Making a new start - on the Cambrian system

[Adrock]

Hi
 

I have been planning to build a new layout ever since we moved into our current house just over five years ago. In fact, I’d insisted on buying one with a double garage with this very plan in mind! However, a combination of work and the arrival of two little boys seriously limited my time (or energy!) to start...until just recently. With the clearing of more and more baby stuff in the garage (only one pram left, and that won’t be long!), I have started to prepare the railway room in there. 
 

We use our garage quite a lot as a route in and out, and until we redesign the kitchen later in the year our main American fridge / freezer is also in there. Therefore, I decided to build a short stud wall to divide the garage up and make a dedicated and more usable space for me. I was never going to get away with the full double, but may be able to extend outside of my “half” a bit in the future. 
 

In terms of the layout, I will be building a Cambrian based layout and it is a strong requirement that I want to model one (or a number) of prototype locations. My main challenge is that I can’t decide which one just now! I also like the idea of “system” layouts, so am quite taken with the looped figure of 8 championed by the Grantham team, as not only can I get a longer run but I could probably fit two or maybe three scenic sections within. Again, what I can’t quite decide on is whether I need gradients and split levels to achieve, or whether I could do it all on the flat. Finally, being Cambrian most of it will be single track - I would like to model the section at Pont Dollgoch but would ideally like a station or junction in there too. 
 

So, all thoughts welcome in terms of location, plan etc. I have sketched a very basic concept of how I think the figure of 8 could work - it’s not a track plan as yet, more of a route schematic. 
 

I’ve also attached some pictures showing progress on the garage space. The wall is due to be plastered tomorrow. 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by Adrock

[BobM]

Will watch and follow your layout with great interest....

Regards always

Bob

[Mike Storey]

Difficult to comment without dimensions and scale?

 

[Adrock]

Good point, omission from my side! It is to be 4mm / OO gauge, and the space available initially is about 2.4m wide by just over 5m long. 

[Ben B]

Will be following this with interest, I love the Cambrian.  What period are you thinking?  Presumably not the present scene, it would seem a lot of trouble making a layout this size just for a couple of 158's trundling about.  Are you looking at the GWR heyday, or the 70's BR Blue era, where there were still goods yards and through trains to London?

[380John]

Looks good this!.... Believe it or not, I've just put a partition up in my garage so I can build my "Cambrian" layout. 12.5ftX8.5ft. Although regrettably mine won't be based on a real location. Your track plan looks very interesting and I see the appeal of that type! 

 

Do you plan on building the boards etc yourself or using kits etc? 

 

Good luck with it, 

 

All the best, 

John 

[Adrock]

53 minutes ago, Ben B said:

Will be following this with interest, I love the Cambrian.  What period are you thinking?  Presumably not the present scene, it would seem a lot of trouble making a layout this size just for a couple of 158's trundling about.  Are you looking at the GWR heyday, or the 70's BR Blue era, where there were still goods yards and through trains to London?

Hi, am planning to model late 50s / early 60s, as that is what my stock collection is based on. However, I reckon I could just run to early 70s BR blue at a stretch! I very much want to run the Cambrian coast express, so I was actually thinking this layout size is a tad small, as my version of the winter train is 7 coaches long. More “normal” service trains will be 3 or 4 coaches long. Will hopefully prove out through more detailed planning. 
 

The layout will be DCC too, with some DCC sound. 

[Adrock]

5 minutes ago, 380John said:

Looks good this!.... Believe it or not, I've just put a partition up in my garage so I can build my "Cambrian" layout. 12.5ftX8.5ft. Although regrettably mine won't be based on a real location. Your track plan looks very interesting and I see the appeal of that type! 

 

Do you plan on building the boards etc yourself or using kits etc? 

 

Good luck with it, 

 

All the best, 

John 

Brilliant! Have you got a thread or any pics?

 

yes, planning to build all the boards myself, open framed for most ideally. 

[380John]

17 minutes ago, Adrock said:

Brilliant! Have you got a thread or any pics?

 

yes, planning to build all the boards myself, open framed for most ideally. 

I hope to start one very soon. I have been collating pictures of the conversion and subsequent "train room".  But I really don't want to "jump in" whilst you have just started yours my friend. I've just laid and wired up the track for my station section so not lots to show really just yet. It's nice to think that someone is building a layout with the same background to it at the same time! Really great stuff. The cambrian is one of those evocative railways full of atmosphere and its great to see layouts built to try and convey that. I hope you enjoy building it.

 

Cheers, 

John 

[Michael Hodgson]

As sketched the curves look very tight for OO and the duck under well might be a bit narrow.

A more accurate drawing to confirm it will fit might be advisable before you are committed.

[Ben B]

3 hours ago, Adrock said:

Hi, am planning to model late 50s / early 60s, as that is what my stock collection is based on. However, I reckon I could just run to early 70s BR blue at a stretch! I very much want to run the Cambrian coast express, so I was actually thinking this layout size is a tad small, as my version of the winter train is 7 coaches long. More “normal” service trains will be 3 or 4 coaches long. Will hopefully prove out through more detailed planning. 
 

The layout will be DCC too, with some DCC sound. 

 

My impression of the Cambrian is that the steam-era infrastructure hung around for quite a while into the BR blue era, certainly until RETB signalling came in, and the Barmouth Viaduct conditions finished off the freight. To be honest even when I was holidaying in Wales as a kid in the 80's things like Barmouth Signalbox were still extant  

[Michael Hodgson]

When I was a lad, both signalboxes at Barmouth were still operational.

The most interesting station on the line was probably Dovey Junction, where trains connected.

[Michael Hodgson]

If you haven't seen it, this site may be of interest - 3 signalbox diagrams for Barmouth South at different dates, one for the North box also one of Talsarnau. 

 

https://signalbox.org/track-layouts/by-railway-company/

[Adrock]

On 24/04/2021 at 21:13, Michael Hodgson said:

If you haven't seen it, this site may be of interest - 3 signalbox diagrams for Barmouth South at different dates, one for the North box also one of Talsarnau. 

 

https://signalbox.org/track-layouts/by-railway-company/

Thanks, I hadn’t seen this, it looks interesting - I will take a closer look!

 

The wall was plastered this weekend, so next stage is to paint and then the room will be ready as I’ll be starting detailed layout planning. 
 

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by Adrock

[Adrock]

I know only a picture of “white walls” but I’ve now got my 4 sockets installed (part of the ring main) to provide layout power; and I’ve painted the walls. So, other than the new lighting installation, the room is ready to go.
 

I’ve taken detailed measurements today so that I can draw up a scaled track plan, then i will make a start on building the frames which will carry the baseboards themselves. My idea is to separate the two, so that a) i can change the layout in the future if I want to and b) so that I can flip up the boards whilst working on the wiring.
 

I am also looking to design in a fairly tall backscene that is hinged, and will come down over key parts of the layout to box it in and protect it from dust and damage. My specification also calls for the supporting wood to be painted white (to blend in with the walls); and the layout and framing in a cream eggshell paint to provide a semi-sealed finish (similar to the type of paint used in hand painted kitchen cupboard doors). I am going to try and make this construction look as neat and tidy as I can!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by Adrock

[Adrock]

After what seems like an eternity, I am just about to commence building the first couple of boards! I’ve decided to start with the “easy” bit - the sweeping embankment section just after Pontdollgoch station. It will go through the middle of the garage, and there will be a bridge over the stream at one end and a road over bridge forming the break at the other. 
 

im really looking for suggestions on the best way to build baseboards these days! I’m thinking three 4ft long by 1.25ft wide (given it’s running through the centre, I can’t go any wider), each with a slight angle at their mating surfaces to facilitate the sweep. 

[Robert Shrives]

Hi check out folk like Tim Horn, or   Grainge and Hodder Ltd. as two popular suppliers for lazer cut ply boards - You can still build a subframe support as you enjoy joinery by look of offcut pile! I would look to seal the garage door blanking piece with a cill as without doubt dropping something in will occur - is it going to get a vent in bottom to help air circulation or will damp be an issue? 

 

I look forward to seeing a plan - inevitable timber viaduct and rock cuttings among coastal scenery backed by a mountainous picture frame always inspires as I travel on the line, a frequent user since 1979!

Robert

[Graham T]

This sounds really interesting, I'll be following it.  Have you seen Geoff Taylor's layout of Barmouth?

 

Also, please could you re-post your plan?  Perhaps I'm being a numpty - it's been known to happen - but I can't see it.  Thanks.

[lincolnshiremodeller]

I sense you're itching to get started but have you insulated the garage and thought about heating the space before you start building baseboards?

A cold garage over the winter and a sauna in the summer may temper your enthusiasm! 

[Adrock]

4 hours ago, Graham T said:

This sounds really interesting, I'll be following it.  Have you seen Geoff Taylor's layout of Barmouth?

 

Also, please could you re-post your plan?  Perhaps I'm being a numpty - it's been known to happen - but I can't see it.  Thanks.

Thanks! I certainly have seen Geoff’s - absolutely inspirational! I won’t be able to achieve anything near that level of quality or size tho unfortunately. 
 

There was a plan originally but after the server crash I only reloaded the pictures that I still had. I’ll put the schematic up when I can dig it out. 

[Adrock]

1 hour ago, lincolnshiremodeller said:

I sense you're itching to get started but have you insulated the garage and thought about heating the space before you start building baseboards?

A cold garage over the winter and a sauna in the summer may temper your enthusiasm! 

Being internal to the house the garage isn’t too bad at all - all of its walls are cavity insulated, the guest bedroom is above it. The garage door itself is well ceiling with a rubber seal the whole way around. 

[Adrock]

7 hours ago, Robert Shrives said:

Hi check out folk like Tim Horn, or   Grainge and Hodder Ltd. as two popular suppliers for lazer cut ply boards - You can still build a subframe support as you enjoy joinery by look of offcut pile! I would look to seal the garage door blanking piece with a cill as without doubt dropping something in will occur - is it going to get a vent in bottom to help air circulation or will damp be an issue? 

 

I look forward to seeing a plan - inevitable timber viaduct and rock cuttings among coastal scenery backed by a mountainous picture frame always inspires as I travel on the line, a frequent user since 1979!

Robert

My Dad is insistent on building the boards as that’s the bit he’s really good at, so I just need to specify how and what and he will build!

 

im hopeful one of the other two scenic sections will be coastal, yes. 

[Robert Shrives]

Hi 

Lucky you and I am sure lots will be learnt!  Yes having portable units makes sense for moving house, even if rails have to be sawn through at that time.  Also having modules on a sep sub frame might allow moving bits about more easily.  Regardless most units will even at "4X2" feet size will be a two person lift.

Robert  

[5BarVT]

On 03/05/2021 at 19:43, Adrock said:

b) so that I can flip up the boards whilst working on the wiring.

Glad to see you have thought about that.  It’s so much easier than upside down soldering.

Means you will need alignment dowels so that the tracks line up properly each time, but we’ll worth the marginal extra cost and time.

Paul.

[Nearholmer]

A plan would be useful, and might overcome a question/concern I’ve got: going “round the edges and across the middle” in that space could leave things very tight for access and operating space, especially if a pal is there to help. It might also suggest the best form of baseboards; I’m thinking something based on light L-girders and risers to cope with the verticality of the Cambrian Coast, but that’s not a great method for removability/modularity.

 

If you can escape from your half, and put part of the route on an enclosed shelf on the other side of the wall, in the former pram parking zone, that might help a lot; it would be a good place to put a “train store” consisting of a couple of loops off of the main line. Donkey’s years ago a friend of mine expanded his shed layout by building a weatherproof “box” containing storage tracks along the exterior of one wall, and that transformed things inside the shed, made it all a lot less cramped.

 

PS: I’m hoping this is set in the 70s or early-80s.