RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted January 28, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2013 (edited) Following the excellent show at Yate Marc Smith suggested I might post some photos so I've had a quick look in my archives and here's a quick taster. The layout is a based on but not a model of areas around the Bristol to Bath mainline in Keynsham. The photo I've attached shows the extremely small goods yard and a bit of the Squaregrip Reinforcement warehouse and siding. It was a photo of the actual siding being shunted by a Class 14 on a trip working from Bristol that set me off on this project rather than my normal New England projects. The photo is quite old and other bits of scenery have been added since this was done. Chris . Edited March 24, 2020 by Gilbert 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 (edited) Glad you posted the pic Chris Please post some more soon thoughI honestly liked this layout a lotIt has a nice feel to it, and I particularly liked the way you separated it, almost into 2 layoutsI've had similar thoughts to this design for a while nowalthough I wasn't convinced I could design something which successfully hid the fiddle yard entrance....You have certainly achieved this, and I was very taken by the "tuning fork" end of the layoutThe buildings are well proportioned throughout the scene,and it has a nice muted appearance.....Although the siding in front of the warehouse / factory in the picture is relatively short...Somehow it doesn't look it - even with a long wagon parked there....Great stuff Chris Cheers again Edited January 28, 2013 by marc smith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post TimC Posted January 28, 2013 RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted January 28, 2013 Here are a couple of pics of Pixash Lane I took at the 2012 WestonSM show. 21 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Thanks for posting those pics Tim....now can you get Chris to re-size his photos? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium cold-ash Posted January 28, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2013 Looks lovely, the colouring looks particularly pleasing. More please! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted January 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2013 OK Chaps I'm on the case - and thanks for the kind comments This photo shows the layout during construction and happily shows part of the track plan for Marc! All the visible tracks on the right converge in the main fiddle yard and the track on the left feeds the cement terminal at Twigg Street. I'm actually working on a small extension of the fiddle yard to help at shows and make operating from the front at home a possibility. There's another "staging" track (as our colonial chums) would say beyond the stone bridge. Chris 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Very nice layout! What is the size of the main scenic section and the fiddle yard/cement plant portion? Thanks Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 40-something Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Very very nice layout, would love to see more pics when you have the time to post them Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windjabbers Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 This is very nicely done - you seem to have got alot in a small space without making it look overcrowded, what size is it? Best Wishes David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted January 29, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 29, 2013 Good Morning Layout is 2 boards of 4' each Main board is from 15" to 18" wide Fiddle yard board is 15" wide with about 6" used for the scenic section Chris 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted January 29, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 29, 2013 Here's an old (not very good) photo showing what the "twig" used to look like before gravity intervened and the chocolate factory met a sticky end. Chris 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 (edited) Hi Chris,Thanks for posting those pics, but as others have said, please post more, when you have timeHope I'm not nagging too much? - but this is a nice layout, and a design which is a bit different,and I think folk would like to see it..... it deserves an airing!! I too liked the colour and tone of the whole scene, as I saidThere's a nice muted, dry, dusty look to it - and that suits the cement works and whole industrial lookThe the large factory above - I much prefer your silos in that cornerI feel they are more "in proportion" with the layout, and give it a better balanceI'm really glad I saw this layout at Yate, but wish I'd had more time to stop & lookLet us know other upcoming exhbitiions it will be attendingATB MarcEDIT: An early scheme I tried to design, along these lines,consisted of a narrow "tuning-fork" shunting plank in front of the main fiddle...... I dreamed that I could make such a unit detachable -so it could be exhibited as a stand-alone module....Did you build that end of the layout in this way? Edited January 29, 2013 by marc smith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
exmoordave Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Hi Chris I saw "Pixash Lane" a couple of years back at the small show in Compton Dundon, when I was exhibiting "Southall Lane" and was very struck by it then. I havn't been lucky enough to see it since though. It's a really interesting and unusual plan (As Marc observed above), that captures not only that elusive atmosphere (which in itself can be difficult), but it also has an air of spaciousness about it. It was also refreshing to see green diesels!! Great stuff & I hope to see it again soon All the best exmoordave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Yes, the design has a sense of spaciousness, as you sayI also like the touch of the headshunt/ part of a siding, at the back of the layout.....When this works, it really does help suggest that there is more railway,and more activity beyond the bridge / scenic breakMudmagnet used this to great effect on Orchard RoadThe technique can work very well, even if there's never any traffic sat there.....I grew up in the blue diesel era, but I've always liked the green diesel days tooThere's something about the livery that looks good when slightly dusty, to my eye....Chris has captured that look, and it is consistent throughout.....Marc 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted January 30, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2013 Anothe shot of the layout - this was during construction and shows a 57xx pannier shunting the Squaregrip works 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted January 30, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2013 and another - the pannier on a short passenger train about to depart from the halt under the Pixash Lane bridge Chris 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I think this is a great layout, so far I have only managed to see it the once at Stroud but was very impressed, as Marc says more photos please! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d600 Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Hi very nice little layout you have built there Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted January 30, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2013 (edited) For those who are interested here's a shot of the construction phase with the fascia etc being mocked up. These are all quite old photos and I've yet to deal with my current photos - something for the weekend maybe? Chris Edited January 30, 2013 by Gilbert 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted January 30, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2013 (edited) Hi Chris, ............. An early scheme I tried to design, along these lines, consisted of a narrow "tuning-fork" shunting plank in front of the main fiddle... ... I dreamed that I could make such a unit detachable - so it could be exhibited as a stand-alone module.... Did you build that end of the layout in this way? Marc - the Twig is dependent on the main layout for access and is an integral part of the Fiddle Yard board - it was very much an add-on during the construction period. Chris Edited January 30, 2013 by Gilbert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 (edited) Marc - the Twig is dependent on the main layout for access and is an integral part of the Fiddle Yard board - it was very much an add-on during the construction period. Chris It certainly doesn't look like it was "added on" Just an observation really, but it does look good in its' own right Lately, I'm more drawn to designs with "multiple track entrances / exits" I think this technique helps for a more varied operation It can be difficult to get right, and even for a relatively small layout, it often requires several operators, or at least one at each end of the layout.. The design of Pixash lane certainly allows for varied operation, and it is rather different in its' concept.... I was wondering Chris, at the station end of the layout, do you have a sector-plate, and if so, how many roads? Also, how long is this sector-plate / fiddle yard? Cheers again Edited January 30, 2013 by marc smith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Gilbert Posted January 30, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2013 (edited) Just a single track about 2' long - I use loco lifts if needed - I've got one of the DCC Concepts longer versions - but most of the time we just move stock by hand. I have far more stock than I need (by a factor of about 3 I reckon) so it tends to get changed throughout the day. We use 3 of us for the layout most of the time with one out front, one operating and one "fiddling". So we do have a large team for a small layout. We had 4 and sometimes 5 at Yate and no one was sat twiddling their thumbs and I certainly didn't get around the other layouts as much as I'd have liked - having said that my guys would say it's rare that I actually get hands on a thottle so I'm not actually sure what I was doing! Chris Edited January 30, 2013 by Gilbert 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 Any more piccies Chris? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
exmoordave Posted April 18, 2013 Share Posted April 18, 2013 "I Second that Emotion" (Wasn't that also a song by Smokey Robinson??).......anyway, some more piccies would be great! Many thanks exmoordave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mudmagnet Posted April 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 18, 2013 Echoing the comments above - very effective layout! Yes, please, can we have some photos! Do you have any more exhibitions coming up? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now