Pre-Layout Lineside Construction - WCML in N

[bmthtrains - David]

By next spring, if all goes well and the world doesn't go fully to hell, I should be starting construction of a new N gauge layout. The little circular lockdown project from earlier this year has now been taken apart, pending a house move. Next year, with a dedicated hobby room, and less stress/more time on my hands as I will have completed by PhD, this will be a 'proper' layout - back to the size and complexity of Cross Street and Ring Road. No firm decisions on what it will be yet, but I do know it will be WCML-based with a 4 track mainline. 

 

In anticipation (and preparation), I am starting to plan and build some of the lineside structures that I will need, treating each one as a mini research project to try to really capture the flavour of the modern railway. There are a number of things on my list, including designing some etches for OHLE gantry and catenary components to be used in combination with the N Brass range. Excellent as it is, the range doesn't include the more modern WCML register arms and support pulleys (the triangular ones that sit either above the portal or below depending on clearance), so I'm going to make my own.  I'll also do some of the more modern portal girders with the diamond pattern holes on them. 

 

To start with though, I'm going to have a bash at one of the massive signal gantries that have sprung up, and I'm designing it to be mostly laser cut from acrylic, with finer components such as ladders and railings etched when I order the OHLE components. This is just a rough pass at the moment, with more detailed parts just blocked out to plan the construction, and while it looks a little chunky on screen, when printed out on paper, its actually not too bad (pictures of mock-up to follow). These structures really must be quite enormous, and presumably built to withstand a collision - a far cry from a spindly signal on a post!

 

This will be a slow project as I don't have much time at present, but will hopefully be able to book onto the laser cutter at work next month to cut some test pieces. 

 

David

 

[bmthtrains - David]

And here’s the paper mock-up. It’s sitting 3mm too low as it will be on a concrete base, but oddly it looks a lot finer compared to on the screen.

 

I’ve set the signal head heights to the correct standard, and sat the track on a spacing template I’m using to calculate positions of masts, signals, and other PW bits and bobs.

 

The massive clearance gap is presumably so full OHLE kit can fit under without needing any adjustment.

 

David