Deliberately Old-Fashioned 0 Scale - Chapter 1

[Nearholmer]

Glad you liked it.

 

The Platform 5 sign visible in one picture is 'the genuine article', from one of the bay platforms at Tunbridge Wells West.

[Nearholmer]

Anybody who has nothing better do do with their brain might recall that the Paltry Circus part of my layout started with a plan to put a mini-terminus on top of some bookshelves in my study.

 

I'm nearing the end of a study-reorganisation, resulting from my daughter spotting that the study was considerably bigger than her bedroom and 'requesting and requiring' a swap, and the mini-layout idea has resurfaced.

 

The idea this time around is a country-cousin for Paltry Circus, which will allow end-to-end, and maybe even round-and-round, operation at gatherings, if I build some linking boards with curves on them.

 

So far, things are inspired by Denny's very basic BLT plan that I think he used for a 'branch-off-a-branch' to Tingewick, then for an early Linslade, and by the article "The Art of Compromise" by Roy Link. The only RM that I kept from the 1970s was the one with this in and, much to my delight, there was an article about building a layout based on it in a recent (October RM) to celebrate its fortieth birthday.

 

The sketch plan isn't meant to be exact, and I need to finish mocking it all up full-size to get things just right, but it will all fit in the allotted space, and I'm pretty certain that I can get a removable FY in too. It will accommodate trains of 3 x 6W coaches, 2 x bogie coaches, or 4x wagons + brake. The picture of a Y point is of the existing 'Gatherings FY', which will get recycled to become this new thing, and is shown to illustrate that these Ys don't look as sharp in reality as they do in my sketch. They are 38" radius on both 'legs'.

 

Working title: Lamberley, being the village in which The Sussex Vampire is set.

 

So, the game is afoot, or rather about eleven feet.

 

What I can do with a cubic yard of really good railway books that won't fit into the smaller study is another subject altogether!

Edited October 24, 2018 by Nearholmer

[GRASinBothell]

I hope this doesn't mean Birlstone or Paltry Circus is falling victim to the egregious Dr. B...

 

Gordon

[Northroader]

Last night, I dreamt I’d returned to Lamberley...

[Annie]

 

 

I'm nearing the end of a study-reorganisation, resulting from my daughter spotting that the study was considerably bigger than her bedroom and 'requesting and requiring' a swap, and the mini-layout idea has resurfaced.

Yes children have this appalling habit of requiring more space as they get bigger.  A cot, a small chest of drawers and a toybox at age 3 turns into a whole bedroom, most of the living room and half the garage by the time they hit 20.

[Edwardian]

I am sure that children are themselves bigger these days.  One of mine simply wouldn't fit up a chimney these days.

[St Enodoc]

I am sure that children are themselves bigger these days.  One of mine simply wouldn't fit up a chimney these days.

I rather suspect that the chimbleys are smaller too...

[Northroader]

Hang on, what’s that switch doing? When you let me work Paltry Circus all the switches were on the trains, not trackside.

[Edwardian]

Hang on, what’s that switch doing? When you let me work Paltry Circus all the switches were on the trains, not trackside.

 

It does look as if it's there to do something portentous and dramatic, like launch a steam powered (or possibly clockwork) moon rocket!

[Nearholmer]

having thought about it, I decided that what I'd sketched yesterday looked 'unrailwaylike', so using my version of templot (a pencil and rubber), herewith three further iterations for discussion. I'm drifting in the direction of the third. It will work as a terminus, and as a through-station if ever things progress to that stage.

 

The Switch connected power to either one of two roads, or neither, and was found necessary to avoid trouble with a few locos that don't have isolating switches. Like all my switches it is vastly over-rated, because after a career dealing in thousands, sometimes tens or hundreds of thousands, of amps, the teeny little ones that are all that is really necessary just don't feel right.

 

And, no, this doesn't presage the demise of either of the present stations. Its an adjunct, or as my good lady might view it an add-junk, to the junk I already have.

 

It is very cramped, so needs something to suggest rural spaciousness. I'm thinking of an old metty sucking a straw; he wouldn't take up much room.

Edited October 25, 2018 by Nearholmer

[GRASinBothell]

Glad to hear the Doctor won't get to wield his axe, and the real estate won't be turned into the Birlstone by-pass...

Gordon

[St Enodoc]

having thought about it, I decided that what I'd sketched yesterday looked 'unrailwaylike', so using my version of templot (a pencil and rubber), herewith three further iterations for discussion. I'm drifting in the direction of the third. It will work as a terminus, and as a through-station if ever things progress to that stage.

 

The Switch connected power to either one of two roads, or neither, and was found necessary to avoid trouble with a few locos that don't have isolating switches. Like all my switches it is vastly over-rated, because after a career dealing in thousands, sometimes tens or hundreds of thousands, of amps, the teeny little ones that are all that is really necessary just don't feel right.

 

And, no, this doesn't presage the demise of either of the present stations. Its an adjunct, or as my good lady might view it an add-junk, to the junk I already have.

 

It is very cramped, so needs something to suggest rural spaciousness. I'm thinking of an old metty sucking a straw; he wouldn't take up much room.

How about one of these?

 

https://i.etsystatic.com/7749462/r/il/6dc1e9/1400324657/il_570xN.1400324657_jr5i.jpg

[F-UnitMad]

having thought about it, I decided that what I'd sketched yesterday looked 'unrailwaylike', so using my version of templot (a pencil and rubber), herewith three further iterations for discussion. I'm drifting in the direction of the third. It will work as a terminus, and as a through-station if ever things progress to that stage.

 

The Switch connected power to either one of two roads, or neither, and was found necessary to avoid trouble with a few locos that don't have isolating switches. Like all my switches it is vastly over-rated, because after a career dealing in thousands, sometimes tens or hundreds of thousands, of amps, the teeny little ones that are all that is really necessary just don't feel right.

 

And, no, this doesn't presage the demise of either of the present stations. Its an adjunct, or as my good lady might view it an add-junk, to the junk I already have.

 

It is very cramped, so needs something to suggest rural spaciousness. I'm thinking of an old metty sucking a straw; he wouldn't take up much room.

Yep - go with Plan #3.

 

For rural spaciousness, that's what the backscene will be for.   None of those MASSIVE "Platform 5" signs - just how short-sighted are some of your drivers??!!??

[Nearholmer]

Progress.

 

Two boards, each 1120x420mm (44x16.5”), each weighing c2.7kg, which isn’t too bad at this stage.

 

Backscenes will need to swap sides home/display, so need to be demontable.

 

As ever, the FY remains a conundrum ....... I seem to have lost the plot a bit with FYs since moving to 0. Probably a drawer-type traverser, after all the alignment-grief with my attempt at a turntable.

[Nearholmer]

Making a mockery of the scheme.

 

For various reasons it works better with one of the sidings omitted, which makes it a pretty minimal sort of minimal terminus, but still allows three or four goods wagons to be positioned for unloading while still being able to run-round.

 

The three six-wheelers are equal in length to two bogie coaches or four goods wagons and a van, and there are mixed train options too.

 

Question is, should I invest (heavily; the price has gone up!) in a left-hand point, or use the 'un-railwaylike' Y?

Edited October 30, 2018 by Nearholmer

[brianusa]

Kev, go with the LH point, if that's what you really want.  If not, you'll be looking at the Y forever and regretting it!  What's a few buck in the great scheme of things?

 

Brian

[Nearholmer]

Sage advice Brian, because i’m sure getting it wrong would nag at me, although the price of points is rather more than ‘a few bucks’ these days.

 

Another option that has just struck me is to use both the Y and a new LH, and make the plan virtually a mirror-image of Paltry Circus, which has a very good plan that took ages to arrive at. I will cogitate.

[Stephen 28]

Mr Nearholmer, if I may be so bold, push the boat out a good long way and purchase two left hand points, using the second to give a short, kick back siding, possibly serving a cattle or end loading dock or both. At once rural and more interesting for wagon shuffling.

[Northroader]

Other ways, have the entry off the fiddle as double track, with some form of scenic break, ( it doesn’t have to be a bridge) and save yourself a point. I’m currently reworking Washbourne on similar lines.

Ps like the mixed train, very KESR.

Edited October 30, 2018 by Northroader

[brianusa]

Should have written Pounds, Kevin, or at least quid!  As long as you're not building a marshaling yard, the extra money is worth it IMO.

 

Brian.

[Nearholmer]

Interesting options!

 

I probably won't go for Northroader's, because this tiny layout is intended to be taken to gatherings, where it will get used as a through station, and because most of the time at home the FY won't be in-situ because when it is it will span the head of a guest bed.

 

Stephen's option has some attractions, and I'm going to have to sell some more books that I don't have room for, so could be funded that way.

 

That awful grinding noise is my brain doing some thinking.

Edited October 30, 2018 by Nearholmer

[Northroader]

Do these gatherings do a modular system? Set up a standard, more thinking, you’re quite capable of it.

[Nearholmer]

Most old-style 0 gauge gatherings use ‘loose lay’ setups on village-hall trestle tables, often with no points, the latter because such a variety of wheel profiles exist.

 

I’d like to wean people in our group on to building modules, because I think even small ‘tiles’ with plain track would allow people to get creative with vintage-style scenery. Several of the guys in our group are fairly advanced in years and live in retirement flats where a scene on a single bookshelf might work, and one old-style 0 gauge collector we know lives on a narrow-boat.

 

So, by using Paltry Circus, this new essay, and some linking boards I can get the concept going, hopefully encouraging others to build bits too.

Edited October 31, 2018 by Nearholmer

[Nearholmer]

This evening’s iteration.

 

I like the idea of a level crossing, because that strongly suggests rurality, and the track layout works better in reality than it does on paper.

 

This could be 'garnished' with things inspired by several Colonel Stephens stations, some on The IoW, and this GWR weirdity, Longdon Road on the Shipston Branch http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/longdonroad.htm

 

The idea of having a very low relief representation of the station master's cottage next to the LC, slightly overpowering the 'shed' station building is rather appealing.

Edited October 31, 2018 by Nearholmer

[roughshunt]

I was wondering if you had considered using Bembridge as inspiration for your terminus.Its layout is made for tight spaces and its as Southern Railway as it gets!Although  making the turntable/sector plate might be tricky and I guess it wouldn't be easy to arrange through running but short trains and Terrier tanks would look fantastic running on it.It would be economical on pointwork too!