Brew Lane - going on a diet - An N gauge shunting puzzle on a Billy bookcase

[Black Sheep]

A while ago I was given a glass topped, open sided coffee table which fits nicely in our front room.

I'm going to be building a railway in the bottom, but being able to remove the railway having left no lasting marks on the coffee table itself.



After a bit of work and advice over RMweb in a panning thread, construction has slowly begun as something to do while paint dries during the ongoing restoration of our house (but, in the words of Ringo Starr, that's another story) and also, on an evening while SWMBO is watching "help strictly come X factor's got talent get me out of here"

I'm a bit of a watching the trains go by but I'll get bored after a bit and want them to do something kind of person, so the track plan is a continuous run with passing loop at the station (bottom of plan) with an inglenook shunting puzzle in the middle serving a brewery (hence 'Brew Lane' SWMBO's suggestion).



Inspiration has come ,ironically, from 'Black Sheep Lane' in Railway Modeller (Jan 2013) although I have left off the lower level loop. The industry in the middle was going to be a colliery, being from Barnsley, as was my friend, but when given the choice (the layout is going to live in the lounge after all) SWMBO picked a brewery. My layout will also have a bit more of an edge of town feel and a 1950's feel.

SWMBO has even agreed to having a go at building a run of terraced houses from Scalescenes, hopefully this can be a bit of a joint project.

This afternoon I have cut the baseboard to size, found that the only way of getting it into the table is to take the top off, thankfully this is only 4 bolts and so, voila,



I need to put a wooden frame to support the baseboard, which will sit slightly raised up to allow storage of books, magazines etc under the layout (supported in the middle) and hopefully, with a bit of trial and error, the layout will be visible from the sides.

There will be no backscene, the layout will be visible from all sides, but operated from the corner by the canal and station. Point control is most likely going to be wire in tube.

I'm not sure how clear it is in the photo, but it looks like I've more space than I thought, so I may be able to use 2nd radius curves instead of 1st. I was going to be running only small locos so tight curves were not an issue and an acceptable compromise, however, it would be nice to run any of my stock from my other layouts.


Looks like 2nd radius will work, still need to print and see it in position yet but that's for another day

[ian b]

Fascinating! Looking forward to seeing this develop!!!

[ginger j]

What a good idea! Why is it that I never thought of having a model railway in table? Is this n gauge by any chance? Will follow this with glee

 

[Black Sheep]

What a good idea! Why is it that I never thought of having a model railway in table? Is this n gauge by any chance? Will follow this with glee

It is N gauge, The layout in the table measures 59 x 138cm so it's not small. I did consider modelling an inglenook industry in 00 with a passenger line running behind as a static display for my Fowler 4p and coaches with a 0-4-0 pug doing the shunting. However, in order to keep the physical height of the model low so that it isn't overpowering I settled for N gauge, that and I can use items from my N gauge bits box etc.

 

 

I have found that 2nd radius curves do fit nicely, if running a bit closer to the edge than I'd ideally like, but plans are afoot to fit perspex sides at a later date to keep small hands away so that should be ok. A small price to pay for being able to run more than an 0-6-0 for motive power.

 

 

 

Anyone know the best way of sticking the track plan down to the board? I'll be wanting to just build straight on top of it so is PVA glue the way to go?

 

Next step is to actually put the frame onto the board.

[ian b]

Could use double sided tape or ideally spray mount for the plan- or a thin coat of PVA should be fine. Don't use too much or it could start to bubble!

 

Ian B

[Black Sheep]

From experience, spray mount can peel over time, think I'll go with a thin layer of PVA,

 

There's two points that have to be over a support beam, GEM Mercontrol or home brew rod-in tube it'll have to be!

[Black Sheep]

A small amount of progress has been made, the board has a frame to strengthen and stiffen it etc,

 

I've also nearly completed building the brewery kit acquired via e-bay for the sidings, tempting to have a wagon turntable to serve a loading dock between the buildings - the layout, except the very right hand structure is the layout I'm liking, but no idea if it fits.

 

 

Need to get the plan stuck down onto the board and see how it fits and looks.

[Black Sheep]

Board frame is complete and in place:

 

 

Needs a bit of wood stain to blend it with the table,

 

 

As you can see, the plan is stuck down on the board and the almost complete brewery is in it's trial position

 

 

I've not quite finished it as the buildings may need slight modifications (such as trimming the roof overhang to butt buildings together)

 

thinking having the three buildings next to each other with a loading dock across and a wagon turntable and line between the grain store and the brew house, (open to suggestions)

 

I'm planning on the building on it's own being a boiler house with it's own loading dock for coal to be dumped on but with a fair coal stack nearby. It'll need a nice tall chimney to go with it, the Scalescenes one ought to do nicely!

[devondynosoar118]

Welcome to the table modelling club! I made SBL as a removable "layer" in the table so I could work on the board separately. Like your track plan, mine is a bit limiting due to starting with a smaller table. I am currently looking for a mini bar to put another layout in.

[Black Sheep]

I was trying to remember who the other person was who'd put a layout in a table and exhibited it along with sofas...

[devondynosoar118]

Lol, you should see what I have got for the Beaminster show...

[richbrummitt]

Peco do a wagon turntable in their 009 range that could suit. The snag is the 'rails' are moulded and therefore non-conductive but it would serve at the end of a siding.

 

P.S. how's spuddy?

[Black Sheep]

I'd spotted the 009 turntable and presumed, similar to the loco turntable, that the rails were to be slid into place.

 

I'm thinking a bit of scored plasticard to look like planking and some off cut of rail should combine to make a passable non-working wagon turntable.

 

 

thinking of using DG's as they work out same price as Dapol's knuckle couplings except I'm able to do numerous wagons for the cost.

 

Spuddy is good, he didn't take well to a bottle of wine, he kept falling over, he quite likes San Miguel and jaffa cakes.

 

 

 

Thanks for the Spitfire

[devondynosoar118]

DG's work really well and are fairly discreet. I ignored the instructions and made the loop in one piece on the jig, I make stock "ended," I have no delay latch on the loop end and only a delay latch at the other. You may need both if you are turning wagons. I get about 90% first time uncoupling with them, using the PK electromagnets from wizard models.

[Black Sheep]

I was first introduced to them when operating Highbury Colliery where the locos having no delay latch (nor indeed a coupling loop) but all stock having loops and latches did seem to work well.

 

I have an etch of them somewhere that I've yet to make, my reservations about using them are mainly due to the need to modify stock.

[richbrummitt]

Thanks for the Spitfire

 

You're welcome. For what those Spark models cost the packaging is lame next to the likes of Corgi. However the model has a level of crispness to it that appealed. I thought you would like it and the colour is nice too. 

 

I'll let you get back on topic now...

[Black Sheep]

You're welcome. For what those Spark models cost the packaging is lame next to the likes of Corgi. However the model has a level of crispness to it that appealed. I thought you would like it and the colour is nice too. 

 

I'll let you get back on topic now...

getting off topic again, tis exactly the same (except hard top) as the one i drove years ago.

 

Spuddy has decided he doesn't want to be station master anymore, he wants to be in charge of the brewery!

 

 

back on topic,

 

wood stain acquired to stain the sides of the board / frame to match the table better,

 

some track acquired as birthday presents, still need some curves and some set-track points for the brewery sidings.

[devondynosoar118]

Don't put in those set track points, you know you will regret it!

Funnily enough it was watching Highbury at Taunton members day that convinced me to use DG's! I have found a sharp pair of clippers and a bit of filing has been enough for most of my stock, I have used the spare couplings from locos to make a nem socket, just cut off the end then glued a DG to it. I hope Julia goes back to her NEM etches again at some point. At least many modern stock has detachable coupling sockets.

We should do a combined shunting and furniture display!

[Black Sheep]

How would the set track points be any worse than small radius insulfrog streamline points?

 

could you post some pictures of how you modified your stock and fitted the DG couplings please?

 

I'm always thinking if I decide to model another period I want to be able to sell my stock to part fund the new stock and so like things to be reversible modification wise.

[devondynosoar118]

I only use live frog point work, especially for shunting as getting stuck on the points annoys me.

I will take some pictures for you this week. I wouldn't describe my modifications as reversible, hacking off the coupling pocket on Peco chassis is a bit drastic. The advantage about a small layout is that there will be relatively few bits of stock that are specific to it and less wagons generally so you can usually use them for other things. Which particular wagons and manufacturer.would photos help with?

[Black Sheep]

I understand that live frog can give a better running, however the tight space and feel I want to create in the brewery is going to be harder to produce using regular point work. I think I'll probably get away with it if I don't stop near the points and claim that the shunter is paid per wagon moved!

 

But it is something I'll look into and consider.

 

With regards to fitting couplings to stock, I think I'm more intrigued by fitting the coupling to a small locomotive than anything else. If DG's are a success on this layout I'll probably adopt them on future layouts.

[Nickey Line]

I'm with devondynosaur on this, insulfrog points will be nothing but trouble, especially on a shunting layout. You will find that locos (particularly short wheelbase) will stop on them whether you want them to or not! It would be a shame if such an excellent idea were spoiled for the sake of a  ha'pth etc. etc....

 

By the way, when you mentioned Spitfire I thought you meant beer!

[Black Sheep]

I am rather fond of the beer but we were referring to the Triumph variety, of which my brother gave me a model for my birthday.

 

My worry with using streamline electro frog points is I loose the compact feel of the brewery since, even using code 55 small radius points (which will require some packing as the rest of the layout is code 80), it puts the siding further apart, I'm wanting the brewery to be part of the layout, not the dominating feature.

[Nickey Line]

...referring to the Triumph variety...

 

Yeah I had kind of worked that out!

 

Seriously though, Streamline Insulfrog points of any radius alone are bad enough, SetTrack small radius points are a recipe for disaster... I'm sure I'm not alone in that opinion.

Perhaps the lead-in on longer points could be cut back with care? That would help keep the sidings tighter. Alternatively substitute a three-way?

[Black Sheep]

You've got me worried now! the points on the loop are all insulfrog due to being what was available.

 

although, as that's a running line I'm thinking there shouldn't be too much trouble as I'm not stopping and starting on them.

 

I've done a revision of the track plan putting two small radius code 55 points in, putting a line behind the brewery serving the boiler house with coal, moving the brewery forwards slightly and putting the two other sidings in front of the brewery buildings.

 

 

The only thing this doesn't do that the original plan did, is the sidings are not all visible at once, so a bit of moving around when shunting might be required. However I think the track work flows nicely, although there is the temptation to curve the front most siding round and put a goods shed on, I think that might be pushing it a bit.

 

I think there will be enough track between points and mainline to allow shunting without backing out onto the main line.

 

what do we think? (grid is set at 10cm, loco likely to be a Jinty, at biggest a Dapol Ivatt tank)