Cramdin Yard

[ElDavo]

Well I've been away from the hobby for 30 years or more but as someone said, "You're not cured, you are simply in remission." They were right, I've been in the computer simulation branch of things (Auran Trainz) for the last 4 or 5 years and finally the "real" model bug bit again!

I've negotiated a tiny space in the abode for an initial foray into the world of OO gauge, a mere 6' 2" by 19". The current scheme is to build a slightly augmented shunting puzzle style of layout based on the theme of a wagon repair facility. The link below shows the revision 7(!) plan.



At the rear of the main board is a double track mainline that could in future be linked into something more grand. For intial operations a fiddleyard can be attached to the left end from which trains approach crossing over into the yard and into a receiving road (there is a trailing single slip on the mainline and a double slip on entry to the yard). From here a shunter can pick off the wagons and move them into the works roads. There is a tiny (one or two wagon) run round loop in the works and fairly short headshunts.

To the righthand side is a 2 road loco fueling/stabling point that is accessible fom the mainline. This is to allow a bit of variation in locos on show rather than the mandatory 08 moving wagons around.

The (current) aim is to have this set-up capable of being used for modern image locos or 50s/60s steam/diesel. The loco stabling lines are just about big enough to accomodate a fairly lengthy loco such as a 66.

To date the basic baseboard is constructed and track component building is underway. I'm building pointwork from SMP code 75 copperclad kits and marrying this to SMP flexitrack. Points will be operated by SEEP PM-4s (I think) and control of the locos will be via DCC.

Suggestions for improvement would be most welcome.

Dave

[ElDavo]

Some initial progress shots. The first shows pretty much the whole length of the main baseboard with some track temporarily dropped in place on the newly laid cork trackbed (I knew those 80s cork tiles would come in handy one day!).


Next up is a shot from this evening. Bitten the bullet, taken the plunge or whatever and actually laid some track! Ironically this is one of the main lines running across the back of the layout which although in the grand scheme of things will one day see traffic it will be purely scenery initially. Honour of turning the first wheel goes to a brand new Hornby 08 in Cotswold livery picked up at the Farnham show last weekend.



Having checked things out with the 08 I couldn't resist breaking out 66 as well. Here seen dangerously close to the baseboard edge checking out the first point to be laid and only the 2nd to be built by me after a 30 year break! Scarily it seems to work and the locos run smoothly through it even though it is jury rigged with pins while I wait for the posty to deliver the point motors!



Two locos on a stretch of track this short under DCC control is a bit hairy. Now for a sit down and a glass of something.

Cheers
Dave

[davek]

Looking good - top name for the layout too!

[80064]

^^^WHS^^^

[ElDavo]

Some progress this weekend. Unfortunately the track laying team are waiting on the arrival of a couple of slip point kits so the weathering and ballast team took over to do some experiments.

This is a section of the SMP flexi-track after a touch of weathering with the airbrush, a splash of rust colour then some ballast. The ballast still needs cleaning up and some weathering added, far to clean.



Just to check things are still working I broke out the other 08 for a little amble around.



Cheers
Dave

[ElDavo]

A little more progress this week. Not a lot, but a little. The second of the mainline running lines has now been laid, ballasted and weathered. Unfortunately the flash washes out the color in this photo. I'd take a shot with natural daylight if it weren't for the fact that it's raining today.



Here is an aerial shot of almost the whole of the baseboard. The twin track mainline can be seen snaking across the board with the entrance to the yard branching off nearest the camera. This junction is what has consumed much of my spare time this week as it involves a trailing single slip on the down main. Nothing like taking on a challenge or two when building points! Having got that working the next piece of pointwork required is a double slip!



Oh well, better bite the bullet and get on with it...

Cheers
Dave

[PTmodeller]

Dave 3,
That looks to me like a good start. How did you weather the tr5ack, and what Ballast are you using?

Thanks
Dave 2

[tinsleytmd]

Nice plan & im glad someone else uses finescale track.

[Infrontcat]

That looks a splendid piece of work. I look forward to seeing the double slip evolve

Cheers

Tim

[ElDavo]

The track is SMP finescale code 75 which I airbrushed with a mixture of burnt umber, black and white i.e. mucky browny greyish colour. The track was then curved to shape and laid using a little contact adhesive (not for the feint hearted). After laying the rails and chairs were "rusted" with Tamiya Nato Brown straight from the pot.

Ballast is Woodland scenics medium grey blend wetted with diluted PVA in the time honoured fashion. For me this is just about small enough for a main line track bed. To weather it I first used an extremely diluted (with a spot of detergent) Tamiya Nato brown along the line of the rails to give a look of rust stain below the rail then I mixed up a magic mixture of black, burnt umber and the merest hint of blue and slosh it along the centerline of the track to give an oily dirty look. None of this shows up in the pictures above.

I'll probably change the recipe as I ballast the tracks running into the yard as these will need to be dirtier and less well maintained. Couldn't summon up the courage to tackle the double slip today so spent the afternoon adding sceninc backboards.

Cheers
Dave

[joish]

Looks really good so far, keep it up =)

[ElDavo]

After a few days of seemingly not getting anything done I had a spurt of enthusiam today and tackled a big hurdle, building the double slip that was blocking me from laying more track. Took a few hours but I think I've cracked it assuming it installs OK!



This shot shows why it is rather critical to the scheme of things. Trains come off the up main via a righthand point, across a trailing single slip on the down main and into the receiving road by taking a left on the double slip. This is also part of the runround loop in the yard so it will get used rather a lot.



There is some hidden progress here to as the point on the up main and the single slip are both now eqipped with point motors driven by a CDU which means they switch quite tidily. Had some pain in getting the frog switching working properly but all now works. I'll have to start work on a control panel of some sort soon or the rats nest of wires will get out of control. Anybody got ideas on how to set up single and double slips on a stud and pen switching board?

Finally a view of a fleabay 58 sat on the main. You can also see I have installed backboards and started having a dabble with the airbrush to produce some sky. The blue needs some toning down and a few cloud effects adding. You can just see start of the scenic break as well, a steel girder road bridge. Some idiot decided it would be a good idea to scratch build it in place, doh!



More to come including rather a lot of locos and stock nearly all from fleabay!

Cheers
Dave

[ElDavo]

Bit more progress. The permanent way crew have been in action this weekend and got 3 more points in place and working (most of the time!). Also managed to get the reception road track and 2 loco stabling/fueling tracks in place.

Here's the view from the road overbridge behind the loco stabling point. Eventually the area to the left in the distance will be a large building complex representing the wagon repair shops. From the pointwork templates you can see I'm still not 100% happy with the track layout. Looks like I have to build 2 3-way points next!



Here's the view from the other end along the up line showing the yard approach with the double slip in place leading to the reception road and also the points to the 2 loco stabling roads. The bag of toffees is the only way to get work out of the workers!



The final shot is of the current stock roster. 2 Hornby 58s (not specially impressive models) on the down main line, a variety of hoppers on the reception road, a Hornby 59 nearest the camera (again none too special), a Bachmann 66 (very nice) and 2 Horby 08s (brilliant models).

All of this lot apart from the Cotswold 08 came from eBay. I think it's time to stop looking for bargains for a while especially as there are still 2 locos and 5 wagons in the post somewhere!



Cheers
Dave

[ElDavo]

Too cold today to work out in the garage on anything serious so I did some testing/playing. New 57 and a bunch of DCC decoders arrived today so sat in a nice warm kitchen with a screwdriver and chipped up a couple of locos.

Here they are, a 57 and a 66 sitting at the embryonic fuel point. Both Bachmann models which I'm impressed with. Can't see much change on the layout in this shot apart from some ballast on the fuel road tracks. I have done other stuff honest!



Cheers
Dave

[NaN]

Excellent progress so far. How did you go about attaching the backscenes to the board?