Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
Hi all,
Just had another Monday evening work session on Crosscombe Magna. We have had a few since the last update, but there hasn't been much determinable progress until now. The main reason being a small amount of re-jigging of the track plan to ensure that complex areas of track work aren't directly over board joins.
It's really starting to feel like this phase it getting somewhere now. Next week will be a bit more laying of MDF, and then laying of the sidings can start in earnest which reminds me I must bring some rail and chairs home to save having to thread the chairs during the work session..
JB.
Just had another Monday evening work session on Crosscombe Magna. We have had a few since the last update, but there hasn't been much determinable progress until now. The main reason being a small amount of re-jigging of the track plan to ensure that complex areas of track work aren't directly over board joins.
It's really starting to feel like this phase it getting somewhere now. Next week will be a bit more laying of MDF, and then laying of the sidings can start in earnest which reminds me I must bring some rail and chairs home to save having to thread the chairs during the work session..
JB.
eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
All looking superb, some great p&c work.
Are you sure John wasn't recovering from a good night out and is endeavoring to hang on...
.
Col.
Are you sure John wasn't recovering from a good night out and is endeavoring to hang on...
.Col.
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
Thanks Col and Ian.
Have to confess that whilst John Birch (@Oz7mm) and I are happy building standard pointwork, it's Richard that is currently building the more intricate sections. We did threaten to make the new board scenic so as to show off all the lovely pway, but he wasn't having any of it.
The term "..it's only a fiddle yard.." Seems to get bandied about quite a lot despite the fact that the trackwork there is far more complex than the scenic sections.
Fingers crossed, I'm quietly confident that we might be able to start placing droppers and start wiring by the middle of January....if the weather plays nice..
The intended era for the layout is a bit 'whenever' really. It's more of a holiday haunts layout rather than a set on '13th May 1964' ultra-accurate piece.. Generally there will be early BR and BR Blue (I suppose we have to), but anything goes..
JB.
Have to confess that whilst John Birch (@Oz7mm) and I are happy building standard pointwork, it's Richard that is currently building the more intricate sections. We did threaten to make the new board scenic so as to show off all the lovely pway, but he wasn't having any of it.
The term "..it's only a fiddle yard.." Seems to get bandied about quite a lot despite the fact that the trackwork there is far more complex than the scenic sections.
Fingers crossed, I'm quietly confident that we might be able to start placing droppers and start wiring by the middle of January....if the weather plays nice..
The intended era for the layout is a bit 'whenever' really. It's more of a holiday haunts layout rather than a set on '13th May 1964' ultra-accurate piece.. Generally there will be early BR and BR Blue (I suppose we have to), but anything goes..
JB.
BrushType4
Western Thunderer
The bisected pointwork and curves are too good NOT to make part of the scenic area!
Dan Randall
Western Thunderer
That's an astonishingly good piece of trackwork.
Peco should have an enormous copy of that photo in their reception area, with the caption "If you want your track to look this good, you've come to the wrong place!".
Regards
Dan
AJC
Western Thunderer
That's an astonishingly good piece of trackwork.
Peco should have an enormous copy of that photo in their reception area, with the caption "If you want your track to look this good, you've come to the wrong place!".
I reckon that PECO - being fairly shameless - would actually try and sell you a cartload of Individulay (assuming they do it in O).
I think it was Dave Bradwell - writing in MRJ a while back - who deemed fiddle yards a waste of space for large layouts such as this. I can't help but think that lovely trackwork like this is one of the things he had in mind...
Adam
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
Yes it is a bit of a shame, but I guess because the layout is for running trains, rather than shunting with the scenic part of the layout reflecting this, the spur fiddle yard was always going to be complex in comparison.
We're also now thinking about having a second entrance to the fiddle yard further around the curve. As this layout will do an exhibition or two, we want to make sure that we won't get scuppered by point problems preventing access to the storage areas. Watch this space..
JB.
We're also now thinking about having a second entrance to the fiddle yard further around the curve. As this layout will do an exhibition or two, we want to make sure that we won't get scuppered by point problems preventing access to the storage areas. Watch this space..
JB.
Osgood
Western Thunderer
At Telford there were often as many folk on the fiddle yard side of Heyside, admiring the varied motive power and stock in the storage sidings, as there were at the front.
The modest but effective scenic treatment of the curves gradually transitioning from the fully scenic area into the storage sidings seemed to lure you around to the back of the layout. The addition of some basic scenic detail such as ash ballasting and yard lighting towers to the sidings and it would double the fully scenic viewing capacity and be the perfect place to get away from the crowds at the front!
The modest but effective scenic treatment of the curves gradually transitioning from the fully scenic area into the storage sidings seemed to lure you around to the back of the layout. The addition of some basic scenic detail such as ash ballasting and yard lighting towers to the sidings and it would double the fully scenic viewing capacity and be the perfect place to get away from the crowds at the front!
mickoo
Western Thunderer
My thoughts exactly, fiddle yards could be laid out like many yards seen before and after main stations, as you say, just basic scenery like ballasted track work, some lamps, the odd hut or two and a signal box at each end would suffice.
I always remember travelling in and out of Liverpool street and seeing locos at the end of the coach sidings out near Bow, and leaving Crewe to the South you had miles of yards, some for coaches, some for freight.
People don't model big full yards as they are probably seen as boring, have little movement and take up valuable space, but fiddle yards on roundy roundies already have them built in, they are a requirement so why not make them part of the whole.
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eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
Good track work is essential for S7, doesn't matter if it's for the scenic side or storage yards and in any case it's good practice, certainly never wasted. With a layout of this size running prototypical length rakes of stock traversers and sector plates are not practical so point work it is.
Ok it could have been laid on pcb soldered construction which can save on components ( I've done this on Bow Creek but this is all buried under cobble stones or inset in the ground) but personally if it's built with chairs and sleepers all the better for a scenic marshalling yard/carriage sidings.
Ok it could have been laid on pcb soldered construction which can save on components ( I've done this on Bow Creek but this is all buried under cobble stones or inset in the ground) but personally if it's built with chairs and sleepers all the better for a scenic marshalling yard/carriage sidings.
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
Further track laying over the last couple of weeks. Definite palpable progress being made each week!
In the shots the progress on the sidings, and also the second spur off of the mainline for entry into the fiddle yard.
We also had a quick demonstration of the Tam Valley Dead Rail System that Richard installed into one of his Class 37's. It's very impressive!
No, that track hasn't been wired up yet..
JB.
In the shots the progress on the sidings, and also the second spur off of the mainline for entry into the fiddle yard.
We also had a quick demonstration of the Tam Valley Dead Rail System that Richard installed into one of his Class 37's. It's very impressive!
No, that track hasn't been wired up yet..
JB.
BrushType4
Western Thunderer
Beautiful track work. I want to put a signal box or two in that yard. 
