RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted December 23, 2014 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 23, 2014 I do that all the time reading threads. Somewhere else I was even called a liar over Apa Parks dimensions! That said, as an exercise I have used large radius points and no sharp curves and the scenic section is *only* 3ft x 15ins. In theory the same scheme should work out in 00 at 6ft x 2ft 6ins which is still remarkably small. With a bit of pruning and to use shorter points and radii then it could probably be shrunk further. I think the plan would even be manageable in 7mm but I certainly wouldn't want to build all the stock for it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bri.s Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Love the design and idea Will be following this Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 7, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 7, 2015 Modular Box Construction No updates for a while as I have been having a rest from modelling over Christmas, but here’s a few posts to bring the thread up to date. First of all I had the remaining required boxes delivered by Tim in the run up to Christmas, 2 of them built and the third I already had but required a modification to. The design now enables boxes to be joined at right angles. I do have some idea now of cost. Time hopes to keep the costs around £50 for Scenic box and £45 for a fiddle box. We are hoping be able to advise that these will be available early in the new year once Tim has worked off his backlog. To start with, this is the complete kit for fiddle box, this only differs from the scenic box in that it doesn’t have a full height front piece for the lighting so assembly is pretty much the same Modular Box Construction by Steve Purves, on Flickr Add the ends to the baseboard level first Modular Box Construction by Steve Purves, on Flickr Followed by the cross bracing Modular Box Construction by Steve Purves, on Flickr Add the front and back to the assembly Modular Box Construction by Steve Purves, on Flickr Once the shell of the box is built the strengtheners can be fitted inside the bottom part of the box. Modular Box Construction by Steve Purves, on Flickr This box was built in under 10 minutes. The parts form a good tight fit as to hold themselves rigid whilst the glue dries. Clamps/boxes may be needed for the strengtheners to be attached. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 7, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 7, 2015 Modular Box System I alluded to a modification to the box design in a previous post. The boxes were originally designed to be connected end on only. Tim now has the artwork to connect the boxes in any configuration as demonstrated here on New Street. The full scope of the layout can now be seen with the scenic station board at the front, fiddle boxes either side and a scenic box at the rear which will be ‘open’ main line. As you can see there are bolting faces also on the ‘end’ of the fiddle boxes, this will enable me to, in the future add another box to one end, maybe an MPD or Parcels depot, maybe another fiddle box to extend the storage before joining to another scenic box perhaps. The possibilities are endless. Using the standard artwork and 15inch dimension for the end of the box we can now create any shaped box or board and be able to join to an existing system. You could even have (as I am planning to) alternative scenes or eras using a commons set of corners/fiddle yards… Modulare box system by Steve Purves, on Flickr Modulare box system by Steve Purves, on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 7, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 7, 2015 I am pleased to annouce Essence of New Street will be appearing at the 'Little Layout Show' in Peterborough on Sat the 6th of June See the link for further details... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/94505-the-little-layout-company-model-railway-exhibition-saturday-june-6th-2015/ ... Best pull my finger out then! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I am pleased to annouce Essence of New Street will be appearing at the 'Little Layout Show' in Peterborough on Sat the 6th of June See the link for further details... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/94505-the-little-layout-company-model-railway-exhibition-saturday-june-6th-2015/ ... Best pull my finger out then! Yeah, you had! But I don't doubt something special will emerge from all that laser-cut MDF. Peterborough's not a million miles away, so might have to add that to the diary. Best of luck, Steve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I am pleased to annouce Essence of New Street will be appearing at the 'Little Layout Show' in Peterborough on Sat the 6th of June See the link for further details... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/94505-the-little-layout-company-model-railway-exhibition-saturday-june-6th-2015/ ... Best pull my finger out then! Indeed you have hahaha Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wherry Lines Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I am pleased to annouce Essence of New Street will be appearing at the 'Little Layout Show' in Peterborough on Sat the 6th of June I'm planning on making a reasonably long trip* to Peterborough mostly to see your layout and the laser cut baseboards, Steve. No pressure! *this describes most journeys around East Anglia. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 16, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 16, 2015 Tracklaying on the other boxes have started and been pretty much completed (bar a couple of headshunts) evidence of this is below Back box and other progress by Steve Purves, on Flickr For the back scenic box I have opted for a 3 track ‘main line’. 2 fast lines and a tapering away slow line. I am not fully decided on how to scenic this box yet but will be leaving it until the front board is completed. I did start wiring up the tracks and was hoping to have trains running by this point but my soldering iron went pop on the first joint and I cannot afford a replacement just yet! Back box and other progress by Steve Purves, on Flickr Back box and other progress by Steve Purves, on Flickr I have been doing some weathering on two of the most recent arrivals. They arrived after being preordered and have no real place on a passenger centric layout. Monies run dry so they were sold… I am happy to undertake similar work on a commission basis… Weathered and Deatailed Class 37/5s for sale by Steve Purves, on Flickr Not train related but indulged in one of my other hobbies over the weekend. I have previously owned 3 MG’s (a Midget, a BGT and finally a ZS180) before plumping for sensible cars over the last 5 years. I finally had enough of driving ‘white goods’ so swapped my otherwise normal Citroen for an MG ZS+… Smiling when driving is severely underrated, One of the best handling cars I have driven both on and off the track! Yes I know… More distractions from getting the layout finished! Back box and other progress by Steve Purves, on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Nice work Steve. As I know you're pushed for time, maybe consider a simple brick-lined cutting between two road overbridges for the back box...? It's the quickest fix I can think of. Actually, the only other quick fix I can think of is a bit of green stuff between two tunnel mouths but I reckon that's a bit "rural" for New Street. I challenge you to find a 1/148 MG for the layout though... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 17, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 17, 2015 One thing that sticls in my mind fron the early 2000s and travelling through the black country was the amount of industrial wasteland. I was thinking something like that or maybe something like you say.. in a citting.. a bit like hedges hill cutting. Either way its not overly concerning. Ive got my work cut out to get the front box ready for june, the back box won't even be visible to punters on this occasion... re the MG.. not sure anyone makes a model. The body of the zs was borrowed from the old honda civic so I may stand more chance of bashing one of those... too modern for this layout but a nice little anomly if I get round to it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 17, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 17, 2015 Rush hour... Got my stock out tonight for some final gauging trials on the tighter radii curves. Pleased to report all went well. One rail joint over the baseboard joint required realigning but everything else was pretty good. Heres a few photos for you pleasure... Rush hour by Steve Purves, on Flickr Rush hour by Steve Purves, on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 18, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 18, 2015 Here's a cheeky update. Last night I managed to complete the last bit of track laying and wiring. All 4 boxes are now ready to roll. Only had chance to power up the complicated station box but I am pleased to report the 31 negotiated all possible routes faultlessly. Hopefully do some proper running this week. Videos will be posted when it does happen! Overhead shot. Complete set by Steve Purves, on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 21, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2015 Success! It only blooming worked first time! I haven't got around to buying inter baseboard power connectors but made do with terminal blocks and dangly wires to each board. The first video shows both sides of the layout whilst running in continuous circuit mode. I can run two trains at once, one on the outermost track and one on either of the inner circuits. Essence of New Street.: the second video I would call its party piece I alluded to on page 1. Starting from the inside bay, a 31 hauled parcels train traverses the whole layout without covering the same track twice and with no intervention. That's 15 meters of track! Essence of New Street: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve-e Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Very clever idea that with the roundy roundy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 21, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2015 Very clever idea that with the roundy roundy. Thanks Steve. I can't take all of the credit. It was Pete75c who inspired me, I just developed the idea a little. The spiral I think is a nice touch! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Aw shucks! Thanks Steve, but I think the real inspiration was to make something believable despite cramming so much track into a small space. I do love the idea of micro layouts, despite never having built one. I just don't believe a micro layout can never be more than just a simple TMD or a single platform, as you're in the middle of proving. All too often we're told in this hobby that "less is more" and that if we cram in too much track, it's a train set, not a model railway. Rubbish. The image below is almost all track between two road overbridges with just the platform ends visible and I think goes some way towards illustrating what Steve is trying to achieve (yes, I know it's Waverley and not New Street!)... The western end of Waverley station from the mound © Copyright David Dixon and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted January 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 21, 2015 One thing that sticls in my mind fron the early 2000s and travelling through the black country was the amount of industrial wasteland. Hi Steve, Totally agree with that - the sort of landscape inspired the scenic treatment on our club layout Horseley Fields. Personally I enjoy trying to depict gritty semi-urban decay far more than picture-postcard landscapes. But I think I'm in a minority!! Cheers Ben A. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 21, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2015 Hi Steve, Totally agree with that - the sort of landscape inspired the scenic treatment on our club layout Horseley Fields. Personally I enjoy trying to depict gritty semi-urban decay far more than picture-postcard landscapes. But I think I'm in a minority!! Cheers Ben A. Exactly my thoughts too Ben, Too many picture perfect layouts on the circuit. I tried with Apa Park to create an air of 'gloom' with a rain laden sky, I am feeling this one may get a similar treatment... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 21, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2015 Aw shucks! Thanks Steve, but I think the real inspiration was to make something believable despite cramming so much track into a small space. I do love the idea of micro layouts, despite never having built one. I just don't believe a micro layout can never be more than just a simple TMD or a single platform, as you're in the middle of proving. All too often we're told in this hobby that "less is more" and that if we cram in too much track, it's a train set, not a model railway. Rubbish. The image below is almost all track between two road overbridges with just the platform ends visible and I think goes some way towards illustrating what Steve is trying to achieve (yes, I know it's Waverley and not New Street!)... geograph-1905923-by-David-Dixon.jpg The western end of Waverley station from the mound © Copyright David Dixon and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence I too have given advice in the past that 'less is more' but I'm coming around to thinking on a micro that maybe in some situations, more is more... Apa Park made waves with that thinking, as I am hoping this one will too. I imagine it like this... A large layout gives you a birds eye view of the railway in the scenery, a Micro offers just a photograph of a certain location, with the best will in the world you cannot disguise the edges of a micro easily with 'open scenery' and such. If you was to take a photo, generally you would take that photo of the trains and track and very little surrounding area, which is what I am trying to achieve. Using small modules not depicting the 'rest of the world' will be easier to hide behind the right angles of tall buildings and retaining walls... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Hi Steve, gritty semi-urban decay Which is exactly the look BR were going for when the rebuilt New Street in the 60's Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I tried with Apa Park to create an air of 'gloom' with a rain laden sky, I am feeling this one may get a similar treatment... You mean it won't look like this??? Frankly, I'm disappointed... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted January 21, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2015 You mean it won't look like this??? Frankly, I'm disappointed... scenery.jpg Very nice modelling and I'm sure somebody is very proud of their work but quite frankly not my cup of tea... I can smell the cheese from here! Although I do like the bitsa wooden fence and the wier.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Actually, if you replaced the house in the background with a bit of a derelict factory, took away all the trees and flowers leaving the water feature but have it as a chemically polluted outflow and it would make a perfect scene for urban grot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Looking good Steve, looking forward to the scenic work now ready for the show. Are you operating it from all around the layout then?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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