WillCav

1 hour ago, Mikkel said:

I'm sorry to hear that Will, sounds like a very rough time. Good that you are recovering.

 

Nice to see photos returning to the blog. I'm off to revisit your Siphon C.

Thanks Mikkel, 

I used the latest Railtex 4218 transfers for Siphon C branding as they have smaller transfers for the Siphon F. The HMRS branding is too wide for the shorter panels.

If you find a Siphon F kit then it is worth doing the cut'n'shut to correct the centre panel and using the same Railtec transfers.

Will

Hi Ian,

The curve really makes the layout seem more organic.

Signal box looks in a good position to minimise rodding runs - don't forget signaller needs safe access there.

I'd check the locations of the shunt signals out of stabling 1 & 3. Usually, for a six-foot interval, the foul point is where the converging lines are just parallel. Eg. loco right at signal in SP1 could get sideswiped by another entering SP2.

Does the goods yard exit need to be a main signal to allow better speeds?  If there's another main signal offstage then maybe not.

Not trying to be critical but easier to fix at design stage if it needs moving - especially if the siding length is tight for the stock you want to use.

Will

Lovely little engine, and the weathering is really good.

With that telephone number, I thought it would be more multi-coloured?

Will

Hi all,

I've now found a better way to make the sacktruck door.

1 Cut along below the door separating the section of floor edge with the hinges on. Keep this bit for stage 3.

2 Cut the sides of the bottom plank, deepen the groove on the back and bent the bottom plank out as before.

3 Now that the door is bent out, glue the little bit back where it was

This is a bit more accurate than what I did on the first one.

Will

8 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

... Parkside kits are generally superb but on this one I couldn't really get on with the buffer heads and the spring door-stops, components that are victims of a slight mis-registration between the two halves of the mold. You seem to have made a good job of the buffers but the step on the door-bangers is still very obvious. After much scraping and filing, on the second one I built I gave up and made some from brass strip.

Compound,

I cut the buffer heads from the sprue with too much plastic on them and drilled out the holes a little. When glued and set, I could then file them to shape without them pinging off.

I had to file the door bangers to get a good fit between the solebar projections. Definitely easier to fit before the solebar is attached to the floor. The mould lines are still there but hopefully some more filing and painting will help.

Thanks

Will

Hi Geoff,

I agree that a new kit would be good for Open C / Tube wagons.  I've got a couple of the Ratio ones but haven't been brave enough to try the hockey stick diagonals.

The last GWR design has an even longer wheelbase and length - parkside Mink G kit has a similar underframe if you fancy scratch building a body.

Will

On 08/09/2020 at 13:37, Barry Ten said:

I had to cut floor recesses on mine as well, using white metal bogies.

That makes me feel better - I wasn't 100% sure that I had the ride height right, but you have used the same solution.

It was a bit of a shock having to do this after swapping Mainline Siphon G bogies was a 2 minute job!

Thanks

Will

Hi Sidmouth,

The bogies are more GWR like on the airfix/mainline Siphon G and H but it still has the earlier DC brakes so would still need some modifications for the later types of Siphon G.

GWR did have palethorpes vans but unfortunately they were 6 wheel vans and the Lima one is fictional.

Regards 

Will

Glad to hear that it's all in hand.

Will

Paul,

Looking forward to seeing this layout being built - an interesting idea.

One observation - are the retaining walls and the low wall by the ferry a bit close to the tracks?  You might want to check the clearances by running some stock through before everything is fixed in place.  Especially, check the curved line on the crossover as the ends of a long vehicle swing out wide and may hit the low wall.  It could be that it's an optical illusion and all is well but I wouldn't want you to have problems later and have to re-build.

regards

Will

Kit,

There are a few important things to think about with semaphore signal boxes.

Location: it needs to be in a position to be able to see the tail lamp of the trains as they go past before giving line clear to following trains.  It also needs to be next to the road if there is a level crossing and close to the points it controls. Modern design is 350m max for manual operation.  Signals can be considerably further as they are lighter to pull.

Size: if it looks too small for the location, it will look wrong. It can be too big as the company would design in some spare levers - or the track could have been rationalized leading to spare levers.

Heritage: the architecture should match the company or its predecessor- same with the signalling. 

Operation: 2 identical layouts could be signalled in different ways due to the operational requirements.  If you need to share platforms (say, pilot onto back of train) then you need calling on signals whereas if it were units only, you don't.   Think of all the moves you need - including run rounds and engine releases. You need signals for all of these ideally.

In 7mm, you can do the point rodding and signal wires. Don't forget expansion compensators. 

Good luck with the signalling - it is hard to get right as there aren't many resources about the subject.

Hope this helps a bit

Will

I've been thinking about signal 3 and the crossover.

On the real railway, you would want to be able to shunt the crossover whilst a train is heading towards the terminus.

There would likely be absolute block in place between the signal boxes and the last signal at box B would remain 'on' until the block section and 440yds beyond the first home signal are confirmed clear through the block instrument. So as well as your offstage distant, you need an offstage home signal 440yds before the crossover.

The only thing this will influence on your model is the number/colour of levers and the diagram in your signal box (if visible).

Regards

Will

On top of Rich's crossovers, I would pair 11 with 19&20 on one lever and have 17&18 on a second lever.

The distant signal has to be braking distance (100s or 1000s of metres depending on speed/gradient) from the first stop signal so doesn't appear on most layouts.

If you really want one, have it as a worked distant on the same post as 26 controlled by the next signal box (for trains leaving the terminus).

Hope that helps

Will

3 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Good to see you solved it. There have been a couple of banana traffic threads on here over the years. This one isn't specifically about the GWR, but I do like the opening photo: 

 

 

Thanks Mikkel,

That was the thread that got me thinking about increasing my banana van numbers. I'm planning to build a Y6 using a Parkside Mink D as a base. When that's done, I'll have 5 banana Vans - which I think is a reasonable number to run together.

Will

5 hours ago, Therealnips said:

 

• As its my first attempt at a layout, I didn't want to over complicate it with pointwork (therefore motors, point controllers, signals etc), so I was going to treat the station more as a through station such as Haywards Heath or Three Bridges. Also at £40 a point, I was trying to keep the cost down a little. The plan is the bare minimum in point work to allow access to and from all areas, but after what you said, I am thinking of moving some of the crossovers into the station area rather than where they are now? Would that look more realistic?

If you think about when the real railways were built, the points were gathered together in a small area for the railway policeman (now signaller) or 'Bobby' to operate.  When signal boxes came in, the points were operated mechanically - the further the point, the more effort to swing it.

There aren't these restrictions on modern signalling but if the points were put there in 18?? then unless there's a good reason, replacement points will go in the same place.

So short answer - yes, nearer the station is usual.  It also helps with capacity as a train waiting for a platform can be closer to the station as the signal can be closer (especially in 4 aspect signalling areas).

Will

Hi,

You're lucky to have such a large space to build a layout.  The problem with the narrow shelf arrangement is that you get a very rectangular track plan. Don't be afraid of having track not parallel to the board edges.

Another few suggestions - does the headshunt by the double slip need to be longer, you need the same length behind the double slip as the longest siding.  Good news is that the track design provides trapping (runaway freight in the depot doesn't end up on the mainlines).

Add some wider intervals between the tracks. Standard arrangements usually have a wideway (or tenfoot) every other track for worker safety - it also provides space for signal posts. Look at your photo at the top, the bridges need a wider intervals too.

Is than minimum radius track at the corners - if you can ease those, you will get fewer derailments and smoother running.

Think about operability, presumably you want to get a freight (clockwise on outer line) into the depot without having to reverse it. Same for exiting. You might need to add / reverse some crossovers.

Do you want trains terminating at the big station? Make sure you can get from/to the appropriate lines. You don't want to be running wrong way for too far as it uses capacity on the real railway. 

Hope this helps - I'm not trying to be critical, just want to help you make a layout that does what you want it to.

Regards

Will

The side door area looks much better and the pile of boxes looks very natural.

Will

The point rodding and cranks all look really great. So often people either don't bother or add them later without having planned it.

Are you going to have working signals as well?

Will

13 minutes ago, richbrummitt said:

 

For the Minks: V12 offset V hanger, central on V14/16. I haven't actually finished any Opens so unable to help on those. I found this out after I finished bending a PECO body and NGS ends into a V12 so have the same issues as you and @Enterprisingwestern have found yourselves in. Since I'd already done the painting and lettering I hid behind a parapet. 

From looking at mink photos, that's what I thought - so thanks for the info.

The opens all seem to be central in photos, unlike the diagram in Atkins!

Thanks

Will

Lovely choice of building. Looks really good.

Will

On ‎26‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 07:51, Enterprisingwestern said:

Now with every kit I attempt I research the prototype as I don't necessarily trust the manufacturer, especially relevant with Parkside kits!

Excellent advice.  I am researching the O11/O15 and V12/14/16 types at the moment as there seems to be some uncertainty as to where the V hanger should go (central / slightly offset / more offset) on somw types and Atkins is not that helpful in this instance.

I have too many DC1 braked vehicles thanks to Cooper craft's instructions too!

Thanks

Will

Really atmospheric - I especially like the wooden platform.

Will

2 hours ago, Mikkel said:

[snip] Good luck with the remedial work, no doubt worth it in the end.

Thanks Mikkel,

I took the plunge last night and started to remove the offending strapping.  It was a lot easier on the Ratio sides than it was on the Copper Craft ends - must be a different form of plastic.  I'm feeling more optimistic about it now.

Will

We put a new tandem in Acton Yard about 5 or 6 years ago. Not quite a 3 way but saves the issue with point blades getting in each others way that you get with a 3 way - and it still saves a load of space.

Not that Acton yard is inglenook material!

Will

22 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

I believe N were rather more specifically loco coal wagons, the Great Western not going in for building its own general mineral wagons, relying on the coal &c trade to provide their own or else hiring them in from the wagon companies.

On reflection, you are probably right Compound. We will never know what was going through their minds 110 years ago but it is fun to try and guess!

Thanks for your reply

Will