Brian D Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 Just a quick progress report before me and Mrs D are off on our jollies for a couple of weeks. This is the current position... If you can see through the mess you will see four points laid, two of which are fully wired back to the control panel and three platform roads completed, again only two fully wired back to "control". The rear most platform road has had the baseboard painted light grey acrylic ready for track laying when I get back. Some matte A4 photo paper arrived in this morning's post for use on the back scene. A visit to Durham is set for the end of July so further experiments with photographic back scenes will follow once I've got some more appropriate pics from the Land of the Prince Bishops. I need both colliery town and country side panoramas. I will keep in touch with RMWeb via my tablet on our travels but there will obviously be no progress here while I'm away. Regards, Brian. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
emt_911 Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Brian. I hope the pair of you enjoy your jollies and you come back with your mojo re-invigorated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock67B Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Brian, Sincerely hope that you and Mrs D have a lovely holiday - well be patient till the next update! Kind regards, Jock. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 Brian. I hope the pair of you enjoy your jollies and you come back with your mojo re-invigorated. No probs with the mojo. Just taking it steady and trying purposely not to rush (which is when I make c#ck ups) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 Brian, Sincerely hope that you and Mrs D have a lovely holiday - well be patient till the next update! Kind regards, Jock. Thanks Jock. We are having a great time - day 3 already. Hope you are well. Best wishes Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Back from sunny and very hot Crete yesterday where we celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary while there - "doesn't time fly when you are enjoying yourself" / "murderers get less" **(delete as appropriate) Seriously, the Love of my Life follows me to model railway shows and heritage railways without complaint and generally puts up with my obsession and, indeed, encouraged me to take the plunge and build Hawthorn Town all those years ago so absolutely no complaints from me. So, back to reality. I had a quick look in the shed yesterday to make sure all was well, which it is. Perhaps tomorrow a bit more track laying or shall I make a start on some buildings? I downloaded some Scalescenes house backs a few weeks ago which I'm sure will suit the layout somewhere. Regards, Brian. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Good to see you back Brian, and looking forward to some nice pics over the next few days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
emt_911 Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Great to see you back Brian. I'm now looking forward to the photos in the next few days Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 Good to see you back Brian, and looking forward to some nice pics over the next few days. Hi Andy and thanks. I've been following your latest developments on my tablet in Crete. I really don't know how you do it. In the time you have progressed from Bitton to Pencarne Junction via Whittaker Street, here I am having just laid a few yards of track. Slow down mate - you put the rest of us to shame Great to see you back Brian. I'm now looking forward to the photos in the next few days Pictures to follow (layout pictures not holiday pictures ) Regards, Brian. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 (edited) Today, I thought I would place my longest tender loco on the layout to see how she looked, thus.... ...pretty good, I thought. So, she was pressed into service checking platform and isolated section lengths.... ...and I thought I'd see how she looked on the turntable... ...again, pretty good I thought. I eventually got back to track laying and this is the sum total of this afternoon's efforts. This is the final platform road at the rear of the layout. The Peco track lengths, one full 36 inch length and a further 12 inch length for the isolated section, were sleeper spaced and placed in position. Some loose sleepers were also cut and prunned for the locations where the rail connectors are located. Tomorrow, I will remove the track, solder the droppers to the underside of the rails and spray paint the track. On Saturday I can then glue and ballast the track in position. This bay road will accommodate a 4 car dmu or a three coach local with ease. Regards, Brian. Edited July 16, 2015 by Brian D 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
danstercivicman Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Thank you for your inspiring track plan- I have re-worked my entire layout to adapt it based on what I have seen here- thank you! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightbe Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Looking pretty good so far--nice and clean ballasting. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that piles things onto the layout.. Quentin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 17, 2015 Author Share Posted July 17, 2015 Thank you for your inspiring track plan- I have re-worked my entire layout to adapt it based on what I have seen here- thank you! Well, that's very kind of you to say so danstercivicman. I originally planned a single line branch but how many ex-LNER/BR(E/NE) single branches are there? Very few IMHO. It really had to be a double track branch (if a little compressed) to justify locos like the A1 above. Regards, Brian. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 17, 2015 Author Share Posted July 17, 2015 Looking pretty good so far--nice and clean ballasting. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that piles things onto the layout.. Quentin No where else to put it all. I was thinking of putting our picnic table under the layout while the build was under way but was unsure how that might go down with the domestic authorities Regards, Brian. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Hi Andy and thanks. I've been following your latest developments on my tablet in Crete. I really don't know how you do it. In the time you have progressed from Bitton to Pencarne Junction via Whittaker Street, here I am having just laid a few yards of track. Slow down mate - you put the rest of us to shame Pictures to follow (layout pictures not holiday pictures ) Regards, Brian. Its QUALITY that counts, NOT quantity, hahah All the best Mate. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 I thought I'd post a pictorial of how I'm laying the track and ballasting as I go. Having cut the track to length, added rail connectors and soldered the droppers to the under side of the rails, I spread newspaper about, push the dropper wires through so they don't get too much of a covering, attach the few loose pruned sleepers which will slide under the rail joints to a loop of masking tape on the newspaper, put on my mask and spray Railmatch Sleeper Grime. This is the result. This is left over night to dry and then the track panel is reconnected to the track already laid and carefully positioned. Masking tape is then applied to limit the spread of ballast and 2.5 mm diam holes drilled for the droppers. The wires are pulled through these holes and some track pins tapped into the base board at the sleeper ends to ensure correct positioning of the track. The track section is now partially removed. I say partially. What I mean is that it is disconnected from the track already laid and moved away from the track bed slightly to allow access for the PVA glue brush. The wire droppers help to support the track above the area being coated in glue. A generous application of neat PVA is then brushed over the track bed between the masking tape. The track panel is then reconnected to the track already laid and pressed back into position, pulling the wire droppers from below the baseboard and ensuring the track pins meet their appropriate sleeper ends and all loose sleepers at rail joints are inserted. The track panel now receives a thorough sprinkling of ballast, far more than is needed to ensure the wet PVA is completely covered. Appropriate weights are now added to the track to ensure a good level bond of the track to the baseboard. This is left over night to dry. After removing all the weights, the track pins are removed and the track is hoovered with a stocking over the nozzle to catch all of the excess ballast. The masking tape is then removed and the rail heads burnished with a track rubber to remove the spray paint. I now have all four platform roads laid and ballasted. I need to wire all these roads back to the control panel, currently only two are so wired. Then, track laying will cease for a while while I commence platform building. Regards, Brian. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Very neat Brian, I hope mine comes out half as neat as yours mate, really good work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 Very neat Brian, I hope mine comes out half as neat as yours mate, really good work. Thanks for your kind words, Andy. I'm taking my time and trying not to rush too much - that's when I make mistakes. I'm also hopping about a bit between different jobs (track, wiring and soon buildings) so that I don't get stuck in a rut. Regards, Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 Platform construction has commenced! This time, still using Scalescenes' textures, I've opted for a stone ("ashlar" according to the Scalescenes description) finish to the platform walls and an asphalt surface. All structure is made from 2 mm thick grey-board. This will keep me busy for a while. Regards, Brian. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 That looks good Brian, do you want to come over and do mine? hhahahhah Very neat mate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 That looks good Brian, do you want to come over and do mine? hhahahhah Very neat mate. Yeah...right...I'll think about it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 Following our visit to the North East last weekend, which included a tour round the North Yorkshire coast last Friday, I am know inspired to set the new layout in the Whitby area. I need to do a bit more research but I'm minded to call the principle terminus "Whitby Abbey". We visited the abbey, Runswick Bay, Robin Hoods Bay and (briefly) Staithes. I took plenty of photos, including a few panoramas, which I'm hoping might be useful in the photographic back scene. Since returning, I have commenced the Scalescenes low relief house backs kit - see http://scalescenes.com/products/T008-Low-Relief-House-Backs They are not even half built yet but I couldn't resist posing then, along with a trial retaining wall I built last year and the bridge mock up, to see how the scenic side would shape up. The initial placement of the houses was by the bridge over the station throat - thus ...and... ...and also behind the buffer stops. The blue arched retaining wall I have already decided is unsuitable. I will try, using Scalescenes' stone textures, a different type of wall, slightly curved in vertical cross section which I have noted in several NE area railway pictures, including one of the south end of Sunderland station. This wall will also have to include the bridge abutments. Tricky, as the wall will also have to be curved in plan following the platform road alongside it. The number of house backs here might have to be reduced as the back yards are getting very short! Regards, Brian. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Coming on well Brian, really nice work on the Houses etc. well done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 (edited) Cardboard engineering continues One third of the house back kit has been completed. This comprises a pair of houses which will probably be situated by the station throat bridge as a view blocker for the road disappearing into the backscene thus. Even camera phone pics are brutal - must do something about those leaning Biro tube chimney pots. Thoughts then turned to retaining walls of the curved type I mentioned previously. The trusty TurboCAD drawing software enabled a 300 mm radius curve to be accurately drawn and printed and stuck on to 2 mm thick card. An egg box type structure was needed... ...which formed a nice rigid framework on which I glued the Scalescenes' texture which I printed on to 180 gsm matte photo paper (what a b*gger trying to decide which side was "up" to feed into the printer as there was absolutely no guidance with the packaging so took a chance). This is a "module" about 4 inches (102 mm) long so there will be a need for much repetition to fill the space at the back of the station. "Columns", parapet wall and coping stones were added. So I therefore couldn't resist posing the latest cardboard models in close proximity. Getting there, inch by inch Regards, Brian. Edited July 31, 2015 by Brian D 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted August 2, 2015 Author Share Posted August 2, 2015 I thought I would give "cardboard engineering" a rest so have spent a bit of time wiring up the bay platform at the rear of the terminus. So, I have now three of the platform roads responsive to both controllers There is method in my madness. The rear platform road will adjoin the retaining wall and other back scene scenery. I really needed to run trains (albeit not very far) along this road to check clearances before proceeding further with cardboard civil engineering. It crossed my mind that one of my DMUs had prominent cab steps protruding from its bogie so it was duly pressed into service for clearance testing thus. Hmm. The DMU looks a bit close to the wall left hand side so the wall will have to be moved away, probably off the ballast as shown and moved left so similarly "gapped" as the platform to the right. Regards, Brian. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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