[PAPPA.B]

Hi Ray Glad you decided to stay with us. The Plan looks busy plenty to hold your interest is it one of CJ Freezers from trackplans for various locations? I've been trying to get a copy had one on order for 3 weeks i've been told it should come this week. mmm ! Like you i'm hoping that it will give me some inspiration. So if this is based around Hereford what will you be running period and stock wise ?Good luck with sorting your garage been there now got some baseboards to build. Cheers Jim

 

[PAPPA.B]

Sorry Ray Just looked at those photo's not Hereford 'Belmont ! Jim

 

[Rhiwderin_Ray]

QUOTE (PAPPA.B @ 4 Jun 2012, 13:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Ray Glad you decided to stay with us. The Plan looks busy plenty to hold your interest is it one of CJ Freezers from trackplans for various locations? I've been trying to get a copy had one on order for 3 weeks i've been told it should come this week. mmm ! Like you i'm hoping that it will give me some inspiration. So if this is based around Hereford what will you be running period and stock wise ?Good luck with sorting your garage been there now got some baseboards to build. Cheers Jim

Hi Jim. The plan is from the PSL book of model railway track plans ISBN 0-85059-905-9.

I have only borrowed the names Dormington and Mordiford from local hamlets/villages near Hereford. The name Belmont comes from Belmont tunnel at Bangor North Wales on the old LNWR coast line. I will be running LMS and BR steam stock.

Have just made a start by ripping up some trackwork! Sad in a way, but the curves on my old layout were too tight. Looking forward to building the new one in a few weeks I hope. Will keep everyone posted!

 

[Rhiwderin_Ray]

Nothing much further to report. I bought a roll of lining paper at the local DIY and have started drawing up the plan life-size. Unfortunately it doesn't photograph well !!

That will be about it for a couple of weeks until I clear the garage and buy some wood.

Will post again when there is some definite progress.....

 

[tank engine]

I like your adapted plan Ray shows plenty of operating interest.
What hight do you plan to start your baseboards at?
Goodluck with the garage and the new build.
regards,
Derek

 

[Rhiwderin_Ray]

Hi Derek. Lowest baseboard height will be 3ft (92cm) to suit my bar stool seat plus heights of sockets. There is open access to both right and left ends. I intend to put stock storage drawers underneath.

 

[Rhiwderin_Ray]

I should just add that plotting out the track plan full size is only to make sure everything will fit the baseboard dimensions.
When it comes to putting down the actual track, there will still be a degree of final adjustment to ensure there are sufficient clearances between tracks and also that buildings, platforms, etc fit properly. Only when everything looks good will the track be fixed in place! This process will take place for each of the build stages.

Also, it is extremely useful to do plenty of research into the prototype by getting your hands on books, photos, etc especially in colour if possible. For example, the LNWR and LMS had distinctive water cranes, signals, station buildings, coaling stages, etc. Being an amalgamation, LMS structures varied according to the railway company that had been amalgamated, i.e. LNWR, L&Y, Midland, etc. These would remain mainly unchanged even in BR steam days although the colour of the paint might change.

 

[Rhiwderin_Ray]

For those interested, this is the book where I got the plan. Quite a good selection in here.

I would also recommend C.J.Freezer's books on Signalling (ideal for novices to signalling such as myself) and also Operation (gives you a grounding on how railways actually operated).

Also books on North Wales Coast :-

North Wales Steam Vols 1 & 2 by E. N. Kneale

London Midland Steam in North Wales by W. G. Rear

Steam on the North Wales Coast by Michael Jones

British Railways Past & Present No. 36 North Wales Part 2 (Can't see Part 1 though!)
British Railways Past & Present No. 6 Chester & North Wales

also British Railways in Colour - The London Midland Region by Alan Earnshaw & Kevin Derrick (General LMS - good for colour referencing)

 

[Rhiwderin_Ray]

A little more plotting out on the lining paper today. The low level station will comfortably hold a 5 coach train and the two lower sidings are 3ft and 4ft respectively.

 

[Rhiwderin_Ray]

I must say that this plotting out full size has turned out to be a useful exercise.

I have managed to squeeze in another siding onto the bottom sidings and found out that my amended pointwork for the coaling stage and goods headshunt had to be swapped around because the headshunt curve would be too tight.

Better finding out now instead of when I came to construct it !

The good news is that it all seems to fit.

It is only when you see 11ft of drawing that you discover just how big it is and just what you have let yourself in for ! Having said that I should really crack on with dismantling and clearing space in the garage!

 

[Rhiwderin_Ray]

Some pics of the lining paper plan...

Overall plan of lower station

Some detail

And some pics of adjustments made to the original plan

 

[PAPPA.B]

Hi Ray come on stop putting it off and get and sort that garage

.The linning paper is a good idea i bought a roll of poster paper it was on offer not sure how that will work out.I also got my CJ Freezer track plans for various places at last, it looks interesting when was your plan book published?This one was published in 2010 i wonder if you have some of the same plans. Always interested in different plans as you have done they can be adapted to your own needs is the book still available? What track will you be using will you recycle some from the old layout or start new? The plan you have chosen certainly looks like you won't get bored with which is some thing i'm trying to find. For me i want to keep all the track on one level as it's my first real atempt and due to the the fact 3 of the 6 baseboards will be removable. Anyway will be in my garage tomorrow building the first 2 of the 6 boards having bought the timber today.I'll be following your progress with interest not sure that i'll be keeping up the pace with you though but thanks for sharing your project with us when i've made some progress i'll post some pictures myself. Cheers Jim

 

[Rhiwderin_Ray]

QUOTE (PAPPA.B @ 9 Jun 2012, 19:42) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Ray come on stop putting it off and get and sort that garage

.The linning paper is a good idea i bought a roll of poster paper it was on offer not sure how that will work out.I also got my CJ Freezer track plans for various places at last, it looks interesting when was your plan book published?This one was published in 2010 i wonder if you have some of the same plans. Always interested in different plans as you have done they can be adapted to your own needs is the book still available? What track will you be using will you recycle some from the old layout or start new? The plan you have chosen certainly looks like you won't get bored with which is some thing i'm trying to find. For me i want to keep all the track on one level as it's my first real atempt and due to the the fact 3 of the 6 baseboards will be removable. Anyway will be in my garage tomorrow building the first 2 of the 6 boards having bought the timber today.I'll be following your progress with interest not sure that i'll be keeping up the pace with you though but thanks for sharing your project with us when i've made some progress i'll post some pictures myself. Cheers Jim

Hi Jim. My book is 1993 but available used. I will be using peco code 100 as I have many old locos. Will reuse as many points as I can but probably mainly new flexi track. Big issue is all that length of retaining wall to build.

 

[PAPPA.B]

Hi Ray morning, i ment to ask you how did you draw the curves on your full size plan? And are the lines to the outside of the sleepers? Cheers Jim

 

[Rhiwderin_Ray]

QUOTE (PAPPA.B @ 10 Jun 2012, 10:00) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Ray morning, i ment to ask you how did you draw the curves on your full size plan? And are the lines to the outside of the sleepers? Cheers Jim

Hi

I draw curves in a couple of ways. For the fixed curves on the viaduct I determined the radius from the original plan, then used a pencil on a piece of string to draw the centreline(s). Then put a piece of flexitrack in place along the centreline and drew a pencil along the outside of the rails. I probably could have used a long thin piece of hardboard but didn't have any to hand.

For siding curves, I drew in the straight sections (centre to outside of sleepers is 1.5cm each way, ie track is approx 3cm wide in OO) then drew in the positions of the points and finally used a piece of flexi track to join up the two ends.

Peco templates are useful to print and cut out. Mark the centres between the rails to join up with straight sections. When in place, mark the positions of the rail ends to obtain size and direction.

So yes the lines are the outsides of the sleepers but I also put in the centre lines on the paper as much as possible since I will be using Woodland Scenics track underlay which is split down to middle for ease of installation on curves.

Thanks for your interest and good luck with your layout.

 

[Rhiwderin_Ray]

Just as an aside, I will be using the Scalescenes downloadable retaining walls (two types) on my layout. With around 20 feet of retaining walls to build this is by far the cheapest option although they do take some time to construct. My main issue will be on the lower "viaduct/embankment" which lowers from 6" to about 2.5". The problem is how to keep any arches vertical - you can't just cut off the base at an angle as this would change the verticals ! Any ideas??

May have to "design" my own templates as adjusted versions of the Scalescenes ones using a gradient instead of horizontal.

Some pics of some Scalescenes wall I have already built.

 

[JimmyH]

I think you would have to cut the wall up into sections: divide the wall up into sections of two arches with a pillar on the end, and then cut off the bottom of each section, to the maximum amount of the extent that the pillars extend above that little ledge.

then cut out the long wall sections at the top, above that little ledge, and place them (or cut them) at an angle to transition from one pillar to the next.

not sure if that's totally clear, but that's the only way I can think to do it using the wall as it is built.

EDIT: or you could not angle the top part of the wall at all, just have each section step down to the next.

 

[James Harrison]

I know that on the Cross-City line in Birmingham (around Five Ways and Edgbaston) there is a cutting that is lined with brick arches like that. Where the cutting comes down to track level, the arches descend in steps whilst the parapet wall falls on a smooth gradient. I tried to find a couple of photos using google maps and the streetview feature, but frustratingly the roads don't go where I need them to!

 

[PAPPA.B]

Hi Ray Thanks for your reply i did have some ideas just wondered how you did yours. Regarding your embankment/viaduct can you not build the embankment around the arches sorry if i,ve miss understood what your trying to do .Have you been in your garage today ?I have built the first 2 of the 6 so had a productive day and pleased with the results hopefully will complete the baseboards by the end of the month. Cheers Jim

 

[Rhiwderin_Ray]

QUOTE (PAPPA.B @ 10 Jun 2012, 18:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Ray Thanks for your reply i did have some ideas just wondered how you did yours. Regarding your embankment/viaduct can you not build the embankment around the arches sorry if i,ve miss understood what your trying to do .Have you been in your garage today ?I have built the first 2 of the 6 so had a productive day and pleased with the results hopefully will complete the baseboards by the end of the month. Cheers Jim

Hi Jim. No productivity today, too busy studying my Open University course. Just took a break to draw in the final siding beneath the loco coaling siding.