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Yan

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  1. Yan

    Could I plan the layout better?

    By Yan,


    Layout Planning
    The new "Man Cave" is an extended Dunster log cabin and in part of its construction there are two walls that protrude into the internal space of the room.

     
    Initially I was thinking about turning Rospeath Lane into a "roundy roundy" but these two walls hindered this to some degree. Many plans were drawn but I began to realise that it would become a very ambitious layout. One that may require more time than I have left to bring to a reasonable state of completion. Also I started to have thoughts about how I was going to continue with exhibiting a layout along with improving and learning more about the hobby. That the main reason why Boscarne Junction has been born.
    So could I have designed it any better?
     
    I've tried a few different ways of fitting the plan into the space but didn't want to compromise too much on the track plan. My main though was to keep the integrity of the track layout with the only compromise being taken on the siding length. The result being the track plan below.

     
     
    After posting my thoughts and ideas on a couple of forums I received a good few replies with excellent suggestions. The major problem I had with the track plan above was transferring cassettes between Bodmin North/Wenford and the Bodmin General cassette boards. One suggestion was to curve the Bodmin North line so that the Bodmin North/Wenford and Bodmin General cassette boards could be combined.
     
    I was not sure about curving the Bodmin North line as I felt it would deviate too much from the original and therefore loose some of the genuine feel of the junction. Even so, I played around a little and finished up with the plan below.
     

     
    I must admit it solves the problem very well with transferring full and empty clay wagons between the Bodmin North/Wenford and Bodmin General Lines. The other bonuses this plan gives are; 
    It will allow me to include the Southern Railway bridge over the River Camel.  With enough trees this compromise of curving the Bodmin North line could be masked quite well. The trees will also be a natural break between the bridge and junction to give a tantalising glimpse of trains running over the bridge to/from Boscarne to Bodmin North/Wenford before they appear at the junction or disappear into the cassette board. By extending the Bodmin North line will allow any shunting of Siding 2 from this end to be contained within the scenic section of the layout. As this curve brings the two lines closer together I need to work out the land contours leading up to the Southern Railway Bridge. Also the new baseboard is going to complicate storage and transportation. 
     
    One of the many decisions I need to make is whether to include a track around the back of the layout.  This would be used to exchange clay wagons between the Wadebridge and Bodmin cassette boards rather than carry a cassette the length of the layout. I need to discover how regular clay traffic travelled via Wadebridge and along the North Cornwall Line. Then decide if this is a movement I'd include in the timetable.
  2. Yan

    Power Districts and Staining Timber

    By Yan,


    Electrical
    This week has been spent on two main areas:
     
    Pondering the wiring of the layout got me thinking about Power Districts. Staining sleepers prior to track laying.  
    Firstly on the subject of Power Districts I’ve decided to have seven. You may wonder why I’ve gone for seven on such a small layout but let me explain my thinking… I’ve only had the privilege of operating a couple of DCC layouts but one of the main issues I experienced was electrical shorts. On one layout the short brought everything to a standstill, on the other it shut big sections down that in essence stopped much of the layout functioning. My thinking is that there will be a number of locos drawing current simultaneously, not all moving but with some a sound element running e.g. quietly simmering away. With more locos on the layout there might be a greater chance of a short. The aim of the seven Districts is that in the event of a short the offending District can be quickly isolated either automatically or manually so that it will not affect other areas where locos might be live. This should keep the effect of the short on the overall operation of the layout down to a minimum. With the seven Power Districts there will be a good chance that locos will still be able to move on/off the shed or around the shed while the short is being rectified.
     
    Note on sound: the intention is to try and create a subtle soundscape. A soundscape that will convey the experience of viewing the engine shed from afar on a hot August day. If it ever gets to an exhibition the hope is you will have to be within a few feet to hear any sound emitting from the layout (not from the other side of the exhibition hall). Possible easier said than done me thinks…
     
    Well that’s the plan…
     

     
    Staining sleepers has progressed reasonably well with a good 1000 stained but I’m not getting all the results I’m after. I’ve been using a number of colour references in books by Peter Gray and Hugh Ballantyne published by Ian Allen. Colour reproduction and type of film used aside, the pictures in these books do show a generally darker shade than I would have expected.
     

     
    Above is a sample selection from three different batches of stain that I’ve concocted. I’ll be using these mainly for the Engine Shed area and possibly the main line but I’m after a different colouring for the sidings at the front. I decided to visit our local Preservation Railway Line to gather photographic references (see below).
     

     
    These are the colours I would like to achieve for the three sidings at the front of the layout: sleepers that have probably seen better days but were deemed good enough for use in lightly used sections of track and storage sidings. I’ll be trying to portray sleepers that have faded in colour to something like the above photo. I might even try to create a few splits in some of my sleepers with moss/weeds poking through.
     
    To try to achieve something like the above I’ve ordered a few samples of stain that is used to distress furniture or wooden planking for internal walls. These stains have the exotic titles of: Mushroom, Storm Cloud, Gunstock, Tudor, and Gunpowder. Hopefully these will arrive during the week and more sleeper staining trials can continue.
  3. Yan

    Rospeath Lane - The planning stage

    By Yan,


    Planning
    I hope you are you sitting comfortably? I suggest with a coffee and couple of biscuits to hand, or whatever tipple and nibbles this hour of day dictates. This is a long entry and you may need sustenance to keep you awake.
     
    I’ve been planning an Engine Shed project for some time now. Unfortunately I’ve had to revise it due to the reduced space in my ‘Man Cave’. Initially I had 16 feet in length to play with but a decision earlier in the year meant I now only 11ft. My idea is to create a visually pleasing scene with ground rising from front to back which will result in different levels of track. The plan below is the result of these ideas.
     

     
    I printed a full size plan of the above and started to lay out buildings and rolling stock to check on how it would look.
     

    General view looking from the left over the proposed road bridge which will be the scenic break
     

    Here I was testing how the different levels would work, the 08 shunter is at the level the whole engine shed will be, the three sidings in front are below and the three sidings behind are above but on two different levels.
     

    Here I was checking on the capacity and clearances within the running shed area
     
    Even though I’d initially based the track layout on Leamington Spa Engine Shed it somehow didn’t feel right. I’d certainly fulfilled all that I’d set out to achieve with the design, but still felt it was lacking purpose.
     
    So… I set out to find a location. Initially this was a difficult task due to wanting to locate the project in Cornwall, along with the added complication of having to find a location that fitted the above track plan. Cornwall is a relatively small county with almost no extra space for the placement of fictitious routes (let alone any requirement for another Engine Shed). To model one of the real Engine Shed locations would take far more space than I have available and also would not satisfy me visually. So sticking with my current track plan I was on the lookout for any feasible fictitious locations or justifications to move an existing engine shed. After a little research I came across the 1898 proposals for railways to St Just and Sennen.
     
    In April and May 1898 two applications were made under the Light Railways Act 1896: one for a route of 21 miles between Penzance and  St. Just via Newlyn and Sancreed; the second, a proposal made by the Lands End and Great Western Joint for a 20.5 mile route from Marazion to Sennen also via Sancreed .
     
    The route between Penzance and Newlyn was to be operated by an electric railway running along the quayside and promenade.  Steam power along this section was deemed to be too disruptive for the hotels and tourist attractions on route. The line would then be operated by steam between Newlyn and St. Just. The route between Marazion and Sennen would Serve Heamoor (Hea), Sancreed and St.Buryan. Both proposals were rejected with a couple of reasons given being:  there was no connection between the two routes at Sancreed; and the mileage of the two routes did not justify two separate administrations.
     
    In November 1898 both proposals were resubmitted with amendments. This time at a local inquiry held in Penzance on the 30th/31st January 1899. The inquiry found in favour of the Penzance, Newlyn and West Cornwall which was duly approved. The record states: “The two schemes were competitive schemes to serve the same district, and were heard together at the local inquiry, The attitude of local authorities and landowners was generally against the Lands End, St Just and Great Western Junction scheme, and in favour of the Penzance, Newlyn and West Cornwall scheme which was accordingly approved. An Order was submitted to the Board of Trade on the 17th May 1899.” (1)
     
    At first I thought, what a pity, but then the approved scheme was not built. What if the decision went the other way especially as the Penzance hoteliers seemed to be against the Penzance to Newlyn section being operated by steam. I would have thought that the electric railway section may have struggled with heavy fish traffic from Newlyn, let alone the complication of changing from steam to electric power for such a short distance. So my thoughts are that the Lands End, St. Just and Great Western junction scheme was approved with a junction at Sancreed for Newlyn. This scheme would require a junction east of Marazion for these lines running west of Penzance.
     
    So looking along the mainline east of Marazion for terrain that might fit my initial plan I came across the area south of Crowlas where Rospeath lane crosses the mainline. Perfect … so I’m proposing the junction would have been east of Marazion level crossing about where the current A394 crosses the mainline.
     
    Brit Nat Grid Ref: SW 51724 31967
    BNG Eastings, Northings: 151724, 31967
    Latitude, Longitude: 50.135694,-5.475712
     
    A station with sidings similar to Marazion or Gwinear Road would have been constructed between the junction and Rospeath Lane Bridge. An Engine Shed would have been constructed near Crowlas to serve Penzance, St. Just, Sennen and Newlyn.  Then the original engine shed would have been rebuilt and extended in the 1930s by the GWR using loans provided by the Government to relieve unemployment.
     
    Brit Nat Grid Ref: SW 52261 32726
    BNG Eastings, Northings: 152261, 32726
    Latitude, Longitude: 50.142735,-5.468695
     
    This, to me anyway, would make sense that a locomotive shed and storage yards would have been created here rather than Long Rock and Marazion. Traffic generated from the St. Just and Sennen would have included China Clay, fish traffic from Newlyn, along with the seasonal broccoli and potatoes crops. With Marazion having generous sidings to cope with the latter two crops, my thoughts are these sidings would have been located at the new junction in this area rather than Marazion.
     
    The area I’m looking at for my project is below…
     


    Unfortunately, as previously stated, I’d designed the track plan before looking for a location and though the location fits my thoughts on lie of the land, it’s not a true representation of how the track might have been laid out. So I went back to the drawing board and now think I’ve come up with a new track plan.
     

     
    For me this one feels right. I think the addition of the main line gives the layout a location and purpose. In achieving the above I’ve unfortunately had to increase the total scenic baseboard size to 9’ 6” long by 3’6” wide at its widest. I know this will create issues if it is ever invited to an exhibition. This was something I struggled with during planning as I couldn’t create a plan I was happy with that would be easy to transport. Why should I compromise on what I what to achieve for events that will be a long time in the future and may never happen. For the moment I’ve also dropped the idea of a Diesel Maintenance shed, although the line between the Running Shed and mainline is still there.  It may depend on Class 22 allocation for the Sennen and St. Just routes.
     
    It’s not a true representation of the location but it has enabled me to position the model in an area where I can put some meaning to its existence. Also I think I live far enough away to duck the wrath of Kernow folk. The river is to represent the Red River that runs through this area. Overall the location seems to fit with my initial idea of how I want to present the model, with land sloping up away from a river and scrub land. The Red River looks to be more like a large stream rather than the size I was initially intending but will still give the visual effect I’m after.  Unfortunately I’ve had to curve the main line to achieve the layout but think visually this adds to the scene.  Access and departure from the shed will be via a complex bit of track work which I admit may be not prototypical. My excuse is I wanted to use some of the main line to give added interest in operation, otherwise the main line would be superfluous. In the space I have available the track work is the best solution I can come up with (note this is v11).
     
    My initial Signal Box diagram below should help explain track formation. I still need to get this ratified by someone more knowledgeable.
     

     
    The rest of the points within the engine shed area would have been operated by shed staff using levers next to the points. This will entail two lever frames on the model, one for the signal box and one for the shed area. Interlocking the signal box lever frame would be something I’d also like to do but it is probably for the future.
     

     
    Using the above gradient diagram and an OS map I’ve calculated that at this location the main line gradient is 1:103 (from left to right on my track plan). On the model this will result in a rise of 28 mm on the main line from left to right. The entrance to the Engine shed will be at approximately 7mm up from the left and, apart from the coal wagon sidings, will be level throughout the shed area. This will make the Running Shed below the level of the mainline by about 21mm on the right. The coal wagon siding will be higher than the rest of the shed area but I’ll decide on how much as the build/planning progresses. My aim to have subtle and believable changes in track levels that reflect the slopes of the surrounding land.
     
    Unfortunately since the reduction in size of my ‘Man Cave’ I will only, if I leave the door open, have room for a full length fiddle yard on the left. On the right the mainline runs into a wall so running trains along the mainline will not be possible…but who knows what the future may hold? The overall idea is the three sidings at the front will give me an excuse to either display wagons or coaches, or enable some shunting entertainment. The mainline will be used for locos arriving and departing under the control of the signal box. All engine movements (arrivals/departures) will be scheduled via the creation of a timetable. for trains arriving and departing from Penzance and thous that might have run on the fictitious lines to St. Just, Newlyn and Sennen.
     
    A major flaw in the new plan is what happens to locomotives leaving in the up direction (exit stage right) to Hayle or Gwinear Road for shunting duties? As I’ve no room for a fiddle yard at that end I’ll either have to lift the loco off the track or move the whole layout to the left about 18” to create a small fiddle yard. Trouble in doing the latter is the layout will block the room’s entrance. Hmm… Should I curve the mainline through 90 degrees to enable a fiddle yard? Further thoughts to be mulled over I feel…  Will there be a v12?
     
    The extra bit that I’m hoping to do is create some sort of operational feature that will replicate the day-to-day problems faced by shed staff, something that will put me (or any other operator) in a Shed Master and Running Foreman’s shoes. This may take the form of a card system that will dictate what happens to a loco when it arrives on shed or being prepared for its days’ work. I’m still gathering information on this so it's an idea that, I hope, will develop during the course of this project.
     
    Next ‘mind-bender’ is a timetable for this project. I'll be cobbling the timetable together from a Penzance June to September 1957 Passenger Timetable and a Sept 1957 to June 1958 Freight Timetable. To this I'll add the fictitious works of the St. Just, Newlyn and Sennen lines. This will give me a locomotive allocation and something to work with for Shed management.
     
    Progress will undoubtedly be slow on this project but I’ll post updates as and when I have something to report.
     
    Thanks for take an interest and reading this far… hope you didn’t fall asleep too many times.
     
    (1)    Information taken from the Light Railways Act 1896, 31st December 1899 report.
  4. Yan

    Starting to plan

    By Yan,


    Layout Planning
    After enjoying SolRail last November I've been contemplating my next layout that could replace Tredethy Wharf as an exhibition layout. Some of my ponderings can be found at the following here on my revamped blog page. What follows is the result of those ponderings...

    It was way back in 2008 when I was first contemplating building a layout of Boscarne Junction. That one was going to be a fictional take on the junction using some what might have beens. Why fictional? Well it was going to be my first foray into P4 and I wasn't confident about building a model of a real location to an acceptable standard. Tredethy Wharf has given me some confidence that I could achieve a reasonable model of Boscarne Junction and if I don't give it a go I'll never know.
     
    After much thought and a few plans drawn I think the plan below is the best I can do to represent Boscarne Junction in my new 'Man Cave'.
    The rest of this blog with thoughts on the above plan can be found here on my Boscarne Junction blog
     
    Thanks for reading.
    Ian
     
     
  5. Yan

    Trial build of a trestle

    By Yan,


    Baseboards
    To fit Rospeath Lane into my current car I've calculated the trestles need to be less than 3" (75mm) thick when folded flat. On paper it looked achievable, but before this project progresses too far, I thought it wise to test the theory.
     

    Jake the peg trestle
     
    Using a three leg design allows the single leg to be interleaved within the two main legs. It needs a chain or rope attached to stop the legs splaying out. I'm also considering whether the trestles need some levelling devices adding to the legs.
     

    So far so good
  6. Yan
    One would think that after painting hundreds of wargaming figures I'd be able to quickly pick up a brush and get a number of figures completed for a Brake Van Special. Well it's not been that easy as at some point I seem to have lost my mojo for painting figures. So thought I'd try to break back into figure painting by having a go at cattle.
     
    I always intended to have a small herd of cattle in the field on the left, just to add a little more interest at that end of the diorama. Trouble is, I didn't want the standard Black and White Friesian cattle that seem to be most prevalent across the UK. A little research has shown Guernseys are also present in Cornwall so the below have been painted to represent this breed of dairy cattle. They've not been installed on the layout yet as I'm waiting for a delivery of Testors Dullcote. My can of spray varnish seems to have expired since it as last used.
     
     
     


    The cattle are from Langley Miniatures and, in my opinion, are nice castings. Hope they are a good portrayal of Guernseys.
     
    At the Lincoln Show it was mentioned that Tom could do with a dog. Well 'why not' I thought, and in using a model from the Dart Castings range I'm hoping it now looks like Tom has a Border Collie by his side. I've mused over many names for Tom's best friend and finally decided on "Pip".
     
     
     



    So we have Tom and Pip being distracted by Nancy Trevorrow, the Wharfinger. The question still to be resolved is whether Tom and Nancy are husband and wife?!
  7. Yan
    Last weekend was an excellent experience on a number of fronts.
     
    Firstly for the help I received from Gordon prior to the show and during. Also from a good friend, Nick, who travelled from near Ilkley just to play trains on the Saturday before nipping to Derby to visit his son. He enjoyed the show so much he called in on Sunday morning on his way home to offer help for a few hours. To both I offer my sincere thanks.
     
    Secondly for the organisation of the show. From setting up on the Friday to leaving on the Sunday I cannot fault Alan and Nigel for their help and organisation (along with the friendly banter). May the show grow.
     
    Thirdly my thanks to all the people who stopped to have a chat. I think this was the icing on the cake and what made the weekend a truly excellent experience. Not just because of the kind comments but because people took the time to stop, look and try to appreciate what I was trying to achieve with the layout. This is something that I have not done enough when visiting shows as a member of the public, I must change that in the future.
     
    One couple kindly gave the two characters on the layout names, the Wharfinger is now Nancy, the farmer is Tom. One surname proposed by Nick is Trevorrow. So Nancy Trevorrow it is, just need to decide whether Tom is her husband or neighbour.
     
    My only regret from the weekend was not being able to fully appreciate the other layouts at the show. Though Diesels in the Duchy was very close by I was able to sneak off a couple of times to take in this excellent layout.
     
    A few pics of Tredethy Wharf taken over the weekend.
     

    Overall view of Tredethy Wharf
     

    A very busy Wharf
     

    Wharf close up
     

    Tom and Nancy
     

    A less busy wharf towards the end of the show.
     
    Show outcomes:
    Apart from building up my own loco roster, Beattie Well tank is a must, other outcomes from the show are:
    1) The layout requires more storage cassettes.
    2) One point needs looking at as it stopped working,
    3) A few wagons need looking at due to poor performance,
     
    Other work required on the layout will include:
    1) The installation of auto-uncouplers and finally decide on type of couplings.
    2) I'm not sure about the back screen. Might look at creating one the wraps around the corners and is continuous which will remove that join line,
    3) I'd always had plans for a couple more trees and still think they are needed,
    4) Tom requires a dog,
    5) Some live stock are required at the right hand side of the layout, not many just enough to add a little cameo.
     
    Item one on the "other work" list is because I became very aware that shunting wagons in the wharf meant standing in front of the public and blocking their view. Oh... and operating three link couplings while being watched gave me the willies, the result is often pulling a wagon off the track after ten attempts at coupling the darn thing :-).
     
    So enough to get on with and keep me busy for a while.
     
    Edited 5th: Typos and missing first two paragraphs... Doh
  8. Yan
    Wow, I can't believe it has been over 5 years since my last post on RMWeb. In the intervening years some very slow progress has been made but posts have not made here due to me not being sure of my ability and the value of sharing this test plank with the RMWeb community.
     
    But I've recently had a huge reality check, I've been invite to show the layout at Lincoln Model Rail Show in February 2017... just over 5 months time. This opened up a few discussions with the boss and I'm now getting into the 'Man Cave' on a more regular basis. I'm also getting a little more confident of my abilities, so becoming confident about sharing with a wider audience. As a quick update I've posted the latest views of Tredethy Wharf from this evenings visit to the "Man Cave" are below.
     

     

     

     
    For those RMWeb viewers that are interest in my progress during the last five years the following link http://grogleyjuncti.../Tredethy Wharf is to my Grogley Junction blog where I've intermittently posted a few entries on things relating to Tredethy Wharf.
  9. Yan

    1/8th Scale model of the revised layout

    By Yan,


    Planning
    Well.. it's a little rough, but it's helped with a few construction ideas.
     

    Stage left
     

    Stage right
     

    Complete frontal view
     
    There still needs a few of the ancillary buildings to add (sand house, lamp store, etc.) and I might add a bit more detail on the buildings (like the openings to the running shed). I can also continue to play around with the sighting of trees in the background as well as the front. The single tree in the front is to act as a viewing break. Overall though I feel it has been a worthwhile project as it gives me a good idea how it will look.
     
    After looking at the model a few times, I'm beginning to think the proscenium pelmet too low. Something to reconsider when starting to build the layout, me thinks.
     
    I realise that the inclusion of the shed plate on the model will be contentious to some, but in my alternative history Rospeath Lane would have been 83G. Time will tell if I'm brave enough to keep it on the finished layout.
  10. Yan

    A job for the weekend

    By Yan,

    My aim this weekend was to install all the electromagnets that will be used to uncouple wagons fitted with Sprat and Winkle couplings. It all started well marking the position of each electromagnet by drilling through the boards from above with a 1.5 mm drill. The hope is that the small holes, one of which that can just be seen in the picture below, will be easily filled so they're not too obvious and might be used as a position marker.
     



     
    The thickness of the baseboard was then calculated and 5.5mm holes drilled from underneath to a depth just short of breaking through above ground. The only worry I had was, when the electromagnet was installed the ends of the poles would be approximately 5mm short from the bottom of the sleepers and might not be close enough to the rail hight to uncouple the wagons. As a test one electromagnet was installed on baseboard one and wiring attached through to the control panel.
     



     
    Luckily when the circuit was activated I was able to uncouple the two test wagons on which I'd previously installed Sprat and Winkle couplings. Following this successful test four more electromagnets where duly installed in baseboard two.
     



     
    Unfortunately at this point in the proceedings I ran out of wire... such progress only to be halted by the schoolboy error of lack of supplies. An order has been placed for more wire which will hopefully arrive in the next couple of days.
  11. Yan
    I've been a little slow in posting a reply to the previous post due to Tredethy Wharf taking up all my spare time but hope this will explain the little dilemma I've had over my fictious Polbrock Engine Shed. This is, where should I place the junction between the up North Cornwall line and the Wadebridge/Padstow Branch?
     
    Ullypug is correct in saying that the scissors crossover might bit extravagant, and that a signal track would be more suitable for this line, but I wonder if this has been seen in the bigger scheme. I have two thoughts about this end of the layout and I hope the following two (very rough) signal diagrams will help to explain.
    First is a diagram for a single track through this stretch of line.

     
    When I started to think this one through a question I had was, would the LSWR or SR have kept all four signal boxes on this stretch of line? After all the LSWR did do away with the junction box in 1907/8 and had two parallel running single tracks leaving Wadebridge. These where the up North Cornwall line and the Bodmin line.
    So in a thought to simulate this approach and have two parallel lines leaving Grogkey Junction and cut out possibly two Signal boxes I started to draw up plans. I soon realised that Polbock would have needed some way of communicating with Grogley box. Today a telephone might be installed but back in 1907/8 would this have been possible? So I deemed that a Signal box would be required at Polbrock which could also be the junction box. This then created the diagram below;

    In both diagrams the grey areas will not be part of the layout but have been included to get a full idea of each signal boes leaver frames.
     
    Hope this goes some way to explain why I've introduced a scissors crossover at Polbrock but I'd welcome any further comments/thoughts about its inclusion. A resultant bonus with the second diagram is helps in the storage sidings by removing possible point work to separate a single line into storage lines.
     
    Please note: these are early thoughts on the signaling for both options and I have a lot to learn so any guidance from learned gentlemen of this parish would be welcome, especially on LSWR signaling practice.
  12. Yan

    Polbrock Engine Shed

    By Yan,

    During more nights away for work before Christmas and last evening while in rainy Stalybridge, I've been continuing to consider what comes after Tredethy Wharf. Though I was now fairly certain it had to be Grogley Junction there was still doubt it might be one huge step too far. Ullypug made some good observations on one of my recent RMWeb posts in my Tredethy Wharf blog and, though I've been wondering if I could split Grogley up into manageable projects, his comment spurred me on to think a little deeper.
     
    So... after yet more pondering, along with drawing a few more track plans and I've come up with a "cunning plan mi Lord".
     
    How about building Polbrock Engine Shed as stage one?
     
    Either with a single track main line,
     




    or double track main line?
     
     
     



     

    I'm errring on going back to the double track version of Grogley v.14, but even so which ever one I decide on;
    Polbrock Engine Shed would allow me to build locos for Tredethy Wharf with the knowledge that they will also be used on the Engine Shed layout, then eventually Grogley Junction. The layout would fit nicely above my work bench and could easily be extended when I gain the time and or courage to progress to Grogley Junction. The track plan will give me more experience in building track, especially as it looks like there will be a 3 way turnout and a diamond crossing. It will test my skills further in constructing buildings, whether that be kit bashing or from scratch. Building a working turntable will be an interesting project in its own right. Polbrock will introduce me to the skills of building a selection of signals, along with the task to get them working. As Polbrock could be operated as an end-to-end it will allow/encourage me to gradually build coaching stock and further locos that could run between the fiddle yards and in the future be used for Grogley Junction. Once built Polbrock may, depending on where I can position the baseboard joints, be a possible exhibition layout. On an organisational level, to fit Polbrock into the "Man Cave" I'll have some major reorganising to do. This will entail lightening the load of items that I've collected over the years for projects that will not now be built. Once committed to Polbrook there will be no Taff Vale Colliery layout for starters and much less chance of that GWR branch line terminus. The final bonus is that as the engine shed layout will fit into one corner I'll still be able to keep Tredethy Wharf up and running along the back wall of the "Man Cave" until I extend it onto the Grogley Junction.




     

    I'm starting to really like this idea. It feels like a "no brainer", though there are a few thoughts to be pondered during the next 6 - 12 months before the first timbers are cut for the baseboards.
    Will the main line be single track or double track? Position of the baseboard joints (Grogley Junction was being design as a permanent layout so until now I've not had to think about point work missing baseboard joints.) The design of the engine shed building. Will it be a timber shed as Wadebridge's, or a small version of Salisbury's brick built, or a shed built of stone? Would the LSWR have positioned the water tower over the engine shed? What signals will be required? To check this I'll need to create a signalling diagram and seek advice fron knowledgeable people. The diagram will include all signal boxes on my proposed route from Wadebridge Junction through Grogley Junction and onto Ruthernbridge Is the track plan for the engine shed OK? I feel I've covered all activities and the shed would work quite well but I may need to confirm this by doing little more research into the workings of a loco shed. Should I continue with DC or take the plunge and go DCC? (DCC would come into its own with an the engine shed, no need for any isolation sections so all locos, irrespective of size, would be able to be stored buffer to buffer).

    BUT...and it is a big but... before I even think about another project in P4 I still have to convince myself I am capable of constructing a working loco chassis. There would be no point in building Polbrock Engine Shed in P4 if I can't build a Beattie Well Tank or two in P4...
     

    When home I must put these thoughts to one side and get on with Tredethy Wharf...
  13. Yan
    This evening, after adding a few bushes, weeds, and scenic bits at the cottage end of the layout, I thought I'd take a few pic's to see how it is starting to look when some rolling stock is added to the mix.
     



     



     



     
    I'm not sure about the yellow flowers in the field, also I feel the grass texture in the field is looking a little flat but over it's begining to feel OK.
  14. Yan

    Compensation units

    By Yan,

    One month has passed since my decision to enter the Armchairs Modellers Challenge was taken. With the holiday and a few other things going during February not a lot has happened. So over the last couple of evenings I've squeezed in some modelling time and started to look at a couple of wagon compensation units.
     
    My aim is to try two or three different compensation units on the wagons. I've a couple of frets from Bill Bedford, some MJT frets plus some Exactoscale units. I've used an old D&S unit on the 7 plank wagon which did go together easily enough and seems to work OK. Unfortunately this fret was the only one I had so cannot consider this as an option for future projects.
     
    First to try was the Bill Bedford units.........
  15. Yan
    Well painting the cattle and Pip got me started on figure painting but these are becoming a real task to paint...eventually I built up a small head of steam and completed the few below.
     
     
     



     
     
     



     
    Well, they still needing a little shading and a coat of matt varnish applying but, they look to be a reasonable start. I have a number more to paint as the Brake Van Special will consist of about six vans. Unfortunatally this is about the maximum number of brake vans my cassettes will take. I feel the vans should look crowded with people so I estimate I'll require around 40 or more figures. Hope I can keep the enthusiasm going and get a few more painted before Scaleforum...
  16. Yan
    Just to prove I have been doing something relating to Tredethy Wharf during the last few weeks. I've posted a couple of pics below of the next batch of china clay wagons that are now ready for the paint shop.
     




     
     
     



     

    These five clay wagons are being built using the Ratio kit with modified axle boxes and brake gear. The intention is for these wagons to be empty versions of the early unfitted British Railways Dia. 1/051. British Railways built the first 300 unfitted but quickly converted to vacuum brake but I'm hoping that a few might have remained unfitted until the early 1960s. The next batch will be the vacumm fitted versions.
  17. Yan
    A couple of days ago I tweaked my back which has hampered progress on baseboard construction. To keep a modicum of momentum going on this project I looked around for some light duties.
     
    I’d been kindly given some used Phosphor Bronze track, unfortunately as it’s mainly in short lengths I’ll not be able to use it for standard 60ft sections of track. It would be a shame to discard them so I started to mull over how to justify their use. I vaguely remembered reading something about the GWR using shorter sections of track prior to standardising on 60ft sections. Then found, in Stephen Williams’s book Great Western Branch Line Modelling - Part One, that after 1929 the GWR started to use 60ft rail sections on the main lines replacing the previous shorter 44ft 6in sections.  After a little further research on the internet I discovered a good article by Stuart Hince on the Templot site http://templot.com/martweb/pdf_files/gwr_track_panels.pdf which confirmed this and also describing how to create these 44ft 6in sections in Templot.
     
    So how could I justify 44ft 6in sections of track on my model? My thinking is, in my fictitious twist on history, when this area was being redeveloped in the 1930s any reclaimed 44ft 6in rail was reused by the thrifty GWR in the construction of the sidings. After all, these sidings might not have seen much traffic so would be on the rusty side which phosphor Bronze track can depict. The thought then was, do I have enough rail? This prompted me to open Templot and use Stuart Hince’s article to redraw the three sidings at the front of the layout with 44ft 6in sections and 18 sleepers in each.
    The track bases were of thin plastic with 3 bolt chairs and not in the best of condition. Also as my preference is to use 1.5mm thick plywood sleepers I stripped all the rails off the bases. The rails were then laid on the revised plan of the sidings matching each 44ft 6in section.
     

    .
    It looks like there are enough, especially as I found another short section of track when emptying the turntable storage box. Next task will be to clean all the rails as they have been heavily weathered.
     
    Excellent, this might not be prototypical for 1959 but it might have been possible…
  18. Yan
    Well, the last two weeks have not gone to plan... How often do we all say that? With two weekends away visiting friends and family along with a number of week nights spent away with work, progress almost ground to a stand still on Tredethy Wharf. What I have been able to achieve is not really much to shout about so will have to wait for the next blog...
     
    But.., while spending evenings in hotels, not drink in the bar but playing "Billy no mates" in the hotel bedrooms, I've been giving some thought about what comes after Tredethy. Over the years, before I joined Scalefour Society, I'd collected almost all of Ratio's GWR buildings with the intention of building a GWR branch line terminus. I've also been slightly sidetracked by thoughts of a Taff Vale colliery and collected a few buildings and stock to suit.
     
    Since coming back to the hobby I've realised that there is a big difference in timescale to what can be achieved in OO compared to P4. This realisation has come from the time it has taken me to get Tredethy Wharf built. So I'd started to think, is there some merit in a small project being a viable option to follow on from Tredethy? A small layout would enable me to exhibit if it was considered good enough. It would also be an achievable project especially if I go really small and extended Tredethy to include a Clay Dries or Stone sidings....
     
    So while being 'Billy no mates" I revisited some of the track plans I've collected over the years, then with pen and paper in hand I sketched out some ideas. While doodling a troublesome thought kept creeping into these ideas. Once Tredethy is scenically built, to complete the project, I will still need to build a few locos (a Beattie Well Tank, a WR 1366, BR Class 03 being three locos) as well as a few more wagons. These are not going to be built overnight and at the pace I'm progressing may take two or three more years before I can exhibit Tredethy with a correct loco fleet spanning a few years. If I change tack to a GWR BLT or Taff Vale Colliery these layouts would required a different loco stud and other rolling stock to be built. Hmmm.... so a change of tack might not necessarily be a quick project.
     
    So what of the first and last big project, Grogley Junction?
     
    Well, thinking that after building the above three locos for Tredethy they would also be available for Grogley brings me back to thoughts about this big project. It is the one that I still have a passion for. It is the one that I can picture in my mind. It is the one that I have been researching and building an alternative universe for. On the down side if I make a start on Grogley in P4 I now realise it will probably never be finished. But does that matter...? If it brings me enjoyment while building it, probably not. If I cannot exhibit it, does that matter? Probably not.
     
    So during my second week away I dug out the current track plan for Grogley and started to have a think and a bit of a tweak... The below is what I've ended up with.
     



     
    The major changes I've made, since the last track plan, are adding a three platform station reducing the line towards Wadebridge junction to single track and adding Polbrock Engine shed. The more minor additions are a small loading dock siding and a siding that will be used for coaching stock storage. This is version 15 of ideas for this project and does look like it has grown "arms and legs". My thoughts have been, if this is going to be the (first &) last big project then it had better include all that I would like to see on a layout and give good operational opportunities. So a layout with a station, exchange goods sidings, a junction, and an engine shed, what more could I want...? Hmmm, don't answer that 'cos I could think of a few if I tried :-)
     
    Below is just the track plan showing the kick back for the Bodmin cassette storage so it can be accessed from both directions. This would allow Bodmin to Wadebridge trains to be stored on these cassettes.
     



     
    One advantage of this latest track plan is, by replacing the previous hidden sidings with Polbrock Engine Shed, it has allowed me to increase the scenic area of the layout. This extra space has given the opportunity to represent a length of single track running along side the river leading into Polbrock. This will give me a better chance to replicate the picture below.
     



     
    Another possible advantage is as there are two signal boxes (Grogley Junction & Polbrock) I could split the layout to allow for two or more operators. Wow, it is getting out of hand...
     
    While away I've also been able to get the basic elements of the above into Templot. Some slight alterations have had to be made but overall it is the same as the above. To complete the track plan in Templot, I have to finish the turntable; a double slip; a three way turnout; and those tricky diamonds at the junction to draw, then tidy up some of the sleeper spacing.
     
    Well, will this project get off the ground or is it just a dream? We'll have to wait and see...
  19. Yan

    It's slowly coming together

    By Yan,

    The cottage and barn are almost finished but I've still to decide on the cottage garden. Is it to be a pretty cottage garden or more of a plain garden suitable for a working farm cottage? At the moment I'm thinking more towards the latter.
     
    I've also been trying to get the right finish for the hard standing around the wharf sidings. I've only seen one picture in colour of one wharf, the rest have been black and white. All pictures give the impression that the ground cover was compacted earth while the colour photo indicates a light brown colour. Getting an acceptable texture and colour has proved to be a bit tricky. After deciding on using Gordon Gravett's method for the road surface I thought I'd continue the theme and use his method for the ground cover. I spent some time trialling different mixes of Humbrol Gloss paint, 40 (Pale Grey), 10 (Service Brown) & 6 (Tan) covered in Talcum Powder. Once I'd decided on a mix I had great difficulty in reproducing the trials on the layout. The results were awful, possibly due to the trials being on plasticard but on the layout I was applying the paint to DAS. More trials continued using DAS as a base, but again when applied to the layout I was still not getting the correct finish. Hmmm... back to the drawing board...
     
    So a change of tack was required, I thought about treating the hard standing like ballasting track. A little research on the web threw up Polak's ballast dust. I quickly purchased three different colours, with the view to mixing them together in different proportions to acheive the desired colour. Again, after I'd finally decided on what I thought was the correct colouring, when applying the mixture to the layout it looked different. It doesn't look too bad but not totally what I was aiming for, texture good colouring not quite right, a little too brown not enough grey I feel.
     

     
    I think it is time to move on and come back to this once more scenic work has been completed. It will probably look different when all the grass, weeds, trees & bushes have been added.
  20. Yan

    Empty clay train

    By Yan,

    Well, I think, for the moment, the empty clay wagoms might be finished...
     




     
     
     



     
     
     



     
     
     



     

    In the future I might do a bit of extra weathering but they will definitely be OK for the Lincoln show next weekend.
  21. Yan

    Missenden Abbey

    By Yan,

    What a brilliant weekend this was from arriving to leaving.
     




     

    I'd been very apprehensive about attending a Missenden Railway Modellers Weekend. Still regarding myself as a newbie to the hobby with much to learn, then thinking I'd be putting myself in a place with talented and renowned modellers was a little daunting but I need not have worried. On arrival I was given a very warm welcome by David Brandreth and immediately guided to the 4mm kit builders work room. There were offers of help to unload my car along with introductions to the two tutors.
     
    Other attendees were already seated and working so once I'd set up work started straight away. The bar opened at 6pm for a cheeky pint (or two) before we sat down for the evening meal which was certainly adequate. This was following by a short introduction to the weekend. There were 12 newbies attending and we had to give a two line introduction to ourselves. It was surprising to find I was not the only one attending with problems building their first loco chassis.
     
    My intention is to eventually build at least three 57xx Pannier chassis along with a 94xx, as all have the same wheel base. Friday evening was spent building a jig for these locos. I'd previously used my lathe to make three stainless steel axles with spigots. The remaining task was to ream out the previously drilled 3mm holes in a Tufnol block to accept these axles. This turned out to be a very time consuming job and it was soon 10pm which I thought was kicking out time. Much to my surprise we were allowed to work on as long as we liked until the early hours if we had the stamina. I called it a day at 10.30pm with a few brass bearings reamed out to fit the jig.
     

    Friday at 10.30pm
    After a hearty breakfast at Chartridge Lodge on Saturday morning (unfortunately I didn't book early enough to get accommodation at Missenden) I arrived at 9.15am to find most attendees already hard at work. My first task was to laminate the articulated coupling rods that came with the Comet Chassis kit. Using the jig this was an easy task.
     

    First attempt at constructing the coupling rods
    On examination by Tim Watson (one of the tutors) he pointed out that I'd been far too gentle with my soldering. His positive criticism was followed by advice and a demonstration on how to improve the look of the rods making them look more like solid chunks of steel. It was back to the jig and the coupling rods were reworked. The improvement was excellent! After this it was very slow progress with fitting the bearings into the hornblocks. Followed by soldering the hornblocks to the chassis sides. At the end of the day, though I was pleased with the result, I was a little disappointed with my progress as I'd hoped to have had the chassis sides soldered together by the end of Saturday.
     

    Saturday at 10:45pm
    My slow progress during Saturday might have been due to attending a couple of demonstrations. One on Resistance Soldering given by David Brandreth and one on Weathering by Mick Bonwick. When booking I'd been torn about which workshops to attended so took the opportunity to pop my head into other workshops to see what they were about. Track by Norman Solomon, Back Scenes and Scenery by Paul Bambrick along with Weathering by Mick Bonwick were all ones which I'd seriously considered attending. During Sunday morning I attended a demonstration by Norman Soloman on track droppers during which he parted with other snippets of advice on installing wiring to the track.
     
     
     
    Sunday started with taking another look at the gearbox. Even though the final gear drive was absent it was temporarily constructed so that the position of the frame spaces could be finalised. I then proceeded to construct the chassis twice! The first attempt was a touch out of square... why this should have been the case I don't know. It was put together on the jig so in theory all should have gone together nice and square. With advice from the tutors (Tim & Tony Gee) I then used a jig lent to me by another modeller and this time the chassis was soldered up square. The compensation beam was then quickly put together before I started on installing crankpins in the wheels and quartering the wheels on the axles. At the end of the day (3pm) all my hesitations, mistakes, missing drive gear and spending time absorbing the Missenden experience had accumulated in slowing down my progress in producing a running chassis.
     

    Sunday at 3pm
     
    Even though I did not achieve my planned objective I feel the weekend at Missenden was a total success. I came away with renewed confidence about by chassis building abilities. I've learnt much about techniques and tools not only from the two tutors but also other modellers especially Paul Willis. In the 4mm Kit Building Group there were people building not only locos in 4mm and 3mm in brass or whitemetal but also wagons in brass and plastic. Seeing projects that other modellers were working on in different scales and sharing experiences rounded the weekend off into a most enjoyable experience.
     
     
     
    If the opportunity arose would I go again?... Absolutely.
    Would I recommend the weekend to others?... Most definitely.
  22. Yan

    Coaling Stage

    By Yan,


    Buildings & Scenery
    When drawing the first plan featured in my previous blog, I discovered that the length of the incline up to the coaling stage, along with the building itself  (and the track extension beyond), had a big effect on the space required. To finalise the layout I needed to know the track height at the coaling stage. I could then work out what would look correct and be feasible for a loco to propel four coal wagons up the incline. So earlier in the year the coaling stage was the first building I made a start on.


    Coaling Stage structure
    This is the Timber Tracks kit which I believe is based on the one at Didcot. It when together extremely well. The only deviation I made from the very comprehensive instructions is not gluing the internal wall sections into place before painting them. Photos I've seen of the internal walls of most of these coaling stages show white walls but with a band of black around the bottom. When offering the internal wall veneer sections into place I thought it would make it difficult to paint them once installed.
     

    First attempt
    I first tried painting the walls white but as can be seen on the right in the above photo, this did not look very convincing. The next thought was to paint the bricks first with a brick-ish colour before painting over with white. The result of this test is the top left in the above. This seemed a better idea as it gave some depth of colour to the wall.
     

    Stage 2
    I next choose what I thought would be suitable colours. I use Vallejo Model Colour (acrylic paints for my wargaming miniatures) so these were the first I turned to. I chose: Cavalry Brown, Red Leather, Flat Brown, Desert Yellow, and Dark Flesh. These were individually dry brushed over the brick structure in a random fashion to try to give a varied colour base. A little more focus will be required when working on the external walls but think the initial result is acceptable as an undercoat for the whitewashed internal walls.
     

    Stages 3 & 4
    The top wall in the above photo is stage 3 before a black wash is applied. Though I'm not wholly satisfied with the lower wall (stage 4) after applying a black wash, I think it is a fairly acceptable result, especially as it will be difficult to see once the coaling stage is complete and installed on a layout.

    A minor amendment/addition I've made is the inclusion of what I think is a water pipe in the centre of the building. Now the building is complete I'm not sure this addition has been worthwhile, but hey-ho... One other thing I was concerned about is access to the interior once installed on the layout. The solution I've applied is three pins on to which the water tank is located. This should enable me to remove the water tank if a wagon derails and takes up residence in the coaling stage.
     

    Coal tubs need completing...
    The below pictures show its current state.
     

     

     
    It still needs the platform on the side of the water tank along with its access ladder. As these items seem a little fragile I'll not be installing them until the building is fixed on a layout. Painting of the building will take place once the Sand House and Engine Shed are built so that they all get similar treatments.

  23. Yan
    While I'm waiting for timber to arrive for baseboards and track I'm having another purge on stuff that I've accumulated over the years. As it would be daft to move on stuff that I'll need, it has made me consider the stock requirements for Rospeath Lane.
     
    The year I'm aiming to represent is 1959 (as the shed would still have had a good quantity of steam locomotives but the first Diesel Hydraulics and Class 08 shunters would be seen). As well as being the end of the summer months for scenic interest, August seems to be the start of the decline of steam in Cornwall. In August 1959 Long Rock (Penzance) had 33 Steam locomotives and 1 Diesel Shunter allocated. The allocation was; 12 x Granges, 4 x Counties, 4 x Halls, 2 x Castles, 4 x 45xx, 2 x 4575, 2 x 94xx, 1 x Modified Hall, 1 x 51xx, 1 x 57xx & 1 x Class 08. To build all these locomotives in P4 is a daunting thought as I'd also require a quantity of visiting locomotives from other Cornish sheds and from further afield.
     
    In looking over the track plan I was able to squeeze into the reduced size of my 'Man Cave' the layout will not be able to stable 34 locomotive let alone any visiting Locomotives from Laira or further afield. At a push I think it would accommodate around 25 to 27 locomotives depending on the split between Tender and Tank engines. With this in mind I created a sliding scale in the hope this would allow me to proportionally reduce the locomotives but still represent the type of allocation this shed would have stabled.
     

     
    In some ways the anomaly I have with the model being too small for the location works to my advantage. I feel that working towards building 17 locomotives plus approximately 5 more for working the fictitious lines west of Penzance is an achievable objective.
     
  24. Yan

    Clamping and Gluing

    By Yan,


    Buildings
    The clamps I’d ordered to help with construction of the baseboards arrived yesterday, which enabled me to start constructing the framework for the first board. In an attempt to keep these large baseboards as light as possible I’m only gluing the components together, no screws or pins. On my previous layout (Tredethy Wharf) I’d glued and screwed the boards together so this is new territory for me. On these boards with the amount of joints and the supposed strength of wood glue (around 3000ppsi) I’m hoping it will be strong enough without the additional weight of the screws. The only addition I might make is adding a right angle brace of some sort in each corner of the board for added rigidity.
     

     
    So I’m taking it steady, clamping and gluing each section in place, checking levels and leaving to dry before moving on to the next section. The instructions claim the glue is dry within 30 minutes but the joints are fully cured in 18 to 24 hours. I’m leaving each section for about 6 to 8 hours before moving onto the next.  At this pace this framework should be finished tomorrow, when I’ll start on the next board. I’ll be cutting the tops when the frames for all three boards are built.
  25. Yan

    November update

    By Yan,

    With only 89 days left before the Lincoln Show I feel the scenery is now at a stage where I should move onto other things. I would like to do more with the scenery, especially as I've not planted any nettles yet and feel a couple of trees are required... but... I need to build, more clay wagons; more cassettes for the storage sidings; a few more open wagons as well as box vans. There is also some tidying up to do on the presentation information. So I've still plenty to do...
     







     
     
     



     

    The above photos show the current state of play with the "test plank". The white streaks are the result of recent running sessions. They show where I've misjudged the height of the ground around the rails that caused the loco to stall or derail.
     
    Onwards and upwards...
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