bmthtrains - David Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 I've been thinking hard about this, and the challenge for me isn't quite enough, as without wanting to build another large N gauge layout (which 2010 inches gives me the space to do), and the 'number 5' theme not really inspiring me at the moment (unless I model 'platform 5' of something...), I've decided to add my own challenges. Given this challenge is to inspire some creativity, the first thing I've decided is to model something new to me. My initial thoughts were whether to even have a go in OO, or to try something steam, or even foreign (a nice Swiss mountain perhaps?), so this if my first line of thinking. My second challenge is to look again at the space. As 2010 inches is quite big in N, I will try to work in either half or a quarter of that space, a proper 'micro layout'. I have 3 ideas at the moment, each I will explore before settling on which one to do (unless I do more than one ): 1) Steam branch line, possibly set in 1910...? 2) London Underground station 3) Docklands Light Railway The basic criteria for these is that they are entirely new, something I've not modelled before, and would require entirely new rolling stock (no 150s running on the DLR!). The challenge has to be a big one for me, as given the speed I seem to make layouts, a small layout in a year is no trouble at all to me, so I'd like to have a go at something that will really test me, and push my skills forward. More musings to come. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium cornelius Posted November 17, 2009 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 17, 2009 The DLR in N would be good fun! Maybe the flyover junction at West India Quay... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted November 17, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 17, 2009 I think options 2 & 3 would offer the most challenge. A DLR layout would involve some serious structure modelling beyond what you did on Ringroad. The underground would be a challenge in terms of how to display it creatively would you have the time to fully model a complete street scene on top with a separate but associated tube layout beneath? maybe the street scene hovering above solely supported by the escalator shafts? Interesting ideas and do either pass through a postcode of 5? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium cornelius Posted November 17, 2009 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 17, 2009 Interesting ideas and do either pass through a postcode of 5? SW5 is around Earl's Court and that's a two-level underground station (District and Piccadilly lines). SE5 and E5 are pretty much off the tube/DLR network. NW5 is Northern Line territory or N5 offers the possibility of the Overground/Victoria/Moorgate branch interchange at Highbury & Islington. Or you could invent EC5 and have a fictional new (underground) DLR terminus a bit further along from Bank. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 Hmm, Canary Wharf is in E14, but Stratford is in E15...close as I can get with the 5s! David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 Hmm, my mind is working overtime now - the DLR does seem an exciting challenge, but how the heck do I model the units? They would need to go round tram-radius curves, but unlike say the Modemo or Tomix tram models, they aren't articulated...Hmm, this could be difficult! David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium cornelius Posted November 17, 2009 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 17, 2009 Each two-car unit is articulated.... they usually run in trains of two or three units. I'm not sure if a unit has three or four bogies under it but the side-skirts are so low you probably wouldn't be able to tell in N anyway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 Ah, thats what I meant - the number of bogies. They seem to have 4, but as you say, with the skirt, maybe a 3 bogie chassis would do... David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted November 17, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 17, 2009 Ah, thats what I meant - the number of bogies. They seem to have 4, but as you say, with the skirt, maybe a 3 bogie chassis would do... David How long are they? ID: 11-105KATO Bo-Bo Shorty Chassis Chassis Length 58mm Bogie Centers 32mm http://www.wellingtonmodels.com/80725/info.php?p=9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 Hmm, yeah they might do actually. As long as it will go round very tight curves. First thing will be to see if a DLR unit is possible to make convincingly I think. Here's a quick initial stab at what I could have a go at layout-wise though: David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burkitt Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Hmm, my mind is working overtime now - the DLR does seem an exciting challenge, but how the heck do I model the units? They would need to go round tram-radius curves, but unlike say the Modemo or Tomix tram models, they aren't articulated...Hmm, this could be difficult! David, the DLR units are articulated. Each unit comprises two "carriages" with three bogies, the central one being shared. Units are often referred to as carriages or cars, eg the "three carriage project" is actually expanding trains to three units, ie six carriages. There used to be a very comprehensive pdf document on the DLR website which covered the history of the rolling stock in great detail, from the opening of the line up until after the opening of the Lewisham extension. It had a lot of technical information, data on the dimensions of the vehicles, and I think some basic drawings of the different types of train. Sadly it is not on the site any more, but someone may have saved a copy or the DLR might be able to email it to you if you got in touch with them. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 Great, thanks Paul! If they share a central bogie, then thats far easier to convert from a tram chassis. Hmm...this could be the idea I go with! David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted November 18, 2009 Author Share Posted November 18, 2009 Now this has the possibility of growing into something much larger! Thinking about making it a larger board, I could run the DLR off to the right, over a road and around a corner into an airport station with some nice BAE 146s sat there on the apron, and alos cross over some sidings by a cement works - those lovely Bachmann models are due out soon...Hmmm Excuse poor sketch and poor photography! David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted November 19, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 19, 2009 and you could have Mr Bond in his powerboat whizzing round the dock . . . . . . . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 He'd have to be 005 to fit in with the challenge Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam '43003' Tanner Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 David, how about a number 5 somewhere on the Apron..? It's a cracking idea. This may prove a few things that I've often wondered. If it's do-able in 2mm, how about in 4mm.. I shall be watching the intent interest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 and you could have Mr Bond in his powerboat whizzing round the dock . . . . . . . or Jeremy Clarkson for that matter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 To give a better idea of what I am thinking of, here is a more advanced plan: The layout would be 5 feet by 2 feet, the DLR on a raised viaduct the entire length, and now crossing some freight sidings, possibly a cement works with those lovely forthcoming Bachmann items. The airport has now become another dock with appartments around it, the idea being as with much of the Isle of Dogs, brand-spanking new sitting along side little threads of old industry still in use. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted November 19, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 19, 2009 Hi David This looks very interesting - good luck if you decide to go with it. If you're interested in the DLR trains then have a chat with Bernard Taylor - I believe he is a member of the forum as Bernard TPM or somesuch. I'm pretty sure that if anyone has data and dimensions for DLR trains then he will. If the tram chassis are *about* the right size then the DLR bodies look as though they could be produced with etched parts - designing an etched model would certainly be a new skill for you to acquire! cheers Ben A. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted November 20, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 20, 2009 The rest of us might as well give up now. That looks like a winner :icon_mutter: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajdown Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 The first thing I thought of when I saw your plan of DLR alongside stone/cement terminal by main road was Pudding Mill Lane; I know perhaps the scenery round there isn't quite as interesting as on the docks itself, but with all the redevelopment for the Olympics going on, it could be a quite topical layout? If you can pull off modelling DLR stock and the DLR track (remember it's a hung third rail with bottom pickup, not the normal way) then this should be a very interesting, and unusual, layout. I've got some Linie N gauge trams that look very much like the Croydon trams except in green, and I had considered doing something with that for the competition but I'd rather cheat and use the Tomix inlaid tram track that's coming out - but getting hold of it in the UK seems to be nigh on impossible right now. If I haven't made significant progress by March on my other entry, then I may well abandon that plan and do the tram one instead, as like this one the originality factor is likely to score more points. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted November 21, 2009 Author Share Posted November 21, 2009 Having had a go at drawing the layout at full size, I've decided to shrink it a bit to 4 feet in length. Just to see if it would work, I did some quick card shapes to give an idea of sizes of buildings etc: This calls for some very large scale architectural modelling! David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted November 21, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 21, 2009 Having had a go at drawing the layout at full size, I've decided to shrink it a bit to 4 feet in length. Just to see if it would work, I did some quick card shapes to give an idea of sizes of buildings etc: This calls for some very large scale architectural modelling! David What are the chances of a Canary Wharf-style building, as per your sketch - 5 feet high? I went there once - is it 1 Canada Square? - but only to the 30th floor! Yours could be 5 Canada Square, with large points-scoring "5" logo on top! EDIT : Any suggestion that the rest of us are trying to turn this Challenge entry into an over-scoped oozalum bird that never takes off is a dirty slur. Come to think of it, though...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted November 21, 2009 Author Share Posted November 21, 2009 It will indeed be 5 Canada Dock! Among several 5s to appear on the model. The tallest tower would be about 13 floors, which is tall enough for me I think! David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
demufounder Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 The rest of us might as well give up now. That looks like a winner :icon_mutter: Agreed. Makes my ideas about as much fun as a wet Sunday afternoon, in the winter, at a UK seaside town Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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