Skaleby Quay

[andyram]

After completing my first exhibition layout, Skaleby West, I have done very little modelling. In fact, as another thread has stated, my modelling "mojo" has been at an all time low. That has not stopped me from spending money in various model shops stocking up on supplies for future modelling projects.

 Whilst on holiday in Norfolk last summer I was tempted into buying a Bachmann low relief hotel building. This set me thinking about a layout based around a seaside resort. I have been quite partial to buying the Hornby and Bachmann fish wagons of late, with the idea of incorporating some sort of quayside into the layout.

 In the last few months I have completed the first 4ft x 1ft baseboard which will form the station area. This has doubled as a fiddle yard for Skaleby West at recent exhibitions.

 This weekend I have finally had time to have a bit of a practical "play" with the baseboard. Some people use layout planning programmes or pieces of wallpaper to plan. I prefer to use pieces of track and the baseboard and get the "look" right.

 So far I had worked out that the station would need to be an island layout with no run round facilities. This would allow a raised section at the back of the board to be created to allow for a seafront type street made up of low relief buildings. I think that the station building will be at the higher level, with steps down onto the platform. This would again maximise the space.

 The photo below shows the first basic track layout. The polystyrene section shows the start of the street scene. The Skaledale platform pieces form the island platform.

 

[emt_911]

Looking forward to seeing this develop Andy

[Removed a/c]

Looking forward to watching this develop. 

 

 

Regards 

Scott

[andyram]

Thanks.

Due to exhibition deadline Skaleby Quay's development is on hold at present. Hopefully more progress soon.

[andyram]

It has been quite a while since I posted on here, and there has been a very good reason for that - nothing had happened. A combination of work commitments, organising the Weston 2015 show and the need to get Skaleby West ready for the same event had rather taken up my time.

 With a lazy Sunday afternoon at home I finally got the opportunity to have another look at Skaleby Quay. I laid out the polystyrene blocks for the raised street section and then laid out the track for the station area. As I was not sure of the clearances needed for the retaining walls I then set to work on one section of the Metcalfe kit. I have never built one of these before, but it went together very well. Having placed the kit in-situ I found that there was slightly more room than I thought. This has allowed me to move the track back slightly.

 Whilst checking other items for the build I also looked into the Metcalfe platform kits. I have found these to be 2cm narrower than the Hornby Skaledale pieces I have been experimenting with. This would create a bit more room at the front of the layout. I will look out for some of these at the Stafford show next week.

 The final track plan has not quite been finalised yet which may seem a bit odd. But I am trying to get the whole look of the layout right. I will post more in due course, but here are a couple of pictures from today. It shows one of my Isle of Wight 02's in front of the mocked up raised street and retaining wall section.

 

[Andrew P]

Hi Andy, It looks very interesting, will it be ready for your Show in November mate.

[andyram]

Thanks Andy. I very much doubt it will be ready for November. But you never know. The long term plan is that the layout will be made up of four boards. The current board (4ft x 1ft) will include the station. There will be a second lowered board of equal size in front. This will feature the promenade / beach area. To the right there will be 2 boards of 2 x 1. The rear board will connect to the station board and will feature the run to the fiddle yard. The front 2x1 board will be lowered and will feature some sort of quay side with sidings for my fish wagons to be shunted. That is the idea that is in my head, but not on paper!

[southern42]

Looking good, Andy.

We bought the launderette, too.  It is now the tea rooms (as it looks like our favourite coffee shop in Chester!) on Camel Quay with people dining in the bay windows.  (HO scale table and chairs and people fit nicely).

These low relief are great to put in a little scene inside and maybe some battery operated lighting.

Anyway, just some ideas.  Look forward to seeing progress.

Edited February 1, 2016 by southern42

[andyram]

Thanks Polly. The laundrette will certainly not remain as a laundrette on the completed layout. I like the idea of turning into a cafe. I also have the fish and chip shop, pub and hotel as well as some other shops. I have plans to change one of the shops into a sea front gift shop to fit the coastal scene. I like the idea of a cafe. Definitely need to look at some guest houses too.

Edited February 7, 2016 by andyram

[andyram]

Quite a successful shopping trip at the Stafford show today. I stocked up on a few more items for the layout. The Langley Models figures will not be needed for quite some time, but I have purchased the Metcalfe station platform kit. As mentioned in the previous entry, this is a could of centimetres narrower than the Hornby platform pieces I have been using to test clearances with. Hopefully I can set about making some of this soon.

[southern42]

Thanks Polly. The laundrette will certainly not remain as a laundrette on the completed layout. I like the idea of turning into a cafe. I also have the fish and chip shop, pub and hotel as well as some other shops. I have plans to change one of the shops into a sea front gift shop to fit the coastal scene. I like the idea of a cafe. Definitely need to look at some guest houses too.

 

Good taste, Andy.  I had a spare old fashioned looking lady in a pink pinny.  She's checking the shelves in the bakery.  I keep thinking I'd like a couple of workers down in the dock below, eating their fish 'n' chips out of newspaper...one day soon?  The gift shop sounds excellent especially as it's an opportunity to put loads of stock outside.

 

Guest houses.  Did you see Brighton East at Stafford?  The row of houses on that were like the boarding houses I spent a holiday in down on the south coast when I was a kid.

Edited February 8, 2016 by southern42

[andyram]

Yes I did see Brighton East at the Stafford show. A nice layout and I know exactly what you mean about the buildings at the rear of the layout. I was browsing through some of the Metcalfe kits on the various trade stands and saw a few that had potential. Some of the low relief buildings could be altered to become guest houses, whilst the cinema may act as a sea front theatre. I have so many ideas I may need to extend the scenic section of the layout!

[southern42]

Yes I did see Brighton East at the Stafford show. A nice layout and I know exactly what you mean about the buildings at the rear of the layout. I was browsing through some of the Metcalfe kits on the various trade stands and saw a few that had potential. Some of the low relief buildings could be altered to become guest houses, whilst the cinema may act as a sea front theatre. I have so many ideas I may need to extend the scenic section of the layout!

 

I nearly rated you a 'funny' for that!  We always seem to want an extension for something!

Boarding houses must have been quite big.  The room we had fitted us all in - double bed and 2 singles, sink (no ensuite in those days) and still loads of empty floor space as I remember.  Full English breakfast and 2 course evening meal.  I think they also provided packed lunches. 

 

If you're using Metcalfe models, a tip to improve wall corners is to mitre the edges.  I painted all the edges on our Metcalfe buildings to the colour of the walls, roof, canopies, etc before I received such wisdom!  Occasionally, I see mitred corners at exhibition and it does make a difference. 

[andyram]

Thanks for the advice. I have read the similar advice about treating the corners of Metcalfe kits within the kit instructions. Fortunately the retaining wall kits do not seem to require such work, at least based on my first test construction. I hope to find some time to have a go at the platform pieces in the next few weeks, depending on the encroachment of work and family life.

[sb67]

I like the retaining wall in an earlier photo, can you tell me which make it was please?

Thanks

Steve

[andyram]

It is a Metcalfe kit. The kit includes enough for three sections of wall.

[Jerry1975]

Hi Andy,

 

Looking good, will follow with interest.

 

Jerry.

[andyram]

This layout is on hold at present Jerry whilst I work on other projects. Check out Skaleby West which is being prepared for another show outing in November. Skaleby East is the other ongoing project at present.

[andyram]

Over the last two weeks I have begun to think over plans for developing Skaleby Quay. The original 4ft X 1ft baseboard was confined to the garage whilst I worked on Skaleby East. This build has also stalled. My long term plan is to make Skaleby Quay my permenant home layout. It will take over from Skaleby West in our spare room.

The idea for Skaleby Quay was for a terminus station able to handle two coach local services, a quay side siding for handling fish traffic and a small loco shed. Scenery would include the quay side walls at the front and a raised street of low relief sea front shops at the rear. Over time I had been concerned that this would look too cramped in the 6ft X 1ft plan. But since the rearranging of the spare room earlier in the year I can now double the depth to 2ft.

New baseboards would need to be built for such a plan, but that has not stopped me looking around for inspiration. I have since found this track plan online. It looks promising although I would have to flip it to put the station on the left.

Edited October 21, 2016 by andyram

[Andrew P]

I like the Plan Andy, that was Porth Perryn's problem lack of space for more sidings.

[andyram]

Thanks Andy. I think I may slightly alter the angle of the track and I would like to incorporate a run round loop for one of the platform faces.

[andyram]

Today has seen the Skaleby Quay project reawaken. The first of the new baseboards have been started. A 4ft X 2ft section of MDF has been screwed to some under frame supports in my usual way. This will create a base for the main station area and will incorporate a track plan similar to the one shown above. Due to the location in the room the plan will have to be a mirror image so that the station will be on the left of the board. A raised track bed will be constructed once the track plan has been completely finalised. This raised section will allow me to construct a beach and harbour scene at the front of the board. At the rear of the raised section there will be a sea front street made up of low relief buildings. These will be raised above the track height so that the layout will have three different levels to it.

At present I aim to alter the track plan slightly so that there is a run round loop on one of the platforms. One of the sidings will be used for fish traffic and, if possible, I may try to include a general goods facility too.

In time I will be adding an extension board to the right of the plan. This 2ft X 2ft board will include a small loco shed such as the one found at Swanage (minus the turntable).

There is no timescale for completion of this build. I am also unsure whether it will be offered for exhibitions - that depends on the success of the project. Hopefully it will not stall this time especially as I have wanted to build a coastal layout for some time and have been assembling a collection of appropriate scenic items. Fingers crossed there will be more progress to report soon.

Edited October 27, 2016 by andyram

[Andrew P]

Today has seen the Skaleby Quay project reawaken. The first of the new baseboards have been started. A 4ft X 2ft section of MDF has been screwed to some under frame supports in my usual way. This will create a base for the main station area and will incorporate a track plan similar to the one shown above. Due to the location in the room the plan will have to be a mirror image so that the station will be on the left of the board. A raised track bed will be constructed once the track plan has been completely finalised. This raised section will allow me to construct a beach and harbour scene at the front of the board. At the rear of the raised section there will be a sea front street made up of low relief buildings. These will be raised above the track height so that the layout will have three different levels to it.

At present I aim to alter the track plan slightly so that there is a run round loop on one of the platforms. One of the sidings will be used for fish traffic and, if possible, I may try to include a general goods facility too.

In time I will be adding an extension board to the right of the plan. This 2ft X 2ft board will include a small loco shed such as the one found at Swanage (minus the turntable).

There is no timescale for completion of this build. I am also unsure whether it will be offered for exhibitions - that depends on the success of the project. Hopefully it will not stall this time especially as I have wanted to build a coastal layout for some time and have been assembling a collection of appropriate scenic items. Fingers crossed there will be more progress to report soon.

Sounds like a nice little project Andy, all the best with it.

[andyram]

The first baseboard is now built and is sat on the floor of the spare room. I have started to play around with the track plan. The plan is to have a station, sidings for fish traffic and a further siding for general freight. I think that there may need to be a three way point at the bottom of the baseboard. The left and central sections of the point could lead into the station and run round loop with the right hand section leading to bay platform and general freight area. From the loop there will be at least one siding for the fish traffic. This is an alternative to the track plan displayed earlier.

[ohanlonmartin]

I nearly rated you a 'funny' for that!  We always seem to want an extension for something!

Boarding houses must have been quite big.  The room we had fitted us all in - double bed and 2 singles, sink (no ensuite in those days) and still loads of empty floor space as I remember.  Full English breakfast and 2 course evening meal.  I think they also provided packed lunches. 

 

If you're using Metcalfe models, a tip to improve wall corners is to mitre the edges.  I painted all the edges on our Metcalfe buildings to the colour of the walls, roof, canopies, etc before I received such wisdom!  Occasionally, I see mitred corners at exhibition and it does make a difference. 

Hi,

 

Having built quite a lot of Metcalfe kits I am interested to read that people are mitring the corners of those buildings.

 

How is that achieved and does it not reduce, even minimally, the overall size of the buildings and if so does that mean that any bases the buildings sit on have to be reduced also.

 

As a poorly skilled modeller I am a fan of Metcalfe kits and may very well need to do lots more of them shortly so any ideas that helps to improve those would be welcome.