Rimmer Junction (Neath, as it might have been....)

[srt11]

Hi All,

 

Rimmer Junction is currently in construction. It's based on Neath, as it perhaps may once might have been. It's location in time is rather fluid, running from GWR through to about 1980ish,* but with a focus on the 1970s. Trains run on the basis that Dr Beeching stayed playing with chemicals, and steam kept running long past its real-life demise.

 

It is simple (I think; others will disagree) concept: a single loop, doubled over itself so to create a helix effect from lower level storage, up along the walls of the shed, on to the top layer. The attached (terrible) photo gives a rough idea: on the RHS (as you look at the photo) is the station; on the LHS will be a colliery set up (very loosely based on the Skewen Main Colliery 3+4).**

 

In terms of travel, if you look at the photo with a big lump of lead in the bottom, a Western sitting in the middle siding and a GWR autocoach sitting on the platform, the cl37 is on the Up line (to London). The third photo shows the tracks that will be hidden behind the station - these tracks go on a spiral around the walls of the shed, and end on the bottom level. You can see part of the bottom level in photo 1: the diverting line goes of to another set of storage sidings; normal running trains go on and around the curve and then back around and up again.*** In the last photo, you can see a Western (1007) with some MK1s going down the "helix".**** You should be able to see the top part of the "helix" as well. The shed is 6mx3m, the helix goes around the walls, so with a gradient of just less than 1 in 100, it goes around twice and raises about 28cm or so. This gradient enables relatively realistic train lengths eg Abergavenny Castle will happily pull 9 MK1s up and down; the recent Bachman 9487 pulls 10 Accurascale PTA bogie waggons (visible in the first photo) up and down no problem. Curves are general R3 or R4, but there are some R2s. So far, no problems, other than my terrible track laying, awful carpentry, and cavalier approach to wiring. One issue is the need to put in a reverse loop module or two to enable the crossovers to work at the station, but that's not a major issue really. The only real problem is that some of the coaches (basically the Bachman MK1s attached the Blue Western) don't like one particular curve on the helix at any speed.*****

 

Anyway, that will do for now: more to come....!

 

 

 

 

 

*My very first train set was the Midnight Freight, with a cl58 (still alive, just). I decided to have the end point at the time when the cl58 came on track.

 

** For personal reasons, I wanted to do Skewen Main 7, but it wouldn't look quite right, and will actually be better a standalone model that I aim to do at some point in a million year's time...

 

*** The best way I can describe the geometry of the whole layout is - imagine a slinky (those metal things that go down stairs). That is all the the layout is: one single line looped around itself.

 

**** The blur is the fact the train is clearly "going" - I'm not that bad a photographer!  

 

***** I added a lot of lead to the Triang MK1s the Cl37 is pulling and they are fine, but I think the length of the Bachman coaches is the issue (the Triangs have been brought up to around 155grams each, which is the same as the Bachmann coaches).

[srt11]

I feel I should have started with this picture, for naming reasons....

[srt11]

Coming up to the top level.

[srt11]

When we moved to the house, I found this copy of the Daily Mail in the attic.

[srt11]

D1007 Western Talisman on the charge along the middle of the helix run.

 

Photo 2 shows the removable sections. This section will need work to make it properly user friendly, and it was "fun" making the different levels (two of which are gradients), but they work, just!

[The Johnster]

Obviously much still to do, it'll be interesting to follow progress.  Neath's an interesting 'inspiration' prototype, and I'd have been tempted to have a go at thee vicious corkscrew curved gradient off the down platform leading towards Skewen, which would have resulted in a higher level fiddle yard rather than the basement type you've (probably wisely) gone for.  58s were rare at the real Neath, but Rule 1 trumps this!

[srt11]

@The Johnster Soo much to do.... ! But, my plan has always been to go in for the long run. The shed went up summer of 2020, with the first level done about this time last year. I've no particular timeframe in mind, and indeed there will probably be breaks (for one I absolutely will do a small model of Skewen Main 7 (which will have quite a nice wye junction from what the maps show), and I've also got a plan to do the wharf as well - but those will probably wait until Rimmer Junction is functioning correctly, as I think I will use the smaller models as practice for scenery things as I have never done any such stuff. Indeed, I've never even ballasted track, or done scatter or anything!)

 

If I had the time, money and space, I would absolutely do a complete recreation of Neath (from Court Sart all along to the Lonlas tunnel). Whether I have the ability is, as this project shows, neither here nor there.

 

I've never seen an image of a class 58 at Neath (the nearest I think was up in one of the valleys, but that's about it). Thinking about it, I've never actually seen a class 58 in the flesh either. I think when the model is "finished", I may just run the 58 around once, then start again!

 

Attached are two terrible photos, but should show 1007 at the end of the lower level short sidings (underneath the station) going around the curve to begin the journey upwards. The diverting line off the main (it goes off to the lower level long sidings), which is in the foreground, was (as should be quite evident) a necessary alteration to the original plan. My initial trackplan had the diversion coming off a curved point just as the curve started (just by the 9V batter in photo two), which was very elegant looking. It worked perfectly, until I tried the 9F... (and the Westerns). I had done the original plan because there was a support in the way. It was only when trying to work out what I was going to do, that I realised that the intervening pillar actually was unnecessary to support the board!

[The Johnster]

You've avoided a rookie error in multi-level layouts, that of leaving insufficient headroom for your fiddle yards to be able to access trains and lift stock out.  With your mindset having proven itself by your aving done this, I reckon you'll be able to overcome most of whatever other problems you'll encounter, but you'll find (as I have), this site to be a willing, though not necessarily consistent or predicatable, source of advice, information, and encouragement.

 

If you think that's a cavalier approach to wiring, you should see the ratnest under Cwmdimbath!  It all works, though, which is the main thing.  Like me, you are using insulfrog turnouts to keep matters simple, and despite what everybody has told me about relying on point blade closures and track connection fishplates to secure electrical continuity, I have no problems, but I do have to clean the blade closure interfaces regularly.

Edited February 6, 2023 by The Johnster

[srt11]

Thanks @The Johnster! Ive been using this site for about 5 years now (since the bug bit hard and The Hobby appeared in my life again) and it is really useful.

 

I should note all my points, apart from a pair of three ways in the lower long sidings, are electrofrog (I'm guessing you guessed otherwise due to the presence of some surface points- they're used due to the inevitable location of supports at just the position they shouldn't be - I swear that the struts move in the night to be under points!)

 

The space thing is really important I think - to some extent I was forced to have a good gap by the geometry of the helix, but if I were to do it again I'd make it even bigger. Losing 3 stone over the last year or two has helped though in being able to squeeze in, though there was one bit where I did recently have to get the jigsaw out and manically cut out a chunk to access the far curve (the result of which is leaning on the far wall in the very first photo). I think if I were to do it all again I'd use open frame though I'm sure that would just swap one form of yogic contortion for another...

 

Cleaning is a combination of track rubber, the gaugemaster track cleaner van, and the CMX cleaner (using IPA). I think I may need to make one of those hoover trucks like the Dapol cleaner though to pick up all the various couplings buffers and stuff that accumulate as a result of, um, bad driving....