Fishplate

Board 1 has always been intended to have a scenic cassette. This will plug into an extension towards the camera of the high level part of board 2 seen at the RH side of the photo below. The plan was the 'scenic cassette' would be there most of the time but be taken out to allow other temporary cassettes to plug in. Cassette storage in the original railway room was going to be on shelves extending immediately above Board 1 and part of Board 2. In this room, cassette storage is a bit more complicated due to the room being an attic conversion and hence 'triangular', with the sloping wall here replacing the previously vertical wall . A vertical wall is now at 90 degrees to Board 1 and also, of course reduces in width as it rises to the apex of the roof. I could see handling cassettes would become a 'lift and turn' operation in a relatively confined space between the wall, Board 1 and Boards 2, 6 and 7, rather than a straight lift. I think this 'lift and turn' will have some inherent risks in snagging a cassette. In addition there is a supporting roof beam running along the slope, as shown in the picture below (which also highlights 'stuff that needs sorting'). I didn't want the railway running beneath that beam, so the layout will stand off the wall. The distance from the wall to the layout will be about 400mm. Having pondered on this gap, I think converting the 'scenic cassette' to a 'scenic sector plate' will enable storage of trains in hidden sidings behind a backscene. That makes use of the gap, avoids a turn and lift movement with cassettes and simplifies electrical connections. With a backscene I will also be able to keep the storage area dark. The only downside I can see is access via a duck-under at one or both ends, and more boards to construct (although I would have bought material for cassettes). Literally watch this space. Incidentally, the white packet marked 'steam train' was given to me as a surprise gift from Mrs FP. I haven't opened it yet, but it is a scented diffuser which (apparently) gives off smells of hot steam and grease. DCC eat your chips out 🙂

At which point it presumably became a Can'tgoo. . . . Agreed. In the cause of 'adding value'. Worst example in a car I was unfortunate enough for Mrs FP to own was a Freelander. Why, oh why was the roof line above the rear door so low that the back window had to lower automatically when you opened the door ? . . . . Tried doing a hill start between parked cars with an electronic brake ? I had a hire car for work with this 'improvement'. Had to go back to the hire office and get them to tell me how to move the thing. Subsequently specified that any hire car for my use must have a normal handbrake. Mutter. if someone wants to make a proper improvement, how about a winter weather heated windscreen washer system?

All looking very nice. Don't often see the wall ladders modelled. Gradients of railways are interesting because they look odd to modern eyes. However, in imperial measure, 1 in 1056 equals exactly 5ft rise (or fall in this case) per mile. I suspect you will find that gradient on the original parliamentary plans.

On a western layout, he must be called Ernie, surely. Looks like his cart is missing though. . . . (Although there is a difference in speed between LM and Ernie)

Very nice. Thank you for sharing the construction details. I have bookmarked your post for future reference.

Would setting out the railway boundary fence/ wall/ shrubbery help decide? From the (angle of the) photo it looks like you might not have much room between a boundary feature and the cottage for something else? Will you have a side gate to the ground beside the cottage?

Soooooo, pre Modern Image then 🤣🤣🤣 😇?

Hang on, we don't know what's in the crate yet . . . .

And welcome to D1 No 1741 in Southern Livery. Built by R Stephenson & Co 1903 as a D Class locomotive and rebuilt to D1 in 1927. Withdrawn 1959 (1). Justification for purchase: Known to be allocated to Faversham MPD 17th December 1945 (2), and 1948 (3) (1) A Pictorial Record of Southern Locomotives by J H Russell; Published BCA 1991 (2) Shed Bash UK: Gillingham & Faversham 1945 - 1959 (3) BR Steam Locomotive allocations by Hugh Longworth; published by OPC 2011 How good is this? I really do need to crack on with this layout! ps, I already have a D Class featured on a previous page in SE&CR livery. I resisted a friends suggestion that 'you need one of those' by saying I already had the D Class. Then I looked at the various ones on offer by Rails and compared the numbers to the three sources above. How could I resist . . . . . . ? I trust you think it was a Good Decision ?

Ditto. What is BCE/CE ?

Arrived. Very nice. Pictures and justification to follow.. . . .

Had an email from Rails of Sheffield. Standing by for an incoming model.

I did indeed. But too good an opportunity 😁. . . .

Signalling things carried on Permanent Way trains ???? 🤯😬

Has it passed yet? Was hoping to see the red tail light disappearing under the station bridge . . . . .

One for the Modern Image modeller given the age of the buildings (1960's/70's?). Prototype for everything etc.

Yes, it is a very fine building to look at, but probably a bit of a challenge to reproduce by hand. Hence I confined my comment on my photo to the sign on the wall above the shop 🙂. Nice bit of detective work finding it on Google streetview. I do that myself sometimes when I see an interesting pic with sufficient clues to location. I suspect the 3D printer-ers amongst us would be best able to rise to the challenge. @chuffinghell would be able to comment.

Also following after seeing the photos on @AY Mod s topic. Will be hunting out the Feb BRM as a taster for things to come.

Yes. Sorry. Dropped into PWay lingo. . .

Hi @Graham T. I didn't have access to a computer earlier, but hopefully the diagram below makes sense (a picture paints a 1000 words etc). - Green, removed. - Red, new buffer stop (potential route to turntable but note your comment, so just becomes a headshunt). - Orange tandem turnout, single slip, left hand turnout. My only thought post putting the proposal for a single slip is that it would be a facing single slip on a running line, rather than a preferred trailing one. Edit. Hadn't realised a whole new page had been started (and nearly filled!) and you had drawn the diagram. The branch junction would be off-scene enabling you to move the curves outwards and avoiding S&C on the curve. Ref Geometry through S&C ~ I'm presuming you would be hand building that double junction on a curve. The wing rails on the crossing have to support the wheels as they cross the flange gap in front of the crossing. This can become a problem at 12": 1ft, but maybe not so much with steam roller wheels on OO Gauge, Maybe worse with 'to scale' ones? I know my Father tried some interesting hand built curved S&C and had problems with the gap in front of the crossing where the wheels were unsupported because of the large gap so ended up with wagons/ bogies only being supported on three wheels. Others may be able to comment better than myself.

My (proper) mini's had central locking as I could reach both door locks from the drivers seat. . . .

I thought this wall painted sign, which follows the roof line in front of it, is rather interesting.

Ps, if you moved the engine shed up by straightening the alignment to it, the headshunt created by disconnecting the branchline would then enable access to a turntable and coaling stage as Mk1 . . . . .

Hi @GrahamT, Using your squares as X/ Y coordinates, you could replace the double junction on a curve at X=3, Y=3 by: - changing the turnout to the Goods yard at X=4, Y=3 from a RH turnout to a tandem, - putting a single slip in the outer circuit at X=5,Y=2, to give access from the outer circuit to the bay - Placing a LH turnout at the end of the bay platform at X=6, Y=2. This would enable easing of the mainline geometry, as suggested by @Andy Keane and give a mirror image of the 1954 signalling layout at Henley in Arden, as suggested by @Schooner, whilst saving on a trap point. And improve the geometry through S&C. it might also prove much easier to signal . . . . As shown, could the radii on the double junction be an interesting challenge to ensure wheel support through all the various crossings, particularly on the mainline? Templot would prove one way or the other. . . .