bmthtrains - David Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Soho Curve Well it's been over 5 years since I finished Cross Street, and with the Revolution Pendolino due later this year, I've decided its about time to build a new layout. This one will be less ambitious than Cross Street as I need to keep the costs down, and won't have anywhere near the time to devote to its construction (I'm only working part time while studying for my PhD). The main requirements are that it be lightweight, low cost, easy to assemble and not too scenically demanding. Most importantly, its purpose is to allow me to sit back and watch the Pendolino and my other stock race by! As always with me, the layout is urban, contemporary, with slightly raised track, and is set in the West Mids. Inspiration comes from the Birmingham to Wolverhampton line and specifically where the railway crosses the canal, just past the traincare depot. Photos below from google earth give an idea of what I'm aiming for: The design is about 70% complete - the board size and track plan is fixed, and the left hand scenic end is finalised, though I am still unsure what 'feature' I want on the right. The size and shape of the layout has been in gestation for a couple of years on and off, and I drew up a couple of different digital sketch models during this period to explore different ideas. I was thinking of having listed gas holders, but I believe even those in Birmingham are now being demolished, so I'm looking for inspiration for a similarly dramatic industrial/urban feature for that end of the layout. As it stands then, the rough plan is this: Next step is to finalise the right hand end. Progress will be slow on this, so there won't be the flurry of updates on this project that I posted on Cross Street. I suspect progress will increase once that Pendolino arrives... David 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melangoose Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Hi David, It's great to have you back on Rmweb. Your layouts are always exceptional, I look forward to seeing this one progress over time. Hope all is going well with your PhD. Regards Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted June 14, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 14, 2017 David, Really good artwork. Perhaps new name BHMtrains not Bmhtrains given location ! Certainly you will have fun flying Pendos but you get some freight diverting off mainline towards Bescot plus engineers trains on the curve, if this was added as a static line you could stand some of the fine yellow stock waiting a signal. Currently the place is disappearing under lowrise blocks of flats, sorry "Urban lifestyle apartments !" Or you could move Winson Prison or perhaps they are the same ! Any value of adding a crossover or two as a ladder to give a track feature - if working would need returning crossover out of sight. but would allow a reason for trains slowing.. really look forward to seeing this plan devlop Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Brady Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Hello there, Really looking forward to watching this layout develop, I have always admired Cross Street simple yet effective and this shall be the same. How about the remains of a demolished factory for the gasometer corner, similar to when you come out of Wolverhampton heading to Birmingham, nothing there but rubble and tress now. I remember once someone wrote a name or something out of the bricks but that has now gone or maybe it is still there under all the vegetation. Benjamin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium njee20 Posted June 14, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 14, 2017 Having been in awe of both Ring Road and Cross Street I look forward to watching this develop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supaned Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Watching with interest as well. I'd go for flats/apartments or a rendition of Winson Green prison in the ? space to really help set the location , as Robert suggested. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Hi David, Glad to see a new project on the horizon, very much looking forward to seeing it evolve. Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will J Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Looking forward to seeing more of this! I can't think of 'approaching Birmingham' without imagining a karting track, but that is from the wrong direction, but the kind of thing that makes sense on the site where some gasometers or whatever used to sit. I have always pondered something like a drive-thru fast food establishment, with moving cars, as a nice little N gauge urban feature. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
danstercivicman Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Your layouts are an inspiration and I'm looking forwards to it You could always model bilston Road wolverhampton with the bridges and trams Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted June 14, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 14, 2017 Hi David, Great to see another project from you. For your urban-scenic corner what about a recycling centre, or a scrapyard, or even the edge/corner of the Midland Metro Wednesbury tram depot? The real thing is a couple of miles from Soho Curve, on the former GW route, but the buildings are modern and there are plenty of bashable Japanese tram models. Good luck with the project and I look forward to seeing further updates as you progress, and of course seeing Pendolinos taking the curve! Cheers Ben A. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 Thanks everyone - some really useful suggestions for that right hand space! I'm tempted to add a tamper siding or the end of loop at that end, perhaps hinting of a larger yard on the other side of the bridge. This will allow me to park some of my network rail stock there. My plan now is to scour aerial photos for some interesting industrial scenes - I do like the idea of something under redevelopment or not quite finished. And I hadn't thought of trams again...hmm.... David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supaned Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 There are 2 rail served scrap yards not to far away from Soho at Handsworth should you wish to incorporate some freight traffic , although in reality these are accessed via the Snow Hill lines. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melangoose Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Could you re-use any of your fantastic buildings that you saved when you dismantled Ring Road (may save some time and expense). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornish trains jez Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Just stumbled across his and it looks like a great plan and certainly some good ideas coming through. Looking forward to seeing it develop and seeing the pendolinos! Maybe a class 92 too!! Best regards, Jeremy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonKing Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 Nice looking layout plan of a very interesting location which isnt often modelled. When I worked for London Midland I was part of the team responsible for the maintenance of the wash plant at Soho Depot which was located on the depot headshunt adjacent to the junction - quite a long walk from the depot and probably something that would be pointed out as "it wouldn't have been built like that" if modelled. I like the original idea of the column guided gas holders. They would make an impressive and intricate model in N gauge - just make sure that for anything post 2012 the lifts are modelled in the lowered position, you could also copy the holders at Aston which are still standing and painted in villa colours. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNCF stephen Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 Hi David I just saw the thread for Cross Street and then while scrolling through I have found this. One suggestion for the area to the east would be Soho Foundry. Perhaps a depiction of this very significant structure would fit the area. There have been many attempts to have this structure redeveloped into something that is more palatable but the issue is that it is very much tucked away so the older architectural features have been allowed to be incorporated into a modern industrial landscape. There are some impressive gates onto the site that would add a significant amount of interest. I have added the link to wikipedia below. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soho_Foundry Good luck with this and I look forward to seeing it progress. Stephen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 Thanks Stephen, I'll look at that building - could be an interesting feature David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted July 4, 2017 Author Share Posted July 4, 2017 (edited) I tested all my stock today and was pleased to find only 4 out of 36 powered models aren't working. The 92 can go for a visit with CJM (assuming he's not retired yet), but the Farish will have to wait. I was alarmed to see they now charge £30 for each repair! David Edited July 4, 2017 by bmthtrains - David 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 Although progress is going to be at a much slower pace than with Cross Street or Ring Road, I'm actually enjoying the 'dipping in and out' approach this time round. Previously I've tended to unleash an energy and financial and time investments that allowed me to really immerse myself in the project. In all honesty, part of this was probably due to a frustration of not being challenged by other aspects of my life, work especially, so having a big project you can devote hours and time and energy into was a really positive outlet. This time however, Soho Curve will be a much longer term project, partly to spread the costs, but also as I have neither the time nor the mental energy to spare! This layout is much more of a relaxation aid, and so will be picked up and put down again, probably fairly infrequently to begin with. This month I've managed to draw up some full-size layout ideas and have designed and costed the baseboards. These will hopefully be constructed early September, if my finances allow. I've still not decided what is going to go at the far right end of the layout. Its a substantial area, and needs to be something rather impressive. I've followed the same design approach I used on my last two layouts - breaking it down into 'views'. This means the scenery is designed around three or four vantage points that reveal different parts of the layout. Each view needs to have something interesting in it, and its just the far right view that needs composing. What I am going to do this time is build the baseboards and get the track down, and then start mocking up in card the landscape and buildings, so I can test all the views before committing to them. Once I've established the overall masses of the buildings as rough blocks, I will begin to research actual locations to base them on. This means the currently empty right hand end can be tested out to see what makes the best view. One thing I am intrigued to see is how my newly-learned professional modelmaking skills will change how I make this layout from the last. I can already see different ways of making things, and although model railway building is quite a different thing from architectural, product or film modelmaking, the skills will obviously overlap. Handily, I now have access to proper workshop equipment, which will make for neater baseboards for one thing! Finally for now, something that will definitely be different from Cross Street is my aim. With Cross Street I set out specifically to challenge myself in certain areas to move my modelling skills forward - especially in terms of electrics. This time, having spent three years studying to be a professional modelmaker, its all about enjoyment rather than new skills. This time my aim is to avoid having to think about modelmaking (either teaching it or researching it as I do in my day job), and to just DO some modelmaking for my own pleasure! David 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted August 21, 2017 Author Share Posted August 21, 2017 I've settled on what will go at the far right end of layout now. The trackwork has been expanded to include a reasonably long tamper siding that will run up to the canal bridge. This gives a little operational interest, and the expansion to 4 tracks wide here gives this end of the layout a different feel to the rest of it. The bridge at this end will be based on one that should actually be at the left hand end if this were a scale model of the actual stretch of track I'm taking inspiration from. Rather than have the light industry that is seen in the first photo below, instead there will be an open air storage business - big containers as seen in the second picture. Behind this will be a student housing block similar to the one in the image. Overall, I want to try and capture the general feel of this stretch of line, which in the final photo below really has the sense of both the railway and the canal slicing through the outskirts of Birmingham. Whether this is strictly in Birmingham on the layout remains to be seen, but as all my other layouts have been vaguely 'west midlands' this will probably remain similarly non-committal. I'll definitely be keeping the strangely blue-striped long industrial unit, and I think the blue container storage at the far end will balance this nicely. I also want to try and keep some of the space between buildings - the layout is long enough and simple enough to give a bit of breathing room. In the above photo, the areas of hardstanding, and the canal towpath with its trees, are features I definitely want to capture in the layout. David 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted January 3, 2018 Author Share Posted January 3, 2018 Over Christmas I have been able to draw out the layout at full scale, and have designed and costed its construction. Having earned a bit more than usual in the last few months having carried out some research for a book, I've also been able to put a little bit aside to pay for building the baseboards and purchasing the track in a couple of months when I finally have the time. In the meantime, as it's been a few years since I did any hobby modelmaking at all, I decided to make a start on one of the buildings, mostly to get back into the groove, and to remember how to do it! The EP Metals building is based on the Eastend Foods cash and carry that sits next to the railway, and has a very distinctive striped paint job on one side where panels have been replaced or repainted over the years. I've started a bit of cautious weathering on this one, as I wanted it to have seen better days, complete with wonky missing sign! Next step is to finish off the rear side and corners, and then design and build the roof. David 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted January 3, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 3, 2018 Hi David, Nice job. Is this building card, plasicard or a bit of both? cheers Ben A. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Hi David I was always an admirer of your previous layout and although 6 months late just stumbled across your new thread. I really do admire the planning you put into your layouts with the associated visuals. There's no doubting your model making skills. The wonky sign with panels missing is great observation! Many years ago like all the children of my age, our spare time was taken up with building Airfix kits and we always compared notes with other kids at school. One of that group took up professional model making and went on to do stuff for Doctor Who and Robot Wars, so you'll be amazed where that career may take you. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMcKenzie Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Hi David Nice job on the EP metals building. It looks great. I am looking forward to seeing the layout progress. Your plans look superb. Regards Dave 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy water Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 Great idea! Will the dimensions be 2’2” x9’? It is good to know what is achievable in n gauge for curves. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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