Castell Mawr - A joint GWR/LMS route

[Dad-1]

O.K yes I know I still have one layout on the go, but as the club's Thomas layout was completed a few of us decided to try and make
a lightweight, portable exhibition layout that could be carried in 2 cars. All we wanted was to run trains around a large oval with space
to change stock & trains while still in the public view. Having a station long enough to accept 6 coach trains with station sidings and
associated industry or rail borne activity.
To be full DCC, although we don't have one specific system in mind at this time it'll need to be fully flexible to accept most controllers.

Already several months of thinking have gone on and to keep small enough to be fully car compliant we've decided on 20" wide sections
each side amounting to 13 foot 4" from 4 sections, joined by two longer angled boards at each end.

How will it go ? No idea !!! Firstly I'm doubtful of the commitment from one, or two of the 4 person team. Add to that a probable cost
in excess of £1K without stock, or control equipment, you can see things could go badly wrong.

So let me begin ........
Some timber bought with the 4 angled boards joined up into the diamond type shape with enough for most of one side where we're using
just 6 mm ply, boxed with 3"+ sides that will be reinforced to hold integeral fold out legs. Thin you may say, but each section is only
20" x 40" with 20 x 70 mm for the joining ends - note the nice mix of measuring standards to keep the brain agile !!



Today I have one free standing section, although the leg folding hinge areas need more work and beefing up.



This will probably be slow, but may, I hope be interesting.

Geoff T.

[Durseytu]

Oooh this certainly sounds interesting; I shall look forward to this one develop! With your modelling skills on board I know it's going to be good. Nice to see a few of the other models I recognise in the background too!

Cheers,

Stuart

[auricom]

Hey Geoff,

What gauge is it going to be? OO as with the Thomas layout?

Sounds interesting, I hope you don't get stuck with a couple of half completed boards.

[Dad-1]

Thanks for the comments guys - I know you'll all keep me on my toes !!

So auricom it's '00', which is all I have and will be Peco 100 Streamline track as once ballasted it looks fine to my eyes. It also offers a little more flexibility, I have been known to file in places to fix minor track alignment glitches.

I have 1 : 1 scale plans for the two 13 foot 4 inch sides, drawn on taped together brown packing paper. What I can't decide is should I have a half-relief street
down the sidings/fiddle yard edge where I can have a full width road and pavements, or go for full depth buildings rear aspects, or even just gardens, but no roadway for them to front on to ? My original thinking was half-relief where a bus and lorry can pass in the planned road width.



Buildings but no road ?



I suppose I'm trying to find a use for my wet afternoon garden ....



Geoff T.

[thebritfarmer]

Why not do both, in the first pic where the low relief building is and the the allotment is a but further up just make the road come upto the garden then curve it to follow alongside the garden. If that makes any sense.

[Stewart Gethin]

Hi Geoff, I can't wait to see this project unfold, lets hope it doesn't end up as a pile of wood with some track on it with no one working on it. :'(


One thing, "Castle Mawr" Wouldn't it be better to go the whole way and name it Castell Mawr? (Big castle, in Welsh) As to me**, Castle Mawr seems a bit half hearted.

Only a suggestion

Stew


**Yes... Just me being picky.

[Dad-1]

Hi Stew,

Notice the change ? Great suggestion as this imaginary line is towards South Wales on a GWR/LMS joint route. I'm also thinking of trying to add a das modelling clay shell to pieces of plastic drain pipe to make a couple of towers sitting down by the planned river. Did even wonder if we could have a pack horse type bridge over the river into an old town gate ?

As I'm out of timber until Wednesday I thought I'd show why the module size is 20" x 40". This is one of the fixed requirements to fit onto the rear seat of just about every car. Here we have on a Daewoo Matiz and Jaguar 'X' type :-





The clearence, seat to rear door top, is 2" greater on the Matiz, but as carry racks will have no more that 6 modules they should fit anything. Still don't know about the end pieces, all the ideas are in my head and get sorted when we arrive there.

thebritfarmer is right I'd already thought about part half-relief with road, then take the road off board allowing for allotments and house rears up to the railway boundary fence.

Geoff T.

[Eastern]

Love seeing new layouts come together - One thing I found on East Cheltwell was ensuring there was enough bracing for any warpage and that the legs were not too wobbly - looks like you've got it all covered though. I like the scenic potential as well. Will you have any contours or will everything be on the level?

[413x]

Hi there Dad-1 good luck with this project! Do you plan to have a station at all because at one point instead of the road you could have a station and a long over bridge and then another platform with a single terminus line if you catch my drift!! Also do you plan on having different colored ballasts for the fast lines and slow lines!!!

[Stewart Gethin]

Ahhh, Much better.

And personally, I'd go for the gardens/buildings and no roads, as you quite often get the low relief with a road scene on layouts, but not very often do you get gardens backing onto the tracks.

Now I'll just sit back for a bit and watch how this one unfolds.

Stew.

[Lofty]

... a Daewoo Matiz and Jaguar 'X' type :-

Sounds like something from Thunderbirds...

Jag boot opens and out pops the Matiz

Good luck with the project

[Dad-1]

O.K. A few replies and thanks for the interest,

I'll deal with 413X first, in principal it'll be a large oval (If you look at it, all roundy-roundy tracks are) and one side will be a main line type station with three platforms and long enough to take a 6 x Mk.1 coach train and locomotive. Pointwork will allow trains to visit either side of the two main platforms. The island platform No.3. will again be over 6 feet long.

For Eastern, sorry I'm no good with drawn plans as it's all done in my head. However the 180 degree turns at each end will show contour changes. At one end the two modules will sit at around 3 - 4 inches lower. The river will 'run' over them both and IF I can build castle towers I'll have 2 on the 'town' side with some old walls running up the hill and I'd like an old town gate with a narrow (now closed to traffic) stone bridge. The railway will be carried over the two river crossings on bridges and a main road running by the river side again passing under the lines.
Now the other end the plan is to continue on the same level as adjoining boards for track, but have rising ground that has the railway running in a cutting at least deep enough for a road over bridge.

Stew, I'll be on to you if I want any more Welsh translations ......

This will not be a rushed build, Without looking back at my 1:1 plans I can't remember, but we're looking at close on 30 live frog points with power switching. It'll be a challenge, speed of build will depend on others chipping in finance and helping - just ordered 14 pairs of latches to hold together, even that's not cheap. Mind you with Government 'Quantative Easing' ....i.e. printing money I'd better spend my cash now before Hyper Inflation takes away all the value !!! (I know times are different, but Germany once just 'printed money' and check out the effects)

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

Busy Monday & Tuesday, try to order wood on Wednesday ...... run out of stock !!
So today I'm waiting for a call to say it's come in. Can't do much, but have now two
boards standing firmly on their legs. The legs will have ties across added about 8 - 10
inches above the floor. These ties will have thin ply webs filling in the corner joints.
Probably not necessary, but each web will be different to reduce any chance of harmonious
movement.



Going out soon so just drew lines where track will be and dumped unboxed stock laying around
on random lengths of track.
This is half the 'long' side length, I think I'll just get a full side of 4 boards up at a time.
Checked with a co-conspiritor and his garage is shorter than mine, hey-ho looks like it's
all going to be done here.



Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

Oh ho, latest purchase arrived today ....



My ply supplier had the sawn to size timber ready yesterday and with Jamies help we managed to get all 4 boards for one side standing together.
Phew, that's about 1/3 of the overall planned track length. It's awful dull today and to pass the time I'll probably paint the top surfaces with
external grade gloss varnish to seal the tops and sides to reduce moisture getting into the wood. Undersides will have to wait until some strengthening
ribs are added as currently the leg mountings are only through the outer face. My garage can feel very damp at times so the intention is to seal the
whole structure before any track or scenic items are added.



Todays mail also brought my toggles, things moving along slowly.

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

Not much change ...... but certainly not forgotten !!
Back been causing problems stopping me for several days.

Spent a little time today marking out turnout locations and drilling holes for
motor pins. One end of the sidings, in through medium points, out through
short points.



Warley tomorrow where I hope to get point motors and switches for frog
polarity changing. Hope to proof test this board by next weekend.

Geoff T.