Auckland Wharf - Southampton docks inspired micro

[Nick C]

After the dramatic failure of my last attempt, I'm finally getting around to trying another micro-layout - this one will live above my desk rather than out in the shed, and so will hopefully provide some entertainment in the winter months when it's too cold to work out there...

 

Based on a Scale Model Scenery "layout in a box" board, with the extension module, makes it 165cm by 21cm. It will represent an obscure corner of a dockyard somewhere in the south of England - Southampton-ish, but not really based on anywhere in particular... It's also got to look nice, as it's in a domestic area - no scruffy edges!

 

The boards have been built, along with a JS models warehouse and a couple of small workshops from Petite Properties, and the spare track box has been raided, along with the addition of a pair of A5s from British Finescale.

 

Which all leave me with two possible plans - I'm not sure which works better:

 

 

 

In both cases the new A5s form the crossover on the left (entrance from fiddlestick being the left-middle road), then I've got the two medium left-handers, the small right-hander and the single slip from an experiment in handbuilt track a few years ago.

 

The building on the right is the JS workshop, with a track entering it from a wagon turntable. Small workshops by the trees in the middle, and another loading dock of some kind to justify the rear siding. Front left is some kind of shed to hide the exit, while the tree rear-left hides the corner of the backscene. The outlined area on the right is a couple of ideas for inset track/hardstanding, and may well get extended.

 

Then it just need a name...

Edited February 18, 2023 by Nick C
Title

[Nick C]

And a photo of the progress so far...

[Rob K]

1 hour ago, Nick C said:

After the dramatic failure of my last attempt, I'm finally getting around to trying another micro-layout - this one will live above my desk rather than out in the shed, and so will hopefully provide some entertainment in the winter months when it's too cold to work out there...

 

Based on a Scale Model Scenery "layout in a box" board, with the extension module, makes it 165cm by 21cm. It will represent an obscure corner of a dockyard somewhere in the south of England - Southampton-ish, but not really based on anywhere in particular... It's also got to look nice, as it's in a domestic area - no scruffy edges!

 

The boards have been built, along with a JS models warehouse and a couple of small workshops from Petite Properties, and the spare track box has been raided, along with the addition of a pair of A5s from British Finescale.

 

Which all leave me with two possible plans - I'm not sure which works better:

 

 

 

In both cases the new A5s form the crossover on the left (entrance from fiddlestick being the left-middle road), then I've got the two medium left-handers, the small right-hander and the single slip from an experiment in handbuilt track a few years ago.

 

The building on the right is the JS workshop, with a track entering it from a wagon turntable. Small workshops by the trees in the middle, and another loading dock of some kind to justify the rear siding. Front left is some kind of shed to hide the exit, while the tree rear-left hides the corner of the backscene. The outlined area on the right is a couple of ideas for inset track/hardstanding, and may well get extended.

 

Then it just need a name...

Where does the exit lead to ?!

[Nick C]

18 minutes ago, Rob K said:

Where does the exit lead to ?!

Just a 46cm fiddlestick, or cassette - no room for anything more! Should hold a loco and 4 wagons, I think. 

[NHY 581]

Hi Nick, 

 

Unusually for me, I think the lower of the two plans with the slip. 

 

Normally, I'd avoid anything as complex as a single slip but, to my eye, it has a better flow. 

 

Both provide will some "operational challenges ".

 

Rob. 

Edited January 11, 2023 by NHY 581

[marc smith]

10 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Hi Nick, 

 

Unusually for me, I think the lower of the two plans with the slip. 

 

Normally, I'd avoid anything as complex as a single slip but, to my eye, it has a better flow. 

 

Both provide will some "operational challenges ".

 

Rob. 

Hi Nick,

I find myself in agreement with my fellow Welshman and old chum here. I think the plan with the slip just "flows" more nicely.
Plus, the plan looks slightly less "congested". I also think I'd be tempted to bring that crossover on the left of the plan just a tad further along to the right (maybe just 2 or 3 inches) - I think that will help that left hand siding in the foreground look a tad longer. Up to you of course, but I think it would be quite nice to see a wagon or two parked there, with a little bit of space around it.

Looking good sir. I think this one will be a winner.
 

[Nick C]

Thanks @NHY 581, @marc smith - here's how the slip plan looks with the left-hand crossover shifted about 2.5" to the right - which just still leaves room to run round 4 wagons:

 

The bits of plain track are random offcuts of SMP, just for testing - I'll be using new Peco bullhead in appropriate lengths when I lay it properly.

[Nick C]

A bit of progress - Cork surface laid, gaps between the boards filled, fillets added in the corners, Mousehole cut for the FY exit, and backscene fitted - which already makes this the most scenic layout I've managed! 

 

 

Track laying next...

Edited January 16, 2023 by Nick C

[Andrew D]

This looks great! Am looking forward to seeing how you get on. 

[marc smith]

Looking good @Nick C- it's amazing just how much difference a background or a sky background can make,
I'm sure you won't be glueing any buildings down just yet - but I always wait to do this, as I think it's good practice just to leave them loose on the baseboard for a while, and then move them around occasionally, until you find their optimum position. Sometimes, even moving a building or structure just a few cm either way can make a difference or have an impact.

Keep this one up good sir - I'm looking forward to seeing it progress :) 

EDIT: I like that large factory / warehouse a lot. I can picture several utility outbuildings or sheds around it. I always like to hide a backscene corner with a tree or chimney too, as you have done here.

Edited January 17, 2023 by marc smith

[Nick C]

17 minutes ago, marc smith said:

Looking good @Nick C- it's amazing just how much difference a background or a sky background can make,
I'm sure you won't be glueing any buildings down just yet - but I always wait to do this, as I think it's good practice just to leave them loose on the baseboard for a while, and then move them around occasionally, until you find their optimum position. Sometimes, even moving a building or structure just a few cm either way can make a difference or have an impact.

Keep this one up good sir - I'm looking forward to seeing it progress :) 

EDIT: I like that large factory / warehouse a lot. I can picture several utility outbuildings or sheds around it. I always like to hide a backscene corner with a tree or chimney too, as you have done here.

The buildings won't get glued down for a while yet! As you can see, I've even kept the trees in their protective boxes for the moment!

 

There will be another factory or similar left of centre - between the Oak and the Beech. I'm thinking perhaps a longer, single-story northlight building so that it looks different.

[marc smith]

On 17/01/2023 at 09:34, Nick C said:

The buildings won't get glued down for a while yet! As you can see, I've even kept the trees in their protective boxes for the moment!

 

There will be another factory or similar left of centre - between the Oak and the Beech. I'm thinking perhaps a longer, single-story northlight building so that it looks different.

I thought you were likely not going to stick anything down permanently yet (apart from the track, obviously lol)
Re your last point about the buildings - that's something I like too. If you can get your buildings looking like they all "belong" there, but have differing heights, levels and roof profiles - it makes a scene more interesting.

[TrevorP1]

Good luck with this one Nick - and Milford. It'll be interesting to see how our ideas for 'Southamptonish' Docks layouts pan out.

 

Mayflower Dock may turn out to be my only layout for a while. We're in the process of some serious thinking at the moment which may result in a house move to a different part of the country. Burngullow Lane certainly wasn't built to move but if we do go it'll be to much nearer the real location... 

[Nick C]

Thanks Trevor. Mine will be somewhat more generic than yours, as I'm mostly using kit buildings, but hopefully will at least get the feel of the area.

 

Still trying to think of a good name for it too...

[TrevorP1]

I wondered about the trees first Nick but then I remembered:

 

 

 

(From geoff79818 on Flickr)

 

This is just by the old Royal Pier and Town Quay.

 

I think the warehouse in the background once belonged to Edwin Jones.  (A big store at the end of Queensway that old g*ts like me remember) Part of it was wrecked in the blitz. 

[Nick C]

I'm tempted to use a couple of trees and some ornamental fencing or walling like that for the scenic break end, might make a nice contrast to the more industrial buildings? 

 

I've got the track down now, just loosely tacked in place with a few blobs of glue to allow for any adjustment while fitting point operation (keeping it simple, wire rods from the front and microswitch for frog polarity) and wiring. The three sidings and headshunt need trimming to length, which raises a question - buffer stops. Would such sidings have normal buffer stops at the end, or would they use something more basic? Normal stops take up quite a bit of space!

[Andrew D]

I doubt these would be prototypical, Rule 1 would need to be employed, but these buffer stops from Lanarkshire Models certainly tick the Space Saving box. 
http://www.lanarkshiremodels.com/lanarkshiremodelsandsupplieswebsite_235.htm

 

[Nathaniel]

They look great, seen them in situ in various locations in the southwest, never been able to find model versions. Great find, hope to see them on your layout.

[petethemole]

I've just happened on this thread.  As a long term resident and Uni alumnus I always take an interest in Southampton based layouts.  I remember the the trains along Town Quay.  The warehouse in Trevor's second photo is Geddes Warehouse, built in 1866 as a baggage warehouse.  It's Grade 2 listed and has been converted into flats with a restaurant on the ground floor.  The warehouse that was damaged in the Blitz was further along, behind Geddes and the other side of High Street, next to the Sun Inn, which was destroyed by the same bomb.  It's on the left in this shot, and as damaged in the next.  This too is now flats.  Both warehouse were used by the Archaeology unit at different times, so I have worked in both.

 

 

Edited February 1, 2023 by petethemole
first picture didn't show, now second

[TrevorP1]

That’s interesting Pete - everyday is a school day! 
 

Regarding the buffet stops Nick. Hate to say it but I think really you know 🙂 , they ought to be the ‘normal’ type.

[Nick C]

On 31/01/2023 at 20:22, Nick C said:

... while fitting point operation (keeping it simple, wire rods from the front and microswitch for frog polarity) and wiring. 

That didn't work - the switches on the single slip are too springy and even with a bit of cork bearing on the wire, still wouldn't stay closed in either position. So I'll be fitting servos instead - which isn't a bad thing as that's what I'm planning for the big layout anyway, so it's a good way to play with them and see how it all works.

 

I got a set of servos and mounts from Dingo Servos at the Alton show on Saturday, and a pair of "Servo4" boards from MERG - which were ordered on Friday and arrived, by Royal Mail, on Sunday!

Edited February 6, 2023 by Nick C

[Nick C]

A bit more progress over the last few evenings - One of the servo4 boards, and the servoset control box soldered up, and the 5 servo mounts assembled and fitted. Second servo4 and wiring next...

 

With 8 servo channels available, and only 5 points, I'm wondering about adding a couple of animations at some point - a gate across the entry would be an obvious one, then perhaps either a crane or a wagon turntable? 

[Nick C]

Wiring now done (photo taken before connectingup the switches for the points, which go into the green connectors on the Servo4 boards).

 

Then obviously some testing was required...

'36 chosen primarily as it was the first loco to hand, the selection of wagons for similar reasons. Running seems fine, hauled and propelled the full rake over all the possible routes with only one derailment - and that was a facing move so I've adjusted the throw of the servo in question slightly so hopefully that won't happen again. A little more tweaking of the track alignment needed in places before ballasting, but I think I'll play with some more buildings next...

[Kevin Johnson]

Nick nice work on the wiring. I honestly would not know where to start.🙂BTW the layout is coming along nicely.

[Nick C]

3 hours ago, Kevin Johnson said:

Nick nice work on the wiring. I honestly would not know where to start.🙂BTW the layout is coming along nicely.

Thanks Kevin, I did electronics at university so I was thinking it was rather untidy!

 

I've also thought of a name for it - quite a few such wharves were named after places, presumably based on where the commodities they traded in came from or went to - real Southampton examples including Sunderland Wharf, Burnley Wharf, Baltic Wharf (timber), and American Wharf (Ships biscuits, of all things!) - so on that basis, I'm going for "Auckland Wharf", as I have family connections to the Bishop Auckland/Shildon area.

Edited February 18, 2023 by Nick C