4mm Llanfair

[LarryG]

It's not 'minimalist' really Dave, as the same number of turnouts have been used as previously. The sidings have simply been rearranged with one less in front of the station and one more at the back.

The layout look bare because the 'mainline' has yet to be laid, but this can't happen until the baseboards on each side of the shed have a connecting baseboard added to carry a half-loop. The diameter of the loopback will determine the position of the running line. Electric are being attended to today followed by sprayed track weathering and brush painting of the rails.

 

[Geoff]

Back in the Greenfield days, I recall you saying you would never model Delph because it was too sleepy and nothing ever happened there, so I do wonder.......
Dave.

I have happy memories of those Greenfield days. Sunday morning trips to a certain model shop on Chew Valley Road spring to mind, as does the look on Norman's face when someone paid with plastic.

Geoff

 

[LarryG]

Norman Wisenden's was as much Greenfield as Pots 'n Pans (local hill).

My poor goods shed has been a movable feast since the early days of this layout. So I am just illustrating am option in case it helps others because a similar signalbox/goods shed situation existed at Fairford, terminus of the Witney to Fairford branch (also a Lechlade).

If I want the shed at the end of the station platform, the signalman has a view down the tracks so long as the shed doors are open. In reality, the tiny signalbox is now't more than a glorified ground frame. There are no through trains ~ one hopes, so I think it is getawayable.



Fairford terminus....

 

[cctransuk]

I have happy memories of those Greenfield days. Sunday morning trips to a certain model shop on Chew Valley Road spring to mind, as does the look on Norman's face when someone paid with plastic.

Geoff

We used to love swimming picnics at Jabez Bath, before they built the reservoir.

Also, dam-building in Dick Clough, to create swimming holes.

Happy days!

John Isherwood

 

[Captain Kernow]

Norman Wisenden's was as much Greenfield as Pots 'n Pans (local hill).

My poor goods shed has been a movable feast since the early days of this layout. So I am just illustrating am option in case it helps others because a similar signalbox/goods shed situation existed at Fairford, terminus of the Witney to Fairford branch (also a Lechlade).

If I want the shed at the end of the station platform, the signalman has a view down the tracks so long as the shed doors are open. In reality, the tiny signalbox is now't more than a glorified ground frame. There are no through trains ~ one hopes, so I think it is getawayable.

View attachment 223367

Fairford terminus....
View attachment 223374

Larry,

The signalman at a terminus station like yours probably may have been a porter-signalman anyway, so may not have spent all his time in the signalbox.

Why would he need to see the train approach or depart? The main reason is to see the tail lamp of an arriving train, so that he can send 'Train Out of Section' to the box in rear. He can do that once the train has come to a stand in the platform. If the train is longer than the platform or if a goods train and doesn't for some reason come into the platform first, the local Sectional Appendix would normally have Local Instructions for the Guard to inform the signalman that the train was complete as soon as possible, either by phone or physically coming to the box.

From a (retired) professional point of view, I can't see any particular objections to your proposed arrangement.

 

[Dave Holt]

The difference is that at Fairford, the running line and approaching trains were from behind the cameraman. The track beyond, visible through the goods shed was a dead end, so no trains approached that way, just shunted stock. Might not make any difference to Tim's argument, though.
Dave.

 

[paulc]

Your theory Larry of looking through the shed only works when there's no vans in there so on the two or three days in the year ( like a British summer when the suns out ) when a vans in there it falls over but as 'the captain ' said " why would he need to ".

 

[Stephen Freeman]

However, Fairford was never envisaged as a terminus, it just happened that the next part was never built. It does explain the layout a little bit.

 

[Captain Kernow]

The other thing to bear in mind is that the signalman would know when to expect a train, having received 'Train Entering Section' from the box in rear previously and noted this in his Train Register.

There is also every likelihood that even a small place like that may have had one or two simple track circuits, the occupation of which would tell the signalman where the train was, as it approached. Possibly even a treadle-operated bell or gong, the activation of which would warn the signalman to tell the platform staff (or himself, if he was the platform staff!) to get ready to receive the train. The activation of such a bell or gong in the signalbox would normally give rise to the signalman pressing a plunger to operate some kind of warning bell on the platform or in the station office, unless the treadle-activated one went direct to the station as well.

So there are plenty of ways for the signalman to be made aware of an approaching train.

 

[Nick Rogers]

I don’t know if this is of use or not…

The local instruction for Truro (even with the Mid Cornwall Resignalling) is that if a platformed train is held at a red signal, at the five minute point, the guard must contact the ‘Bobby’ to confirm the train is complete. It’s a legacy from absolute block days, which ended earlier this year. However, there are all sorts of local rules which could be applied to your layout (as Tim has rightly said).

The local instruction could simply be the guard confirms to the signaller that the train is ‘complete’ on arrival. Little things like this add to the story you are portraying with your layout.

I hope this is of some use.

Best wishes,

 

[PaxtonP4]

The local instruction for Truro (even with the Mid Cornwall Resignalling) is that if a platformed train is held at a red signal, at the five minute point, the guard must contact the ‘Bobby’ to confirm the train is complete. It’s a legacy from absolute block days, which ended earlier this year. However, there are all sorts of local rules which could be applied to your layout (as Tim has rightly said).

That's just Rule 55 except he's not reporting the train is complete but is waiting at the Home signal.

The local instruction could simply be the guard confirms to the signaller that the train is ‘complete’ on arrival. Little things like this add to the story you are portraying with your layout

That's just Rule 147

 

[LarryG]

Thanks everyone. I am glad this mini debate generated some interesting information.

Populating the layout with rolling stock helped a lot yesterday. I left things as they were overnight, but I am simply wedded to having the goods shed at the end of the platform....



Some cosmetic chairs are needed here and there. The Coal is under the watchful eye of station staff. This leaves a long siding for storing occasional carriages....

 

[simond]

Some cosmetic hairs are needed here and there....

I’ve some of those.

 

[Captain Kernow]

I don’t know if this is of use or not…

The local instruction for Truro (even with the Mid Cornwall Resignalling) is that if a platformed train is held at a red signal, at the five minute point, the guard must contact the ‘Bobby’ to confirm the train is complete. It’s a legacy from absolute block days, which ended earlier this year. However, there are all sorts of local rules which could be applied to your layout (as Tim has rightly said).

The local instruction could simply be the guard confirms to the signaller that the train is ‘complete’ on arrival. Little things like this add to the story you are portraying with your layout.

I hope this is of some use.

Best wishes,

As far as I can remember (it's a few years now since I retired!), the configuration of the signals and block sections in that part of Cornwall meant that the Truro signaller was not able to see the tail lamp of an up train, until it had passed the box. If the timetable is sparse and there's nothing waiting at the signalbox in rear (latterly all the way back at Roskear Jct - Cambourne), then that's not such a problem. But if Roskear had something to offer forward to Truro, then the section must have been cleared and the only way that can happen on the Up at Truro, is for the guard to confirm to the signaller (as soon as the train has arrived at the platform), that the train is 'complete with tail lamp'. That then means that Truro could accept the next up train from Roskear and turn his block indicator to 'Line Clear'. That then sent an electrical release back to Roskear, enabling him to clear his Up section signal, an essential action if the next train was non-stop and needed a green at the Up Distant, in order to maintain the timetable.

 

[Flaxfield]

Back to the model, populating the layout with rolling stock helped a lot. Key advantages were a more open yard, no shadow from the goods shed, and making use of the space behind the waiting rooms for the Provender store....

View attachment 223458

Either line in the yard can store a 2-coach train...
View attachment 223460

Some cosmetic chairs are needed here and there....
View attachment 223461

You can get so focused on the build that we canforget what it is we are doing. For that reason, I do think that it's so important that when building our layouts, at each step ( where possible ) things are finished by placing stock, buildings etc back on the layout as it reminds us of what the finished layout will look like. Once the running stage is reached, I like to run something to round things up for the same reason.

Rob

 

[Captain Kernow]

As far as I can remember (it's a few years now since I retired!), the configuration of the signals and block sections in that part of Cornwall meant that the Truro signaller was not able to see the tail lamp of an up train, until it had passed the box. If the timetable is sparse and there's nothing waiting at the signalbox in rear (latterly all the way back at Roskear Jct - Cambourne), then that's not such a problem. But if Roskear had something to offer forward to Truro, then the section must have been cleared and the only way that can happen on the Up at Truro, is for the guard to confirm to the signaller (as soon as the train has arrived at the platform), that the train is 'complete with tail lamp'. That then means that Truro could accept the next up train from Roskear and turn his block indicator to 'Line Clear'. That then sent an electrical release back to Roskear, enabling him to clear his Up section signal, an essential action if the next train was non-stop and needed a green at the Up Distant, in order to maintain the timetable.

The other thing I remembered after posting the above, is that in latter years, a Tail Lamp Camera was provided at Truro, to give the signaller confirmation of 'Complete With Tail Lamp'. This is, of course, of no use to Larry's layout's era!

 

[LarryG]

Plywood left over from baseboard construction has been re-shaped to form raised ground around the terminus. The station approach road and entrance to the goods yard has a leg branching off to the cattle dock and end loading platform. Layers of 1/8" cork will be overlaid to bring the 'land' up to height and provide a smooth surface....


No firm decision yet about the coal yard.....




Cork glued down with neat PVA, weighted and now dry. Much more will be added before shaping the surface with an electric sander..

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Populating the layout with rolling stock helped a lot yesterday. I left things as they were overnight, but I am simply wedded to having the goods shed at the end of the platform....

Looks OK. At least with the coal siding at the back and it's length you don't have to lean over the goods shed to uncouple the wagons.

 

[LarryG]

Looks OK. At least with the coal siding at the back and it's length you don't have to lean over the goods shed to uncouple the wagons.

Has anyone used the new Hornby magnetic couplings for 4mm scale yet?

 

[LarryG]

Coal merchants are able to work in comparative safety. Direct wagon to bunker wouldn't work here. Lots of detail work to add hereabouts...



A photo I normally wouldn't post, as it was taken merely to see if all the buildings are vertical. The signalbox has a lean...