RMweb Gold Donw Posted August 16, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2014 Nice to see you have your thinking cap on. I think you are right to build Bitton if you want to run other stuff you can always pretend it is somewhere else for a session like down on the S&D to run some Southern stuff. A bit of Western is quite feasible. As you say Peco turnouts and track will be fine for the FY. Regards Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp1 Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Hi Don, thanks for the offer, as I said above once I have all the basics done I will know if I can afford the Marcway / SMP track, I have worked it out that I will need about 20 points for the fiddle yard plus about 100 yards of track just for in there, which I already have in Peco Code 75 so that's sorted, and I will have about 30 points left over which would help to fund the Marcway / SMP if I can. Bodge. Hi AndyHave been following a lot of the 'Luney' Layouts for some time but not posted on any of them before. As regards the cost of track - building your own copperclad turnouts, even with the new price increases from C&L works out at less than half that of Peco (unless you are building something large - but much better looking and running). If you can use a soldering iron and a file it's really not that hard. And it doesn't really take that long (I think that is a large part of the cost from Marcway: they have to pay someone to build them). My first turnout took around 4 1/2 hours - now, with a bit of practice, and some simple homemade wooden jigs, and having learned what tools (which you probably already have) I can build one in about 2 hours. By the time your shed is up you could have built a lot of the track! Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 Nice to see you have your thinking cap on. I think you are right to build Bitton if you want to run other stuff you can always pretend it is somewhere else for a session like down on the S&D to run some Southern stuff. A bit of Western is quite feasible. As you say Peco turnouts and track will be fine for the FY. Regards Don Cheers Don, when the doors are CLOSED, there will be things like Blue 33's, and 47's as well as loads of other stuff that MAY NOT appear in this Thread. Bodge. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 (edited) Hi Andy Have been following a lot of the 'Luney' Layouts for some time but not posted on any of them before. As regards the cost of track - building your own copperclad turnouts, even with the new price increases from C&L works out at less than half that of Peco (unless you are building something large - but much better looking and running). If you can use a soldering iron and a file it's really not that hard. And it doesn't really take that long (I think that is a large part of the cost from Marcway: they have to pay someone to build them). My first turnout took around 4 1/2 hours - now, with a bit of practice, and some simple homemade wooden jigs, and having learned what tools (which you probably already have) I can build one in about 2 hours. By the time your shed is up you could have built a lot of the track! Steve First of all Steve welcome aboard the Lunester Layout, as you may have gathered if you have visited the Lunester Lounge set up by Jeff, (Phyiscsman) or his Layout Kirkby Luneside, were a pretty mad bunch, and discuss anything that is LEGAL to discus in public, be it Music, Films, Hobbies out side Railways and sometimes even Sheds, Cars and Women, so please pop in and sign up. Now re the points, I'm sure they are easy, I'm a Mechanic by trade some 40 or so years ago so the soldering and geometry with just a little practice would be OK, after all I can solder wire to track etc. I have two problems with your train (sorry for the pun but you'll have to get used to few of these) of thought, the first being that ALL my tools are still in storage and wont come out until AFTER the shed is finished inside and the work bench is up and the Layout frames are in place. The second problem is my biggest one and that is, IMPATIENCE, I do want to see trains running as quickly as possible so ready made is the only way for me I'm afraid. I know it will cost a bit more but I may have a branch line to build as well coming off the main so maybe, just maybe I will try wit that. Cheers again for popping in and I look forward to seeing you in the Lounge for a chat later, you can tell us all about your music and other interests. Bodge. Edited August 16, 2014 by Andrew P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp1 Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 First of all Steve welcome aboard the Lunester Layout, as you may have gathered if you have visited the Lunester Lounge set up by Jeff, (Phyiscsman) or his Layout Kirkby Luneside, were a pretty mad bunch, and discuss anything that is LEGAL to discus in public, be it Music, Films, Hobbies out side Railways and sometimes even Sheds, Cars and Women, so please pop in and sign up. Now re the points, I'm sure they are easy, I'm a Mechanic by trade some 40 or so years ago so the soldering and geometry with just a little practice would be OK, after all I can solder wire to track etc. I have two problems with your train (sorry for the pun but you'll have to get used to few of these) of thought, the first being that ALL my tools are still in storage and wont come out until AFTER the shed is finished inside and the work bench is up and the Layout frames are in place. The second problem is my biggest one and that is, IMPATIENCE, I do want to see trains running as quickly as possible so ready made is the only way for me I'm afraid. I know it will cost a bit more but I may have a branch line to build as well coming off the main so maybe, just maybe I will try wit that. Cheers again for popping in and I look forward to seeing you in the Lounge for a chat later, you can tell us all about your music and other interests. Bodge. Aah...music......another guitarist here! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 Aah...music......another guitarist here! Good stuff, what you got? Bodge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp1 Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Good stuff, what you got? Bodge. 2 Strats and telecaster, all made by myself 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
67A Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Hi Andy, My God! I go offline for a couple of days and the catch-up on here takes the same time. Great stuff on here already, you must be getting inspired with all those photos arriving, there a minefield of information and its great that people are wiling to forward them as they have with me on my Dent thread, it brings back faith in human nature! I struggled with Templot for a while but in the end I managed to print out something 'useable' It was by no means perfect but it did the job, have a go on the trial pages, I was just a bit too impatient to LEARN I just wanted the thing printing out but you have some lead time which will help. Keep it up mate its good to see you getting back on top form! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 2 Strats and telecaster, all made by myself WOW Steve, Please put some pics in the Lunester Lounge. Bodge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 Hi Andy, My God! I go offline for a couple of days and the catch-up on here takes the same time. Great stuff on here already, you must be getting inspired with all those photos arriving, there a minefield of information and its great that people are wiling to forward them as they have with me on my Dent thread, it brings back faith in human nature! I struggled with Templot for a while but in the end I managed to print out something 'useable' It was by no means perfect but it did the job, have a go on the trial pages, I was just a bit too impatient to LEARN I just wanted the thing printing out but you have some lead time which will help. Keep it up mate its good to see you getting back on top form! Cheers mike, Thanks for popping in, there is so much advice and information out there, and sometimes you don't even need to ask for it, Webbers just come forward and volunteer it. Bodge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock67B Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Evening Andy! I thought you ought to know that when I type 'Bitton' in the search box, Google comes up with 'BOTTOM' HaHaHaHa! Kind regards, Jock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeT Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Hello Bodgit, Really enjoyed our chat on the phone tonight, glad the sheds sorted, so hopefully you can get up and running again, (just after xmas) looking forward to that... George Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted August 17, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2014 Andy somewhere back you mentioned difficulty drilling the tiebar on Marcway, they may be using PCB on a fibreglass base for extra strength, that is hard to drill and cut. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Evening Andy! I thought you ought to know that when I type 'Bitton' in the search box, Google comes up with 'BOTTOM' HaHaHaHa! Kind regards, Jock. Morning Jock, (just) I think its probably more a case of YOU hitting the wrong buttons on your keypad again, hahhah. Hope your keeping well mate, I saw you mentioned that you might be starting earlier than originally planned, well if you do, as I've done here, we can see it all from the thoughts in your head to the laying of track and beyond. Bodge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Hello Bodgit, Really enjoyed our chat on the phone tonight, glad the sheds sorted, so hopefully you can get up and running again, (just after xmas) looking forward to that... George Hi George, yes I would think that after Christmas / Easter for running although I would like to start looking at track on the boards before then. As I have all the Peco points and Track for the fiddle yard then I might lay that first. Bodge. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Andy somewhere back you mentioned difficulty drilling the tiebar on Marcway, they may be using PCB on a fibreglass base for extra strength, that is hard to drill and cut. Don I have to phone Marc Weaver tomorrow so I will ask him what sort of drill they use, i.e. diamond tipped or something. Bodge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 (edited) One of the inspirations for Bitton came from one of the very first TRUE Model Railway Layouts I saw in the April 1976 Railway Modeller. I first got into Model Railways about that time and my first issue of RM was August 77. I must have bought the April 76 issue at a show or something, but ever since I have had visions of this layout lurking in the back of my mind. I must have thought about it almost every time I started or planned a new project but it has never got any further than that. So what was that inspiring Layout? well it was Heckmondwike, it was built by the North London Model Railway Group and I believe it was P4. It had it all, but looking at it now it was very basic but the pictures which I have found have brought back some fond memories. I have attached some of the pics I have found here, and I hope the original photographers wont mind me showing their work as they inspired me and probably countless others from that day to this. Bodge Edited August 17, 2014 by Andrew P 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeT Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Hello Mate, Now that is a great layout, would make a lovely round-round with fiddle on the other side, great stuff GT Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold unravelled Posted August 17, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2014 I'm not using the "Follow" option, as I'm a committed lurker, but looking forward to progress. Have you thought of an external loop at the door end to increase available length? It could fold up against the end not in use. Cheers Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 I'm not using the "Follow" option, as I'm a committed lurker, but looking forward to progress. Have you thought of an external loop at the door end to increase available length? It could fold up against the end not in use. Cheers Dave Thanks Dave and good to hear from you, I had considered doing a Larry, (see Coachman's Delft ) but I will wait till the shed arrives for that final desion. The one big hate / fear / dislike / dread / worry I would have is for insects / spiders / creepy crawlies to get inside. I want it like a house room inside, not like a garden shed and I will also be keeping stock and other things inside all year round so I don't want damp. For that reason I will be having a Green House heater on in the winter to keep the temperature above about 3 degrees so even a blocked up couple of holes may be defeating the object. Ken Payne did the same thing years ago on his Last Great Project and I thought then that it was a good idea. If I do do it, it will probably be at the back, but then if I do one end, why not do both. Thanks for you input and now giving me something else to sleep on. Cheers. Bodge. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted August 17, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2014 Ken did put the end lops in boxed in tunnels but as you feared did suffer from spiders. At the non door end he built a lean to with a roof and opened up the tunnels. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 (edited) I have found a couple more stunning archive pics of Heckmondwyke which I hope I wont get into trouble for posting here, as they are so inspirational to modellers of all scales and gauges I'm sure. Now compare the simplicity of Heckmondwyke with Bitton Bodge. Edited August 17, 2014 by Andrew P 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
phixer64 Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 You'll have it built in no time Bodgit, well, just caught up with this, looks like an interesting project, and i'll be keeping an eye on it. Good luck. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted August 17, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2014 I remember seeing Heckmondwyke and all the articles on building it. It was quite impressive. The plan of Bitton looks good. Is that a double or Single slip on the left hand side. Be an interesting project building those turnouts and slip on a curve. What radius did you say your end curves would be? That is a classic station layout and you can do some shunting without blocking the main so you could let a couple lap round while enjoying shunting the yard. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 You'll have it built in no time Bodgit, well, just caught up with this, looks like an interesting project, and i'll be keeping an eye on it. Good luck. Jeff Hi Jeff, Thanks for having a look, don't expect me to have it done to quick, there's still some working out to do once the Potting Shed is ready for Humans inside, hahha Bodge. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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