Wartime Sussex 1943(ish)

[GreenGiraffe22]

All the pre-grouping wagons are genuine, and most of the breweries, he showed me a couple of photos of the real things, he does quite a lot of research in to them

 

[GreenGiraffe22]

Another new addition, the Hornby 1940: Return from Dunkirk set that my partner bought in the Hattons sale, I am really am loving so far! I added a PLV to it too.

As well as looking visually stunning, that 700 is by far the best running Hornby steam engine I have ever owned. It is so smooth and responsive! Bettered only perhaps by my 2-bil which really is an impeccable runner. 

It is nice to have some matching coaches for my E4 too, even if the shades of Olive Hornby & Bachmann used are really quite different... my malachite coaches look far better being pulled by black locos. Although I'm sure mis-matched engines & carriages were a frequent sight in the 40s. I wonder, did olive & malachite coaches ever up joined together? Perhaps if 2 different sets were joined together?

Anyway, here are some photos   My phone camera (Samsung S7) has a really frustrating focus, I can usually only ever get focus on the  foreground, background or middle, rarely the whole photo...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GreenGiraffe22]

So I added on another 3 Maunsell carriages but it made it too heavy, so I double-headed it with my C Class as they run at pretty much the same speed on the same power setting, takes up nearly half the circuit!

 

 

[GreenGiraffe22]

I've been discussing with my partner about ripping the whole lot up and starting again. I'm having so many issues with radius 1 curves and dodgy points that half the layout isn't really usable, especially with the newer trains, and I want to be able to enjoy it fully. There are also places where the track has been forced together a bit and that causes issues too.

I'd like to extend it out a bit too, it used to come out further where the station is creating a sort of L shape.

I think with good planning and investing in some new track we could create something better and less likely to make me tear my hair out in despair!   

[BlueLightning]

If it's stressing you out the starting again sounds like a good option. To much stress over time will kill your enjoyment in the hobby. I don't want to teach you to suck eggs but if you do rip it all up make sure you write a list of what you want out of a layout before starting again with sections for 1. What you must have 2. What you would like to have 3. What you would not like to have and 4. What you must avoid at all costs and try to get as many of 1 & 2 and as little of 3 & 4 as you can.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Gary

[Rivercider]

I like what you have done so far, what you have achieved by sticking to a theme is impressive, 

but, as Gary says, if it is bugging you then it may be better to start again.

Less circuits, but using the largest radius you can will be good, as will any extra length you can find.

 

cheers

[Nearholmer]

What are the dimensions of the space that you have?

 

Knowing the way things work here, if you "let on", then you will be deluged with alternative ideas within minutes!

 

Kevin

[GreenGiraffe22]

Thanks guys, yeah No radius 1 curves where possible will be right at the top of the list. My outside loop is fine but there are several curves on the inside loop where all of my newer engines minus the M7 run straight off the rails. Fortunately non of the scenery is glued down, only the bottom layer of grass and ballast so that'll make life a bit easier, I think it'll be worth it. I'm debating having a loop or a U shape with a dead ended station one end with a bit for engines to run around. I'll have to see what I can fit in the space with wider curves. I'll get the dimensions after work this evening, any suggestions will be most welcome.

[GreenGiraffe22]

So I've got some dimensions, The base board  is a sort of hexagonal polygon.

So, the side against the sloping roof is 6"3,
Back wall 4"2,
Level crossing corner is 2"9,
Station Side is 3"5
Bus corner 1"2 corner
Front side 5"2.  

It could potentially, revert to its former size before I left home for a couple of years which would be an extra 3" X 2" extension where the station is across the banisters, but that is subject to negotiations with Mum & Dad. If I take up Mum's proposal of making the train/guest room my bedroom, then I may be able to extend it out further both sides, we'll see. 

Would I still get away with 2 loops using radius 2 + or will it simply be too wide? I'm thinking of putting the station the other side and having as many lines as possible where the station is now to store trains to stop or pass through the station, it's sort of what was supposed to be on the sloping side now but I didn't plan it out very well...  Plus I think all but 1 of my large curved points were busted. I think most of that track is older than I am!

Ideas welcome! 

[Nearholmer]

So, roughly 6'x4', with possible planning consent for a bit more.

 

Now ........ If you can secure full possession of the room, you will almost certainly find that you can create a more satisfying layout by making something pretty narrow around the perimeter.

 

This is classic "60 Plans for Small Locations" territory: have you got a copy? Usually very cheap secondhand, and not expensive new. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Railway-Modeller-Plans-Small-Locations/dp/0900586257 (anyone who pays £94.77, as Amazon suggests, ought to receive all of the thousands of copies ever printed!!)

 

The issue with small spaces these days tends to be that it is so easy to acquire trains, that a layout fills-up very quickly, so you might want to think about having less "active" track, but having a yard of some sort, where coaches/wagons will be in a realistic setting when "in standby mode"; if you can get this to run along a wall, perhaps as one shelf among book shelves, that might work.

 

Stolen thumbnail of Norwood Junction in 1939 below; I can't find the original to link to, but it is somewhere in Flickr.

 

K

Edited May 20, 2016 by Nearholmer

[GreenGiraffe22]

No rebuilding has occurred just yet, but I did find someone selling some Oxford Rail wagons on ebay with free postage so I bought a few, I usually only buy private owner wagons from London & the South East, as that is the area I'm interested in but I couldn't resist the striking green of the Weymouth & District wagon! I may well end up buying Oxford Rail's entire plank wagon range, I really like them! I think they look great and very reasonably priced. I just need to weather them up and I'm either going to put military loads in them or more likely cover them with some SR tarpaulins I have

 

I tried to take some photos whilst the goods train was on the move but my phone doesn't have a very good shutter speed... It has made it look like the C Class is rocketing round the layout but it was really crawling round rather slowly...

 

 

 

[GreenGiraffe22]

Oh look, Matt has been buying wagons again, I already have way more rolling stock than will fit on my layout but like that's gonna stop me? When I see 3 limited edition wagons priced at £17 (two of which are specifically WW2 related, according to Bachmann) when they are usually £15 each, I just can't say no...   Here is a link to a video I uploaded to Twitter.  Is there a way to embed a video into a forum post?  https://twitter.com/GreenGiraffe22/status/740524285823995904

There are a few short videos I have posted to Twitter over the past few months, if people want to see, let me know and I'll post links, it'll save you having to trawl through my Twitter media.

Anyway here are some photos of the wagons and the goods trains around the layout. I have a lot of weathering to do but it is something I've gotta be in the mood for...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 8, 2016 by GreenGiraffe22

[GreenGiraffe22]

WELL! Today I was feeling very motivated, and subsiquently boxed everything up, took most of the scenery off and pulled up the track and began laying some new track... All in 5 solid hours! 

Took an opportunity to take a photo of my fleet 

 

 

 

I sorted out the curves I had spare, I'm not quite sure how my Dad managed to collect this much track, seems I have an abundance of radius 3s

 

 

After pulling up the track it seemed it was actually largely radius 3s with some 4s but a couple of 1s that were causing issues. I also took great pleasure in throwing out my broken points that had been causing me grief.

Was using Maunsell carriages to get the station distant right, I think there is going to be a big gap one side but you won't be able to see it

 

 

 

This is the track I have planned out so far, been using the 700 and T9 to test all the corner, I'd have liked to have used my Q1 as that is the most problematic but I've lost one of the screws on the side rods so that's out of action for a while. Not a radius 1 in sight. There is one radius 2 on the outside loop near the station but it doesn't seem to be causing any problems, the rest is all radius 3 & 4.

 

I'll add the rest of the station when the track is all nailed down, not quite sure what to do with the yard area just yet.

[GreenGiraffe22]

Nope, E4 still derailing all over the place on bends, likewise my T9, I've posted in the tips section for help, I am at my wits end here!!!!  

[GreenGiraffe22]

After lots of advice from many of you I have managed to start tackling the derailment issues and have ordered some new Peco points, I think I'm gonna have to get me some quite a few little straights too to fill some gaps. 

[Kelly]

Are you using Peco code 100? that might account for the derailments perhaps. It is a very interesting period to model, with lots of historical possibilities (bombed out buildings, units etc, armoured trains (they armoured an N as well as some on the RH&D)). Keeping curves and points are 'flowing' as possible is the best way to try to get better running in many regards.

 

Before ripping up and starting again though, give a package like Anyrail a try and knock up a few plans to see what fits and so on. I've found it helpful to do similar for my own layout (though that is P4, so I've been using Templot, but I'd not recommend that option). A fiddle yard->terminus might work better and allow longer trains with careful thought perhaps.

[GreenGiraffe22]

Well I've sorted out my station area, moving it to the other side has allowed for 2 long platforms that can comfortably hold three carriage trains. It's been tested and pinned down, the only derailments I get are if locos travel through the points too quickly, but on this quiet country railway with lots of military goods passing through, there is no need for speed.    

 

 

 

[ktundu99]

I've found that most derailments seem to occur when the track isn't perfectly level, particularly on points. By the looks of your baseboard, there is a fair bit of ballast left scattered around; even a couple of grains of stray ballast in the wrong place has caused me no end of difficulty in the past...

[Zomboid]

I would suggest you try to get the derailing on the points thing sorted out. It'll only come back to bite you if you live with it not working on day 1, and it's only likely to get worse.

[BlueLightning]

I have to agree with the previous comments my old layout had a problem with points that I never sorted and in the end it nearly resulted in me stopping with the hobby altogether before scrapping that layout and starting again with a new layout. I had pretty much stopped modelling for 6 months before that and only restarted as I was given my current layout.

 

Gary

Edited June 14, 2016 by BlueLightning

[GreenGiraffe22]

It's cool, I think I had a misaligned rail, think I've got it sorted. I've set the outside loop up with 3... let's call them 'storage lines'  so I can have 3 trains made up ready to traverse the loop. There's quite a space between two of those storage lines, thinking I'll either add a siding or perhaps some carriage cleaning platforms? Perhaps even a tank loading ramp, I'll think of something. 

I'm probably not going to bother connecting the outside loop to the inside, every single time I've attempted it in the past it has been a disaster and I don't fancy putting myself through the stress .

Once It's all finished, I should be able to have 5, maybe 6 trains made up at any one time that can pass through the three station platforms. Looking forward to adding a couple of Hornby rebuilt 58' s to my passenger rolling stock. I know they're really from the wrong side of the SR network, but I won't tell if you don't!

[GreenGiraffe22]

Good evening all, my layout is slowly starting to take shape, I've got a photo or two for you, ignore the yard area and all the mess, I haven't fully decided on the layout for it yet, but the main loops are all sorted, tested & working!  

 

 

The only trouble I am having at the moment, is that siding that comes off to the left by the level crossing, as soon as the points are set for it it cuts off all the power to the circuit, I assume it is something to do with the electricity flow as I've tried several points just to rule that out dodgy points and they're all doing it. Could it be that that siding just needs to be wired up separately? 

 

 

 

 

[GreenGiraffe22]

All the tracks in the main 2 loops pinned down and working well I think I'm going to have to wire that siding up to a separate controller because the electricity will just not flow to it, but will flow into the yard, which is curious. Anyway here is a link to a video on my Twitter  https://twitter.com/GreenGiraffe22/status/747442398658191360 just need to sort out what to do with the yard layout now. 

[GreenGiraffe22]

Two more wagons arrived today from Simply Southern, one is their new Isfield Brewery wagon, I was shown a photo of the real thing so it is a genuine livery! The other is one of their old Dark Star wagons they were able to source for me, I wanted it because my Great Grandfather worked for Dark Star and my Grandfather is always asking me if I have a Dark Star wagon, so now I do!

 

Anyone for a beer?

 

 

My yard layout is pretty much finalised now, just need to wire up the yard controller and hope it all works, but there are so many points it is potentially fraught with problems, I'll let you know! I'm going to have to wire up a 4th controller to that siding the T9 is on as I can not get power from the loop to go to it at all. 

 

 

Here's some links to a couple of videos on Twitter, the first of my M7 pulling the "beer train" and the other is the 700 & C class both on goods trains, it seems Twitter lets me upload videos longer than 30 seconds now, but in return it destroys the quality.

https://twitter.com/GreenGiraffe22/status/748139348953030656

 

 

https://twitter.com/GreenGiraffe22/status/748142229068316672

 

 

[GreenGiraffe22]

Hey all, been a while since I brought you an update, the track is all in place and up and running. I still find myself being frustrated at being confined to such a small space, but it's only temporary.

Thought I'd share a few photos. I think Bachmann's new C Class & E4 are next on the shopping list I'm one of those people who will wait patiently for a bargain, I'm in no rush to grab new releases, having said that, I have 2 of Hornby's new SR carriages on pre-order, their region is a bit far west for me but I don't really care I have however decided to focus my collection more on ex - LBSC/SECR & South Eastern stock for future, it rules out some purchases I was planning but it helps control the spending and bring more realism to the layout There is still lots to be done scenery wise, the staiton is slowly all being put back together, any gravel / grass you can see is left over from before, I did scrape a lot of it up but there is still plenty lingering, as well as areas I kept as they were.

Anyway, here are some up to date photos! and a link to a short video on Twitter of the E4 & 700 running https://twitter.com/GreenGiraffe22/status/755102806411972609

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still need to re-paint and put the Southern wording and lettering in the right place on the E2, it is on the to do list along with the Terrier

 

 

 

 

 

Let me know what you think, I welcome ideas for region & era appropriate things to run / have as scenics