Richard Mawer

Gents,

Thanks for the comments.

The layout has progressed. Please find the up to date thread at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/102581-buckingham-west/page-14

Cheers

Rich

Very impressive. Food for thought. Still an expensive add-on though.

Another well written article.

Thanks Ray.

It could happily visit Buckingham West and substitute for the auto train on your next visit if you like.

A proper lever frame then - I shall await your next instalment with renewed interest.

.........well a line of toggle switches!

Well you learn something everyday! I had no idea you could use sound on DC.

As for wiring excess, I am currently soldering the control panel for Buckingham West with 47 levers and about 120 wires off the back of it. Yet it is all simple DC open/close circuits. Some of our DCC stuff at the club has far more complicated and numerous wiring. The controls are simple to connect, but not necessarily the underboard wiring.

Yet again, a wonderfully put together and interesting blog post. Thanks.

Rich

Ray, another cracking report. I ought to send all my locos to you for "fettling"!

I don't know anything about other companies, but history is littered with GWR altering details of locos as they went into the shops. The Stars and Saints were classic examples of what seems erratic alteration. Some ended up with inside steam pipes, some had straight outside pipes and some had elbow outside pipes.

The 4-4-0s were messed around with big time.

To change frames and cylinder positions from one loco to the next in a class would have been an everyday occurrence in many ways when a loco entered the shops.  

It does make it difficult for the modeller who wants to change numbers. To be sure, you have to find a photo of a specific loco in the era/livery you want to model.

Keep up the good work.

Rich

Looking good Graham. Its a milestone to get trains running!

Andy,

The Buckingham Branch has inspired my modelling thoughts for about 35 years. I am very jealous of you having the opportunity to operate it. I'd love to! I don't know Tony.

I'll look your layout up.

Feel free to follow mine and advice is always welcome.

Thanks Mikkel.

Thanks for your continued support Jock. I've got a long way to go, but it's starting to look and act like a model railway. Well one without any scenery whatsoever yet.

Hi. Yes Peco code 100. Medium radius closest to the camera. "Long" curved points furthest away. I thought of trying to bend the diamonds like Grantham (on thisite - very impressive results from peco track!), but I was happy enough with the end result.

Thanks for your support and help with all this.

Hi Ray. Well the level of incline is as result of your help, so......

Ha ha!

Seriously, I have no idea what loco will pull what yet. Time will tell. I expect to have to add some lead! The 4-4-0s worry me a bit: Director, City, County, Dukedog, Bulldog...Hmmmm. Then there are the 2 Dean Goods and Collett Goods!!

Its 1:60 but looks quite slight.

Watch this space.

Rich

Thats exactly what I intend to do. I am also going to try strong wallpaper paste. I was thinking whether to mix it in the ballast, dry, and then spray water on when the dry mix is in place?

Anyway, I've bitten the bullet and glued the superelevated curved section in place. It's drying now, so we'll see.

By spray over copydex, i mean spray paint over copydex.

Thanks BG. I'm glad the copydex is a good idea.

I might try tracklaying and ballasting at the same time like you, but not sure. I was planning to brush it dry into place and then use 50:50 copydex and water with a drop of washing up liquid shloshed over it.

Do you know if that would produce a film over the track and sleepers? I know I could immediately clean the track surface, but I want to spray the track later to weather it.

Can you spray over copydex?

Hi. Because I am only using 0.8 or 0.9mm packing and there is 3mm foam, i am hoping the foam will "take the strain" as they used to say, and that I won't need to pack anything in the transition areas. I'm hoping the foam at the start of the packing will compress enough and will expand in the gap between straight flat and raised curved.

I think cardboard could be just as good. And i may have to resort to some 0.4or 0.5mm card in the transistion areas. I need to stick it down and see though.

I might try Copydex for that because people seem to think thats easier to lift if necessary. But if I don't stick it down, the "6 foot" will just be suspended between the two lines of plates.

I think i am going to try ballasting with copydex too, to allow some flex.

Thank you.

I have 2 joints on the lifting flap on curves. That will be fun.

There's also an S or reverse curves at the top of the incline!!!!

Steve, do you have a blog or photos etc?

Thank you. Watch this space,

Thanks Mikkel. Always good to hear from you. It's not as well engineered as some would manage, but it seems to work and so far it is locating accurately.

Dan, I have just read all your blog posts. Fascinating. You are brave to have ripped up and started again, but I'm sure it was right. It's looking very good and is encouraging for me. I' m loving the super elevation on the curves. It looks bang on to me. It makes such a difference.

What are the back scenes and where from?

Keep it up. I'm following your progress.

Thanks.

Rich

Thanks

Hi. Thanks for the comment.

The continuous run (circuits) storage loops and dumbbell are all on the lowest level and are flat: no gradients. That way i can just leave trains running.

The gradient up to Newton Purcell (Junction) (Grandborough Junction???) will be at least 1:75.

I will be running max 5 coach trains. I think i could run longer, but I want the trains to look smaller and the scenery larger if i can: not be full of train.

I hope i can get away with the sidings i've built in Newton Purcell, there are 2 small private sidings to the north and a quarry to the east. Time will tell, but it is a small country junc, not Severn Tunnel Junc, but we all have too much stock so......

I shall build a full branchline terminus , in due course.

I shall also build an extensive Buckingham West down the centre of the room. Designs for both terminals are to be decided.

I hope that explains. Thanks for the interest.

Good to hear from you. Yes, handy that! Good impetus for me. I need to get a move on. It's a large project and time marches on. I spent three years on it in the old house and I'm not getting younger. I want to operate it!

I have just stumbled across this 2009 posting whilst looking around the site for other "system" layouts. I couldn't agree more with the comments. My childhood hero layouts were Peter Denny's Buckingham Branch / Buckingham Great Central and the Gainsborough Model Railway's depiction of Kings Cross to Leeds. The multi station operation of both fascinated me.

I then spent 30 years dreaming and having no space time and money to do anything except collect stock. Finally, with the help of HWDMRS, I am building my own three station system called Buckingham West. I wear my inspiration on my sleeve.

In the meantime I have read references to the Sherwood Section but cannot seem to find any further information. Any pointers anyone?