Popular Post Thorness Posted December 20, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted December 20, 2021 (edited) I have been modelling narrow gauge for several years but the lovely Hornby Pecketts have seduced me back to 00. In March having bought the locos and several wagons I started to build somewhere to use them so Norwood Sidings came into existence. This is basically an Inglenook plan with an exit to a long fiddle stick. The sidings board is 4ft x 9 inches using DC power and motorised points (a first for me!). The approximate plan: Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr it is not quite right as I have used flexi-track not setrack. The live frog points and the LEDs for the control box seem to have resulted in a lot of wires for such a small set up. I think there are about fifteen wires in the umbilical cord connecting the layout to the control box. Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr It all looks so much better when it is the right way up! Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Progress has been slow since the initial burst. The industrial setting has given me an excuse to go for an inlaid track approach and I'm sure lots people will recognise the several of the Scalescenes buildings that I've used. Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Laying all the track before I'd decided on the buildings did mean I had to do some slight track adjustments to get enough clearance for both tracks to get through the end building. More to follow. Cheers Don Edited June 14, 2023 by Thorness Photo re-inserted 23 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Thorness Posted December 21, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 21, 2021 I started this off using tension lock couplings as obviously they were on the locos and stock that I acquired. I liked the idea of remote uncoupling and tried the Brian Kirby modification to the couplings but couldn't get them to work reliably. I think part of the problem was that the wagons were too free rolling with short trains so at slow speed there was not enough tension to lock them and they frequently uncoupled when passing over the magnets. The first wagons I bought were second hand from a local model shop and being older models they had the bigger type of tension locks - ugly but at least they work reliably. The new stock has NEM tension locks and I have to say I am not impressed, they may not look quite as bad and work well once coupled but coupling up seems to be very haphazard, even on straight track the hooks seem to do there best to avoid the loop on the adjacent wagon. Initially I persevered with tension locks and made some manual uncouplers for each siding. Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr After much experimentation I finally settled on an arrangement for the buildings: Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr These are mostly Scalescenes with some from Wordsworth Model railways (http://www.wordsworthmodelrailway.co.uk/index.html) Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr I decided the ugly timberwork below ground level needed to go so that has been hidden behind some block work: Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Lack of forward planning on my part meant that there were no isolating sections at the end of any of the sidings but rather than add extra wiring from the board to the control box I have have cut the track and fitted small reed switches across the join. These are activated by small magnets hidden in stacks of timber. Norwood sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Norwood sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Norwood sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Cheers Don 21 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 Looks great! Nice use of the scalescenes buildings Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Thorness Posted December 21, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 21, 2021 (edited) The fact the Scalescenes boxfile set included a barge and that the blockwork at the front makes it look a bit like a dock edge has convinced me to create a canal foreground (or is that forescene?) which, hopefully, will disguise the shelving when taking photos. Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Probably the most significant change is the replacement of the traditional tension lock couplings with Sprat & Winkle couplings. Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr I found these easier than I expected and can now play trains completely "hands off". It is nice to be able to leave wagons wherever you want ,not just where the uncoupler happens to be. Only one magnet is needed for the layout, between the points on the left in this pic: Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr and as you can see I've added some nice murky water to the canal Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr That's up to date for now. There are loads of things still to be sorted, I've got some mooring bollards almost ready to stick on but one serious deficiency is people! Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Cheers Don Edited November 17, 2022 by Thorness 20 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multigauge Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 Looking good; well done! I got the scalescenes canal wharf kit for a planned idea, but have only made the boat yet. Thanks for the close up in the sprat and winkle couplings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 (edited) A few details added to the dockside. A close up look at the Sprat & Winkle couplings in action: Edited April 16, 2022 by Thorness video added 16 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted February 8, 2022 Author Share Posted February 8, 2022 (edited) Awaiting delivery: Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr P1030184 by Thorness, on Flickr Edited February 8, 2022 by Thorness 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted March 3, 2022 Author Share Posted March 3, 2022 (edited) Vintage footage of action at Norwood Sidings. Edited March 7, 2022 by Thorness 10 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted March 31, 2022 Author Share Posted March 31, 2022 Finally got some crew for the locos: 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted April 6, 2022 Author Share Posted April 6, 2022 A few more gratuitous pictures: 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve1900 Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 Very nice indeed, has a 'busy' atmosphere about it and I've always liked layouts with a dock or canal. I totally agree with your earlier comments regarding the smaller plastic couplers - I just don't like them. All my stock has the older Hornby metal X171 couplers fitted. With the X171's being metal, I use one wagon as a height guide and slightly bend them all to match and they work perfectly. I have a US inglenook but have decided to make a small British OO one and by coincidence the board I've made is 4' x 10". Just trying to decide whether to make it a country scene or an industrial one - may even include a small station as an excuse to run couple of 4-wheel coaches. Also just bought my first static grass applicator and was very impressed at the results so I'm leaning towards the country setting as an excuse to use it. Can I ask how those Pecketts run? They get good reviews for their running so may invest in one. Best runner I have at the moment is the Model Rail sentinel which is silky slow, perfect for shunting and just needs those tiny couplings changing. Regards Steve 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bandit Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 Lovely little layout with lots of atmosphere. I have two 0-4-0 Peckett and they run beautifully through (dare I admit), short insulfrog points. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted April 10, 2022 Author Share Posted April 10, 2022 (edited) The 0-4-0 was perfect straight out of the box but the 0-6-0 was a bit variable. Investigation showed that on one side 2 of the pickups were missing! Hornby sent me a new pickup plate (with all 6 pickups) without any question and now it runs really well. Cheers Don Edited April 13, 2022 by Thorness 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted April 27, 2022 Author Share Posted April 27, 2022 (edited) A new yard crane installed and several new loads. Cheers Don Edited May 4, 2022 by Thorness Video restored 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry1975 Posted April 28, 2022 Share Posted April 28, 2022 Very nice, like the details you have added. Jerry. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porfuera Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 (edited) Lovely photos and video - as usual! Atmospheric and inspirational - looking nicely cluttered with the new loads. Edited April 29, 2022 by Porfuera 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted June 1, 2022 Author Share Posted June 1, 2022 Additions to the wharf. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted August 8, 2022 Author Share Posted August 8, 2022 (edited) A few more gratuitous photos: Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Norwood Sidings by Thorness, on Flickr Edited August 8, 2022 by Thorness 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted January 24, 2023 Author Share Posted January 24, 2023 (edited) New Vans for Norwood Road. ( Dapol suitably weathered.) Edited January 25, 2023 by Thorness 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted February 23, 2023 Author Share Posted February 23, 2023 and just to show that things don't always go to plan: 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted June 9, 2023 Author Share Posted June 9, 2023 (edited) Edited August 10, 2023 by Thorness 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted August 1, 2023 Author Share Posted August 1, 2023 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted August 10, 2023 Author Share Posted August 10, 2023 (edited) Edited August 10, 2023 by Thorness 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted November 30, 2023 Author Share Posted November 30, 2023 Vintage footage of Norwood Sidings: 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorness Posted January 2 Author Share Posted January 2 (edited) Very flattered to have Norwood Sidings chosen for the January header on the Micro Layouts Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1911992839045598/permalink/3575493559362176 Edited January 2 by Thorness 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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