The Line To Honeywell

[Honeywell]

Ok, being as I prompted the creation of this section I best add my little bit.

So far it's a background story, a design and a load of half cut wood.

I can give you the story so far, I haven't transferred the design to computer.

(Artistic and historic license has gone into the following )

Honeywell is located 'somewhere in the South West' in the late 1930s / 1940s.

Back during the railway boom of the 19th Century two railway companies; The Grand Sasington Railway and The Bogglesmead and Dovesworth Railway Company had plans to build lines through Honeywell, one from Bogglesmead the other from Sasington, both aiming to continue through to Dovesworth.

As it turned out, The Bogglesmead and Dovesworth Railway Company got the rights through to Dovesworth on the proviso the other company were able to build their line from Bogglesmead into Honeywell where facilities would be shared.

Both lines were constructed, but by the time they got as far as Honeywell both companies were looking down the barrel of bankruptcy due to spiraling costs of unforeseen problems, delayed works and so forth.

The Bogglesmead and Dovesworth Railway Company were taken over by the mighty Great Western Railway who chose to abandon plans to take the line any further and so just built Honeywell Station and it's facilities.

The Grand Sasington Railway struggled on for a while and after various takeovers became an arm of the London Midland and Scottish Railway after the grouping.

Time ticked on with little changing after the lines were built until the 1930s when coal reserves were discovered not far from Dovesworth. This combined with a developing army camp in the area prompted the GWR to apply for and were subsequently granted permission to build the line as originally planned.

It is at this stage we see the railway captured today, permission has been granted and the extension of the line North East from Honeywell has begun.

I thank you.

I'll get some images sorted out of what it's gonna be like so you can all see what I'm babbling about.

And yes, it took far too long to sort out the background history.

Rock and roll ladies and gents.

Rich.

[Pete]

Nothing like a bit of history!

I've been thinking of creating some profiles for the people who will be positioned on my layout, the station master, the local quarry owner, members of the bavarian band etc. I've seeen some nice nuns too in N gauge (though I'll have to stop it looking like an audition for extras in the Sound of Music), it all adds colour, and on a cold winter night in front of the computer with a hot cat and beer beats being in the shed with cold fingers applying flock


Pete

[Honeywell]

Nothing like a bit of history!

You're right, it's not

[Honeywell]

Ok guys, now the limbo has ended (no new job, so not moving house..) I can finally crack on and get the baseboards done ready for the railway.

I'd started cutting the wood previously, but stopped to redecorate the room first..

I'll get a plan of the layout done so I can post it in here and you can all see what I'm babbling about above.

By the way, thanks to Pete for kicking me up the arse to get me started again.

And Emma for nagging me to get the room finished of course..

Watch this space

Rich.

[Honeywell]

Just typed out a long frickin' post and managed to close the page (don't ask) so I'm starting again.

Here's an old development of the Honeywell plan.

It's moved on a bit since I sketched this out, but it's all I currently have on the computer.

I'll explain more below..



A is the GWR running line and has since become double track for a distance away from the station for a bit of added flexibility in operation (I hope)

B is the LMS running line and will disappear into a tunnel to fool the viewer into thinking it goes off away from the other track.

C is where the line formerly terminated, but is where work on the new extension is taking place.

'That bit' is where I was showing Pete something

If all goes according to plan I'm thinking of doing 'that bit' first to get my eye in before tackling the station.

I'll keep you all posted.

Rich.

[Ironduke]

I must say that is an excellent piece of draftsmanship but I'm having a very slow day. This only took 20 min.
edit: Image removed because honeywell has moved

I really must get on with my own layout

[Pete]

If all goes according to plan I'm thinking of doing 'that bit' first to get my eye in before tackling the station

Let the good times roll!

You'll have to make your mind up on those bridges now. Keep the posts coming.

Pete

PS still up at 12.07 this morning??

[Ironduke]

or was that me at 12.07pm?
those whacky timezones!

[Pete]

I've been in work since 6.45 (thats GMT), you'll have to excuse my confusion I think I combined both yours and Honeywells time to make a hybrid time of 12.07

Pete

[Honeywell]

I must say that is an excellent piece of draftsmanship but I'm having a very slow day. This only took 20 min.


I really must get on with my own layout

Looks good Iron (what's your real name, I can't call you Iron :S)

It's slightly nearer the correct angles for the goods and shed lines...

I'll modify your picture crudely in paint to show you a few differences in what I've currently got planned..

Won't be long..

Oh, and Pete...

I was up til 1am talking to a mate in Glasgow I'd not spoken to properly in ages.. Knackered today ready for painting the room.. :S

[Honeywell]

I decided to lay out what I've got to demonstrate rather than draw it all.



I hope you guys can follow that...

Basically, one of the goods lines now follows the back of the platform and there's a siding runs next to the running line and terminates before the bridge (painful consequences if I forget the buffer stop..)

I'll get a proper plan sorted on here at some point, but I can't be bothered with all these different programs that are available..

I do my planning like the picture above. Lay it out and test what works / looks right.

Rich.

[Honeywell]

You will notice by the way that a couple of the points are upside down..

Left hand points substituting for right handers I haven't yet got..

I bought the track I needed, then in a classic fashion I changed the design.

Huzzah!

[Pete]

Rich

Looking good

I see your using finescale track and electrofrogs, I hope your going to share with the group how you wire these chaps up?

You thinking of changing your rolling stock to run on this track?

Pete

[Honeywell]

I'm going new everything this time round Pete.

I've got a whole pile of old locos and stock circa early to mid 80s, but nothing I want to run on Honeywell so hopefully with it all being 'current' stuff there shouldn't be a problem with the code 75 rail with luck.

Have to wait and see I guess.

As for wiring the electrofrog points I haven't looked into it in detail yet.

I'm gonna have a few isolated sections though, so that may or may not simplify what I'm doing.. All depends how I incorporate the isolation into the wiring.

I'll be able to say more once I have track laid and have to think about it properly...

[Pete]

Will be interesting to see how you do it, it's something I'm going to have to consider soon; I so wish I'd gone for electrofrog on my N gauge would have improved running so much.

If your starting from scratch with your locos you thinking of DCC perhaps?

(I hope this is your 'play' room that your decorating, we need to see some progress now )

Pete