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Traintresta

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  1. Traintresta

    Hand built track options?

    By Traintresta,


    Another false start!
    I have purchased two sets of the C&L Finescale point kits, the 'just the plastic bits' versions.  I think I need to get in touch with Phil at C&L as I couldn't see any slide chairs nor were there any instructions (which I was expecting) before I really get cracking, but tonight I set about making a point using a template printed from templot.  I must admit, I have never done this before and my immediate response to not seeing some of what I expected was to flee back to the idea of making trackwork using copper-clad construction, but I really would like to have a go at this type of construction so that I can take advantage of the look of bullhead trackwork.
     
    This layout is really taking a long time to come together, I started the benchwork nearly 15 months ago and still have some bits to finish up before track can really go down, but I was hoping that making a point would spur me on to do that.  I have some pretty specific ideas about things I want to do with this layout after several false starts on other layout projects so I feel pretty frustrated at present, because bullhead track was one of my 'must-haves'.  Had Peco introduced a comprehensive range of bullhead points (specifically curves) and were they not priced so highly, I might have just bought what I wanted from them, but my budget and the lack of a complete bullhead range of points, and my desire to model OO-Sf lead me to point construction.
     
    Further complicating things, I need to travel into nearby Sheffield tomorrow so the temptation to pop by and by some copper clad sleepers from Marcway is right at the forefront of my mind but I am trying to remain patient, not something I consider myself good at being.
  2. Traintresta

    Surveying the land (in photo's)...

    By Traintresta,


    Real Estate
    I have taken photos of the layout space.  It is still under construction and the outriggers that are sticking out show where there will be a slight horizontal increase in the real estate of the layout.
     
    The door... is to a cupboard that is rarely used.  We have every intention of clearing out the cupboard and re-arranging the internal storage to pack more in and get rid of what we don't need, but we don't intend to access the cupboard very often.  The outriggers lie at the ends of the boards so you can see that the portion in front of the cupboard door is designed to slide out and considerations for this will be made when I add the backscene and lighting valance that will be [art of the baseboards.
     
    The two lengths of track cross at the corner where the upper level tracks will cross over the lower level freight lines.  As you can probably tell from the positioning of the coaches, the station will be on the left and I need lots more Southern Ry rolling stock!  I do, however, intend to run plenty of LNER stock too.



  3. Traintresta

    Shift target. Shift target. Shift target

    By Traintresta,


    Change of focus.
    As I have had nothing but time to think about how I want my layout to look, whilst my mother-in-law has occupied the spare room over the festive period (and hence hindered access to the layout), I have moved my goal posts.  In fact I have move the whole layout just outside of the scope of the widened lines and started to focus on Holborn Viaduct and Blackfriars goods, moving out of joint LNER/LMS (or BR Eastern and Midland regions dependant on the timeframe I settle upon) and into Southern territory, for two very good reasons.  Firstly I have a passion for the Maunsell moguls and tank engine variations and using the basis of a station elevated above other lines allows to me to follow better, the original concept of having lines at differing levels to allow me to make the most use of the awkward space I have.  I suppose at this point it would be helpful to show you what the layout space looks like so you can see what I see, unfortunately it is now dark and a photo using the light provided by the typical room light probably wouldn't show it at it's best.
     
    The intention now, is to have a Holborn style station, probably four platforms, on the left, running off scene to the right towards staging.  At a lower level, appearing on the right hand end of the layout but from underneath (and behind) the upper level, will be a small goods area that will bare some resemblance to Blackfriars goods and/or some of the coal depots that the GNR and MR had south of the river.  The staging for the goods trains will be on the permanent part of the layout that forms the bottom of the L, the staging for the upper level will be removeable or if I can harness my inner carpenter, folding.
     
    Now I've been on a bit of a mental journey to arrive at this point, having dabbled with the idea of scrapping any stations for a flat goods yard type layout, looking at (among others) Canada Road and Canada Street for inspiration, but I keep coming back to the multi-level option and the stations.  Finding out that Holborn hosted ex-SECR D1's helped as I am also a fan of these, and that there was parcels traffic to add operational interest also gave more reason to keep a station.  Finally I realised that being in Southern territory, I could run EMU's, which is a huge bonus and fills the void left by choosing not to model the Met Railway, the later decision taken on a cost and feasibility basis.
  4. Traintresta

    Slow progress.

    By Traintresta,

    So progress has been slow on the Pinellas Park layout, principally because until the new baseboards are put in place, scenery is a no go.  However, there are now two running locomotives on the layout and a chassis being used to test a new motor, that can trundle back and forth with freight cars, all 5 of them!  So, as you can probably tell, until the recent purchases arrive, there isn't much to do, but it has given me some time to focus on cleaning up some old loco projects, some of which have been renewed and others will be moved on.
     
    Of course, all of this is further hampered by the recent start int he search for a new (rented) place to live.  One ideal property is apparently soon to be available and we will be given the inside track, from what I am told, on the new lease.  Not only is this just down the street from the grand kids, but it is also nearly identical from what I can tell and will significantly improve the space I have available.  So what you may ask, does this mean for Pinellas Park?  Well not a lot at this stage, as there can be no physical changes until we do get the go ahead, but my head has been testing ideas, from a simple extension of the current idea, to a three decked, multi-level layout running around the walls of a much larger room. Of course as a renter that may be quashed before it goes anywhere if the landlord/lady is not obliging.  However, I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
     
    For now, collecting and building rolling stock continues...
  5. Traintresta

    Less is More.

    By Traintresta,

    So as I progressed to wiring up the layout in its test state, I attempted to wire it as a DCC ready layout, only to find that nothing worked.  The loco attempted to crawl along at a snails pace, but something wasn't right and I thought I had a current problem, given that I'm using an old H&M flyer for power at the moment.  I removed all of the droppers and started again with just three.  I'm using insulfrog points so I wired each end of the loop, and the two points that are toe-to-toe at the back of the loop.  Testing again didn't go so well, in fact it didn't go at all so I connected my test leads to an isolated piece of track to re-test the loco.  Sure enough it worked perfectly fine, one end of the layout to the other, so started the process of elimination to discover the problem.  Turns out the Kadee coupler height checker gauge that I had left at one end of the layout was causing a short, removed that and hey presto!
     
    So we have a running layout.  However, as you can see int he photo, there is one less spur at the front left.  I wasn't happy with this spurs location and purpose at it was only there to use a leftover point and represent an eventual industry that I hope will sit at the end of the L-piece.  However, the long term intention is to turn this into a U and the track for that industry will likely run off of the spur to the triangular building at the left end, this building then representing a former rail served industry on a now abandoned spur.  So in short, I removed one more spur and I am very happy with the result, the track plan looksmore like a railroad in a space than a model railroad filling up space.
  7. Traintresta
    So this weekend see's me working on a new chassis for a GWR large prairie tank in an effort to create something differ3nt but also similar.  I imagine this could have been a possibility although I suspect its light weight would have been useful, the real GWR might have made one on a longer chassis? This was largely inspired by the LSWR Urie tanks, the driven wheelbase is 6'6" + 6'4" like the Hawksworth 1500 class pannier tanks, with the same 4'7.5" wheels.  I suppose my excuse is that its a freight tank loco but in reality I love the look of narrow gauge locos, the proportion of the body size to the wheel size but don't really want to venture away from 4mm.

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