Brighton Trafalgar - An Edwardian LB&SCR Terminus

[Lacathedrale]

I am leaning towards Brighton Trafalgar currently. My little brass screws have finally arrived so I can set up the last of the traverser tracks and get it all wired up. 

 

I'm started to get a bit worried about the rest of the passenger stock, currently I have:

- A rake of 4w B-T-F-T-BT in Mahogany.

- A rake of 4w/6w B-T-C-T*-BT* in Mahogany (* 6w to be repainted umber)

- A rake of bogie BT-T-C*-T-BT (* First/Second Composite)

 

I am hoping to get a push-pull balloon trailer for Boxhill to pull for Devils Dyke & Kemp Town runs, but I still need to find a 'posh' rake of bogie coaches somewhere - non-RTR Pullmans, 48'/54' Firsts, etc. - is there anywhere I can source or convert these  without resorting to brass kits? 

 

I went to the Bluebell toy and Steam collector's fair yesterday and gosh, it feels like it would be so easy to cave in and model this as an SR-era station: there's just such a massive volume of SR knocking around and I could get all the carriage stock for the layout for the price of a couple of LBSCR brass kits, to say nothing of the locomotives - I still need to find an I-class 4-4-2 tank and a B-class 4-4-0 to round out the stock there - and in doing so I'd probably move on the H2 atlantic as it's a bit big and late for my era...

 

[BlueLightning]

2 hours ago, Lacathedrale said:

non-RTR Pullmans

 

Coming soon from @ianmaccormac

 

 

LBSC American Pullman cars, more details on his blog http://ianmaccormacmodels.blogspot.com/

 

2 hours ago, Lacathedrale said:

I went to the Bluebell toy and Steam collector's fair yesterday

 

Same, shame I didn't know you were there, would have been good to have met you!

 

Gary

Edited May 1, 2023 by BlueLightning

[Lacathedrale]

That's a great shout, thank you! @BlueLightning apologies, I didn't really think of going until the last minute. If you saw a bald dude with a moustache and a baby in a carrier, that was me! :) 

 

@ianmaccormac, is it likely we'll see these in 4mm? I'd like three! Is there a process to register interest or preorder?

 

 

[BlueLightning]

7 hours ago, Lacathedrale said:

is it likely we'll see these in 4mm?

 

Just in case Ian doesn't see his notifications to reply, my photo is of the 4mm version, they will be £50 per coach, he's just got a bit of a redesign to do on the bogies.

 

7 hours ago, Lacathedrale said:

I didn't really think of going until the last minute. If you saw a bald dude with a moustache and a baby in a carrier, that was me!

 

It was a very last minute trip for me too, the girlfriend unexpectedly decided I should choose our day out, and despite not looking overly impressed, she didn't object, and even got herself a couple of trains!

 

Gary

[Lacathedrale]

I don't know if I'm being thick or not but honestly this is just a complete dog's breakfast:

 

 

Ignoring the jig socket for now, if we simply use pins to the down side of the each traverser line into the down socket:

• Track 1 to Up is impossible, to Down is OK
• Track 2 to Up is OK, to Down has a bump
• Track 3 to Up is OK, to Down has a bump
• Track 4 to Up is OK, to Down is OK
• Track 5 to Up has a bump, to Down is OK

None of these bumps are enough to cause derailments, but they look like absolute crap.  

 

Some of the bump is a height problem - I think I am going to have to de-solder the rails and re-fit them using some kind of height jig. (should be 6mm + height of rail underside) - but the rest is lateral, and I can't figure out what I've done wrong:

1. I put in the socket next to the down line and the 1st traverser line while the traverser was at rest.
2. I moved the traverser forward one step (to the position you see in the photograph) and used the 1st traverser line socket to fix a jig socket in. 
3. I then used the jig pin to fit the remainder of the traverser-side sockets in place. 

My main concern is to ensure that each pair of traverser tracks can align to the Up and Down line. What am I doing wrong? How can I fix it? :( 

[Nick C]

Probably the up and down lines aren't in the same plane. I think what I would do is this:

1. Get the up line aligned correctly, square and level. 
2. Align the fiddle yard road 3 to this. Test and verify (so you know that U3 works).
3. Repeat for road 2 (you know U2 works)
4. With the FY set with road 3 aligned to the up, align the down to road 2. (you know U3D2 works, and that the two input lines should match)
5. Verify that D3 works
6. Set U2, align 1 to down. (U2D1 works)
7. Set D3, align 4 to up (U4D3 works)
8. Verify D4
9. Set D4, align 5 to up (U5D4 works)
10. Test and verify each combination.

Hopefully that makes sense...

[Lacathedrale]

@Nick C at rest, the traverser is D1U2 - does that change your recommendations?

[Nick C]

I don't think it really matters which order you do them in - it's more about doing it methodically. Perfectly fine to start with 2 & 1 instead of 3 & 2 - the point is to fix one input road, align a pair of adjacent FY roads to that, then use those to align the second input road, before finally doing the rest of the FY roads going outwards from the ones you've fixed.

 

So you could do down first, for example:

D1, D2, D1U2, D2U3, D3U4, D4U5

Edited May 17, 2023 by Nick C

[Lacathedrale]

Right, so I guess my flaw here was fixing both D and U, then aligning 1 and 2 them respectively simultaneously. Your suggestion if I understand correctly is to align D to 1 then D to 2, then U to 2. I knew I was fundamentally misunderstanding something somewhere! 

 

I guess I should fabricate up a height gauge/track-gauge and alignment gauge combo too from some of the tufnol I have laying around...

[Nick C]

2 hours ago, Lacathedrale said:

Right, so I guess my flaw here was fixing both D and U, then aligning 1 and 2 them respectively simultaneously. Your suggestion if I understand correctly is to align D to 1 then D to 2, then U to 2. I knew I was fundamentally misunderstanding something somewhere! 

 

I guess I should fabricate up a height gauge/track-gauge and alignment gauge combo too from some of the tufnol I have laying around...

Yep - You need to make sure that both D and U are in exactly the same alignment - so doing both of them first means you have no reference for the second, wheras doing one, then a pair of FY roads off that, then the other, means you've always got a reference for each road as you align it (after the first, which is your datum). It's one of those things that's quite difficult to describe!

[Lacathedrale]

So I've done it and I think it's the best I'm going to get - I have realised that me and traversers just don't get along, so this will be the first and last! 

 

Some puzzled onlookers investigate the mechanical faultline in their world

 

Now there's the droppers to do, sixteen for the these board ends, and the remaining five for the far baseboard joint. Give me strength!

[Schooner]

7 hours ago, Lacathedrale said:

Give me strength!

Strength, aye

 

 

AAAHuuUUH GUhGuhGuhGuh!

[Lacathedrale]

Another day, another dozen droppers done - the only ones left are to the traverser tracks. No pictures because it's boring as heck! 

 

I did manage to pick up a Rapido break van in SER colours. SECR would be more appropriate for my era by about a decade, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity of having a break van for my EM-gauge LCDR/SER stock...

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2023 by Lacathedrale

[Lacathedrale]

Ah, all the running wiring is complete and here's a very quick shot of the inaugural run:

 

 

I've got a paper template for the island platform laid out so with this blessed relief (for now) from wiring, I think the next piece of work is to lay the platforms and building/wall carcasses?

 

[St Enodoc]

9 minutes ago, Lacathedrale said:

I think the next piece of work is to lay the platforms and building/wall carcasses

I think the next piece of work is to play trains for a bit - you've earned it.

[Lacathedrale]

You are right of course - if only to prove out my operating plan!

 

I found a nice aerial photo of 'the spot' for my station - the old goods yard:

 

 

The two sidings adjacent the stilted building is still there, so I can see those warehouses in-situ still, just:

 

 

 

Incidentally while looking at that Britain from Above photograph, I also found this from the late LBSCR period:

 

[Lacathedrale]

A few shots of the platform carcasses going in - I’m not sure whether to have a long or short parcels bay…

[magmouse]

Nice to see the progress with the platforms, but also - track with stock on, and suddenly there’s a railway! That must be very satisfying.

 

Nick.

[TJ52]

Might it be easier to ballasts before putting in the platforms?

 

Terry

[Lacathedrale]

Yes, as @magmouse has said - as once there are platform carcasses and stock suddenly it all looks 'real' - so I am going to rough in (without gluing) the platforms, station building, and retaining wall - and then 'play trains' as @St Enodoc has pointed out :) 

 

After having stared at the layout for so long I can't really tell what is a good or bad idea when it comes to the track plan so I'm asking here. There was originally no plan for an end-loading dock on the platforms, but after seeing one in lots of Brighton station pictures I thought it would be really nice to include. However, I'm not sure it works with the narrow concourse I have planned (see A, below) - With the refinement of station-building and concourse design, use of that end loading dock would mean in a sharp 90° turn for any vehicles being unloaded or require a large passageway straight through the side of the station building - I think that might be stretching it as I just don't think there's enough room on the concourse. Any thoughts on this would be gladly appreciated.

 

Idea B extends the bay to meet the carriage siding, and Idea C extends the siding to meet the bay. I think I'd rather there was a little openness to the layout at that end as it's already quite hemmed in so leaning towards either A or C.

 

The following  is a stylised plan and doesn't reflect the exact geometry of the layout, but should give an idea:

 

 

Edited June 4, 2023 by Lacathedrale

[Mikkel]

On 02/06/2023 at 13:13, Lacathedrale said:

Ah, all the running wiring is complete and here's a very quick shot of the inaugural run:

 

 

Quite a milestone, great to see that all the research and planning has paid off. 

 

Regarding the end loading dock, in my view option B has something going for it. I feel it  looks more balanced, and the longer platform looks more realistic to me. I also tend to like views across multiple platforms, which B would enhance.

 

But it is of course key how it will affect the overall openness of the scene. Too compressed is never good.

 

 

Edited June 4, 2023 by Mikkel
Typos

[Schooner]

Wot @Mikkel sed!

 

...as long as you have an unrestricted view of the crossover from your normal operating spot. Not for any 'real' reason, but the loco release and run-round is the most exciting bit of passenger operation, and it'd be shame to have it always hidden from view!

 

Really though I would just mock up B and see how you feel about it after playing trains for a day or few; if it's not giving the warm fuzzies then cut the platform back (keeping the offcut, just in case...). Simples :)

[Matloughe]

On 03/06/2023 at 12:38, Lacathedrale said:

 

 

If I may ask, what are the origin of your signals shown here?
I am trying to sort out a starter & shunt for my own layout and I am trying to ascertain what others have used to represent LBSCR Signals.
The layout is fantastic - I always enjoy a trip here.

Kind Regards,
Gary

[Lacathedrale]

@Matloughe those are just some random 1950's hand actuated signals that I picked up for a few quid a a toy fair and I'm sticking there to give a bit of a feel to the station. I would (and am) using Wizard Models signals. They do a cute little LBSCR shunt signal.

 

I managed to get the rest of the platforms roughly in place today and I'm cautiously optimistic:

 

 

 

[Schooner]

Yum :)