Buildings for new O gauge Layout

While making the baseboards, fiddle yard and track laying, mainly outside on our picnic table, I also wanted to ensure all buildings and structures fitted in, size wise. To this end I have purchased some Laser Cut MDF and Laser Cut HD Card Kits and made them up indoors when the weather was poor outside. As the track laying progressed I kept checking the buildings clearances as I made them, this ensured all would  be OK. I also refurbished a very old scratch built Cattle Dock that was in a very poor state.

I now have several items in various states of completeness, but at least I know they will fit in the required positions.

Station Building and Canopy  ——-LCut Creative

Goods Shed ———————————-Laser Cut Railway Models

Coal Depot————————————LCut Creative

Loco Coal Stage—————————-Poppys Woodtech

Station Fencing—————————-Poppys Woodtech

Signal Box————————————Laser Cut Railway Models

Signal Box Interior———————–LCut Creative

Station Platform—————————Laser Cut Railway Models

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Only the Cattle Dock is actually finished – I will do update posts as things proceed.

O Gauge Station Layout- NEW PROJECT

I was looking around for a new project and my thoughts varied between an O gauge garden layout to yet another micro/mini layout. I certainly have stock for a goodish size Garden Layout, but did I need the stresses and strains of making and maintaining it. Another option was to clear the garage of my OO layout and start afresh in O gauge. After much thought, I decided to make a large, for me, layout that could be kept in the garden shed and brought out on fine days any time of the year with little maintenance.  I also wanted to keep the door open to possible display at Exhibitions although I have no suitable transport at present.

I came up with many plans and a couple were later put on a shortlist. I purchased a pair of Laser cut baseboard kits, both were 6′ x 2′. After much head scratching I decided that these had to be the scenic section and that a separate provision was needed for a fiddle yard.

I chose the attached plan for the scenic section. And I innovated a small fiddle yard, possibly to be superseded later.

12' terminus alt two likely

The overall size including fiddle yard is a respectable 17′ and will hold a small Tender Engine or for instance a Class 24  and three suburban coaches. The fiddle yard has the head shunt from the goods yard, this only extends half the length of the fiddle yard. This meant that by adding a point in the fiddle yard I could gain a lot of flexibility. I can hold three small trains, one large and a small train by the use of isolating sections. I consider the whole layout is for storage and the run round loop and the bay platform can hold stock awaiting movement.

I also wanted to run the layout in two sections, the parcels/passenger section and the goods yard, hence the placement of power feeds and crossovers. The runaround loop being dual use.

No name for the layout yet as I want to run multiple era’s and regions. It will be scenically set from about 1950 until 1970 and generic railway structures will be used.

I think that any era/region can be run with three small loco’s, six parcels/coaching and up to 30 goods wagons – plenty of shunting using ‘spratt and winkle’ couplings.

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The extensions for the four sawhorses were made to increase the height by 5″. Note I took the opportunity  to increase the width that the trestle can hold, and put a ‘stop’ on the top to hold the layout in place.

The Layout will be DC as I find that I can use a smaller magnet with ‘spratt and winkle’ couplings and it is easier to position a train over the magnet.

All the straight track is glued already, but the points are just tacked as they need the holes drilled in the baseboard to accept the motors. A manual test then needs to take place before the full electrics are done.

The Platform has been formed already to ensure good tolerances for the stock. The platforms are Laser cut MDF supplied by Laser Cut Model Railways – excellent product.

STOWMARKET RC EXHIBITION 23.4.17

Another great Exhibition by SRC. As usual the standard of Layouts and Traders was excellent. This has to be of the best one day Exhibitions in East Anglia. It was nice to meet up with some old friends on the DEMU stand and lots of mates both with layouts and as visitors.

This was a bit of a special day for us as both my sons came with my three grandsons. After things had  calmed down a bit we gave three year old Charlie his first taste of operating a layout after a bit of tuition by his Dad. Luckily we were exhibiting Lowe St. which only has one point. I have to say that he did remarkably well, a future operator I hope, if we can keep him away from games consoles etc . I have to say that his Dad buying him a Hornby Edward should help.

I would like to thank my son John for staying on and helping and Graham M for his support. Photos by my wife.

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NORWICH EXHIBITION 8.4.17

After a break of several years I was invited to attend this exhibition with my O Gauge layout Sefton Yard. This was my first visit to the new venue at Hellesdon  High School, and what a great venue it is.

Not only was this a very friendly show, but all the layouts present were truly excellent. I have to single one out though, this is ‘Worlds End’, a classic. Its scenic modelling puts it in my best ever top 10 layouts. This also shows just how diverse railway modelling really is, from the urban setting of ‘Worlds End’ to the vast space of ‘That Dam Railway’ to merely the shunting puzzle of our ‘Sefton Yard’ and the depot movements on ‘Bedford Road’.

We were in Hall 2 along with two other O gauge layouts Bedford Road and Blackshaw Yard/Coopers End. It was nice that we were all in the same Hall, but also that the three O gauge layouts were all different era’s.

I would like to thank my helpers of the day, Shaun, Graham and Graham. I would also like to thank my wife for the following photographs. Lastly thanks to Terry and all members of the Norwich Club – great Show, see you next year with Morlock Heath.

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More Pre-Tops 08 and a Class 31

Last week I got around to numbering the last of my Dapol Class 08’s – Weathering to follow!

The first one is D3131 and is in green. In fact this loco was still in green when it received Tops numbering. The bonnet access doors had their handles removed as they were not needed on this series of 08’s. I also added an extra vertical hand rail on the nose end. These seem random fitted to some loco’s. This engine was based at March (MR) in the period I model. Again I did a fair amount of research into appropriate loco’s, this really is essential as liveries were constantly changing, even on the same loco! I used Fox Transfers for the warning flashes and data panels. HMRS pressfix again being used for all numbers.

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The next 08 was to be D3103,  a Western Region engine, based at Newport (EJ) during my modelling era. It did move to the Midland Region in late 1969. Again the bonnet access doors had the handles removed as they were not required. This loco had a black buffer beam in the photograph(s) I found.

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The third 08 is D3275, this is a Scottish Region engine based at Polmadie (PO) during my required era. This loco has all the correct handrails and grabs as modelled by Dapol. The only modification was to paint the cab roof Blue.

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The last Loco in this batch of numbering was D5593, this was a Finsbury Park (FP). It was one of the last 31’s in this original livery with a small warning panel and lasted until 1969 in this condition.

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CAMBRIDGE EXHIBITION 1/4/17

We attended the above exhibition yesterday with my small OO layout, Lowe St. There is a previous post on this layout so I will not go over old ground again. Just search ‘Lowe Street’.

I would like to thank all at the Cambridge 31A Model Railway Club for inviting me, they are a great club and put on excellent shows. After over 20 shows Neil has handed over to Alan, and if yesterday was anything to go on, the change is seamless.

The quality of layouts and traders was to the usual high standard and it seemed very busy almost to the finishing time. I purchased some excellent laser cut O gauge platforms and a Goods Shed at really good prices.

The best part of the day for us was receiving the ‘Best Layout in Show’ award. This was quite a surprise as we had one of the smallest layout in the show, although run close by Dave Tailby, Colin French and Dave Carson with their micro layouts. This goes to show that everyone has room for a layout and that micro’s can be both interesting with plenty of shunting and very detailed. Once again thank you to the Cambridge Club.

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Sorry I look at bit sad, but it was such a surprise being awarded the trophy. Delighted really.

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