ullypug

Bet you're feeling a bit sheepish?

spell checker! Twerton of course! 

The track looks great, Andrew.

 

Will you eventually operate trains on the higher level?

 

Does the top have to be a main line, or could one of the tracks be truncated as a siding, indicating some occasional shunting movements up there might be possible?

The aim is to have the ability to operate the top level yes.

I have wired for a two track main line, but I did flirt originally with the possibility of introducing a cross over and a siding as a start of a single to two track affair. Gives an excuse to have a train stopped at a signal or something.

The aim was always to have a station on the upper level with a building going down to ground level, a bit like Ewerton on the GW Bath to Bristol line, It would also give the excuse to have part of a footbridge between the platforms as a scenic block for the upper lines.

I'll post the latest photos to bring everything up to date when I can find them.

Thinking about it a siding would give the excuse to only have one cassette in the fiddle yard.

Is this P4?

Yes it is!

I can only echo what everyone else has said; a very enjoyable day (or half day in my case), good to chat to people and put faces to names. Shelton Abbas is lovely, the pasties were good. Well done to all those who organised and participated.

As i mentioned initially, this project has been underway for a while, so what follows is a summary of some of the progress to date.

Armed with a rough idea and a track plan, I duly set about building the baseboards. These are a 4mm ply coffin box with 12mm ply for the track bed, split over three levels for the mainline, quayside and quay itself. I used 19mm square batten for reinforcing the corners.

Initially I considered using my usual laminate underfloor foam as a track base for the quay, but decided that as most of this will be under sets anyway I couldn't see how I'd be able to use something like Das without it cracking.

Track building uses soldered copper clad for the inset areas and ply and plastic chairs for the short sections of the two branches coming in from the right. For those who know the Coxside area of Plymouth, the quayside plan is an abridged version of Sutton Harbour, with the LSWR and GWR branches converging onto the quayside, only in my case it's a supposed extension of the PDSWJR and I've compressed things a bit. 

The double track main line uses flexitrack bases. As it will be up on a viaduct, the track will most likely hidden from view by a combination of the parapet walls and the buildings in front. The mainline is purely fictitious and started as a way of providing a scenic break along the rear of the layout, though it will  be operable (not that I've got any pre-grouping main line stock).

The back scene former is some of the Palight foamed sheet I had kicking around, as is the frontage for the viaduct. I'm still debating whether to detail this viaduct in full or use Scalescenes paper. The plan is to have buildings from the viaduct front right up to the quayside tracks along most of the layout, albeit with a road and over bridge at the right hand side end. Whether I have room for a set of level crossing gates or not remains to be seen.

The plan is to have warehouses forming the scenic block for the left hand exit, with similar and the end of a station on the upper level at the right hand end. We'll see!

There is a working wagon turntable on the left hand side, more details of that will follow in a subsequent post.

A layout from the days of sail, set a quiet corner of Sutton Harbour in Plymouth. The quay side buildings nestle by the waterfront serving a variety of industries happily going about their business, whilst main line trains scurry past in the distance up amongst the roof tops. The harbour is served by separate branches built by the PD&SWJR and GWR hauled by venerable tank engines of the PDSWJR, LSWR and GWR. Inset track and cobbles abound. A waggon turntable allows access to some of the warehouses and leads round to Victoria Quay.

The layout will be shewn in a ‘coffin box’ measuring 4’6” x 18” x 18” and will be built to P4 standards. There will be small fiddle yard shelves at either end measuring some 16”x16”. Viewing height is likely to be circa 4’6”, though the layout will be capable of being set up on a table top.Although this is going to be an exhibition layout, it will be set up at home so I can play trains. It may also allow me to test stock being built for other projects. The whole layout will fit comfortably in a car and be operated by two people.

In truth, this is an idea I've been toying with for some time as I'd like to have a small layout at home that I can play with whilst I'm building Cheddar. 

I have actually made a start on it but just hadn't got round to posting anything yet. The challenge gives me the perfect opportunity!

What a splendid idea. Entry form duly submitted. Details to follow.

Always an enjoyable show.

Good day today and nice to see some old friends too before the long drive home to Somerset.

Think I spent a record low on two packs of LMS goodies off the Parkside stand and a bit of brass off Eileens. Bonus.

And the fish and chips up in the restaurant were not half bad either.

That's looking very good. I'll have something similar to do at some point

And very nice it is too. Though why it's coupled to the Italian ferry van I've no idea!

Nice. Funnily enough I spent last night wrestling with some conflat chains...

How much do you need? I've a pack of C&L N/S left over from building my Clevedon layout

Verrryy nice as always!

I'm still convinced these need to be re-gauged to P4 at some point...

Very impressive, especially as all the photos are enlargements of the model. I've not noted the 51L hopper before. I'll be interested to see how it develops.

I like that a lot.

Very nice as usual Adam. I've a couple of Justin's chassis for the 21 Tonners. I need to find my round tuit...

Just returned back from the layouts first visit to the North East at Spennymoor, where we won Best Model!

 

Many thanks to Mike Duncan and Paul for their help, and the DLPG for putting on a super show at a great venue!

 

Very nice as usual Adam. I must get round to building one of my growing collection of Justin's u/f kits. Too many distractions!

Very nice. I keep looking at the Antic's WCPR limited edition of No 4 and trying not to be tempted!!!

<ahem>

 

Spirit Level - Portchullin.JPG

 

Cheers!

Flymo

I did ask you if you had a licence to use a spirit level...

:-)

Well done Nick. Good to see the mojo returning.

and I think Carrie's a keeper!!

just a few photos of the coil hood wagon which duly appeared on Hebble Vale yesterday at Expo EM. Quite what that load was doing in West Yorkshire is anyone's guess!

Looking good!

Think I did the first Terrier with new plasticard splashers and the second with brass. Brass was definitely easier.

Does it run ok?

(PS haven't forgotten about the axles - honest!)

You really, really need a layout...

Very nice. Didn't get update notifications for some reason so hadn't seen the lowmac progress.

Very good.