North Cowes

Thanks for all the recommendations. I made some washers from PTFE and they seem to have done the trick.

Thanks for all the replies. When I get 5 minutes I will be heading out to the shed to find/make some washers. I will let you know how it goes.

I have an ebay purchased, Old Hornby Swallow HST power car. Never run on DC and converting to run on DCC. I have updated the ringfield motor with the excellent Strathpeffer motor kit. When I reassembled I pushed the wheels on the driving axles to fit. Not related to changing the motor type, as i removed the wheels to clean away decades of grime. When run it derails over points, when I checked the back to back it was 13mm. If I set the back to back to 14.5mm there is so much movement on the shift, the driving gears disengage on the curves. Has anyone seen this problem before? Is there a solution? Thanks in advance for any support.

So a few bits to update in today's blog. Firstly a blog name change from a specific layout goal to a more general modelling area. Thus rather than it being about a modular version of Cowes, albeit set on the mainland, it is now a blog on all of my Isle of Wight modelling. On the micro layout (as yet unnamed), I had it sat on my desk, 50% of the rear back scene board in place and I was struggling to feel that it worked. Whilst considering solutions to avoid a train accidentally running off the end, I considered the back scene extending along the edge of the layout to the front. All of a sudden it felt so different, it felt like it worked much better. I had given thought to maximising the layout operation and maximising my space, I had given almost no thought to framing the scene and focusing the eye. The micro layout is proving to be an excellent learning curve for larger projects and understanding how the scenery and background frame the scene. I must now continue to focus and keep moving it forward. I do at least now have some trains running around it in DCC. Having run some trains the traverser is proving too complicated for such a small layout, also working the traverser from the front of the layout has been a bit fiddly. Therefore I am planning to remove it and use a PECO loco lift as a cassette instead. I might end up building a long version of the cassette in the future. The bigger plan had been to build a model inspired by Cowes. Having now completed more research I might be tempted by an alternative. The benefits of modelling a terminus are great but I feel personally I am more attracted to a through running layout. I must keep my focus on completing the micro layout. However I may have had my head turned by building a compressed version of Newport or Ryde St John's Road. Whilst researching I am surprised no one has modelled St John's Road before. It has huge potential and so much interest. A running shed, loco workshops, coaling stage with a raised road to unload coal and one end bounded by a bridge as a scenic break. More to ponder but I will try to remain focused on progressing the micro layout. The stock keeps growing, I now have the Hornby Terrier Cowes and 4 Blue Circle chalk wagons. The blue circle wagons from Wessex Wagons look great. Next steps on the micro layout. Decide on tunnel entrance (scenic break), two single bore tunnels or one double tunnel. Then build the structure for the side of the chalk face. I also need to fit a few more locos for DCC, to test out all the track with different locos. Then to mark and fit the point motors plus wiring.

I was a little rushed yesterday so here is a bit more explanation of the small intermediate layout. Period is Isle of Wight roughly 1930s but could be later BR steam or imaginary 1980s diesel inspired by island line. There is a 2 road fiddle yard on a traverser, that also includes points for a quick run round. The plan is that the scenic break of a chalk down tunnel hides this. The fiddle yard is large enough for loco + 1 coach or loco + 3 wagons + brake van. The tunnel exit leads into station with run round loop. The right hand tunnel entrance is for a head shunt and access to the chalk quarry. My hope is to build a small low relief station building maybe like Shide. The run round loop includes a siding with a small hard standing for goods unloading. Next to this is a headshunt that leads to 2 long sidings parallel to the yard. I plan to have an industrial workshop building on one siding. It is cut into the side of the old chalk workings so then forms part of the scenic break. The type of workshop that has seen or can be for a variety of purposes. It certainly isn't a real location, and certainly isn't prototypical, however it will allow me to run locos and practise building techniques for a larger layout. I mocked up the scenic structures in scrap card. Hopefully over the next week there will be running engines.

So it has been a long while since I posted, family life and a busy job has rather hampered progress. However I decided that I needed to make a layout to run trains and use my building skills, and set to between visitors over Christmas building something. The main layout is still the overall goal but I wanted to make a bit more progress on something smaller. I used a lighter baseboard and restricted myself to 1.2m in length by 30cm width including the fiddle yard. This means I can use it on my office desk. It isn't based on any specific IOW location but rather includes features you might have seen. So far baseboard built, layout decided, traverser built, track bed done and I am just starting on the wiring. Fingers crossed a train might run in the next week. Photo shows the layout before the cork was laid, to show the track layout.

Here is the film I found online of the cement traffic. http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/3163 Simon

As I am quite new here, I have been reading all the isle of wight threads. I had one question I had not been able to find in any book or in the forum. In roughly what year did the vectis cement wagons change to blue circle livery? I was needing to know which livery I should be using for my period of modelling. I have also found on the internet some film of cement works traffic, it shows from the chalk pit, through Newport and to the cement mills. I will put the link up later. Simon

Phil Thanks for the photos, very useful. I have an idea of having one of the sheds open at the edge of the baseboard so you can see inside. This might not survive some rationalisation but that is the current plan. Simon

Just ordered, thank you for the help. I must have tried every shop online and completely forgotten about tmc. Simon

After a good deal of research, trying and changing my mind. I decided to go DCC for my layout, I have now discovered everywhere I try is out of stock until October. Does anyone know of any model shops with Gaugemaster Prodigy 2 Starter kit in stock. I really want new rather than a secondhand Ebay purchase. Thank you Simon

Thank you for the offer Pete but I ordered Southern Rails on the Isle of Wight. It is excellent and includes lots of track plans / maps. I think I have enough to start building a few bits now. Although like all things, it makes me think I should make my layout a bit larger. Thank you Simon

I had intended to post again more quickly but a beautiful new daughter and lots of works has rather delayed it. Ironically whilst modelling time has been limited, thinking time has not. A spare 30 minutes on the train to work or being awoken at 5am in the morning. Much in the way, the devil makes work for idle hands, too much thinking time makes me question my decisions so far. Firstly the layout is inspired and guided by the Isle of Wight and was never intended to be prototypical. Thus my decision to have double running tracks so I can have more trains moving has certainly added complication. However after lots of thought, I have concluded, I would regret it in the future if I went for single track. Although with the modular approach I could always build single track sections. Decision made double tracks remain. Secondly, I had decided that given limited modelling time and that I am relatively inexperienced, that I didn't want to have North Cowes as my first module. Due to the number of custom structures required. Therefore I have decided to build a representation of Newport carriage sidings, running shed and works as my first module. Decision made Newport depot is the first module. Thirdly, I was planning to do DC operation, I had drawn the schematics and compiled a parts list. The issue being that as I was effectively now building a depot, it has lots of traction sections and that was going to be a lot of work. Thus after a visit to the excellent Going Loco in Wakefield I have decided DCC operation is the way forward. This will also support the modular concept much better in the long term. Lastly having collected a large number of components the time has come for me to bite the bullet and start building the layout. This means I am going to have to commit to these decisions. Hopefully the next post will show some decisions made and progress on building. I have posted a question in the forum on the best source of information on the buildings in Newport depot. I have a track plan (map), some photos of the building exteriors. I would like to understand what was inside and how they were used to make my model as accurate as possible. On a side note, being a home modeller and only ever having attended one show, as I said my time is sadly very limited. Thus my interaction with other modellers has been limited. Whilst in a model shop recently I had an excellent hour long chat with two gentlemen who also enjoyed the subject of the Isle of Wight railway. It really did show me the passion and friendliness of those involved in the world of model railways.

I am planning on modelling a layout inspired by Cowes. However due to restricted time and wanting somewhere to run my locos, I have decided to model the engine shed and works area of Newport first. My aspiration is to have a modular layout modelling various sections of the island. I found these excellent photos here I was wondering if anyone could advise on which books if any had good information, track layout and photos of the Newport Engine shed facilities. Thank you Simon

Modelling in OO (4mm) so I can run some older stock. Boards are 20 inches wide (510mm), made from 9mm ply top with 94mm depth. Modules can be any multiple of 100mm in length. Planning to post a bit more on boards later in the week.