A new start...Hairy's new layout!

[hairyhandedfool]

Where to begin? Well following my decision to rip up Ablingham, I did some thinking and from those thoughts came more thoughts, and from those, an idea.

I can't put a finger on Why Ablingham didn't live up to what I wanted, so a new approach was needed. I needed a layout that I could run units about all day on, but also give some flexibility to proceedings.

So, here was the plan, a terminus which could also act as a through station for some local trains, It had to be in the north or Scotland because the majority of my stock is based there, and the rest has no real common ground. Then I cracked it, north of the border, but sufficiantly close that it could use northern based units.

The layout would be based at Peebles, and have a small(-ish) island station at Glentress. Local services to Carlisle and Newcastle could run south through Glentress and East to Galashiels (on the Waverley route) then south to Hawick where the line would split to Carlisle and Newcastle. But why base it in Scotland if you have no Scottish trains? Well, I had planned and a service would also run north from Peebles to Shotts and then into Glasgow. There will be a couple of trains which will (appear) to run from Newcastle to Glasgow via Peebles aswell.

I have a liking for long trains and quiet surburban stations don't fill me with imagination so there will be an express service provided by Cross Country and a couple of East Coast trains from GNER. Peebles won't be electrified so HSTs and Mk2s galour? well, no, that would be too much, but a few here and there will suffice.

Freight? there is going to be some small sidings at Glentress for unit stabling and for freights to turnaround. Why? There will be a branch line only accessible from Peebles direction, serving a wagon repair depot and power station maybe, not fully decided yet.

So whats the plan? A quick paint job (below) shows for provisional plan.


The long platform will hold the express trains and the others should suffice for locals, the shortest platform on Peebles station is for locos to stable if need be.

There will be gradients, which I hope I have illustrated properly on the image!

A few test shots were taken to prove length to myself, and for your enjoyment.....




Questions, advice and encouragement for this layout are welcome.

[Dad-1]

Looks interesting - you don't know how lucky you are with that space. I'd also love to have long trains, I can only get 3 coaches alongside my platforms!

Geoff T.

[Dale_the_noob]

Looking at your crossovers on the left, you have 2 pairs of crossovers in parrallel, but if you staggered them into a ladder each way so that a train could get from the outer track to the inner track and vice versa in one movement, this would get rid of your crossovers closer to the station.

[hairyhandedfool]

Looks interesting - you don't know how lucky you are with that space. I'd also love to have long trains, I can only get 3 coaches alongside my platforms!

Geoff T.

Well yes I am, but SWMBO knew what I had before I moved in so she knew the loft was were it would go, but she has been quite supportive of it all really.

Looking at your crossovers on the left, you have 2 pairs of crossovers in parrallel, but if you staggered them into a ladder each way so that a train could get from the outer track to the inner track and vice versa in one movement, this would get rid of your crossovers closer to the station.

The original plan was for a ladder crossover, but I decided instead for both! it makes train movements possible that would ease congestion (should it ever arise) at Peebles. Perhaps it is bit over-complicated. The other crossovers that make the ladder are nearer the turn (for the outer track) and on the curve (for the inner track).

[hairyhandedfool]

A proper plan has been drawn and there are some iffy bits, but by 'n' large it seems to work. I've only got the trial version of Anyrail, so working with 50 pieces at a time was, well, tiresome, but with a bit of time, and a healthy portion of 'paint' work, the following was possible.



I have droped the idea of extra crossovers between Peebles and Glentress, they elongated the junction too much which I felt gave an unrealistic look to the area.

I am somewhat concerned at the apparent lack of length at Peebles, but nothing that wouldn't have happened in real life I suppose. I think a 2+8 HST will just fit in the platform, but I had hoped to drag a 225 into Peebles, for when an HST isn't available for either of the GNER services (the pretence is that the rest of the diagram is 'under the wires').

Glentress is also a little short, I had aimed at 6 car platforms to account for services that used to run and the possibility of doubled up 3 car 158s, but I can live with it, would 6 coaches have been too much in this day and age on what is, in effect, a small line anyway? Most of the local services will be either a 2-car unit or 2x 2-car units, so there shouldn't be much of a problem there.

I'm also not sure about the fourth siding at Glentress (bottom) If I remove it I'll have more room for scenery, but with a planned covered stabling building on the two nearest the main line it gives just one line for freight to use, perhaps the loss of the building is needed here.

No bridges are shown, but I intend for a couple of road bridges for the main 'A' road, one between Peebles and Glentress and one the other side on Glentress which will have the access to the station on it. I'm considering a river bridge for the trains to pass over, as the railway would've run down a valley at this point, but where exactly this will go I don't know.

[hairyhandedfool]

With all the track from the old layout removed, a test of space has started for the transition from Glentress to the Fiddle/Storage sidings below. Things did not go according to plan though, dispite the use of Any rail, I appear to be about six inches out of alignment. The plan below shows what was laid out.



A head shunt has been added to this end to allow better use of freight facilities, but the run down hill didn't line up right (it didn't go how I had planned it), with an R600 added after the scenic break, and Glentress Junction has ended up six inches to the left, which will almost certainly shorten Glentress to five coaches at most, still more than I need, but less than planned. Hopefully this minor error hasn't found its way into other areas of the plan, otherwise I could be re-arranging things alot, and I dislike that idea.

[Direct Rail Services]

That plan looks the business mate.

Just think of that OHL you're going to need !

Will the main station platforms have enough room for a decent length HST ? (Im looking at 2 + 5, on Curzon St) or 67 + 3 + DVT very fife circle ?

Nice big yard for all those HTA/TEA rakes. Freight only line for the propel moves with 08 + wagons + van on front/rear

And bay platforms for the local STP 170s to go from ! Oh and dont forget the flasks to Donray!

Excellent mate, you put Curzon St to shame!.

DRS.

[hairyhandedfool]

That plan looks the business mate.

Just think of that OHL you're going to need !

Your having a laugh!!! OHL is a no go! Atleast not for the moment, budget building is the.....are the words!

Will the main station platforms have enough room for a decent length HST ? (Im looking at 2 + 5, on Curzon St) or 67 + 3 + DVT very fife circle ?

Well I was planning 2x 2+8 (GNER and MML (on hire to VXC)) and 2x 2+7 (VXC) sets, but from the looks of the plan I will have to stretch the signals out for the 2+8s. I was planning a 225 drag aswell, but if I do those will have to be shortened to 2+8 or even 2+7. I also plan a charter rake or two and I have a 7 coach VXC Mk2 set just itching for a run with an array of 47s!

Nice big yard for all those HTA/TEA rakes. Freight only line for the propel moves with 08 + wagons + van on front/rear

And bay platforms for the local STP 170s to go from ! Oh and dont forget the flasks to Donray!

I was going to get some HTAs, but never had the money (a decent size rake being in the region of £150!), but for now the HAAs and HEAs will have to do, but then there will be wagon repair moves and engineering trains aswell. I am hoping to use a couple of the sidings for overnight stabling of units, with a building for a couple to 'hide' in. I do have a 170 in SCR livery and a 158 in SCRs version of Reggie Rail, but the mainstay of the SCR fleet will be 156s with the SCR 150 that resided on Ablingham. I had been looking at an excuse for the flasks, seemed a shame to leave them sitting on the side! Perfect short freight train to run through the station.

Excellent mate, you put Curzon St to shame!.

DRS.

I wouldn't go that far yet, many things make a layout, the track plan is the start, but the pratical side is where I fall down, my brain is not as artistic as I think it is! I have been keeping an eye on Curzon Street and I think you will make a good job of it.

On the news front, the big green board has gone! (you can see it in the second pic of the first post) I know it was very useful for Ablingham, but storage space is needed in the loft and so new boards are being constructed to better suit the space. It will also give more siding space below the main layout, which is helping with the storage of long trains, especially as the area under the curved downhill section will be unuseable, and that is a good 8ft stretch!

Main track testing for the storage/Fiddle area has begun and already I am having some minor doubts about length, but I think it will work out in the end. I'm drawing up a plan to show on here, so fingers crossed!

[hairyhandedfool]

So a quick mock up of the storage/fiddle roads.



I'm not totally happy with this plan though, the sidings aren't long enough. Of the top section sidings, I think the lower three can be extended anyway, there appears to be plenty of room for extending them and keeping a run round, the next two I think will be dead end instead of run round for extra length. The rest of the sidings should be okay, but maybe some hands on testing is needed!

[Direct Rail Services]

Jesus mate how big is this layout !!! c

I know what you mean about the artist bit, im that way to. Loads of excellent ideas which would loop amazing but i dont have the skill to implement it though.

Good Luck mate looks greeeet !

DRS.

[hairyhandedfool]

Jesus mate how big is this layout !!! c ....

15ft 3in by 10ft 5in (approx)!

The storage sidngs will sit below the scenic section, it allows more room for scenics!

The hands-on planning approach suits me better i think, 'Phase 1' of the fiddle yard is laid out. Alterations to the plan were made and length is not now an issue.

The junction for the entrance to the fiddle yard sees the three entrance roads (Branch, Up and Down lines) condense to two tracks with the Down line spliting to feed the other lines. The Branch feeds two short sidings (top of the picture) and two long sidings with a run round facility, but also retains a link to the through road and consequently later sidings (Phase 2 & 3). Because of the arrangement of the junction the Down line also has access to the long freight sidings, but the Up line doesn't, not that it is a problem. The Up and Down line both feed into the other 7 sidings present. The three sidings nearest the operator feed an engine storage section, the track for which is the nearest to the camera leaving the right of the picture.


The next two shots are to try to illustrate the length of the yard, the stock is what was to hand last night and not a reflection of what will occupy the sidings. One of the freight sidings can't easily be seen, but it is behind the 156s on the right of the first shot. The GNER 225 is shortened slightly at 2+8 because of the need for a run round (for the diesel that will have to haul it!) two sidings to the left is a 2+8 HST and two additional power cars! It may also appear that there is a servere bend in the wood, I can assure you it isn't as bad as it looks and is being dealt with.



The far end of 'Phase 1' shows how every run round flows, it also shows the end of the HST sidings. Now I must say right now that there is no intention to have trains this far down because of access to the point work but having track this long will hopefully avoid any 'accidental' derailings


A BIT OF FUN

I give you the HSFT - High Speed Flask Train!


Just imagine if they let that out on the mainline!

[Direct Rail Services]

HST + Flasks

You've got a tidy selection of stock there mate. The plan is looking good in the flesh, so you have a two level layout, senic on top and storage underneath?

If this is so, how do your locomotives etc manage the grade?

Looking good....I still reckon some OHL would be good

DRS

[hairyhandedfool]

HST + Flasks

You've got a tidy selection of stock there mate. The plan is looking good in the flesh, so you have a two level layout, senic on top and storage underneath?

If this is so, how do your locomotives etc manage the grade? ....

Lots more stock where that came from!!!!

The idea is the same as Ablingham was, the storage will sit below the main scenic area (although, in the case of Ablingham there was more storage at scenic level and a small board above it), the bit I have laid out will sit 5 1/2 inches below Peebles station board, this allows enough room for the gradient to start below the scottish storage sidings, before it emerges into the scenic section, on the approach to Glentress, over about 8 feet (4 inch rise = 1:24). Glentress boards will be 3 1/2 inches above the storage board, just enough to store trains under Glentress. Between Glentress and Peebles there will be a gradient over about 6 feet (2 inch rise = 1:36).

Usually its recomended to keep gradients above 1:30, 1:24 shouldn't trouble the HSTs as they have two motors, but it might cause concern to the 225 drags and long freights. That said, I worked out that dispite me thinking Ablingham was using gradients of 1:30, it was actually 1:15! so hopefully everything should make it, but maybe I need some banker locos.

Looking good....I still reckon some OHL would be good

DRS

I would love to have an OHL layout, I just can't afford it, and to be honest, I don't think it would suit this location (its one of the biggest gaps on the real UK mainland rail map!), despite being surrounded on three sides by OHL routes.

Got a couple more pictures, but my laptop won't connect to the net at the mo, so they'll be here later.

[Class 66]

Certainly looks like a good start. Have you thought of using a helix for the change between the scenic level and the fiddle yard ?

[hairyhandedfool]

Certainly looks like a good start. Have you thought of using a helix for the change between the scenic level and the fiddle yard ?

Space constraints kind of stop me doing it, the chimney and loft hatch are badly placed IMO, but I didn't build the house, so how can I complain! I've never been that comfortable with the idea either, I can't say why exactly, perhaps the thought of seeing the rear of an HST underneath the front gives me the heebee-jeebees!

Equally, having a train rise out of a valley (or similar) is a view I like, and kind of suits the location.