Boostfine Yard (Formerly Industrial Shunting Puzzle)

[CaptainBiggles]

Some of you may have spotted I started a Blog a while back as I started planning a model of Padstow in N. Realising this was to be a bigger project than I could start immediately, I decided to build myself a small shunting puzzle with which to practice all sorts of things before starting the larger project.

 

Many of the things that will (hopefully) appear on the layout will be complete overkill for such a small layout, but are included as they're under consideration for the larger model. The only difference at this stage is that the small layout will be DC, Padstow will be DCC. That said, the small layout will only have one loco in steam anyway so the wiring will be done as if DCC was being used.

 

 

This is the track plan - based on the classic shunting Inglenook shunting puzzle, measuring c. 850mm x 200mm. The 3 sidings off the 3 way point are just long enough for 3, 5 and 3 wagons with the lower section off the Y being long enough for 3 wagons plus a 0-6-0 shunter. For those of you not familiar with the concept of an Inglenook shunting puzzle I suggest the excellent website here: http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/index.html. In brief, you have 8 wagons and one loco, with the idea being to form a train of 5 wagons by marshalling the yard.

 

The other sidings were added to provide a bit more scenic purpose (and as I have the points already). Points will be motorised and I intend to use remote couplings too. The upper road from the Y disappears into a tunnel / bridge, so as to give the impression of going somewhere...

 

Along the back of the layout is a shuttle, so that there is something going on the whole time. I may even rig up a counter, so that rather than timing the puzzle in seconds, I can do so in terms of "round trips" of the shuttle.

 

That's all I have time to post now, but next time I'll put up pics of the boards.

[BG John]

Are you intending to not run anything on the extra siding? Or will the loco pull a wagon in from the tunnel/bridge line? Would a timesaver fit, as that could make it more interesting if you have the space?

 

I like the idea of the shuttle to add interest. A couple of my designs, that I'm not building, had something similar to add to the excitement, and one of them had a two road loco shed too, so I could run the locos that weren't suitable for the shunting puzzle, which was a timesaver.

[CaptainBiggles]

BG John,

 

I considered the Timesaver shunting puzzle, but the elegant simplicity of the Inglenook won me over.

 

The extra siding was simply added as I had a spare point and I thought the kick-back would fill the middle of the board nicely. Its use won't be permitted as part of the "puzzle", but will be isolated from the rest of the layout wired as live so I can run a loco in there if I wanted. It'll probably be either an engine shed or a loco servicing area, i.e. a loco can run in there (be kept there overnight) but wagons will stick to the 3 sidings. To the left will be a factory building that the lower part of the Y disappears into, and the right will be another factory with a goods platform adjacent to the upper of the 3 sidings. Thus the puzzle starts with 5 wagons on the middle road, 3 on the lower and the loco on the kick-back. The "goods platform" is empty at the start to get the loco out, and the puzzle finishes with the train marshalled ready to depart on the upper of the Y (not that it'll actually go anywhere).

 

The shuttle has been added, as I say, to provide extra interest (who knows, I may exhibit this one day) with something just going backwards and forwards as the puzzle develops. It also has the extra benefit of giving me an excuse to have the tunnel departing somewhere on the lower level, so as to give the impression of a world beyond...

[CaptainBiggles]

Baseboard building underway, all cut from a single sheet of 9mm MDF measuring 1220 x 606mm.

 

 

The sides and back are approx 250mm high, with the layout board 100mm up, giving a 6" backscene all around. All internal joints are supported by screwed & glued 1" square baton and the resulting box structure is very strong indeed. Where the sides meet the back above board-level I've used 1/4 round baton to strengthen the joint and I'll probably curve the backscene paper around at this point so as not to see the corner.

 

At this stage I intend to drill holes in the front section for the switches for the point motors, with a cutout for a gaugemaster panel-mount controller. The switches will be read by a MERG CBUS module. Although CBUS is overkill for such a small layout, I may use it on Padstow so it's getting a run out here.

 

The cavity under the main board will house tortoise point motors, SEEP electromagnets, a gaugemaster transformer and various MERG CBUS modules. In the back panel will be a switched mains IEC inlet, so that the whole unit can just be plugged into the mains and up and running in seconds. It's small enough to even fit in the back of my car, which being a smart car is no mean feat!

 

More later, when I've taken more photos of my progress. Thanks for your interest.

[Twright]

Interesting ideas, especially having the shuttle as a form of timer.

Have you got any ideas as to era.

[RJS1977]

The snag with the kickback siding is that it probably couldn't be shunted anyway as it would require its headshunt (which is shorter than the siding!) to be empty....

[CaptainBiggles]

@RJS, You're right about the kickback siding being too long compared to the headshunt to make it useful for shunting purposes, but I conject that it can legitimately be used as a loco stabling / servicing siding. The puzzle can use the headshunt (will probably have a goods-platform alongside it) as a siding, but I can also put a loco in the kickback and get that out from time to time if I fancy & when not doing the shunting puzzle itself.

 

@Twright, period? Prob run it initially as a late-steam era BR, i.e. early 60s as that's when my mythical Padstow layout will be based if it ever gets built. I have on order a Class 67 Pannier in BR green for the yard (from Bachmann, due out any time now) and a Class 122 (from Kernow) for the shuttle. These will do for the time being (in the meantime I'm using a second-hand US-outline shunter to test the layout), but I intend the yard to be fairly era-non-specific senically so that I could in theory run anything and it'd not look out of place. Too much. ;-)

 

Meanwhile, things have been progressing well, see the photos below. The shuttle wall is in, with the bridge to hide the exit, and I've been building a factory from the Kestrel kit to also help hide the exit and give me an excuse for the wall that helps disguise the left hand end of the shuttle. Everything is ballasted and motorised, and I've built a number of MERG CBUS kits to power the points and switch relays for the uncouplers.

 

If you have any more comments or questions, especially about the wiring, I'd be delighted to answer them!

 

Thanks for looking,

J.

 

[Twright]

Good progress. Continue with the updates.

[BG John]

You could make the rear siding with the kick back longer, as there's some space at the right hand end of the board. When you're using it as an inglenook, have a static wagon you can fix in place to restrict the length. I've planned for that on some of the designs I've been playing with, using the puzzle track plan, but making some tracks longer than the rules allow, to make it more realistic and usable as a "proper" railway. In some places I was thinking of placing some markers to show where wagons can be parked, and in others to have a wagon with a pin underneath that fits in a hole in the track to hold it in place.

[CaptainBiggles]

Time for another update, it's been too long (mainly due to fitting a new kitchen):

 

The layout has been ballasted, tested & motorised, with a new control panel added to the front. I'm yet to actually fit the switches, but they've been wired up - I just need to drill the holes.

 

The shuttle pcb has been built & works, with a delay of c. 30s between runs. The DMU ordered from Kernow STILL hasn't arrived, but will run off the ends behind the bridge wall at one end and behind the yet-to-be-built factory / warehouse.

 

Scenic work has begun, the metcalfe building at the back forms part of the back scene, the rest of it will be a dark & broody cloudy sky I think.

 

The kickback siding didn't look quite right with an engine shed on it, it was too close to the others lines, so it'll be a servicing area with coaling & a water tower.

 

It has been mooted as a possible exhibitable layout, but as it stands it can only be controlled from the front. To that end I am in the process of putting a 25-way D-sub on the back and making a detachable control box (controller + switches) that mirrors the front panel. The beauty of CBUS is that I can do this without worrying about short circuits or conflicts. Easy.

 

Anyway, some photos of the progress, I think that's all there is to report for now.

[Twright]

Great progress.

[CaptainBiggles]

Couple more pics for those of you following! Over the w/e I finished off the control panel, painted the box-structure green (slate-grey was also considered, thoughts anyone?)

 

The control panel uses 2-way on/off toggle switches for the two points, a 3-way toggle (on/off/on) for the 3-way point and push buttons for the electromagnetic decouplers. I printed a plan of the layout using Any-Rail, laminated it & sandwiched it between two sheets of 3mm Perspex. I used the sandwich method as the threads on the switches is only about 8mm, less than the 9mm or the MDF, so it wasn't possible to just glue the plan on the front of the layout & drill some holes. One question remains, should I paint the beading edges or leave unpainted?

 

I also fitted the counter for the shuttle unit.

 

Next job is the back scene, then other scenic work. I also need to convert the couplings on the stock.

 

I am also after a late BR crest pannier and a similar-aged class 121 or 122 for the shuttle. Both were supposed to be released by Farish & Dapol respectively in 2013, but that's clearly not happening. Why do companies give release dates that they then push out regardless?

[Twright]

Brilliant

[gazmanjack]

Coming along nicely and will be a lot of fun to operate.

 

Cheers, Gary.

[Merc435]

Give the beading edges a rub over with a medium woodstain or varnish. It'd go well with the green of the box front.

 

Great looking layout, fun to operate.

[PGC]

What an interesting layout - keep the updates coming.

 

Thanks also for posting the link to the Shunting Puzzle website - I've got 2 boards that I want to make a small shunting puzzle on and this site will certainly help me.

 

Phil

[CaptainBiggles]

Been a while since I last got to the garage, but I managed to make some progress over the w/e so thought I'd add an update.

 

I had bought a paper backscene but after trying unsuccessfully with (firstly) spray mount adhesive and (secondly) PVA to get the paper to sit right and without creases I resorted to acrylic paints. The paper backscene was a real sod of a job, how does everyone else do it? Admittedly I was trying to go round two corners and up a level, but I'm sure others manage it!

Whilst I had the pots open and the brushes out various other bits got a coating too, while I decide what other forms of ground cover to add. Thoughts? It's an industrial yard scene so not too much greenery, but I'd like some texture. The rails were painted in watered down acrylic too which all adds to the grimeyness.

 

The white structure at the right will be another warehouse / loading area, high enough to hide the shuttle that goes behind. I may even add a linking bridge to the low relief one behind which should all add to the industrial feel. Along the rest of the back I'll add a fence and a few weeds.

 

Enjoy the photos, I hope they set the scene. They were only taken on my phone but are pretty unforgiving - I guess I'd better up my modelling / photographic standards!

 

Captain Biggles

[Twright]

Great work

[CaptainBiggles]

 

Time for an update, although not much to see as my time has been taken up with replacing all the standard couplings with B&B ones. I did take this photo last night giving a nice overview and sense of progress.

 

The B&Bs are fiddly little things, but I've got them working so can't be that hard. The relay-driven electromagnets work with them very nicely so that's a relief. Has anyone else used them?

 

In other news, I've finally sourced a BR Green class 121 second hand, and am eagerly awaiting its arrival (hopefully tomorrow).

 

I'm going to the Basildon show this w/e - probably Sunday. I intend to put it in the back of the car just in case they have a spare trestle table and power socket, so maybe it will be getting its first public outing! Wish me luck!

 

ATB,

 

Joel

[CaptainBiggles]

Quick update (expect more to follow in the next few days)

 

The observant amongst you will notice the layout now has a name - Boostfine Yard. It is fictitious, and the name simply comes from the name of my wife's family firm. No relevance whatsoever, but since I was building it for our nephews a family link works nicely. I hope it somehow evokes a dirty, grimy non-descript location sometime in the early 60s.

 

The last few days I have been building the warehouse at the far end of the layout, a card mock-up was built first (see below). The idea is that there is a platform for goods and the building is tall enough to disguise the shuttle as it runs behind (as if it is going somewhere). The factory "extension" creates a scenic break at the end of the layout also, with the headshunt disappearing inside to create the illusion of space.

 

 

 

What do you think? Does this mock-up fit the bill? Any advice / tips gratefully received!

 

Over the w/e Ibuilt the side / end low-level factory part and as a result had my first experience of using plasticard sheeting. The front has also been shaped, and now I am laboriously cutting out windows. I will post more photos as the build progresses. The shell of the rest of the building has been built now and is slowly coming together. I'm rather enjoying it to be honest, despite the window-tedium!!!

 

 

In other news...

 

I took the layout for its first outing last w/e, to the Basildon Show where it was kindly hosted on the MERG stand for the Sunday. It wasn't being properly shown, not least as it is unfinished, but I wanted to take it along for feedback and the experience.

 

Things I learned are:

 

1) It's not really as suitable for audience-participation as I thought. N is just too small. Basildon MRC have an inglenook-concept based layout that was also on display in OO, this was much better done and worked very well for the audience. Mine will have to be run for the viewer, not by him (her), although with the panel on the front it can still be used by a punter if the time is right. See 2.

 

2) Having the panel at the front is great for use at home, no good for use at exhibitions as the person sat in front obscures the view for everyone else. If it is to be driven by myself at shows a second control panel and speed knob is required. I'm currently considering adding the MERG CBUS CAN-USB module so I can operate it from a dummy panel on a laptop. This is a v good learning opportunity. A second controller could be plugged in the back, and removed when necessary. None of these additions will preclude the layout from being run from the front as originally designed.

 

3) Small fingers get into the layout, however much you ask them not to. I think a removable piece of perspex across the front will work for this.

 

4) B&B couplings work! They're fiddly little things though and require plenty of adjustment. I still have plenty of adjusting to do, but the principle has been demonstrated.

 

5) A lid for the layout will help in the rain. Maybe I'll make one with a handle on it to make carrying the whole thing nice and easy?

 

I think that's all my learning points for now, I wonder if this will help anyone else or if they have any other tips to pass on?

 

ATB,

 

Joel

 

[CaptainBiggles]

Progress photos of the warehouse.

 

 

 

 

Anyone got any tips about how to cut out the holes for the Ratio Industrial Windows that are going in? I first drilled out the arch with the right radius drill, but after that it's a scalpel job and they're taking their time...

 

[gazmanjack]

You could always use a fret saw...  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12-300mm-fret-saw-jewellers-hobby-watch-tool-metal-working-/290918856120?pt=UK_Crafts_JewelleryMaking_GL&hash=item43bc1d75b8

 

or drill the bottom square corners and use your hobby knife. Lightly score (or use a chisel bit), turn over and score again, then tap out and file smooth.

 

Cheers, Gary.

[CaptainBiggles]

Managed to get some Railway Time over the w/e, so I cashed in and spend the day cutting out the windows on the factory building, making the canopy and extending the roof of the low-level unit. My cutting of the windows was a little untidy, but thanks to Gazmanjack's suggestion above it wasn't nearly as bad as it might have been. Once the plasticard windowsills had been fitted and the Ratio brass windows had been fitted it didn't look too bad and I reckon that once painted it will look fine - certainly from normal viewing distances.

 

Here are the parts on my bench:

 

And here they are "plonked" in place on the layout:

 

The canopy has been built with plasticard embossed slate tiles glued to a 30thou plain sheet. Struts are made from the very good Evergreen products, I-beam and angle.

 

Finally, a close up of the factory doors intended to suggest there is life beyond what is seen:

 

 

Meanwhile, in other news, I have also bought and built a CANUSB kit from MERG, which after a little teething problems now works very nicely. This will, in time, allow me to control my points and uncouplers from a laptop connected to the layout by USB. I'm currently playing around with JMRI trying to build a dummy panel, does anyone have any experience here? I can see the points in the MERG config program, but I now need to add them to JMRI with the correct address. I'm sure I'll get there.

 

Anyway, thanks for looking, next up (once the factory is built and painted and JMRI working) is the general scenery and autocoupling adjustment. Anyone got any suggestions for the general scenery? I'm thinking of a fence along the upper level, and general yard clutter down below.

 

Joel

 

 

 

 

[CaptainBiggles]

Didn't fancy the garage tonight so spent the evening learning JMRI. It's not the most intuitive software I've used, but once you've got your head around the way it works it's a darned good bit of kit. First you have to add all the "turnouts", which (by the way) aren't always turnouts for instance, they are all CBUS outgoing events. The incoming events are called Sensors, whatever they may be. Anyway, I managed to get a dummy panel drawn up, check it out:

 

 

Any questions, I'll try to answer them - it's been quite a learning curve!

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Joel

[CaptainBiggles]

Here's something for your Friday lunchtime perusal...

 

Some birthday money got spent yesterday, and last night Boostfine Yard had a new visitor trundle in for some duties. Luckily someone with an iPhone was on hand to record it - I hope the pics came out ok and are beginning to show how the yard is coming together and may look in future!

 

I understand that London Underground's pannier L97 was photographed at Upminster back in the mid 60s, precisely the time Boostfine Yard is set. Although not specifically set in Upminster, I do live just a couple of miles away and the real Boostfine (my wife's company) is near there.

 

Does anyone have evidence of this? I'd love to see it!

 

 

Meanwhile, I made the (possible) mistake of buying a DCC-ready loco, without realising I'm using a feedback type controller from Gaugemaster and when I ran the loco last night it was VERY erratic. I've been ok with other DCC-ready locos, has anyone got any knowledge that this one is less suitable than others? I may have to return it and exchange it for the DC version, which would be a shame as I'd then struggle to run it on future DCC layouts.

 

Pip pip!

Joel