andi4x4 Posted February 12, 2017 Author Share Posted February 12, 2017 (edited) Bit of an update guys, Final track plan as below - the red section has been laid, awaiting points for the bay platform lines, blue section still an option, but, no progress has been made towards that as yet. On tomorrows job card - Lift all the track so that I can drill the holes for the point motors on the right hand board (bay junction) Fit point motors and extend wiring where necissary Make a couple of alterations to the left hand board, then, lift track and drill for point motors, fit and extend wires, etc Make a start on the platforms. In between all that, wash all my uniform ready to a return to work after 4 months off with a back injury - should be interesting ! Edited July 5, 2022 by andi4x4 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted February 25, 2017 Author Share Posted February 25, 2017 Hi all, Just to keep you all updated, not much progress has been made due to starting back at work (12 hour shifts) and one or two other things getting in the way. Track has been relaid on the right hand station board following drilling the holes for the point motors. Next up is to refit the point motors and wire them back up to the decoders, then I can start on the left hand board. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
danstercivicman Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 Looking forward to progress on this its started off really well Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted April 10, 2017 Author Share Posted April 10, 2017 Thanks Dan, I'm looking forward to progress too ! Don't seem to have been able to find much time just lately with one thing or another but, I am itching to get back onto it ! It is quite some way removed from the original idea of two mirror image 'Minories' plans set back-to-back, but, I am happy with the way it is heading - just needs to start moving again ! It's been sat at the platform for too long ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted April 30, 2017 Author Share Posted April 30, 2017 (edited) Just to keep you all updated and keep the thread alive...... No work has been done on the layout since my last post, primarily due to me being back at work and grabbing all the overtime I can get my hands on....... This is due to us saving up as much money as we can to top up the 'House Deposit Fund' as we are planning to buy our own property in the next couple of months. We have found two - one the missus likes which offers us nothing we are looking for, and another one I like which ticks all of our boxes, but, the missus doesn't like it - Go Figure ! The hunt continues....... As for the railways.... Well the 00 is as it was last described a few posts up, but has now been disassembled and packed away as we need to use the room for visitors over TT fortnight - got a house full this year - nine of us all together ! The proposed 0 gauge layout has not even started yet, still planning that one, but, with a house move on the horizon, no progress will be made with that until we are in the new place, although I have a Dapol 08, some wagon kits to build and a Triang Hymek and conversion kit to get on with when I find some time. I will start a separate thread for the 0 gauge when I finally get going with it, in the meantime, I am just collecting odd bits of stock and track and, if the deposit fund allows, a Heljan cl37 would be nice !. So, I am still here, lurking in the background, reading the updated posts daily and gleaning as much information, advice, and inspiration as I can ! Edited April 30, 2017 by andi4x4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted June 23, 2017 Author Share Posted June 23, 2017 So, Still no progress on the railway front, TT guests have been and gone - been a good TT this year, despite the weather and the unfortunate incidents. News on the house move - We have found a property we both like, offer made and accepted, survey done and come back good, solicitors appointed and mortgage approved in principle. Just waiting for the mortgage proper to be granted and things will start moving. Unfortunately, only 2 bed and no usable loft space means that a Man Shed in the garden will be a priority for railway activities, closely followed by extension for bedroom #3 ! Time to start a new collection - of packing boxes ! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 Good luck with the House move Andi, I hope it all goes well for you mate, then it's MAN SHED time, go for it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted June 25, 2017 Author Share Posted June 25, 2017 Thanks Andy ! Already looking around at shed options ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted August 31, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 31, 2017 (edited) If things are not glued immutably down on the 00 layout, may I throw in a suggestion? I rather liked the earlier 'double ended Minories' form that you discarded in favour of a dead straight run through in order for your Western not to foul on platforms when using the trailing crossover at the 'tunnel' end of the station, if I am reading the situation correctly. Another way around this, which would retain the 'Minoriesosity' of the plan, avoid fouling because of the Western's overhang, and extend the length of the run around loop in the station, would be to move the trailing crossover onto the curve and make it of one right handed point on the road occupied by the Western in the photo and one left handed one on the other road, which would be the up if it was Birmingham Snow Hill. This would be very much in keeping with the Minories spirit of having no reverse curves over pointwork. You would still have to be careful of platform clearance and probably have to fit scratchbuilt platforms to the site; good news is they are platforms, not rakes of panelled coaches or Beyer-Garratts. Clearance can be determined in the following way:- Using your longest vehicle, probably a mk1 64 foot coach for what looks like your period, or the Western if it's longer between the bogies, sellotape marker pens to the centre point of the coach and one corner on each side; use different colours if you like, but so that the tips mark the bare baseboard. Push the coach around the entire track plan by hand, with the track temporarily pinned down, making sure that the felt tips draw lines on the baseboard. You will have to lift the vehicle over pointwork or crossings. Don't do this on drawings of the track plan, do it on the actual track for accuracy. You will now have loading gauge width lines showing the limit to which your platforms can overhang, plus the limit of clearances on curves and for lineside objects, with a safety margin of half the width of the felt tip pens. Where lines of the same colour intersect, the coach will foul. Where lines of different colour intersect, the coach will foul a similar vehicle on the other track. IIRC I picked up this tip, which has served me well over many years and which I originally used in pencil because felt tips hadn't been invented, from Cyril Freezer's '60 plans for small railways', the very publication in which I first encountered 'Minories', which I still think is one of the best track plans ever except for the lack of goods facilities without which I could not live, so it would be appropriate for your layout! It is worth doing this exercise whatever track plan you adopt, and can save a lot of time and money later! If you are running class 40s, 44/5/6, or Southern Railway 1Co-Co1s, check the clearances of these as well. If they foul, it might be an excuse for changing locos, an excuse for both more locos and more movements. There were plenty of examples of this on the real railway, outlined in the working timetable appendices, of places where certain classes were prohibited on the grounds of length, for instance Westerns were banned from parts of Margam marshalling yard in case they grounded on the hump of the loco release road. A classic case for Rule 1, with a loco bringing in a train from the tunnel end, and coming off to head to the shed to be replaced by a Western or Peak. In the other direction, this is less likely as the train will have to be stopped on the main running line, but they did it at Carlisle Upperby, and it's still feasible on through freight work. I've just messed up the lovely plan you'd settled on, haven't I, and you've got to go back to square one and think it out again. Well, you don't have to, but it's an option if you wanted to... Edited August 31, 2017 by The Johnster Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCB Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 Man shed sounds like a great idea, but remember a 8X6 is only 5 feet 6 X 7 feet 6 inside really need 15 feet X 6 inside for your layout, so maybe 16 feet X 8 feet. And we get fatter, our backs don't bend the little step and easy duck under becomes a torture! I wondered about a big caravan as a layout room, dead easy to move if you move house... A double garage with layout loft above could be good. Move a couple of beds in for TT week, you could live there and let the house out.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted August 31, 2017 Author Share Posted August 31, 2017 If things are not glued immutably down on the 00 layout, may I throw in a suggestion? I rather liked the earlier 'double ended Minories' form that you discarded in favour of a dead straight run through in order for your Western not to foul on platforms when using the trailing crossover at the 'tunnel' end of the station, if I am reading the situation correctly. Another way around this, which would retain the 'Minoriesosity' of the plan, avoid fouling because of the Western's overhang, and extend the length of the run around loop in the station, would be to move the trailing crossover onto the curve and make it of one right handed point on the road occupied by the Western in the photo and one left handed one on the other road, which would be the up if it was Birmingham Snow Hill. This would be very much in keeping with the Minories spirit of having no reverse curves over pointwork. You would still have to be careful of platform clearance and probably have to fit scratchbuilt platforms to the site; good news is they are platforms, not rakes of panelled coaches or Beyer-Garratts. Clearance can be determined in the following way:- Using your longest vehicle, probably a mk1 64 foot coach for what looks like your period, or the Western if it's longer between the bogies, sellotape marker pens to the centre point of the coach and one corner on each side; use different colours if you like, but so that the tips mark the bare baseboard. Push the coach around the entire track plan by hand, with the track temporarily pinned down, making sure that the felt tips draw lines on the baseboard. You will have to lift the vehicle over pointwork or crossings. Don't do this on drawings of the track plan, do it on the actual track for accuracy. You will now have loading gauge width lines showing the limit to which your platforms can overhang, plus the limit of clearances on curves and for lineside objects, with a safety margin of half the width of the felt tip pens. Where lines of the same colour intersect, the coach will foul. Where lines of different colour intersect, the coach will foul a similar vehicle on the other track. IIRC I picked up this tip, which has served me well over many years and which I originally used in pencil because felt tips hadn't been invented, from Cyril Freezer's '60 plans for small railways', the very publication in which I first encountered 'Minories', which I still think is one of the best track plans ever except for the lack of goods facilities without which I could not live, so it would be appropriate for your layout! It is worth doing this exercise whatever track plan you adopt, and can save a lot of time and money later! If you are running class 40s, 44/5/6, or Southern Railway 1Co-Co1s, check the clearances of these as well. If they foul, it might be an excuse for changing locos, an excuse for both more locos and more movements. There were plenty of examples of this on the real railway, outlined in the working timetable appendices, of places where certain classes were prohibited on the grounds of length, for instance Westerns were banned from parts of Margam marshalling yard in case they grounded on the hump of the loco release road. A classic case for Rule 1, with a loco bringing in a train from the tunnel end, and coming off to head to the shed to be replaced by a Western or Peak. In the other direction, this is less likely as the train will have to be stopped on the main running line, but they did it at Carlisle Upperby, and it's still feasible on through freight work. I've just messed up the lovely plan you'd settled on, haven't I, and you've got to go back to square one and think it out again. Well, you don't have to, but it's an option if you wanted to... Hi Johnster, Thanks for your ideas, definitely worth looking into, I think ! The beauty of the modular method I chose to use, is that, I can just build a new board to replace an existing one without having to do a major rebuild of the railway. However, as I am sure you have discovered yourself over the years, nothing is ever set in stone ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted August 31, 2017 Author Share Posted August 31, 2017 Man shed sounds like a great idea, but remember a 8X6 is only 5 feet 6 X 7 feet 6 inside really need 15 feet X 6 inside for your layout, so maybe 16 feet X 8 feet. And we get fatter, our backs don't bend the little step and easy duck under becomes a torture! I wondered about a big caravan as a layout room, dead easy to move if you move house... A double garage with layout loft above could be good. Move a couple of beds in for TT week, you could live there and let the house out.... 16 x 8 David ?! That's a little small for a Man Shed, don't you think ! Lol ! Planning regs here on the Isle of Man are a little confusing, but, I have figured out that there is a big difference between a Shed/Home Office/Outbuilding with a max size of 15 sqm (16'x8') and a "Garage" with a maximum size of 36 sqm(20'x20') ! Neither of which require planning permission ! All I have to do if find out where they draw the line in the definition of Garage or Shed, and whether or not a "Garage" must have access to a road, or just enable a vehicle to enter the building ! Still haven't moved yet, waiting for searches to be completed, but should hear something soon, now ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJMR Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 Hello Andi, Hope you are better from your back! Great to see some updates although you are moving but by the looks of it with a new canvas with a possibility of an incredible space with your layout! Can't wait to check it out! Good luck with the move and have a good weekend Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted September 2, 2017 Author Share Posted September 2, 2017 Hello Andi, Hope you are better from your back! Great to see some updates although you are moving but by the looks of it with a new canvas with a possibility of an incredible space with your layout! Can't wait to check it out! Good luck with the move and have a good weekend Hi Des, Thanks for the good wishes, Back is all better now ( Touch wood ! ), but the house move has hit a snag We were told 4 weeks ago that the searches had commenced and that we should be all done and ready to exchange by the end of August. I rang our solicitor yesterday to find out what was happening as no-one had been in touch with any updates, and was told that the searches, in fact, have not yet started as our solicitors have still not received essential documents from the vendors solicitors, who in turn, cannot send out said documents until they have received essential documents from the vendors themselves ! So, from having been told 4 weeks ago that we should be in by first week in September, we are now actually no closer to moving than we were 4 weeks ago !!! P****d O** don't even come close ! As for a 'blank canvas', the current plan is to continue with the existing modular layout and simply modify existing boards, or add new/extra ones to fit the available space - once the Man Shed is built ( if we ever move that is ! ) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJMR Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 (edited) Hi Des, Thanks for the good wishes, Back is all better now ( Touch wood ! ), but the house move has hit a snag We were told 4 weeks ago that the searches had commenced and that we should be all done and ready to exchange by the end of August. I rang our solicitor yesterday to find out what was happening as no-one had been in touch with any updates, and was told that the searches, in fact, have not yet started as our solicitors have still not received essential documents from the vendors solicitors, who in turn, cannot send out said documents until they have received essential documents from the vendors themselves ! So, from having been told 4 weeks ago that we should be in by first week in September, we are now actually no closer to moving than we were 4 weeks ago !!! P****d O** don't even come close ! As for a 'blank canvas', the current plan is to continue with the existing modular layout and simply modify existing boards, or add new/extra ones to fit the available space - once the Man Shed is built ( if we ever move that is ! ) Always a pain, when they want something its like "do it now" otherwise its... "we will wait"... Never good! Swear they don't want the sale lol Fingers crossed for you! Des Edited September 2, 2017 by DJMR Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted November 30, 2017 Author Share Posted November 30, 2017 Well, I thought it was about time for an update - - Having had to extend our mortgage offer TWICE due to delays by the vendors, things suddenly all seemed to start moving very quickly towards the end of October. Eventually given a completion date of 17th November, solicitors called me in on Friday 9th November to sign in readiness for exchange ( everything done my end ) with an expectation of completing on the 14th - I then get a phonecall on Monday 12th November informing me that the vendors had pulled out and removed their property from the market ! AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!! So, since that weekend, we have been living out of boxes and suitcases (apart from the last week where we were away in the motorhome) and are now back to square one - looking for a house and about to start the mortgage application process all over again ! So far, it has cost us solicitors fees, mortgage arrangement fee, survey fees totalling about £5000, with nothing to show for it and no way of claiming it back. FUMING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On the plus side - Daughter number two has asked "Grandpa" to build a railway for Grandchild Number One - so, railway modelling has recommenced in the form of a "Trainset on a board" with a couple of sidings and a passing loop. Not quite my thing, but, at least I will be able to run some of my own trains until I hand it over in January ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobM Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 Oh my Andi..... What a trauma you've encountered here ....hope that matters will be resolved soon, perhaps can only look at it that 'fate' has intervened to enable you to search again for the right property and 'home' that is waiting for you all.....? All the best as always.... Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted December 1, 2017 Author Share Posted December 1, 2017 Oh my Andi..... What a trauma you've encountered here ....hope that matters will be resolved soon, perhaps can only look at it that 'fate' has intervened to enable you to search again for the right property and 'home' that is waiting for you all.....? All the best as always.... Bob Thanks Bob, That's exactly what I keep telling the missus - she is deeply disappointed as she fell in love with that property the second we walked in the door. Still, Hoping to go an view a couple tomorrow, one with a 35 foot loft room, all insulated, powered and ready to use ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted January 8, 2018 Author Share Posted January 8, 2018 (edited) On 30/11/2017 at 17:35, andi4x4 said: On the plus side - Daughter number two has asked "Grandpa" to build a railway for Grandchild Number One - so, railway modelling has recommenced in the form of a "Trainset on a board" with a couple of sidings and a passing loop. Not quite my thing, but, at least I will be able to run some of my own trains until I hand it over in January ! so, I posted the above on 30th November. Just delivered and installed it over the course of the weekend, with the "Big Reveal" happening yesterday evening. The entire railway was built assembled and tested at home in the Isle of Man, then disassembled, transported the 8 hours or so journey by car and ferry all the way to Daventry, reassembled and installed in grandsons bedroom whilst he was away for the weekend. He had no idea it was happening, so he was "pleasantly surprised" when he saw it on Sunday evening ! All buildings are loose fitted so they can be removed prior to folding away, however, the platforms and fencing and the buffer stops are fixed in place so remain on the board when folded away. Track is a mix of Hornby, Peco and Bachmann, with exclusively Hornby points - I did have a mix of points but discovered that the surface mount Hornby point motors would only fit Hornby points and not the others ! Peco switch levers for for remote operation of points, and a couple of spare slots for expansion with extra points or lighting switches. Pics below - I have not attached a track plan as the first image is basically that ! Happy New Year to one and all ! Edited July 5, 2022 by andi4x4 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted August 26, 2020 Author Share Posted August 26, 2020 So, resurrecting an old thread, I thought an update was due. Couple of posts back I mentioned the failed house purchase at the end of 2017 - FFWD to August 2018 and we finally moved into a property of our own. A 3 story, 4 bed Victorian town house with two (yes TWO !) basement rooms for all my toys ! Railways are still packed away in boxes though (Boooo!) due too being to busy over the last 2 years working on the property, restoring one motorcycle and custom building another, occasionally racing in a couple of online motorsport events, keeping up to date with favourite threads on RMWeb, and, in amongst all that I somehow managed to find time to go to work 42 hours a week ! The itch is developing however, so it is only a matter of time before the urge to scratch becomes irresistable ! Hope you are all well. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andi4x4 Posted July 5, 2022 Author Share Posted July 5, 2022 Long time since I have posted in this thread. I have, this evening, been going through some of my threads and posts to replace the missing images lost in the server crash. I have to be honest, this project has stalled over the last four years since the house move, partly due to working on the house, restoring one motorcycle and custom building another, focusing on some on-line motor racing and my other train interest in O gauge Tin Plate and its modern cousins. It has not been forgotten though - part of it was set up recently to test out a collection of 00 gauge locos I purchased for Grandchild Number One, (who is still interested, thankfully !) and I just had to get a couple of my sound fitted locos out for a play ! I keep tabs on the forum, and it is so scary to see the rate at which a certain Mr Peters continues to churn out stunning layouts and his Budoc Bridge TMD has given me ideas for a small dcc project ! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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