Work in progress - now the X factor !

[28ten]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

I wouldnt say I am a fan of Belbin, I think the test is flawed and its very easy to fool, but IMHO the concept behind the character types is quite good.
I need a loop and a couple of sidings and that layout is a classic DN&S station the station is really very simple its just the crossings that complicate it but thats a bit of a GW characteristic that places the region without even putting any stock on the track.
Anyway I have refound some enthusiasm and I think the final plan will only be after I have made the rest of the circuit, the main thing now is to start getting on with it - I would like to have some track down in a couple of months time....

 

[Jordan]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

I wouldnt say I am a fan of Belbin, I think the test is flawed and its very easy to fool, but IMHO the concept behind the character types is quite good.
...

Okay, I would now like to join anyone else who hasn't a clue what you guys are all on about...
This philosophy stuff really is deep, isn't it..?!?! :shock: :? :scratch:

I like the trackplan, though, and if I had the space/choice, would also go for roundy-roundy over shunty-plank any day.

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

Okay, I would now like to join anyone else who hasn't a clue what you guys are all on about...
This philosophy stuff really is deep, isn't it..?!?! :shock: :? :scratch:

I like the trackplan, though, and if I had the space/choice, would also go for roundy-roundy over shunty-plank any day.

its a test to determine the character of team members http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belbin_Team_Inventory whilst the validity of the test is questionable, there is some truth in the identification of certain personality traits amongst successful teams. As with all management theories its 90% hot air and 10% truth :laugh:

 

[Ressaldar]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

Hi Cynric,

could not agree more regarding Belbin and his contemporaries - but they made a awful lot of money out of their 'hot air' at our expense.

As for the layout - brilliant plus there are a number of locations that are still accessible, especially at the northern end of the line - Highclere, Burghclere and Upton & Blewbury for instance. I think that the old trackbed at Highclere is a country walk now. Plus there are at least two very good books on the line for reference.

Best of luck with it

regards

'Mover' Mike

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

Hi Cynric,

could not agree more regarding Belbin and his contemporaries - but they made a awful lot of money out of their 'hot air' at our expense.

As for the layout - brilliant plus there are a number of locations that are still accessible, especially at the northern end of the line - Highclere, Burghclere and Upton & Blewbury for instance. I think that the old trackbed at Highclere is a country walk now. Plus there are at least two very good books on the line for reference.

Best of luck with it

regards

'Mover' Mike

I have all four books! the line is a favourite of mine- t9's, q1's, 9f's, WD's 33's, City of truro, and it would be easy to justify a Hymek and Warship......
I am also looking at the MSWjr , but as I said, I wont reach any firm conclusion until the supporting framework is down and I get a feel for the space.

 

[Ressaldar]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

The GWR/Southern joint lines are very appealing and if I had a bit more space then I think I would need little persuading. It's a pity that neither line was fully developed as a North-South feeder to Southampton Docks - the D Day build-up showed the way but it seems that after the war, all was forgotten - a great shame.

regards

Mike

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

the loss of the DN&S was (with hindsight) a disaster, anybody travelling along the A34 today can see the amount of heavy traffic going from Southampton going north, as you say, D-Day proved its worth and it could relieve a lot of traffic congestion.

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

More tweaking with ideas today and I think it might be better to go for a double track circuit as this will avoid some tricky curved turnouts, then I can make a crossover on the lift out section from peco. Its a shame Exactoscale are not at Telford as I could pick up some bits

 

[iploffy]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

What would Mr Belbottom say Oooohhhh thinker, do'er, tinkerer, or just plain normal, Nah seroiusly the idea's are comming the mental block is unpicking it self go for it !!! just one thing could you not move the lathe into a more central position on the wall then you could get the ovals behind the machine and not in front of it, cover them in perspex build a cleaning wagon to get to those hard to reach areas and Bobs your auntie jobbie done .

Ian

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

What would Mr Belbottom say Oooohhhh thinker, do'er, tinkerer, or just plain normal, Nah seroiusly the idea's are comming the mental block is unpicking it self go for it !!! just one thing could you not move the lathe into a more central position on the wall then you could get the ovals behind the machine and not in front of it, cover them in perspex build a cleaning wagon to get to those hard to reach areas and Bobs your auntie jobbie done .

Ian

I had thought about moving it, but its a right PITA for a small gain. in the past I have built track to commission, so I shouldn't be surprised by space a double slip takes, but combined with a curved turnout its huge :shock:
Hopefully I will get to the timber merchant before the weekend and I can start the frame for the storage area under the baseboard, once I can see the area im dealing with it will become a lot easier. the difficult part of the process is constructing the freestanding sections. Hopefully I can stick with 6ft rad and cut the all the board sections with a router and a trammel

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

A trip to the timber merchant this morning and I have sufficient for the storage framework beneath the board. I should get that built and surfaced with MDF this weekend then I will be able to play with some ideas. Having added up the cost of the track :shock: it will be single track!! all I can say is it has been a long time since I built a layout and the track ahs more than doubled in cost :shock: :shock:

Once I am have a feel for the space I will start the baseboards from ply. I need to make the storage so I have enough room to get the ply cut its all starting to get a bit crowded down here :laugh: :laugh:

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

Another night and another plan  :laugh: - Staverton  Im really struggling with crossovers on the curves, so i thought I would go simple, there is no passing loop but otherwise I quite like it. what I dont want is overcrowding and in that respect this is ideal.
I have tried Churston but its all getting a bit cramped  :scratch:

 

[Phill Dyson]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

It's a shame Churston doesn't fit ...........it would have been nice to have the Brixham branch disappearing into one of those corners too :scratch:

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

It's a shame Churston doesn't fit ...........it would have been nice to have the Brixham branch disappearing into one of those corners too :scratch:

Yeah :cry: I am going to have another look at it, im only looking at the section from the station to the road bridge not the whole lot. It would work circa '72 with just the single line :laugh:

 

[Dikitriki]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

Another night and another plan :laugh: - Staverton Im really struggling with crossovers on the curves, so i thought I would go simple, there is no passing loop but otherwise I quite like it. what I dont want is overcrowding and in that respect this is ideal.
I have tried Churston but its all getting a bit cramped :scratch:

What's the problem with crossovers on curves? Just that they occupy too much space? At minimum 6' radius you're looking at about 5'. They do look good though.

Richard

 

[Neil]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

Morning Guv, it looks like you're more taken with a prototype location than something freelance. I can see where you're coming from as freelance can end up a bit Trumptonshire if one's not careful, however there is a third way that goes a bit beyond the usual compression of real life to make it fit. With Morfa I've taken the bits I like, cut out those I don't and added what I feel it should have had, but didn't. In my case I've cut out loops, added a direct connection (junction re-model), altered the bridge and will demolish the station buildings and signal box several years too early. Enough of Morfa will remain for me to be happy calling it that, it sits in the same place on the Cambrian Coast and has enough of the look of the place to pass if one doesn't probe too deeply. It's an attempt to have cake and eat it, so far it's shaping up to be moderately successful. While you're still at the paper and pixel stage I'd suggest you give it a go; it might give you more of what you want in the space you have available.

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

The crossings are just a bit on the large side and I want to avoid them crossing board joints as I will have to take down the boards fairly frequently if i put a curved crossing in it will be the 'feature' trackwork.

Neil, I see where you are coming from, there is no way I can get anything apart from a small halt into the space if I strictly follow a prototype, so I will have to do what you suggest. without sounding pretentious I need to work with the space rather than squeezing a quart into a pint pot. I have had my eye on Penmaenpool but I cant quite justify any hydraulics there it all comes back to the usual compromises. At the moment I am spending a rather pleasant time looking through my book collection in search of inspiration.

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

[quote=""28ten"":2v13ngyn]Another night and another plan :laugh: - Staverton Im really struggling with crossovers on the curves, so i thought I would go simple, there is no passing loop but otherwise I quite like it. what I dont want is overcrowding and in that respect this is ideal.
I have tried Churston but its all getting a bit cramped :scratch:

What's the problem with crossovers on curves? Just that they occupy too much space? At minimum 6' radius you're looking at about 5'. They do look good though.

Richard[/quote:2v13ngyn]
Have you managed to throw a turnout from the inside of a 6ft curve?

 

[Dikitriki]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

Have you managed to throw a turnout from the inside of a 6ft curve?

Nope, but I set the divergent road on the inside to 6', the outside was what it was, and yes, you do lose some space doing so. The geometry ended up being a bit peculiar, but nobody has noticed, and things run through fine.

By the way, you know that Heljan diesels won't go through 31.5mm points - you will have to make yours to 32mm or rewheel the Hymek. They go through PECO fine.

Richard

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now turning into philosophical mutterings

[quote=""28ten"":ma11s658]Have you managed to throw a turnout from the inside of a 6ft curve?

Nope, but I set the divergent road on the inside to 6', the outside was what it was, and yes, you do lose some space doing so. The geometry ended up being a bit peculiar, but nobody has noticed, and things run through fine.

By the way, you know that Heljan diesels won't go through 31.5mm points - you will have to make yours to 32mm or rewheel the Hymek. They go through PECO fine.

Richard[/quote:ma11s658]
It will be rewheeled- I have yet to decide on 31.5 or 31.2 :scratch: anything out of sight will be peco to save time!