7mm Corwen Road

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Unfortunately the GWR Blaenau box has the more modern windows. We have visitors tomorrow and so I made full use of today by cutting baseboard tops from a single 8" x 4" marine ply sheet. They are not screwed down as yet because I want to see how the track layout fits. Once established, the ply through the station's main platforms will be cut both sides of the trackbed and then screwed down to form a camber. This method saves me sanding down cork to form a camber and it also saves a bucket load of unwanted cork dust. Also the transition from level to super-elevation is super-smooth. This was one of the methods trialed on "Carrog"...
WEB Baseboard 9.jpg
 

Jinty

Western Thunderer
My main problem with the LCUT kit is the use of stretcher bond brickwork, not at all appropriate for the period. Intentio kits are vastly better but don't include a GWR signal box. Yet.

Intentio does a 'Welsh' GWR signal box, one that is based on Talyllyn Junction on the Brecon & Merthyr line.
I think there is another in development as well according to Phil's website

I'm not sure Larry is in need of a S. Wales example though.

You can see it here: Welsh Style GWR Signal Box – intentio

David ;)
 

JimG

Western Thunderer
Brickwork was in English Garden Wall Bond, a variation on English Bond with three rows of stretchers to one row of headers, common in industrial buildings in Northern England (and apparently some in Wales) but not available in 7mm scale embossed plastic sheet as far as I know.

Also known as Scottish Bond and used extensively on industrial and railway buildings in Scotland.

Jim.
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Think I've found the kind of layout I am looking for. A station will appear in the foreground (blue areas), which like Ruabon will have an Up and Down platform plus a back bay for the branch. The two sidings on the left will serve (A) a coal siding and (B) a goods shed with an end loading dock. The bay has a siding off it that could hold overnight carriage stock or wagons off the branch or destined for the branch. I have to squeeze everything in. Positioning the signalbox took a few days as the signalman needs good views of the line he controls. It is roughly where Ruabon had its box....
WEB Track 1.jpg

The nearer tracks on a curve need to be super-elevated...
WEB Track 2.jpg
 
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Focalplane

Western Thunderer
Good to see the planning progress. Would a double slip work in front of the signal box? You could save a few inches there, adding them to the coal siding.

Paul
 

simond

Western Thunderer
Larry,

If you’re using point motors with built in switches, live frog slips are not an issue. Simply ensure each frog is isolated, and feed each frog from the motor at the other end, and the two stock rails in the middle.

I can post a diagram if you want.

Best
Simon
 

Focalplane

Western Thunderer
The only reason I can't disagree with you is the fact that you are using large stay alive capacitors. But as Simon says, double slips are not difficult to handle. A helluva lot easier than a scissor crossing!

Paul
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Thanks Simond and Paul. I understand the wiring but I simply don't use motors or solenoids anymore. I could attach external switches to Mercontrol tube & wire operation but I can't be bothered. This time, the layout will be just the next step to a display cabinet.... :drool:
 

simond

Western Thunderer
Ah, you can lead a horse to water...

I’m sure it’ll be fine with big KA’s in the locos. My pal, John, has dead frogs all over his outdoor layout, and there’s almost never a stall. He cuts them very small, to be fair.

Best
Simon
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Below is the reason a double slip cannot be used. I am trying to position the signal box closer to the station, but a slip would push it even further down the line towards the shed wall. I tried a slip with a siding going around the back of the signal box but that impacted negatively on the coal yard.

Jintyman suggested I use a frog-juicer plus an offer I couldn't refuse, but I had to in the end.

WEB Double slip 1.jpg
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
A question to 0 gaugers...... Is Woodland Scenics COARSE ballast too large? Typical me, I think I should have bought MEDIUM ballast.
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
I've got course ballast. Medium ballast will arrive tomorrow in order to keep the job moving. I used the glue, lay & ballast in one go with 00 gauge track, so a larger stone size will be an advantage with Peco 0 gauge track. If the ballast ends up too shallow, it will be topped up and using the porridge mix method. Cork is being glued to the worktop on this warm evening.

LATE EDIT :- Things should start to happen from now on. 9 feet of 1/8" cork is now glued down and under weights. The remainder will go down in the morning. I put pen marks on the redundant backscene opposite where turnouts go and where the end of the curve is at the doorway wall.
 
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LarryG

Western Thunderer
I shouldn't have written that last paragraph, as I've had food poisoning for three days. Today is first day of three solid meals so I went out and put all the track together with appropriate rail joiners.....
WEB Track 4.jpg

Viewed from the door end, a catch-point had been inserted into one of the sidings. The curve is 250ft radius through the station. The two sidings on the left are 'fluid', as I will only know how much they will need curving once a goods shed has been built....
WEB Track 3.jpg
 
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Phil O

Western Thunderer
Larry,

Your not the only one with a bad stomach, mine has been dickie on and off for the last 10 days or so, there have been a few close calls!
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
You have my sympathy. MrsG caught it last night and it's set me off again!
 
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Focalplane

Western Thunderer
Our freezer door stayed open the other evening and melted the ice cream but so far, so good with the more perishable items. Anyway, I think my innards are getting accustomed to French food like Steak tartare and local oysters (both consumed in one sitting last week!)

But seriously, take care because we want to see progress on Corwen!

Paul
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
The best thing I can do for the layout at the mo is to work indoors, so a lasercut kit arrived today for a station building. But before that, I decided to rebuild the card signalbox that was built two weeks ago. By the time the tarting-up was completed this afternoon, I could have built a whole box from scratch in plastikard!

First job was to replace the card planking above the windows which henceforth was attached to the roof section. The rear planking was replaced with brickwork...

WEB Signalbox reb 1.jpg

A completely new roof and in fact everything above window height was made from 60 thou Plastikard. The new roof is 11mm longer than the original and much wider to give more overhang. Bargeboards along with a connecting lintel below the front ad back of the roof were added....
WEB Signalbox reb 2.jpg

The new guttering can just be picked out in the shot below....
WEB Signalbox reb 3.jpg

Looking more the part with a lot more overhang. The windows were glazed beforehand......
WEB Signalbox reb 4.jpg

Tiling the roof. Slater embossed Plastikard was used for the slates overlapping them starting at the bottom and working upwards...
WEB Signalbox reb 5.jpg

The card chimney stack was then glued back with Evostick. Lead flashing is 5thou styrene using UHU PVA wood glue as filler...
WEB Signalbox reb 6.jpg

Ready for the paintshop and looking much more like a GWR signalbox...
WEB Signalbox reb 7.jpg
 
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