Lacathedrale Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 Thanks, that's really kind. I am pleased too - I must admit when I had the layout up there with the yellow walls and fluorescent tubes my heart did sink a bit. I think all-in the cost has come to about £75 for the materials for the boards, backscene, lighting, paint, etc. and work over the course of three afternoons. The backscenes are indeed ID - I ordered these: https://www.howardscenicsupplies.co.uk/oo/ - I was pleased with the suburbs pack because the built-up area (not shown so far) looks alot like the view from the forest opposite my house, and the goal was to set the layout somewhere in my area: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted February 7, 2019 Share Posted February 7, 2019 Backscene looks great William, nice photo's. Steve. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted February 8, 2019 Author Share Posted February 8, 2019 (edited) After much wringing of hands, I have decided to order suburban set B from ID backscenes, so I can ensure the 'town' section (which would otherwise be in the middle of set C) is actually at the station end of my layout. I don't know whether I should double-down on the corner joint by also placing the back scene join there, or whether to stagger them so it's not so obvious... answers on a postcard? (also, speaking of which I'm thinking maybe to put a little bit of card into the corner to make a slight curve rather than a hard corner edge??) I have also received a second (and third) set of LED self-adhesive strips, but I need to wait until I can get to Jewsons to pick up some angle beading and fit it - it's got to go right inside and facing down under the valance to cast light in the correct places. Yesterday morning I had a little nose around the back end of the loft too, though it's absolutely not on the cards for this year - a simple scenic section horseshoe seems like it would be fairly inexpensive and fit well. The only 'problem' is that there are two horizontal joists (seen on Page 7's shots of the layout in situ for the first time) that require a bit of clearance to get your leg over - so the baseboards on the London end can only be about 9" wide (with a corresponding 9" backscene). Hopefully it's illustrated here with a very simple sketch: Edited February 8, 2019 by Lacathedrale Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SED Freightman Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 Just a thought, if you proceed with the additional scenic section, have you considered including a small oil terminal as at Selsdon which could provide further operational interest and additional use for the run round facility at Godstone Road. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted February 8, 2019 Author Share Posted February 8, 2019 (edited) I hadn't, but now I will have to research and find out! I don't suppose you have anything to hand? From what I can tell it was in the old goods yard, left out of shot here: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/selsdon/index55.shtml and here: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/selsdon/index65.shtml - seems like it would be a great little siding to put up against to the 'razed station' part of the long straight run... I did have a thought to create a windmill junction type arrangement on the horseshoe section, to allow one track to pass under and behind Godstone Rd to complete a continuous run (even if it's hidden for 10' of it!) like the rear of this photo: I fitted the crossover today, and I think it looks pretty good despite my reservations about it visually messing with the platform lengths: Tomorrow's job is all wiring - droppers, more LED lighting and a proper programming track - right now all my locos are ID 3 ! Edited February 8, 2019 by Lacathedrale 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SED Freightman Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 11 hours ago, Lacathedrale said: I hadn't, but now I will have to research and find out! I don't suppose you have anything to hand? From what I can tell it was in the old goods yard, left out of shot here: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/selsdon/index55.shtml and here: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/selsdon/index65.shtml - seems like it would be a great little siding to put up against to the 'razed station' part of the long straight run... The first photo shows the connection to the oil sidings in the former goods yard, they were simply two sidings with discharge pipework and walkways between them, each capable of holding 8 or 9 two axle tank cars within the fenced and gated discharge area. The second photo shows one siding and the discharge pipework, the other siding is out of view to the left. In latter years at least, trains arrived on the Down Oxted Line and propelled into the former branch platforms where the loco ran round before hauling the train clear of the siding connection and then setting back with the train split into the two sidings as required. In 1984, the track was singled through the old platforms as seen in the first photo and a section of the former up and down lines was used to form a loop immediately north of the siding connection, trains still propelled on and off the Oxted Line. The terminal, which received heating oil and kerosine (paraffin), was operated by Cory's and was served from the BP Grain Refinery until that closed and thence from Shell at Thameshaven until the traffic ceased. The oil storage tanks and road tanker loading racks were located away from the sidings at the south end of the yard and therefore need not be modelled if space is at a premium. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 I don't think you need a programming track if you don't have many chipped locos - just take them all off, except the one you are going to programme. That's what it says in my NCE PowerCab manual! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted February 9, 2019 Author Share Posted February 9, 2019 @SED Freightman thank you for the info, that's definitely enough to get me started - a facing siding on the up main would give a reason to run trains down to Godstone Rd and back again even if the oil terminal is halfway around the layout. @Dr Gerbil-Fritters you're not wrong - based on that I decided to just whack in a toggle switch that will flip the layout from main to programming mode and it works a treat. Here's a ground level shot of the crossover, which I feel a bit more justified in including as it's now properly wired up. There's a light filter on the photo to get the blue-purple hazy look of snaps from the 70's and 80's: Most of the work today was pretty hidden away - I replaced the chocolate block connectors under the main station throat with a proper bus wire, and wired up the tips of the station board sidings. Also, the toggle for the programming track as well. One thing that was definitely not hidden away was the backscenes - they are now applied and look great in my humble opinion. They're not perfect but they're damn good. I also fitted a strip of LED lights right behind the front edge of the fascia, facing down. Unfortunately, not enough to fully light the aisle side of the locos on the coal depot siding - but there's precious little I can do without encroaching into where my head and shoulders need to be! The 4CEP has been chipped and works great, and I have the other locos all registered in a loco list - nice to be able to toggle through '2EPB', '4CEP', '37284', etc. I'm not sure what to tackle next - I need to trim out the cork roadbed and replace the missing sleepers I guess, and then maybe the platform and station concourse? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 ah, orange curtains... happy days of proper trains 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted February 10, 2019 Author Share Posted February 10, 2019 Bit of a cross-post, but the first movement towards a platform is starting: On the backscene there will be a low relief structure of the station building and a half relief covered concourse, then a short canopy running to just about where the concrete platform edging starts. At first I wasn't sure about what to do with the space on the right, but having reviewed some more source photographs I think it makes sense to put in a semi-derelict goods shed and a few cars - after all, this was the old goods yard area. I'm expecting to add about 3" width to where the HEA's are sitting for some coal pens and just to bring the track away from the hard edge of the fascia. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ52 Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 When's the third rail coming? Enjoying this! Terry 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 Yes, get that 3rd rail down! The Peco demo diorama shows how nice it looks... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted February 10, 2019 Author Share Posted February 10, 2019 (edited) My rough outline for the next piece of work is: Alignment across board edges fixed Platform sized and built, with the cork trimmed and cut away for a nice ballast shoulder Goodies like dummy point motors, cabling, concrete troughing, etc. defined (help.....) and in situ Track painted with basecoats, then ballasted 3rd rail and AWS ramps, etc. installed That's roughly my thoughts, happy for any suggestions. Today I'm taking the afternoon for St. Sunday. EDIT: Got outbid on a 'Burma Star' by 50% of my bid, but I'm kind of OK with that. Edited February 10, 2019 by Lacathedrale Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 Turns out I'm pretty good at guessing the platform edges - just a little bit to trim on one side. I am pushing back the buffers on the main platform road by 3-4cm in order to have the capacity for a preserved steam loco (like a Britannia, Merchant Navy, etc.). It won't require any further changes, just needs me to mount the buffers on an extra couple of inches of flex and glued in place behind the current droppers. I've ordered another batch from Hattons - mixed brown ballast, scenic cement, sleeper grime (in aerosol), and the components for the third rail, platform edges, AWS ramps and dummy point motors. I managed to avoid ordering a steam loco and instead bought a Zimo MX644D and Icecube speaker set from YouChoos for the 37. I'm hoping that this consolidation brings more value than dallying off into thoughts about an extension or running a big DCC sound steam loco would! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 If you change direction you' re layout will grow and never seem to be finished. Stick with the station with a mind on later expansion, then you can slowly expand around the main heart of the model as you please. I'm finally biting the bullet on scenics and accepting I need to do some research on plasticard and weathering - I noted that yet again as I reach this stage in a layout's development I start eyeing alternatives which result in never getting past the bare track stage. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 I've fallen foul of that quite a few times too - I've never actually finished a layout because typically, I get bored with the whole thing and abandon it (and normally the hobby) for months or years. I think it's just a case of subconscious nerves - it's much easier to live this hobby vicariously than it is to do it yourself, and nobody wants to waste time or money and end up with something rubbish. Anyway, I'm trying to mitigate against that by having small, specific, achievable short-term goals set up. For example, my current goal is to 'build the platforms', and my next goal is to 'finish the track fettling and lay the third rail'. I'm optimistic that both can be done in the next week or so. Time will tell, but it's working so far. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted February 14, 2019 Author Share Posted February 14, 2019 I had a nice big package waiting for me when I returned home last night - including that YouChoos sound decoder. I've done some measuring, the Peco platform edging is actually the perfect height as-is, and I am going to form the inner section with a combination of balsa and foamcore, topped with cork. I took a short trip to Caterham today, and some pictures of the terminus there, it's certainly more photogenic than Bromley North. Here is a shot looking at the bufferstops and showing the walkway down to platform level: I think the overlap of the passenger ramp onto the platform between the platform faces would be effective to stagger the building and make it seem less like a low relief endcap. Here's another shot of the bufferstops: The other direction shows a concrete retaining wall with a little shrubbery and then a vertical hedge - it would be a perfect backdrop for the rear platform: What do you think? I could always just model the 'middle' of the platform now, and have the wings (in the case of modelling Bromley North style, with a wide concourse and gates at platform level) or the ramp down (in the case of Caterham-style, where there is the passenger ramp up to a raised station building) 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted February 16, 2019 Author Share Posted February 16, 2019 My method for building the platform is pretty simple, though I guess it remains to be seen if it'll actually work! The main structure is 5mm foamcore, cut to the size of the platform clearance minus the width of the peco platform edges. It is brought up to an intermediate level using sides of 1/2" balsa square section, and topped with cork. Peco platform edging will then be glued onto the sides. So far I'm gluing it all together, here is a shot of the foamcore substrate in-situ: I have also fixed as best I can, the alignment problems across the baseboard join. They're not perfect but are a good deal better than they were before. I'm still also very pleased that aside from running a razor around where the backscene joins the ceiling and across the module joins, the whole lot can still be lifted and shifted. You can also see the first pass with some sleeper grime spray on the coal yard track - very effective and will be done everywhere else as soon as the third rail is laid. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted February 16, 2019 Author Share Posted February 16, 2019 (edited) Just out walking the dog, and what do I hear? Is that... the sound of a class 37 thundering down the branchline behind my house? Seems that the Kent and Sussex railtour was diverted down the Caterham branch as a way to appease issues of routing past Three Bridges - quite literally stopped 15 feet at the signal beyond the end of my garden. Gosh, the sound chip on the 37 I've just installed is nice, but nothing compared to the clout of the real thing! What a lovely surprise... Anyway, here's the start of the 3rd rail being laid: You can see where I've trimmed back the cork so I can get something approaching a uniform shoulder - we'll have to see how that pans out, of course. I've found it a bit annoying that all the sleeper gaps I've got are 1.5 wide - they look too empty without anything there, and too full with a sleeper in place. Any ideas? Edited February 16, 2019 by Lacathedrale 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ52 Posted February 16, 2019 Share Posted February 16, 2019 Loving it all so far. Once you have sprayed the track the gaps may well not look so bad. Even though my layout is O Gauge and 1930s I love Southern suburbia. Terry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold kipford Posted February 16, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 16, 2019 Hi, looks good. Couple of suggestions for you I found useful when building Brighton East. First paint the track before laying the third rail. Second chemical blacken the third rail before fitting it. That way when you paint it, it reduces the tendency for nasty paint free gaps to appear around the conductors. If you look at the Brighton thread you may find some other useful tips. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted February 17, 2019 Author Share Posted February 17, 2019 Thanks, @kipford - I've put the third rail down on most of one board already so I'll just have to consider that one a lesson learned so far. I do have some brass black so I'll do that with the remainder now. I've seen your layout a few times but not checked out the thread - thank you for the encouragement. It's slowly getting to the point where Godstone Rd. will have most of the structural and electrical work done, so all the heavy earthmoving tools will be moved back into the garage and the chances of clouting a model with a cordless drill significantly reduced. With that in mind, an actual operational plan for the layout needs to be devised if it's not going to end up a very large and expensive diorama. It feels very much like a Towers of Hanoi game: there are three staging roads, one of which is exit only. There are four destinations, one of which is only accessible by the traverser, etc. Any suggestions gladly taken. @TJ52 I shuffled some of the timbers around and have managed to get the first 'half' of the layout looking fairly respectable, pictures later today Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold kipford Posted February 17, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2019 One thing I forgot to mention, are you are aware of the Russ Elliot article on the Scalefour CLAG website on setting out third rail and fourth rails? It is well worth reading and using. A lot of people make mistakes with where to position the third rail correctly, the biggest error is continuing the conductor past the toe of the point around the point motors and tie bars. Link to the article http://www.clag.org.uk/3rd-4th.html 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacathedrale Posted February 17, 2019 Author Share Posted February 17, 2019 thanks Dave, I've been using that as my bible - it makes the double crossover in my station throat look a bit spotty - lots of short bits of conductor - but hopefully is aligned to prototype practice. I can't handle side ramps at this point, so it may require a revisit at some point in the future. This is what I've got after today's work - after painting and cleaning up the railheads I've knocked just two of the insulator chairs off, so I'll take that as a net win In the background, you can see the platform taking shape like some kind of dinosaur in the mist... 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Geep7 Posted February 17, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 17, 2019 (edited) Great job there with the 3rd rail. It is a rather fiddly job, but well worth it. One thing I did do with my 3rd rail, especially at board joints, was to tap in some brass nails and solder the 3rd rail to it. Stops any accidental damage when the boards are apart. Edited February 17, 2019 by Geep7 Correcting the autocorrect.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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