The start of a more relaxed build

Now I have withdrawn fron the Society's Jubilee Challenge, I feel an enormous weight has been lifted off me. There have been corners cut in the build to get to the layout to its present state. I now have a couple of 4-6-0 locos converted to DCC along with a mogul and a large Prairie and in testing these on the layout has revealed some areas of track that need attention. Some have not been run since I acquired them, which is about five years ago, so they also might need some attention.

So, during the next few weeks I'll be converting more P4 locos to DCC, along with converting a couple of RTR locos to P4 and DCC. After which I will give the layout a right good thrashing with running sessions.

With six weeks to go

With six weeks to go until Scaleforum, I have regrettable  withdrawn from the Scalefour Societies' Jubilee Challenge. This means Rospeath Lane will not be at Scaleforum this year (2026).

Why have I taken this decision? One word sums it up: fatigue.

Not fatigue from building Rospeath Lane, but fatigue from six months of hormone therapy and having just completed one month of radiotherapy. At my last meeting with my oncologist, it was explained that I could expect my fatigue to increase while my body repairs the healthy cells that have been damaged by the radiotherapy. She added that this increased level of fatigue could last for between two and six weeks.

Knowing what still needs to be done to the layout before Scaleforum would be a challenge for a fit version of me. I've realised that any increase in fatigue would leave me with little chance of presenting the layout in a condition I'd be happy with. I'd also be rushing and cutting corners to get it ready for Scaleforum, which would not be good for the future of the layout.

By withdrawing from the Challenge, I've given myself some breathing space, not only to allow my body to recover, both physically and mentally, but also to enable me to enjoy completing Rospeath Lane at a more leisurely pace. Withdrawing now also gives the exhibition manager a better chance of finding a replacement layout than if I were to withdraw in four weeks' time.

Rospeath Lane has already received an invitation to Solrail in November 2027. That is now my new target for having the layout in a fully presentable condition.

The engineers have been on site

The more I considered the proposed alterations to the track plan the more I thought best to do it now rather than in October after Scaleforum. Anyway, as there were no tablets or comments forthcoming to deter me I called in the engineering department.

View from road bridge.

While the engineers were on site they made a start on the road over-bridge, retaining walls with steps down from the road to access the MPD.

Road bridge under construction.

In need of some tablets to stop me doing this...

Very kindly, Neil Smith has built eight Lanarkshire Models buffer stops for Rospeath Lane, one was to be installed on the short stub siding at the front of the layout. Then in September/November, after Scaleforum, this siding was going to be extended to run alongside the running shed. In coming to install this last buffer stop, I realised that in lifting and reinstalling it, the risk of damaging it would be considerable.

I then wondered if I could win enough back of the 18.83 square feet from the scenic area at the front to extend the short stub siding. If so, I'd only need to install the buffer stop once. Unfortunately, the buffer stop would not be seen as it will be hidden behind the left-hand vertical proscenium. It would be a tremendous shame to hide Neil's valued work.

This brings me to why I need those tablets....

While building the layout, I've realised that the slope up to the coaling stage is on the steep side. Must admit this has been pointed out before, but to squeeze it in I had to shorten its length, so increasing the slope. In trials, a Pannier does struggle to push four full 16T minerals up the slope. OK, I could fettle 4 wagons and a loco to overcome this, but I'm becoming more dissatisfied with the look of this slope. The proximity of the coal sidings at a level just below the height of the coaling stage road would, in reality I think, this would mean the coaling stage would have been fed directly from the coal sidings. This alteration was again planned for post Scaleforum.

In making this alteration, it would:

1) Dramatically reduce the slope up to the coaling stage so remove the need to fettle rolling stock specially for working the Coaling stage.
2) Allow the coaling stage road, and coal sidings to be operated separately from and not interfere with locomotives accessing or departing.
3) The current coaling stage turnout could be used to create a short siding for a loco or full ash wagon storage.
4) Neil's final buffer stop could then be installed where it can be readily seen at the end of this short siding.

This then brings me full circle to what buffer stop to use on the extended siding running alongside the running shed. Well, as Lanarkshire Models buffer stops are not available anymore, I could easily construct a sleeper buffer stop.

If you're confused, the images below should help to explain the rambling description above.

Amended track plan

 

The above picture shows where the short stub siding currently ends, also the space to the left of the Running Shed that I'm proposing to extend the siding into.

The area hatched pink is the original area that will be painted black, therefore not part of the 18.83 scenic area. Believe it or not, the area hatched blue is roughly the same area that I'm infringing on at the side of the Running Shed.

Above is the more dramatic alteration I'm proposing to do withe the coal sidings and coaling stage road. 

These alterations are still being thought about and do depend on how it might affect the already installed wiring underneath. I realise there will be more wiring to install, including a change to the control panel, which will add to the time these alterations will take. BUT the more I think about it I feel it makes more sense to do these alterations now before I start on scenic contours and detail, rather than in three months time then undoing scenic work I'd completed just for Scaleforum. It may well affect the finished state of the layout for the September exhibition but I feel I'd be a lot happier with how the layout will look and operate.

If no one can supply those tablets to stop me do the above, these alterations may will be a goer me thinks...

Coaling Stage Staircase

Today I've come back to working on the Coaling Stage and extension beyond. First tacks to completed was installing the railings around the extension. These are Ratio's 144 Hand Railings and work out at around 6' 6" high which when a ModulU figure is placed behind them they do look about the correct height. 

Part painted ModelU figure against the Ratio railings

Which is more than can be said for the staircase supplied with the Coaling Stage kit.....

Staircase as supplied with the kit

Another part of the staircase that doesn't look right is the thickness of the railings.

Amended Staircase

Once I'd removed the existing handrails and reduced the height of the posts, I'd started to replicate the two rails per side. That was until browsing "A Pictorial Record of Great Western Architecture" when I noticed the staircases on the Oxley and Oswestry coaling stages hand only the handrail. I certainly feel it looks a lot better.

Runnng Shed doorway

I started to build the Running Shed six years ago and have placed in on and off the layout many times including having Locos in its doorways. In the last few days I've only just noticed how high the doorways are! In looking through my WR Engine Shed books, and especially photos I've taken while visiting Didcot, I'm now seeing this as a problem.

Didcot

It's amazing that I have only just noticed this but how to solve this? It has not helped that I've decided to higher the base of the building my 2 mm so I can install hard standing up to rail hieght within the Running Shed...

It's too late in the construction to reduce the wall height, so I feel my only option is to add more louvres/grilles and then modify the doors to suit. 

I did contemplate cutting out the louvres/grilles from the rear doorways, as these will not be seen, but felt I'd not be able to cut them out without damaging them. So unless I can find some similar louvres its down to drawing some and having them laser cut.

In the meantime I can still continue with building the running shed with completing the roof and offices, installing lights, and also the hard standing within.