RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 12, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 12, 2014 I have long had a desire to build a branch line layout that actually goes somewhere. Inspired by Buckingham Great Central, and more recently by John Greenwood's North Cornwall opus, I've decided to re-start the project in the loft. I have a space of about 20ft x 14ft, which is completely open apart from two cross-beams about 4ft from the floor. The plan will use both the Shepherds and Treamble modules, which will give a quick start to the layout, leaving only the two terminus stations and connecting track to build. These may well be based on Bodmin General, Helston, St Ives, etc. The schematic plan : The layout will have three two levels, for clarity Levels 0, 1 and 2. The main loop on Level 0 will run the whole length & width of the loft. The plain end may well have storage loops added, as this area is not very accessible. The upper loop, on Level 2, will be partly on a couple of gradients, either side of Shepherds (Level 1), and the upper Terminus (#1) to Treamble will be on the flat (Level 2). Terminus #2 will be at Level 0 1, the hidden loop will run below Terminus #1. I hope to start clearing the loft out over Christmas, then making the main supports for the two modules, to get them out of the garage, then hopefully at least completing the loops, if not the stations, during the year. Edited as I realised I don't need three levels. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fender Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 looks like a great idea. will the track in between the modules be scenic'd? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 Can I suggest that one of the termini is part of a main line junction, such as on Jas. Milham,s Yaxbury branch. You don't have to model much of the main line side, just suggest it. I have thought about doing the branch side of St. Erth, but I would find the lack of traffic variety limiting. Of course, you could have Newquay at one end and the branch side of Chacewater at t'other! That'd be a layout and a half. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 12, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 12, 2014 I had a desire to build all the key stations west of Exeter on the Ex Southern routes in the old warehouse near us (when I win the lottery) but they knocked it down!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted December 12, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 12, 2014 "I hope to start clearing the loft out over Christmas..." Sympathy, sympathy. Sounds like a good wheeze Stubs. Cornish Branchlines.....great subjects for models. P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 Helston - nice signalling. Are you going to do the Cober viaduct as well? One of the places where you can do a prototypical 180 degree turn. And an interesting thing with a view to your speciality in Lower Town. The ex-chapel there by the bridge had a loo - but they were not allowed to discharge anything but liquid waste into the Cober. It's now some type of workshop/store, having been sold off about 4-5 years ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 12, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 12, 2014 looks like a great idea. will the track in between the modules be scenic'd? Yes, I'll be adding scenery to as much of the track as I can, even if it's just the width of the railway property, but hopefully there will be hills and cuttings to provide some variety. The only section not dressed will be the lower level at the bottom of the schematic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 12, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 12, 2014 Can I suggest that one of the termini is part of a main line junction, such as on Jas. Milham,s Yaxbury branch. You don't have to model much of the main line side, just suggest it. I have thought about doing the branch side of St. Erth, but I would find the lack of traffic variety limiting. Of course, you could have Newquay at one end and the branch side of Chacewater at t'other! That'd be a layout and a half. Ed I'm hoping for a sleepy branchline atmosphere, so the rest of the world, including the junction with the main line, will be off-stage. Oh for the space, time & money to build the full Truro Chacewater Newquay Par Truro circuit... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 12, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 12, 2014 Helston - nice signalling. Are you going to do the Cober viaduct as well? One of the places where you can do a prototypical 180 degree turn. And an interesting thing with a view to your speciality in Lower Town. The ex-chapel there by the bridge had a loo - but they were not allowed to discharge anything but liquid waste into the Cober. It's now some type of workshop/store, having been sold off about 4-5 years ago. As I'm going to try to fit two terminus stations in one 14ft x 2ft area, albeit on two levels, I doubt there will be much room for the town of Helston. As for toilets, I might even give those a miss this time... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted December 12, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 12, 2014 As for toilets, I might even give those a miss this time... You will get into trouble if you miss the toilet!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 The Treamble branch is not much but by its very existence, it is quite interesting. Open and shut twice with very little incentive to build it in the first place and whatever industry was at the terminus surely didn't make it a very lucrative line. But it was interesting by having a branch line junction at Shepherds, itself not exactly a busy place. Which all adds up to an interesting layout and a pity there are so few photos of the line. Is there an actual track plan as somewhere? Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 12, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 12, 2014 Brian, You are right, the Treamble branch is not the most interesting line in the world, but it was of course the original line - the junction at Shepherds only existed because the GWR wanted to join the line from Perranporth to Newquay. In my fictitious history for Shepherds Halt, the main line west of Truro was damaged during the war, so all traffic was routed via Par & Shepherds to Blackwater (where the original west side of the triangle was hastily re-instated). The two modules built for exhibition will have a suitable place in the loft layout, but will still be removable. Indeed, the Treamble section already has a plan to be replaced with a small harbour scene (Porth Gannel), and the main Shepherds Halt section to also be replaced with a full model of Shepherds as it really was. As for other track plans for the loft layout - no, not yet. The two termini need to be fairly compact - a platform long enough for a B-set and a couple of sidings with a goods shed. Trains did run from Newquay to Falmouth ,so there is precedent for small terminus to small terminus trains in Cornwall. I've also just realised I've not got a loco shed anywhere on the plan... I also need to write a convincing history. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted December 13, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2014 Very interesting Stu. I shall follow with interest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fender Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 Sounds like a most excellent idea to me - i like trains to go to "somewhere" from "elsewhere"; makes it kinda real transport on a small scale I'd love to do the same but I feel a house move (or several) coming along and I dont know what (lack of ) space the next houses will have......... but this is the great part of stubby's plan! at least as I understand it, it's basically house-move proof, as you'd only potentially lose the limited scenery between the modules. the modules would just need to be connected in a way that happens to fit in your new house. I can't believe I hadn't thought of this, given the amount of thought I've given to future proofing possible future layouts! if the layout is just a bunch of highly detailed modules which are not very big and can be connected together by small and thin sections of 'main/branch' line, which may or may not need to be scenic'd, then the layout can grow and change with the space assigned to it. indeed, if the modules are small enough they can even be connected up temporarily in the living room for running sessions. I know that part is not what stubby is proposing, but it does offer some potential. essentially, the 'going from A to B' part of it can be done simply by having two modules erected with a 'bridge' (literally) of plain (or scenic'd) track between them, of some suitable length. sorry if that's slightly off-topic, but I'm finding this layout very inspirational already! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 13, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 13, 2014 Not off topic at all - you've explained to me what I didn't quite realise I was proposing ! I guess it's a logical extension of the the model projects I've been involved with, just this time I have to do all the work... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indomitable026 Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 I can't understand why you're modelling the Looe branch ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 13, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 13, 2014 Further thoughts has led to a revised schematic. I want to have the ability to run the layout on my own, or with others, so it needs to be flexible. I also want to have trains running round in circles (running in time) whilst not preventing other operations (too much). From Station (#1), the train would travel via #2,#3,#4 to #5 or #6. Alternate routes go via #1,#2,#7,#5/#6. The loop at #3 allows for passing trains, slopes at #4 and #7 allow for change of level. Shepherds Halt has two exit lines to the left - when in exhibition mode one of these is a headshunt only, but with the addition of an external point, the branch line can have a direct route. I've also moved Treamble (#6) down to the lower level, as this give a longer run between operating areas. Operating can be done from one area (#1 & #5), leaving the rest of the layout as a connecting line, or also at #2 & #6 for the 2nd operator. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 14, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 14, 2014 While extracting the necessary baubles, tinsel and fake tree from the loft, I took the opportunity to measure and photograph the available space. The good news is the space is better organised than I thought. The bad news is it's more cluttered than I remember... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted December 14, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 14, 2014 Stu, What is going to be the amount of vertical separation between the high and low levels please? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 14, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 14, 2014 Mike, I'm still working that out. I have plenty of length to run gentle inclines, so the difference should not be a problem. Having discovered that Shepherds will fit between the two cross beams, I'm revising the plan yet again... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maunsel Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 I have a space of about 20ft x 14ft, which is completely open apart from two cross-beams about 4ft from the floor. So exactly how many box files will you be using...............? Eric Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
treggyman Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Hi Stu Looks an interesting project & will follow with interest...... Firstly....good luck with the clearance......never one of my strongpoints...... The temptation to me is just to dump whatever it is in the nearest available gap.....Not a good idea....... Secondly......An uninsulated loft from the pics,,,,,Awful cold in winter & too B hot in summer.......Some form of insulation would in my opinion be advisable....... Good luck,as I said will watch with interest... Cheers Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Evening Stu, I did a post a couple of days ago, just after you started, then the dam Flip Flop Crashed, (Police were called, but luckily no injuries), and then I forgot to re do the post so here we go again. Looking really good, this time I've also had a chance to study the route possibilities and that will make for some interesting running. Just after I started Railway Modelling in 1977, a chap had a Layout in RM but with a main line, I think it was Paddington to Penzance, or Euston to wherever, but it was all around a room, very basic, about 12 to 15 Stations,(none prototypical) and on multiple levels, but the point is, that I always thought that its just like running a real railway, not just going 3ft into a tunnel and then a fiddle yard. Looking forward to seeing how this develops. BTW, have you ordered a SKIP for the stuff in the Loft yet? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 14, 2014 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 14, 2014 Hi Bill & Andy Yes it is cold in winter & hot in summer. There is insulation below the floor boarding, but we 've never considered it under the roof itself. As for clearing out, it will be a case of moving things around rather than getting rid ( so no need for a skip) - it just needs more organisation. The ability to run trains to and from locations will be most of the fun. A cattle wagon here, or coal truck there; trains will need to be marshaled for a reason. Passenger services too will have a purpose, running to a schedule ( if not a time table). I'd like to run clay wagons ( flat sheet or hoods), so am looking at a branch running somewhere south of Padstow to possibly Mevagissy-ish. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 I'd like to run clay wagons ( flat sheet or hoods), so am looking at a branch running somewhere south of Padstow to possibly Mevagissy-ish. There's (or was) a harbour at Pentewan as a precedent. But needs a bit of dredging. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.