Coventry GWR

[Mountain]

It looks nice and spacious.

[Chops]

Enjoyable to see. Point work most elegant.

[pete12345]

Enjoyable to see. Point work most elegant.

The credit, as usual, must go to Mr. Freezer. It's one of those features of the Minories plan that looks a bit strange on the plan but makes a lot more sense in real life. The tracks make a turn across the platforms and then any platform only needs one reverse curve to reach it, compared to a straight-in approach where there's more of a convoluted path. You could save a bit of space by using medium radius points where I've used large ones, but not much. The two y-points save more space as the curve is only 6°in either direction.

I laid two of the platform roads today and worked out and soldered the internal wiring on the 3-way. It's harder to not rely on blade contact with that as the two sets of switch blades converge in the middle and there's a danger of short-circuits if the blades are wired permanently live. I'll use a pair of double pole relays to switch off the open blades when the middle crossing is in use, as well as change the polarity of the three crossings in the usual way.

The platform roads are divided into two sections- they're 6 feet long so simple enough to add an insulating joiner halfway. This allows a loco at the buffer stop end to be uncoupled and held while a second draws the carriages away, and to split it into platform 1A and 1B and have two short trains in there at once. When I eventually get to signalling I'll have to tie the control into a calling-on signal.

Wiring this lot is going to be a big job! But it only has to be done once, and should minimise the need for a bank of switches just to route power to sections. As much as possible, it will be done by appropriate points or signals. Miniature relays will help to keep the wiring localised and minimise cable runs back and forth- only one wire then needs to go from the switch board to the each set of points.

[pete12345]

It's been a while! Track shortages, and going back to work, mean progress has been slower. Nevertheless, I've now reached the site of my river bridge, which is made from two Hornby 3-arch brick bridges narrowed for 50mm spacing and sandwiched together. This means a departure from the usual "track first, scenery later" approach as the track is to be laid on top. So now I need some guidance for making a realistic river scene.

The plan is for the river to pass through the central span, with the outer spans partially buried in the valley sides as they rise up to track level. I've seen clear plastic used, frosted glass, or just paint and then a thick layer of varnish. What's best for a smaller river? Going to have the banks muddy and populated with an array of bushes and small trees, and maybe a footpath along one side.

The bridge itself is just the original red or grey plastic, which won't do. Usefully there's a rail viaduct near me which is varying shades of brown, so based on that, how about a lighter grey/brown wash into the mortar followed by dry brushing darker reds/browns/greys on top?

As for the line itself, ballast or no ballast? Do I need to do anything with sleeper spacing or can I just lay it over the bridge?

[pete12345]

Another small update. Tracklaying is nearly done- just a few bits in the station and junction area. The bridge is built, but still needs painting and siting properly. Now looking into the wiring. I've fitted droppers to base of each rail during laying, so it should be invisible once ballasted. My plan is to have a system of relays controlled by key points and signals which will allow some sections of track to be taken over by the controller for an adjacent area. This means a locomotive can ve brought into a platform under the control of the main line controller, or off the main line and into the MPD by the yard controller. Not quite as flexible as DCC but will be a lot cheaper than fitting decoders to each loco and allow me to use my existing controls with some degree of independence.

[PinkNosedPenguin]

Sounds good - so are you planning multiple operators? (socially distanced of course!)

[pete12345]

Sounds good - so are you planning multiple operators? (socially distanced of course!)

Well, I have a HM2000 double controller for the main lines and a pair of old R921s for the station shunt and MPD. So in theory at least, two trains can be in use on the main circuit and/or be arriving from or leaving the station, while a third is moving within station limits and a fourth is shuffling around the shed. Not entirely sure of where exactly they'll be positioned yet.

[pete12345]

Progress! Got a better camera now so some more pictures of my 00 scale navvies' work.

This is just after the junction where the line to the station splits from the main lines, giving a short 4-track section. A twist in the space-time continuum means the civil engineers had some future coaches available to test clearances on curves. There will be a bridge just before the bend (carrying a road or a representation of the former LMS line to Birmingham) to allow the main lines to disappear offstage behind the station.



Room for six coaches and locomotive in two platforms, which is enough to suggest a more major cross-country train. There's a kickback siding from the shorter platform 3 which is part of most Minories plans I've seen. Not yet decided on its eventual use: it could be a basic storage siding for empty coaches, a parcels bay, a general goods siding with a goods shed or something else. I don't know if a goods shed would be seen at a station like this or if it risks turning it into another generic BLT.


The brick viaduct has been successfully cut and shut to narrow it to 50mm spacing. Need to experiment with building up the valley sides to look realistic, and the scenery in this section will need to be mostly done before I lay the track- a reversal of what I'm doing elsewhere. I'll wire the section approaching the bridge so it's isolated when the lifting flap is open: so preventing a catastrophic plunge into the abyss!

[pete12345]

So, a (lack of) progress update. The arrival of the Small Controller has meant that, among other things, railway modelling has had to take a back seat. Little people have a way of consuming spare time! You don't realise how doing anything significant requires an hour or two of time to get on with it. Fortunately, he loves anything on wheels so I may have a little helper in the future!

So this project is, for all practical purposes, "on hold" for the time being, apart from the occasional tinker when I can.

[Dad-1]

He, He, It may slow you down for a few years !!
I do love the excited twinkle in little eyes though.
Even after 2 days of having children drive 'Thomas'

Geoff T.

[Lofty]

Little people have a way of consuming spare time!

Once they grow up they go on to have further little ones themselves, and they occupy your spare time too