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Lisa

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  1. Lisa

    Alderney Railway

    By Lisa,

    Hi
     
    I am currently on holiday on Alderney. Since I arrived I have visited the railway. I walked the route, not along the track of course. There were no trains running whilst I was near the track.
     
    Both of the photographs that are taken looking along the track, were taken from a public road, over a level crossing.
     
    The track is largely unbalasted, the sleepers are mostly concrete, the rail is flat bottom. The track sections are bolted together. Interestingly the rails are bolted to the sleepers. The rail joints are not always opposite, following light railway practice, i.e. the rail lengths are not cut.
     
    The trains used is composed of 2 1950's underground coaches, which is operated in push pull mode, by an 0-4-0 diesel locomotives.
     


     

     

     

     
    More information can be found at
     
    http://www.sbrobinson.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Images/Alderney/Ald_f.html
     
    http://www.alderneyrailway.com/
     
    But please note that the miniature railway no longer runs.
     
    Lisa
  2. Lisa
    Answer when it at St Aubin in Jersey, see the diagram below.
     
    St Aubin Level Crossing
     

     
    Signalling on Jersey railways
     
    The only signals on Jersey railways was the two protecting the Level Crossing at St Aubin on the Jersey Railway and two signals protecting Green Street Level crossing in St Helier on the Jersey Eastern Railway.
     
    The signals at St Aubin were lower quadrant, the one at the end of the platform has mounted on a short wooden post, the one protecting the crossing for trains to St Helier was bolted to the tunnel wall.
     
    All points on Jersey railways were operated by hand levers, which were weighted to prevent them moving whist a trains is passing over the points.
     
    Telegraphic Dispatch
     
    Trains were controlled by Telegraphic Dispatch, the Jersey railways were not sleepy branch line, but operated ½ hourly services, except in the early morning and late evening. The lines were single line, with frequent crossing loops.
     
    The Line Controller, based at St Helier (Weighbridge) station, had a diagram of the line painted onto a blackboard. The position of trains was shown, by recording the Train Reporting Number using chalk.
     

    Train Reporting Numbers
     
    JU15 describes Jersey Railways Up Train number 15
    ND05 describes Jersey North Western Railway Down Train number 05
     
    When a train arrived at a crossing loop the Station Agent would telegraph the line controller. The Line Controller would the move the Train Reporting Number to the loop. He would also record the telegraph message in a ledger. When it was safe for the train to proceed, the Line Controller would send a telegraph message to the station agent.
     
    The Station Agent would then write a driver ticket, hand this to the driver and and when safe, give the drive a hand signal to proceed. He would then send a telegraph message to the Line Controller, who would record the message and update the position of the Train Reporting Number.
     
    The next day the the ledger would be reconciled against the tickets issued to the drivers. From St Helier Driver Tickets could be issued to Millbrook, St Aubin as appropriate, depending on train path availability.
     
    The Jersey North Western Railway, was operated as One Engine in Steam, once the train had left the loop at Pont Marquat and outside the station limits of St Ouen.
     
    To return to the main St Ouen blog, click on the link below.
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11391-st-owen-jnwr-layout-mockup/
     
    Lisa
  3. Lisa
    The 1st Buildings - Back
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11543-st-ouen-jnwr-the-1st-buildings/
     
    Prototype for Everything Department
     
    The question that has been the buzz on the 2mm virtual Area Group has recently been how sharp can my curves be. Below is a photograph of a prototype with very sharp curves.
     

     
    If this was modelled in 2mm scale, the radius would be about 60mm, that’s 120mm in 4mm scale. Oh yes where is this photograph taken. The answer is the Jersey Steam & motor museum, in Trinity. Below is the link to their website.
     
    http://www.pallotmuseum.co.uk/
     
    The picture below is of the coach bogie, the wheels are very close together and the coach is a 5 compartment one.
     

     
    Lisa
  4. Lisa
    Hi
     
    Why do model railway layouts have black facia panels? Before visiting the RM Modellers day, this is not a question which I would have asked.
     
    BUT following a discussion with the person on the design desk, the above is a question that I am exploring. He pointed out, and thinking about I agree, that when one attempts to take a close up photograph of say a locomotive on one's layout, it is difficult not to have part of the facia panel showing in the photograph.
     
    His solution is to have a sloping facial panel, the facia panels are often structural members, on modern plywood layouts. Hence you cannot do without them! BUT his suggestion was to give the sloping facia panel, a partial scenic treatment. SO that when one took the close up photograph, using the macro facility on your camera, the scenic facia would be not in sharp focus.
     
    Visually this would be similar to taking a photograph of a real train, in a landscape, where the foreground would be slightly out of focus.
     
    What do other's think about this subject?
     
    Lisa
  7. Lisa
    Hi
     
    St Helier Weighbridge was the terminus of Jersey Western and Jersey North Western trains in the town. St Helier Snow hill was the terminus of the Jersey Eastern trains and the site is the other side of central area.
     
    This below is a photograph of how the front of the station is today. There have been no substantial structural changes, just the addition of branding, the building is now the entrance to the Liberation Walk outlet shopping centre.
     

     
    This stone build building was completed about two years after the station was opened; there was a wood building on the side, in an area now occupied by the pavement of the Esplanade. This was on the sea shore, before the harbour extension including the Queen Elizabeth Ferry Terminal was build.
     
    The entrance area is still very much as it was when it was a railway station, If you look up you can see the remaining portion of the overall roof. The remainder of which was removed in the early 1920’s and replaced with platform canopies.
     
    Round the corner the station buildings have been replaced with a modern apartment block, but on the ground floor is the Liberation Bus Station, the main transport hub for the island.
     

     
    Lisa
  8. Lisa
    Hi
     
    I not blogged about St Ouen for sometime, this is because I have felt I was going nowhere with the project. After much thought I now struck off in a different direction with the project.
     
    I have posted in the Boxfiles forum at
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/39667-the-apa-box/page-4
     
    I have now followed this up, with a new version of the St Ouen project as show below.
     
    This seems to be a much firmer base upon which, quite literally, to move the project forward.
     

     

     

     

     
    The last of the pictures shows the La Rocque layout, minus it's original fiddleyard, used as a scenic module. A sort of Micro APA box arrangement, perhaps MPA!
     
    Lisa
  9. Lisa
    My micro layout has to fit in a footprint of 230mm by 150mm, i.e. inside a container that came filled with Raspberry Ripple Ice-cream. I want the operation, despite the small size to be prototypical. On Jersey railway the engines always had their chimneys facing west. Because of the small layout footprint the fiddleyard has to be single ended.
     
    Below is a picture of the track layout and building on the main board.
     

     
    The video, link shown below shows the sequence required to keep not turn the coaches around and keep the locomotive facing the correct direction.
     

     
    The members of the local club have christened my layout ‘The Raspberry Ripple’. There has is another 2FS micro layout called ‘The Pizza’, obviously there seems to be a propensity to name 2FS layout after food items!
  10. Lisa
    Baseboard Design - Back
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11412-st-ouen-jnwr-%E2%80%93-baseboard-design/#commentsStart
     
    Best Laid Plans of Mice and Women - Forward
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11469-st-ouen-jnwr-%E2%80%93-the-best-laid-plans-of-mice-and-women/
     
    Layout Backscenes
     
    How much detail do you need to include in a layout backscene? Is there an advantage to using a photographic backscene?
     
    For St Ouen I planning on using a photographic backscene of trees and grass. I took about six photographs for this project, were taken in St Ouen, on a sunny afternoon last week. I am planning on superimposing photographs of buildings also photographed in St Ouen. Then in front of this placeing half relief buildings, then the railway and then some half relief building to frame the view, with their backs against the layout facia.
     

    Sample of a section of the proposed background
     
    The image is composed of a light blue colour gradient getting lighter towards the bottom, with the trees and foreground meadow superimposed onto it using Photoshop. The St Ouen area is very flat, very little of the grass and bottom of the trees will show on the layout. Any background buildings will be superimposed as required on a separate piece of card, to give slight actual physical depth, as with bas relief. I first saw this used on the N Gauge model of Buckfastleigh in Devon.
     
    I'm intending printing out the photographic backscene, at the local library using a colour injet printer onto a single A3 sheet. Do you think that this is a viable method of producing a convincing background for my layout.
     
    Bearing in mind that my scenic section is 230mm by 140mm with the scenic backscene having a height of 100mm. The layout is 2mm fine scale.
     
    The main baseboard is progressing nicely. More pictures soon!
     
    Lisa
  11. Lisa
    Layout Planning II - Forward
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11355-st-ouen-jnwr-layout-planning-ii/
     
    History
     
    St Ouen was the intended terminus of the JNWR, Jersey North Western Railway. The act was passed by the States, the Jersey Parliament, and the company was incorporated. They purchased a second hand locomotive and seven wagons and a brake van from the Metropolitan Railway.
     
    The whole route was surveyed and work stated on building the railway. They only manages to lay about 1.5 miles of track, including the building of several road over bridges near to St Ouen, before going bankrupt. The Locomotive and the rolling stock were sold to the Jersey Eastern Railway by the liquidator.
     
    The line of the railway was used by the Germans during WWII, for the construction of a meter gauge line from St Helier to St Ouen. BUT no trains ran on the line, because they too run out of money.
     
    The baseboard measures 160mm by 230mm. There will be a hinged extension, a nod to Geoff Jones, of 160mm by 70mm on the LHS to allow for shunting in the coal wharf and the passanger trains to fully enter the platform. At the other end, there will be a hinged platform, onto which train cassettes will be rested. This will be 160mm by 155mm. There will be a backscene of approx 70mm height, along the plaform end, coal wharf side and the locomotive shed end too.
     
     

     
    Lisa
  12. Lisa
    Hi All
     
    Railways have station and halts, whereas tramways have depots and wayside stopping places. Tramways generally have very rudimentary signalling if any at all and where they do it is often not interlocked with the points. It was the drivers responsibility to check that the points were correctly set.
     
    On rural tramways, the points were indeed often operated by the tram crew, usually on steam operated tramways, by the fireman. Points were often operated by lineside weighted levers, photographs exist of these levers, in books about the Hundred of Manhood and Selsey Tramway, later refereed to as the Tramway section of the West Sussex Railway. On tramway loops the points were and still are on the Croydon Tramway spring operated, and trams entering the loop are required to traverse these points at a maximum speed of 5 mph. Thus all down trams will use the same track in the loop, regardless of whether an up tram is present.
     



    A loops the service operates on a timetable basis, if the timetable says the trams will pass at the loop then the first tram to arrive cannot proceed until the tram in the opposite direction has arrived, regardless of how late it arrives. On urban electric tramways, since trams are frequent this does not present problems.
     
    In the past in this country,and often on mainland Europe and other parts of the world tramways convey freight, which is transferred from the railway at a set of transfer sidings and either conveyed on the tramway by a special locomotive or as tail traffic on passenger services.
     
    Another difference is that tramways often have much sharper curves and steeper gradients and many ungated level crossings than railways. The points are usually much smaller radius and trams and as a result usually traverse then at 5 mph.
     



    Tramways are regulated not by the Railway Inspectorate, but by the Tramway Commissioners, which these days are part of the Department for Transport. To build or extend a tramway does not require an act of parliament, but simply the tramway commissioners to issue a Tramway Order and outline planning permission. Many links between mainline railways and industrial plants e.g. cement works, were constructed under a tramway order, and are officially refereed to a Mineral Tramways.
     
    Previous blog entry - Chagford - Building structures for tramways and light railways,was posted 4 days previously and can be accessed using the link below.
     
    http://www.rmweb.co....light-railways/
     
    Lisa
  13. Lisa
    After building the sequence, the next stage was to build a mock up of the layout to check that it look OK.
     
    Firstly I took the design of the layout, within Templot and added the flap that carries the track for the end of the platform and the coal wharf roads. Then I added a cassette and the cassette support flap to the design.
     

     
    The design for the complete layout
     
    Next I built the mock up of the layout, including the proposed backscene. This was examined in a great deal of detail, and changes were made, until I was satisfied with the result.
     

     
    St Ouen mockup
     
     
    Baseboard Design - Forward
     
    To look at the design of the baseboard, click on the link below.
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11412-st-ouen-jnwr-%E2%80%93-baseboard-design/
     
    Building an Operating Sequence - back
     
    To see how the operating sequence was built, click on the link below.
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11376-st-ouen-jnwr-building-a-sequence/
     
    Lisa
  14. Lisa

    Guernsey Railway

    By Lisa,

    Hi
     
    I am currently on holiday in Guernsey. On Monday, 26th August, bank holiday, I visited the only railway on the island.
     

     
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/guernsey/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8849000/8849444.stm
     

     
    2nd Picture posted from phone.
     
    Lisa
  15. Lisa
    Layout Mock up - Back
     
    To see the animated layout mock up click on the link below.
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11391-st-owen-jnwr-layout-mockup/
     
    Background Design - Forward
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11443-st-ouen-jnwr-how-much-detail-is-required-in-a-photo-background/
     
    Baseboard Design
     
    The baseboard for St Ouen are made from a sandwich of 4mm plywood and 8mm softwood. The photograph below shows the underside of the main board. Removal of material, is usually carried out to make the baseboard lighter, but on such a small baseboard this is not a consideration.
     

     
    Photograph of the underside of the main board.
     
    The space created will be used to accommodate the wiring, including facilitating the attachment of track droppers.
     
    The animation below shows how the layout is packed away into it's carrying case, for transport. The next stage is to complete the building of the baseboard, including the platform extension and the cassette fiddleyard flaps.
     
    The nickname of the layout, down at the club is the 'Raspberry Ripple' because the carrying container originally came filled with Raspberry Ripple ice cream.
     
    Lisa
     

  16. Lisa
    Layout Planning I - Back
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11232-st-ouen-jnwr-layout-planning/
     
    Building a Sequence - Forward
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11376-st-ouen-jnwr-building-a-sequence/
     
    Detailed Design
     
    When designing a very small layout, planning is much more critical than for larger layouts. I use a CAD package call Templot, then the template is printed out full size. The lengths of the sidings etc. can be checked by placing a locomotive and rolling stock.
     

     
    Sand train shunt using Initial track design
     

     
    Passenger train arrived using Initial track design
     

     
    Sand train shunt using modified track design
     

     
    Passenger train arrived using modified track design
     
    This process allowed me to optimise the length of the left hand hinged extension. By experimentation this will be 100mm. The passenger track will be longer than the coal wharf track, because having it only long enough for an engine and a single wagon makes the operation more interesting!
     
    When designing a micro layout, it is important that there is enough operating interest. The second pair of photographs the details of the buildings and the flap are sketched in.
  17. Lisa
    Modified 23-05-12 & 26-05-12
     
    Hi All
     
    It is my intention to operation of Chagford on a sequence, based on the operation of the prototype. The red entries didn't run every day.
     
    The sequence may seem at first sight complex, but every tram operated is a minimum of three lines in the table below
     

     
    My intention is to use some form of random number generation, to decide if the non regular trams are included in the operating sequence.
     
    The next stage of the design process is to dry run the sequence, to see if it works, including if the sidings are long enough to hold the wagons.
     
    Lisa
  18. Lisa
    Hi
     
    What is an armchair modeller? To many the answer is a sign of disapproval, someone who thinks about building a layout, but does little real modelling.
     
    Many of my previous modelling projects have failed because I didn't do enough thinking, before starting projects.
     
    This time round I did, and this think before you start model, makes the actual project execution easier.
     
    I have now made the main baseboard, yes it is a micro layout. But it is designed to be a complete layout, with a scenic area and a fiddleyard.
     
    Below are some photographs which show the progress which I am making. The layout main board is ONLY 14 mm thick. The thinner the support structure is the more height is available for scenic development. The Really Useful Box, in which the layout will be stored and transported is 120mm high.
     

    Underside detail showing the mono cock construction
     

    The stream bed, built as a drop section.
     

    Underside view of one of the extension boards
     

    Overall view of the complete layout
     
    When doing my modelling, I sit at my workbench, I sit in a comfortable chair. What is the point in being uncomfortable?
     
    Lisa
  19. Lisa

    Chagford - Track Plan

    By Lisa,

    Hi All
     
    I've now done the basic track planning. The main track in the diagram below is shown as straight. When the track is laid it will be curved, because it was curved on the prototype.
     
    I am current planning to lay the track on thin foam board both for sound insulation and to allow the final track track position to be adjusted to make the best possible use of the very limited area.
     
    The track diagram below was drawn using Trax 3. The points have a radius of 190mm, but it is a tramway and not a railway and the largest locomotive was a small wheeled 0-6-0 and no passenger or freight vehicle on the tramway had a wheelbase of longer than 15'.
     
    It should be noted, that the prototype had a coal siding and a separate general goods siding, but space consideration forced me to combine them into one!
     

     
    The photograph below is the plastic box, into which the baseboard, fascia panel and supports will have to fit for transport.
     

     
    Lisa
  20. Lisa
    Hi
     
    Because I have Autism, I am unable to read between the lines of what someone is saying. Thus far more misunderstanding occur, for me that most people, who are 'neuro typicals'.
     
    I also have serious problems with equipment and software which are designed to be intuitive.
     
    Recently I have been having problems, with uploading files to RMWEB. Because of my Autism the help information provided is worse than useless to me. The only way I have of solving such problems is to experiment.
     
    This often lands me in trouble, because others think that I am trying, to misuse one of the sites options. My last blog entry on RMWEB, for some reason was viewed by the majority of the moderation team, within a hour of putting it online.
     
    The technique of making a 'test entry' draft, and not clicking the publish button is so that it will not appear on the blog list, but can be fully tested, before proceeding further. Incidentally this technique was suggested by a member of the moderation. team.
     
    I hope this entry, clears the air and will lead to there being less misunderstanding of me and my actions in the future.
     
    Lisa
  21. Lisa
    Hi All
     
    I've been quite recently, i.e. no blog entries this has been because I had a problem with a painful molar! I've now seen the dentist and hopefully the problem is now sorted out.
     
    Either a micro 2mm layout has a fiddleyard or not is a matter of choice. I first considered Mark Fielder's Pizza Layout, Pictures and details can be found via the links page at www.2mm.org.uk This layout has a circle of track with a single siding with all the area covered with scenery.
     
    David Eveleigh's new layout, Framsden, takes a different approach of having the main board which is oval in shape, and has two detachable cassette type fiddleyard, which are attached externally to the layout.
     

     
    The approach which I have taken has a fiddleyard which is physically part of layout, using train cassettes. Which option is used on layout is a matter o choice. On Chagford the fixed backscene is only 57mm high, but the blocks holding this is place is on the scenic side, so that an flexible extension can be fixed to the fiddleyard side.
     

     
    The corners at the ends of the fixed backscene have been rounded so that there is no corner in the extension sky. The intention is to fix a background of fields, trees etc to the fixed backscene. Then to carve the top edge to follow a hedge line. When the buildings are placed in front the amount of this illustration will be restricted. By adding read depth in this way added to the feeling of distance between the mid ground and the sky. The sky will be able to be rolled up using a napkin type ring.
     

     

     
    The above design allow the layout to fit into it's carrying case for ease of transport, whilst having a decent height of backscene whilst the layout is being operated. The blocks which hold the fixed backscene in place will be hidden by buildings and other scenic features.
     
    4th_Train.mov
     
    Lisa
  22. Lisa
    Prototype for Everything Department - Forward
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11591-st-ouen-jnwr-prototype-for-anything-department/
     
    My whole World is a Stage - Back
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1283/entry-11512-st-ouen-jnwr-my-whole-world-is-a-stage/
     
    This weekend I started building the buildings for St Ouen. I was demonstrating at the local show building buildings from scratch, using photographs a source material.
     
    The buildings in the photograph represents a days work, whilst talking to members of the public and explaining the project and the process from an initial thought to a design, then onto baseboard construction.
     

     
    My buildings need more work, include painting, fitting windows, doors, chimneys etc., but they give a more concrete idea of how the layout will look.
     
    I have looked at various ways of supporting a flexible backscene. I feel that the best way forward is to use a single support in the centre of the back threaded into a loop on the back of the backscene.
     
    The sequence of fitting would be fit the backscene at the front, put the support into the loop, and put the fixing screw in. As the screw is tightened, the support moves into the vertical position and tightened the backscene and hopefully corrects the droop.
     
    The problem of the droop is caused, by the tendency of a material, such as card when bend around the base of the layout will attempt to return to the flat state.
     
    Lisa
  23. Lisa
    Hi
     
    Whilst the initial design worked with the sequence. The modified design has two goods sidings, like the prototype. The back siding is the coal siding, and the front one for general goods.
     
    The design, is designed to fit into two plastic boxes for transport, measuring 380mm by 140mm by 140mm. This allows for the loop being the correct length.
     

     
    This idea of using two boards, came from reading page 305, of MRJ No. 75 on buiding a simple diorama.
     
    Lisa
  24. Lisa
    To look at all the posting in this blog, place the cursor over the name and right click the mouse.

     
    Hi
     
    I also getting on with the baseboard construction. I now added the flap, to carry the off scene track, to allow the passenger trains to fully enter the platform. The buffer stops are off scene.
     
    This has to be detachable or hinged to allow the layout to fit in it's carrying case. The photographs below show the flap folded up from the layout front. The flap in the up position also from the front and the the underside of the the flap in the up position.
     



    I need to adjust the height so that it is inline with the top surface of the main board.
     
    There is a small gap between the main baseboard and he flap, to allow for the thickness of the backscene card!
     
    Lisa
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