SRman's Current Layout - Newton Broadway

[SRman]

And here's the Beetle again, glazed and with a few coats of paint in BR maroon.

 

exGWR Beetle - 4 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

exGWR Beetle - 5 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

The Cambrian Sturgeon A has also had coats of grey undercoat and semi-matt black, with more hand-painting to go.

[DougN]

SRman the way your going you'll have to have a very large mob of horses to fill all those horse boxes.... maybe you need a prize bull box as well!

[SRman]

Well, the Beetle is now sitting behind the string of horse boxes in the train in the background, although I'm not sure such a formation would have occurred in real life. 

[SRman]

I have been playing around with the track arrangement and alignment in the engine shed area again, actually cutting and trimming track where I was reasonably happy with the arrangement, but leaving other bits just perched loosely where they may end up. The track itself is a mix of Peco bullhead plain track and code 75 points (with a couple of temporary infills of plain code 75 track too).

The carriage shed would actually shift very slightly right in the photos, but generally I think I am very close to the final arrangement.

Try as I might, I just cannot get the turntable to fit properly in front of the loco shed while allowing decent alignments behind it, but this arrangement mostly works the way I would like it to. There will be a yet to be built diesel refuelling point somewhere in all this too.

The second photo is slightly blurred, but shows a slightly different viewpoint. Ignore the stray bits of track in the foreground and also the tools and glue bottles, etc.
 

IMG_20180330_213502 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr
 

IMG_20180330_213517 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

I have also added a small new area of static grass. this is only the first layer here, and the nail for the ground is still in there.


IMG_20180330_213737 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Edited March 30, 2018 by SRman

[P.C.M]

Hi Jeff. Just a thought, but if you put the carriage siding next to the shed then have a kickback siding going from where the carriage siding was and have the turntable back towards where the two 68s are, if there is room.

 

Cheers Peter.

[SRman]

Hi Peter. A good suggestion but I think it is just a little too tight. If you look at that third photo with the level crossing, you can see how quickly the tracks converge. Even so, I just tried moving the turntable to that area, and with a bit of realignment, it might just work. 

Keep watching this space ...

Edited March 31, 2018 by SRman

[SRman]

I tried moving the turntable around a bit, but it just didn't gel.

This is much as seen before, but with the track cut to near correct lengths. The locomotives are weighing it down to hold the positions. I rearranged the two entry roads on the turntable slightly, so they are adjacent to each other. 

The carriage shed roads would seem to be only able to accept 2-car units (I was hoping for up to three), but with plenty of 2 EPBs, 2Hs, 2 BILs and 2 HALs, not to mention several MLVs which could sit with two together, a Bulleid 2 HAP still under construction (but able to run - seen in the photo), and future 2 HAPs from Bachmann to come, I think I can live with the compromise.

So far, I think this is the best combination of storage and practicality I can achieve in the available space. I have used three Y-points plus a left and a right hand point each.

IMG_20180401_161431 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

[SRman]

I have been wanting to run a decent length modern container train for a while. I have run such trains on the lower level but they don't really fit in there, being too long for the loops and with the locomotive disappearing into tunnel while the tail of the train is still in the tunnel at the other end. The upper level is intended to give clear views of the whole length of a train, so here's the result, with a Bachmann class 66/9, 66 725 Sunderland, in First GBRf livery on a train of mixed container wagon types.

First GBRf 66 725 Sunderland on Container Train - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

First GBRf 66 725 Sunderland on Container Train - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


The locomotive itself was one of a pair of Bachmann class 66s that I won on eBay for very reasonable prices. The other loco was a standard class 66 in DRS livery. Being in Australia, with the seller also in Oz makes a big difference to the values achievable on eBay.

[SRman]

Some stages in developing the scenery. I have been experimenting a bit with the area to the right of the level crossing and above the Newton Broadway LT signal box. This included using various colour blends and textures from Woodland Scenics, and part of a grass mat with the addition of some tufts and blending of edges using some static grass (also a mix of several colours).

The first two photos show the effect before adding the static grass (although I did do a small section near the level crossing earlier, including the bits around the Landrover), and the remainder show the effect afterwards.

The Landrover is a standard Oxford Diecast Post Office model, but shows the enhanced effect of simply 'steering' the front wheels a bit by bending the ends of the front axle - the screw construction assists greatly with this. The Landrover is destined to lose the signwriting on the doors and will be weathered a bit and matt varnished.

Scenic Work - Area Nr LT Signal Box - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Scenic Work - Area Nr LT Signal Box - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Scenic Work - Area Nr LT Signal Box - 3 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Scenic Work - Area Nr LT Signal Box - 4 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

[SRman]

Further progress and experimentation with the scenic area:

The Landrover has now had the signwriting on the doors removed and a coat of satin varnish to tone it down a bit.

I built a couple of laser-cut wooden kits, one for a garden shed, which is now sitting behind a terraced house in the village, and a platelayers' hut which has had an initial coat of paint but needs a bit more attention to complete it. I have also placed a length of bullhead track with the Bachmann Wickham trolley in the area, although if that becomes more permanent I'll need to add some ballast and alter the path a bit.

Scenic Work - Area Nr LT Signal Box - 6 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Scenic Work - Area Nr LT Signal Box - 5 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

[FPH 603]

Looks like the layout's coming along quickly! I'm liking what I am seeing so far...

[DougN]

Looking great SRman, a bit of dark ballast around the Wickham trolley siding will be great.

[SRman]

I did a bit of weathering with powders on the platelayers' hut, and am quite pleased with the effect. It can be seen here with newly arrived preserved P class 0-6-0T, No. 323 Bluebell, running 'wrong road' on a short works train.

The P is from Hatton's and looks absolutely stunning. It ran well on DC straight from the box, and after an hour on the rolling road was fitted with a Bachmann 36-568 decoder. It runs even more sweetly on DCC and is improving further with running on the continuous circuit. I'll look forward to receiving another, this time in SECR livery, plus two of their Andrew-Barclay 0-4-0ST industrial locos in due course. I'm very impressed.


Hattons P Class 0-6-0T Bluebell on Maintenance Train - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


Hattons P Class 0-6-0T Bluebell on Maintenance Train - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

[SRman]

Further works on the Scenic area above the LT signal box and tunnel entrance:

The Landrover has also undergone a little extra work, including losing the signwriting on its doors and the extra roof (which required four holes to be filled then painted - I used BR locomotive green to touch it up), a couple of coats of matt varnish and some weathering with powders. I think it looks suitably battered and "used" now. A 4 TC set passes behind, part of a longer push-pull train of 2 x 4 TC + class 33/1 D6520.


Scenic Work - Area Nr LT Signal Box - 8 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


The Wickham trolley's refuge has also been enhanced a bit, with more muddy area around the track, and the track itself has now been painted. S15 30830 passes by with a mixed goods train, including an ex-GW Beetle prize cattle wagon and two ex-SR cattle wagons as part of the fitted head. The Beetle is actually classified as Non-Passenger Carrying Coaching Stock (NPCCS), and is therefore in BR maroon livery, and could, in practice be included in passenger or parcels trains. This one may be being returned empty to the Western Region, hence its inclusion in an 'ordinary' goods train.


Scenic Work - Area Nr LT Signal Box - 9 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


Finally, for tonight, I have been toying with the idea of adding an extra, fairly short goods siding in the vacant area adjacent to the locomotive shed area. This illustrates roughly the alignment and where the extra trailing point would be let in to the running lines.


Possible Extra Siding Near Engine Sheds - 05-04-18 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

[DougN]

SRman, if that extra siding works (which it appears too) it would be worth while as it will be a good spot to pose new items of rolling stock and to see what is happening if something is misbehaving. It will also be good to locate all the excess trains when you have to run something new with out taking a further train off the layout. 

[SRman]

SRman, if that extra siding works (which it appears too) it would be worth while as it will be a good spot to pose new items of rolling stock and to see what is happening if something is misbehaving. It will also be good to locate all the excess trains when you have to run something new with out taking a further train off the layout. 

 

Yes, I had that partly in mind, although it will be a fairly short siding, so won't take the longer trains from the loops. Still, it should be useful as a refuge siding.

[St Enodoc]

IMG_20180401_161431 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

How about swinging everything on the left further to the left slightly? The siding with the Beattie and the Wickham looks slightly dog-legged. Straighten that up and swing the one with the industrials to the left too (you might lose an inch or two of length). Do the same with the siding outside the shed and the shed itself. Then swing the carriage sidings slightly to the right. That will open up the wedge in the middle which might help getting the turntable to fit. Apologies if you've tried this already!

[SRman]

How about swinging everything on the left further to the left slightly? The siding with the Beattie and the Wickham looks slightly dog-legged. Straighten that up and swing the one with the industrials to the left too (you might lose an inch or two of length). Do the same with the siding outside the shed and the shed itself. Then swing the carriage sidings slightly to the right. That will open up the wedge in the middle which might help getting the turntable to fit. Apologies if you've tried this already!

 

Quite a bit of the alignment is dictated by the point geometry. The carriage sidings can swing just a tad further right, but have to be straight for the shed to sit over them - tight clearances within the shed. The other siding with the industrials is curved right for maximum length, but may well look better going straight from the point, albeit losing a couple of inches, as you have suggested.

 

I can't do anything with the 3-way points, but if I used short rather than medium points for the two 'normal' points (one left-hand, one right-hand), I might make a few gains that way.

 

The siding with the wickham trolley and Beatty well tank is actually supposed to curve a little to gain extra length, but has straightened out a bit due to lack of weight holding it in place.

[SRman]

After experimenting visually with some track and a suitable point, I have spliced the trailing point into the outer track to provide a short refuge siding. This also involved converting the point as per the rest on the layout and wiring in a another auto-polarity switch, and while I had the soldering iron out, adding some extra dropper wires to the track further round the curve (which I had made provision for when wiring everything up before the BRMA meeting in March).

Having laid the extra track, I now have to add a couple more dropper wires to feed the siding (although technically I could get away with just one wire and rely on the fishplates, because only one side is insulated at the point itself). I had put the soldering iron away so I could do the track laying, so I'll have to set it up again tomorrow to complete the job.

I had hoped to fit the catch point in, but it needs a straight section and, as can be seen, that just doesn't quite work. I'll do what I did on my old layout, and put a false catch point in, with a rail attached to some sleeper ends, filed down to a point to blend into the running rail.

A quick test through the point in both directions with a Peckett proved it was all working perfectly.

You may also be able to spot the Hatton's P class crew added to the Peckett - they fit in absolutely perfectly.


Additional Siding Added 08-04-18 - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


IMG_20180408_222042 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

[Sandhole]

I have been wanting to run a decent length modern container train for a while. I have run such trains on the lower level but they don't really fit in there, being too long for the loops and with the locomotive disappearing into tunnel while the tail of the train is still in the tunnel at the other end. The upper level is intended to give clear views of the whole length of a train, so here's the result, with a Bachmann class 66/9, 66 725 Sunderland, in First GBRf livery on a train of mixed container wagon types.

 

First GBRf 66 725 Sunderland on Container Train - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

First GBRf 66 725 Sunderland on Container Train - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

 

The locomotive itself was one of a pair of Bachmann class 66s that I won on eBay for very reasonable prices. The other loco was a standard class 66 in DRS livery. Being in Australia, with the seller also in Oz makes a big difference to the values achievable on eBay.

I really like this layout.

Compact, almost claustrophobic. Same feeling I'm trying to create!

The LT bit is great. Could you please stick some shots of the train of Q stock please. I have a Radley Models train to build of this.

Reliving my youth, travelling on this stuff with my Dad.

The 'liner train is cool, but then I'm a sucker for 'liner trains!!!

I saw Sunderland a few years back at Blythe taking the Alcan tanks.

I missed the Deltic being used as a shunter unfortunately!!!

[SRman]

I really like this layout.

Compact, almost claustrophobic. Same feeling I'm trying to create!

The LT bit is great. Could you please stick some shots of the train of Q stock please. I have a Radley Models train to build of this.

Reliving my youth, travelling on this stuff with my Dad.

The 'liner train is cool, but then I'm a sucker for 'liner trains!!!

I saw Sunderland a few years back at Blythe taking the Alcan tanks.

I missed the Deltic being used as a shunter unfortunately!!!

 

Thanks for the compliments.

 

For the LT stocks, I did post photos in this topic way back, but they were hosted on Photobucket, which changed its policies with sharing photos, so most of those won't be visible now.

 

Anyway, here are a few of the Q Stock, mostly taken just after I had installed the glazing, so there may be some white 'glue' showing on one or two of them.

 

Q27 DM Glazed - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

Q27 Stock Cars - Combined by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

Q Stock Numbered and Decorated - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

[Sandhole]

 

Thanks for the compliments.

 

For the LT stocks, I did post photos in this topic way back, but they were hosted on Photobucket, which changed its policies with sharing photos, so most of those won't be visible now.

 

Anyway, here are a few of the Q Stock, mostly taken just after I had installed the glazing, so there may be some white 'glue' showing on one or two of them.

 

Q27 DM Glazed - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

Q27 Stock Cars - Combined by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

Q Stock Numbered and Decorated - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Great unit.

Thanks for posting the shots.

                               Chris.

[SRman]

I finished wiring the new siding this morning, a relatively simple job. The Peckett pictured yesterday propelled the wagons back into the siding under its own power all the way.

I also went under the layout with a multi-meter at the church end of the storage loops to try to track a dead point frog. I thought I had found the problem (a dud contact on one of the bus wire connections) but there is still no power to that particular point frog. It's not a huge problem at present, but it means I can't run short wheelbase locos through that point.

On a different note, a parcel arrived from hattons with some more surface-mount point motors, some wagons, some static grass, two motor coaches (The Kings Ferry), and a Dapol First GBRf class 73. A couple of bits came off during handling, one of which I have no idea where it goes! 73 141 Charlotte tested fine on DC on the rolling road (run for an hour or so each way), so a Zimo MX634D decoder was installed and tested. As expected, the direction of running was reversed with the headlight and headcode also illuminated at the wrong end, and the cab lights remained on at all times. I did the a couple of the same mods I did with my previous Dapol 73: a piece of tape was placed on the cab light contacts as a temporary block to the power, then the brush wires were swapped on the PCB connections (labelled M+ and M-). The cab light circuits will gain further modifications as per the first 73 later on, as this involves cutting tracks on the PCB and soldering new connecting wires.

73 141 was then put on the container train being hauled by 66 725, Sunderland, and handled it with ease. 66 725 was posed for a better photograph on the programming track.


Bachmann Class 66 125 Sunderland - Portrait by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


Dapol Class 73 141 Charlotte on Container Train - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Dapol Class 73 141 Charlotte on Container Train - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


 

Edited April 9, 2018 by SRman

[SRman]

Another one for Chris (Sandhole): the container train from the other end, still being hauled by 73 141. This gives a view over much of the layout. At present, it is pulled out from the right hand wall so I can get in behind it to troubleshoot the points I referred to earlier.


Various Container Wagons Behind 73 141 - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

[SRman]

I'm slowly switching the stock to all steam era for a while. I have an idea to take a few photos of the various trains in different locations, now that they can get to anywhere on the layout under their own power, and there are more 'open' photographic locations available.

Looking at the storage loops from right to left in the above photo;

• the modern post-privatisation container train will be removed shortly, and replaced with something more suited to the mid-'60s;
• the 2 x 4 CEP + MLV EMU is now made up of all green units (7126 + 7128 + 68006) (it was a green set + a blue set + a blue/grey MLV);
• S15 30830 on mixed goods will remain;
• D6520 + 4 TC units 416 and 404 will be removed, although the 33 and unit 416 in plain blue are just suitable for the latter part of the timescale;
• SR EMUs 2 BIL 2134 + 2 HAL 2639 + 'tin' 2 HAL 2694 will remain;
• N15 30764 Sir Gawain on horse boxes + green mark 1 set 869 will remain;
• WC 34026 Yes Tor on  a milk train will remain;
• for now, P class 323 Bluebell on a 3-set 138 of SECR birdcage coaches in SECR livery will remain for a little longer before being replaced with something more from the mid-1960s.

On the underground lines, I have already placed suitable trains, although Bo-Bo electric loco No 8 Sherlock Holmes and its pseudo-Dreadnought coach set are really at the early end of the time scale. Other trains are a 5-car Q Stock set, a 5-car CO/CP Stock set, and ex-GW 57XX pannier tank L89 on a short works train.

I am going to make more of an effort to keep things more consistently in specific time frames for the future, changing them every so often. That will remove the appearance of anachronisms that have featured in many of my past photos of my models, although there will still be occasions where a new locomotive or unit may be on test that is well out of the time frame chosen - Bluebell is a current case in point, and the SECR liveried P will also feature in the not too distant future.

If I choose some shorter trains, then I can store two (or more) in one loop, although that could make controlling them on the one line somewhat "interesting"!

I will also have to swap a few road vehicles out. The majority are already correct for the 1960s, but the LT AEC Merlin buses (MB/MBS classes) will have to be removed from the roads. RT, RLH and RF buses are fine, though.

Edited April 10, 2018 by SRman