HAB

Clive, It rather seems that great minds think alike - I am struck by the similarity between our two solutions! I added a sinuous curve to make the build interesting and no rivets any where in my construction methods of course! Ian, glad to hear you support Gayle Mill - I met a lady from there last year at Masson - I ask when you would turn it back to a cotton mill, which was not too popular!!.Guy Martin is quite a character - I had to keep stopping him putting his fingers in dangerous places - but he was very handy when we had a minor breakdown. And Pete, I am not a professional musician, but I do blow the clarinet and knock the piano out of tune now and again! Funny how hobbies come in similar groupings... Cheers, Howard

Thanks for the kind words Tony! Maybe not too normal, though I do find time for other things - here is my complete antidote to point rodding madness http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8xcfsvT8R8 For my sins, I appear between minutes 6 and 10. Back (roughly) on topic, Ian asked for a copy of my track diagram over on Scale forum. and here is one - a bit rough, but it shows how the layout is exactly as per CJF's original but with the crossovers squeezed together. The issue has been raised about operating a layout like this, and I think it would require a minimum pf three operators to do any kind of intensive operation. Also, I am still very uncertain about fiddle yard options - I have thought about cassettes, turntables, train lifts and all sorts, but I am still in two minds - who has practical experience for a layout like this? As to finishing it, my rack record is not good: I tend to get bored when the trains start running! Cheers, Howard.

Hello Chaps, Martin alerted me to this thread and I find that I do have a valid log in hereabouts! Some really good stuff in this thread I see - and I discover my own efforts referenced. I am not sure if I do have more threads than Jim but I do have a few it is true! To just add a few words about my own Minories layout which seems to have been smoked out of its hiding place over on the Scalefour Soc forum buried deep (but not deep enough it seems!) in the Nottingham Area Group. Here is my back-story:- The plan is exactly as per the larger of CJF's plans for a small terminus in 60 Plans for Smaller Layouts (which I was give as a boy of 8, 50 years ago!) and which only later got the Minories name. Of course, I compressed the individual crossovers to overlap, which means that I can actually fit scale track into a shorter length than Peco would occupy! Beyond that, there are only 2 changes to CJF's concept. Firstly, the two sidings are used as carriage sidings, rather than as goods sidings, and secondly, rather than being a GE/LNER branch, it is a branch off the East London line just north of Wapping, heading eastwards under the London Docks, to terminate in Minories - about 150 yards north of Fenchurch Street. In my version of history, the LBSCR, rather than losing interest in the ELR - as they did in reality - extended a branch to Minories as a way of accessing the City more directly than by means of London Bridge. The Old Kent Road spur - rather than being lifted in 1916, providing access to the South London Line and therefore,the branch was Electrified on the Overhead as part of the South London Scheme, which the Southern subsequently converted to thrid rail. Ironic, that after 40 years of slumber under the District, then LU, this has actually become the reality of the East London line in the last few years! Because of the Location, the line was built as cut-and-cover, with the station located in a hole in the ground (a-la Whitechapel Met-District) hence the cramped layout. The terminus is mechanically signalled from an LBSC "South London" Syle box with a 30 lever Saxby and Farmer "Rocker"frame. Block working is by Sykes Lock and Block to Wapping Junction, which is a power box with a 55 lever Westinghouse frame. Intermediate Block Signals are provided in both directions giving a 3 minute headway between trains. The layout at Canal Junction gives access to both New Cross and New Cross Gate stations and hence, at peak hours, services operate not only to Central Section, but also to Kent Coast destinations. Off-peak services comprise a 20minute frequency to Victoria alternately via the South London or via Thornton Heath. If I were really greedy, I could have a triangular junction at Wapping giving me access to Liverpool Street and the whole of the ex. GER as well - but I am not.... I am setting the period as 1959 so that I can use the Bachman 2-EPBs and also 4 CEPs - at that time running Central Section services pending completion of the Kent Coast Electrication - which therefore allows steam worked peak hours services to the North Kent. The bottom line of that load of old crxp is that I can make 5 movements in every 3 minutes without stretching any real life operating rules, and with almost any ex SR stock I can build! As it is currently, the platform will take 6 car EMUs in platform 1 and 2 plus 6 coach plus two locos (one at each end) in platform 1. But the idea is to extend this to eight cars in due course. I might add that the "scenic" bit will a little under 9 feet long and 16" wide. Personally, I feel that the Minories concept is a great basis for a layout as it is very simple yet offers infinite scope. This is my second attempt - the first one I over complicated which may be a trap awaiting others who have posted here. I have gone to town a bit on the track and the point rodding as - for me - one benefit of doing something small is that it can be done in detail - and, as I mention in my other threads I am out to establish that such things as scale track, working rodding etc can be done and without excessive effort. But it does mean that you can't run trains until quite a bit later than more conventional approaches allow. Just in case anyone is thinking that my approach is complete madness (which it is of course!) let me say that this is probably my LEAST crazy hobby! Best Wishes Howard