Lancaster Lane & Dewar’s Street

[lezz01]

The Oldbury Rd crossing at Tewkesbury had a gate but it seems to always be open in the photos I've seen. It's also not what you would identify as a typical level crossing gate. The High Street crossing the other end of the old station was ungated. Conversely the crossing at Chance Street (the other end of the maltings to the shed) was not only gated but had a crossing keeper and crossing keepers cottage. So yer pays yer money and takes yer choice.

Regards Lez.

[Graham T]

I'd go without gates personally.  Based on nothing other than how I think it would look 🙂

[MrWolf]

I'm already thinking Burton on Trent, where there was lots of ungated crossings and trains were flagged across.

[LDM34046]

12 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Unless you are attached to the notion of crossing gates, I would go without. Others may differ on this but there are a few such locations which are ungated. 

 

Thanks Rob

 

I think I've settled on no gates! Would make the street look too busy and detract from the trains crossing. And as you've said, there are quite a few ungated locations. I few short blasts of the whistle should be enough to allow trains to pass safely however I'm not sure how well pubs and railways mix!

 

12 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

As to the rest of the layout, I think it looks great. I do feel that you are at the optimum point for buildings and I  would keep the space between the street and house on the hill uncluttered, to preserve the open feel. Maybe a slight, grassy slope back towards the backscene.

 

I didn't want too many buildings but I think the busy street end ties in nicely with the railway and then the lone cottage up the hill at the other end. Seeing all the empty space at the back of the layout it's tempting not to fill it with something but you're right, a nice sloped embankment, a few trees and foilage.

 

12 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

The view of the Pannier against the buildings is very Albion Yard. 

 

I'd be lying if I said I didn't have to google the layout! First time seeing it, looks like a brilliant bit of modelling. I agree, the pannier shot looks remarkably similar!

[LDM34046]

9 hours ago, lezz01 said:

The Oldbury Rd crossing at Tewkesbury had a gate but it seems to always be open in the photos I've seen. It's also not what you would identify as a typical level crossing gate. The High Street crossing the other end of the old station was ungated. Conversely the crossing at Chance Street (the other end of the maltings to the shed) was not only gated but had a crossing keeper and crossing keepers cottage. So yer pays yer money and takes yer choice.

Regards Lez.

 

9 hours ago, Graham T said:

I'd go without gates personally.  Based on nothing other than how I think it would look 🙂

 

Thank you chaps.

 

Yes I think I've decided against having a gated crossing. With the street scene I think less is more. Plus looking on Flickr I've found quite a few locations in real life that are ungated. Either noted with a sign on a post or markings on the floor such as those seen at Weymouth Quay although slightly more modern.

[NHY 581]

7 minutes ago, LDM34046 said:

 

Thanks Rob

 

I think I've settled on no gates! Would make the street look too busy and detract from the trains crossing. And as you've said, there are quite a few ungated locations. I few short blasts of the whistle should be enough to allow trains to pass safely however I'm not sure how well pubs and railways mix!

 

 

I didn't want too many buildings but I think the busy street end ties in nicely with the railway and then the lone cottage up the hill at the other end. Seeing all the empty space at the back of the layout it's tempting not to fill it with something but you're right, a nice sloped embankment, a few trees and foilage.

 

 

I'd be lying if I said I didn't have to google the layout! First time seeing it, looks like a brilliant bit of modelling. I agree, the pannier shot looks remarkably similar!

 

Hi LD.  

 

I think the open space to the rear would be best finished as a grassy slope initially. I think it will make thay out look bigger, especially when photographing from say, looking low down towards the pannier back towards the house on the hill. 

 

Albion yard is a very cool layout. 

 

Rob. 

Edited June 10, 2022 by NHY 581

[LDM34046]

9 hours ago, MrWolf said:

I'm already thinking Burton on Trent, where there was lots of ungated crossings and trains were flagged across.

 

I'm sure I'll be able to source a flag bearing lineside worker, even if I modified a guard! Got to comply with 'elf and safety!' 

[NHY 581]

Don't forget Swan's Yard..........

[LDM34046]

Just now, NHY 581 said:

 

Hi Graham, 

 

I think the open space to the rear would be best finished as a grassy slope initially. I think it will make thay out look bigger, especially when photographing from say, looking low down towards the pannier back towards the house on the hill. 

 

Albion yard is a very cool layout. 

 

Rob. 

 

Graham? Ssshh, he's onto us!

 

My one photography gripe with Lancaster Lane was how close locomotives sat to the back of the layout and how sometimes they cast shadows on the 'sky' which rather ruined the illusion. I wanted to make sure that there was plenty of distance between the track and the back. I'm a sucker for modelling trees so I few nice clusters should help break up the open area with the small path leading up to the house.

 

Luke

[NHY 581]

40 minutes ago, LDM34046 said:

 

Graham? Ssshh, he's onto us!

 

My one photography gripe with Lancaster Lane was how close locomotives sat to the back of the layout and how sometimes they cast shadows on the 'sky' which rather ruined the illusion. I wanted to make sure that there was plenty of distance between the track and the back. I'm a sucker for modelling trees so I few nice clusters should help break up the open area with the small path leading up to the house.

 

Luke

 

 

Yep. Head fart. 

[MrWolf]

1 hour ago, NHY 581 said:

 

Hi LD.  

 

I think the open space to the rear would be best finished as a grassy slope initially. I think it will make thay out look bigger, especially when photographing from say, looking low down towards the pannier back towards the house on the hill. 

 

Albion yard is a very cool layout. 

 

Rob. 

 

I have found that raising the ground slightly at the back of the layout works well, especially if it falls away again very slightly about an inch from the backscene, it seems to make the land appear to fall away into the 2d backscene and blur the join. Trees and hedges near the top of the rise work better too. 

The ground is only raised by about an inch.

 

 

The ground on the right is only raised about 1/8".

 

 

Edited June 10, 2022 by MrWolf

[LDM34046]

11 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

 

I have found that raising the ground slightly at the back of the layout works well, especially if it falls away again very slightly about an inch from the backscene, it seems to make the land appear to fall away into the 2d backscene and blur the join. Trees and hedges near the top of the rise work better too. 

The ground is only raised by about an inch.

 

 

The ground on the right is only raised about 1/8".

 

 

Brilliant modelling.

 

Yes, a nice gradient gives a real sense of space. I think the cottage will sit about 1/2” above the track level, just to give a bit of interest and change in height on the layout. 

[MrWolf]

Thanks,

 

It's in real life just a bumpy field in Shropshire, but until I (unprototypically) raised the ground slightly, it all looked unrealistically flat.  I think that fooling the eye as to where the back edge of the layout is turned out to be more important than slavishly copying the landscape.

 

I was looking for some photos I had with the backscene in position. Can I find them?

 

 

[lezz01]

It's all about vanishing points. What we do is art after all and good art is all about the vanishing point. Get that right and it's fab get it wrong and it's pooh.

Regards Lez.

[MrWolf]

Spot on. I've been using what's known as forced perspective in my paintings and book illustrations for years and its designed fool the eye of the viewer into thinking that the scene is deeper than it is and draw you into the image.

 

Sometimes I get it right first time, sometimes I overdo it and need several attempts. As you have nothing real to compare it with, it's a matter of trial and error. 

Which is why nobody should worry about it and just have a go until you have something that works.

[lezz01]

The secret with backscenes is to have buildings corner on to the viewer that way you get the perspective right no matter which side you look at it. Works for me anyway.

Regards Lez. 

[LDM34046]

The humble beginnings of any model railway. The first layer has been laid. 2.5mm cork sheeting to provide a bit of sound insulation and to cover up some of the screws.

 

It’s not perfect but it’ll be underneath a few inches of scenics anyway!

 

 

 

Fiddle yard, although not attached has received the same treatment!

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by LDM34046

[LDM34046]

Although it’s been a quiet week for modelling, the postman has been in overdrive as well as a few trips to the local model shop.

 

Pleased to say I have finally got all the bullhead track and pointwork that I need for the layout along with the various electrics and point motors. Also in the new arrivals are the rather fancy adjustable ikea legs that’ll hold up the fiddle yard.

 

 

Now the cork has been laid, the next step is to make headway on the trackwork, first plotting out the pieces and drilling holes for the point motors.

Edited June 23, 2022 by LDM34046

[LDM34046]

Finished the fiddle yard off this evening. Two blocks of decking were glued to the underside of the fiddleyard to accommodate the screws. The ikea baseplates were the fitted.

 

 

The legs themselves are attached with a screw thread so easily removable. They’re adjustable at the bottom again, but screwing and unscrewing.

 

The fiddle yard is now attached to the rest of the layout with the legs taking the weight as it sits over the end of the desk.

 

[LDM34046]

An evening of track cutting. Working with the thin bullhead track work and tiny rail joiners was fiddly but the lengths were measured and cut in a few hours.

 

 

Nothing was far off the original paper plan which was reassuring. I ran a few wagons up and down the line to check for any bumps or kinks and it all seems smooth, more so once it’ll be glued down.

 

I keep looking back to this angle, my favourite on the layout. Although at this point the Austin may struggle over the track! 😂

 

 

Plenty of planning went into the computer plans in terms of lengths of locos etc. Most of the stock consists of Peckett’s and 0-6-0’s so size really isn’t an issue but the largest loco in the fleet, the J11, fits in the headshunt comfortably, a few centimetres clear of the point blades.
 

 

Next job, to drill holes for the droppers and larger diameter holes for the point motors.

Edited June 23, 2022 by LDM34046

[LDM34046]

A busy two nights working on the track. Last night the wires for the droppers were drilled along with holes for the point frogs and the point motors.

 

Today, while I was at work, my dad did the fiddly and tedious job of pre-soldering droppers to the underside of the rails for a clean finish.

 

Tonight I got to work fixing the track down. I found a few thin streaks of UHU glue works a treat. 
 

 

It took a while laying the track making sure that all the curves were gradual and smooth with no dog legs between the flexi-track and the points.
 

There’s still a few bits left to lay (including the siding closest to the camera) which will be done tomorrow once a few more droppers are sorted and lined up.

 

One of my biggest gripes with Lancaster Lane was how uniform the track was. This time I wanted to avoid any track running dead parallel with the baseboard edge. The entire track plan is on a gentle curve from right to left, helped by the staggered scenic breaks.

 

 

Despite the additional costs and being fiddly to work with the bullhead is already showing it’s worth. The correct sleeper spacing, fine railhead and realistic fishplates already look brilliant, even on the bare baseboards.

[Graham T]

Looking very good so far.  Agree with you on the bullhead track and fishplates, it does look rather nice!  And I'm a touch jealous that you have the points to match - I was too impatient to wait for them when I made a start on Chuffnell R.

[LDM34046]

2 minutes ago, Graham T said:

Looking very good so far.  Agree with you on the bullhead track and fishplates, it does look rather nice!  And I'm a touch jealous that you have the points to match - I was too impatient to wait for them when I made a start on Chuffnell R.

Thanks Graham.

 

I was planning to initially use the medium radius points which were due last year but they’re still not released and by the sounds of things not any time soon.

 

Even still, despite being available for over a year it took me a good month to source the flexi track and more so the large radius points. Peco is struggling massively with supply.

 

Seeing the results in person, I’m glad I waited. Hopefully plan to bring out some the moulded details with some weathering.

[LDM34046]

Lancaster Lane meet 'Layout 2', 'Layout 2' meet Lancaster Lane

 

The final piece of the track laying puzzle was to line up and attach the headshunt which provides the link between the two layouts. Thanks to the joys of laser cutting the two layouts slot together perfectly allowing me to line the track up by hand. All of a sudden Lancaster Lane looks and feels very small!

 

 

There's a very slight 'S' bend in the headshunt in order for the two layouts to line up but with the locomotive fleet being predominantly short wheel base locos, it won't be too noticeable or cause any issues.

 

 

The finished track plan laid with the droppers installed. Without scenics and the buildings, track plans always look plain and boring but I've learnt less track plan sometimes looks more effective. 

 

[LDM34046]

Dad spent Friday sorting out the dropper wires. We've found from past experience that copper tape is the best and neatest way of creating bus wirings to connect all the droppers together.