London Calling.. WR Mainline - Acton Green

[SparxD428]

Hi All,

 

So following on in the footsteps of Westquay is my new project, currently titled "Kenton Rise" though this may change.

It is my imagination that around the Old Oak / Mitre Bridge / Kensal Rise area, there were a couple of relief lines heading out of Paddington to free up capacity for HST's and the like. In addition, a relief "under" line from Euston to Watford Junction also linking to the North London line for ECS and freight workings, and also for freights that cross from the WR at Acton Wells junction.

 

Baseboards are 12' x 8' and the plan will be a roundy , with fiddle yard. The LMR line will rise at the rear of the main scenic section, and have OHLE but it won't be juiced as I've already given myself enough work for this project, as I intend to try and make it bells & whistles and do things that most modellers have done/can do which I have not done before.

This includes, Point Motors, Using Electrofrog points, Colour Light Signals, Making OHLE, Scratchbuilding retaining structures to a convincing "London WR" look, lift out hatch to enable easy entry to the operating well. Need I say more, I must be blinkin' crazy.

 

And at the moment all I have is the boards , some more wood, 500 pages of scribbled plans each slightly to the left of the previous, and the hope to recycle a few bits of the fiddle yard track from Westquay.

 

This may be a slow burner as I am treating it as my great project. Any thoughts and comments welcome.

I hope to finalise my trackplan very soon and will post a scribble when done.

 

Oh - and I have provision to run a short length of track under the baseboard, sufficient for say a Bakerloo line station. Although I have no LT stock this may only happen a long way in the future.

 

Thanks,

Stu.

 

 

Edited December 11, 2015 by SparxD428

[PjKing1]

Looking forward to seeing how you get on with this Stu

 

Cheers, Paul

[Ian Smeeton]

More so, I am looking forward to Kentons input.

 

Not that I am trying to make him rise to the bait.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[SparxD428]

Yeah, its a title not an instruction.

[SparxD428]

Anyway, after a week of approaching the baseboards like Cliff Thorburn mulling over a safety shot (for those too young.. slow & boring and not much going on) suddenly I decided fortune favours the brave so pick up the saw and knife again and start hacking up some of the 3mm MDF for the upper level.

Now with the lifting hatch I have given myself an immediate problem as I want an upper level all round the outside, so I now have to either remove the lift hatch and make 2 lift hatches at the different track heights, or make a sliding section for the upper section of the hatch. As the line is only single at this point I may go for this option.

 

Also, due to space constraints and desire for upper level and gradient, I have tweaked the outer line to fall slightly to make the gradient a little smoother from the WR junction, and rise slightly to the maximum upper height of the LMR/North London single line link.

 

So I cut up some wood and have roughly positioned with sample track and I'm quite happy with it in this corner.

The main station will be more of a corner and under road effort, like the marvellous Waverley West et. al

 

Some images showing the rough idea of the track positions below

 

Thanks,

Stuart.

 

 

 

Edited April 4, 2015 by SparxD428

[SparxD428]

Been busy this week constructing more upper level framework, and building a sliding section that sits on the lifting hatch to avoid what would be a collision with the fixed upper level on the opposite baseboard hinge side (this is yet to be built , but I thought tackle the difficult and important parts first this time, rather than have to rip everything up further down the line !)

The upper line that slides into/out of position is on a single 9mm piece of MDF cut to size sitting on a piece of timber, sliding on a few plastic cards using some more timber as guides. I need just to attach some fixings to hold it in both run and lift position which will happen soon.

 

Have almost finalised the track plan now in my mind as have still been experimenting with some positioning. I attach a few pics just showing sample positions of track and using old stock for gauging etc. (the nice stuff is packed away still).

 

Had a small delivery today as well of some items ready to start tracklaying on the upper level which i hope will commence in the next 2-3 weeks.

 

Thanks,

Stu.

 

Images 1 & 2 - close up of positioning (not fixed) of hatch end that lifts showing locking bolts and upper track.

Images 3 & 4 - the slider positioned in "run" and "lift" positions

Image 5 - rough finalising of the gradient from WR line and fuelling point, with upper siding and stabling visible

Image 6 - a view from behind the back of the layout of the station corner, or where the station will be.

 

 

[pitbull1845]

Hi Stu,

Good to see you at Wimborne over the weekend, I look forward to seeing the next bit of progress with the layout.

[SparxD428]

Cheers Scott, it was good to catch up with everyone last weekend and have a drive on Tidworth.

This weekend I have mostly been trying to keep the faith with the challenges I have set myself with the upper level. I have put down some cork for track underlay on the upper section and on the rising incline, and also half of the lower to upper link line, but I am just not happy enough with the bottom join of the incline as it looks too rollercoaster near the bottom, so am going to have a little re-jig possibly of the station throat but not by more than a foot if necessary.

So in  getting ready to overcome challenges I thought it might be an idea to paint the baseboard / trackbase / background / everything in the vicinity in grey.

So another small step has been made , don't think i'll post a picture today as I am sure you can imagine what grey baseboards look like.

But maybe just for posterity I will later. Currently waiting for it to dry before my next move.

 

Cheers,

Stu.

[SparxD428]

Why oh Why etc?. Well I finally got some track down tonight, and that is where it ended after much swearing. My cutout under the upper level doesn't leave me enough manoeuvrability to fit the SM-1 point motor, so will need to make it bigger which I can't do at this time of night for various reasons.

Used the new soldering iron to put some wires of different thickness on the point motor, and put my first droppers and bus wires in place.

For the droppers I am using 0.75mm2 flex wire and the bus is 1.5mm2 flex wire. Continuity tests are OK and despite my faffing around with the point motor it still works for now.

 

So here is the first piece of history with the track. And its lucky I don't own an axe otherwise the layout may have been in pieces tonight before its even begun.

Patience , patience, patience.. I got myself into this mess, I must find the solutions.

 

Cheers,

Stu.

 

[pitbull1845]

Keep going Stu, it's all about the learning experience! These things are sent to try us..

[class"66"]

Starting to come together now...

[SparxD428]

Well this is going well. Broken items tonight as follows:-

1 x PM1 point motor (by me)

1 x Electrofrog point. After thinking I had successfully mounted a new PM1, found the spring on the blades broken and the point wouldn't throw.

All because I had to have an elevated level with points without thinking it through.

Layout is on hold while I redesign it. I will have to rip up the inclines and probably replace 2 lower baseboards as well, and make it a nice simple flat design.

Forget London calling, I may be going back to the West Country for this layout..

[SparxD428]

And it has taken precisely 10 minutes to rip up the elevated levels in the corner, though I've left the other bits for another day, they may make a nice base for an elevated street scene.

I think I have made the right decision as I just made it too awkward for myself and frustration has got the better of me.

So back to the drawing board then for now - keeping around the same principle, just without what I was hoping would be the best bit.

I shall conquer this somehow. but not tonight.

[pitbull1845]

You've got to do what you've got to do Stu, it's your layout remember, so do what's right for you.  better to change it now rather than when its ballasted and fully scenic.

[SparxD428]

I have a new plan. And it's as crazy as the first one almost. Spent a lot of time fiddling about just putting track in rough positions yesterday to try and see what now might work rather than drawing up diagrams 100 times. And I have ALMOST (tabloid style CAPS for effect here) landed upon 4 track main line with a small yard and stabling TMD. It may be a bit cramped but I wanted something urban so it just might well work. It will also make it a little more realistic as it is representing the Western on the outskirts of London. The only issue I have is the down main is on the inner loop (in experimenting it doesn't sit right with the trackplan making it the outer on the opposite direction), so the max storage road capacity for that line is loco + 6. But hey I am sure I would take that for now.

I am now going to sketch the plan before I change my mind again, then maybe post a couple of pics if I get time through the bank holiday job list I am shortly to be presented with by Mrs. P.

 

Cheers,

Stu.

[Temeraire]

the bank holiday job list I am shortly to be presented with by Mrs. P.

 

Cheers,

Stu.

You're doing the jobs while Andy gets on with his track laying eh, very decent of you sir!

 

Have you a pass for Swanage?

[rob D2]

Another layout up my alley.

Best of luck, I'll be watching

[SparxD428]

Actually I have managed to crack on with some track laying (well track base laying) as well. Managed a couple of hours of laying the cork underlay for the down and up main around about half of the scenic section. I even measured it reasonably well and put a bit of a chamfered edge to the cork. And then painted it grey to fit with the baseboards. It is now ready for the first pieces of track to be laid (Take two). Just about to get the soldering iron out.

Unfortunately on call this week with work so won't be getting  a pass for Swanage. Hope there I another similar event soon as fancy another diesel gala day.

Cheers,

Stu.

[SparxD428]

So the first track is down, the station corner of the down main. Also in place are 3 sets of droppers and the first bus wires. As I am new to DCC I am not sure whether to run a single bus or make 4 separate buses (zones?) for each loop to simplify any fault finding. Any DCC expertise and advice out there would be gratefully received.

Continuity and Resistance drop tests all good as they should be. However as I am yet to have a DCC controller it needed the old faithful Gaugemaster and of course a decent engine to run a simple up & down test to make sure all is good. I will be able to test analogue up to a point so have plenty of time before I will need a DCC unit.

 

At last some pictures, I admit it looks like 11 has been tail ended by a large soldering iron stand in one of them.

Cheers,

Stu.

 

[SparxD428]

Been busy on the layout again this weekend, although it doesn't look like it. Have been positioning some of the older track to give an idea of where the yard/small stabling point will go as well as the station throat and main down and up lines. Also decided to have a road overbridge just west of the station but far enough not to obstruct the view of the station from where the control panel will be, its going to be a sort of scene splitter from the station and the approach.

 

Attached a couple of sample pics using some of the old Westquay platforms and track - just for reference.

Now I need to purchase more points, track and cable before I can continue further on the relief lines, although I can use the old stuff to mark out the template and lay the cork.

 

Cheers,

Stu.

 

Pic 1. Station throat (West End of station heading out of Paddington)

Pics 2 & 3 - Station viewed from West.

Pic 4 - overall view of most of the layout scenic side.

 

 

[Rob Evans]

Lots of potential with this layout, cracking hoover too. Watching with interest to see how this develops.

 

All the best

 

Rob

[class"66"]

Looking forward to another update

[SparxD428]

Thanks Rob & Neil,

Another day and another challenge/setback. Last night I thought I had better try and attack the inner line on the lift out section, particularly as it curves across the hinged section. Needless to say after an epic failure I took the only action necessary, and promptly went down the pub for the evening to forget completely about anything to do with railways. Today I have been over to Alton for a few supplies to continue the layout build, mainly points and motors and a CDU in preparation for testing before I build the panel. Regarding the tricky lift out, I will have another go in time, and at worst case I will just rebuild it as a fixed duck-under - at 4ft from the ground its not too much of a strain on the back to get in to the operating well.

Will try and get a few pics up later of progress.

 

Cheers,

Stu.

[Temeraire]

Hi Stu

 

Keep going mate you'll get there eventually, and funny you were in Alton earlier I was at Ropley all day inside Lion you could have come and said hello! Keep Sunday 7th June free, it's the next running day.

[rob D2]

Railways driving you to drink stu !

Such a healthy hobby we have, it makes me swear as well...