7mm Smoke, Ash & Steam

Compton castle

Western Thunderer
748D778C-EAAD-4785-9323-695B440DFCD5.jpeg DCEDA83A-3BED-4999-A02C-93245BBBE6EB.jpeg Over a few days last week I was able to dismantle Ranelagh Bridge, luckily when I built it I screwed everything together which made coming apart fairly easy,
I was able to reuse a lot of the timber to make up a new frame work. I’ve laid out some temporarily ply on top & I’m going reuse the signal Box, relay room, water tower and the first section of track work, it was a stroke of luck that I never permanently fixed this section down,
I will add a bridge as scenic brake and reuse the signal gantry. I’d like to keep that west London feel and I will also have some of the tenements laser cut to form a back drop on this side,
The other end will comprise a low relief engine shed very similar to my previous Canton layout.
I’ve got another box of C&L on the way to finalise the track plan but so far I’ve set out coming off the point work to the far left will be the reception/ exit road, then the ash / disposal road, third will be the road to the diesel shed and road one of the main engine shed, The Forth will be s short siding for standby locos or a few wagons and lastly the remaining shed roads.
The layout is only 2’ deep as this is my comfortable working distance. Behind the shed area I will make a low relief carriage shed to provide the back scene, again reminiscent of the Real Canton shed.
Between the last Tenement and the carriage shed I think I may use some of the Kirtley models printed backscenes, He does some very nice Victorian Terrace houses.
There will be a few points to make from C&L components and I’ve recovered all of the switch rails & V’s from RB.
Whilst it’s not Ranelagh Bridge hopefully it will provide a nice back drop to my locomotives and the track layout should allow for some shunting manoeuvres.
The upside to doing a generic layout like this is I can indulge in a few more “foreign” locos, I did tend to be quite strict with my self regarding stock for RB.
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The layout is 16’ long by 2’ wide.
 

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Compton castle

Western Thunderer
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Not much of an update but an important job done today Light!! I’ve rerouted the power cable and added some additional bulbs directly over the layout! Once the back scene is sorted ( first part arrived today ) I will make a pelmet to cover the bulbs.
I’ve ordered the terrace house back scene from Kirtley models once that’s arrived I can decide how high to make the retaining wall.
 

Compton castle

Western Thunderer
A67F1A31-12BA-4335-9950-B4D736F6F387.jpeg A slight revision to the track plan, the first point will now lead to a siding as it’s to tight to get a curve off it leading to the back road, my big steam locos would struggle to get round it.
The slaters brick sheets arrived and have been cut to size, the mammoth task of painting them will be the next job but not today! To much rain!
I won’t worry about making the joints between the sheets to neat as I will cover them with butressss as seen on the lower part of my signal
Box only full height.
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Compton castle

Western Thunderer
I'd be inclined to make the engine shed a little deeper, say a pannier tank length, as this will make the back of the shed less obvious but more gloomy.

Rapid progress though - apart from C&L.
The mock up shed will fit a Pannier, I have been thinking about making it a bit deeper again though, I may change the roof style from North light to a Hipped to blend it in to the back scene a little better.
 

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
Out of interest does anyone know if any trespassers were ever prosecuted? I was certainly chucked of of a few sheds! I remember Willesden, Old Oak and Cricklewood being relatively easy. Neasden, Camden and Kings Cross, to name but three, were difficult. Southall was next to impossible, there being a huge walk between the bridge which went over all the lines and the entrance to the shed. Many years later I heard that there was an easy way in via the canal at the turntable end of the site. The view below was taken from the bridge and the shed itself can be seen in the distance, far left. Greenford Branch curving right.

Brian

DMU.  Southall Shed.  2 May 1965.  Personal Collection.  Final.  Photo Brian Dale.jpg
 
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