Deliberately Old-Fashioned 0 Scale - Chapter 1

[Nearholmer]

Yes, there was a time when I thought about creating a two-level layout, and roughed out a design for a sort of tea-trolley, but I decided that it was all a bit too complicated.

 

The previous lifting flap was a rush job, created from a board that I made, but never used, for a small portable layout. It was all part of a drive to get a circuit in place and running in time for New Year, when I first started the layout.

 

It worked "sort of OK", but was never great, because track ran across the interface on a sharp curve, and was forever going very slightly out of alignment. I did all the right things, soldering the rails to long brass screws etc, but tiny changes in the dimensions of the wood, as humidity varied, were enough to cause annoyance.

 

No interfaces on curves this time, and lots of wood primer!

 

K

[Simond]

If you want "epic" then the lifting section on Anthony Ashley's n-gauge railway is well worth looking at. The model is astonishing.

 

Best

Simon

[St Enodoc]

If you want "epic" then the lifting section on Anthony Ashley's n-gauge railway is well worth looking at. The model is astonishing.

 

Best

Simon

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/71151-north-welsh-coast-railway-welsh-dragon-rail/

[Nearholmer]

Er-maze-in! I love the way he started with a giant mural.

 

Some progress on my my modest effort today, between 'more important jobs', with a bit of test-fitting of track, and creating kits for a platform and loading dock.

 

I'm now at the intended point, with 'big' tasks done, and the ground laid for a series of smaller, fiddlier jobs that are suitable for autumn evenings to come. I've learned to take track-laying slowly and carefully, so it may be quite a while before trains can actually circulate again.

 

In the mean time, a couple of good old-fashioned layouts, from "Model Railways" by Greenly, the first general 'how to' book on the subject. There is barely a word or diagram in the book that isn't still applicable, most of what has happened since amounting to gilding the lily.

Edited August 19, 2017 by Nearholmer

[brianusa]

"A high degree of realism"? No doubt some would question that remark but for any tinplater the picture represents an earlier age of what we are still trying to emulate. The classic look that only can happen with three rails, oversize flanges and what appears to be home made/hand laid track. Even what appears to be point control from a signal box! I wonder who made it and who made the locos and rolling stock?

 

Brian.

[Northroader]

OK,then, what about this instead of a lifting flap?

[Nearholmer]

If I sourced twelve million pieces of Meccano, and spent six months building that, my layout would be at ceiling height, so possibly the lifting bridge below? (photo by 'Sladen', licensed for free replication)?

 

When I was a trainee, I was attached to the team that looked after the mechanisms and controls of this bridge for a month. Inside each tower is a series of cat ladders, leading upwards to a hatch, which opens onto the top of the tower. About three metres square, no railings, and b high up! I recall hanging on to a lightning conductor with white knuckles.

 

The towers continue below ground as far as they reach above, because until that depth everything is oozy marshland, and the 'feet' are linked by a service tunnel.

[BG John]

Did it have a problem with mice, if it needed cat ladders?

[Nearholmer]

BGJ

 

It's an old nautical tradition, carried over from lighthouse-keeping into lifting-bridge-minding; every lifting bridge spanning tidal waters has a cat. Dog-owners aren't admitted to the bridge-minding trade.

 

Brian

 

Mr S Gledhill. I think his layout is described in one of the pre-WW1 MR&L magazines.

Edited August 19, 2017 by Nearholmer

[St Enodoc]

If I sourced twelve million pieces of Meccano, and spent six months building that, my layout would be at ceiling height, so possibly the lifting bridge below? (photo by 'Sladen', licensed for free replication)?

 

When I was a trainee, I was attached to the team that looked after the mechanisms and controls of this bridge for a month. Inside each tower is a series of cat ladders, leading upwards to a hatch, which opens onto the top of the tower. About three metres square, no railings, and b high up! I recall hanging on to a lightning conductor with white knuckles.

 

The towers continue below ground as far as they reach above, because until that depth everything is oozy marshland, and the 'feet' are linked by a service tunnel.

Does it still operate Kevin? I thought I'd read somewhere that it doesn't.

 

Too far east for my patch. I was on the Central for a while.

[unravelled]

I think this design would be more suitable for Meccano

 

 

 

Dave

[Nearholmer]

St Enodoc

 

There is now a high-level road bridge over the Swale, which doesn't need to open, but the railway and what is now a minor road still cross the lifting bridge. My understanding is that, apart from periodic maintenance and the odd breakdown (it got stuck open a few years ago), it is still in use. It's a long way from where I live now, and it's not exactly an area that is on the tourist track, so the last time I crossed it was probably six or seven years ago.

 

Anyway, Chaps, by golly did I get a surprise this morning when I phoned my family to see how they are: they're coming home a day earlier than I expected!!!! Now having a coffee break from the most lunatic few hours of housework ever done, and I've barely ticked-off a thing from the list of jobs.

 

It's been great talking to you all. No flowers. Donations to a charity of your choice.

 

Kevin

[F-UnitMad]

Aww, Playtime over for now, Kevin...

 

Edit; Must admit I had to smile at the "High degree of Realism" comment, although maybe from an operational point of view possibly correct, if all the signals and points are operated by prototypical mechanisms - rods, etc.

Edited August 20, 2017 by F-UnitMad

[Nearholmer]

Well, I said 'no flowers', but I put some in a vase on the table before they arrived back, and that seemed to help, slightly.

 

After everyone else had gone to sleep, I set-to on some light timetabling, which will encourage me to finish track-laying, so that I can play trains again.

 

The professionals who know the locale won't be impressed, because I've managed to arrange things so that the return pick-up goods has to get from The Oxted Line to Norwood Yard at about 5:00pm, and a train of empty newspaper vans arrives into a City terminus at much the same time ........ more work needed ....... this is harder than it looks, and I'm not even thinking about rosters for the crews!

[St Enodoc]

Well, I said 'no flowers', but I put some in a vase on the table before they arrived back, and that seemed to help, slightly.

 

After everyone else had gone to sleep, I set-to on some light timetabling, which will encourage me to finish track-laying, so that I can play trains again.

 

The professionals who know the locale won't be impressed, because I've managed to arrange things so that the return pick-up goods has to get from The Oxted Line to Norwood Yard at about 5:00pm, and a train of empty newspaper vans arrives into a City terminus at much the same time ........ more work needed ....... this is harder than it looks, and I'm not even thinking about rosters for the crews!

No chance!

 

Put the vans inside at NXG until it gets dark.

[Nearholmer]

Yes, the NXG bit I'd 'sussed', it's just that I don't have siding that can represent it ...... more creativity needed.

 

The goods thing is interesting. I was trying to do Norwood, down into East Sussex, and back, in one shift, and it doesn't work. Looking at a WTT, I now realise that it was two shifts, starting about 7:00pm, and that they didnt get 'home' until about 9:00pm. I shall re-cast accordingly. Crews must have ridden 'on the cushions' one way, with relief taking place somewhere around lunchtime 'in the sticks'.

[Simond]

"In the sticks"

 

Anyone explain the origins of this?

 

Or was it "Styx"?

 

Best

Simon

[Nearholmer]

If you are an engine driver, living in New Cross or Lower Norwood, you don't see many trees or bushes, particularly in the former case, in short, you see no sticks. When you trundle a good train down to the Weald, it is a rural paradise (in Summer), barely an acre not being covered with sticks.

 

I reckon they probably really enjoyed those turns when the weather was good; better than being at home in a not very big terrace with wife, many children, and the old mum upstairs, banging on the floor with her walking stick.

[Northroader]

"It rained all the time you were away, dear, so I couldn't do anything outside" Flowers on the table, nice one. "In the sticks" an Americanism.

[brianusa]

"It rained all the time you were away, dear, so I couldn't do anything outside" Flowers on the table, nice one. "In the sticks" an Americanism.

 

Refers to anywhere far from where you are - unless you are there also!

 

Brian.

[Nearholmer]

An Americanism? So it appears. I never knew that!

 

OK then (whoops, another Americanism), goods train crew relief must have taken place at the country end of the job. That's definitely proper SR language.

 

K

Edited August 22, 2017 by Nearholmer

[Simond]

Thanks Gents!

 

I was trying to deconstruct it as Cockney rhyming slang, which, given it isn't, wasn't working.

 

Best

Simon

[Nearholmer]

Sunny South Sam was telling the truth!

 

On the way back from a bucket and spade day, through a station that is chock-full of things to include on the layout.

[Simond]

Swanage?

[Northroader]

That LSWR set would be at home there.