George Hudson

I finished the retaining wall and decided to have a clear up and run a few trains to celebrate! (I have posted some further pictures of its construction on the Scalesenes sub forum for those interested: yet to be cleared by mod as I write this). Here are some views of Aldersgate for those, like me, who never tire of looking at other peoples' projects. I am off to UK this Friday so if anyone sees a German registered Sharan in the car park, you will know that I made it to Midland Railex! Andrew

dragging the thread back from the beer theme, I thought I would I would prove that I and Aldersgate are still alive! I am posting here therefore some minuscule progress with a picture of my take (part finished) on GE style retaining walls.

Wonderfully well observed. I was just browsing "layouts" looking for my favorite threads when I was well and truly ambushed by this. I for one would very much appreciate more photos. Andrew

Just thought I would jump in and add another expat “wowâ€! This has certainly caught my attention and I will be adding it to the (now longish) list of layout topics which I regularly visit. I guess there are a lot of expats on RMWeb because it is often hard to find like minded souls locally (assuming you are modeling the UK) and contact through the site is particularly helpful therefore. Best of luck with the project, a lot of people will be cheering you on I am sure. Andrew

Not wishing to be pedantic, that must have been another Town of Ramsgate. The one I recommend is in Wapping High St. Owen's house was in Narrow Street in Limehouse, a few miles away at the other end of the Highway. Andrew http://www.pubs.com/main_site/pub_details.php?pub_id=235

The Prospect of Whitby is too well know. Many pubs in the East End were referred to by the name of the landlord eg in Redmans Rd there was a pub, now gone, which I think was the Bricklayers' Arms but always known as Jim Mead's. Perhaps we need a pub thread (not suggesting this is an original idea!) I shall try to return to the Aldersgate topic when I have made some more progress. Andrew

Next time my tip would be the "Town of Ramsgate" in Wapping. It still maintains a semblance of authenticity. Andrew

Thanks. I intend to have the siding which you mentioned to collect the clinker from Norton Folgate power station (perhaps I will call it Triumph Folgate). That is the intention for the little spur at the top of the board and I have picture of the siding in use in my "Aldersgate scrapbook" of inspirational photos. I wll probably soon start on the low relief buildings and retaining wall at the back of the station as an antidote to the marathon electrics session. The good thing is that I can do these before I have painted and ballasted the track since they will not be in the way. This means I can switch between the trackwork and scenery so that neither becomes boring. The buildings are in fact my favourite part, oh yes, that and also standing in the middle of the whole thing watching the trains go by with a silly grin on my face! Andrew

A small update for those following developments. Hopefully without sounding too smug or tempting fate, I can report that the station throat is now fixed down and operating fully. All droppers, electro frog feeds etc have been left unsoldered underneath as yet but this will be the next session. There is only one area of track near the crossing which had slightly questionable geometry with hindsight and it may be that I purchase a dremmel and replace the offending 15 cm. (I won't say where it is exactly!). I am posting a shot across the tracks which I believe will look like a plausible Liverpool Street type approach when I have it ballasted, painted, backed by some high retaining walls/warehouses and covered with a suitable road bridge or two. Regards Andrew

Hello all, A quick update for those following Aldersgate. I have spent the afternoon cutting about 80% of the track for the station throat. Although there are a few pressure points which need to be squared up, I am reasonably satisfied with the result given the limitations of using proprietary pointwork. The Peco 75 range is an excellent product but I always envy those modelers able to build their own and generate beautiful sweeping pointwork. Anyway, my modeling is like politics: the art of the possible! Apart from one loop of the mainline, all the pointwork is simply resting under its own weight and is not fixed in place. The next stage will be to make sure it all works electrically with the flexi track pinned in place lightly and then take it all up again to drill out the holes for point motors. Thereafter I will check that everything works with point motors also and when this is confirmed lightly tack the track with small drops of woodwork adhesive between or at the edge of sleepers. This is my preferred method of keeping the track in place before conventional ballasting. Phew 4 hours seem to have one by in about 15 mins. Regards Andrew

Hi Roger, Thanks for the comments. In my plan I am trying to do this operationally by having the two outer sidings and the inner 3 way point arrangement. Although not exactly the same, the arrangement will give space for tank engines to be hanging about waiting for their next duties (I have seen a photo showing three waiting on one spur) and also by extending the outermost sidings along the throat, hopefully giving the impression of more running rails than actually exist in my limited space. Perhaps when Aldersgate reaches its final resting place there might be space for an add on board and a GER style covered turntable. I don't know when it was scraped but I am sure someone on the RM site or at GERSoc will have a date on that. Regards Andrew

Oh dear, my Britannia seems to have conked out after several successful circuits. It's DCC and I have been running it on a Fleischmann analogue controller mmmm perhaps I shouldn't have. The B17 (not DCC) seems to be running ok still. Not happy. Anyone out here have any ideas?

Thanks. Yes, and one of the two inspection pit roads will actually go further for a cameo reproducing a spur to the Norton Folgate power station which was at street level at Liverpool Street. The power station had a chute which routed clinker and waste from street level down to open wagons. I have the front of the station partially modelled already. Andrew

Hi Dave Thanks for taking the time to think about this. Your comments on the facing/trailing points on the right are correct of course. Murphy’sLaw dictates that this would be the only part of the layout in the throat that I have put down (including drilling out for point motors etc!!). It would have been ok I guess if Aldersgate were a terminus but since I have reinstated the fabled link to the Metropolitan which existed for a time at Liverpool street and turned it into a (sometimes) through station then it needs a set of trailing points. I will have to think about whether I lift it or leave it. Mmm I think the left is ok since I have marked the running lines as you can see in the photo. They are actually the second and third lines from the left. The extreme left hand line is a sanctuary for tank engines on suburban works. When Liverpool Street was the busiest suburban station in the UK, the platform ends were peppered with spurs and refuges with water, ash pits and rather makeshift coaling stages. I am making the refuges on the extreme right and left pretty long partly because in I have seen pictures where several engines are lined up ready for service and also, frankly to give the impression of “lots of track†at the station mouth to add to the main line flavour. Thanks again for your input! I have completed one circuit of track laying and so Aldersgate lives at least. The mighty Britannia has already made several circuits pulling a rake of blood and custard stock. Andrew

Hello all, I have revised my plan(any comments most welcome) I have also been playing around with the overall feel of the station throat which I find impossible to visualise except by actually laying track pieces on the board! Although I would have liked more of a curve to the right, (the minimal board widths won’t allow this) I am reasonably satisfied with the overall feel of the track position. I intend to lay the main up running line (i.e. the furthest loop track from the inside of the layout) and progress this around the whole layout thus having one full loop to run. I will then work inwards matching tack distances and curves to fit. Andrew

David, I think this is where you mean. It's a great vantage point and an interesting space. I don't have any plans to exhibit the layout. My woodworking isn't up to transportation but when I return to the UK in a couple of years I would like to locate it to be used and extended by a club perhaps. We will see. Regards Andrew

Yes, I think you are right, properly done they could be strong and I will not in any case use them for fully supporting the roof. The thread you mention is Ron in Spain and his work is very inspiring but to aspire to his standards is a little daunting. Notwithstanding this, I am thinking of making up some form of jig based on the drawings which I have put together for the foam board attempts. I would use this jig to assemble the trusses from plasticard and "L" or girder section plastic. Andrew

I just watched the video from 17th April with a stupid smile on my face fixed for the full running time. Really excellent, you should be proud of this both in its conception and construction. (I have sort of said this before but deserves repeating!) Andrew

Pete, I don't have space for the lurch unfortunately but I will be satisfied with an elegant curving of the mainline platform at some huge radius with the junction at a slant to the main board as the mock up pictures show. Regards Andrew

Don't worry about the name. I was going to be "Claude Hamilton" but decided that I would rather be a rougue than a Lord. Andrew ps still musing over that trackplan. Good job I have had little modelling time which provides more thinking time.

Thank, I am in that area about once a month and will look out the signal box. Could use it on Aldersgate as a feature. Andrew

Well I now consider myself fully blown away by your expert and fascinating in-depth knowledge! All contributions, as ever, most welcome. Andrew

Hello all Just a short update for Aldersgate followers and a request for assistance. First the request for assistance: having had some helpful pointers from several members, I have a draft plan. I would appreciate comments and improvements. The site is basically a terminus with a cheat so that I can enjoy a continuous run also. The only traffic will be passenger; express semi fast and suburbans. Carriage sidings, loco facilities (apart from some ash pits and Heath Robinson coaling stages for suburban tanks) will be off site. Secondly,I also show a couple of shots of the new site with the completed (level) oval ready for track laying. Hope this is of interest Andrew