4mm Llanfair

[Flaxfield]

Larry, I do wonder if the goods shed is in the wrong place altogether. Looking at the last images of the small shed, even if you choose this shed over the larger brick built job, when say, vans are placed in front for loading/unloading etc, the rolling stock blocks the view from the signal box.

What if the goods shed was removed altogether ?
Then the current good shed road could be straightened, perhaps to end at an end loading dock. The rear road becomes a coal siding.

The goods shed now moves across to sit on the siding opposite the station building on the siding leading off from the loop. Tight but it looks from the photos as if it might fit.

OR ( referring to the last photo above )

Move the goods shed back to where the red lorry is to improve sighting from the signal box.

OR ( sorry )

Again referring to the last photo, truncate the rear siding roughly level with the end of the goods shed nearest the camera. Straighten the current goods shed road and push the goods shed back, towards the back scene. That would open up the view a bit.

Rob

 

[LarryG]

This is Llanfyllyn which remains the inspiration for my layout. Wagons stand in front of the signalbox although it may be a tad higher than mine...

 

[paulc]

I'll throw in my tuppence worth . Could the brick shed ( or the timber ) go opposite the cut out in the backscene grass bank with a point off the run round loop .
This gets rid of sighting problems by the signalman and makes access for lorries easier .

 

[Osgood]

Not that I consider myself in any way qualified to offer advice, but I'll see your tuppence @paulc and raise you a dime:

The grouping of large station building and small signal box looks really good.
The grouping of small signal box and medium goods shed (the timber one) looks really good.
The grouping of all three (to my eye) just doesn't work as well as it should - the signal box looks lost.

Although it eliminates your Llanfyllyn inspiration, what if the signal box were moved further away - either to the Scammell location, or even further, on station side of cutout in embankment (excuse - for a view through distant bridge)?

 

[jonte]

Respectfully, Larry, from your long range shot above, it appears the signal box is the offending article.

To be frank, it looks like you’ve placed the Ratio (Highley) 4mm kit amongst the other 7mm buildings.

Perhaps it’s the photo, but that’s how it appears to mine eye.

Sorry to present another problem, but perhaps merely a replacement box might be key to your conundrum?

Jon

 

[LarryG]

Hi Jonte, The fly in the ointment is always the goods yard. I got it right in 00 gauge when I had the width. Incidentally, its's not the GWR Highley signalbox. My box is adapted from the Cambrian signalbox at Llansantffraid near Llanfyllin, the latter being merely a glorified leverframe.

Following members suggestions, I'll pop out later and do a bit of juggling.

 

[Stephen Freeman]

Just depends on how close you want to get it to Llanfylllin. The signal box looks pretty good to me where it is. It is the Goods Shed that is the real issue. The prototype has it on the other side, that might not be possible of course but further up near the bridge could be a compromise, brick built closer to prototype.?

 

[James]

@jonte the signal box looks pretty good to me.

View attachment 241224

I was considering tonight going with the small shed as here...
View attachment 241227

 

[jonte]

@jonte the signal box looks pretty good to me.

Looks good to me too, James; it wasn’t a criticism.

However, in the context of my post, it just looked overwhelmed by the other buildings in Larry’s long range shot.

Even the ‘smaller’ shed overshadowed it, but as clarified: to ‘mine eye’. I could be very wrong.

I just thought that perhaps by replacing it with a larger version, and maybe on a taller base, it would kill two birds with one stone by addressing this and the obstructed signal man’s view that appears the crux of the problem?

Jon

 

[Flaxfield]

I think the issue ( if there is one ) is one of trying to fit a quart into a pint pot.
I tie myself up in knots by insisting on working on small layouts. To do so, there are compromises needed. This is exactly the same.

I still feel that the goods shed is causing the problem, even the small wooden job.

Personally, as mentioned in my earlier post ( but following further pondering ) , I'd either straighten the goods shed road and move to a position 'opposite' the station building,

OR

Straighten the goods shed road and shorten the road behind the goods shed which would allow the goods shed to be set back a bit.

Another observation is that looking at the wooden goods shed, I think the dimensions are not helping. Sorry, Larry but I think it's too tall and the area where it's out is above the door/ window. Take out three planks, lowering the roof and I think the look of the whole structure improves.

In a confined space, I work on the basis that having tall structures will cause the scene to look compressed and crowded. I think this is contributing to to making things look ' not quite right ' .

I feel a more squat profile for the goods shed would alleviate this.

Rob

 

[simond]

For my tuppence worth, I’d move the small goods shed to the other side of the tracks.

That implies an extra siding, and that might be more than there’s room for, but it’s the glaring difference between “inspiration” and “actuality”.

If it will fit, it’ll be important to ensure the location is not exactly, precisely, annoyingly just where you need to get your hand in to couple or uncouple.

 

[jonte]

I think the issue ( if there is one ) is one of trying to fit a quart into a pint pot.
I tie myself up in knots by insisting on working on small layouts. To do so, there are compromises needed. This is exactly the same.

I still feel that the goods shed is causing the problem, even the small wooden job.

Personally, as mentioned in my earlier post ( but following further pondering ) , I'd either straighten the goods shed road and move to a position 'opposite' the station building,

OR

Straighten the goods shed road and shorten the road behind the goods shed which would allow the goods shed to be set back a bit.

Another observation is that looking at the wooden goods shed, I think the dimensions are not helping. Sorry, Larry but I think it's too tall and the area where it's out is above the door/ window. Take out three planks, lowering the roof and I think the look of the whole structure improves.

In a confined space, I work on the basis that having tall structures will cause the scene to look compressed and crowded. I think this is contributing to to making things look ' not quite right ' .

I feel a more squat profile for the goods shed would alleviate this.

Rob

I’m also guilty of the ol’ pint-pot saga, Rob, and your solutions have occurred to me too.

With respect to the dimensions of the wooden shed, it also occurred to me that perhaps reducing the scale from 7mm scale to 5mm to the foot or so, might also address? I know it sounds unusual and perhaps contradictory in light of my previous post, but I’m sure it’s been done before with layouts built to the senior scale. Placed slightly to the rear of the scene perhaps or at a distance from the platform, it might work? Just a thought.

I’ve also considered moving the ‘shed’ to the opposite side of the tracks as per Simon, especially with regard to the larger brick built version, which I think would fit better with the station buildings, but I respect that Larry seems fond of his wooden structure and would prefer to group his buildings as seen earlier, so perhaps Rob’s solution of adjusting its components might be the way ahead?

Good luck either way.

Jon

 

[LarryG]

I never considered running 00 trackwork around the garden extension, as there was no point. Tunnels to keep rain out would have been a necessity with 0 gauge, but there are better ways of doing things for the smaller scale...


Timber from the dismantled loop was used to build a 2' x 6' shelf. Being rigid, there was no need to concrete the posts into the ground....


Creosoted ready for further work tomorrow when I'll cover it in roofing felt and build a lid so that it is totally enclosed...

 

[paulc]

I never considered running 00 trackwork around the garden extension, as there was no point. Tunnels to keep rain out would have been a necessity with 0 gauge, but there are better ways of doing things for the smaller scale...
View attachment 242365

Timber from the dismantled loop was used to build a 2' x 6' shelf. Being rigid, there was no need to concrete the posts into the ground....
View attachment 242366

Creosoted ready for further work tomorrow when I'll cover it in roofing felt and build a lid so that it is totally enclosed...
View attachment 242364

Ah ha , Larry has a cunning plan .
Good to see you back mate .

 

[Dave Holt]

With removal of the outside loop, does that mean a change back to 4 mm scale, Larry?
Dave.

 

[LarryG]

With removal of the outside loop, does that mean a change back to 4 mm scale, Larry?
Dave.

Yay. The changeover occurred a few weeks ago and I've been working in 00 in silence. I found a station called 'Holt' this morning. It's on one of the restored railways and features a GWR 2-8-0T haha....

 

[Heather Kay]

Crikey! There’s been so many about-faces I’m getting vertigo!

 

[James Spooner]

I’m surprised you haven’t considered a two level operation; one in 4mm and one in 7mm, then when you get fed up with one, you can change levels…

Nigel

 

[40057]

How about a permanent layout in 5.5 mm scale?

 

[Flaxfield]

Or just have a 7mm layout on one side of the shed and a 4mm layout on the other......