Kirkby Luneside (Original): End of the line....

[Physicsman]

Hi Andy. I tend to get up early these days! Nice and quiet, cup of coffee and a wander round the garden when it gets light.

 

I have the whole scenic area corked and marked-out now, so it'll not be long before everything's down...then all the point motors (which I haven't bought yet), the droppers to the DCC bus, the......... will have to be done. All good fun.

 

I'll keep an eye out in the next Hornby Mag to see if you've become a celebrity - a LEG-end in your own lunchtime! In the meantime, I'm looking at how to cut the boards and fit embankments in the region adjoining the 2 viaducts.

 

Keep snoring posting!!

 

Jeff

Edited September 18, 2012 by Physicsman

[coachmann]

Bit of a long shot here Jeff, but as you have Marcway paper plans of the points, I wondered how the angle of the frog on the 54" radius point compared with that on a Peco Code 75?

 

Larry

[Physicsman]

Bit of a long shot here Jeff, but as you have Marcway paper plans of the points, I wondered how the angle of the frog on the 54" radius point compared with that on a Peco Code 75?

 

Larry

 

Hi Larry. I will have a look at the plans for you - they aren't exhaustive, so 54" may not be in there. I've used 60" on my layout, so I could certainly measure those. I've an errand to run. Will PM you with some kind of reply later this evening.

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Larry, I've PM'd the Marcway results to you. I forgot to include the Peco. The catalogue gives 12 degrees for both 36" and 60". A quick measure of my template gave 11.7 degrees for the 60", so the quoted figure seems ok.

 

Jeff

Edited September 18, 2012 by Physicsman

[Physicsman]

An update. Apologies for the lack of "action" in recent times, but other projects (non-railway-modelling) have currently taken precedence.

 

Normal "Coachmann-style" service will be resumed in the next week or two. Keep watching and posting as I'll still spend time looking at what people have to say!

 

And Andy - keep the humour coming!!

 

Jeff

[coachmann]

Larry, I've PM'd the Marcway results to you. I forgot to include the Peco. The catalogue gives 12 degrees for both 36" and 60". A quick measure of my template gave 11.7 degrees for the 60", so the quoted figure seems ok.

 

Jeff

Thanks very much Jeff. I have printed off your PM plus this mornings additional info. Having put lots of effort into the Greenfield scenic's, it's time to have another look at the track.

[Physicsman]

Thanks very much Jeff. I have printed off your PM plus this mornings additional info. Having put lots of effort into the Greenfield scenic's, it's time to have another look at the track.

 

Larry, I understand entirely the way you are thinking. The scenics are superb, so your "musings" on the "other subject" are fully understandable. I will watch with interest!

 

Btw, within the tolerance of measurement, it would seem that the Marcway 48/60/72 are all likely to be 7 degrees.

 

Jeff

Edited September 19, 2012 by Physicsman

[coachmann]

I suspect the 72" radius stands alone from the smaller radius points, as Marcway lists a matching diamond and slips to go with the 36", 48" and 54" radius points but not the 72 incher. In fact Mark built me a diamond to match the 72" point....It's quite a lengthy piece of trackwork and in the event was not used.

[robmcg]

For what it's worth Jeff the photos of your track are excellent, it all looks very good, and I await with interest to see how things progress.

 

My own efforts in constructing some C&L track are delayed while the local agent threads the chairs onto rails for me, meanwhile I 'paint' track in current pictures with photo editing. Some day I will have decent code 75 bullhead track ion my photos and it will make all my old stuff look very poor!

 

Best,

 

Robbie

[Physicsman]

Hello Rob, good to hear from you. I'm having a temporary "lull" in layout work at the moment. Partly due to other tasks taking priority, partly due to a dip in enthusiasm. I've been spending a huge proportion of my time on the layout over the last few months, either building or planning. I need a brief recharge! I'm hoping it'll look good when the track is down...we will see.

 

Have you a layout planned for all that nice C&L you've bought? Do you have a thread on the Forum?

 

I'm sure we'll keep each other up-to-date.

 

Best wishes,

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Ok, no tracklaying, but something just as important...checking whether the fiddle yard plan will work.

 

The FY is constrained by the fact that it's underneath the main hillside (all 4 metre length of it). Clearly there is a limit to the angle I can elevate it and have it look realistic. So I decided to check if I can fit the main lines, 6 sidings off the main (up to 2.5m long) and the branch line (incl. loop). If you haven't seen the plan, have a look at page 24, post 585.

 

I've drawn out the whole FY using Peco code 75 templates - onto paper fixed to the baseboard (no, it's not photogenic enough to show that!). It seems to work, though it could be interesting when it comes to building the hillside, clearance-wise. At least enjoyed myself ... have to admit, things have been getting a bit tedious!

 

Back to look at some of my favourite layouts now. If you enjoy Larry's scratchbuilding in "Greenfield", have a look at the miniature town that Jason is creating in "Bacup". And, since I'm a Physicist and it's the equinox imminently, I must commend Simon on his novel idea for lighting "Ganwick". I wonder if he's thought of using 2 light sources and imagining the Earth orbits a double-star?

 

Jeff

Edited September 20, 2012 by Physicsman

[robmcg]

Hi Jeff,

 

Thanks for the reply. As I understand it, odd things happen in England at the equinox, dogs howl, things go funny all round.

 

On looking at your layout plan in post 585 my first reaction is that I would put a three-road engine shed in the foreground of the station, a very rough idea for which I show below. This is mostly because I like collecting engines and would never be constrained by S&C limits... the existence of a shed servicing mainly helpers for grades would be plausible, coaling and turning and associated palava entirely optional either near the shed or at the signal box end, and the old shed from the branch line service days is also very BR ... variable choices.

 

The layout would be my setting for any number of lovely engine portraits!

 

Of course it's probably too late now so all I've done is give you a headache.

 

Robbie

 

Edited September 20, 2012 by robmcg

[Physicsman]

Morning Robbie,

 

Thanks for the input! I've mulled over similar ideas to yours over the year or so I've been playing round with the plan. In the past I'd have had an engine shed - maybe where yours is - somewhere on the layout. I tended to fit everything possible into plans and "to hell" with the prototype. However, since the stations were built, and functioned, for many years then I reckon they must have "got it right" so I've stuck to "reality"! Interestingly, Hawes Junction & Garsdale did have an engine shed, roughly where you've put yours (it also had a turntable at the other end of the station), but the geometry of my branch line mucks things up. Never mind!

 

Of course, at the end of the day, it's your own layout and we can do what we like. I think I will incorporate shed and turntable into the next project - which is likely to be shunter-based.

 

Even if we don't build the things, it's fun. I promise I'll take some loco "action shots" when the layout is up-and-running, though I've no chance of competing with what you produce!

 

Jeff

[jukebox]

Morning Robbie,

*snip*

.I think I will incorporate shed and turntable into the next project - which is likely to be shunter-based.

*snip*Jeff

 

Of course most mere mortals would look upon a room filling S&C based layout as something of a book-end to their railway modelling efforts, Jeff...

 

I'm not sure whether to laugh or to cry that you've even got designs on something else once K/L is complete!!!

 

Always an enjoyable read catching up with what you are doing.

 

Cheers

 

Scott

[robmcg]

Thanks Jeff, it's great to be able to exchange ideas, especially when you do all the work!

 

Sunny early Spring evening here, sun just setting, beautiful... I'll keep in touch with more mad ideas if I have any. Usually I model something or photograph it, and then invent a prototype situation.

 

Rob

[Physicsman]

Morning Scott (sorry, evening for you!)...

 

The rationale goes something like this. KL is supposed to take 3-4 years from start to finish. I think this is about right, though I'm already well ahead of schedule. In the meantime, the bedroom holding the existing layout will be cleared out and converted back to a bedroom. However, I've a scheme in mind - inspired by Andy P - to fit a 240cm x 50cm shunting layout along one wall. Nothing grand, but something a bit different. We will see!!

 

I'm just regrouping at the moment. Too much in too short a space of time can lead to a loss of perspective. Having said that, I'm off into the bunker shortly to continue checking out the fiddle yard trackplan in 1:1 scale!

 

Hopefully, things will get a bit more interesting over the coming months. Go on - you can laugh!!

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Thanks Jeff, it's great to be able to exchange ideas, especially when you do all the work!

 

Sunny early Spring evening here, sun just setting, beautiful... I'll keep in touch with more mad ideas if I have any. Usually I model something or photograph it, and then invent a prototype situation.

 

Rob

 

Yes, it's the equinox tomorrow, so you guys "down there" start to gain more light than night. Damp here - but a sunny weekend is promised. May be heading to my dads for a spot of fishing!

 

Technology is remarkable. I think younger people take it for granted. I'm 54 and I remember watching the Mexico Olympics in '68 and moon landing in '69 on a black and white TV with poor quality pictures. Now look at it. Digital, clear images anywhere around the world, instantly and the same for communication. Great stuff.

 

Enjoy the sunset!

 

Jeff

[Jason T]

I am totally with you on already thinking of future layouts, even if they are secondary to the main one. I have a few items of stock that have no place on Bacup whatsoever and the urge is there to try and convert them to EM and build a small, exhibitionable shunting layout at some point, more than anything else to use up the mountain of embossed brick that I have (not much call for brick on Bacup).

 

As for the HOe shunter, it was an impulse buy that I couldn't resist. Girls think ponies are cute, we think small narrow gauge shunters are

I did start to build a layout for this, using foam board, but then I really got going with Bacup and dismantled it (e.g. smashed it up and chucked it in a bin, easy with foamboard). I still have all the track though.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/37986-impulse-buy-and-something-to-run-it-on/

 

 

One of these days, I'll finish the Vanguard shunter off........

 

[Physicsman]

Great shunter Jason. It deserves a bit of priority, I think. Btw, I love the definition from the "Jason English Dictionary" (well, you do live in Oxford)... Dismantle: To smash up and chuck in a bin! Lol...sorry, it made me laugh!

 

I quite fancy a smallish layout devoted to shunting. Have a look at Andy P's layouts: Masons Lane, Glen Roy, Loch Leven etc. They are great. So I'll be playing with ideas and may end up building the thing parallel with KL.

 

I'm drawing out the Fiddle Yard at the mo. I think I'll post a boring photo just to show I'm actually doing something!

 

Cheers!

 

Jeff

[Jason T]

I agree, Andy's layouts have a ton of appeal and are so well made and finished. To my detriment, I never got chance to see Andy's layout (can't remember which one it was) at the Members day, or to meet him; I was too busy yapping on to other people. Sorry Andy; next time

[coachmann]

My Greenfield Mk.I and Mk.II were built as per the prototype on a continuous curve and included every siding and point that was at the real location, however, compression led to it being a 3ft wide baseboard crammed with track. Then the penny dropped that compression and minimalism are far better bed fellows when modelling a country location. I suspect you may be facing similar problems in maintaining a spacious air seeing as Kirkby Luneside is also a country location.

[Physicsman]

My Greenfield Mk.I and Mk.II were built as per the prototype on a continuous curve and included every siding and point that was at the real location, however, compression led to it being a 3ft wide baseboard crammed with track. Then the penny dropped that compression and minimalism are far better bed fellows when modelling a country location. I suspect you may be facing similar problems in maintaining a spacious air seeing as Kirkby Luneside is also a country location.

 

Larry, you are spot on. The temptation, given the amount of space available, is to fit sidings in everywhere, sheds, the works. I've stuck very close to a prototype that really doesn't have many of these, but is surrounded by glorious scenery. I love running the trains, but the context is more important to me. At the moment I'm doing the mechanical stuff...my favourite bit comes when I can start to create the countryside around the thing!

 

When I started "playing trains", quite a while ago, all I wanted was more and more track. Figure of 8, hidden loops, all tried...lots of length for the train to travel, but bl***y boring!! I used to look at some of the very minimal "Plan of the Month" articles in RM and think "hell, that's c**p, there's nothing on it". How my views have changed. Hence my desire for a smaller, simplistic, shunting-layout after KL.

 

The old saying "more is less" is very often true! You just have to reach a certain age to realise it!!!!

 

Best wishes,

 

Jeff

Edited September 21, 2012 by Physicsman

[Physicsman]

Here is what I've been upto for the last day or so. Then it's no more railway room for 3-4 days.

 

A couple of pics to show the Fiddle Yard. Slightly modified compared to the plan, but simpler and, in my view, better. Branch line still to go on, but it looks like I can fit the hillside in ok. We shall see.

 

Apologies for the lack of excitement in the photos. I did give Eva Longoria a call, but she was busy advertising cat food and couldn't get along to spice up the images. "Maybe next time", she said!!

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Btw, additional info. to the last post...

 

The track in the fiddle yard is Peco code 75.

 

The "sketches" in the photos are on 3 sheets of (not very flat) paper ... hence some slight mis-alignments.

 

Ok, I'm going back to watch my DVD of "Sheba" adverts!!

 

Jeff

[The Stationmaster]

Here is what I've been upto for the last day or so. Then it's no more railway room for 3-4 days.

 

A couple of pics to show the Fiddle Yard. Slightly modified compared to the plan, but simpler and, in my view, better. Branch line still to go on, but it looks like I can fit the hillside in ok. We shall see.

 

Apologies for the lack of excitement in the photos. I did give Eva Longoria a call, but she was busy advertising cat food and couldn't get along to spice up the images. "Maybe next time", she said!!

 

Jeff

Jeff - might be exaggeration due to the camera lens but I get the impression that you are losing a lot of loop length with the pointwork arranged in that way and concentrated on the straight