RBE Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Well there has been talk over the last few weeks for those that follow both Outon Road and Mason's Millwood layouts of a new venture between myself and Mason. The idea was simple, build a layout between us that could be exhibited, provide something a little unusual and is larger than anything that we could hope to house or finish in a reasonable time period alone. The layout 'Neale Bank' has gotten its name as a tip of the hat to Mason (Neil) who also kindly named his home layout Millwood after me (Millward) for the help I have given him, I don't seek such recognition but the gesture was appriciated in any case, and also to a local street name from where I grew up which was called Neale Bank. We both thought that it had a good WCML feel to it. Building the layout will be a collaborative effort of unusual proportions, for starters Mason lives almost 80 miles away from me which means for a majority of the build the two portions will basically be a layout of 2 halves. Thats where the beauty of the design comes in. In recent times a few round layouts have cropped up as small interesting space savers, however we have decided to take the concept further and design a completely round slice of WCML on something approximately 16ft in diameter (giving a total track run of around 43ft and scenic length of approx 32ft). The design will consist of 12No 4ft long boards which will be fixed together to form a complete circle when finished, the circle will be split into thirds with one third being the fiddle yard and the remaining 2 thirds (4No boards each) being worked on by myself and mason seperately. There will be collaboration between the two of us regarding design, what scenics we think should be where and what we think the whole layout should look like but for the majority the work will be done apart. The plan is to start the project at the two further most boards opposite the fiddle yard. A board joint down the middle denotes Mason and my sides. The first two boards will be built in unison and the track laid to cross the joint perfectly. After that the boards will wave goodbye to each other and we will each progress in opposite directions working our way around the circle. Once the scenic boards are complete we will connect the two with 4 board fiddle yard across the back. Sounds simple! The premise of the layout is a fairly busy station somewhere on the WCML that has a parcels hub and frequent locomotive changes from diesel to electric hauliage and vice versa. The station/parcels facility has its own dedicated locomotive stabling point and fuelling road for just such movements. The station also has seperate run through lines which bypass the station for none stopping services and this will be beside the station somewhat like the set up at Darlington rather than through centre roads. The layout will focus on our modelling strengths with me taking on the station area, town and OHLE and Mason doing the stabling point and fuel roads together with its more industrial theater of operation. I won't go into too much detail right now on track plan and design as things are still being thrown around but we will issue the preliminary track plan and rough scenic sketches soon. This is a very exciting project/venture for us to be involved in and I hope it will be just as interesting for you to follow. Cav Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Sounds interesting. However 11ft fiddleyard isn't very big for wcml trains. Most are longer than that. Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Well that's the cat fully out the bag now ha ha. I am very appreciative of the help and assistance I have had from Cav and I am very very excited about this project. I have some great ideas and a vision of what we both want to achieve and so far we seem to be singing from the same song sheet with regards to plans and ideas of scenics, stock and eras which was a pretty simple decision as we both enjoy the same modelling genres. This will again be a huge learning curve for me as I have never undertaken such a huge project having only ever worked to a maximum of 6ft x 2ft on all my previous projects. But in the plus side I have a great partner in this and I'm very honoured not just to do a joint project with such a good modeller but also have the layout named partially after me ha ha I am also pleased I can bring my skills to the table and build a fuel point and industrial areas, and the experiences of millwood will stand the project in good stead for some greenery I am hoping to get some scenic sketches of my side done over the coming days and all will become clear once the full picture and plan is finalised and ready to go. Lots of travelling and modelling to come, but more than anything in looking forward to doin a project with a good friend. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted June 17, 2012 Author Share Posted June 17, 2012 Yes I agree Jim, however we won't be running full legth trains, just sensibly shortened versions of them instead. Full leangth trains I feel always tend to look odd on model railways in anycase unless the layout is extraordinarily large which not many have the time, money or space to build especially not us. The plan is that no train will be over 8ft in length, passenger services will be 7 coaches and a loco for loco hauled max (6 plus a DVT for push pulls). The fiddle yard design is still very much up in the air. Mason, I'm sure that both you and me will learn something whilst doing this as we are both kinda small layout veterans. The difficulty of course with any collaboration is agreeing on direction and plans, I'm sure we will have no problems on that front as you say we both have similar interests in era. Electrification is a new step for you but you won't have to build that in any case so you just need to treat it as you would any other 'diesel' project. Just make sure you leave enough room by the track for masts! Cav Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Sound a very interesting idea which i shall be watching closely. Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted June 17, 2012 Author Share Posted June 17, 2012 haha picky picky. You know what I mean!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I'm sure we will have that mapped way before I start filling it up with industry. I will definatly learn abut about the world of electrics, although I have come intrigued after a few sessions on outon road. I'm not sure in a small layout veteran yet though ha ha Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilkko Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Sounds like a fun project, is it going to be based on a location or just a general west coast feel to the layout? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Thanks pilkko, myself and Cav have been discussing the background and location of the project this week and we will have a little scenario to post which in sure once Cav reads this it won't be too long ha ha so kinda watch this space, funds are being gathered this week so that we can make a start on the first few boards and track and I have already started aquiring locos and stock, the first to arrive I will photo on this thread. I'm also going to be getting some of my stock that doesn't fit the era and location re modelled on cav's workbench. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Thanks William, I'm really pleased to be doin a joint venture, especially with Cav who I have learnt a lot from over the past few years. I still have a lot to learn as I like to challenge myself with every project I do and this one is certainly a challenge and if all goes to plan with ideas we have it will definatly be a cracker Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 Hi guys. Im really looking forward to getting started on this. We were originally going for a general west coast feel but I personally find it a bit hard to focus if I dont have at least a little grounding in location. After discussions this week we have decided to have a go at a Scottish based WCML scenario set somewhere between Motherwell and Carstairs. This should give us some operational variety with trains going south and also east towards edinburgh at Carstairs. Ill post a track plan shortly to give you all a preliminary look at what the project will look like. Cav Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 That will make the overhead a lot easier too. Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 You know Jim. There will be a fair bit to do as well so simpler the better I think. Cav Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Flynn Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Good luck lads It will be great watching this one come on? Hugh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heinz57 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Great project idea chaps! Looking forward to watching it progress, will be watching with interest! Looking forward to seeing the track plan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Well your wish is my command. This is the preliminary plan. No scenics drawn on here but me and mason are scribbling away in the background on our printouts adding stuff here and there. Im sure we will add further drawings as things progress. Sorry the plan is in pdf but best quality from the CAD printout. Neale Bank.pdf Cav Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Hi cav Is the lower station throat based on a real location? It looks way over complicated to me Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 In what way Jim? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Like the plan gents, I really like the lower junction but as Jim says its a little complex, could be done with just two points and a single slip. Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
£1.38 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Nice idea - just one small comment. The bay platform will be difficult to operate as there is no way of getting trains from the down side of the fiddle yard to the up side. You will end up sending down trains out of the bay with no way of getting them back into the bay, except through wrong line running. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 I agree it could have Graham (and Jim if this is what you meant), however the radius's become too tight through the slip if you leave it where it is and do that and also two passing trains entering and leaving the station would collide, if you move it and keep it as a long enough slip to make the radius acceptable then the platform length gets eaten away to account for it. The scissors crossing will mainly be used as up and down platform roads but the plan was designed to allow bi-directional running on both platforms if necessary (ie if a higher priority passenger service is leaving leaving first when arriving second, or a passenger train to pass a freight train that has been stopped in the platform for a loco change or such like). Cav Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Nice idea - just one small comment. The bay platform will be difficult to operate as there is no way of getting trains from the down side of the fiddle yard to the up side. You will end up sending down trains out of the bay with no way of getting them back into the bay, except through wrong line running. I see your point, however there is no reason why we can't run bay terminating services down the bi-directional slow loop as a matter of course. Any trains that we need to run onto the down main we can run right through the fiddle yard after a few moves to form a down service which terminates and goes back the fiddle yard on the correct line to emerge as a bay service next time from the north. Of course the other option is a crossover in the fiddle yard somewhere to allow it straight back. Cav Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Hi Cav The WCML makes a lot of use of ladders to avoid slips and the like - more likely is that one line in the tunnel/bridge would be bi directional with a crossing on the other side to allow access to the station from just the 2 normal points at that end. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBE Posted June 26, 2012 Author Share Posted June 26, 2012 That would certainly make building that area easier. It would mean however that any train leaving southbound would have to wait for any northbound service to enter the station as they would need access to the same lines. Not sure if that is such an issue though. Cav Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 It isn't - any train crossing the line would block the section anyway - running wrong line for a couple of hundred yards or crossing the line would make no difference. If southbound had priority then a northbound train would be held off scene regardless. Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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