Small layout for an AC electric

[birdseyecircus]

I like the look of the Bachmann class 85 and would like to involve one in a small layout but how?

Whilst the obvious answer is a depot of some sort i fancy a change.

 

A couple of ideas going round in my head are:

a shunting plank based around the parcel platforms of a large terminus with a mainline loco rumbeling around as shunter sorts vans.

 

The buffer stops of a mainline station in the 80's with just the loco and the first 2-3 coaches visable. The stock is released and the loco moves to a stabling siding along side the buffers.

 

Any more ideas anyone?

 

Paul

[Guest oldlugger]

Hello Paul,

 

What about something like the old Woodhead line where parts of the catenary have been removed, some remaining in use, with a small junction station? Penistone was like this towards the end of operation. At one time all the track would have been electrified but what is left are two single lines diverging from a Y point; one is electrified the other isn't; the latter is used by occasional DMU's and the odd diesel hauled goods train, whilst the electrified line is used by class 85 hauled goods trains (maybe passenger as well). So basically you have a single line going through the station splitting into two just after the platform area; you could model the remains of the former double track - now pulled up and grassed over; maybe a disused bay platform and the remains of a reasonably large station building. Three simple fiddle yards at each end. A one point set up with lots of interest, and if you built your own catenary from 0.3mm hard drawn nickel silver wire you could make working fine scale catenary and power it up! Some catenary in sidings uses a single contact wire (if you added a siding or a bay platform), whilst regular 25 Kv AC is reasonably easy to scratch build and tension over short distances.

 

Cheers

Simon

[Flying Pig]

a shunting plank based around the parcel platforms of a large terminus with a mainline loco rumbeling around as shunter sorts vans.

I like this one a lot - plenty of scope for atmosphere and rolling stock variety. You could probably set the parcels sidings up as an Inglenook of that sort of thing appeals.

[birdseyecircus]

Thanks for the replies. I know situations are a bit thin on the ground for a 'leckkie' without either building a large layout or MPD.

 

Paul

[AMJ]

How about a minor branch terminus that sees the odd electric freight trip working or say 2 coach train replacing a unit?

[RBE]

I like the idea of combining both of your OP ideas. What about the buffer end of a large terminus in the background allowing the passenger thing with the parcels shunting puzzle to the front!

 

Cav

[jamie92208]

One idea might be part of wakefield Westgate when it was originally electrified. In 1990 there was a car terminal and a dairy where the new multistorey car park is on the east side of the up platform. There were two roads with loading ramps at the ends that a variety of single and double deck car carriers were pushed into. These were both wired up but ahve now dissappeared with the redevelopment. I never actually saw an electric loco working the sidings but it would have been one of the earlier electrics if it happenned. If the sidings were in the foreground then in the backgroun d you have the 3 roads through the station that you could run anything on including pacers, 321's HST's in a variety of liveries as well as the 91 and the 89 as well as frieght traffic. The car carriers were either cartic double deckers for the cars or ex Mk1 coach underframes converted to carry vans that came up from I think Eastleigh.

 

 

Jamie.

[298]

I had a similar conundrum about 10 years ago, lots of AC electrics but no home layout to run them on. I did consider modelling just the insides of Crewe Electric or some random 4 road shed with casettes for fiddle yards, but gave up on that idea. I also considered a small inglenook/shunting puzzle/single platform terminus with airbraked vans, but that would still have required more space than was available and better slow speed than my thrashed pancake fleet could deliver (but could be possible with an electric blue AL5 and shorter vacuum fitted vans.

 

There was a photo on t'internet somewhere (probably on fotopic), of an 84 shunting at Hardendale. The exposed rural location could have been miles away from the WCML, but proved there were a number of wired exchange sidings included with the original electrification projects and could also be an excuse for a couple of industrial shunters. The sidings have since been dewired but the masts are still in place. Another example was Pitsford cement works near Tring.

[Rivercider]

The parcels depot, or parcel van sidings idea has merit.

 

Was there a part of Manchester Mayfield parcels depot that would fit the bill?

 

Or how about Birmingham Curzon St parcels, or a corner of Duddeston sidings, perhaps a little layout

based on something like that may work.

 

If you are in the 1970s era there were still plenty of 4 wheel parcel vans about

that would fit better in a small inglenook or shunting puzzle.

 

cheers

[RBE]

I had a similar conundrum about 10 years ago, lots of AC electrics but no home layout to run them on. I did consider modelling just the insides of Crewe Electric or some random 4 road shed with casettes for fiddle yards, but gave up on that idea. I also considered a small inglenook/shunting puzzle/single platform terminus with airbraked vans, but that would still have required more space than was available and better slow speed than my thrashed pancake fleet could deliver (but could be possible with an electric blue AL5 and shorter vacuum fitted vans.

 

There was a photo on t'internet somewhere (probably on fotopic), of an 84 shunting at Hardendale. The exposed rural location could have been miles away from the WCML, but proved there were a number of wired exchange sidings included with the original electrification projects and could also be an excuse for a couple of industrial shunters. The sidings have since been dewired but the masts are still in place. Another example was Pitsford cement works near Tring.

 

Thats just the idea Im currently doing with Outon Road making it an electrified branch line a fair way off the beaten WCML so to speak. Once the wires go up next month.

 

Cav

[birdseyecircus]

Must admit the parcels senario is favourite so far. Of course, unless anyone else knows any different...

 

Paul

[dave_long]

You could always build a small through station thats maybe the next station down the line from a large depot, where you will get lots of through light engine moves. If the depot is somewhere like Bescot that had lots of sidings for freight wagons, you've got a reason for any sized freight train through the station. You could use EMUs and DMUs for stopping trains. Also you can run diesels through for exactly the same reasons.

 

hth

 

 

[Redkiterail]

How about Eustons old parcel depot/ carriage just near south hampstead and moving it to euston and using a bay platform for passenger trains with a small parcels and newspaper yard on the west end of euston.

[Flying Pig]

To illustrate the sort of corner that immediately sprang to my mind, this is a sketch of part of the old Birmingham New Street (copied from O.S. Nock's Britain's New Railway). You have to imagine of course that it wasn't rebuilt, but lingered in a semi-rationalised but slightly decaying fashion as several of the larger stations on the AC system actually did. Fish traffic has long disappeared and the sidings have been taken over for stabling parcels vans and locos. Perhaps the old fish dock or platform 11 is now a dedicated mail and parcels depot.

 

[298]

I've asked the question on the ACLG forum and Manchester Mayfield as a Parcels depot has been suggested. I'm not sure how it was operated but there's something wonderfully atmospheric about a decrepid old station, with an 85 there shunting Parcels vans.

 

Other ideas could include controlling the viewing angle, and coupled to suitable sound effects, either a small LCD screen showing passing trains, or model a wall with a mainline beyond and running something like an old shunter with a pan on the roof up and down on an automatic timer so just the pantograph can be seen. This would mean only having to have a short fiddle yard at each end, and the original layout could be extended at a later date to fully model the running lines...

[AMJ]

How about a classic CJ Freezer Minories inspired layout?

[Suzie]

Since it is likely that you will be building a what if layout, perhaps one of the Great Eastern single track electrified branches might be interesting. Southminster has a nuclear flask terminal that could perhaps have had electric hauled trains, Braintree had the fertiliser depot. Freight stock is available ready to run for both scenarios, but AC EMU passenger stock contemporary with the class 85 will be hard to find.

[Natalie]

The section between Willesden West London Junc and Mitre Bridge could be of use. Omit the actual junction at Mitre Bridge and model the spur from the WCML Following the original WCML electrification this spur was electrified to allow freights and later passengers to change locos clear of the main line en route to Kensignton Olympia and the Southern. There was a siding for holding the replacement diesel loco. Despite the OHLE it also retained some very short armed semaphore signals. The electric hauled train would arrive, get hooked off, move forward, then set back over the crossover to the opposite line and either go and stable on Willesden Electric Depot or wait on a siding to take another train northwards. The replacement diesel would then be attached to the front of the train. Passenger services increased as a result of diverting some cross country services up the West Coast and via Kensington Olympia. Signalling details are available if required.

[definate maybe]

There was a minories derived layout based around Paddington Parcels platform a few years back which with the additional of OHL would be an interesting project to run electrics. Alternatively you could model something based on Euston with the platforms on a lower level to the concourse and the access road to the platform form part of the backscene. A couple of parcels, sleeper roads with a short stub for loco's could make an interesting scene. Possibly also a motorail bank for added interest