Track Plan v15

Another updated plan, I’ve now reached v15

Too much pondering and not enough physical modelling you may think. “The Devil is in the detail” and I may be overthinking some aspects of this plan. In the end I hope I will have thought of most of the gremlins that might creep into this project.

In looking at the previous plan, I started to contemplate the proposed signal box diagram and the comments made. This brought me around to asking what happens beyond the bridge (scenic break) on the left. The realisation then struck me that the large expanse of the bridges across the 6 tracks exiting stage left would not provide a very good scenic break. Even with well placed trees the exit would still be difficult to disguise.

After a couple of more drawings the below plans should help to resolve both of my above thoughts.

Plan 1

Plan 1 is the starting point and one that I’ll be using at home. As space is at a premium in the ‘Man Cave’ my intention is to use cassettes in the fiddle yard area while at home. The spot heights have been included to give me an idea of inclines which will create the different track levels. The Engine Shed entrance is a concern but as long as I keep it all in the same plane (with no twist in the track) all should be OK. Another question raised by a reader has been where is the coal stack? It seems coal stacks were not photographed very often especially in the Cornwall area. I do have a recollection of seeing a photo of a coal stack built over tracks somewhere but currently cannot find it. So I’ve suggested this might have been the case in this restricted Engine Shed layout. The Warehouse at the back is still up for debate. The building is intended to help hide the exit of Rospeath Lane at the back of the layout, and my intention is to base the building on the Penzance Workhouse, just have to see if this works out.

 

Plan 2

Initially this plan was drawn with the purpose of designing the signal box diagram with all track work beyond the bridges being fictitious. I then realised the plan could future proof this project. What if I should ever get the opportunity to run full length trains along the main line? If so I’d need larger fiddle yards at each end. Plan 2 would allow all three tracks access to a traverser on the left. At stage right a few trees should help to hide the mouse hole through the back-screen but Stage left the expanse of bridges makes hiding the exit impossible. I then remembered seeing Paul Marshall-Potter’s Albion Yard layout at a Newark show. He cleverly extended a row of cottages into the fiddle yard area which negated the use of a hole in the wall type scenic break. Borrowing his idea should help me disguise the exit beyond the bridges on the left

The photo above has been taken from a reasonable distance (about 1 foot) from the baseboard edge opposite the Running Shed. The PVA Tub is supporting a piece of foam board where the scenic break will be, with the back scene running in front of the pin board behind the cottage mock-ups. As trees in this area of Cornwall can be on the stunted side I’ve brought the warehouse back onto the layout. The warehouse may be a little far-fetched for this location but I don’t think trees would do the trick here.

For now I’ll be working towards Plan 1 keeping in mind the creation of a jigsaw piece for the interchangeable area with Plan 2. When viewed from the front at an exhibition this area would be hidden behind a movable/hinged display/information screen.

One of my main concerns about this project has been the depth of the baseboards especially the right hand one being 3’ 6” deep. Creating the full size mock-up has convinced me that I’ll be able to cope. After all while building the layout I’ll be able to turn the boards around. Once built, I’ll have to stand on a tool box to reach but it seems it will be manageable.