WEST ORTON

[Puddles]

Thank you for your reply Steve, I suppose I should try a more gentle curve if I have another go at building one.
I also was going to build the straight platform from MDF but opted for the same as BBs platform with the concrete edging effect which made constructing it a lot easier.

Puddles

[Steve M]

While waiting for paint to dry I had another go at ‘paper pushing’ on the station throat. I had originally planned to use the Peco asymmetric 3 way point but that is only available in code 75, as a result the ‘normal’ 3 way will be used. Also laid out some spare points over the templates and found that I ‘only’ need to buy four more points to complete this section.

2021-03-22_11-10-20 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr

This configuration seems to allow access to all routes in/out and gives options for developing sidings for goods and engine servicing, and I expect those areas to grow organically once I start laying track.

Thoughts start to turn to point control - always gone for analogue in the past and I have plenty of spare Seeps salvaged from the old layout, but this morning I read that Rails of Sheffield have launched their own motors and digital control system. It looks like a rebranding of similar items available from others.

The bit I am interested in is the module that includes a CDU and provides for frog switching, LED indicators and DCC or momentary switch activation. Bulk packs bring the unit cost to around £18 each. Not sure if these units bring any real benefit apart from tidying up my (despicable) wiring though - apart from buying some more Gaugemaster polarity modules, I’ve got most of what I need in the bits box already.

[Steve M]

I actually managed to find the additional points at a local shop doing ‘click and collect’ so after a quick dash to Invicta Model Rail in Sidcup I had all the missing bits in my grubby mitts.
They seem to have reasonable supplies of Peco although some points are still a bit thin on the ground - I had to substitute a medium turnout where I had planned to use a short one.

1F29CE34-8E17-4ED8-A764-7E03FD04B197 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr

05E5B306-0CE4-4234-B671-1B021D26A75C by Steve Mumford, on Flickr

I had to forego my afternoon nap but I did manage to connect all the pointwork up and test it by pushing a wagon through the various routes - does that count as having trains running by the weekend?

My only concern is that at present the points all sit in one corner of the baseboard which could make it a bit crowded under the board - I need to play with the alignment and placing of this section.

[bulleidboy]

Your making tremendous progress Steve - that's a great junction - lots of wire under the boards

[Steve M]

Your making tremendous progress Steve - that's a great junction - lots of wire under the boards

Thanks Barry. Yes, potentially lots of wires! And LED indicators will be essential to navigate that lot. The whole junction is on one board which should make life easier and so far any other possible points are on the adjacent short board and the rest of the layout should be out in the country which all should make it possible to control everything from one place.
Or at least until you reach the fiddleyard! And that's a whole new debate - fan of points or a traverser? And I have two of those stored in the garage.

[Hound Dog]

Steve,

I am both amazed and impressed at the progress that you are making.......however you might want to pace yourself, otherwise you will have it finished in no time and will then need to build another layout to scratch that model-making itch

[Puddles]

It was only bits of paper on Monday now it’s a railway and all done in nap time, I think I would have only got as far as finding some paper to print off the point patterns.
Amazing progress Steve and looking like it’s going to be fun navigating the trains out of the station when it’s all wired up.

Puddles

[glencairn]

The speed you are going, Steve, could you help with Crossrail?

Looking more than good.

Glencairn

[Walkingthedog]

Steve doesn’t like to hang about, I’m the same. There is nothing better than getting some track down rather than faffing about for months on a PC.

Amazing junction Steve.

[Steve M]

Thanks for all the comments chaps.
As Brian said, no point in hanging around for months on a PC when shuffling track on a board is available. And I have never been one to sit around - I have to have something on the go to keep me active. Added bonus is that it’s much easier to test what works and what doesn’t by pushing a wagon around.

It’s all still at the ‘flat earth’ stage but I have worked out that I have a maximum range of 6” to play with when staggering the height should of the boards. That means the ‘bridge board’ across the end of the shed will be put on a frame about 2” deep, maybe less, the adjacent corner boards will probably be 4” deep and the junction, station and fiddleyard boards 6” deep.

The mainline tracks will all be on the same level although I hope some sidings and the branchline will have some small height changes. Still trying to get my head round how that all works.

Also trying to establish a plan for the station area - I may have painted myself into a corner (literally) by choosing a curve for the location. It’s causing too many compromises on the other sidings I want to include - I have in mind a coal drop but that would need straight track which looks odd alongside the curved mainline.

Time to shuffle some more bits of paper.