10800

Actually, having seen demos of DCC/sound I thought them impressive for diesels, but not so sure about the (few) Kettles seen/heard so far.

Agreed, and to be fair the sound issue is not the main driver here.

Very useful little construction/modification sequence Andy, and an authentic looking result

It is just a massive project Rod, I can't remember whether we dicussed this or not, but would you consider a roundy-round with bits coming off, or would that be simply too big?

 

That would be a bit big I think, Nick, we'd end up taking over the whole of a fairly large exhibition hall! But maybe we should link it in to TT2 and use that as the fiddle yard?

I don't think we're anticipating running a full authentic service , just an indication of the types of trains (that will be enough in itself!). Next step will be to build some small-scale mockups to see what it really looks like!

bonkers, you are, but if you pull it off, it will be something very special indeed.

I think that pretty much sums it up for us Trevor - the prospect of doing something 'very special' will help to overcome the self-doubt over the sanity of what we're embarking on! But Jim thinks it's entirely reasonable - perhaps we should attach BNS at the top? (Noooooo............!!! - now that would be silly!)

I'm going to have to change gauge if you do.

You'd be welcome to come and help operate, Raphael!

There's a photo at the top of http://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=401

and there were some in Scalefour News at about the same time.

I have some more which I'll put up some time, possibly in a separate blog or layout topic.

Whats the plan with Swaverly? Are we going to work on that?

Doh! yes of course, forgotten about that, I was thinking more in terms of brand new layouts rather than restorations!

Impressive work guys.

 

Now that TT2 is nearly finished what's on the cards next? Any plans for a DRAG exhibition layout?

 

Brian.

Thanks Brian! No plans for a DRAG layout as far as I know, most members have their own individual or joint projects.

Very nice John - I'm waiting for the Heljan Cl 15 to arrive as a donor chassis for mine. The Alexander kit does seem to be well produced - although in my case I will have to pare off the lower set of louvres on the sides for the earlier condition (1952) I want for Eridge.

At least you're not Mark, Nick!

Nice intro Nick, keep 'em coming!

Radii are around the 1800 mm (c 6ft) mark

Very nice - and I do like angled 3-arch overbridges! http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=viewimage&img=206

When do you think you'll be at a stage to run something around the complete canted curve? It does look great in the photos but we bottled it when it came to the club layout! I assume the Tillig strip deals with the transitions adequately?

Hi Craig

I should think sometime around March, maybe earlier? Wiring up is only just starting (not that it's especially complicated, but our DRAG sparky is busy building control boxes to enable easy DC/DCC switchovers) and there's the other end to do. We also now have to think hard about transportation as we have no permanent storage at the halls we use for clubrooms. Either convert the trailer we have now for TT1 or get a new dedicated one.

But don't worry, we're itching to get to play with it properly as well!

John will be able to explain the Tillig transitioning (over the same distance of about 2ft that the curve is transitioned). I know we talked about it a lot but I've forgotten excatly what we said we'd do!

The J class is the Ace kit (the Langley kit is the L class Baltic) - Mike is doing one and one day I will get round to doing the other one. There were some pics of it on the old site http://www.rmweb.co....art=100#p497999

before it was very nicely painted.

Not the easiest of kits I understand, but Mike has certainly made his usual nice job of this one.

For pre-1959 FB renewals use the FB-109 switches in Templot. These are in effect "drop-in" replacements for the REA bullhead designs, and virtually identical in geometry

Thanks Martin - as it happens I might be firing up Templot this afternoon to start this, so that's very timely!

That really is one very impressive structure chaps. Nigel must have been a very talented craftsman. So do you have any idea on a timescale?

 

Nigel certainly was!

John is itching to get on and experiment a bit with baseboard methodologies for 'Fremo' type modular sections so that the layout can be shortened or lengthened to suit circumstances. I would like to think we can get on with it properly once DRAG TT2 is out of the way but there's still a lot of planning and research to do yet!

Also, having visited the viaduct last week, we are rethinking how best to use Nigel's model given the importance of the oval pier cut-outs to the character of the structure. It would be a shame to cut out the piers on Nigel's model even if we could, so it may be that we will have castings made of the piers - and the balustrades, and the porticos. At this rate we might yet end up scratchbuilding the thing leaving Nigel's viaduct for other purposes!

Where was the yard in relation to the station? There are very few clues left as you speed through on a fast train. Has it always had the crazy narrow bit of platform under the bridge?

Hi Cornelius

The yard was on the up side where the car park now is. It wasn't big, just two sidings on either edge and a short stub for a brake van or loco. There were also up and down refuge sidings north of the station.

I don't think it always had the narrow bit of platform under the bridge (which you have to pass a Samaritans poster to get to ) - John and I are trying to work out the sequence of platform lengthening and shortening over the years - Balcombe is not the most photographed of stations.

This shot really highlights the difference between Peco HO track and British P4. However, I wonder why your group didn't use SMP for the 00 track seeing as it would have been a better match and the differences would not have been quite so obviouse.

 

Larry G.

Hi Larry

As CK mentions, mainly for robustness. It's only a test track, and so the objective is just to have a robust framework that allows the rails to be set the right distance apart - what that framework looks like is not such a concern, hence the use of Peco. And yes it does highlight the difference between 00 and P4, possibly a little unfairly because 00 can be made to look better - but again that's not the objective.

You could try http://www.geog.suss...hotos-historic/ there seems to be photo coverage from the 40's - search 'Balcombe'. You'll have to push the map around a bit to cover the station.

 

Emma

Thanks for reminding me of that site Emma

As you say there are 1940s photos but they're not of good enough resolution to check track layouts - although they are good for scenery purposes. I've since acquired a copy of the signal diagram from the changeover to colour light on electrification which shows that the basic plan was unchanged from 1910 to then, and photos of electrics in the yard show that it lasted at least until 1950 or so.

The platforms seem to have been lengthened at the same time as the yard was taken out, probably in the 70s.

Have you looked at the RAF vertical aerial photos at English Heritage?

Not yet Tim, but that's a possibility - thanks for the reminder

Big! I like the ideas, but the space required is frightening.

 

Then again, I want to do a tailchaser layout (I get really annoyed by units that have headcodes at the back - but maybe that's just me), and even for a limited selection of more recent West Coastway trains and only 4 car units I'm still going to end up with at least 12 feet of length (to hold enough different units in the storage), maybe more if they won't go round the trainset curves I plan to use. So, if you can handle that size, may the volts be with you - when push comes to shove I'd much rather see more southern electric and avert my eyes from the rear views.

 

Thanks Ken

I agree about headcodes, something we will need to address carefully. There was a topic on the old site about working roller blinds in 4mm but I'm not sure we will go to quite those lengths.

Obviously with a total scenic length of around 25-30ft and 12ft fiddle yards each end (if we want decent length trains) it's not going to be permanently housed anywhere and may only come out in full at exhibition - assuming we get that far!

As you know I've always liked this concept Raphael and I look forward to seeing more

Very nice Pete and something to aim for with mine, having bought one of the very last Kirk 2-BILs from Branchlines at Scaleforum.