Monks Ferry: a layout for the Grandchildren.

[jonte]

I cant see the latest image but prior to that looks good and fun!

I've been day dreaming the odd layout recently and then downloaded "anyrail" which is simple to use and has track libraries. It's amazing what I couldn't fit in Vs my hand drawn efforts!

Hi and thank you.

Is this any better (it’s only a quickie measuring about 6” x 3” or thereabouts)?



Cheers

Jon

 

[dj_crisp]

Looks good!

 

[jonte]

Looks good!

Many thanks, Dj

Not sure whether I’ll include a backscene to be honest, as it will block eye level views if placed on the outside of a ‘full’ baseboard. A board with operators ‘hole’ in the middle might be a possibility. Would need to be removable like on my BLT.

If I were to opt for the watercolour, I’d keep the lack of detail approach as shown so as not to distract - the use of just two or three colours here (black, cad. Blue and crimson) being ideal for this I reckon.

I’d use a smoother surfaced paper too (of which I have a supply somewhere…) as it’s easier to remove unwanted or over-zealously applied pencil marks

Thanks again,

Jon

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Is this any better (it’s only a quickie measuring about 6” x 3” or thereabouts)?

All depends whether your're viewing from Alexandra Palace, Parliament Hill or Primrose Hill .

The tallest building dominating the skyline in the late 50's early 60s' would have been St Pauls Catherdral. Until the completion of the Millbank Tower - was originally Vickers Tower/Vickers House - (Millbank) in 1963, the Post Office Tower (Cleveland Mews) in 1964 and Centre Point (New Oxford St/Charing Cross Rd) in 1966.

Buildings such as Westminster Abbey and the Big Ben clock tower would have been mostly obscured as they are closer to the river.

Not sure whether I’ll include a backscene to be honest, as it will block eye level views if placed on the outside of a ‘full’ baseboard.

I wouldn't, especially if it provides entertainment for the junior members of the family - they'll want to run walk around following their train and probably push cars down a road.

 

[jonte]

All depends whether your're viewing from Alexandra Palace, Parliament Hill or Primrose Hill .

The tallest building dominating the skyline in the late 50's early 60s' would have been St Pauls Catherdral. Until the completion of the Millbank Tower - was originally Vickers Tower/Vickers House - (Millbank) in 1963, the Post Office Tower (Cleveland Mews) in 1964 and Centre Point (New Oxford St/Charing Cross Rd) in 1966.

Buildings such as Westminster Abbey and the Big Ben clock tower would have been mostly obscured as they are closer to the river.



I wouldn't, especially if it provides entertainment for the junior members of the family - they'll want to run walk around following their train and probably push cars down a road.

Hi Dave, and many thanks for the input. You are indeed a wealth of knowledge

Although reference was made to an old photo found on the internet, most of what was doodled was a work of fiction. I’ve sourced one or two others as well, so if I plumped for a backscene, I’d probably include one or two features from those too. That said, most of what passes for detail is just a stroke or dab of the brush anyway, as it’s supposed to pass for ‘something in the distance’, which is a blessing for a non-artist such as oneself. Close knit buildings of varying heights will also do a job in resigning it all to obscurity

You’re absolutely right about children’s potential for hamfistedness, however, I MIGHT D) be tempted to indulge myself once they’ve return to the bosoms of their respective parents, so a backscene may just help this Peter Pan convince himself he’s really there……..

If so - and it’s a big ‘IF’, Dave - I’d be looking to employ a removable backscene like that of the BLT:



Cheers

Jon

 

[AdeMoore]

Ade

Further to my last, I’ve traced a couple of photos which show a point with the amendment made as mentioned above.

They’re ringed in yellow:

View attachment 200916View attachment 200917

Hope they help.

Jon

Thanks for clogging up your thread for my benefit!
Knew it really didn’t I but was hoping to skip some work!
Given me some enthusiasm though to get up there and crack on.
Cheers for that.
Ade

 

[jonte]

Thanks for clogging up your thread for my benefit!
Knew it really didn’t I but was hoping to skip some work!
Given me some enthusiasm though to get up there and crack on.
Cheers for that.
Ade

My apologies, Ade, for teaching you how to suck eggs, but submitted it anyway in the remote possibility it might help somebody else I suspected that it might be covering old ground.

Pleased, however, if it served in some way to reignite your enthusiasm; unfortunately mine still is still hard work on other fronts

And I really don’t mind thread drift; just nice that somebody pops in now and again to say hello.

Many thanks for your likes

Jon

 

[jonte]

The arrival of my first section of track heralds the start of the project:



Planning can begin.

Meanwhile, the glue-ing on of lamps to brackets to signal posts, continues in earnest before I face the task of re-routing several below board wires to accommodate, which no doubt will require use of the soldering iron and shrink wrap (if I can find it).

jonte

 

[Roger Pound]

Good luck with the project, Jon. Try not to let the 12" to the foot work slow you down too much. Just a question - are you considering a river feature? Plenty of Thames crossings on the old BR(S) and the children may love boats as an alternative to cars and trains..........!

Roger .

 

[Tim Hale]

My profound apologies for intruding but the El Crapo micro needs a backscene, something sparse, city and grey. The fly in the anusol is wobbly hands, so either a rtr scene and I cannot remember anything remotely suitable. Any better ideas, maybe there is a source of realistic city backscenes….

Finally, does anyone recognise this rather nice industrial backscene, it looks like Peco but cannot find it in their catalogue, sorry but it was a Google download.

​

Tim

 

[jonte]

Good luck with the project, Jon. Try not to let the 12" to the foot work slow you down too much. Just a question - are you considering a river feature? Plenty of Thames crossings on the old BR(S) and the children may love boats as an alternative to cars and trains..........!

Roger .

Thanks, Roger

Rest assured, Roger, there’ll be none of the usual persnickety-ness in this case, Roger, as you can probably tell from the standard of (proposed) backscene

For instance, the rails/sleepers/ballast/cess will all be a weathered black without differentiation, in a vein attempt to hide them from sight - not that the kiddywinks would notice - and that’s just for starters, although I might just indulge myself in parts (it is my hobby too .

With mention of water, I’ve been ferreting away the odd photo of old father whatnot from here and there, in case I opt for the presence of some wet stuff, but last time it crossed my mind I was thinking of bottling out and just suggesting it’s presence with some muddy banks afront of an old warehouse or two. That was until I thought that the Hornby suspension bridge would fit perfectly with the single line reverse loop shown in the plan

However (why is there always a ‘however’…..), in light of a recent twist in proceedings, there may be a change of plan, with, (wait for it )….curved points (the recent Peco small radius curved point with Uni frog is most tempting) back on the menu, and with a possible change of track manufacturer……….

I’ll keep you posted

Cheers, Roger.

Jon

 

[jonte]

My profound apologies for intruding but the El Crapo micro needs a backscene, something sparse, city and grey. The fly in the anusol is wobbly hands, so either a rtr scene and I cannot remember anything remotely suitable. Any better ideas, maybe there is a source of realistic city backscenes….

Finally, does anyone recognise this rather nice industrial backscene, it looks like Peco but cannot find it in their catalogue, sorry but it was a Google download.

View attachment 201348

​

Tim

Hi Tim.

You’re welcome anytime, mate, if only to stop me rambling

I can’t think offhand of anything suitable. Wasn’t a fan per se of Peco’s backscenes, although I think they may have updated their illustrations?

A quick foray has revealed this (Townscene) which pretty much fits the bill from your upload:

town scene backscenes - Google Search

Hope that helps, Tim, but if I can be if further assistance please don’t hesitate to PM me.

Trusting you’re as well as can be

Jon

 

[AdeMoore]

My apologies, Ade, for teaching you how to suck eggs, but submitted it anyway in the remote possibility it might help somebody else I suspected that it might be covering old ground.

Pleased, however, if it served in some way to reignite your enthusiasm; unfortunately mine still is still hard work on other fronts

And I really don’t mind thread drift; just nice that somebody pops in now and again to say hello.

Many thanks for your likes

Jon

Jon not teaching me to suck eggs at all! I couldn’t remember how to do it! Was probably 2020 or 2019 last time I attempted it with the help of YouTube! And you’ll definitely be helping someone else.
Always like a like gives me a clue as to whether I’ve read a post or not! Along with a oh I like that too…
Ade
ps liking the 1st acquisition for the layout. Looking forward to seeing you wire that up .

 

[jonte]

After a long hard look at things thus far, I finally decided to bin both of my proposed and earlier published plans, and opt for one I’d been fond of for some time, and along with it, the proposed use of Hornby track:



Why the change?

I could harp on endlessly here, but thankfully for you, reader, I shall refrain apart from simply to say: I just don’t like plastic ‘frogs’.

To that end, I’ve been shopping:



Replete with metal crossings which appear far more robust than their Insulfrog/Hornby/Setrack counterparts, I can employ tried and tested electro-froggery to avoid frustration.

Despite my earlier concerns about bent points and up-hills climbs, the main putter-offers resulting in my opting for the above layout of tracks, my anxieties were soothed by Peco’s recent release of a metal frogged version of their Setrack curved point which we’re assured can accommodate even the largest wheel arrangements the hobby may offer (it’s many years now since I employed the plastic version on my son’s oval affair, with disastrous results for even tiny 0-4-0 wheel arrangements, and how I enjoyed that overwhelming feeling of revenge when tossing it into our metal bin of the time - remember those, people?):

I was going to attach the link here but YouTube has recently changed the format, so I’m not sure how to go about it, however if you just type ‘Peco curved point’ into your search engine, then you should be able to see it. It really does appear a smooth product.

So that was the curved point worry addressed, what about the climb?

It occurred to me reverse the plan in ‘edit’ as it might provide a solution. It did! (Btw, I stored this plan some time ago, so can’t remember where I found it thus am unable to give credit where it is due. Still, I’m most grateful to whomever you are).

On the original, the climb would have been steeper due to the shorter run from the converging track exiting the tunnel mouth, whereas the mirror image places this on the straighter section, affording a longer length and thus reduced percentage climb, benefitting from some extra momentum built up from the decline side of the loop.

Incidentally, I conducted a rather unscientific test the other day involving a tender driven Schools, hauling one Bachmann MK1 on a short length of wood, raised at a ratio of 1:22.5 on the bench, with only the slightest hint of wheel slip apparent, so something of that order should be possible with a bit of momentum behind it. Result.

So in a nutshell, there we have it.

Yet again I’ve contradicted myself, but in doing so I’ve overcome the obstacles to a plan which I’ve been eager to build and eventually use for sometime; one that will also ‘better fit’ (please excuse the use of modern English here) the space available.

Many thanks for your forebearance and interest.

jonte

 

[chigley]

My profound apologies for intruding but the El Crapo micro needs a backscene, something sparse, city and grey. The fly in the anusol is wobbly hands, so either a rtr scene and I cannot remember anything remotely suitable. Any better ideas, maybe there is a source of realistic city backscenes….

Finally, does anyone recognise this rather nice industrial backscene, it looks like Peco but cannot find it in their catalogue, sorry but it was a Google download.

View attachment 201348

​

Tim

 

[chigley]

not peco but he always had a stand at most shows, sold card kits and materials etc, can't remember his name though

Ken

 

[John57sharp]

I think we can agree that going forward this is a plan that we can all get behind and support. There will have To be some sacrifices, but these will be worth it, and the end result will be benefit the whole of society.
Decoded from More modern-speak I like it.
Good luck and we’ll enjoy the ride!

John

 

[jonte]

I think we can agree that going forward this is a plan that we can all get behind and support. There will have To be some sacrifices, but these will be worth it, and the end result will be benefit the whole of society.
Decoded from More modern-speak I like it.
Good luck and we’ll enjoy the ride!

John

That brought a smile

Thanks, John, and good morning to you too.

Jon

 

[RodneyS]

not peco but he always had a stand at most shows, sold card kits and materials etc, can't remember his name though

Would that be Freestone Model Accessories ?
He used to go to shows selling Bilteezi and other card kits.
Rodney

 

[chigley]

that's the one