Lisa

I started off with a baseboard size double the size! Then I saw an article by Barry Normam, in MRJ, based on the Upper Yard on the Wantage Tramway, on a 18" by 9" baseboard in 4mm scale. This has only two points and yet with cassette fiddle yards had bags of operating potential.

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

That presumably is the 'current' position!

Thanks for the hint about using Corel Draw. I have the professional version. I had never thought of using it for this type of application.

The type of arrangement, coupling wise are called 'insta' couplings! Lisa

Why do you think you are an idiot? The person who does not make mistakes, is the person who has done NOTHING!

The next tasks, are the building of the stone barn, and the cottage next to the crossing, which will act as the screen block, at that end of the scene. This will screen the trains as they arrive and leave the scenic area. Lisa

Hi From now on the entry title will be Le Focq, not La Rocque, because I am now modelling Le Focq station. The blog name will still be La Rocque. As you can see from the photograph below, there is indeed no corners in my sky. The back scene support is now in place. On to which a photographic back scene will be attached. The tabs at the top of the back scene support, are to ensure that when the glue sets a gap will exist of 0.5 mm to allow the insertion of the sky extension to be inserted. Spacers have been placed to keep the support about 0.5 mm from the inside of the scenic board box sides, see photograph below. Once the photographic scene has been attached, the support will be trimmed along the bottom of the open sky. Then a sky coloured extension can be slotted into the gap. This will mean that a viewer looking through the aperture, will not be able to see the layout operator. The box in the corner is to house the point motor, and will be hidden by a stone barn, which has been moved, about 60 meters, from it's position in the prototype, into it's position on the model. Lisa

I do like the Blue Peter style presentation, give the man a badge! I presume that the last picture, shows the bottom of the baseboards, and not the track side. Lisa

The coin in the last photograph is a Jersey 20p piece, it was included to enable a size comparison to be made. Lisa

Yes the radius, does limit the choice of stock, to 10' wheel base wagons, as a max, small wheeled 0-6-0 or 0-4-0 or 0-4-2 locomotives. The coaches were either 6 wheeled rigid or very short bogie coaches. I have devised a method of having the 6 wheeled coaches looking correct, through the scenic section, and then be flexiable round the tight curves. Previous experience, tells me that the main limiting factor is the couplings and buffer locking, rather than problems with a small wheeled locomotives. Lisa

Hi Location, choosing a location to model, which can fit into the space available. The Jersey Eastern Railway is an interesting prototype was not a sleepy branch line, but was a suburban railway. Trains ran at 1/2 hour intervals at peak times. The model is now based on Le Focq, which is a station, just before the main passing station of Pontac. Normal view of the layout Sorry the locomotive and rolling stock are not correct. Location, locating the fiddle yard access boards, so that the tracks line up, is very important. This is not made easier when building a micro layout, than building a larger one. Track plan view of the scenic section Testing the fiddle yard approach track Fiddle yard link board Location, also transfers the DCC bus signal from the main baseboard to the fiddle yard boards. This uses the location pins, which are made from brass rod and PCB material. Lisa

This is the frame, within which I will create the picture, which is my layout. Lisa

Hi I been working on La Rocque, the scenic section of the layout is contained in a box, which acts as a view block. The front of the scenic section of the layout It will have a folding section of the front panel, with the layout name, which has been changed to Le Focq. If you are puzzled by spelling of the station names, they are written in Jersey French. The completed underside of the baseboard The locators will also act as the DCC bus transfer from the main, scenic board to the fiddle yard boards. The support and location of the two fiddle yard boards Building a micro layout takes longer than you might think! The task does not reduce in proportion to it's size. For example, the units such as point motors are the same size, which makes fitting them in a more difficult operation. Lisa

How tall is your grass, alongside the disused platform?

The whole idea behind the project, is that I will be able to take my work, to show others. I don't have transport, or a club near at hand, who can provide me with advice and support I feel I need. Yes RMWeb is very good, but I find there is no substitute for face to face. By being able to show others, what I have achieved this in turn I am motivated to achieve yet more. Lisa

I found that unless I am comfortable, then I am unable to do any modelling. But can can be too comfortable! and that can lead to no modelling. Like most things there is a happy medium. 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

The essential difference, is that the siding at Le Focq is alongside the running line, whereas La Rocque it is behind the platform. This allows the platform length to be correct and allows space for the point motor, on the Snow Hill side of the culvert. Lisa

Nice idea, I feel we do need to bring new members into clubs, particularly young people.

Hi I have built the main baseboard and I am currently building the fiddleyard approach boards. When laying out track, I realised that although the track, it would fit, but I was unable to fit the necessary point motor in, without either not including the culvert or cutting the length of the platform. As a result I have decided to model Le Focq instead. Because of the box size being fixed, and the need to be able to take the layout on the bus, ferry and trains. My design ebook can be found at, this shows my design thinking! URL: http://www.diane.me-me.me.uk/Micro_Design/Micro_Design.html Lisa

I shall be following your progress on this project with interest! LIsa

Hi I've started to make the main baseboard. Less, in terms of baseboard area, is definitly more complex. Lisa

Hi I don't know of any prototype of Stephens railway, that used interlaced, 3 way, points. If you know of such a point I will be interested to know. Lisa

Hi In order to design any layout, especially a micro layout, like La Rocque some compromises have to be made. Starting from the right hand side, the cottage has been moved towards the railway crossing and turned through about 15 degrees, to make the back parallel with the railway. The cottage then acts to screen trains as they enter the scene. The platform at La Rocque, could accommodate 6 carriages, but on the model this will be reduced to about 3.5 carriages, due to space and balance considerations. The culvert was over 60m from the points, but is an interesting feature, both it's construction and the difference in levels. So it was moved into the scenic area. Some trees and bushed will be added, to screen the trains as they enter and leave the scene on the left hand side, which did not exist at the prototype location. Going from front to back of the scene, in the prototype location, there is a gentle gradient. On the model this will be exaggerated to enhance the feeling of distance. The feel of the location will be completed with a photograhic backscene, with the trainsition masked with a hedge, in front of the backscene. Initial design thoughts can be found at http://www.rmweb.co....esign-thoughts/ Lisa