Marc Dobson
Western Thunderer
Looking forward to seeing it fully finished.
Marc
Marc
Northroader
Western Thunderer
How many trains are you running to need a passing loop?
Willl
Western Thunderer
Maybe I'm using the wrong terminology, and should be calling it a run around loop.
I'm aware that few stations on the KESR (and other Col Stephens lines for that matter) had a loop, but I've done the "single track halt and sidings" scheme before (Pattyndenne), and I don't fancy doing it again. I'm loathe to have two fiddle yards, given the likelihood that I will end up exhibiting the layout on my own. It would also make the overall footprint of the layout larger than I'd like.
To avoid the impression that this is a terminus, the loco release at the left hand and will continue through a set of (closed) crossing gates and run up to the backscene.
There is a broader background for the scene which provides a sufficient explanation (at least for me) for services reversing back into the fiddle yard. The station is part of the Cranbrook & Tenterden Light, which would have met with the Hawkhurst line at Cranbrook. In my world, the CTLR have ceased running regular services as far as Cranbrook, perhaps due to flooding or competition from the mainline.
Will
Willl
Western Thunderer
Here's where things currently stand on the new layout project, now known as Coursehorn. The baseboards are broadly complete, bar the proscenium arch and fascia wings. These are awaiting a trip to B&Q to get some 6ft sheets of ply, as my poor planning resulted in the baseboard being about 10mm longer than all the sheets in my current stock.
The track is now glued down, although wiring is totally absent at present. I have a dangerous tendency to rush, so what I might initially consider setbacks are probably better seen as valuable time for reflection. For one, I had planned to get the point control (wire in tube) installed this weekend, but ended up finding the wire too bendy and the tubes too big! This planning time has been a valuable opportunity to remind myself of a few ideas I had initially considered, and then forgotten in my initial rushing:
1. I'd like to try a backscene that curves both in the corners and past vertical, as on @chrisb 's marvellous Cessy-en-Bois. I'd also like to nab his fibre optic stars, and possibly even add a moon (as on @magmouse 's Basuto Quay). This is likely a bit ambitious, but I feel I ought to try something a bit more advanced than the flat, painted backscenes I've done before.
2. Cassettes - Coursehorn will use cassettes, which still requires some thinking and design work to figure out how they will be secured and powered. I'm tempted to try a combination of 3D printed alignment grooves, which the cassettes will slot onto, and spring loaded pickups that bear on the outside of the cassettes.
I ended up settling on a simple, and slightly contrived track plan using an asymmetric 3-way point. I'm not entirely happy with how this feels - perhaps a bit cramped, but I was keen to move the pointwork on scene, to avoid the cassettes having to be moved around during shunting operations.
I have put together a barn (inspired by the one adjacent to the KESR at Rolvenden) and made further progress with the station building. These two projects have been some of the most enjoyable I have done in months; after endlessly struggling (and failing) with various etched kits, it was nice to work with something as soft and forgiving as styrene. I got a bit carried away with the station building, adding a full interior. My excuse is that it is positioned right at the front of the layout, so is extremely visible. Hopefully, with the addition of some micro LEDs, this work won't go unnoticed!
Will
The track is now glued down, although wiring is totally absent at present. I have a dangerous tendency to rush, so what I might initially consider setbacks are probably better seen as valuable time for reflection. For one, I had planned to get the point control (wire in tube) installed this weekend, but ended up finding the wire too bendy and the tubes too big! This planning time has been a valuable opportunity to remind myself of a few ideas I had initially considered, and then forgotten in my initial rushing:
1. I'd like to try a backscene that curves both in the corners and past vertical, as on @chrisb 's marvellous Cessy-en-Bois. I'd also like to nab his fibre optic stars, and possibly even add a moon (as on @magmouse 's Basuto Quay). This is likely a bit ambitious, but I feel I ought to try something a bit more advanced than the flat, painted backscenes I've done before.
2. Cassettes - Coursehorn will use cassettes, which still requires some thinking and design work to figure out how they will be secured and powered. I'm tempted to try a combination of 3D printed alignment grooves, which the cassettes will slot onto, and spring loaded pickups that bear on the outside of the cassettes.
I ended up settling on a simple, and slightly contrived track plan using an asymmetric 3-way point. I'm not entirely happy with how this feels - perhaps a bit cramped, but I was keen to move the pointwork on scene, to avoid the cassettes having to be moved around during shunting operations.
I have put together a barn (inspired by the one adjacent to the KESR at Rolvenden) and made further progress with the station building. These two projects have been some of the most enjoyable I have done in months; after endlessly struggling (and failing) with various etched kits, it was nice to work with something as soft and forgiving as styrene. I got a bit carried away with the station building, adding a full interior. My excuse is that it is positioned right at the front of the layout, so is extremely visible. Hopefully, with the addition of some micro LEDs, this work won't go unnoticed!
Will
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I have only just seen this, what a totally delightful scene.
John
Willl
Western Thunderer
Thank you John!
jameshilton
New Member
Absolutely love this new project!
Willl
Western Thunderer
Thank you James! As with Pattyndenne, there's definitely a bit of Peasmarsh Road in this project. I've also got my hands on a PI Victory, which will be joining part of the Cranbrook & Tenterden Light's fleet.
Will
Willl
Western Thunderer
Thank you Andy. It’s a combination of basically every colour of Woodland Scenics fine ballast. It took a while to get the right balance of each but from memory it’s primarily tan/greys with approx 20% brown and a tiny amount of cinder ballast
