January update - First turnout

I'd begun to construct the repair shop/turntable turnout when coming back to it there seems something was not quite right with it. Eventually when postioning the nose of the V over the template I realised it was in the wrong position relative to the sleepers.

The first attempt which Templot described as a half-diamond

When looking at the turnout in templot it seemed Ok but it was described a 1:4.5 half-diamond with 41" curves worryingly it stated that the switch blades were unknown. I'd no idea how I'd created this turnout or how it had morphed into a half-diamond. So rather than spending time trying to discover why the printed template  was different to what I was seeing in Templot I decided to redraw the turnout as a  1:5 turnout with GWR 10ft heeled which enabled me to increase the curve slightly to 42".

The replacement 1:5 turnout under construction

So, since Workington show, progress has been slow then over Christmas and the New Year it  stagnated. The hope now is this turnout will be completed and installed by the end of the month. After which I'll progress onto one of the many 1:6 turnouts either on the approach to the running shed or coal sidings..

Lighting

Again, I'm possibly getting ahead of myself thinking about lighting for Rospeath Lane. Though I've also been thinking I might need some sort of light for the SolRail exhibition in a week's time. 

The ultimate aim is to introduce a little atmosphere into the layout by having lighting with which I'll be able to replicate a day from dawn to dusk. So, as a start, I've purchased 5M of CCT LED strip lighting with a temperature range of 2700 to 6500 Kelvin. If I'm understanding the description correctly, I'll be able to control the lighting temperature while also controlling the brightness of these LEDs. My belief is the colour temperature at dawn is around 2000-3000 Kelvin, rising to midday at around 6000 Kelvin, then decreasing back to 2000 Kelvin for sunset. 

These LEDs are relatively cheap to some that are available and as such might not give the best result. Even so they should help to prove the concept and allow me to experiment while construction of the layout continues. Just hope they arrive in enough time to be installed for SolRail.

Trees - general thoughts

I’ve always found identifying trees very difficult, even though spending all of my youth growing up in a small rural village then as an adult enjoying many walks in the varied countryside. On my book shelf there are a couple of books on trees which have skeleton diagrams of the different types.  I find using these diagrams alone to identify a tree in winter is impossible as no tree is the same shape even in the same species.  Some suggest that you can identify a tree by observing the colour and structure of its bark. Again, I could not master this technique.  So tree identification is one area of knowledge in which I’m embarking to improve.

The reason which has prompted me to educate myself in identifying trees is the dissatisfaction I have with the trees on Tredethy Wharf.  All trees on Tredethy Wharf are just generic tree like shapes with no perceivable representation of a particular species. The location I have placed Rospeath Lane means I’ll have to try to represent an area of damp/marsh/scrub land at the front with the ground rising at the back towards farmland. To help portray these different areas, I feel there should be ground cover and trees which would thrive in these different habitats. To carry this off will mean any tree will need to look like a particular type with supporting ground cover.

To this end I started to research which trees which are common to Cornwall. So far discovering that Alder and Silver Birch are good candidates for the damp area at the front of the layout along with ferns and wetland grasses. Whereas Ash, Elm and Oak trees with Gorse, Holly for hedging along with grass and brambles for ground cover would be possible for the back of the scenic area.

This post and time spent on thinking about scenics would seem to be too early in the layouts development. My thought is if I know which species of trees I need for the layout I can select certain trees and photograph there structure during the autumn winter months. Then, as the seasons progress take further photos as reference. While out walking the dog I've been identifying and taking note of local trees and there would seem to be a number of Ash, Oak, Beech and Sycamore trees locally. I’ve already identified one Ash tree which I'd like to base an model on. Also our neighbours have a large area of woodland in which they have many Silver Birch and apparently one Alder. 

Possible Ash tree to base a model on

Slow progress since Scaleforum

As the title states, progress has been slow since Scaleforum. Contributing factors being contracting Covid for the second time then, after recovering, having days preparing for and entertaining a few visits by friends and family.

Though we really enjoy having visitors I'm hoping the next couple will have fewer distractions. My aim is to have the layout self-supporting with both tops installed for November 16th/17th at the SolRail show in Workington. I have already have one trestle built and two of the six support beams constructed along with the top for baseboard one. Workington show is a little over two weeks away so there is still chance that the layout could be presented at the correct height with lighting pelmet installed. Unfortunately I doubt I'll have the lighting stripes installed as I'm still researching options for controlling the lighting to represent an autumnal day from dawn to dusk and onto into the evening. So for the show some sort of temporary lighting will have to think of.

Anyway, what progress has there been made? Since Scaleforum, the track for the three coal roads on baseboard one has been laid along extending the running shed roads to the baseboard joint. More chairs have been threaded onto rail ready for laying. Other tasks have been to install the pelmet support on the right hand cassette board along with solving a slight issue with the slope up to the coal sidings on this board. There had also been a modicum of progress in the construction of the Y turnout on baseboard one.

Frontal view

Looking stage left

Looking stage right

Cassette board two showing the offstage slope down to the cassettes

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, both these 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 excuse 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 possession 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 I will extract services from these timetables to match 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 young lad did I visit steam sheds so I have a lot to learn about steam shed operation and its environs. My lack of knowledge is one attraction for me to create this model. Over the next two years, as my knowledge grows, I will make many amendments to the timetable. By September 2026, the hope is to have a working timetable which is gives a good representation arrivals and departures of a west Cornwall engine shed. Then locomotive liveries will need changing  to portray the 1959/60 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.

Baseboard One (post 2)

As mentioned in a previous blog, I'm using plywood salvaged from the baseboards of the previous version of Rospeath Lane. I also decided to replicate the baseboard construction. I'm hoping that the two scenic baseboards will be relatively light considering their size.

Baseboard subbase being glued in postion

 

Scenic area of baseboard complete

 The area without a plywood top will not be part of the scenic area. It will be  painted black and used for descriptive text about the model.

Checking how the coal wagons will look on the sidings behind the coaling stage

My main concern during May will be getting Tredethy Wharf ready for Scalefour Crewe. The hope was to have both Scenic Baseboards built by the end of April. Best laid plans and all that eh.

Basboard One (post 1)

My initial intention was to construct Baseboard Two, the board with most turnouts on, first. Then thinking that the most critical element will be lining up the four tracks that run into the Running Shed I thought I'd start with Baseboard One. I've been taking my time laying and relating the Templot plan on the board. By doing so I realised the turntable was very close to the back edge. So, I slightly adjusted the track plan by moving the turntable half an inch towards the front of the layout. In doing so should slightly improve the visual look by giving more space for buffers on the turntable run off roads. Below is the current state of play.

Baseboard top cut to shape, hole cut to take the turntable and all holes cut for the inspection pits. Section cut out at top left is for the raised track bed for the coal sidings behind the coaling tower. I'm hoping to have the top mounted on its subbase by the end of the weekend, fingers crossed.

Progress is slow and I'm currently about two weeks behind a schedule I've set myself. The plan is to take Baseboard One to SolRail (Scalefour Cumbria) as a work in progress demonstration. By then, there should be some track and buildings in place on the board.

Test build of first Trestle

To fit Rospeath Lane into my current car I've calculated the trestles need to be less than 3" (75mm) thick when folded flat. On paper it looked achievable, but before this project progresses too far, I thought it wise to test the theory.

Jake the peg trestle

Using a three leg design allows the single leg to be interleaved within the two main legs. It needs a chain or rope attached to stop the legs splaying out. I'm also considering whether the trestles need some levelling devices adding to the legs.

So far so good

Steel or Nickel Silver rail?

This project has stalled a little since my last post, mainly due to time sent posting items on eBay in order to raise much needed funds. There was also the hosting of March's Scalefour Cumbrian Area Group meeting. During the meeting, I received some very helpful ideas about problems I was foreseeing with Rospeath Lane. 

The main decision I was facing was what rail to use. This dilemma had been created after getting Tredethy Wharf out of storage. Much of the steel rail had deposits of rust. At our previous house, the layout had been within the house in a central heating room. Since our move to Cumbria, my hobby room is now a Log Cabin in the garden. During the reorganisation, the log cabin (after it was used for furniture storage) I noticed that some items felt a little damp. Finding rust on the rail should not have been a surprise but is a big concern for Tredethy Wharf's future. I'd been planning on using steel rail for Rospeath Lane especially as I've a good amount of steel rail in stock. On checking this stock of rail some had also gained patches of rust while being storage. This was not good I thought...

So what to do? Would running a dehumidifier in the cabin stop the rust, or should I use Nickel Silver rail instead? During the meeting it was mentioned that high-Ni Nickel Silver rail has an appearance more like steel than standard Nickel silver. I was not aware of high-Ni Nickel Silver rail before but it does sound to be the solution, so an order has been placed. In the meantime, I do have some standard Nickel Silver rail in stock which I might use for the coal sidings at the back of the layout. I'll make that decision when the high-Ni Nickel Silver rail arrives.

Pushing it to the limits!

My intended period for the model will eventually be March to July 1959.This will allow the majority of locomotives seen on shed to be steam but also allow me to run a few of the early Diesel shunters and Hydraulics.

This got me thinking about how the diesels would have been refuelled. Penzance didn't receive its first allocation of diesels until Sept 1958 when three Class 08s were allocated. Two of the three were reallocated in November the same year, leaving one (D3514) which remained at Penzance until June 1968. The first Laira based Hydraulics started to appear at Penzance in 1958.  My understanding is that D600 and D800 Warships carried a fuel capacity of 800 gallons. If this is correct they would not have needed refuelling at Penzance for the return working.  The Class 08 would still need to be refuelled. This would seem to indicate that Penzance’s diesel facilities may have been very basic in 1959. All photographs I’ve seen for the 1959 period do not show any diesel refuelling points. So have to assume that refuelling was very rudimentary, either direct from 50 gallon barrels or direct from rail or road born tanks.

Further information I've gathered from Diesel Depots, The Early Years by Irwell Press indicates that shed staff initially treated the first allocations of diesel locomotives with a modicum of disdain. The Class 08s being stored on sidings away from the main running shed roads.  In taking a look at my track plan, I realised that there was no such siding to accommodate locos away from the main running shed roads. I wanted to include some sort of diesel refuelling so added a very short siding at the front. Between this siding and the running shed there will be room for some barrels diesel fuel.

Track plan v.4 (including siding for Class 08 storage)

In adding this siding along with some slight overall modifications I’ve managed to increase the scenic area to within the last square inch of the 2711.52sq ins.

Scenic area 2710.5 sq. inches

Baseboard tops have been purchase and cut to the new dimensions. Next task is to decide on how much of the plywood from version one of Rospeath Lane can be used in the baseboard construction.

I believe slow projects is better than none…

Fitting it all in the car

 At the outset the main concern of mine was fitting Rospeath Lane v.2 in my car. Rule 1d of the Scalefour Jubilee Challenge stipulates "The layout has to be portable and capable of being transported by a single car or similar size vehicle and exhibited by two people". I'm surprised it doen't state that both operators have to be transported in the same car as the layout. As a cost saving exercise for exhibition managers I feel it would be prudent for both operators to travel with the layout.

The problem I face is Tredethy Wharf fills my car including the passenger seat. I've been relying on help at exhibitions from friends having their own transport. Also Rospeath Lane's footprint is larger than Tredethy Wharf which means there is more to fit in the car. This is why I've been worried about how I might achieve my objectives.

Since committing to the Scalefour Jubilee Challenge I've almost exhausted the grey cells in working out how to fit Rospeath Lane into the car. I have taken many measurements of the boot space along with all other nooks and crannies that could be used in the car. Much thought was then given to how to reduce the important clutter around the scenic section of the layout. In this I mean the support structure, lighting frame, control panel, cassette boards with blanking/information panels and tool box along with the all important operators stool for thous quiet moments.

The diagrams below hope to show how I visualise it all fitting in the car including a couple of small overnight bags for multiple day shows. Hope you can make sense of the drawings...

One way I'll be saving space is to use the storage box tops for the lighting frame. This, along with the back screen, will help to create an enclosed space to minimise external light flooding the layout. I'm also planning to include the control panel within Baseboard 2.  The current support structure for Tredethy Wharf has improved the stability at the expense of taking up more spave in the car. My concern has been how to create a rigid support structure while reducing it's mass. I may have a solution in two trestles supporting and U girders, the proof being when its constructed.

To keep costs down I'll taking a leap of faith by adapting Tredethy Wharfs current legs for the trestles. So the hope is they will be a simplier solution for supporting Tredethy Wharf.

Goodbye Rospeath Lane version 1

I’ve eventually been able to get my new hobby room organised. I have eventually organised my new hobby room, transforming it from a storage room, filled with furniture and boxes, to a space where I can begin building a layout. First task was to take a proper look at the original Rospeath Lane baseboards. The damage was not as bad as I originally thought… Hmm…it would have been an excellent layout with potential for expansion in the future. Despite building it in two baseboards, it would be very large and difficult to transport to exhibitions. The two baseboards were more for movability during construction and also in case a house move. Even though it has moved house, with now what seems to be minor damage, I’m sticking with my decision to replace it with a more manageable size layout.

Last view of version one before being dismantled

Today has been the day I embarked on dismantling v1 baseboards. The intention is to repurpose as much of the plywood as possible for version 2. The baseboards had been designed to accommodate tortoise motors so had a frame a depth of 110mm. Version 2 will not require a frame with the same depth as I’m proposing to use Makeit Miniature’s turnout actuator. This will mean I can tidy up the cross members to a uniform size.

It's now just a pile of plywood 

None of the baseboard tops seem suitable for the new layout. This gives me a choice deciding to go with 6mm plywood as the baseboards tops or going with 5mm FoamX Board.

Before I dismantled the baseboards, I did salvage all the sleepers and rail. 

With the plywood tidied away in a corner of the room for sorting later, I made a start on cleaning up all recovered wooden sleepers.

First update of the New year

The Christmas period should be a good period to find a time for either painting a few war-gaming figures or work on some railway items. However, this year, I found it difficult to put a side time for either hobbies. Instead, I’ve been gradually trying to organise the new ‘Man Cave’ so that I’ll have room to start on Rospeath Lane. Also, as I seem to have decided on two projects that will keep me going for the foreseeable future, I’ve been sorting out model railway stock that will not be required. These are gradually being put on eBay along with war-gaming models. The proceeds from these sales will go towards the construction of Rospeath Lane and Boscarne Junction.

Since then I found time to print out a full size track plan from Templot. The purpose of this was to get a better impression of size and perspective of the layout. Then, while the wife was away for a day, I laid the track plan out on the living room floor.

Having  the trackplan full size made me realise how much track I have to build. To save some work, I might sideline the Repair Shop until after 2026 and just have a hoist over a pit instead. If I still run out of time, I might skip the construction of the office/engine men's mess building as well.

An 8th scale model of the revised layout

It's very rough, but is has helped me with some construction ideas.

Stage Left

Stage Right

Frontal View

There still needs a few of the ancillary buildings to add (sand house, lamp store, etc.) and I might add a bit more detail on the buildings (like the openings to the running shed). I can also continue to play around with the sighting of trees in the background as well as the front. The single tree in the front is to act as a viewing break. Overall though I feel it has been a worthwhile project as it gives me a good idea how it will look. 

After looking at the model a few times I'm beginning to think I've set proscenium pelmet too low. Something to consider possibly altering when I built the layout, me thinks. 

I realise that the inclusion of the shed plate on the model will be contentious to some, but in my alternative history Rospeath Lane would have been 83G. Time will tell if I'm brave enough to keep it on the finished layout.

Scalefour Society Jubilee Challenge

As can be gleaned from the lack of posts during this last six months past, I lost my mojo for Rospeath Lane.

My problem with Rospeath Lane has been the damage to the baseboards, along with its size. The damage must have occurred during our move to Cumbria and/or during its subsequent storage. Its size will infringe on the space required for the Boscarne Junction project. With these thoughts, I've been struggling to come up with a solution for the layout, that is, until the Scalefour Society announced the Jubilee Layout Challenge.

In essence, the challenge is to build a layout to Scalefour standards, with a scenic footprint no larger than 18.83 square feet and for the completed layout to be transportable in a single car including two operators.

Now this got me thinking, would it be possible to condense Rospeath Lane into 18.83 square feet. If so it might be able to exist in the Man Cave along with Boscarne Junction. After a couple of days mulling over this opportunity, then a few more days drawing plans, I think I've come up with a plausible solution.

After checking the dimensions and some minor amendments I was able end up with a plan that complies with the 18.83 square feet footprint.

As yet, I've not filed my intention to enter the challenge because there are still problems to solve. These being, formulating how to construct the baseboards, how to transport them securely, how to support the layout, along with its presentation and lighting, so it can all fit into my current car. I have until 31st August 2024 to register the design, the best and most complete layouts will be invited to Scaleforum 2026.

So... 3 years from now, not long really, especially as I want to start constructing Boscarne Junction soon. But, I see Boscarne Junction as a long term project of ten years or more and it will require a rather larger vehicle than a single car to transport. Rospeath Lane could now become a cost effective stopgap for an exhibition layout.