Work in progress - now the X factor !

[28ten]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

A little play in Sketchup shows a couple of the locations with a grid representing 1ft sq, this shows that I can squeeze a prototype in with just some minor adjustments  :scratch:  the 3ft width boards certainly make a difference.

 

[marsa69]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

Interesting options there Cynric. From a purely personal point of view, and IF it was my choice, I'd go for Llangollen. Looks to have the better features, scenery wise, and also from an operational perspective

Mark

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

Interesting options there Cynric. From a purely personal point of view, and IF it was my choice, I'd go for Llangollen. Looks to have the better features, scenery wise, and also from an operational perspective

Mark

Any choice will be backdated to pre-preservation layout. I have been playing around with some boxes and flexitrack to get some better ideas and it is coming together, in just knocking off one compromise against another. strangly, i think I would feel more comfortable running inappropriate locos on a prototypically correct scene, than I would with a fictional location.

 

[Neil]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

I'm biased but I'd probably plump for Llangollen, but I guess that it and Churston are just being used to illustrate that it's possible to model a scale length section of a prototype station. I'd not dismiss out of hand the possibility of tweaking some aspect of a prototype location if the result better fits the overall aim; one example from the past was a lovely model in OO of Marsden station and the Standedge tunnels. The distance between station and tunnels was compressed, but the approach to the tunnels was uncannily real; it wasn't till I read the captions I realised that the curving approach had been reversed.

 

[Phill Dyson]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

I much prefer Churston

 

[iploffy]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

Cynric as I live just up the road so to speak from Llang****** this comming month hopefully we will go on a tour already planned will get some ref pics if you want

Ian

 

[28ten]

Work in progress - now the pain of planning

Both have their merits, I think LLangollen would make an excellent model, the houses form a natural backdrop and it is more 'urban', but Churston edges on the prototypical stock available. I will have a look at Winchester later today, and I think it is coming down to these three prototypes, all of which should work in my space.

 

[Ressaldar]

if you plump for Winchester you'll have to invest in a brickworks as well the backdrop might be too 'samey'

regards

Mike

 

[28ten]

if you plump for Winchester you'll have to invest in a brickworks as well the backdrop might be too 'samey'

regards

Mike

I know what you mean about the retaining walls, but one possible advantage is the ability to put a storage loop behind/under the hill.
unless I find something else these three seem to be the best prototype choices to fit the space :scratch:

 

[Ressaldar]

I know what you mean about the retaining walls, but one possible advantage is the ability to put a storage loop behind/under the hill.
unless I find something else these three seem to be the best prototype choices to fit the space :scratch:

A loop/storage line under the hill could bring with it access problems, unless you can get at the back with no problems.

regards

Mike

 

[28ten]

The way I am looking at building any option is to have scenic modules that will lift off so it shouldn't be a problem

 

[Ressaldar]

the problem with 'lift off' scenery is that you have the additional problem of hiding the join where it meets/mates with the permanent scenery.

regards

Mike

 

[28ten]

When I get down to the 'final three' track plans I shall endeavour to scan and Post here on WT...

Cheers,

CME :wave:

I think we need to see them now :laugh: Im starting to think im the only one who goes through this ......

 

[3 LINK]

Hi Guys,

Well this most interesting topic has kept me enthralled for the last half hour, and all I will say is "your not alone with your predicaments" :vista:

Martyn. P.S. The chap hitting the computer screen, looks like me trying to understand Templot !!

 

[28ten]

Hi Guys,

Well this most interesting topic has kept me enthralled for the last half hour, and all I will say is "your not alone with your predicaments" :vista:

Martyn. P.S. The chap hitting the computer screen, looks like me trying to understand Templot !!

Planning a layout is such a big commitment, its a minimum of a two years (probably between five and ten) to build and it has to be 'right' to maintain motivation and progress. its a darn sight harder than building a kit, thats for sure!

 

[Simon Dunkley]

The chap hitting the computer screen, looks like me trying to understand Templot !!

Hi Martyn and welcome aborad!

Templot can be a bit like that, but eventually you get the hang of it. I found I needed to work through the tutorial 3 times, the first time for orientation, the second time for understanding, and the third time for consolidation of knowledge.
And then I upgraded and loads of functions had changed - and loads had been added and I was well impressed, to be honest.

The key with Templot is to get your head around pegs. Consider a piece of plain track on a plan. It starts at a certain point on the plan, and heads off in a certain direction. It could be curved, straight, or both or have two curves and transitions between them. The reference point for this is the peg position of 0, as it is the datum. All the information about this template (length, direction, curvature, rail lengths, sleeper sizes and spacings) can be thought of as being stored with reference to the peg. However, to join other track segments to this would be difficult if we could only do it at the datum point, so we can join at the other end, too, but all the information is still stored with the template. If we decide to move the peg to the end position, then the information about the template moves with it to the new peg position, and is recast with reference to that point. You can join templates peg-to-peg and also put a notch (marker point) under a peg, which "remembers" position and direction, and other templates can be pegged onto this.

If you insert a turnout into the piece of plain track, then there is a bit more information to add, such as where on the template does the turnout begin, what is the angle of the crossing, the length of the switch, the handedness and so on, but it is simply more information, and as a consequence, many more potential positions for the peg, but providing you start off with the 5 key positions, you can work on from there. The five key peg positions for plain turnouts are:
0 - datum
1 - where the turnout actually starts
5 - intersection point on a crossover
6 - turnout route "exit" peg
9 - overall length.

There are others, such as 3 (where the centre lines cross as if it was diamond crossing) and 4 (point of the vee) but these should be enough to get you going.

Other than that, it is mostly a case of not being fazed by the myriad of options!

Hope that helps!

 

[28ten]

Templot, like all software becomes easier the more you use it. I have become far more proficient in the last month or so simply because I have been using it regularly, and thats the catch, once I have a plan I might not use it for 6-12 months at which point its like starting from square one.

 

[Simon Dunkley]

It is a desperately sad admission, but I enjoy playing with Templot in its own right - I like designing layouts, although it has to be said that when it comes to designing a layout to suit my own specific needs things are always more problematical.

 

[28ten]

, although it has to be said that when it comes to designing a layout to suit my own specific needs things are always more problematical.

Isnt that always the case? I can finish a model to commission, but rarely anything for myself

 

[iploffy]

Your lucky I can rarely finish anything period

Ian