2mmfs Coombe Junction - Moorswater (an Extract)

BCN-Pete

Western Thunderer
Hello again - I would like to introduce the layout I am currently working on.

I first visited the Looe branch 30 years ago with my parents on a family holiday and thought one day it would make for an interesting layout. At that time I was modelling in N gauge, BR (WR) but various small layouts and 5 years or so later I started to become frustrated at the overscale track and rapido couplings so I became interested in 2mm Finescale. Fast forward the clock 2o years as I then lost interest in trains, went to University, got married, kids etc....sound familiar?

5 years ago, I returned to the hobby just as we moved to Barcelona and I decided it was the right time to start building an extract of the Looe branch, principally from Coombe Junction to Moorswater. For me there is something fascinating with this branch, how it managed to avoid closure and the scale of the 150ft Moorswater viaduct towering over the freight only branch beneath.

Various sketches followed until I decided that with a little compromise I could include Coombe Junction station, a slice of the viaduct and Moorswater dries. The idea being to use my favourite Ikea Lack shelves as baseboards as they can be slid off the wall, worked on and then slid back again after for discrete storage (Infact all my layouts are on Ikea Lack shelves :D)

CJM 1.jpg

Initial sketch showing 3 boards (shelves) and the ideas to include...

CJM 2.jpg

Board 1 Coombe Junction and Fiddleyard...

CJM 3.jpg

Board 2 Coombe Junction Halt and Lamelion bridge...(the viaduct has now moved to Board 3)

CJM 4.jpg

Board 3 Moorswater dries...

The layout was started and I hoped to be able to fly it back to the UK in 2010 as a 'work in progress' at the 2mmFS Golden Jubilee expo, but the costs and the logistics were too difficult so I flew over with a few photos and a series of the small mock up models...

CJM 5.jpg

1:10 scale mock up and smaller 1:50 models to test ideas for exhibiting...

The period modelled is circa 1981 so its BR blue diesels ;) when class 25's were just about to give way to class 37's on the clay. The main inspiration for the layout came from a picture by John Vaughan in Modern Railways pictorial (1981) showing 25155 on clay hoods at Coombe Junction with the Moorswater viaduct in the background. I have since made contact with John Vaughan and sent him pictures of the layout and he has given his approval!

CJM 6.jpg

Prototype photo of Moorswater clay dries...now reopened and operated as a cement terminal...

CJM 7.jpg

Prototype photo showing one of the buildings coated in white china clay dust...

CJM 8.jpg

Prototype photo of the impressive 150ft high Moorswater viaduct...

The layout has been progressing on and off in the last 5 years particularly as I drifted off to undertake the Kyle of Lochalsh model but as it stands, the 3 boards look like this...

CJM 9.jpg

Fiddleyard will have Photoframe/iPad built into the display fascia...

CJM 10.jpg

The sparse Coombe Junction Halt with Dapol Bubble car - many trees to be planted this year...

CJM 11.jpg

Moorswater dries buildings built from card and plasticard...infill to track is in progress...

During the next upload I will describe how I built the viaduct last year...
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
:bowdown:

Magic, great planning. Something about the first prototype photo reminds me of an early full-page spread in MRJ.

What could you achieve if you were working in 7mm?

regards, Graham
 

BCN-Pete

Western Thunderer
During last summer I entered the RMweb 2011 diorama competition as I had lost interest with the layout and was looking for a way back in. The competition was for a small diorama 20 x 11 x 11 inches and I had an idea that I could build the extract of my viaduct for the competition, use the diorama to test scenery ideas and after I could transport the viaduct to the layout. I thoroughly enjoyed taking part and here is how the entry looked...

MWS 1.jpg
The diorama incorporated lighting and also a concealed hidden rolling stock tray beneath...
MWS 2.jpg
This shows the drama I am hoping to capture of the main line passing over the freight only line beneath...
MWS 9.jpg
37142 on clay hoods working back to Liskeard...the brick pier is from the old Brunel viaduct...
MWS 15.jpg
The model showing the lighting...I tried to convince my wife it would make a nice bedside light...;)

I was over the moon that from 35 entries I managed to gain overall 3rd place in the competition and at least I was excited to start work on the layout again and the viaduct could be transferred. I kept avoiding trashing the entry as I enjoyed to look at it in our spare room but finally after taking some record photos, last month I removed the trees, viaduct and Brunel pier and trashed the model...onwards and upwards...:confused:
My aim now is to try and bring the whole layout up to the same standards (or better) of the diorama entry and I have decided to tackle the Moorswater board first and work backwards towards Coombe Junction. The viaduct has been repositioned on the edge of Board 3 and the idea is that if exhibited I can display rolling stock on the viaduct in various scenarios (i.e. 37 on a failed HST, extracts of Parcels and Passenger trains) as these would never have frequented the branch beneath.
As with KoL I have further photos and can post a link to the build on RMweb if anyone is interested.
Pete
 

BCN-Pete

Western Thunderer
:bowdown:
Magic, great planning. Something about the first prototype photo reminds me of an early full-page spread in MRJ.
What could you achieve if you were working in 7mm?

Thanks again Graham - Yes, its been in a few magazines over the years and I have been building up a dossier of photos, magazines and books on the line - There is a great pic in Traction magazine 1999 but I can't upload it here due to copyright issues.

In terms of 7mm scale, do you mean with this layout or generally in the scale? I do have a plan for a 7mm scale model of Wenfordbridge (on an Ikea board of course ;)) but that is on hold as I might have a go at KoL in 7mm scale...on an Ikea board...:D By the way, I am in no way connected to Ikea...just a satisfied customer...:thumbs:
 

28ten

Guv'nor
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Oh yes :thumbs: love the angle and composition
 

BCN-Pete

Western Thunderer
It's certainly a good advert for 2mmFS, over standard N Gauge - what a difference!!:thumbs:

Thanks Jordan...if I get a new Dapol Western in Blue and pose it on the viaduct, will it help up my credentials on the forum?...;)
 

BCN-Pete

Western Thunderer
Here is some more progress of late, concentrating on the Moorswater board.

The viaduct has been repositioned from the diorama - I have a nice etch of the handrails ready to complete it but am nervous they will be damaged at present taking the board to and from the house etc. The basic contours for the landscape have been formed with Sculptamuld (lovely stuff to work with and not that messy either) on card formers.

MW 1.jpg

The scale 150 feet Moorswater viaduct now repositioned...

To try and get the 'train in the landscape feel' there will be plenty of trees. I have decided to buy them from the 4D model shop and whilst they are not cheap to buy, I use polystyrene/paper balls from my architectural office to map out the locations and help with heights etc. At between 5 and 10 notes for a tree, I don't want to be spending money I don't have! It gives it a temporary architectural feel...although someone commented elsewhere that it looks like an episode from the 60's series 'The Prisoner' :D

MW 4.jpg

MW 5.jpg

Scary eh?...:eek:

But I am hoping it will allow a few photo shoots such as these...

MW 7.jpg

MW 8.jpg

MW 10.jpg

Oi!...That's not BR Blue...how did that one sneak in?...:confused:

And to finish off, a few days ago I did the 'infill' to the trackwork. It was the third attempt, a very long story I won't bore you with...but hopefully it is something I can now work with...

CJM 7.jpg
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
The basic contours for the landscape have been formed with Sculptamuld (lovely stuff to work with and not that messy either) on card formers.

Now that is a name that I am not familiar with.. please expand on using this material.

The scale 150 feet Moorswater viaduct now repositioned...

Such a giant of a scene and so little railway...

To try and get the 'train in the landscape feel' there will be plenty of trees. ... I use polystyrene/paper balls from my architectural office to map out the locations and help with heights etc.... someone commented elsewhere that it looks like an episode from the 60's series 'The Prisoner' ...

I was thinking - a nursery for those minions in "despicable me".... :rolleyes:

That's not BR Blue...how did that one sneak in?...:confused:

Just keep on with shots of modern traction in green :thumbs: .. although you can stop short of the horrible Cl70 :eek: ..

And to finish off, a few days ago I did the 'infill' to the trackwork. It was the third attempt, a very long story I won't bore you with...but hopefully it is something I can now work with...

Now one of the advantages / disadvantages (your point of view...) is that someone will ask the question... what worked for the infill? and what did not work?

regards Graham
 

28ten

Guv'nor
I really like the design concepts, and the way you are approaching this, the foam balls are a real stroke of genius :thumbs:
 
S

Simon Dunkley

Guest
I really like the design concepts, and the way you are approaching this, the foam balls are a real stroke of genius :thumbs:
I agree with you, Cynric, but an alternative wording is "the stroke of genius is a load of balls"! :eek:
 

BCN-Pete

Western Thunderer
Thanks Graham - Sculptamould/Sculptamold is a bit like papier mache and is mixed with water to form a thick 'porridge' which can be applied by palette knife/hand, sets pretty fast and can be sanded afterwards. I say it is not messy as when I use, I never bother to change my clothes or put overalls as there is little dust and it seems to be really easy to work with. I was given 5 bags from a friend travelling from the UK so I am slowly working my way through them with my layouts...but Amazon also sell it too.

Me too... I am not big on the class 70...

For the infill to the dries, in summary, I previously tried 'air dried clay' but it all cracked so I had to chip it all up...and then rebuild all the trackwork :headbang:So second time around I built checkrails for the inner and use another type of 'air dryed clay'...and that cracked as well :headbang: So finally, I have cut 1mm white artists card approximately to fit, and used a flexible wood filler to fill the gaps...no cracking problems now...:)

I really like the design concepts, and the way you are approaching this, the foam balls are a real stroke of genius :thumbs:

Thanks Guv' ;) Sometimes I spend more time thinking than doing...but I seem to have found a method in my madness...:confused:
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
:( Oh, go on... we won't be bored at all, I promise..!! There are some absolute Track Addicts on here, I can tell you...:D

Oi! Careful... as Mr. Pete has said, the problem was with the infill and not with the track....
 

BCN-Pete

Western Thunderer
What a marvelous project:)........I do hope you will run it in the Hydraulic era at some stage :cool:

Thanks Phill - I missed out on the Dapol Hymek but I am tempted by the much talked about new Dapol Western...I think 22's used to work the branch too before class 25's took over...and there is a Worsley Works etch available for that in 2mm...but buying 2mm Hydraulics will drain my 7mm budget though...;)

Yeeesssss...... ??:confused: ... and as infilled track can be very difficult to do, and there are various ways of doing it, I for one would be very interested to know what Pete has done... no sarcasm was intended; sorry if that's how it came across....

I certainly wasn't offended by anything. I did give a little summary of the disasters with modelling clay in a previous reply, but suffice to say I prefered not to use clay third time around so 1mm white artists card was cut loosely to fit between checkrails and butt up against rail edges. I laid a piece of kitchen grease proof paper over the track layout and traced the template of the lines. This was then transferred to card and cut slightly inboard to allow a small gap for filler...

CJM 5.jpg
It looks really rough like this...but once filled, sanded and cleaned hopefully looks better...

Afterwards, I filled in with some flexible wood filler (local spanish product) and sanded it all smooth until the trains ran again. Of course, keeping the track clean will be a challenge...I am thinking a fibre glass stick or some alcohol on a cotton bud?...

CJM 8.jpg

Finished...yes, that really is a vitamin cannister upside and clad in embossed stone...:D
 

28ten

Guv'nor
Thanks Phill - I missed out on the Dapol Hymek but I am tempted by the much talked about new Dapol Western...
.
Its the only n gauge model I own, and very nice it is. I often tinkered with the idea of doing something in 2mm just as a total change
 

Phill Dyson

Western Thunderer
Thanks Phill - I missed out on the Dapol Hymek but I am tempted by the much talked about new Dapol Western...I think 22's used to work the branch too before class 25's took over...and there is a Worsley Works etch available for that in 2mm...but buying 2mm Hydraulics will drain my 7mm budget though...;)

Yes the Hymek is very nice indeed :cool: as is the Warship, with the Dapol 22 & Western on the way, I'm very tempted to have a dabble myself, but this would be an indoor layout (as well as the outdoor 7mm stuff, rather than instead of ;) ) This would be very much a future project though as there is still plenty to keep me busy with Withercombe for the foreseeable future, but having said that, I do like the idea of a quite large N/2mm scale layout within a reasonable space........watching the trains go by along a stretch of Dawlish sea wall springs to mind :):cool:

Cheers Phill :)

I will PM you a pic of a class 22 under the Moorswater viaduct on china clay ;)
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
... and as infilled track can be very difficult to do, and there are various ways of doing it, I for one would be very interested to know what Pete has done... no sarcasm was intended; sorry if that's how it came across....

I did not see any sarcasm in your comment, maybe one of the track addicts was being a tad touchy, sorry. I take my hat off to those who can make 2mm FS track that looks like the prototype.
 
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