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[richard i]

Maybe raise them a smidge an inch so you get some height variation, or angle so each street is higher than the last, but only by half a centimetre .

Just a thought.

Richard

Ps looking good

[Clive Mortimore]

Maybe raise them a smidge an inch so you get some height variation, or angle so each street is higher than the last, but only by half a centimetre .

Just a thought.

Richard

Ps looking good

Hi Richard

 

I am going to experiment with differing heights of cutting. The plan is the lay of the land (before the railway and houses were built) is higher at both ends and dips in the middle length wise and at the same time is lower at the front than the back. There will be very little in the way of cutting in front of the loco siding so that people can view into the cutting either direction. It will not be too high as that will obscure a lot of the railway from view. As it is a restricted area for the station it either had to be on a viaduct or in a cutting. The viaduct was ruled out because I used Hanging Hill's old base boards, so a cutting it is.

 

Another factor is the lack of a goods yard, I still think the passenger lines tunnelling under the good yard will work. It did at Kings Cross. I do dislike layouts where there is such a sudden change from flat land to a hill form nowhere which needed to have a tunnel dug into it, not everywhere is like Ipswich.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

 

 

Another factor is the lack of a goods yard, I still think the passenger lines tunnelling under the good yard will work. It did at Kings Cross. I do dislike layouts where there is such a sudden change from flat land to a hill form nowhere which needed to have a tunnel dug into it, not everywhere is like Ipswich.

Lots of examples in Sheffield Clive, especially in the Wicker and Nunnery areas. Lines disappearing down long cuttings.

 

Lots of potential there.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Hi Richard

 

I am going to experiment with differing heights of cutting. The plan is the lay of the land (before the railway and houses were built) is higher at both ends and dips in the middle length wise and at the same time is lower at the front than the back. There will be very little in the way of cutting in front of the loco siding so that people can view into the cutting either direction. It will not be too high as that will obscure a lot of the railway from view. As it is a restricted area for the station it either had to be on a viaduct or in a cutting. The viaduct was ruled out because I used Hanging Hill's old base boards, so a cutting it is.

 

Another factor is the lack of a goods yard, I still think the passenger lines tunnelling under the good yard will work. It did at Kings Cross. I do dislike layouts where there is such a sudden change from flat land to a hill form nowhere which needed to have a tunnel dug into it, not everywhere is like Ipswich.

The CLC at Stockport was an example where the main line went under Georges Road coal yard. Plenty of pictures on the Cheshire Lines through Stockport thread.

[Andrew b]

Looking good Clive. The houses area nice touch and will certainly add interest. I would try the houses slightly raised above track level with a shallow embankment.

[Jock67B]

Evening Clive,

I'd go along with the houses being raised slightly, and I think stepped levels would be more interesting. Great idea to do the mock up first before committing!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[richard i]

Evening Clive,

I'd go along with the houses being raised slightly, and I think stepped levels would be more interesting. Great idea to do the mock up first before committing!

Kind regards,

Jock.

Great minds think alike.

[Clive Mortimore]

I was going to venture into the manshed last night and set up the mock cutting, but I fell a sleep after tea

[Clive Mortimore]

Tonight I had a go at elevating the land around the railway. I used stock boxes for the first try so where the houses at the back are there are sudden changes. These will have a better flow when I finish. I think I have the height alright. The line crossing the layout will be on a viaduct, I might change the type of bridge, not sure a girder bridge is suitable.

 

Views looking towards the tunnel under the goods sheds. The slope up to the sheds will be the approach road, I will have to find a levelish area to place the road vehicle weigh bridge.

 

The Met Cam unit is approaching the home signals. This side of the viaduct seems to work.

 

Not too sure if the viewing side at the station end is going to work with the cutting being so deep, especially with the station building on it. 

 

Lowering the land in front of the loco siding works well.

Edited October 28, 2015 by Clive Mortimore

[Jock67B]

Like it Clive, now looking forward to the finished article!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[richard i]

if you would like my advice ( and even if you dont) the bridge to tunnel works well, most of the back is great. I would halve the hight in front of the station to view it but still explains the tight formation. However, the two angular turns the retaining wall take at the back jar for my liking a smooth transition from bridge to houses might look better as there is to my mind a need to explain the step (extra bricks) being deliberately in otherwise with a building or telegraphing .....or something.  Or have have a retaining wall following the line of the upper railway and then right angle when it is lined up with the track it eventually wants to take along the back.

Just my view, feel free to tell me to go hang if you like.

Richard

ps i was in the model shop today and caught  myself eying up US locos! it would really have to be in N gauge though.

[Clive Mortimore]

if you would like my advice ( and even if you dont) the bridge to tunnel works well, most of the back is great. I would halve the hight in front of the station to view it but still explains the tight formation. However, the two angular turns the retaining wall take at the back jar for my liking a smooth transition from bridge to houses might look better as there is to my mind a need to explain the step (extra bricks) being deliberately in otherwise with a building or telegraphing .....or something.  Or have have a retaining wall following the line of the upper railway and then right angle when it is lined up with the track it eventually wants to take along the back.

Just my view, feel free to tell me to go hang if you like.

Richard

ps i was in the model shop today and caught  myself eying up US locos! it would really have to be in N gauge though.

Thanks Richard

 

As I went to bed last night I was thinking the front needs to be lowered at the station end, so that is on the retry. The steps in the back wall, the one near the bridge is where the lifted siding ended and the other is a cutout for the signal box. I will see what I can do to either get rid of one or make them both seem more logical.

 

I hope you were looking at GP9s, RS3s and U25s not the modern stuff.

[leopardml2341]

if you're gonna stick with the rail overbridge, why not add some 1500v dc style overhead to set the scene as Sheffield?

[Clive Mortimore]

if you're gonna stick with the rail overbridge, why not add some 1500v dc style overhead to set the scene as Sheffield?

Hi Andy

 

I don't understand, the Midland Railway only had OLE in the Morecambe area.

 

Hold on I think I know what you mean, the Late and Never Early branch line to Mancester

 

It would look something like this.

 

[Andrew P]

Morning Clive, I know NOTHING about Sheffield, Overhead Electrics or owt like that, but what I do know a bit about is using boxes, bits of wood, card, paper etc. to do mock ups. I do think the Girder bridge its dead right and suits the area. The Railway in the cutting is nice but like you I take LOADS of pics from all sorts of angles to check if it really does look O.K. The Didgi camera is a great modelling tool for that job. Do it photograph it, re do it, re photograph it and so on, download it and keep scanning through all the pics , eventually you will see the light. As said above the bit from the Tunnel and under the Girder Bridge is really good.

[westerner]

I like the look of that Clive, Certainly like the ends of streets above the station. reminds a little of the run in too Liverpool Street passed Manor Park thro' to Maryland.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Clive,

I really like the way the railway appears to have been cut into the landscape.

Too many layouts appear so flat and board-like.

 

Like the way you use boxes etc to get a real 3-D of what it might be like.

 

One or two comments:

 

1. You want to be able to see the trains, so reduce the height of the foreground structures.

 

2. That girder bridge doesn't do it for me, I'm afraid. Doesn't look "Sheffield-like" at all. Being the over-girder type, it makes the structure too tall and over dominates that end of the layout.

 

Well that's my 2p worth...................

[Peter Kazmierczak]

PS As Westerner remarks above, the girder bridge reminds me more of the approaches to Liverpool Street, rather than Sheffield.

 

But I suppose the GE is (subconsciously) in your blood Clive. No 309 units here!

[Dagworth]

But I suppose the GE is (subconsciously) in your blood Clive. No 309 units here!

Not until I come to visit

 

A

[Clive Mortimore]

PS As Westerner remarks above, the girder bridge reminds me more of the approaches to Liverpool Street, rather than Sheffield.

 

But I suppose the GE is (subconsciously) in your blood Clive. No 309 units here!

Hi Peter,

 

I would love to do a GE suburban layout one day, all those great Mk1 EMUs AM2s, 5s, 7s, 8s and of course 9s.     I would have to include some "Slippery door" stock but for some reason AM6s don't do it for me.

Not until I come to visit

 

A

Mr Dear Mr Dagworth,

 

If you were to de-refurbish them and paint the correct crimson lake livery then OK.

[Zomboid]

No idea whether its authentic Sheffield or not, but I like the girder bridge and would use it there if it were my train set. I'd say that in Sheffield, steel bridges ought to be commonplace...

The cutting approach looks really good, even in mock up form.

[Clive Mortimore]

Clive,

I really like the way the railway appears to have been cut into the landscape.

Too many layouts appear so flat and board-like.

 

Like the way you use boxes etc to get a real 3-D of what it might be like.

 

One or two comments:

 

1. You want to be able to see the trains, so reduce the height of the foreground structures.

 

2. That girder bridge doesn't do it for me, I'm afraid. Doesn't look "Sheffield-like" at all. Being the over-girder type, it makes the structure too tall and over dominates that end of the layout.

 

Well that's my 2p worth...................

Hi Peter

 

I am going to lower the cutting at the front at the station end, photos should be up tonight (providing I don't fall a sleep after tea).

 

The more I think about the girder bridge the more it wants me have a look for a typical GCR over bridge. Or a MR one, now if my memory is right I do believe I still have an article in a MRC about a MR bridge in a field with no more trains running over it.

[eastwestdivide]

2nd photo here for a girder bridge in the Sheffield area (GC over MR at Killamarsh-ish)

[Clive Mortimore]

2nd photo here for a girder bridge in the Sheffield area (GC over MR at Killamarsh-ish)

Hi Eastwestdivide

 

That do look a bit more complicated than the Dapol one But thanks any how.

 

I feel that a girder bridge, as Peter mentioned would be too dominating for that area of the layout. May be a plate girder bridge might be more appropriate.

[eastwestdivide]

Fair enough - you could go with this effect too (Nunnery Main Line Junction):