so fake props pretending to be real objects is somewhat second-nature to me!

[iamjamie]

Your plan has a very nice flow to it and I think the idea of building your own "boxfile" is quite fun in itself.

 

If the building at bottom left is to be a goods shed, maybe you could have a spur for an engine shed coming off from the tt/sector at top right. Probably not prototypical, but would add another small element to the operation.

 

Will you be building a 3rd section to act as a fiddleyard?

 

Yes, I'm quite pleased with the flow of the track. This is all a happy coincidence from shrinking down the Anthony New track plan and the restriction of the size of the Finetrax points. It makes the overall curve of the layout a little shallower, which I much prefer. Anything more than a gentle curve always makes a layout look a lot more "modelled" in my opinion, so that's something I'm hoping to avoid.

 

Regarding a loco/goods shed, its certainly something worth thinking about. More generally I need to have a think about operation will work, as this is something I know next to nothing about(!) I'd be interested to know people's thoughts about how goods movements might work on this layout, and if there are any improvements to be made by tweaking the track plan?

 

At the moment I'm thinking about using cassettes to get stock on and off the layout, although there's no reason why in the future I couldn't build a more substantial fiddle yard/traverser arrangement to join on the side...

[Steam_Julie]

The coal wharf was an open fronted wooden structure, which had a platform and a canopy complete with ends. The coal was shovelled onto the platform from the trucks. I think it has a series of wooden divisions for different grades of coal.

 

The coal was then shovelled into sacks and then loaded on the level on waiting delivery wagons, horse drawn and later petrol engined. The reason for the coal wharf structure, was the site was very exposed and the structure helped protect the men from the elements. There was a door in the back wall facing the sea, which could be opened to allow the loading operations.

 

Coal wharfs were a hang over from canal operation into the early railway era. The wood used was very rough swan timber. The Wantage Tramway also had a coal wharf.

 

Julie

[iamjamie]

The coal wharf was an open fronted wooden structure, which had a platform and a canopy complete with ends. The coal was shovelled onto the platform from the trucks. I think it has a series of wooden divisions for different grades of coal.

 

[...]

 

Thanks for that information Julie, very helpful. I've just this minute come across a drawing of another Bembridge layout with what they've called a "coal pen" alongside the topmost siding on my plan. Would that match up with what you're talking about? 

 

That top siding is one of the things I've messed about with to get the track plan to fit, leaving not much room at the back. I know it's probably against the prototype, but I wonder if I could fit them in on the curved part of the track where there would be more room behind it. It would be a shame not to be able to model both sides of the coal wharf to show how it works front and back as you've described.

[iamjamie]

After my tube ride home (which is generally when a lot of my thinking gets done!) there is an alternative idea.

 

Would I be correct in saying that any sort of coal unloading business was generally kept away from everything else as much as possible, because of the all the dirt and mess it causes? That means with my adapted track plan would make more sense to locate the coal wharf where I was thinking about putting my goods shed, rather than next to the platform?

 

At least this way I can get the Bembridge elements in, but follow what I hope is correct prototype practice, rather than following the prototype exactly... (And do without the goods shed that never existed in real life in the first place!)

 

I supposed that pushes me into the realms of a Bembridge-inspired layout rather than an accurate reproduction of Bembridge (but it was already heading that way anyway). I think I'd much prefer having a layout that is correct in prototype practice...

[bike2steam]

Ahem, see signature below.  It's OK, there's no copyright. 

[iamjamie]

Ahem, see signature below.  It's OK, there's no copyright.

 

Look there they are! The coal pens! It's a shame you've sold the layout, I could have saved myself the hassle of building it myself!

 

It's good to see what they actually look like, I've not been able to find a picture of the prototype pens anywhere...

 

I'm clearly following in your perfectly trodden footsteps! I think I'll be happy if my model comes out half as well as yours!

[bike2steam]

Just a little problem, mine was OO not N gauge, but good luck all the same.

[iamjamie]

Today I actually measured a boxfile! Yes, perhaps I should have got round to it a bit earlier... But I discovered that I'd short-changed myself by 30mm on the height (what will become my width). It would be foolish not to use that excuse to add a little bit extra to the layout, so whilst I redesign my track plan a little, I'll share with you my design for my custom boxfile.

 

The main idea is that the top folds up to form a kind of mini proscenium/pelmet to frame the layout, complete with LEDs to illuminate the layout. The second boxfile is a mirror image of this illustration, and the two join together to form the complete layout. 

 

Now I am aware that this is quite an ambitious little idea that might not quite come off(!) But I'm determined to give it a go all the same! I'm especially concerned that the LED idea might not quite work, as it will mean the layout will mainly be backlit. That means it will either create some fantastic dramatic lighting, or be a complete disaster! But I'll never know unless I give it a go, and the top is designed to be completely removable if it doesn't quite work out!!

 

I'm taking inspiration from those magnetic iPad covers and using magnets to hold the two removable sides onto the the box when it's in storage. I'm also hoping that the magnets will be enough to hold the two boxfiles together, along with some alignment pegs, when in layout-mode.

 

So all in all, quite a risky, complex idea... So I guess will find out if it works out or not!

[iamjamie]

I've done a bit of work on the track plan to fit the slightly wider baseboards. This now gives a total layout size of 720 x 240mm (about 28 x 9.5 inches).

 

All the drawings for the boxfile baseboards are now with a laser cutting company I use in South London, so it shouldn't be too long until I can start on construction!

[Stubby47]

For joining boxfiles together, I use magnetic handbag clasps -  see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/40132-boxfile-basics/?p=449281

[iamjamie]

I've changed my track plan a little now. I've got a thread about it in the Layout & Track Design forum, where I'm getting some advice about how prototypical the track design really is...

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/92245-micro-layout-track-plan-is-it-prototypical/?p=1666542

 

It's clear that this layout has developed into a fictional location on the Isle of Wight, rather than a direct reproduction of any particular location. But I hope that I'm still retaining some of those IoW distinctive elements.

 

It does mean that I'm going to have to think of a new name for the layout, as it can no longer really be called Bembridge now!

 

I'll post the track plan here as well, so you don't have to go over to the other forum if you don't want to. (It's not quite as "finished" as the previous ones I've posted!)

[ginger j]

If you're still looking for a new name, I've always liked the sound of Wicken Hill, or to be more precise Wicken Hill Lane, on the Isle of Wight. There is also the town of Mottistone on IOW, which as far as I can tell was never served by a railway (for obvious reasons really; 'bout the only thing there is the Manor gardens & estate). Just a few suggestions,

 

*edit* Spelling

GJ

[iamjamie]

My baseboards arrived today, although I'm already regretting getting them cut from MDF rather than my usual birch ply. Some of the wood is a little bit warped, so there's going to be a bit of work getting everything glued together nice and square. I've never had that issue in the past with my ply wood laser cutting, but that's what you get when you try something new!

 

I've put one side loosely together to check that everything fits, which it does. The warping doesn't appear to be much of an issue on the large bottom piece, so at least thats a solid base to work on.

 

I've also put it next to an actual box file for comparison. You can see how the dimensions are the same except in the width (which will be the layout height in reality). 

 

Stubby mentioned earlier in the thread that one of the challenges of a box file is making parts some parts of the taller scenery removable so you can close the lid, so I admit I am cheating a little in this respect by making my box file wider. However, when it is in storage on a shelf I don't think the wider size is going to be too noticable, especially if I don't put it next to a real box file!

 

Now I just need to assemble them, and order some Buckram book cloth to cover them.

[Stubby47]

How heavy is the box ( compared to an empty std boxfile ) ?

[iamjamie]

It certainly is heavier. I wouldn't say significantly heavier though. Again, if I'd stuck to my tried and tested plywood it would have been a little lighter I think... That said, I would say it's still pretty light, light enough to be very easily portable anyway.

 

I've held all the bits to make one baseboard in one hand and an empty boxfile in the other to try and tell the difference. Keeping it in stationary terms it's about the same weight as a boxfile with a decent amount of paper in (say half a ream/250 sheets).

 

That's probably about as clear as mud!

[Stubby47]

I was curious as I've carried Laterite (3 boxfiles) plus a stock boxfile, controller & locos in one of those foldable crates.

 

Walking in to the exhibition with one crate and an old ironing board did raise a few eyebrows, but I was ready to operate 15 minutes later !

[iamjamie]

I'm certainly hoping that I'll be able to transport the whole thing around in one box... That's probably the best thing about micro layouts! None of this having to hire a van to cart the thing around!

 

That said, I'm still a little daunted about the task ahead and how much there is to do even on this tiny layout! I don't know how people manage with their giant loft sized layouts!