Tales from The Room of Doom. Dipping a toe in various bucolic backwaters.

paulhb

Western Thunderer
A quick question if I may. ( I think I've asked this before, sorry )

Does anyone have an article on the Critchel Down BLT that they could scan and send to me, please.

I thought I had it saved somewhere but can't put my finger on it.

Thanks in advance.

Rob


Update- I did have these saved but they've gone missing........
Hi Rob,

Do you mean Crichel Down? If so a few photos here - The Burford Branch - Page 3 - Scalefour Forum

Paul
 

-7007-

Member
A quick question if I may. ( I think I've asked this before, sorry )

Does anyone have an article on the Critchel Down BLT that they could scan and send to me, please.

I thought I had it saved somewhere but can't put my finger on it.

Thanks in advance.

Rob


Update- I did have these saved but they've gone missing........
Hi Rob, I have something. I’ll send it to you later. I had the pleasure of operating it many years ago.

Tim
 

Tim Watson

Western Thunderer
Hi Rob,

Do you mean Crichel Down? If so a few photos here - The Burford Branch - Page 3 - Scalefour Forum

Paul
Sorry to go off-topic a bit but those posts on Martin’s backscenes show a true artist at work: I had missed the MRJ articles, but was very impressed with his recent output in MRJ. They make my efforts on Copenhagen Fields look really crude.

Tim
 

Flaxfield

Western Thunderer
And here we are. The shelf is an IKEA LACK measuring 110cm x 26cm. Pointwork is small radius Peco Code 75 electrofrog. I could have used Peco Bullhead but I have these 'in stock'. The overhanging track to the left will be cut back. The fiddle yard will be to the right and will either be cassettes or simply a couple of sidings on a second LACK shelf.

1000025453.jpg

It will create a usable branch terminus and will offer both passenger and goods workings. Loco release will hold a J15. Loop will accommodate two six wheelers ( though the platform is a tad too low ) or most likely, a six wheel full brake and an ex W&U bogie tramway coach.

Scenic work will of course be limited due to the baseboard width but there will be green stuff.

The beauty of a project like this is the portability ( ! ) aspect of it. It can be worked on anywhere and most importantly, it can be operated on a suitable table. Once the operating session is over, it can be stored until the next time.

Rob
 
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Simon H

Western Thunderer
This looks good, Rob!
I've been fiddling about with Peco Code 75 points and a Lack the same size as yours with the idea of a little kleinbahn terminus to run some of my small German Ep.III stock on.
It's partly inspired by an article in an old issue of Model Railway Constructor, but I have yet to come up with a suitably "Germanic" trackplan. Yours makes very good use of the space. I was thinking about getting it up and running in time for the Wealden Railway Group show at Steyning next March, but I suspect it'll get trumped by the EM test track.
Cheers,
Simon.
 

Flaxfield

Western Thunderer
Morning all.

The proportions of this layout are clearly squashed and there is no pretence of it being anything but an operationally led caricature of a more prototypical project.
There's certainly the potential for enough operation to entertain for an hour or so and an opportunity to practice a bit of scenery to, hopefully, produce a nice little end product.

As I've said before, many modellers think they cannot accommodate a layout in the home. Hornby have introduced an entire range ( TT120 ) apparently with that 'dilemma ' in mind.

I'm hoping that anyone reading this will be inspired to have a go.

You of course have to manage your expectations but rather than be put off by the constraints a project such as this imposes, embrace it. Pick a couple of small tank locos and an 0.6.0 tender loco and you've got all the motive power you'd need for this.

Add one or two coaches, half a dozen to a dozen wagons, plus brake vans and there you have it.

Buildings are kept to a minimum ( as always ) but again, a couple of carefully chosen, small examples, from either Hornby or Bachmann's ready to plant range, can bring character and interest to the layout.

It will make for an absorbing but manageable ( both financially and chronologically ) project which will occupy the builder for sometime.

Rob
 
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Flaxfield

Western Thunderer
The last couple of days has seen the rather small terminus progress, to the point where track laying can be started, hopefully later today.

Power feeds have been soldered in place and the top face of MDF glued onto the shelf.

IF all goes according to plan, we MIGHT see a loco running this evening........

Rob
 

Flaxfield

Western Thunderer
Well, that wasn't a bad afternoon.

Track has been fettled, as in final tweaks made. Track feeds have been dropped in, and a temporary track bus plumbed in to test all is well.

Using a Hattons P Class and a Hornby J15, the layout has been run on DC, and all seems fine, with access all areas.

Next job will be to secure the track, trim a couple of bits to length, and once the layout has been tested on DCC, add the proper track bus to the rear of the shelf and connect everything up.

First proper modelling in quite a while and I must say I'm quite pleased.

Rob
 

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
I moved from 4mm/1ft to 7mm/1ft many years ago as I was getting frustrated with the quality of a lot of the rtr stock that was available. Kit building was a way forward, but I was struggling with how fiddly it all was. Hence my move up scale. However, if I were starting out now, I would seriously consider 4mm/1ft rtr.

I'm looking forward to seeing how latest endeavour turns out.:cool:

Mike
 

Willl

Western Thunderer
Good to hear you've been getting stuck in Rob. I personally find that modelling is all about momentum - once you stop it can be hard to get going again, which has led to me taking a number of (at times multiple years long) breaks from the hobby, but once I get going again the bug bites back hard!

Will
 

Flaxfield

Western Thunderer
Good to hear you've been getting stuck in Rob. I personally find that modelling is all about momentum - once you stop it can be hard to get going again, which has led to me taking a number of (at times multiple years long) breaks from the hobby, but once I get going again the bug bites back hard!

Will

Morning , Will.

I totally agree. When it comes to layouts, I don't appear to be able to pick up and put down a project. If I do, that's it.

Next job is testing on DCC then once I'm happy with that, I hope to finalise the wiring on the scenic board over the next few evenings. Next stage will be to do some work on the fiddle yard which will give me a completed layout by the end of the week.

That should then allow the scenics, starting with the basic land form ( that's being generous ! ) to get going.

Rob
 

Flaxfield

Western Thunderer
Morning all.

A quick update. Track is now secured. A DCC power feed thingy has been wired up in a very temporary, lashed up fashion, followed by much testing and all appears pretty good.

Dangling track has been trimmed back, so progress is definitely being made.

I have what appears to be a 'free day' as I'm not in work and the Memsahib is off to meet a chum for lunch so the fiddle yard may well be tackled.

Rob
 
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