Popular Post Marcus 37 Posted April 1, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted April 1, 2015 (edited) With the base boards completed and the track plan laid out its time to give the new layout its own topic.The layout is based on Peak Forest but due to the differences in track plan and curvature I decided on the name Peak Dale Wood. Peak Dale is actually a lot closer to Peak Forest Yard than the village of the same name.The layout is 13' x 13' and being loosely based on Peak Forest encompasses the quarry sidings and rapid loader, The disused station in use as the depot building and the storage sidings.Although the layout will be mainly freight operations in my world the Peak line never closed so there will be passenger services passing through on the main line.The week off work has played dividends with some serious progress being made. The base boards are all extended to there correct widths and the track plan laid ready to start track laying.Today I realigned the entrance to the fiddle yard ready to accept the new main lines.With all the track laying to be done I invested in a nice new multi tool from Tool Station which makes real light work of cutting the rails.The pictures below show the track plan with stock placed to give some idea of what relates to where.This picture shows looking towards the Tunstead direction with the Class 66 on the main line. The wagons to the right are in the storage sidings. The Tarmac hoppers to the left are in the run round loop.The point work at the end is going to be changed slightly as I realigned the main line as it looked to straight.The one thing I wanted with this layout was nice sweeping curves rather than the long straights that were on the previous layout.This picture shows the transition from one board to the next. The class 70 is standing in the run round loop.The 37 and the MEA wagons are stabled in the storage sidings.This picture shows what will be the view off the road bridge eventually. The 47 is stabled on the fuel road, the 37 is departing the storage sidings and the 150 unit is on the up main. The class 70 is still waiting on the run round loop!This is the view looking off the other side of the road bridge. The autoballasters and IOAs are on the quarry stabling roads. The 37 is heading on the main towards Dove Holes Tunnel.Here the 37 is stabled on the quarry North end shunt neck whilst the Polybulk is stabled on the cripple siding.As my track didn't turn up today I went to the builders merchants and invested in a sheet of 8 x 4 50mm ECO Span and had a crack at doing some of the rock faces at the dove holes end of the layout.At the moment they've just had a light coat of light grey masonry paint but will get a few washes of darker grey when it dries. It's only shiny as the paint is still wet.This view shows a 37 coming through the cutting from Dove Holes tunnel.The next two days I'm going to be spending up in the Peak District so will be having a reccy at Peak Forest tomorrow for some inspiration and a few ideas.Hopefully my track will arrive so will be cracking on with laying the mains on Sunday.CheersMarcus Edited November 29, 2017 by Marcus 37 20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Looking realy good Marcus!!! Cant wait for another "super" update on this... cheers neil.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted April 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 2, 2015 gbrf taking over the sinfin tanks? that cutting looks great already! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Looking great keep it up David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeT Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Morning Marcus. Glad to see you have started your new layout, and it looks good will be watching with interest... George Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Morning Marcus, some wonderful planning mate and loads of room for some stunning scenic. More pics soon I hope. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew33103 Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Looks good. Andrew 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack374 Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Looking great already! Picture 3 certainly captures the view really well! That cutting looks the biz too. You may have to think about lighting for that though, to get the best effect. Now following with interest! Jack. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Alister_G Posted April 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 2, 2015 Ooh! This is going to be great! Love the Peak Forest setting, and that cutting is going to be awesome. I wonder where you got that idea from?? :scratchhead: You're welcome to call in at Bakewell if you get chance mate. Al. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharrc20 Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Peak Forest based layout oooh yes! Looking nice Marcus. I was up there two days last week and the traffic seemed to have slackened off a little since I last did a full day up there. But still plenty of good locos and wagons to keep looking at too and its amazing how things change too in what wagons operate on the different service. For example I never really expected to see any ex-Sheerness steel JXAs working up there but yes now there is and four are in use on the Dowlow to Ashburys aggregates traffic running with three of the usual JRA RIV bogie box wagons. Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed a/c Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Shall follow along with interest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Great start. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus 37 Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 Hi Folks Thanks for all the positive comments. Really looking forward to getting stuck into it a bit more tomorrow. Thought I would post up a few pictures of Friday's expedition. Luckily the weather was perfect for it with lovely sunshine all day. This is No 2 ventilation shaft from Dove Holes tunnel. No 1 is very close to the entrance so I will incorporate this into the layout. This is a view down the cutting from the footpath above the tunnel mouth looking towards Peak Forest. A view of the loading shed in the Cemex quarry. A Class 66 loading, to my surprise, HTA coal wagons. Obviously with the down turn in coal traffic they've found alternative uses for the wagons. So another type I can add legitimately to my fleet. Another Class 66 but this time with ex Sheerness scrap wagons. The road over bridge looking towards Peak Forest long sidings. A view from the bridge looking into the Cemex Quarry A Class 66 powering away from Peak Forest towards Dove Holes tunnel. The old Peak Forest station building. Class 60 departing Tunstead quarry passing Peak Forest long sidings. A FLHH service from Ferry Bridge to Tunstead. Another Class 60 performing a run round move on a Tunstead service. A Washwood Heath to Peak Forest arrives before backing into the Cemex quarry. A train load of empty box wagons arrive from Walsall. View of Peak Forest South Signal Box. So a good day all in all with plenty of ideas to get me going. Will probably spend a few hours on the layout tomorrow as my tracks arrived for the main line. I'll stick up some pictures tomorrow night if I get chance. Cheers Marcus 19 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus 37 Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 Peak Forest based layout oooh yes! Looking nice Marcus. I was up there two days last week and the traffic seemed to have slackened off a little since I last did a full day up there. But still plenty of good locos and wagons to keep looking at too and its amazing how things change too in what wagons operate on the different service. For example I never really expected to see any ex-Sheerness steel JXAs working up there but yes now there is and four are in use on the Dowlow to Ashburys aggregates traffic running with three of the usual JRA RIV bogie box wagons. Cheers Paul I was quite lucky on Thursday. They was quite a bit of traffic around as you can see from the photos.You're quite right about the wagon front. I was very surprised to see the HTA coal hoppers being used on Aggregates services. I did see the JXAs as well. There does seem to be an upturn in Aggregates traffic at the moment. At GBRF we seem to be working more and more. Cheers Marcus. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus 37 Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 Ooh! This is going to be great! Love the Peak Forest setting, and that cutting is going to be awesome. I wonder where you got that idea from?? :scratchhead: You're welcome to call in at Bakewell if you get chance mate. Al. Hello Mate Sorry I was on a bit of a tight schedule. But will pop in next time I'm up which won't be to long. Don't worry I will be delving into your thread regularly for hints and tips. Especially the tunnel mouth and two road bridges that need constructing. Cheers Marcus 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus 37 Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 Looking great already! Picture 3 certainly captures the view really well! That cutting looks the biz too. You may have to think about lighting for that though, to get the best effect. Now following with interest! Jack. Hi Jack Thanks for the compliments. I think you're quite right about the lighting as there is quite a shadow down there. I'm also thinking of fixing a mirror to the rafters as from the operating position you can't see down into the cutting which will be a shame if it's out of site. Hoping to get a bit more done tomorrow. Cheers Marcus 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony566 Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Looking forward to seeing more layout progress Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharrc20 Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 I was quite lucky on Thursday. They was quite a bit of traffic around as you can see from the photos. You're quite right about the wagon front. I was very surprised to see the HTA coal hoppers being used on Aggregates services. I did see the JXAs as well. There does seem to be an upturn in Aggregates traffic at the moment. At GBRF we seem to be working more and more. Cheers Marcus. Looks like you got the DBS liveried JGA at the head of the Washwood Heath empties plus I see they have had a clear up of the Down sidings next to the Cemex sidings as this wall full of a mix of boxes and hoppers when I went up. Plus the HTAs in the Up Sidings looks like they have crippled a few already! Was the sole JEA still in the Up Sidings perchance? Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 Looks like a worthwhile photo session David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus 37 Posted April 6, 2015 Author Share Posted April 6, 2015 A quick taster. more to come later..... 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Were the coal hoppers definitely loaded with aggregates? I'd have thought there might be a danger of overloading, with the different densities of materials. They look empty in the photos, and I wondered if they might be still on coal traffic, e.g. to Hope Cement, and just being "parked up" at Peak Forest. Not sure, just speculating. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus 37 Posted April 6, 2015 Author Share Posted April 6, 2015 Were the coal hoppers definitely loaded with aggregates? I'd have thought there might be a danger of overloading, with the different densities of materials. They look empty in the photos, and I wondered if they might be still on coal traffic, e.g. to Hope Cement, and just being "parked up" at Peak Forest. Not sure, just speculating. Take a look at Photo 4 in the collection of Peak Forest. You will see in that photo there is a rake being loaded. Not unusual to use different types of wagons on aggregate flows but if it's anything like Stud Farm,where I drive out of, the wagons are batch loaded so different weights can be loaded onto a specific wagon. Finally at Stud Farm we pass over a weigh bridge to ensure we are not overloaded before venturing out onto the mainline. I expect the HTAs are like the MBAs as they too can't be loaded full with aggregates. These definitely work out of Peak Forest.The HTAs were definitely being loaded as about every ten minutes the train was drawn forward a wagon length. A very tedious job when you've got a long train. Marcus 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great Western Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 The loading is down automatically, well more or less.....set the slow speed controller and off you go. Great Western Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Hi Marcus, I'm off for a few days Holiday so looking forward to some real progress next week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Hi Marcus, Looks like a great start to your layout. Such a lot of different liveries and traffic, I'm following this now Jinty ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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