Deciding on period for the model

 As previously stated my aim is to run the engine shed to a timetable. This should make operating the layout at home and at exhibitions a little more interesting than just randomly moving locomotives around the shed. At exhibitions it might entice a few people to linger longer to view the model and have an interest in its operation.

This does mean I need to create a timetable of trains arriving and departing from Penzance along with creating fictious workings for the lines west of Penzance. Ideally I'd like to bring on shed one or two diesel hydraulics. This will set the model in late 1950s, D600 Warships arrived at Laira in June 1958, D800 Warships arrive in Cornwall in October 1958 followed by Class 22s in February 1959. I currently have two Class 22s both converted to P4. Unfortunately the Class 22s are of the later design of D6306 onwards. These didn't arrive at Laira until October 1959 which sets the period post October 1959. Hmm... this is a good excuss for creating an early autumnal scene.

The benefit of a fictional layout and location is I am a master of my own world. That said I would like to portray something of the services that actually ran to and from Penzance. Timetables in my possesion are a 1955 passenger and 1958 goods along with The District Controllers View - Plymouth to Penzance (set in the mid 1950s). I'll never have enough locomotives to replicate every train so services will be extracted from these timetables to suit the quantity and type of locomotive I currently have. Hopefully this should give a good representation of locomotive workings to and from Penzance in the late 1950s. 

Not being from a BR steam background nor "back in the day" as a youg lad did I visit steam sheds so I have a lot to learn about steam shed operation and its environs. My lack of knowedge is one attraction for me to create this model. Over the nex two years, as I learn more, many amendments to the timetable will be made. By September 2026 the hope is to have a working timetable which is as near as possible finalised. Then it will be the task of renaming and possibly changing the livery of locomotives to protray the 1959 period.

Post Scaleforum 2024

I was very concerned about taking Rospeath Lane to a Scaleforum at such an early stage in its construction. I shouldn't have worried, it was a great experience. I suffer from what, I have discovered, is called the imposter syndrome, especially when attending a Scalefour event, either as a paying customer or exhibitor. I still feel like a newcomer to the society, what I am producing being fairly basic to the standards other members are achieving. So it was comforting receiving positive comments and being asked questions about my challenge entry, also learning much from other members with interests in engine sheds.

Rospeath Lane (early on Saturday morning)

I took with me a box of stained sleepers along with a small quantity of PVA. This was not with the intention of spending the whole show gluing them in place on the track plan, but in case I felt a bit of a lemon behind the layout. Anyway, there were a couple of quiet moments, so I did start to glue some in place. This turned out to be a magnet for people to take an interest in what I was doing and ask questions. At the end of the show, Neil Smith and I finished laying all the sleepers for the sections of plain track, which was a tremendous help in progressing the layout. 

In the brief time there was to look around the show, I felt all the layouts were excellent all to a standard I aspire to. Ventor was especially superb and just as the recent article in Model Railway Journal 306. Being able to see Ditchling Green and Butley Mills in the flesh was also a privilege. Combined with the demonstrations, it certainly was a show of modelling excellence.

Ditchling Green

Ditchling Green

Butley Mills

Butley Mills

I left the show on Sunday tired but inspired and extremely happy I attended with Rospeath Lane.

A change is required to my fictious back story for Rospeath Lane

I have just found out that Long Rock engine shed was rebuilt to Churchward's standard straight road design in 1914. I've also found out that the engine sheds re-built during the 1930s, with finances supplied via the Government Loans Act, were, in the main, built with a steel frame, half brick wall topped asbestos claddings and a corrugated iron roof. So as my engine shed is brick with a slate roof it does not fit with historical events.

I'll have to make a slight amendment to my backstory something like; The previous wooden two road engine shed at Penzance would have been moved to a location south of Crowlas during 1906 and build to Churchward's new brick built Straight Road design. This would provide locomotives for Penzance, Gwinear Road, St. Ives, as well as St. Just and Newlyn. This fits with Leamington Spar and Fishguard sheds being rebuilt in 1906 to Churchward's standard straight road design which had brick walls under a slate roof..'

 As they say,  'you learn something every day'.

Scaleforum 2024

Well, I've been thrown a bit of a curved ball. I received an invitation to attend Scaleforum 2024 with Rospeath Lane. This will be a demonstration stand to promote the Society's Jubilee Challenge. Wow...that was unexpected, but I feel honoured.

This has given my schedule for the project a huge kick up proverbial...So I set about adding the extra 2 inches along the front of baseboard one. After doing so I thought I'd better check that it would still fit in the car.

Well all is good, there is space down the side for the addition of the travelling case sides...just...

Baseboard Two

Scaleforum in September 2026 is over 2 years away but I'm under no illusion that this layout is a quick build. The amount of track I have to build, buildings and scenery to complete along with converting some 20 plus locomotives to DCC makes this a big two year project. So I've created a schedule with milestones I think I have to hit to keep me aware of my progress or lack off.  At the moment I think I’m behind schedule by about a month.

Anyway I got to grips with cobbling together baseboard two over the last few days. I has taken a quite a bit of thinking about to replicate the image I have in my head. There has been much standing back from the baseboard just looking taking stock of progress and seeing if it is visually looking OK. This was mainly to do with the two slopes at his end of the layout. Eventually I've calculated that the slope up to the coaling stage is approximately 1:15 with the slope up to the coal storage sidings about 1:30. The top of the slope to the coaling stage there is flat section which might be longer than it should be. I've intentional done this so I can have one or two empty coal wagons standing there without the fear of them rolling down the slope. During an operating session they can be replaced with three or four full coal wagons.

Eventually I'm hoping that the visual interest of the layout will be balanced. The weight of the main buildings on the right will be balance with the three track elevations along with the road bridge and shed office/enginemen’s bothy building.

A slight alteration to the plan…

I’ve not been happy with the short siding at the front of the layout, it looks like bit an afterthought, which of course it has been. Unfortunately, I have no more square inches to spare of the Challenges 18.83 square feet to alter it. After remembering some layouts expanded their footprint after the previous 18.83 challenge, I wondered if I could do the same, as well as fit the whole layout in my car. In taking more measurements of the car boot, I realised I could squeeze a little more out of its width. Initially, I’d measure the narrowest width of 37 inches, which is 16 inches above the boot floor. At the base of the boot, it is 39 inches wide. So I’ve devised a cunning plan to make use of the extra 2 inches.The baseboard and track plan for the challenge. The blank area at the front of the layout offers the possibility of posting small information panels/sheets.

My thoughts for extending the siding along the side of the Running Shed after the challenge.

The inspiration for extending the siding came from a colour photo of Penzance Shed in Western Region Steam Locomotive Depots by Laurance Waters. As a result, I feel it has improved the look of the layout considerably. To achieve this new idea, I will have to add a section to the baseboard I've already built. Do not think that this will be much of a problem, being a small slither of 2 inches should not create a weak point.