Millford Lane .... A 1960's Midland Branch Line Shelf Layout

[railwayjim]

First post on the new shelf layout Millford Lane (DCC).

Millford Lane will be set in the 1960's Midland Region of British Railways, a line that has been chopped back to make this the end of the line after passenger numbers dwindled, surviving mainly for having a cattle dock, used regularly by local farmers for the auctions, with occasional local passenger trains.

Well that's what it is supposed look like, but this time the layout will be a slower build, enjoying the creating of the layout is the best bit, so I am taking my time.

The buildings are going to be Ratio kits using random quarried stone, quite a few smaller stations in Lancashire were built using this quarried stone, so the Ratio kits are ideal for this. There will be a station building, cattle dock, small good shed, water tower, signal box and small loco shed with coal/water.

I am trying to get it to look spacious, but it's tempting to add just another small siding or two. Time will tell if I can control my temptation

A few pictures of where I am at the moment with it. Track is loose layed roughly in position, the station building and cattle dock are part built as these show what space I have left for the platform before I pin down the track. I have added a metre shelf at the far end at right angles giving a non scenic section for storage of rolling stock, the scenic board will end with a tunnel at an angle and then enter the storage shelf.

My previous layout was industrial with very heavy weathering, this one is the opposite, so quite a learning curve for me.

Good to be back with a new layout.

JIm.

[Mountain]

I can see the temptation of adding extra track... But spacious is good.

[Phred]

Looking good so far.

Those platform sides toward the back have me puzzled. The outside looks nicely finished but the reverse side appears to be rough and lumpy. I know it doesn't matter as it will be covered up when finished, I just haven't seen a kit molded like that. Assuming it is a kit...

[railwayjim]

Phred; The platform sides are the Peco make, the lumps you see are old glue as they have been previously used, but will be cleaned off before I attach the platform tops, when I get to that stage

Hope that helps.

Jim.

[Phred]

railwayjim wrote:
the lumps you see are old glue as they have been previously used

OIC - recycling is good!

[aleopardstail]

looks a fun, compact but nice little plan. simple station and a smallish fiddle yard. the sort of thing many have and get hour after hour of enjoyment from

small enough to "go nuts" with the details too

looking forwards to this one develop, many years back when much younger I had, in theory a 6x4 N gauge layout, it grew an L shaped extension for a small branch as that was the only bit I was ever going to be able to actually do beyond the two main loops

spent many an hour with that

[railwayjim]

Thanks for your comment aleapordstail, hopefully will be an interesting build, smaller than my last effort anyway

Some work done over the last few days, all the track is now fixed and all wired for dcc.

The Plasticard I needed for the platform arrived yesterday so I have got the platform built this afternoon, Peco concrete edges and 1.5mm Plasticard for the platform surface. With the track now in place it allowed me to take some measurements and then build it as a complete structure on the work bench, fortunately when I tried it on the layout, 'it fit' phew. It now needs painting concrete colour all over with a white edge to the platform face.

I have also added to the rolling stock collection with 5 box vans weathered by Grimy Times, bought at a bargain price of a good friend of mine Gary, who incidentally has a cracking fine scale oo gauge layout, continuous run single line, a removable bridge section with a lovely diesel depot, with I think 13 sound fitted diesel locos, all sqeezed into a 7ft x 6ft room, I am hoping he will post on the forum at some stage very soon, I will get a couple of pics and let you have a sneak preview.

Well next on the agenda is ....... 'ballasting', luckily not too much track to do this time

I can finish the station building and cattle dock now too.

Jim.

[aleopardstail]

tip, if you plan to paint the rails, do it before ballasting - and in either case run it for a few weeks to test everything

if you don't fancy brush painting the new paint markers from the likes of AK Interactive are very good, on a small layout I think its something worth at least considering

and very nice neat platforms

[railwayjim]

Thanks for the advice aleopardstail, I do have a Woodland Scenics rust pen somewhere so will give it a whirl, followed by the dreaded ballasting.

Jim.

[railwayjim]

Not a lot to show so far, I seem to have less time to spare on the layout now retired, than I did when I worked

So far; Station kit built and painted into a more midland look, now needing a gentle weathering, also the cattle dock is also built and awaiting a little weathering too.

Platform built and ready for paint.

The loco shed is now built and in need of a coat of paint or two also.

I managed to buy at a bargain price a Bachmann Jinty, weathered and sound fitted (Olivias). It did come with a couple of issues, No Chimney and 3 missing steps. Sourced a 3D printed chimney and made 3 new sets of steps from plasticard off cuts. The matt black steps now need blending in to match the body, an easy fix.

The other loco also Bachmann, a Midland Class 3f needs weathering and maybe sound too 'possibly', but that's for another day

I had 2 insulfrog points that the sound loco didn't like at all, all the others are fine, so I have replaced them with Peco electrofrog and it now passes over with no interruptions, success

Now the track has had a good testing with both locos, I can begin ballasting (it has to be done ) and then start some scenic work to bring it all together, hopefully.

Jim.

[Mountain]

Things are looking good!

[luckymucklebackit]

Not a lot to show so far, I seem to have less time to spare on the layout now retired, than I did when I worked

Jim.

I fully understand that Jim, especially when we have a caravan and the household authorities insist in spending most of the summer (and autumn) there.

Ref the ballasting, you didn't initially have any on your last masterpiece and few noticed!

Jim