RedGemAlchemist

So, still snowed in, and my postal orders are probably not going to arrive until the snow melts, if ever. Faaaaantastic. So, I have very little to work on. So, let's start on Stop 2. Hewe Station, just over the Cambridgeshire border and out in the fens. Entering from the left, through the station, over a bridge on the far side and out into the fens towards Alnerwick. People, let's brainstorm! Also quickly, an edit to the Kelsby final version as I forgot the signalbox.

Little bit of progress with KLR No.3. Got as far as I could with it, but without the chassis or bufferbeam I have no way of going forward any further at the moment. So, KLR No.3, which has no formal name at this time, is stuck like this until I have the money to get the remaining parts. Also until I know what chassis to use. EDIT: In case anyone's curious, here's a comparison between No.3 so far and Bulldog to show you how tiny No.3 will be. (This photo also has the whistle added, which that initial one didn't.) Not a great photo but it gets the point across.

Well, there's another 0-10-0 that comes to mind, but it's not... exactly practical for a branch line setting, as much as I like it... I would LOVE to do something like the Lickey Banker but I do not have any justification or materials to do so. Something the size of Big Bertha on the KLR would just be useless as it'd probably sink in the fenland that makes up the run from just before Hewe onward and it's not really necessary to have something that absurdly powerful for any reason. A powerful 0-10-0 tank engine with a low axle-load and weight-per-foot might be able to get away with it. A huge 0-10-0 tender freight engine wouldn't have much chance. Plus turning out of the sheds would be kind of difficult for it. Actually maybe for the 0-10-0 tank as well. (Still stuck at home because of the snow, in case anyone's wondering.)

Hmm. I'd been thinking of potentially attempting a vertical boiler tank myself. Interested to see how you manage it.

You mean these?

You read my mind, Edwardian my good man! The GER's experimental behemoth is what I was thinking of, as it's exactly the sort of absurd creation the maniacs in the KLR workshops would have made!

Hmm. I should note that I didn't buy the lot (buying the aforementioned four blood-and-custard coaches instead), though that tank engine made it tempting for precisely that reason. A small country line like the KLR could really use a compact, powerful tank engine for freight work. And since I'm doing freelance it being "right" isn't an issue. Wishing I did get it now. Maybe I could have even lumped an 0-10-0 chassis under it from something; it seems like it was pretty sizeable. Ah well. I got four usable coaches instead. Best not to think about the could-have-beens in this situation.

Well, here you go. Sorted this out as I'm not at work today. Thanks, uncharacteristically large amount of snow! Also screw you climate change for causing it! What I think may be (roughly) the final version of Kelsby station. I am very happy with the layout. Thanks everyone for helping me with this. One station down two to go. (Stuff like coal staithes and the water column will be worked out at the time). Also, another postal order update. I've now got four Triang blood-and-custards on the way from... I think Hemel Hempstead? to join the three livestock vans I bought a couple days ago. This gives me a solid start on a set of stock for the first days of the KLR.

Coming off the same conversation: ~Wig wam bam, here's another small tram~ Please don't judge me for my musical taste... Made some adjustments to the tram concept as per your suggestions, Edwardian. Thing is, I actually have most of the parts to make this. I'd just need the brakevan body and the smokebox/boiler. I'd rather have all the parts to hand to save time as I'm more trying to focus on the layout plan at the moment.

Thanks for the assistance, but... as I already mentioned I don't own a soldering iron, I have no idea how to use a soldering iron or make a metal kit, and I have no knowledge of how to do wiring. So a metal kit is a little out of the question, as perfect as it otherwise would be. If I can find a prebuilt one on eBay, maybe. Unlikely within my usual price range though. The other suggestions I can think of are the Bachmann Percy/Junior "Greg" chassis and the Bachmann Bill/Ben chassis, though again finding them within my usual price range is going to be HARD. As always if anyone else can think of anything feel free. Speaking of eBay, in my travels I found this: What is this burgundy tank engine body shell, just out of curiosity?

Thanks. I have a Hornby Toby I can cut up for the skirts and such. And the issue is I don't have the money to throw around. And if I bought a Peckett I wouldn't want to hack it up! It'd just become part of the KLR fleet. I meant one that can be bought on a budget that's small enough to make something like the Avonside-style KLR No.3 concept.

From this concept by Satan's Goldfish: To this: The hard thing in any of the designs, however, will be the turntable. How to get it to work without any idea how to do wiring. I have literally NO electrical knowledge. I don't even know how to use a soldering iron. I suppose I could work it manually with some basic mechanics but the issue then is getting power to the track on the table itself.

Hmm. Decisions, decisions. Thanks for the heads-up. In that case, anyone have any other chassis suggestions for the modelmaker on a budget? Wow. Excuse me if I nick this layout S.G, I love this concept. Why the heck didn't I think of something that compact? Speaking of concepts, another idea that popped into my head last night: Brake-van body into tram.

Decided to throw this together to demonstrate one of my ideas. You may recognise this. This is what my intention of what KLR No.3 will look like once finished. However, I don't have the Pug chassis as previously noted so I have no idea what sort of scale all the parts actually are in relation to the chassis. Holden 101 smokebox and bunker, Smokey Joe tank, chimney and cab, and L&Y Pug chassis and bufferbeam (or something of similar size. Can't find any of that chassis on cheap on eBay. Any suggestions?). Subject to change obviously. Also ordered some old Triang livestock vans off eBay to repaint.

Hmm. Never been to any of these railways (I rarely leave East Anglia - I live in the middle of nowhere and at the time of writing I have yet to pass my driver's test.) Seen enough about the IoMR though to see how the fan table would work. I'll mull that one over. Yes, I will be making more locomotives. I actually don't have a specific number in mind for the end result (I only have two other locos in the planning stages at this exact moment but it'll almost certainly end up with more than that), so I have no idea how many sheds I'll need. So here. This is what I have. I decided to go for a four-road for the main shed at Kelsby. Plenty of room for Bulldog, Wild Rover and another couple locomotives. Plus if Weybourne on the NNR can have a four-road shed then the KLR should be able to get away with it. Maybe it was built back when they were part-funded by the LNER.

Hmm. I see. I'll try both, see which I prefer. Also, I can see how the turntable being there would work. Gets a bit less confusing for me if it's a bit further away from everything else though to be honest.

Like this? Something along these lines? Hmm... I can see that working a bit more. Maybe some more tweaking. But I think Ican see what you're getting at. And yes, almost forgot about the Bure Valley. Not sure how as I used to go there every Christmas as a kid for their Santa Special and to go around the awesome model shop at Aylsham station.

Well, it's useful to have both. And you try running a tender locomotive backwards at high speed.

Happy 100th post on this thread, me! Yes it's irrelevant, I don't care, it means people actually care about what I'm doing! Speaking of people caring about what I'm doing, a concept for where to put the loco sheds (also made the turntable a little bigger). Any ideas? Something to me doesn't feel right about that but I have no idea where else to put them. Some additional input would be appreciated.

More little nudges. Couple of goods sheds, the one on the right with a ramp for stuff like cattle and such, also extended the track for the left one to fit. I'm... not sure if I've done that right. I know I need some cattle pens somewhere and such. I'm really not sure what I'm doing with the design for this.

Thanks man. Though note, Alnerwick, and its quarry, is actually going to be the furthest point on the model as I'm modelling the first three stops (the railway's home base at Kelsby, Hewe and Alnerwick with Alnerwick Quarry). Plus modelling a small quarry sounds like a fun challenge.

There's a quarry in Alnerwick which provides aggregates and such. Livestock, also milk from the dairy in Dawsbury (off model). Small to mid-sized quarrying equipment occasionally. Fruit and vegetables as well as other wares on market days. Various boxes of stuff from local businesses. Which reminds me, I really need to get my hands on a couple livestock vans.

A bit more throwing around of concepts. Softened the curve at the entrance to the station yard as it would make it take up less space on the board. Also added two trees next to the station building and a potential placement for a goods platform. Still no idea where to put the locomotive sheds or on where to put anything else I might need. As before if anyone has any suggestions they are more than welcome to make them.

So, after taking in Corbs' advice, this is what I have: I was planning to add the station building and platform to the top edge anyway as that is just common sense. Unusually though Whitwell and Reepham has it at the bottom one, which is strange. I have removed the shed at the end of the turntable, at least for now, while I try and work out how to put in a larger engine shed, or where to put in multiple. I also made the carriage shed two-road, just because I have no idea how many coaches I'll have based at Kelsby so it'd be good to be on the safe side, and I took off the useless short spur of track on the edge of the plan. If anyone has any other suggestions feel free to speak up!

Wow. How did I miss something as obvious as the ability to run around the train? Thanks Corbs! That's very useful indeed. And yes, moving the turntable is a good idea. Did kind of put it into a stupid spot. And yes, that could be an idea, though since the railway's home base is at Kelsby I'd need something bigger for the likes of Bulldog and Wild Rover, though it might be fine for the station pilot (which will probably be the incomplete and unnamed No.3). Also really like the carriage shed being next to the station building. I think I'll keep that. Also I appear to have quoted you before you finished editing your post so I have a different image. I find that funny for some reason.