Salcombe Harbour

[Highlandman]

Well here goes!!!

For some time now I have been playing around with several layout ideas based in the West Country, mainly in the South Hams area. Bigbury, Bantham, Aveton Gifford, Modbury etc., but I have settled for a layout based on the possible extension to Salcombe from Kingsbridge.

I have supposed that the Salcombe extension went ahead to Snapes Point and that this was made in to a deep water harbour suitable for small coastal freighters and fishing boats. To add to the traffic I have assumed that the Yealmpton branch was extended through to Modbury and then on to a junction just to the north of Kingsbridge.

The new lines as I see it.



I have two plans drawn up, the only real differnece being the placement of the goods shed.

Salcombe Harbour MKI



Salcombe Harbour MKII



As you can see not much difference so I have been able to get on with the baseboards and should get most of the track down before I decide which is the final plan to go for.


There are four boards, 2 x 4.5ft x 2ft and 2 x 3.5ft x 2ft. This is my first effort using ply as a frame and top. The sides are quite deep as I will be using Tortoise point motors. The tops will be covered in cork to help deaden the sound and the layout will be DCC.

Here are some pictures of the boards I have been working on recently.







Trying to build something in a small flat and keep the houshold authorities happy is not the easiest job in the world.

I can only build when hard earned funds allow so this topic be updated as often as I can. I hope you like the plan and any comments are welcome, i'm always up for learning something new.

[Andy Y]

Interesting plan there Andy, I'm looking forward to this one.

 

Very sturdy construction.

[7APT7]

Hi there

 

The Track Plan Layout looks great, and I will watch with interest the progress of the Layout.

 

Keep the Photo updates coming...

 

Regards

Jamie

[Beacon]

This looks like an interesting idea. I'm originally from Kingsbridge so always like seeing layouts based around the town and the area especially when using a little artistic license!

 

What era are you planning to set the layout in or will it be flexible?

[Highlandman]

Interesting plan there Andy, I'm looking forward to this one.

 

Very sturdy construction.

 

 

Thanks Andy for your comments. It might need some bracing underneath but I won't no where until the point motor locations are sorted.

[Highlandman]

This looks like an interesting idea. I'm originally from Kingsbridge so always like seeing layouts based around the town and the area especially when using a little artistic license!

 

What era are you planning to set the layout in or will it be flexible?

 

Hi Peter, you should have seen some of the other ideas I came up with before settled on this one. I like Kingsbridge and it's surrounding area, but then my mother only lives seven miles from the town. No fixed time scale other than post 1948, maybe stretching as far as the late 70's.

[trisonic]

Nice design.

I particularly like how you placed the fiddleyard and the transition to it (you could even "kickback" to the top left corner by extending the scenic break northward - I probably would not bother, however). I slightly prefer Mk1!!!!

 

Best, Pete.

[2ManySpams]

I like this! Got a feel of the original Carrick Road layout built by 'Black Rat' which was in Model Rail a few years back.

[Coombe Barton]

Take it that you know of the Kingsbridge and Salcombe Railway proposal as summarised here - http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/k/kingsbridge/index.shtml

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Just an couple of observations re-the track plan if I may.

 

Wouldn't the mainline run directly into the platform road, rather than swing right at the turnout after the level crossing?

 

I assume there's just a trailing crossover at the end of the platform, which is more typical, rather than a scissors crossover there.

 

Don't forget a couple of trap points (marked "T") protecting the mainline from the quayside sidings.

 

Hope the attached makes things a little clearer:

[Highlandman]

Nice design.

I particularly like how you placed the fiddleyard and the transition to it (you could even "kickback" to the top left corner by extending the scenic break northward - I probably would not bother, however). I slightly prefer Mk1!!!!

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

Thanks for the kind comments. I must admit I am leaning towards MK1 as the goods shed position gives me a bit more room to play with in the yard. I had thought about a kickback but decided against it. I was going to try a cassette style fiddle yard simply because of the varied style of trains and movements that this model could produce. Only problem is at home the fiddle yard will spend alot of its time within eight inches of a wall in my sons bedroom. Not ideal for moving max 4ft cassettes in. Same goes for a sector plate.

[Highlandman]

Just an couple of observations re-the track plan if I may.

 

Wouldn't the mainline run directly into the platform road, rather than swing right at the turnout after the level crossing?

 

I assume there's just a trailing crossover at the end of the platform, which is more typical, rather than a scissors crossover there.

 

Don't forget a couple of trap points (marked "T") protecting the mainline from the quayside sidings.

 

Hope the attached makes things a little clearer:

 

Hi and many thanks for the comments. They are most welcome. I tried to get the mainline to run directly into the platform face but had little success without disrupting the flow of the curve in to the fiddle yard and making the run round to short. I have put a trap point from the quayside siding behind the platform but not off the quay branch road, something i must look at. All track is Peco code 75 as I do not feel confident enough to build my own track yet, which might have been a better solution especially to putting a trap on a curve.

 

The release crossover is not a scissor, just and ordinary crossover unfortunately the layout base makes it look like a scissor, something i did not realise until I had posted it on here. Things are resonably flexible so you might yet see some changes.

 

All the best

 

Andy

[Highlandman]

Take it that you know of the Kingsbridge and Salcombe Railway proposal as summarised here - http://www.disused-s...dge/index.shtml

 

 

Thanks John for post. I have seen the site, a most useful one at that. I also have 'Branch Line to Kingbridge by Mitchell & Smith published by Middleton Press. A useful book for some history and pictures. OPC's 'Historical Survey of selected Great Western Stations Vol 2 by R H Clark. Helpful for track diagrams and some history.

 

Many thanks

 

Andy

[BlackRat]

Andy......you can 'mock up' a trap point using some off cuts of code 75. File one end off , use some of the other off cut track and sleepers and you can made a good impression of a trap on a curve or whatever.

 

Even better if you add dummy point rodding and perhaps a ground signal to.

 

I dont think you will have a problem at all.

 

N

[cromptonnut]

A very interesting design that I may well take some inspiration from - I particularly like the curves to the left with the "kickback" (perfect for a factory idea I have) and how the hills disguise the sharp-ish curves.

 

Now where did I put XTrackCAD...?

[westerner]

Like this one. My own layout WENCOMBE is based on one of the suggested routes to Kingsbridge via Paignton and Dartmouth missing out Kingswear.

 

April 2010 Railway Modeller's Plan of the Month was called Salcombe based on the idea of a Kingsbridge extension. If you can get hold of a copy its worth looking at.

[gwrrob]

I like the sound of this project.Another builder to add to modelling of this South Devon branch even if its make believe.

[2ManySpams]

I like the sound of this project.Another builder to add to modelling of this South Devon branch even if its make believe.

 

Hi Rob, what kept you?! Thought you'd like this one too. I keep finding myself drawn to layouts based in the SW and with a seaside or port influence. Watching with interest to see how this progresses.

[7APT7]

Hi dude,

 

Love the track plan... Questioin for you...

 

What SOFTWARE do you use to show parts of the photos you want to to concentrate on...i.e the dulling out the rest of the photo that has no interest with the Boards your have made and want to show us RM'ers.

 

Regards

Jamie

[2ManySpams]

April 2010 Railway Modeller's Plan of the Month was called Salcombe based on the idea of a Kingsbridge extension. If you can get hold of a copy its worth looking at.

 

Second that.

[gwrrob]

Hi Rob, what kept you?! Thought you'd like this one too. I keep finding myself drawn to layouts based in the SW and with a seaside or port influence. Watching with interest to see how this progresses.

 

Hi Chris.I've been away,actually down to South Devon.I popped in on Brent in passing and it upsets me to see the long lost station all overgrown.Then again its 46 years since it closed. As for the seaside influence theres plenty of choice but what about Weymouth ?

[Highlandman]

Hi dude,

 

Love the track plan... Questioin for you...

 

What SOFTWARE do you use to show parts of the photos you want to to concentrate on...i.e the dulling out the rest of the photo that has no interest with the Boards your have made and want to show us RM'ers.

 

Regards

Jamie

 

 

Hi Jamie

 

I would think most paint software will allow you to get the same effect, but I use Photoshop. I draw a selection around the item i want to show and then reverse it so I can paint on the outside. I then select a paintbrush set it to 50% oppacity and paint over the background I don't want until I get the look I need. Hope this helps

 

Andy

 

PS it's also very good at hiding all the c*&p that's in the room with the layout

[Clagmeister]

Great idea, saves me from doing it now. I can watch yours. All you need is 4561, a b set brake coach and CCT van. Oh and some spare coaches for summerSaturdays.

 

Great stuff

 

Claggy

[BlackRat]

Andy.......The plan is a bit like the old Carrick Road, great fun to operate.

 

Be careful tho of accessing the fiddle yard. My back scene was approx 10" high, the thing I found was it was a REAL 'fiddle'!

 

I eneded up with a rebuild but maily because it was hard against the wall of the layout room.

 

Very tricky to get access to anything, particulalry the far end.

 

I didn't use cassettes then, just the standard fan of sidings so the loco's had to be uncoupled, picked up and replaced, quite a bind really.

 

Cassettes may be much easier, I use them now from an 'open' storage area.

 

4' is the longets, but thats hard enough to manage without any over reach etc.

 

Good luck, it looks a fun layout to operate!

 

Neil

[Highlandman]

Like this one. My own layout WENCOMBE is based on one of the suggested routes to Kingsbridge via Paignton and Dartmouth missing out Kingswear.

 

April 2010 Railway Modeller's Plan of the Month was called Salcombe based on the idea of a Kingsbridge extension. If you can get hold of a copy its worth looking at.

 

 

Hi Alan, thanks for the comments. They are always an encouragement to get on and do a bit more to the layout. I had been playing around with several ideas for a model based in the South Hams but was not having much success.

 

ORIGINAL SKETCH IDEA

 

 

Then I saw the April 2010 edition of Railway Modeller and BANG!!! it hit me. The Plan of the Month was almost exactly what i was after.

 

Andy