2mm Rittersdorf

[Roger Pound]

The phoenix is rising from the ashes at last. After spending the winter and into the dawn of spring on my 009 layout, a change of modelling scene was called for and renewing Stutzendorf in N gauge - my 2025 project as previewed in Area 51 - is the answer. The former number one board of the old H0 Stutzendorf - long abandoned - is now in my den and currently track plans are being loosely laid out to assess viability. Certain material work has to be done too, to introduce a sector plate. I am not that proud of my woodwork to show it off in various stages of completion - I rather think it would have many talented WT modellers rolling round the floor in hysterics so I'll let it be seen once fitted and operating.

The latest revised planning thoughts should see a small town terminus, industrial sidings and possibly some minimal locomotve servicing facilities. I have some browsing to do to locate certain items that I shall need so that will provide some pleasant viewing - I hope! The ultimate aim is simplicity and easy operation - I'm getting too old for a lot of complicated underpinning work of wires and rods.

So there we are - hopefully more soon with pictures next time. One small point - I hope the use of "2mm" in the title causes no offence to fine scale modellers, but there is no option for "N". Perhaps our worthy moderators could consider adding that option?

Roger .

 

[Roger Pound]

I've been messing about with bits of track for an hour or so, bearing in mind the several scribblings I have made for the N gauge Stutzendorf. For personal reasons I have elected to use Peco Set track which does have some limitations - I can hear the purists all muttering "OMG...etc etc." - but that is their outlook, not mine. Having acknowledged the limitations I will not dwell further. Instead here are a set of pictures showing a scheme for the basic station track layout. In the event I had to surrender the idea of Scheidegg-Allgau for reasons of space as much as anything and have instead cobbled together this effort using an amalgam of parts from a number of layout schemes I have to hand. I could have called it 'Bitsa' - (bitsa this and bitsa that) - but it is (a) not particularly Germanic and (b) somewhat contrived !

The terminal from the buffer stop end:-



The station throat:-




The good depot will be part of the station building with this short siding. The run-round is in the background



I would emphasise that this scheme is presently just loosely laid on the baseboard and will be subject to possible revision not to mention the provision of an underpinning of 5mm foamboard plus 5mm cork once the design is completely settled upon.
Watch this space for further news............

Roger

 

[timbowales]

Roger you could always call it Kleinbittza

 

[jonte]

Pleased to read you’ve made a (promising) start, Roger, and whilst my knowledge of Teutonic branch lines is virtually nil, I still find your choice of layout plan both attractive and interesting to say the least. Plenty of potential.

Pleased also that your new laptop has allowed us to witness in much clarity this new development.

Looking forward to more.

Jon

 

[Joe's Garage]

Hi Roger, this looks like an interesting project and I have to say in full support of your posting this in the 2 mm section that putting aside the slight scale differences that there is plenty of room for N gauge on this forum.
Grahame Hedges' wonderful rendition of London Bridge is N gauge.....need I say more?
Interesting to see progress.
All the best and take care
Julian

 

[Roger Pound]

As the recently improved weather has managed to divert my work efforts to schemes involving horticultural maintenance, which tends to wear me out both more rapidly and more thoroughly than my more sedentary pass-times, so work on Stutzendorf has been mininal. Age and failing health take no prisoners! However, I have ascertained the alignment for a sector plate, which is the next item on the agenda and have also planned industrial and general sidings. Materials are being gathered and cutting and fitting of the sector plate is planned to be done in the next day or two. Once this has been achieved, tracks can be laid and wired.The track underpinning of foamboard and cork has been cut out and it's installation will follow.

I have also realised that I shall have to source some suitable buildings and to this end have been browsing the kits that are available. I rather like the looks of Reichenbach Station, but the prototype is far from Prussia........ ! However, as a lifelong fan of Mr Sherlock Holmes I can forsee that Rule One may well be applied - well, it's elementary isn't it? No-one has ever called me a purist. I will gladly admit to playing trains - but just purely for fun.....

Thank you all for your kind wishes and 'likes' - all very encouraging to an old bodger.

Until next time, when I hope to have pictures of progress,

Roger

 

[Roger Pound]

Certain revisions have been made for several reasons. My Sherlock Holmes leanings won the day and I have purchased the kit for Reichenbach station. It is compact and neat, just what I wanted. However, the catalogue picture did not make clear that the platform is curved to accept a radius one set track curve. That in itself is not a great problem as the base unit is designed in two pieces and thus I can leave off the curved front and instead scratch build a bespoke section to achieve a 'fit' on the proposed layout. Fortunately I still have a reasonable stock of plastic card in hand thus maintaining reasonable control of expenditure. I had been examining and trying various thoughts and operations with my original station plan and decided it was not going to achieve what I wanted so a modest re-design has taken place - pictures attached - and a small shed and servicing facility for locos is now possible. I reckon its a bit more Germanic too - but that's just me of course.

Looking at the plan the main line and run-round remain the same but there are now two sidings which will run up to the station building. The main line swings right after leaving the station throat and will disappear in to a fiddle yard. I have decided not to have a sector board for a number of rreasons, the principle one being accessibility because operation will be from the front or scenic side. Bear in mind that this layout is based in the early tewntieth century - roads are narrow and many unmade, motor vehicles are a rarity and the cart-horse reigns supreme - sorry about that! I'll put the pictures on before I inflict more humour(?) upon you.

A general overall view - apologies for the angle of vision.


A closer view of the station throat.


I had to reproduce these pictures in landscape form although they were taken 'portrait'. Unfortunately , I have not quite got the hang of turning them on WT yet with my new lap top. As my lady wife frequently points out, I am trying...........!.

I know progress is slow, but hopefully more soon............

Roger.

 

[Roger Pound]

To quote the late, great Max Bygraves - I wanna tell you a story. I had spent much time, thought and effort in planning the new Stutzendorf. The board had been prepared with 9mm ply topped with my customary foamboard aand cork. Some track was laid and then I took break and got back in to the world of assembling N scale plastic kits - beautiful results but the parts are so tiny ! Rather a struggle with arthritic fingers as I am sure many of you would agree. The results were, including the modification of Reichenbach station platform (mentioned in #7 above), most satisfactory and temporary placement of the various buildings was made. This resulted in the idea to make more of a feature of the loco shed and servicing point which was laid after the original photo's were taken. This layout had the appearance of being capable of everything I had planned and had good operational prospects

It all sounds too good to be true good, doesn't it? It was ! On closer examination some facts became quite apparent. Operating the layout from the front meant I would not be able to easily access the fiddle yard for point changing ( I don't use motors ) or any 'Hand from Heaven' shunting - something that does crop up in the best run fiddle yards...... Access to point levers would also be difficut operating the layout from the back - definitely Sod's Law in spades!!!!! So, a lot of thinking has been happening. Actual work done has been the dismantling of bothe the partly laid track layout and then the existing base board, so one can loosely describe that as progress. A more simple plan - based of one of the Late Cyril Freezer's many ideas has been selected further progress. The next job is to source a baseboard and options are open on which way I shall go here .

As an aside, in the midst of all this I clocked up year eighty-eight and this will, I trust, explain that given this and my fragile state of health that work will continue at a very slow pace, but I will endeavour to keep you informed to the best of my ability. Now then - I'm sure I've got some plywood somewhere..........

Cheers for now,

Roger .

 

[jonte]

To quote the late, great Max Bygraves - I wanna tell you a story. I had spent much time, thought and effort in planning the new Stutzendorf. The board had been prepared with 9mm ply topped with my customary foamboard aand cork. Some track was laid and then I took break and got back in to the world of assembling N scale plastic kits - beautiful results but the parts are so tiny ! Rather a struggle with arthritic fingers as I am sure many of you would agree. The results were, including the modification of Reichenbach station platform (mentioned in #7 above), most satisfactory and temporary placement of the various buildings was made. This resulted in the idea to make more of a feature of the loco shed and servicing point which was laid after the original photo's were taken. This layout had the appearance of being capable of everything I had planned and had good operational prospects

It all sounds too good to be true good, doesn't it? It was ! On closer examination some facts became quite apparent. Operating the layout from the front meant I would not be able to easily access the fiddle yard for point changing ( I don't use motors ) or any 'Hand from Heaven' shunting - something that does crop up in the best run fiddle yards...... Access to point levers would also be difficut operating the layout from the back - definitely Sod's Law is spades!!!!! So, a lot of thinking has been happening. Actual work done has been the dismantling of bothe the partly laid track layout and then the existing base board, so one can loosely describe that as progress. A more simple plan - based of one of the Late Cyril Freezer's many ideas has been selected further progress. The next job is to source a baseboard and options are open on which way I shall go here .

As an aside, in the midst of all this I clocked up year eighty-eight and this will, I trust, explain that given this and my fragile state of health that work will continue at a very slow pace, but I will endeavour to keep you informed to the best of my ability.

Cheers for now,

Roger .

Congrats, Roger !!

You’ll be catching up with me sooner than later at this rate, Roger, as I’m at least ninety in the head……and joints…..and etc, etc.

Sorry to learn that you’ve been experiencing’issues’ with the hobby. I thought it was just me……. Looks like even the most experienced amongst us have the odd hiccough now and again

However, happy to read that this is not insurmountable and that alternative plan(s) is/are in the offing, and that having reached your senior milestone, the hobby is still important to you. As always, I admire your steadfastness (any spare, you know where I am ) and more strength to your elbow say I.

Looking forward to seeing more of those buildings and progress on this new embryonic journey.

Jon

 

[Roger Pound]

You’ll be catching up with me sooner than later at this rate, Roger, as I’m at least ninety in the head……and joints…..and etc, etc.

Jon,

I know you are only a young 'un really...... As Mr Milligan once said in the Goon Show - "It's all in the mind......".

Roger

 

[simond]

as Cliff Richards said. "Congratulations!"

 

[jonte]

Jon,

I know you are only a young 'un really...... As Mr Milligan once said in the Goon Show - "It's all in the mind......".

Roger

Flattery will get you everywhere, Roger

Jon

 

[Roger Pound]

A brief update - whilst my replacement baseboard for Stutzendorf is being sourced and constructed, I intend to carry out some further work on my 009 layout Orchard Hill.

See you there!

Roger.

 

[Roger Pound]

The days are starting to become shorter once again as the seasons roll on and I thought it was time that I revived this thread which has been, as they say in the world of the theatre, resting. So a summary of the past few months and plans for the future season are respectfully presented.

My achievements in railway modelling this summer have been to move my 009 layout Orchard Hill (WD Yard) towards a reasonable appearance of completion, although, as we all know, completion is that mystic state with a model railway that is never actually reached. Anyway, the said layout is now presentable - just - and is ready to be stored for the winter now. In the meantime the materials for Stutzendorf in N have been sourced during the summer and a basic board some 1200mm by 600mm constructed. It now awaits attention and this is imminent. Having decided after all that the Freezer plan I had originally selected was not going to 'hit the spot' for what I wanted to portray, I searched through all my plan books and elsewhere too and found a suitable design to adapt to my needs from the annals of 'Pit-peg' a well known writer in the railway modelling world in Germany. This gentleman is, alas, now deceased but his excellent and informative work remains, ready for us to use as reference. Once I have adapted the original plan I will endeavour to print it on the thread so that you can see the objectives.

Other items that I am seeking are suitable models in N scale (1:160) for road transport in a pre-1914 Germany - horse drawn vehicles in particular as these seem a bit like hen's teeth or perhaps I'm looking in the wrong places ! If anyone can help on this point it would be of inestimable assistance. I am looking for ready made items as my arthritic hands find dealing with 2mm scale kits extremely trying without much hope of improvement.

So that is the rough picture for now. As 009 sinks into the sunset for a winter rest, so continental N gauge in the form of early twentieth century KPEV commences the winter timetable. It has been whispered that another project is brewing but no-one has any reliable information on it yet other than the word 'DB' has been heard.........!

See you all soon.

Roger .

 

[Roger Pound]

After a series of false starts over the past many months, Stutzendorf is off to an actual start at last. As there appears an interest in the building of layouts from the foundations up I enclose a picture of the recently assembled 1200mm x 600mm baseboard for this mini (even in N - ) layout. The main board is 9mm ply with 48mm x 15mm longitudinal supports and 600 x 38mm end boards in 4mm ply. There are two 20mm square cross pieces to act as supports when place on the present working surface which are screwed at right angles to the longitudinal supports. Please note that certain of the timber measurements are approximate conversions from Imperial. Construction is by screws and brackets to endeavour squareness and ease of disassembly should that become neceassary. Finally, I make no claims to be a carpenter - I just get the wood, mainly cut to size, with odd further bits done by me and then assemble same !

The picture also shows my basic 'starter' tools, many of which will be used in the intital construction together with glues and the like, plus foambard which will be used in conjuction with cork for underlay purposes. A little more woodwork remains to be done in the form of a second level, but this will be done after completion and testing of the main circuit,
then the upper level can be addressed.
So there we are - a nearly naked baseboard upon which lie great hopes! The track plan is virtually complete, I have just the matter of a reverse loop to consider, more from the electrical side than anything. I know how to wire one up, but anyone who has followed my threads of past exploits will be aware of my general dislike of 'wiring up' - albeit a neccesary evil. In this instance I identify with the late Norman Clegg (Last of the Summer Wine) who would have said "I knew it would get complicated...... !"

Hopefully some pictures of work going ahead next time following the decision on reverse loops and decisions thereupon .

See you next time,

Roger .

 

[jonte]

After a series of false starts over the past many months, Stutzendorf is off to an actual start at last. As there appears an interest in the building of layouts from the foundations up I enclose a picture of the recently assembled 1200mm x 600mm baseboard for this mini (even in N - ) layout. The main board is 9mm ply with 48mm x 15mm longitudinal supports and 600 x 38mm end boards in 4mm ply. There are two 20mm square cross pieces to act as supports when place on the present working surface which are screwed at right angles to the longitudinal supports. Please note that certain of the timber measurements are approximate conversions from Imperial. Construction is by screws and brackets to endeavour squareness and ease of disassembly should that become neceassary. Finally, I make no claims to be a carpenter - I just get the wood, mainly cut to size, with odd further bits done by me and then assemble same !

The picture also shows my basic 'starter' tools, many of which will be used in the intital construction together with glues and the like, plus foambard which will be used in conjuction with cork for underlay purposes. A little more woodwork remains to be done in the form of a second level, but this will be done after completion and testing of the main circuit,
then the upper level can be addressed.View attachment 249312
So there we are - a nearly naked baseboard upon which lie great hopes! The track plan is virtually complete, I have just the matter of a reverse loop to consider, more from the electrical side than anything. I know how to wire one up, but anyone who has followed my threads of past exploits will be aware of my general dislike of 'wiring up' - albeit a neccesary evil. In this instance I identify with the late Norman Clegg (Last of the Summer Wine) who would have said "I knew it would get complicated...... !"

Hopefully some pictures of work going ahead next time following the decision on reverse loops and decisions thereupon .

See you next time,

Roger .

Good stuff, Roger, and I wish I could arrange my toolkit as tidily as yours, to say nothing of keeping it to a minimum

Your knowledge of the electrical side of the hobby leaves mine in the shade as I resorted to a yet another gizmo to assist with my return loop.

This looks an interesting and manageable project and all within a relatively small space. Kudos!

Will be interesting to watch Stutzendorf develop, even though I’m not generally a follower of Continental layouts. That said, the skills involved are interchangeable, and with your preference for doing things the easy way, I’m sure there’ll be many handy tips for me to learn (tired of doing things the hard way!).

Cheers

Jon

 

[Roger Pound]

........ and with your preference for doing things the easy way, I’m sure there’ll be many handy tips for me to learn (tired of doing things the hard way!).

Cheers

Jon

Jon,
In my case the easier things are the better !

Roger (well-known electrical dunce and all-round thicko!)

 

[Roger Pound]

Things in my modelling world have been rather slow (again!!!!) of late. Minor health issues once more. I have however been continully experimenting with the layout suggestions of Pit-peg and Freezer, trying to amagamate the best of both worlds. This time, I think , after more failures than I wish to admit, I have a decent plan. The two level idea is definitely of Freezer, the track design more Pit-peg, which I have had to watch carefully as I believe some of his N gauge themes have a smaller radius curve than I use. This became apparent in several of the failed ideas mentioned above. The basics for the second level baseboard have been constructed but will remain 'off-scene' until the track is laid under the point where the upper sub-board will fit. Another advance is that after many years of using the original style of peco point motor - which eventually I stopped using and went back to hand levers because of continued problems and failures - I have decided to venture once more in to the world of electrically operated point work, as several will be difficult to operate by hand at Stutzendorf. Supplies of a neat surface mounted unit have arrived this very day so now I really can get down to actual construction with no excuses for further delay. The redundant Peco units are destined for recycling.

To the people who are kind enough to follow this thread may I say a big 'Thank you ' for your enduring patience and encouragement. I promise pictures of progress will appear asap. Meanwhile - pass the track pins, please, Neddy...........

Roger.

 

[jonte]

Good to ‘hear’, Roger, and am deeply curious

Jon

 

[Roger Pound]

Track laying is now in progress I'm happy to say. The following pictures are offered to show the present state of affairs, which is constructing the basic circuit for the lower level. This is not yet complete as I have decided to to start fresh with the structure of the incline to the second level. However, it serves to show the antique methods that I persist in using - it's an age thing - and confirm the fact that I am not a tidy worker, contrary to certain perhaps well-intentioned rumours spread about.

The first picture shows the left hand side of the board and the hidden sidings-cum-passing road and access point to the sidings that will appear on the lower level. (far right on the nearest track - sorry about the poor exposure ) The gaps left where sleepers are missing will be out of sight when the unit is up and running so no cosmetic treatment is envisaged. The gap between the end-board and the running track is where latter part of the incline will be.



A general view along the length of the board, to give an idea of the track layout - subject to further additions



This final picture shows where I had got to when it started getting difficult. The point at the end of the track, centre bottom of the picture, is where the incline line joins the continuous circuit.
I have found that when things star getting awkward with the job these days, it is best to I stop work and spare both health and temper .



For those of you who may be interested, the baseboard is 9mm ply. On this I lay 5mm foamboard pieces over the area where the track will run. The foamboard is secured by dabs of white glue in appropriate places, according to shape and held in place with a weight - it sets quite quickly and then the track itself is laid on 3mm cork sheet . This is cut to fit from ordinary sheets of cork. Currently I am using several offcuts from previous layouts - waste not etc. etc. - hence a marginally ragged appearance in places. The track is secured with Peco track pins, using a pin pusher as the said pins are just long enough to penetrate the plywood sufficiently to hold them firmly. My method may be thought crude by some, but it is efficient and what really matters is that it works for me! As a long term member of the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' association this system has worked well for many years and whilst I continue to build layouts, there is little chance of changing my methods.

Hopefully more news and pictures soon - the second level requires assembly - carpenters hat on for this - and after that is done I can get on with track laying and getting something running. Once Stutzendorf becomes viable and I need a change of scene for a bit, a terminal to fiddle yard H0 scale DB layout is on the cards.............but you'll have to wait for a bit longer before anything further is aired on that subject.

See you around,

Roger