Les le Breton

I have now managed to fit Engineer’s Dowels and connecting bolts, with captive nuts, to connect the three main scenic boards, but this posting is a little bit off piste for Aberaeron I have for some time, slowly been working on the future rolling stock for the layout, to while away the evenings as an alternative to the dire, haunted fish tank. Since the current, understandable business of railway manufacturers is on the “when it’s gone, it’s gone;” model, I realise that appropriate stock needs to be purchased when available. Last week I received my beautiful H*****’s, David Jones, GWR 48xx 0-4-2t fitted by the same emporium with a Locsound, V4 6-pin sound decoder (ex 54-800). I spent a whole day yesterday, trying to get my loco to interface with my Hornby e-link Rail-master software. I have managed the process of getting the software to recognise other “foreigners” (not Hornby) before, is it because the V4 chip is new or just that it’s too difficult for the software? I have added the message that arrived on Rail-master below. I have sent the details to support@rail-master.com and hope they can advise me what to do but, I am beginning to fall out of love with e-link. It may well be the time to move on to another system like Gaugemaster Prodigy Express 01, Prodigy Advance 02, or NCE. I hope Aberaeron will be enabling the heart of railway operation to be more prototypical; to quote Iain Rice in Railway modelling the realistic way, ” The engine driver may be lord of his locomotive but he’s always subservient to the signalman.” I propose therefore that my DCC control will only be used for locomotive control and an arrangement of switches will separately operate turnouts and signals, changed by the pull of a lever or switch. What would you do in my position with a limited budget?

Baseboard 2 built today, hooray! Baseboard 3 built today, (16th February), engineers' dowels next then.

Hi y'all, instead of flooring our attic, which will house the things that are cluttering the space in our garage earmarked for my model of Aberaeron, I managed to build the first of my scenic baseboards. It isn't totally complete, the undercarriage will not be fitted until I have determined the exact positioning of turnout motors etc. They need a bit of tidying up, but I'm pleased that it sees robust and yet quite light. Just two more scenic boards and the fiddle yard to build.

Dexters midnight runners could well meet the criteria required for prototypical accuracy. However, looking at "GWR Branch Line Modelling" I now know that in 1925, 376 trucks of livestock moved that year. Thus livestock movements by rail are really important. Merci encore Monsieur Fat Controller for your suggestions.

I honestly thank you Fat Controller for your help, adding another tangent to the conundrums of livestock, in prototypical, railway modelling. I include in this, conundrum, the possibility of modelling livestock arriving in the cattle pen and boarding the train. Perhaps the most satisfactory answer to these difficulties, is to suspend reality by not modelling any cattle involved in the travel by train at all, just have a train arriving with the alleged animals and have them moving invisibly to and from, suspending reality! Then the only animals visible on my layout will be resting, after a very long moo in the fields. How does Sodor cope with such difficulties with prototypical modelling?

Thanks again for your clear and detailed advice, you've made an old man happy.

Thank you David C for your insight into how livestock wagons were coupled. I understood that quite early, railway companies supplied adjustable, internal walls for cattle wagons, to keep the animals safe. In the case of Aberaeron, it is more likely for cattle to be leaving the Welsh pastures on the up line, therefore allowing the rostered locomotive to prepare the train in readiness for the journey before the animals are safely on board, as you have suggested. There are only three reasons for stock arrivals at Aberaeron that I can think of:- Animals purchased from afar to improve the Gene pool of a farm. These are likely to be looked after very carefully and i.m.h.o. more likely to be coddled in something like horse wagons with accompanying supervision by a farm worker. A collection of animals that didn’t reach the required price from a far- away auction. This is probably unlikely, as the good farmers of the environs of my model would only send away stock knowing their true value. Animals owned by a farmer moving all his stock to a new address. These events were rare in the early 20th Century so, for railway modelling the era following the company grouping, complete farm removals can thankfully be ignored! Thanks again David C, I am very grateful for the help and advice given by RMweb members like yourself, helping me with my layout.

Thank you for your advice Siberian Snooper, any addition which makes uncoupling more fail safe makes a lot of sense. Have you by any chance had experience with electro-magnets? I'm fascinated by observation about livestock movements. I had no idea at all that livestock wagons would remain attached to the loco. I imagined that a loco shunting livestock into the cattle pen siding, would beat a hasty retreat, to give the animals more peace and quiet. In a similar vein, a loco of a newly formed train with departing animals, would wait until they were all safely loaded before coming to collect them. "They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance." Terry Pratchett

Thank you 5BarVT, I am grateful for your discovery of my basic error! I don't think this small branch line would use a pair of TOADS for the traffic, perhaps a few wagons could be double hooked and the shunting would have to ensure that one of these is next to the loco on the Up goods, perhaps a loco coal wagon. A much appreciated observation.

Hi y’all, it seems an age since I posted my plan for Aberaeron station, as celebrations, home DIY and more cogitating has been getting in the way of the important business of modelling! I would be grateful if you could take time to read my epistle which follows and advise me of the errors of my plan! I was planning to use 3-link couplings but, on my test oval of Hornby track I discovered that I am not as dextrous as in my youth! Having read many forums in the RMweb and some of Iain Rice’s books, I have opted to change some stock to see if the Sprat and Winkle couplings would make life easier. They do seem to fit the bill and although fiddly to build, I am convinced that they actually look reasonable. Since my proposed model is a shunting layout, auto de-coupling will reduce the dangers of damaging rolling stock when dealing with stock, particularly on tracks to the back of the layout. Other ideas I am planning are:- I will only fit latch wires to the locomotives and cosmetic screw couplings; I will try is to fit the S&W hooks and latch wire on the down end only of the goods stock, with only a wire to latch on to on the up end along with a cosmetic 3-link or Instanter coupling; Since TOADS will be required to change “ends” these will have hooks and latch wires on each end; Since the majority of sidings receive stock travelling in the down direction, the S&W fittings as outlined should enable the shuffling of goods stock to work. Wagons can be pushed into the siding, magnetically de-coupled and can be pushed to their destinations to be re-coupled to be placed in a train leaving Aberaeron; The only siding which presents difficulties is the coal siding. So, loco coal wagons will either need a full set of S&W couplings, a-la TOAD, or more likely, will require a TOAD to manoeuvre the wagons there and back; I don’t think the loco shed siding would require special measures as I’m hoping they will be self- propelled; Coaching stock is likely to have rakes connected by screw couplings with S&W hooks and latch wire to each end coach, (probably Guards coaches); GWR Brown Goods only need couplings like goods wagons, to be connected behind the Guards coach. All contributions would be very welcome. I’ll add a planning design for the magnet positioning which might make sense. "Ladies and gentlemen, I do apologise for the delay to your service. I know you’re all dying to get home unless, of course, you happen to be married to my ex-wife, in which case you’ll want to cross over to the Westbound and go in the opposite direction." London Underground driver announcement.

Thank you for your knowledgeable advice Captain Kernow. I raided my railway piggy bank yesterday and bought the ply wood required for most of the layout. I have also managed to get some engineers' dowels to help the baseboards to join accurately. I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it's getting harder and harder for me to find one now.

Thanks Siberian Snooper, Plywood is sturdier and lighter than MDF and your club's experience of manoeuvrability is a good guide for this oap. The baseboard top is planned to be 3x606x1220mm; The long sides will be 6x60x1220mm; The baseboard ends will be 12x60x594 with engineers dowels for alignment; The stiffeners will be 3x60x594. Any useful advice on these dimensions?

Thanks for the support TERRYSVR. Are you perchance a supporter of the brilliant Severn Valley Railway which is fairly near to me? I thought this photo of Aberayron from 1911 might be interesting.

Hi folks, as an OAP I have been put off by the cost of buying ready made baseboards, so I've been investigating baseboard construction. I have planned for three scenic and one fiddle yard, each being 1220 x 606 x 60mm, strangely a standard size of MDF and plywood. I initially thought I'd use a system of 3mm Plywood cladding around 50 or 100mm compressed polystyrene, as seen somewhere but... I realised that I would need to cut large chunks of the polystyrene in order to fit servos underneath the baseboard, possibly reducing the integrity of the whole thing! I am interested in the method proposed by Michael Watts in the January 2016 Railway Modeller. He suggested using MDF, but I think the thickness might be more vulnerable than plywood. The baseboards will be situated in an insulated garage but will need to be dismantled occasionally. What does the BRM think tank suggest? Any comments would be gratefully received.

Thank you for the information flying signalman, lovely photographs and importantly your sound suggestions. I didn't realise that the Gwilli Railway had moved the signal box from Aberaeron. I'll need to acquaint myself with that lovely preserved line and have a closer look. Unfortunately, my modelling real estate wouldn't cope with the addition of a Bay line!

Thanks for your positive support Charlie. I've just managed to create a mock up of a front view of the layout, not including the fiddlers' yard or the right hand dock scene, I hope it makes sense!

Thanks again Edwardian, spot on, I hadn't seen this fascinating photo before. Whether I scratch build the original, or stick to the aforementioned kits is a dilemma. My next move is to build the baseboards however.

Thanks Edwardian, I am trying to create a might have happened layout. I have discovered a very early picture of Aberaeron which has led me to think about using the Ratio or Metcalfe signal box. I appreciate the advice Edwardian

Hi everyone, since my wife has beaten my modelling by the posting of her knitted Locomotive & carriages, it’s about time I sought some advice from the BRM Forum see:- http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/114846-my-wife-has-joined-in-my-modelling/ My proposed layout of the Aberaeron terminus, [anglicised by the GWR as Aberayron,] to be built as an imaginary scenario modelling the years following the grouping of railway companies on 1st January 1923, with some modellers license to increase interest! I have developed a track plan which blends some of the real arrangements that were built at Aberaeron over many years The station buildings could have been improved by the GWR immediately after WW1 because Aberaeron could have morphed into becoming a popular holiday destination for factory workers, Sunday school outings etc.; The GWR persuaded the fishermen to allow the extension to Port Aberaeron just before WW1; this enhanced the fishing industry and the GWR receipts. The simple freight extension continued the down, (station platform) track through the goods access road, protected by a level crossing gate. [This will give me the opportunity to extend the layout in the future, either with more scenery or another fiddle yard]; I would imagine that the GWR would have to increase the loading capacity of the route’s infrastructure to cope with the more intensive use of the branch, bigger engines? [Yes please!] Limitations of space in my garage, has forced a shortening of many tracks, but hopefully maintaining the atmosphere of the location. Similarly I have been forced to keep the principal routes straight to enable the essential track plans to work; I will assume that the original signal box would be replaced by a superior, later GWR type because of the increased traffic. Its’ position would be retained at the station throat to enable the signalman to control all the sidings etc.; A senior porter would be in charge of the level crossing waving his red and green flags, allowing train access to the harbour; [thanks for the idea Richard]; The extension down to the harbour could create exit stage right through the sky! I propose a row of terraced houses would act as a [fairly] neat camouflage for this exit, The Feathers arms on the opposite side of the track would likewise complete the camouflage; I hope that the engine shed has the same, camouflage for the exit through the scenery as the stock enters and departs the scenic board and the fiddle yard. The attached plan has the proposed fiddle yard on the LHS and a possible extension to the harbour on the RHS. Any advice or help would be gratefully appreciated.

I too enjoyed Much Murkle at Cheltenham, a great layout which captures the atmosphere of God's Wonderful Railway. Thank you Monsieur Exhibitionist, you know who you are!

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to get all of these wonderful, enigmatic photos onto the RMweb. The background detail you have captured behind the rolling stock is really important as it enables modellers, to get that elusive sense of place which transforms a layout from train set to truly atmospheric modelling. As they say in France "Chapeau!"

Thank you Colin for taking the time and trouble to publish your layout design in such clear details, it is a real inspiration.

Hi folks, this is a fascinating thread. I have just built a CD/DVD cabinet using B&Q block joiners and it occurred to me that these would make an excellent, cheap, standard fitting to aid the joints of modular sections.

This layout looks really interesting. How is it progressing?

Mayshill looks like a lovely layout. I am just about to restart my railway modelling also. Like you, I have a love of those bucolic GWR settings and don't give a monkeys about the naysayers! Having dithered for too long and with a history of N, O and EM modelling [not to your high standards,] I was persuaded to build with 00 Fine scale using Peco code 75 since reading an article stating that there aren't many folk who can distinguish between 00FS, Em or P4. I have to say that your track looks spot on, particularly the ballast and weathered rails. I will follow your progress with interest. Thank you for taking the trouble to post your super work.