Elsbridge Tramway Company: Elsbridge Town - NeilHB's layout

[Annie]

I can already see how much of an improvement it's going to be with the extra width.  Instantly your layout looks less cramped for room.

Nice to see progress on No.4 “St Machan” too.

[NeilHB]

Spot the difference…

 

 

Having a play around with building placement and after talking to my fellow coconspirator of silly ideas, worked out that I could fit in a dedicated new siding for the Farmers Cooperative Society, as a kick back off the new front siding: 

 

 

I’m going to raise the provender store up to wagon floor height, which will work better for loading/unloading.

 

If I move the tree, I can comfortably fit two wagons in the enclosure. It acts rather nicely as viewblocker for the fiddleyard entrance/exit, better than the intended cottage, plus adds to the fun of operating and shunting the layout. 
 

Where the Farmers Cooperative gated enclosure previously was, the loading bank and goods shed will now sit nicely (once I’ve extended the track slightly), and means it can be accessed via horse-drawn and motor vehicles easily. There may be room now for a yard crane (as drawn in pen), and a possible cattle/sheep loading bank at the end of the headshunt. 

As a parting shot here we see that “Sigrid” has arrived at Ffarquhar Road with an up mixed tram. 
 

What do you think please folks? 

 

 

 

[Nile]

I like it. The new sidings make good use of the extra space you now have. And all those wagons need somewhere to go.

[Johnson044]

I really like the way the provender store and siding are enclosed with dry stone walls and gate. This is rather atmospheric and these walled enclosures often survive for very many years as railway archaeology long after the line has gone. It's all starting to take shape very convincingly.

 

[NeilHB]

I hope you are all sitting comfortably, as what comes next may be a bit of a shock…

 

Ffarquhar Road has been closed and lifted.

 

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve become increasingly dissatisfied with the layout, both in terms of track layout/operation, and the back story that I’d devised for it. 
 

So yesterday, after having a just flipping get on with it conversation with myself, I set to and lifted the track. The extension boards have been removed and put to one side for future use, and we’re back to the old 400mm width, which feels a bit more manageable at the moment. 
 

So where next? 
 

Well we’re heading south-west back to the originally planned layout, Elsbridge! 
 

I’ve had a play around with the points I’ve got, and come up with what I think is going to be a more enjoyable layout to operate, and enables the full loop to be on scene:

 

Although simple, I think this will be more enjoyable to operate. 
 

The layout represents the station as it was shortly after conversion to steam

haulage in the mid 1880s, so is fairly basic, but serves the needs of Elsbridge well. The line enters from the front left (ignore the tree - the line will running down the road at this point before that diverges towards the front of the board), and splits to form the run round loop. The front siding diverges from the loop, and serves the coal staithes and the goods shed/store. Back left is the loading dock siding. 
 

The station platform is back right, with the platform against the backscene. There will be a train shed over the headshunt capable of holding a Tramcar and luggage van. Sadly there’s no room for the station building I’ve got, but I’ll save that for another project. 
 

Loop length is long enough to comfortably accommodate a loco and the passenger set, or loco and four wagons, although three is likely to be the maximum to ensure the layout doesn’t feel too cramped. “St Machan” is seen in the loop with the passenger set. 
 

Later on we see “Sigrid” with an up mixed service. The Tramcar can either be left at the end of the platform road, or in the loop  nearest the front siding, there being enough room here to leave that whilst shunting is carried out. 
 

Thoughts please folks? I know it’s a bit of a drastic change, but I do feel happier now about the layout. 

[Northroader]

Neil, the number of times I’ve changed a layout for something that will work better, I fully understand. You’ve got some lovely traction and rolling stock, the new layout fits together and will soon, I’m sure, be working, so onwards and upwards!

[Nearholmer]

It’s a classic, known to work well, track plan, and looks plausibly tramway-like, so worry ye not.

 

like Mr Northroader, I’ve amended track layouts endlessly, in fact that’s one of the reasons I think I get on well in Coarse 0, because the track is screwed, not glued, down, and has some set-track like characteristics that facilitate changes of mind. On my previous, garage-sized, layout, I think I changed the position of every piece of track at least once before getting it to a place that seemed to really optimise operation in the space. Now I’m working on a smaller, portable layout, where l track changes will be bordering on impossible, and it fills me with mild dread - what if, six months after it’s all firmly fixed I suddenly spit* the wizard improvement that has eluded me at the design stage?!

 

* Channelling Officer Crabtree.

Edited September 2, 2022 by Nearholmer

[Annie]

2 hours ago, NeilHB said:

Thoughts please folks? I know it’s a bit of a drastic change, but I do feel happier now about the layout. 

A drastic change indeed, but it's no good carrying on with working on a track layout you're no longer happy with.

[Johnson044]

Well done with taking the plunge making the drastic change. Recognizing that you won't be happy with something as it stands and taking it all to pieces takes some courage. I look forward to seeing the new Elsbridge develop.

[NeilHB]

Thanks all for the comments, glad to know that I’m not the only one that rips up layouts part-way through to start again! There’s a definite feeling of renewed enthusiasm towards the layout at the moment, and hopefully that will continue now. Off to Guildex later this morning for a jolly so that will help.

[Ruston]

And I was just about to ask when you were going to get around to painting and weathering the track. 😄 If I was starting again, as you have, I wouldn't have the raised passenger platform. The coaches you have already suit a track level platform, which I think would suit the tramway/light railway better.

[NeilHB]

Thanks Dave, I’d done a little bit of track painting, but it’s definitely on the to-do list once I’ve re-laid it all 😆

Good suggestion about the platform, I might see if I can remove a few courses from the edges that I’ve got as I’d still like to use them and have a slightly raised platform, even if it’s just a few mm above rail level. 
 

I had a good jolly to Guildex yesterday with Mr Young, and managed to source most of the bits I needed, and only acquired a couple of bits that I didn’t need but did decide that they’d do nicely! 
 

This afternoon I made one small adjustment to the trackplan, and flipped it all so that the tramway enters the scene from the rear of the layout, meaning I can disguise the exit to the fiddle yard a bit easier:

 

I also sorted out a new end board to enclose it all properly, with a new hole into the FY: 

A lot sturdier than the previous effort, and a much smaller hole to hide too! 
 

Looking through it from the FY does give a good view along the layout, and I can set up little scenes like this with “Sigrid” departing on a passenger tram, whilst the lorry waits impatiently for her to get out of the way - once out from between the walls the line will run down the road:

There will be a gate here across the rails to separate the railway yard from the road.

 

From front left we have the loading/cattle dock, adjacent to the loop will be the water tower, plus a suitable tree here to add a bit of height to the middle of the scene:

At the rear can be seen the wall bordering the road, and the corner piece indicating the entrance to the goods yard (which will be gated).

At the other end we have the station at the front right, and this will be covered by the train shed for a approx 1.5 tramcars in length. I’m tempted to have a small wooden parcels lockup on the platform too, to break it up a bit. Still debating on the length of the platform itself at the moment (and the height too thanks to the prompt from Dave). The back siding serves the coal staithes and the goods shed (I’ll replace the corrugated iron shed with a timber one I think), if there’s room I might add a yard crane:

 

I feel much happier now with it all, and the revisions mean that the trains will traverse pretty much the entire length of the layout. Now I’ve got all the track sorted and cut to the right lengths, I’ll make a start on pinning it all down and wiring it up hopefully this week (although it’s back to work tomorrow after two weeks off!). 

 

[NeilHB]

All the track is now down, and I just need to sort out the wiring (oh the joy), but in the meantime I’ve been having fun messing around with stock to get a feel for how things will look:

 

I rather like this black and white shot of ‘Godred’ waiting to depart with a down mixed tram. 
 

I’ve also been doodling some designs for the various buildings required on the layout.

 

The Goods Shed - a timber framed and clad structure which will sit on legs to keep it off the ground. Canopies on either side to cover the door openings, and probably a slate roof or maybe corrugated iron, I haven’t decided yet. 
 

Parcels Lockup - this will sit on the platform near the ramp. Again like the goods shed it’s timber framed and clad. Double doors opening onto the platform, but I’ll only be modelling the portion to the left of the dotted line (the rear will be open and cover the point switch for the loop).

 

Trainshed/overall roof - timber framed and clad to keep within the house style. Though I’ve drawn the back as closed in, on the layout it will be open so that you can see the trams when they are in the platform. 
 

Oh and I’m already thinking ahead to another module to represent Elsbridge High Street with the trams running down the middle of the road between the houses. 
 

 

[Nearholmer]

I look forward to the ‘urban’ scene, which must have oodles of scope for interesting modelling.

 

Where I live, there was one semi-rural steam tramway (W&SSST) and another one, even more rural, was started (some track laid) before it all fell apart due to various arguments, and I’m a sucker for cycling along the routes trying to visualise trams snaking past the interesting old buildings …… a potent mix of vernacular architecture and picturesque vehicles.

 

 

 

 

[NeilHB]

Thanks Nearholmer. I'm must admit I'm looking forward to that aspect too, I shall be able to get some practice in with the current boards as I'm hoping to include a very low relief street scene along the rear (if space permits). 

 

The Wolverton & Stony Stratford Steam Tramway was really quite delightful, I do like the very nice mix of urban and rural running that it had, something which has influenced the ETCo quite a bit. I've got my vernacular architecture books on standby for when the building construction begins, and I'm always on the lookout for suitable vehicles for the layout (to cover the proposed 1890-1925-ish time period). 

[NeilHB]

Having made changes to the layout, it’s now time to make some changes to the rolling stock! 
 

Don’t worry though, nothing too drastic, just a change of livery for the ETCo goods stock.

 

Having acquired an unbuilt ABS kit for a GN Colwick 3-plank dropside (thanks Mike!), I picked up a tin of GNR Freight Brown at Guildex. Whilst mulling wagon liveries over the other day, I wondered what the colour would look like on the ETCo wagons…

 

Quite nice as it turns out!
 

‘Godred’ has arrived with a mixed tram at Elsbridge, run round and shunted the tramcar under the trainshed whilst it then shunts the wagons:

 

Before departing later on with the down mixed tram:

 

Peek-a-boo!

 

 

[NeilHB]

It’s alive! 
 

Elsbridge has been wired, and I’ve had great fun playing trains this afternoon 😃

‘Godred’ had the honours of hauling the first official train:

 

Only one mild moment of panic until I realised I’d plugged the controller into the wrong socket (d’oh!), and I did get my wires crossed when I’d wired up the point switches first time, easily sorted though thankfully. 

[NeilHB]

Having great fun messing around and playing trains at the moment, a little video of tonight’s escapades shunting the evening mixed train with No.1 ‘Godred’:

 

 

 

[Ruston]

16 hours ago, NeilHB said:

Having great fun messing around and playing trains at the moment, a little video of tonight’s escapades shunting the evening mixed train with No.1 ‘Godred’:

 

 

 

I think you ought to get the fitters out to see to that leaking cylinder packing. 😉

[NeilHB]

Details of our 2023 Open Day are now up - Elsbridge Town will be there.

 

Keep an eye on the topic for more details:

 

 

[NeilHB]

A catch up with Mr Young earlier this week resulted in a good suggestion for the layout, which was swiftly out into play.

 

The front siding has been shifted outwards towards the edge of the board, and now serves a seed and feed mill instead of being the loading dock siding:

Cunningly mocked up here using 43two1 kit boxes and oddments. It works rather nicely as a view blocker for the hole in the backscene into the fiddle yard. 
 

You’ll also notice the two building shells in the background, courtesy of Fair Price Models on eBay - less than £16 for the two kits including postage. Very nicely laser cut from MDF, plus laser cut card window and door frames, and a very nicely designed frontage for the shop. These help set the scene that the station is close to the town centre. 
 

The back siding has been adjusted slightly too, but that’s in terms of building placement, by swapping the coal merchants and goods shed over:

 

It also gives me room to have a livestock ramp (approximately where the dumb buffered open is). This works better visually now, and stops this area feeling quite so cramped.

 

I’ve drawn up the plan for it all, which may help readers of the thread to visualise it all:

 

The visit from Mr Young also allowed the newest acquisitions to join the fleet…

North Western Railway No.11 ‘Oliver’, in my version of reality an ex GW 517 acquired in the mid-1920s for suburban passenger services in and around Tidmouth (working in conjunction with NWR No.8), plus autocoach. I just now need to find a suitable prototype withdrawn in the right time period with round topped boiler and original bunker. 
 

To round it all off, a couple of black and white photos:

’Thorkell’ taking water from the tower during a pause in shunting. 

 

’Sigrid’ waiting to depart with a down mixed tram. 
 

 

[CKPR]

Check out "No. 1" of the  Bishop Castle Rly., which was an ex-GWR 517 and had a round top firebox.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Neil, the 517 is interesting. Can you tell us more about it?

Cheers, Ade.

[NeilHB]

41 minutes ago, CKPR said:

Check out "No. 1" of the  Bishop Castle Rly., which was an ex-GWR 517 and had a round top firebox.

Thanks. BCR No.1 is an interesting loco, but I’m aiming more for a standard 517 that was (hopefully) withdrawn in the mid-20’s-ish. I’ve got the Great Western Journal articles on the class which will hopefully provide me with the right candidate, I just need to remember where I put them first… 

 

34 minutes ago, Adrian Stevenson said:

Hi Neil, the 517 is interesting. Can you tell us more about it?

Cheers, Ade.

It’s the old Zero Zephyrs kit Ade, which passed to Adrian Swain (ABS/43two1 models), and is now being produced by CSP/Sanspareil Models. Resin bodywork with etched brass chassis, and a mix of brass and whitemetal detail castings. 

[NeilHB]

A very productive day today making a start on the scenic base layer. Cork tiles were chopped up and laid between all the tracks to bring the ground level with the top of the sleepers. 
 

This meant I could then start thinking about the section of road at the entrance to the layout:

Looks like ‘Godred’ has beaten the ‘bus to the crossing again! 
 

Never mind, once the trams out the way, the ‘bus can wend its way into Elsbridge. Good old Ikea packaging - nice and sturdy and just the right thickness for bringing the roadway just below the top of the rails. 
 

Having down that (although it’s not stuck down yet whilst I check clearances etc), I then made a start on a couple of jobs. Firstly was the creation of a low embankment (using the cork offcuts) along the front edge for most of the length of the layout, this helps to hide the point switches nicely:

 A rough coat of filler to start with, need to get some more though as this was the scrapings out the bottom of the tub. 
 

You’ll also see the second job - starting to infill the trackwork! Last time I used cork tiles between the sleepers, and I was never particularly happy with it. So this time it was out with the DAS clay, and I had a fun couple of hours squishing it all into place and making a start on smoothing it out. I’ll hopefully get the rest of the infill done over the course of this week. 
 

I’ve also started work on a new platform, much lower to the ground - cork tiles and cardboard again for the base, and I’ve got a sheet of Redutex cobbles which I’ll use for the platform surface (they’ll get stuck down once the rest of the messy work has been done):

Its a little over 4mm above rail height, so will help to keep this end of the layout fairly open once the trainshed has been built. I’ve left enough room for a low timber or stone front edge nearest the track, just to finish it off nicely.
 

What do you think please folks?