Ollerton 'N' 5'2"x3' Split Board

[ASFC]

Well, I have taken the plunge! Some of you may have seen my old layout, Bolsover N, which, after roughly two and a half years, I have called time on. It was fun whilst it lasted, but those 9 Inch curves and running problems have finally put paid to it. This is its replacement.

Space constraints havn't changed, but I have moved up to C80 medium points and flexitrack, except for the curves. Minimum radius is going to be 12", except for the use of setrack points in the fiddle yard (to save space) .

One of my big bug bears with the last layout was the need to constantly take trains on and off the layout during and operating session-so a multiple road fiddle yard was a must.

Location? Well I wanted to use my current stock, so that would mean basing it somewhere in the East Midlands. It needed to cope with two periods-I have both BR Sectorisation stock and modern day privatised railway. I quite liked the idea of basing it somewhere between Nottingham and Sheffield, but didn't have enough space to model anywhere that was real......

So I came up with Ollerton. Its not based on the real place, I literally plucked the name whilst browsing the area on Google maps. I like roundy roundy type layouts, but I like something of interest that can be shunted. The idea is based roughly around the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway, but that unlike the real line it is imagined to have a link to Nottingham that is between the current Robin Hood Line and the ECML. Well, at least that is what i'm sticking to!

Here is the plan:



And over the past week I have been knocking together the baseboards. There is not much to see but it gives you an idea of the size of the scenic section:



Anyway, that is as far as I have got so far!

Mat.

[auricom]

There looks to be lots of operating interest and the board you have made so far looks to be well made.

Im not quite sure judging by your picture, but is the village going to sit ontop of the tracks?

Good luck

Ta

[1977joey]

Hi Mat,
I liked you old layout, this looks to be equally as interesting & i'm really likeing your plan & your location. Will be following this with interest
All the best

[ASFC]

Thanks for the comments!

I spent last night doing some track laying. Nothing yet worthy of a picture though!

Mat.

[phil sabin]

That looks a nice little plan you have come up with Matt..

I will be keeping an eye on this one

[66fan]

From one Matt to another...

I like the look of your plan, lots of scope for interesting yet easy operation, just the way it should be! I particularly like your bay platform in the middle of the two mainline tracks, reminds me of Derby station a little! I'm also a little jealous you've thought about incorporating the scenic breaks/backboards into the actual building stage of your layout...something I forgot to do and am now having to think pretty hard about!

Definitely looking forward to seeing this one progress, good luck!

[ASFC]

Thanks for the comments. I'm glad there seems to be a consensus that there is plenty to do without crowding the layout 'out'.

Sorry Auricom I missed your question from the other day. Yes there will be a tunnel at that end which I hope to place a village (or part of) on top of.

I spent the weekend laying track, as the pictures will show. I have run out of flexi for now, so the run-round loop for the TMD will have to wait. The TMD itself, which will be behind the first point that I have laid for said loop, I hope to base on Shirebrook shed when I come to build. The bottom picture shows the state of play tas it is this morning. Got to wire it up next!





Mat.

[ASFC]

Another weekend, and more progress!

I started laying the fiddle yard at the back end of last week after I had wired the front of the layout. I also laid the run round loop for the TMD. Plus I started building a control panel...

Some pics:



The front of the layout above. I can start to see where I am going to put things now!



The Fiddle Yard.



My control panel It isn't finished, amongst other things the three holes are where the signal switches will be. I will paint on the track plan eventually, and hope to install probe and stud point control. The Grey socket goes to the front. The DIN socket goes to the fiddle yard. The feeds from the controllers come in from the other side. I have wired the layout for cab control, which is what the line of 5 switches in the top right corner is for.

Anyway, thats all for now. Did some testing last night, and found a few niggles that need ironing out. After that, I will finish the track laying, make a start on painting the backscene, and look at point motor installation.

Cheers

Mat.

[Nathan20138]

Hey, lookin' good so far. Like the track plan. Plenty of operating interest there.

I never saw your other layout so i'll see if i can find it.

All the best.



Nathan.

[ASFC]

Thanks for looking Nathan.

Hopefully it won't be too long before I have more than just track on boards to look at!

Mat.

[thebritfarmer]

Very nice, looking forward to seeing this develop.

Regards
Scott

[ASFC]

Has it really been 5 months? Blimey!

Not a great deal has happened since. I have finished track laying,it is all wired, and it works! Next job on the track front is point motors.

On the scenic side, I have painted the backscene, and started to install the tunnel and village area. Perhaps I might get more done over winter? Who knows. The eagle eyed might spot my new 101 running in....







Mat.

[1977joey]

Looking great Mat , track laying is always the worst part for me. Once thats done, all the fun side begins
Hope your enjoying your new 101

All the best,
Mark

[ASFC]

Thanks Mark. Farish really have done a top job on their 101.

Mat.

[ASFC]

I hope everybody had a merry christmas!

Well, the pictures show how things stand at the end of boxing day, the bottom picture shows a new bridge awaiting cladding, and the others show my in progress station. When playing trains earlier, I had thought that I had made the platforms too high (!) as the doors on my Mk 2's are about 1mm below the platform height, and then I noticed that my DMU's and Mk 1's were above, nd my new GC HST was somewhere between the two. I thought about ripping them up but a quick bt of google research shows that whilst the height of my platform is unusual, it is not unheard of in the UK, so I think it will stay.



The aformentioned platforms!



This hornby waiting room is going to be done up as a private residence, with a turning circle for buses behind it.



This picture shows just how much needs to be done! I'm going to develop some wasteland behind the signal box, and build a raised road up to the bridge at the scenic break. This picture shows just how flat the layout is at the minute!

Cheers,

Mat.