Chawn Park

Regarding the request for a track plan. Sorry I do not have a nice drawing of the track plan. Below screen print of the operations plan shows the layout track. The layout is basically a double track continual run which goes around the layout twice. All tracks are on a slight slope, nothing is flat, each main line passes through the viewing part of layout then into a fiddle yard before appearing again on a second level. After passing through the viewing area for the second time each track enters another fiddle yard before connecting with the original starting point. The hidden yards hold around 40 trains, so the same train is not seen for some time after a pass through the viewing area. Or on the control below below Below a view of the fiddle yards / storage yards. The standard ladder type fiddle yards can operate fully automatically. These are at the back and partly under the scenery to gain extra train storage space. The elevator store system is by N elevation and is totally fantastic, so far it has given 3 years of operation most weeks without any issues Scope exists to add further capacity to the fiddle yards if needed in later years The layout can operate fully automatic / semi-automatic or fully manual The automatic function is just a nice way to watch a selection of trains passing whilst working on modelling projects! Finally a general view of the layout with the control panels and screens to view the fiddle yards. Vic

Some more photos Above. General view with steelworks building in background. Multi-level trackwork and roads and canal below in valley. Hopper wagons in loop, waiting for main line access, loco out of view on right. Note. No track on this layout are flat, this section inclines with highest section on right of this view. Above photo in same location but from higher viewpoint. The steelworks exchange sidings can been seen behind the hopper wagons. Steel tubes being transferred into the works. Shunting locos waiting in siding will return into the steelworks site after the tubes train clears this section. Rack of cargo twin wagons run down the main line crossing the twin arch bridge. Left arch crosses the canal and second arch the road. Cargo twin wagons now on higher main line on bridge crossing above the tracks leading into the steelworks. Shunters waiting for next duty in exchange sidings Hope you like the above .............. happy railway modelling Vic

Chawn Park N gauge model Railway. A few more photos forming more of my introduction of this layout. Below. An overview from Chawn Park Hill, with Chawn Park station entrance in the foreground. The railway is at a lower level than the town, stairways link the main station buildings complex with the two island platforms below. Below Along the rear of the layout behind the high level main line tracks is a rail connected steelworks. In the foreground are the lower level main line tracks and between these and the embankment at the rear are exchange sidings serving the steelworks. Below Photo of the sidings leading into the steelworks A load of steel tubes being shunted under the main line and into the works. The steelworks buildings are around 2m long, Below photo shows part of the steelworks model still underdevelopment and not shown in the previous photos I have posted on this site. Below A slightly wider view of the steelworks site. On the left is the high level twin track main line which crosses the valley on a curved viaduct. The train loaded with steel tubes has now arrived in front of this part of the works. Tracks here are set into the concreted steelworks yard. The roadway and embankment ( area under the Chawn Park logo ) is not finished yet To the right, just out of view on this photo, the steelworks office block and site entrance. My objective here is to form a typical West Midlands industrial complex as a background for the main line railway system. Enjoy Vic

A few trains on Chawn Park

Bridges on Chawn Park, N gauge model railway The left hand arch of this bridge crosses a canal which is not yet finished, thus I took care with angle of these shots to avoid the unpainted baseboard where the canal will be added at a later stage. Behind the bridge shown in above photo is a curved viaduct which carries the railway across the valley in front of the steelworks buildings Another bridge shown below gives rail access under the main lines into the steelworks. The line under this bridge links Chawn Pak exchange sidings with sidings inside the steelworks complex.

Waiting at ticket machines on cold dark nights. The ticket machine does not work, but it was quite interesting adding lighting into the machine Not easy with small parts and wires in N gauge Ticket machines are based upon 3D prints by Peedie Models Soon I will be posting details about construction methods in the card-structure modelling section. When I have collected my ticket then it is time to wait on a cold platform ............. Then an old DMU arrives, typical of Birmingham local trains. Finally another photo of the station, this time with an old pound coin just to show the small size and confirm this is N Scale / N gauge Enjoy Vic

Chawn Park is set in a major West Midlands city. I often travel via Birmingham Moor Street station and memories of cold dark winter nights have influenced the images below. Chawn Park station main building is set at a high level with its entrance facing the city streets. Platforms are located on lower level with stairways connecting as shown in below photo The station roof lighting helps show details of the roof structure. The concept of the model is based upon observations of platforms at Birmingham Moor Street Lighting inside the buildings, such as waiting rooms in below photo bring the model to life. Photos are only from my phone, so close up shots in N gauge, in the dark and inside buildings are not easy, but I hope these give an impression of the model

Introduction to Chawn Park, N gauge model railway.

Introduction to Chawn Park, N gauge model railway set in the industrial West Midlands. The railway runs past many industrial buildings typical of the West Midlands The railway features many bridges over roads and canals, the idea was to avoid the flat baseboard look.

Welcome to Chawn Park, n gauge model railway First a few general photos of the layout. Chawn Park is not based upon a real location but is based upon a collection of ideas and observations of railways in the industrial West Midlands.

Dear All In this section I plan to share information about my N gauge model railway Chawn Park During next few days I will step by step post some information and photos. If interest exists from members of this site I will add further content. Greetings from a new member to this site. Vic

Dear All In this section I will be sharing information about t my N gauge layout project Chawn Park. If interest exists I will step by step load more information and photos Information about construction of the many buildings on the layout is posted in another section of this site, at link below. A new member Vic

First trials with internal lights I used " bottle lights " these being a string of small LEDs sold in many craft shops. I was able to purchase 10 packs of the bottle light sets direct from a web site for less than than 10 pounds, that gave me around 200 LEDs. The bottle lights come with a battery holder, but I removed these, added suitable resistors for my layouts power system voltage, then experimented with brightness by adjusting resistors until I found the brightness that gave the building a suitable light brightness. When adding internal lights it is very important that light does not leak from any joints, for example between the bottom of the walls and platform, hence this lighting test. The copper wires between the LEDs are simply cut to length and re-soldered together. Each copper wire is insulated by a varnish type coating, thus I stagger any joints since after rejoining by soldering the varnish insulation is lost. The wires will solder better if you first scratch away some of the varnish. I recommend holding the wire with pillars between the joint to be soldered and the LED to act as a simple heat sink to prevent damage to the LED Correct polarity must be kept when rejoining the wires. Above photo shows LED lights mounted in platform building roof being tested prior to next stage of building construction. After adding the window frames and glazing another lighting test. N gauge station wall clocks are by Kestral ( Kestal number part KD62 ) Final photo in this set shows the wall clocks in place together with more external details such as drainpipes, notice boards and other signage Note during this stage of construction building was mounted on a temporary plywood platform base.

Simple internal detail is important when buildings have internal lights Below an example of interior Just a few simple prints quickly bring the waiting room interior to life. PS Sorry about photo quality, N gauge close up shots with my phone are not always totally in focus Below at a much later stage after external details are added

Steve / All I was planning to share details about construction of the my scratch built buildings in this section since it seems to be the key topic for this excellent section. Yes I will post a thread about my layout when I find out best place to locate it on this site. Fitting with this scratch built building tread and your gernal interest below photo showing a class 50 passing my steelworks buildings For more details about the layout please visit the Chawn Park layout section on this website. Vic

Chawn Park is freelance but based upon typical GWR / BR Western region type platform buildings The base of the platform buildings are simple card shapes based upon methods and examples I found from other projects posted on this site. Thanks everyone for some excellent ideas. Below is an example of the base card layer with windows marked and cut out Since the buildings have internal lights, some internal detail was added, Below basic shape of island platform waiting room Further layers added building up detail. Quick base coat of grey primer Trial fit of windows and doors

Chawn Park is freelance but based upon typical GWR / BR Western region type platform buildings The base of the platform buildings are simple card shapes based upon methods and examples I found from other projects posted on this site. Thanks everyone for some excellent ideas. Below is an example of the base card layer with windows marked and cut out Since the buildings have internal lights, some internal detail was added, Below basic shape of island platform waiting room Further layers added building up detail. Quick base coat of grey primer Trial fit of windows and doors

A few more photos of buildings around Chawn Park model railway Final photo in this set, showing parts of the layout still under construction.

Dear All During COVID I have been following the progress of all your interesting model building projects. Like Grahame H I have been working on some buildings in N gauge. This is my first post on the RM web site thus not sure if this will work as expected. Welcome to Chawn Park Below are a few images of my station buildings. First photo with a coin to confirm this is N gauge The buildings are scratch built mainly from card with some laser cut parts More details and information about methods of construction will be posted on further pages in this section. Hope these may be of interest to others building model railways in N Scale. Vic