Sellafield North in 6ft x 30ins - No jokes please

[Chimer]

2 hopefully (🤪) helpful thoughts - does your headshunt planning leave room for buffers?  And how long are you going to have to wait for PECO to come up with a bullhead short crossing? 

Edited January 26 by Chimer

[TravisM]

Finally managed to get the printer working and started to figure out what goes where, and exactly how much room I have.  Here's some pictures of the progress.

 

 

[TravisM]

1 hour ago, Chimer said:

2 hopefully (🤪) helpful thoughts - does your headshunt planning leave room for buffers?  And how long are you going to have to wait for PECO to come up with a bullhead short crossing? 

 

All sensible suggestions, thought's and questions are most welcome, as to buffers on the head shunts, I've decided only to have them in the warehouse and the siding under the overhead crane.  I want the world to think that they go further on, so if I decide to expand the layout, I won't have to worry about removing them.  To stop stock rolling off, I plan to use thick clear plastic that I can screw to the ends, high enough to stop stock hitting the floor, not high enough to be noticeable.

 

I'll probably have long gone up the chimney before Peco finally do a Bullhead short crossing, so I'll have to make use of their normal code 75 for now.

[TravisM]

As I'm using Kadee couplers and want to use their No 308 under the track uncouplers, but struggling to find the best locations to put them.  I've put some X's on the track plan where I think they should go, does anyone agree or do people think I need more or less?

 

 

[TravisM]

Before I start laying track down, I’m really wondering if I should bother with putting a cork roadbed down?  With some of the track going into sheds and warehouses, as well as buried in roadway, as well as the slow speed, is it worth it?

Edited February 3 by TravisM
Spelling

[Gordon A]

Most people put uncoupling magnets at the toe of the points.

[simon b]

2 hours ago, TravisM said:

Before I start laying track down, I’m really wondering if I should bother with putting a cork roadbed down?  With some of the track going into sheds and warehouses, as well as buried in roadway, as well as the slow speed, is it worth it?

 

Nope, complete waste of time that stuff. I'm still mystified as to why people use it, as soon as you ballast the track it becomes solid to the board anyway.

[TravisM]

2 hours ago, Gordon A said:

Most people put uncoupling magnets at the toe of the points.

 

More like this?

 

 

[Chimer]

Whatever else you do, you need to be able to leave a wagon where you can run round it.  So probably either end of the straight between the two points on the bottom road.

Edited February 4 by Chimer
Crucial missing word!!

[TravisM]

I've decided to change the location from the docks in East Anglia and Lincolnshire to to a highly condensed version a Sellafield, mainly due to the fact that I'm struggling to find suitable modern dockside models and the models I already have, I can use on this, as well as on my eventual Cumbrian Coast layout.  This means I can get rid of my BYA's as I have far, far too many and just use my FNA and PFA wagons.  Would love a set of the Accurascale KUA's but I think they are far too big, but I would love to know if anyone does the Caustic Soda tanks that used to run onto the site as that would make a interesting addition. 

 

The track plan will remain the same and I'll probably order one of Revolution Trains BNFL's Class 18 CBD18 loco's, but I'm trying to find out how long they are over the couplers (in 4mm), so I can work out the minimum length of my sidings for my shortest train.  Maybe @Revolution Ben can help with the dimensions.

 

Please no jokes about glow in the dark trains, rather tiresome and juvenile.  

Edited February 4 by TravisM
Additional info

[Schooner]

17 hours ago, TravisM said:

Please no jokes about glow in the dark trains, rather tiresome and juvenile.  

 

🤐

 

Re the trackplan: the quasi-loop arrangement still looks clunky. It might be the best possible, but a couple of suggestions to try if you haven't already

• Replace the RH turnout into the warehouse spur with a double slip
• Replace that RH turnout with a RH curved turnout into a LH medium to give your crossover and headshunt roads.

Either could eliminate the dodgey-looking RH after the 24° crossing on the crane siding, and can balance the longer formation with greater, yet smoother, curvature. This allows you to extend the tracks into the top RH corner to maintain spur length and make the most of your practical space. The greater separation between them and the front track would then allow the fuel tanks to be rotated 90° to make the most of your visible space and help prevent the scene looking cramped.

[TravisM]

1 hour ago, Schooner said:

 

 

🤐

 

Re the trackplan: the quasi-loop arrangement still looks clunky. It might be the best possible, but a couple of suggestions to try if you haven't already

• Replace the RH turnout into the warehouse spur with a double slip
• Replace that RH turnout with a RH curved turnout into a LH medium to give your crossover and headshunt roads.

Either could eliminate the dodgey-looking RH after the 24° crossing on the crane siding, and can balance the longer formation with greater, yet smoother, curvature. This allows you to extend the tracks into the top RH corner to maintain spur length and make the most of your practical space. The greater separation between them and the front track would then allow the fuel tanks to be rotated 90° to make the most of your visible space and help prevent the scene looking cramped.

 

I did as you suggested regarding the double slip and I must admit, it does work better, but I'll keep everything as it is because I want to turn the former crane siding a siding where the caustic soda wagons used to go.  I've also got rid of the engine shed and put the crane there, created several buildings including a walkway between two to create a view block.

 

 

Edited February 5 by TravisM
Additional info

[TravisM]

1 hour ago, TravisM said:

 

I did as you suggested regarding the double slip and I must admit, it does work better, but I'll keep everything as it is because I want to turn the former crane siding a siding where the caustic soda wagons used to go.  I've also got rid of the engine shed and put the crane there, created several buildings including a walkway between two to create a view block.

 

 

 

This any better?

 

 

[TravisM]

I decided to stick with the original plan as I know it works, and I know others will criticise it but it's my railway and I'm the fat controller (Literally 😂).  I've started laying out the point work to make sure no point motors etc, go over the under the baseboard stiffeners.  Let me know what you think.

 

 

[simon b]

Good to see your making progress, as long as your happy with the track plan it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

 

But if your keeping the plan as is, the one thing I would suggest is that the front track needs curving a little. It stands out from the rest of the layout as it is dead straight, and parallel to the board edge. Bullhead points will bend a little, perhaps swap the two points left to right thereby putting the whole line on a gentle curve?

[TravisM]

2 hours ago, simon b said:

Good to see your making progress, as long as your happy with the track plan it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

 

But if your keeping the plan as is, the one thing I would suggest is that the front track needs curving a little. It stands out from the rest of the layout as it is dead straight, and parallel to the board edge. Bullhead points will bend a little, perhaps swap the two points left to right thereby putting the whole line on a gentle curve?

 

I'll keep it as it is as I've got another idea for the front, I'll put a road in and security fence between the road and the railway.  I need two more medium radius Code 75 points to complete the track work but the bullhead rail will be on the ballasted sections as the flat headed rail, including the diamond crossings will be hidden as if their buried in concrete so trucks, vans etc can drive over them.  I've also been advised to get 'frog juicers' for the diamond crossings as they make them work, much, much better and stop stalling.

[Schooner]

On 21/01/2024 at 11:31, Schooner said:

hopefully the below is a legible alternative footprint of the same features:

 

A very rough'n'ready go at something similar in planning software:

• Ruling radius: 610mm nominal through PECO short turnout into gantry crane siding + loop curve
• Minimum headshunt: 305mm

 

Just for my own entertainment and interest, but might as well share!

 

 

Steel warehouse 150mm high; containers (20fters) stacked 3-high at 96mm; ship is 1000mm long; tanks 160mm high/

 

By using the operational/scenic elements to frame the modelled scene the aim was to make the most of both visual impressions (aiming to look like a small prototype at scale) and train-playing, as you squeeze the greatest possible journey length into your available space.

 

HTH

 

EDIT:

Being limited to 20fters is a bit rubbish - 40fters accommodated below, including under the gantry crane between the tracks:

 

Edited February 13 by Schooner

[TravisM]

On 12/02/2024 at 23:57, Schooner said:

 

A very rough'n'ready go at something similar in planning software:

• Ruling radius: 610mm nominal through PECO short turnout into gantry crane siding + loop curve
• Minimum headshunt: 305mm

 

Just for my own entertainment and interest, but might as well share!

 

 

Steel warehouse 150mm high; containers (20fters) stacked 3-high at 96mm; ship is 1000mm long; tanks 160mm high/

 

By using the operational/scenic elements to frame the modelled scene the aim was to make the most of both visual impressions (aiming to look like a small prototype at scale) and train-playing, as you squeeze the greatest possible journey length into your available space.

 

HTH

 

EDIT:

Being limited to 20fters is a bit rubbish - 40fters accommodated below, including under the gantry crane between the tracks:

 

 

Wow, I wish I had seen that before I bought extra points etc, I'm now committed to my track plan of Sellafield as I'm about to sell off my BYA's, Class 08 and Class 60, to buy a Revolution Trains BNFL Class 18, as well as their FNA-D's, as well as more Accurascale FNA-D's, PFA's and Bachmann FNA's.

[TravisM]

Finally got the last few points and laid out the track plan.  Even though I wasn't going to make the layout bigger, I'm going to ask Tim Horn to make me some 1ft extensions for either side as one of the left hand side sidings is far too short.  I could move the whole track plan to the right by 1.5cm's, but I wanted to keep the centre diamond crossing right in the middle, to keep it 'balanced'

 

I'm about to order a Revolution Trains BNFL Class 18/CBD 18 and I've been told by @Revolution Ben that the length over the couplers is 183mm, so coupled to a FNA, my shortest siding can't handle it, hence the extensions.  As I'm about to sell my Bachmann BYA's, Bachmann 08 and Hornby Class 60, I can use the money to buy more FNA-D's or PFA's

 

Edited February 14 by TravisM
Additional info

[TravisM]

I want to build some mock ups of the buildings and wondered what card I should use.  Would the card used on parcels etc be okay or world someone recommend something better?

[Chris116]

41 minutes ago, TravisM said:

I want to build some mock ups of the buildings and wondered what card I should use.  Would the card used on parcels etc be okay or world someone recommend something better?

Cornflakes boxes always used to be mentioned years ago. I can't think of anything better. Good luck.

[TravisM]

I've decided to order 1ftx30ins extensions to each end to give me a total length of the layout as 8ft, and going by @Chris116 suggestion, I've started using cereal boxes to create mock ups of the fuel handling plant, and eventually the two processing buildings.  As Ben Jones of Rail magazine and Heljan fame did a recent article on the BNFL CBD18/Class 18's at Sellafield, hopefully I can collar him at DEMU and ask him if he would consider sending me any other useful photographs of the rail system used within the site.  I'm also seriously considering making the buildings the full height of the backscene because having read Ben's article, and seen the few pictures, the buildings seem to tower over the railway.

 

I've also decided to put the track back at the front of the layout, as a scenic part of the Cumbrian Coast line and include a security fence between it and the Sellafield site.

 

 

Edited February 23 by TravisM
Spelling

[WCML100]

Just came across this thread. Very excited to see this progress - the final scene should really look the business!

[TravisM]

23 hours ago, WCML100 said:

Just came across this thread. Very excited to see this progress - the final scene should really look the business!

We’ve spoken before regarding my Cumbrian Coast layout and I’m following your Greenford project.  As my Cumbrian layout is probably at least 2 years away, hence building the Sellafield layout as a stop gap, which could possibly be exhibited.

 

I hope your project is going well 

Edited February 24 by TravisM
Additional info

[TravisM]

I've ordered to two extensions from Tim Horn and they should be with me early next month.  I'm making a start on the fuel handling and processing buildings using foamboard, and as they real buildings dominate the railway, do you think I should leave foamboard at the height shown or cut them down a little?  Because I'm 'guestimating' the size of the buildings using the pictures I have, I'd welcome any sensible suggestions.