MarshLane

Hi Chris, Thats great - I'm feeling inspired after reading that. Not sure if it will fit with my plans for DCC given the minimal space for decoder/speakers etc, but hey-ho we might just give it a go! Could be a nice little shunter for the Arksey Colliery Railway Thanks for taking the time to find that for me - didn't think of looking in the 7mm thread! Duh! Rich

Hi Phil, Stunning! I presume the sky has been added in photoshop (or similar) afterwards ... or do you have a very high back scene? Great scenery work too - going to have to go back and re-read the whole thread! Rich

Seen this layout a few times at shows and it never ceases to amaze me, the quality and standard of the running, the scenery, and the layout is just amazing and a total credit to all involved. Talk about setting the bar high! Well done Rich

Looking good Andy! You really can't beat several siding, numerous Speedlink style wagons and a blue 08 . Wins every time in my book! I like that it looks busy and focused, but not overcrowded. Plenty of room for movements and I think you've cracked the depot totally. Its very realistic, something I seem to struggle with getting the right 'look'. Rich

Afternoon all, Well a productive weekend all in all. Not had a huge amount of time, but have managed to go from this on Friday afternoon... To this at lunchtime today... So all in all, not a bad effort! Probably about five hours work all told. Im quite pleased with the way the boards have worked, and while not one-finger light, they are solid and easy to move as well as lift, so not particularly heavy. This is the extent of the scenic part of the layout, two 3' by 18" boards, giving a 6' length in total. There is still the end back scene boards to be attached, and while painted blue, they need a loco entrance/exit hole cutting in each one before they can be fixed in place, so that will probably be the next task towards the end of the week. My plan is to attach them in such a way that they can be removed in the future, if I decide to extend things. In the meantime, thanks to Martin Wynne, I now have an idea of what I'm doing with timber shoving in Templot, so the final tweaks to the track plan, shoving of timbers on the turnouts and I'm hoping this week to get started on the trackwork. Sleepers, railchairs and rail are all from C&L, although I will try the rail from Slaters when I'm next in Matlock as it is substantially cheaper, and by all accounts not much, if any, different. Thanks to those who have popped in and/or followed - hopefully it gets a bit more interesting than just wood going forward! Rich

Hi Marcus, Thanks mate. Yes know what you mean. I think the idea was to help differentiate from the vast majority of OO, but I suggested that we all put the gauge in the in the heading then people can choose and find out easier! I'm keeping the 7mm thread as a Workbench topic, well that's the plan! Good to have you along. Right .... back to my baseboards! Rich

Hi Richard, Looking good. Love the two Grids! Sorry I've not been in touch - life just seems manic at the moment Rich

Good god Andy, no name but already the scenery is well underway! This virtual modelling lark is great isn't it!! Looks good mate, well done on getting nominated for the awards. Rich

Thanks Brian, Probably more scenery and detail oriented that operating in all honesty at this point, but that was the purpose! Nice to have you along. Rich

Cheers Paul/Tove Well I've managed to get both baseboards built, and the back scenes (painted a light blue colour) are now drying and look really good. The dedicated thread for the layout is also up on the Layout Topics section - see here for full details, please feel free to follow along and have an input! I'll keep any baseboard, scenery and general layout info on there now, and will keep this thread as more of a workbench, 'BIG' project and kit-building info. So, don't worry, it will still be updated! Rich

Following on from the first post, as I've been putting some work into planning this layout for about six weeks, really since just after Christmas, the whole thing is quite well advance, in terms of how it be appear and what I'm looking to go where. Indeed, I've held off creating this thread for a few weeks because I didn't want to just be theoretical, but have physical progress to it! As a result of the planning this is an overview of what is a very basic trackplan. Normally, this would be too simple for me and lack operational interest and plenty of shunting that I enjoy, but i think its a good example of when "less is more" and a chance for the scenery and operations to provide the interest. I should add that normally of course, it is unlikely there would be any signalling here, but I do have a bit of a love of signalling, so four small ground signals have been included, all of which will be operational using Servos. There is also a phase two plan, once these two boards are complete, whereby it could extend slightly to include the start of the yard, in a similar way to how the extension Oulton Road appears and works. That layout being just one of several rmWeb layouts that have been a huge inspiration to me, since I joined this forum. If I can achieve just half of that realism, I'll be really happy! First Steps So with the trackplan all drawn in Templot, it was printed onto A3 paper and double checked to make sure that all worked with regards to building spacing and clearances, which it does. Templot (which is a great software, although a major learning curve) does a brilliant job of helping you plan everything out, especially in O Gauge where the very nature is that more space than you expect is needed! As I'm going to be hand-building the track, it was also a must-do to give me the templates, although there are only two points both are slightly curved and specific to the location, rather than being generic examples. With that checked, I managed to do a trip to the local timber yard at lunchtime, and alongside the 2x1 needed for the baseboard frames, acquired a sheet of 8' x 4' 9mm birch plywood, which having taken a cutting list with me they very kindly dealt with. While I am happy using a circular saw i never seem to get straight lines, no matter what i do, so this was the far better option! An hour after work as light was fading found the first of the frameworks for the two boards put together and the top added. I have to say, not having to cut the word or the board, also made the production a lot quicker and easier. This morning, I've got the second board built, and the backscene for both boards, and the two outer ends have both been painted a sky blue and are currently drying. Hopefully I might possibly get them attached tomorrow, then its on to track-building for the next couple of weeks! Rich

Some of you may follow along with my other thread, Marsh Lane (on the 7mm modelling part of this forum), which is detailing the work (very) slowly taking place on my 1980s blue/Railfreight grey diesel depot. Arksey was originally going to be the ‘BIG’ project - based in the loft and aiming to ‘tick the boxes’ on a few of the requirements that I wanted for a layout. Unfortunately, a few things haven’t worked out, and with a potential house move in the offing, I decided against spending time on something that would be thrown away. So work on that layout, is suspended pending the move. But I still had a desire to create something, as I didn’t want to put my hobby on hold. Hence, I fell back on an idea I had several years ago and never progressed - that of an industrial railway set around a Yorkshire coal mine! It gave the freedom to do things a little bit different and also to try out different things, and I decided if I created each part as self-contained scenes, not only would it allow me to add detail, but also to allow it to be moved to a new home if necessary. In addition, it also allowed a smaller highly detailed scene to be put together and to try out different scenic techniques, in essence become a small 'micro' O gauge layout that would be completed to a hopefully high standard, but still be a testbed. The Arksey Colliery Railway was therefore born. Envisaged to be located somewhere north of Doncaster in the Yorkshire Coalfield, a short line runs from the Colliery (off scene) to the railway exchange sidings (also off-scene) while there is also a branch running a short distance to the nearby canal, allowing coal to be shipped out by rail or boat. While initially steam worked, and indeed a small steam fleet is still maintained, the railway (now part of the NCB) adapted electric operation in 1905, akin to Westoe and Harton Collieries (Flickr Pics) in the North East, using locomotives built by Brush at Loughborough, on behalf of British Thompson-Houston (BTH), to the same design as their electric locos for the North Eastern Railway that would later be classified ES1. The layout represents the fictional location of Marsh Lane Workshops, which is located away from the main sheds but at the end of one of the railway's internal yards. A small single road workshop (that bears some resemblance to the building at High Peak Junction near Cromford. The railway runs at 600v DC, and while the single track main line and depot access headshunt is electrified, the internal line within the building, for safety reasons is not, and hence requires the use of a steam or diesel shunter to move electric locos in or out. The works also undertake repairs as required on the internal wagons, many of which are ex-LNER wooden or steel bodied hopper wagons. Adjacent to the depot headshunt is the extremity of a headshunt from the adjacent yard, where BR blue locomotives work into, and are occasionally stabled between duties - hence my evergrowing fleet of 16 O gauge main line locomotives may occasionally be seen! The layout is 6 foot long by 18 inches wide, excluding the fiddle plates (as I call them!) at each end, each of which is two foot long by 4 inches wide, and can hold two or three locos or a loco and some wagons. Motive power will initially be a Minerva Peckett and Dapol Green 08 (presumed to be on loan), although I currently have one of the Judith Edge Kits brass of ES1 on order so that should be here shortly and I'll detail the build over on my 7mm forum thread, keeping this thread specifically for the layout and operations. The whole idea and principal is something of a departure for me, but it is the first serious railway modelling I've done in about 15 years, so hopefully it will allow me to try out various new things before progressing onto the bigger layout. I'm also going to be experimenting with some relatively new DCC options, with the aim of getting very slow speed running. I should point out that its early days for the layout, and being a ‘one-man’ project, work is unlikely to be quick, although I am hopeful that I can push on and at least get operational trackwork quite quickly. Alongside the loco-building, I'm also constructing the majority of wagon fleet, and hand-building the trackwork. So yes, in parallel with what many of you are probably thinking, i’ve probably set myself one hell of a challenge! As ever, I am hopeful that people will enjoy and join in the discussion, as well as offering thoughts, advice and opinions. I do enjoy the sharing atmosphere of rmWeb, so if there is something you would like to see, or a question you may have, please do feel free to shout and join the discussion. I really do welcome thoughts and comments, there really are no silly questions in my view, and I hope you choose to follow along and enjoy the ride! Rich

Thread Index Post #2 - Layout Introduction Post #3 - Track Plan & Baseboard construction starts Post #16 - Templot Box file and layout diagram Post #20 - Basic track plan down for clearance testing with locos and wagons Post #24 - Hand-built track work being created/laid ... See also Post #46 Post #37 - Ixion Fowler arrival - and an artists impression of the new layout! Last Updated: 23:03 on 9th March 2017.

Hi Chris,Well I've been all over this thread, the Ixion thread (even the Minerva thread just in case!) but can't find anything about the conversion of that Fowler. Am I imagining that you'd posted any details? If so, any chance of an insight as to how and what you did? It looks to me like you swapped the cab to the opposite end as well? Rich

Hi Jeff, That's great, thanks for that. And your welcome on the comments. Superb layout! Rich

Hi Richie, Welcome and thanks for your kind comments. This new little layout diverges slightly from the 1980s blue, but it will all make sense when the BIG project finally comes about! I'm sure Brian will respond to your query, never worry about asking questions! I'm of the view no question is stupid, so ask away, others are probably interested in the answer anyway! Rich

Absolutely stunning scenics Jeff. Just spent an enjoyable 20 minutes catching up with your progress. Love the way you've done the roadway, I may 'borrow' that idea if you don't mind!! Can I ask, what glue are you using between each length of static grass? Is it normal brush on or a spray PVA? Yes, Andy put a message out on Twitter to say there was IT problems - if you ever can't get on check www.twitter.com/rmweb - you don't need to be a member its viewable to all, but easy to check! Nooooo, can't have too many pics of stunning work. True it might make some (me) envious of the quality of the modelling, but show it off! When you look back over what your achieving its a great perspective. Really well done and very realistic as everyone has said - inspirational modelling at its best. Rich

Looking good Chris, Love what you've done with the Fowler diesel conversion. I seem to recall reading some notes you'd done on that on an earlier thread somewhere? Must go and find it. Just one query, if its camouflage brown how did you find the track after painting in order to clean it with a J-Cloth??? Rather suggest that its not quite as camouflage as it should be for an army camp!! . (Sorry couldnt resist!) Rich

Thanks Brian, Should be quite interesting I hope! I've not seen those shots from St. Hilda Sidings before, isn't that lovely. That Barclay really looks interesting - be nice to find a kit of those, although I suspect there's isn't! Seen as I'm holding back on the main layout at the moment, I'm hoping this will keep me busy, and by using the North Eastern electric loco design of ES1, means that I'll have some period loco(s) to run on it .. if I get on ok with the building the one thats now on order, then I can see another couple appearing. Seem to have got the bit between my teeth for having a go at etch brass kits! Wonder if I'll be thinking the same when when it arrives I did think about commissioning you to do a sketch, but decided that you've never decipher the description of what I was thinking! Rich

Today hasn't achieved its aims in one respect (thanks to Doris I didn't get to the wood yard) .. but in another respect got better! Not long before leaving for work I got a call from the boss to say with all this bad weather, no point in travelling if you don't have to - stay at home this afternoon!! Thanks to Doris again!!! So I decided to do a full size print out on A3 paper of the Templot plan, having the house to myself, take over the lounge, and check things like clearances, measure up for the buildings etc. Two very poor photos (the light outside was abysmal and I should really have put the light on before taking the pictures on the iPhone) but it gives an indication of how its going to go... Work tomorrow, may see if I can sneak away at lunchtime to the timber yard! Then boards over the weekend hopefully! Yea I know ... famous last words! Rich

Thanks Marcus - hopefully! I wanted something with a bit of scenic potential but nothing that could cause too much work and put me off if it wasn't going right! Depending on how long it takes to find our new house, I can see a third board potentially creeping in with more opportunities! But I'm working slowly - nothing is happening until these two are done! Thanks Phil - actually thats a good point. I suppose the back up plan would be something similar but using home-built copper-clad trackwork instead, which as I've got all the bits here already would probably work out far cheaper. Rich

Hi Giles, I must admit, you've inspired me to have go with a couple of things at some point. I have an old lorry model sat here, and a couple of very small motors - if I can find my magnifying glass I can locate them! Not sure I'm going down the Radio Controlled road but have a couple of other ideas What you have achieved with all this is stunning - especially that crane! Wow! Rich

Thanks mate, having remeasured the wardrobe where its going to be stored, and moved a couple of things around, I've managed to get a fixed 18" above baseboard back scene, so I'll go with that! The fact that its fixed will also help support the light unit and make it a bit sturdier I think. Saw these at Doncaster, so am thinking something similar for the Fiddle Plates. That was OO, but should be fine on O gauge and I'm thinking it just low height aluminium angle. Rich

Hi Jinty, Good point. I'd gone to 12" for the height of the back scene, primarily based on where it's going to be stored. Might have to make it removable! Rich

Looking good Andy, just had an enjoyable 15 mins catching up. As the others have said, somehow this seems more your cup of tea! But as long your happy with it. Love the gentle curves coming off that new Y point, very prototypical, nice and smooth! Following (as ever!) with interest and much enjoyment (as well as envy) at the speed you achieve things! Rich