Seanem44

For some individuals more than others. I imagine my follies into this would end with frustration and a model sitting in a trash can.

If that were the case then, why produce 20 different variants of the warwell? I know that the warwells are popular, but I think it's now more of people seeing the buzz, liking how the prodcut turned out, and finding a way to make it work on their layout. I understand they are still in use, so there is a far more practical application for them. Honestly, I wonder what kind of crowdfunding is required to start a commission for any stock in particular. That may in the end be the best approach.

Hattons, if you are reading, I think there is sufficient demand out there (whether vocal or not) for the commissioning of a proper GWR autocoach. I know there are some out there on the market. Hornby has one, but it is dated. Not only that, it is incorrect for most of the liveries it wears. I think its time we had a proper pre-nationalization autocoach. I know I would pay for one. Or two. Or three. Something that fits correctly in the 1930s and 1940s.

Well... I just put a preorder in for three Oxford Shermans which are due for release in the coming months. They are 10th Mountain, so probably the wrong camouflage but I can either repaint or come up with some backstory. They are the same cost as the Airfix models, but without the hassle of having to put together and paint them.

Is anyone familiar with milicast models? It seems that they have a few options. http://www.milicast.com/shop/product.php?productid=978&cat=66&page=2

Exactly. Sadly, I have a hunch that won't be happening. It could be they know the demand is there and are going to keep it paired with their warwells as a way to push sales. I hope not. I would preorder those Shermans right now...

Very interesting. This strikes me as odd that they would do this, given they are advertising a coming soon warwell with Sherman load. That sherman appears stock. I guess some Tamiya paint and a few decals would fix it, but then you might as well just buy a model at that point

Got my warwells two days ago. Three of them. Due to having just moved in a new house I haven't really had time to inspect them, but they seem great from the outside I plan on building a Minehead-esque layout where tanks train on the shore, so they will be offloaded at the station. I have an S15 which I am saying is on-loan to the GWR. I think that will be the loco to pull the warwells. Should look nice enough. For those looking for some good Shermans.... this is from Oxford models. Should be some good option for those that don't want to build. I purchased a pair of airfix cromwells and an airfix Sherman, but am not liking them so I might go this route. https://www.timetunnelmodels.com/live/catalog/order-oxford-76sm001-sherman-tank-10th-armoured-division-1942-late-2017-p-61396.html?osCsid=j1fgvj6f42l27vku43jhgdgoh2

I'm pretty sure in WWII they used chains... maybe some fine jewelers or necklace chains suitably painted would work fine.

So now with these coming out... anyone have suggestions on what to use for proper scale chain to hold down loads? Obviously a tank sitting on this has to be anchored by something. What do you all plan on using?

As another aside, Oxford models is releasing two die cast 1:76 tank models in the future. A Churchill is slated for this month and a Sherman for later this year. I imagine these would be perfect for those who are adverse to building the airfix models. Oxfords other items seem to be fairly detailed and with a little matt varnish and weathering would look great.

Just got the email stating that these are soon expected from Hattons. Really, they look great. I preordered three for my soon to be Minehead (or at least condensed) Minehead layout. My wife got me an S15 Wartime black engine for my Birthday, so I will likely run that with them, as it is "on-loan" to the GWR. Minehead was a tank training area on the coast, so having tanks offloaded there would be pretty accurate I imagine. I purchased two airfix Cromwells and one Sherman. The models seem decent.

True... my point being though that England was very much an active war front. You didn't have to leave country to see combat, per se, and I think that's lost on a lot of younger folk.

I had a conversation about this with my wife, trying to explain the more interesting thing about England. Here in the US, if you were a Soldier and for whatever reason, you remained in the US, you were somewhat looked down upon in WWII. However, in England, if you remained in England, you were very much still part of the fight. Of course, the US wasn't under active bombardment, but there are many that don't understand the subtle differences of what England endured.

Wartime photos of anything seem to be in short supply regarding railway stations. I plan on modelling a condensed Minehead. I might use creative license to put some bofors there. I don't know how easy it was for German planes to make it over to the West side of the country, and I suspect it wasn't too easy, but it would make sense for some defense as Minehead was an offloading point for tanks, as it was a huge training area for them on the shore.

I'm planning a WWII layout. Would railway yards and stations have had AA gun placements (Bofors, etc) located near the stations or goods yards for protections from air raids? Would they have been placed further away? Thanks!

I will be modelling WWII. And I am slowly moving towards modelling Minehead proper, as opposed to a design based on it. I would likely condense and omit a few things such as the turntable which I believe was still there in the 40s. The thing that interests me about Minehead is tanks were offloaded there and driven immediately to the coast, and then up the coast where they trained. There was a heavy US presence in addition to British Military. A war theme also gives me the flexibility to pretty much run anything I want on any time schedule I want, which is another bonus.

Ramps would make sense. Where should the signal box go on a layout such as this? For that matter, I really don't know what signals I would add and where.

Ok... so just about three feet with a curve to the fiddle yard. Works for me. I swing by my house that is being built. Looks like Ill have about 8 feet for a fiddle yard against the other wall. I think that might be manageable. Also, should I maybe add 6 inches to the width? Make it 30" to allow for a tad more scenery, maybe shop fronts as this is a coastal beach setting? Also, if anyone knows tank unloading practice that would be helpful. I imagine they needed cranes? Or some form of ramp? Trying to work that in based off the history of the real minehead.

Alright gents. I have retooled the "Minehead" plan based on recommendations. What do you think? I will use all flex track, this just used some set track for ease of operation. Thanks.

I think the only locos left untouched by black were the express passenger trains on the GWR. I believe I read that somewhere. Also, I want to say I have seen plenty of photos from WWII of Southern rail engines on GWR lines. Also, nice layout Actually, GWR most definitely had S15s. Locomotives loaned during World War II were given GWR power class letters, in order to avoid confusion with different systems used by the lending railway. For example, the Southern Railway (SR) also used letters, but with A representing the highest power; so when the SR loaned some S15 class 4-6-0s to the GWR, which were power class A on the SR, they were placed in power class D by the GWR;[8][3] similarly, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway loaned some 2-8-0 locomotives of their power class 8F, which were given GWR power class E.[3]

Or at the very least, it could make for a very cool cameo scene. Perhaps a tanks crew that has stopped and is out looking at the damage they have just caused, or stopped by the local police, lol. I think it definitely adds possibilities.

Yeah, I think I would definitely take a fictional approach and a "based on" approach as well. Minehead was fairly lengthy. I keep wavering back between the two layouts, but for some reason, I think the Minehead based one might be the more intriguing and might help avoid the "cliché". Thank you for the history. I have had a hard time finding any practices from WWII. I know here in the U.S., most large military bases were rail served, and when the time came, troops jumped on board and were taken to ports. All my WWII knowledge of railways in Britain comes from David Tomlinson waiting to catch a train in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Nazis trying to cut telegraph lines, lol. Interesting.... just found this..... Along the coast, tanks arrived at Minehead Station and were driven along the seafront to the Armoured Fighting Vehicle ranges on North Hill. Local residents, Peter Batchelor and Dudley Parsons, recall the tank’s caterpillar tracks tearing up the roads and damaging iron railings as they passed (SRO A/BJS 3/13, SRO A/BJS 3/29). The remains of military roads still cross North Hill. The tanks simulated battle conditions by driving around three triangular firing ranges at Bossington Hill, Selworthy Beacon and North Hill, visible on aerial photographs, firing at targets which moved along target railways on their seaward side (Bossington Hill, Selworthy Beacon and East Myne). Any missed shots fell harmlessly out to sea or on dead ground, which had been specially prepared. Peter Batchelor described living near the range as like living in a war zone, but the noise of the tanks firing became part of everyday life (SRO A/BJS 3/13). The triangular tracks and targets still survive on North Hill, surrounded by the remains of small observation posts and machine gun emplacements. http://www.exmoorher.co.uk/war-on-the-moor-military-training-on-exmoor I think Ill do "minehead" to better fit the war theme and fit in some tanks!

So here is the interesting thing... I have extensive stock of N Gauge ex LNER and ex LMS. Really, all my engines sat in a display case and I never had the room for the layout I wanted. It was just in October when we learned we were going to buy a new build with a basement. At that point, for some reason, I got on a GWR kick (really it started with the Bachmann 64xx). Having lived in England for three years as a kid in the 80s, my earliest memories are of Didcot, so there's that. Then I said, why not do a GWR layout for my first "true" layout, and do it in OO. Get the skills down, and then make a nice tail chasing N Gauge layout. So that's where I am now, and why I'm there. Odd how things work.

Guys, thanks for the help so far. I'm glad I threw these on here as a layout is not simply putting track on board. A few things: I only used set track for ease of design. I fully intend on using flextrack for the whole layout. I also didn't realize I picked the wrong track library. I just went with 100 peco for the most part and ran with it. Really, this was to see at a 5000 foot level how things would look and if I was headed in the right direction. The fiddle yeard will be on the right wall and I probably have more than 6 feet. Probably closer to ten, but I guess I can always try to build a traverser instead. That might be easier. The creamery was made to be further away just to get some distance. No other reason. I can make it closer if need be. I think it appears that the layout will obviously fit on a two foot wide board. I only went with three to see if it was possible. I like the idea of the line running through scenery, rather that scenery fit around the line. This, on a layout this size is likely not possible. I can shoehorn Vale into the constraints I have, so I think two feet wide, maybe 30" tops is more realistic for the space I have. That being said, I will definitely condense the track plan, or at least tighten it. Lastly... is this even the better option of the two layouts? Should I got for the one based on Minehead? I just don't know. Again, I think the Ashburtonesque style layout has been don't to death. However, the scenery around it is much more "country" and Minehead would be a different feel altogether. I'd be losing the creamery, but do I really need it? Anyhow, thanks again.