br-nse-fan Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 My new layout is going to be a fictional branch line, located somewhere on the border of the Southern and Western Regions of BR in the mid-to-late 1980’s. For those of you familiar with the Swanage preservation line, I plan to have it modeled very loosely on that station, however it is subject to change. It’ll be a 9.5’ x 10’ shelf layout, between 12â€& 18†in width. This layout will be built modularly, so that I can take it apart for shows (hopefully) and moving. I’m tired of having to start over all the time. It will have 3-4 storage lines, depending on space, and a single platform station w/ a short bay. The main platform will be long enough to take a 4-car EMU (such as the 411) or 3 coaches and a loco. The bay platform will be long enough to take a 2 car DMU. I’m also hoping to get a single road engine shed, or at the very least, a siding to hold a loco w/ fueling facilities. Space permitting, I’ll also be including a run ‘round loop for the loco’s to get around the coaches, and a couple short sidings and a loading platform for goods trains. Maybe even a permanent way siding? Not sure on that yet. Passenger service will be serviced primarily by EMU & DMU classes 108, 121, 159, 411 & 423 (when they come out!). There will also be 3-coach trains made up of MK1 coaches in BR Blue/Grey, NSE & various parcel/mail coaches & vans of the era. Freight service will be primarily in the Railfreight Red/Grey livery, with some ‘older stock’ making an appearance. Engineering trains will also show up once in a while. There will not be any tanker or hopper traffic, such as TTA, TEA, HEA, HBA, as there will be no facilities for them, with the exception of a weekly tanker for the stations refueling facility.. Because this is a branch line, it will have restrictions on the locomotives that can run on it. Outside of the class 08 station pilot, motive power will primarily be classes 20, 24, 25, 33 and 73 in various BR & NSE liveries of the era. Classes 31 & 37 would be the largest locomotives to come onto the branch. There will not be any class 47, 50 or 58 as they are too large (and would look terribly silly pulling only 3 coaches or 4-5 goods wagons!) I may even have the occasional steamer run by the local preservation line. Hope this has perked your interest! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diesel Dayz Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 Have you got a track plan? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted July 16, 2010 Author Share Posted July 16, 2010 I'm looking for some thoughts and suggestions on planning, ect... See the attached files, feel free to edit and provide feedback including track plans, signalling, ect... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 Interesting plan. I am currently planning something not dissimilar but set in the 50/60's May I offer one comment The 90 degree turn into the fiddle yard is going to need a radius of at least 20 inches to get modern stock around it - in settrack terms second radius. It's screwing my track plans at the moment Why not try the free version of AnyRail which has all the Peco stuff in it! HTH, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted July 16, 2010 Author Share Posted July 16, 2010 Interesting plan. I am currently planning something not dissimilar but set in the 50/60's May I offer one comment The 90 degree turn into the fiddle yard is going to need a radius of at least 20 inches to get modern stock around it - in settrack terms second radius. It's screwing my track plans at the moment Why not try the free version of AnyRail which has all the Peco stuff in it! HTH, Dave Hi Dave Will give the program a try over the weekend. As for the size of my stock, the largest goods wagon that I'll be running is the VDA, VAA closed vans and OCA open wagons... hopefully I can get away with something a little smaller! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSE 108 Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 Hi Dave Will give the program a try over the weekend. As for the size of my stock, the largest goods wagon that I'll be running is the VDA, VAA closed vans and OCA open wagons... hopefully I can get away with something a little smaller! But boggied locos and passanger stock will struggle to get round tighter than 1st radius. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danemouth Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 But boggied locos and passanger stock will struggle to get round tighter than 1st radius. Many of the larger steam locos require at least second radius - have a look in the Horby catalogue - they won't go around first radius at all. So the exit to my fiddle yard has to be second or third radius Regards, Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
31A Driver Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 I would go even wider than that. Make it at least 42-48" radius, and put the entrance to the loop on the curve. As Dave says, try Anyrail to make sure it fits. The 3 way point on the loco release will have to be a lot further back. Class 50 length headshunt = 12" + Buffer stop. Peco Med Radius point = @8" Peco 3 way point = @8". Added together = 28" plus buffer stop, so say 30" in all. The problem with hand drawn plans (and I have been just as guilty!) is that we fail to realise just how much space we need for pointwork! Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSE 108 Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 Many of the larger steam locos require at least second radius - have a look in the Horby catalogue - they won't go around first radius at all. So the exit to my fiddle yard has to be second or third radius Regards, Dave I would go even wider than that. Make it at least 42-48" radius, and put the entrance to the loop on the curve. As Dave says, try Anyrail to make sure it fits. The 3 way point on the loco release will have to be a lot further back. Class 50 length headshunt = 12" + Buffer stop. Peco Med Radius point = @8" Peco 3 way point = @8". Added together = 28" plus buffer stop, so say 30" in all. The problem with hand drawn plans (and I have been just as guilty!) is that we fail to realise just how much space we need for pointwork! Andy But if the primary intention is to use EMU's and small boggied diesel locos then 2nd radius should be doable as was said earlier a class 37 is probable the largest thing to use the line and mine gets around 2nd radius easily enough. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted July 18, 2010 Author Share Posted July 18, 2010 Hi All! So, after playing with AnyRail for a little while, I am going to be re-thinking my layout plan! The general idea will remain the same, but with some modifications. I'll post something on Monday as I don't have the plan on this PC (was doing it at work!) I am in the process of removing DCC decoders from my larger loco's, specifically my 50's & 58's, and will be putting them in the 73's and 33's that need them. Speaking of 73's.... I found some really cheap Hornby 73's on FeeBay to the tune of about $60cdn each (reg price is about $115) in GBRf, SWT, ect... not exactly what fits in the era that I am modeling, I know. What I am going to be doing is swapping bodies with my old Lima models. Hornby has not (as of yet) come out with any BR Blue models, so I'll be doing some body swapping to give my old Lima models smaller NEM couplers, DCC ready and smoother and quieter operation. Now, before anyone jumps all over the lack of pulling power, if you've been reading this post, you'll know the longest thing they'll be pulling are 3 Bachmann MK1 coaches with no gradients. Piece of cake! I'll then re-sell the hybrid Lima chassis / Hornby body's on FeeBay and make back some of the money I spent on the Hornby models. So far, my loco fleet is as follows: 08 243 BR Blue 08 402 BR Blue 20 058 BR Blue 20 063 BR Blue 24 081 BR Blue 25 054 BR Blue 31 105 BR Railfreight 31 110 BR Civil Engineers 31 111 BR Blue 31 174 BR Blue 31 270 BR Blue 33 211 BR Blue 33 211 RF Distribution 33 035 NSE 37 038 BR Blue 37 674 BR Railfreight 47 148 BR Blue 47 423 BR Blue 47 612 BR Intercity 47 701 NSE 50 002 NSE 50 004 BR Blue 50 007 GWR Green 50 027 NSE 50 031 BR Blue 50 035 BR Blue 50 048 NSE 58 003 RF Coal 58 041 RF Coal 73 108 BR Blue 73 142 BR Blue 73 126 NSE 73 129 NSE 73 XXX BR Civil Engineers (on order) And that's just the loco's... will update with the various names, DMU's & EMU's later! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 Please find attached a copy of my layout plan... I am open to comments and suggestions! Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 I chose to increase my baseboard size, so now I have a little more room to play with... This is my latest idea... rough idea, will probably change again before it get's built... Again, comments and suggestions are very welcome! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted July 21, 2010 Author Share Posted July 21, 2010 Have a quick question for everyone... All my stock is currently packed, so I don't have a means to measure at the moment, but I need to know how long (in inches) the following trains would be: 3 Bachmann MK1's w/ a class 37 4 Bachmann MK1's, or if you have a 411, the length of that Bachmann VDA/VAA/OCA wagons Bachmann class 158 (or 159... can never remember what one the 3car version is) This info will go a very long way in the planning of the layout. Baseboard are another week or two away, as like everything else, the wood is in storage at a friend place. Can't wait to get everything settled finally! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 I happen to have some random T&RS to hand, 3 MkIs and a 37 come to 42", 4 x MkI a shade under 44". However, none of the other rolling stock you mention is recognised here (well, it is July 1968!), so can't advise on those Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted July 21, 2010 Author Share Posted July 21, 2010 I happen to have some random T&RS to hand, 3 MkIs and a 37 come to 42", 4 x MkI a shade under 44". However, none of the other rolling stock you mention is recognised here (well, it is July 1968!), so can't advise on those Excellent! Thanks for the info! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted July 21, 2010 Author Share Posted July 21, 2010 Here is the third idea... Still not sure if I am totally 100% happy with any of them... Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Also, a question… Does anyone know if a Lima class 47 body would fit onto a Bachmann chassis? I realize it may take some work to make it fit… just wondering if anyone has ever given this a go? If not, what about a ViTrains chassis? I have a couple of NSE liveried 47 body's and am looking for an upgrade over the old Pancake motors, similar to what I am doing with the old Lima 73's. Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSE 108 Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Also, a question… Does anyone know if a Lima class 47 body would fit onto a Bachmann chassis? I realize it may take some work to make it fit… just wondering if anyone has ever given this a go? If not, what about a ViTrains chassis? I have a couple of NSE liveried 47 body's and am looking for an upgrade over the old Pancake motors, similar to what I am doing with the old Lima 73's. Thanks! I remember I recent model rail article about replacing the Lima 47 chassis with a Vi Trains one. I will see if I can dig it out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted July 21, 2010 Author Share Posted July 21, 2010 I remember I recent model rail article about replacing the Lima 47 chassis with a Vi Trains one. I will see if I can dig it out. Great! Looking forward to it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBlack Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 whats a PW siding? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
owentherail Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 whats a PW siding? Perminant way Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
artizen Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 For what it's worth - I personally prefer the layout with the station platform at an angle. Just thinking of sight lines etc. What width is the new board? It is looking close to being hard to reach anything along the back wall now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted July 22, 2010 Author Share Posted July 22, 2010 What width is the new board? It is looking close to being hard to reach anything along the back wall now. The board at it's widest is 24", or 2 feet. I'm 6'2", so reaching won't be a problem! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSE 108 Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 I remember I recent model rail article about replacing the Lima 47 chassis with a Vi Trains one. I will see if I can dig it out. The article is on pages 90&91 of Model Rail No. 143 (May 2010) and is called "Brush up your Brush" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcoRS1 Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Here is the third idea... Still not sure if I am totally 100% happy with any of them... Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Also, a question… Does anyone know if a Lima class 47 body would fit onto a Bachmann chassis? I realize it may take some work to make it fit… just wondering if anyone has ever given this a go? If not, what about a ViTrains chassis? I have a couple of NSE liveried 47 body's and am looking for an upgrade over the old Pancake motors, similar to what I am doing with the old Lima 73's. Thanks! This is the better idea, accept have double main from fiddle yard in, loose the 3rd track at the station. layout 2 was good too, but the lead for the engine shed would be blocked if there was a long train sitting the station. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted July 22, 2010 Author Share Posted July 22, 2010 The article is on pages 90&91 of Model Rail No. 143 (May 2010) and is called "Brush up your Brush" Any chance of getting a scan or PDF of this article? British mags are hard enough to get around here, let alone past issues. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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