Thebodger

As part of an O gauge layout I am now starting to build I am planning to scratch build a coal tower. I am hoping to start track laying shortly however the loading track needs to be located appropriately for the tower. There is a good selection of reference photos online however I cannot find any plans online. Does anyone have access to plans of a single track coal tower that they would be willing to share before I start trying to create plans from the reference photos? I am not modelling any specific location therefore exact design is not overly important however the layout is LNER based.

Evening Gents Having messed about with various plans I have decided to build myself an O gauge MPD layout. The plan is to use DCC control from my Bachman Dynamis controller that I used on a previous oo gauge layout. My intention is to build it so that it can be disassembled to be transported for exhibitions. The design I have so far looks something like this split into 3 boards as shown. The middle board contains all of the lowered areas (Ash pits and sunken road for the trucks) plus possibly a pit at the bottom of the coal tower if I build a tower similar to the Grantham coal tower. I intend to build the layout on a 1/2inch chipboard surface with 2x3 frames as I have a pile of this material available. With regards to the turntable I'm aiming to use the Kitwood Hills turntable possibly with an ADM indexing system (unless anyone can recommend a better option?) Before construction starts does anyone have any thoughts or improvements to suggest? The idea for the sunken roads comes from this photo.

So construction of the valve gear is now well underway, I had purchased a replacement slide bar set but for the life of me I cant work out how to assemble them as they don't seem to resemble the parts provided in the kit. Help!!

Thank you, I think I have some sorted ans should arrive in the next few days! In the mean time the coupling rods are on and everything still turns freely so far. I tried to solder them together but after an hour of trying different temperatures, solders and amounts of filing to key the surface I had no joy... so superglue it is! Now onto the motion! Does anyone have any tips for making the bends required in the motion so close together? Photos to follow this evening

I'm plotting a MPD layout in O gauge, to make the most of this I feel I need to be running DCC, in terms of Locomotives I thin I will use the DCC concepts Decoders with the built in stay alive. I am however unsure about controller systems for my Layout. I used to model OO gauge and have a Bachmann Dynamis still in the Loft from that layout. Could this controller be used for O gauge or is there not enough power output? Or can this somehow be boosted? I'm planning to run some fairly large locos including an A3 which is currently under construction if this effects matters! TIA Bodger

So in he move of house I somehow seem to have lost the super heater covers for Royal Lancer, can anyone suggest where I might find some replacements? The last ones came from ebay but unfortunately the listing is gone. Help!

After some mulling over on another thread (thanks to all for their advice) I have decided to model a steam era motive power depot in O gauge although it is not based on any real location it will have an LNER theme as the majority of locomotives I have on my want to build this list are LNER heritage. So far I have a track plan that looks something like this, the intention is to build a working coal tower with wagon tipping and a coal chute so that locomotives can actually be filled with coal then emptied once off scene to create plenty of operational interest. The sidings on the lower edge of the plan allow small trains of supplies for the shed, primarily 12 ton vans and various other trucks (Including a flat truck carrying driving wheels for an A3 that I built in the process of learning to solder). Meaning I can run more than simply the ash and coal trucks normally associated with steam MPDs. The sunken ash road is taken from an image i found online that i am currently struggling to add to this post and seemed to me to be an interesting addition to the plan. Any suggestions or ideas are gratefully received total length of the layout is 16 feet. Edit here is the image

Oops no photos attached, does anyone have advice on fitting pickups. I know that my cab doors are wrong as are the steps on the tender but i think i will just accept that as both will be hard to fix!

So a longer break for Christmas than expected... a busy 2021 and a move completed and now back to Royal Lancer! The tender is now complete as far as I can see (buffers were fitted after I took the photos) Coal rails were a challenge but I am pleased with the end result! The back head is also as good as complete just the regulator to add and the wash down pipe. Finally a chassis update with the motor fitted and running nicely work on the motion cannot be far away (Gulp!)

PS the sunken road for ash trucks is taken from this image

So having had a good think I think the MPD is probably the best option for me I enjoy building locomotives and rolling stock, while I would love to see passenger operations I don't quite have the space to build the layout I would like to see. The added bonus of a MPD is that it could in the future be added as a module to a larger layout. The design allows for coal and ash trains to run along with the sidings on the near side of the layout allowing me to run some small trains of 12 tonne ventilated trucks with supplies for the Shed. (Also allows me to have a play with a shunting puzzle should the mood take me). One thing that did strike me were tank locomotives loaded from the coal tower or was a separate coal stage used?

Having had another play with Near Holmer's idea has allowed me to get the double slip in but I cant quite fit the bay in. Still I think possibly the best so far? I am having second thoughts whether I might be better with the engine shed idea allowing me to build some big locos, does anyone have some thoughts on this (it would quite fun to build myself a working coal tower in the LNER style).

Having spent a bit of time designing again, the length of the points are the only point of issue with the design Near Homer drew, the only way I can make the head shunt work is to stretch the station somewhat which means the space for the Traverser is lost. However i feel this is the most prototypical option I have so far drawn up. Pursuing the approach suggested by DCM I can definitely retain the traverser and feels slightly de cluttered compared to my first attempt. Mol I like your thoughts on the excursion train definitely adds to the fun of operation to run it like that. I have a bit of a scheme regards turning locos, essentially by splitting the traverser in two, however this isn't drawn!

I am leaning towards the curved station idea, what tweaks would you recommend I make? The turntable I was looking at is a 60ft turn table, Large I know but maybe only 10 feet more than the real thing? I think the station would be more fun to use, the only thing drawing me to the MPD is that what got me into O was a model of an A3 which will not fit onto the layout! I think I will use Alex Jacksons as I have had a play with them in the past and found them to be very efficient couplings which arent too hard to make!

Having taken 1 more look at the room I could orientate the railway the other way which adds an extra 5 feet. I know the big table is a little much but I think worth it for the extra operational enjoyment! I have 2 basic ideas for a station or for a steam MPD which maybe a more realistic set up. Which could include a traverser Or the possibly more realistic shed