Lea Siding, a Gauge 3 layout 4 feet long is no more

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
The track arrived from Cliff Barker today

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this is most of it on the layout plan. more a working diorama really. Something that can be taken to exhibitions packed in the back of an average car, but will provide some operating interest, and show off the possibilities of modelling gauge 3 indoors.
There will be one metre long fiddle yards, using cassettes, at either end. locos will be able to run round short trains. The inspiration for the scene came from the entrance to Outwell Village depot on the Wisbech and Upwell tramway, the turnout will be embedded in a roadway. I may also have the front line in the road as well, it depends on how it looks when I fit the 'proscenium arch' frontage.
I've chosen the first building, the left hand end of the Ancient House, in Walthamstow village. The building in front of it will also be chosen from there, as I cycle through the village on the way to work.
the turnout is 1.5m radius, so only four wheeled locos could take the back road, but the front will be 3m radius, big enough to take anything that will fit in the fiddle yard.
Some of you will remember my other layout Aldeborough Yard, that layout is still under construction, but will be a more specifically Great Eastern long term project.
Just had a phone call from Grainge and Hodder, the layout boards should be delivered next week.
 

unklian

Western Thunderer
I will be watching this one with great interest Geoff. How it works in the third/vertical dimension will be interesting. I do hope you are going to make your buildings scale height ! I would also be a bit worried about that reverse curve into the back siding and the potential for buffer locking. You may have to stick to vehicles with the same overhang or axle centre to buffer face dimensions .
BTW is that the same Grainge and Hodder that do etching ?
 

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
The first building is working out about 415mm above the baseboard level, and 115 above the top of the backscene, so I'm thinking of extension pieces for the backscene. the proscenium arch, with lighting will probably be higher still when bolted on. Even the baseboard height has not been finally decided. I'm 5' 4" tall, so what suits me probably won't suit most people. With the layout being so small, if changes are needed replacement bits of wood are quite cheap and quick to make up. I'm hoping to screw and bolt all the bits together only using glue when the design has proved itself.
I tried my Y6 tram loco running through 1200mm reverse curves with two 16' 6" wagons, without buffer-locking, so I'm confident about that. The current plan is 1500 radius, but I could increase the siding itself to 3000mm if really necessary. I'll be testing it with 17' 6" wagons. Anything else would be a bonus, but six wheeled milk tankers might have to stay on the 'main line'
It is the same Grainge and Hodder, they launched their new baseboard range at Warley.
 

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
it's a steam iron, and this is London, so scale is certainly involved ( a wry joke specially for all other Mancunions exiled in London)

Back to the plot:20160111_141347.jpg

the boards arrived from Grainge and Hodder. Lighter than I expected, I actually could have carried these back from Warley on the train.

all nicely packed:20160111_143251.jpg

and all the bits laid out (please excuse the ironing)
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The fiddle yard, visible layout and second fiddle yard. (I think this one may need extending, it's a bit short) It seems to fit together nicely; a few slots are a bit tight, but that is better than too loose. They are designed to accommodate metal dowels, which I also have ordered. I'm not sure exactly how you are supposed to attache the legs, but I'm confident they've thought it out and it will work.
 

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jamiepage

Western Thunderer
Geoff,
That's a very interesting parcel. How much information did you send to Grainge and Hodder? Just the footprint?
Jamie
 

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
They have a range of standard sizes. You can see them on their website. I needed 1000 x 400 instead of 1200 x 400, which was relatively easy for them to draw and cut, so the extra charge was minimal.
 

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
The three boards have been pinned and glued together, and the legs assembled using the recommended 34mm square timber. The photos show some of the features of these kitslea 20160118 001.JPG they are laser cut from 5mm ply. I found the strengthening cross pieces very difficult to fit as I used screws instead on pins, but the result is strong and rigid. They use 3mm and 6mm ply 'washers' to hold connecting boards in place, though these could be replaced with metal dowells.004.JPG lea 20160118 006.JPG lea 20160118 003.JPG
lea 20160118 007.JPG struts are included to brace the legs. The one shown is a bad example, as it is almost vertical, but this photo does show the thought which has gone into the construction of the corner unit. This unit looks nice, but is not really big enough for a fiddle yard. It will be replaced by a larger board, and may itself become a scenic board. Each board, including legs weighs less than two kilos.
It should all cope with the intended stock despite the large scale.
After a lot of thought I made the height 42 inches. I'm still unsure how high the proscenium arch with lighting will need to be to accommodate you taller people viewing the layout. I will make a mock up out of corrugated cardboard
 

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
gauge 3 is really only too big, if the chosen prototype is too big. The track has been laid20160125 001.JPG

I've had to compromise with the curve on the'main' line. The J65 is perfectly happy, but a larger 0-6-0 like a 4F might have problems.
 

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geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
The turnout crosses a road, and the rear siding will be inlaid in setts, hence the check rails (using Cliff Barker check chairs). i'm not sure how authentic it is, but it looks good, and was very easy to do.
 

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
I had seen a similar photo, but that one is much clearer, it shows the statutory granite setts very nicely. I knew they had to be laid 18" out from the rail, but those appear to be laid lengthways, which I hadn't expected.
although Lea Siding is really a goods layout, seeing so many W & U photos did get me thinking about a passenger train. I rang GRS. They are out of stock, and both the moulds and the patterns have worn out. So it's second hand or nothing. Anyone out there got a couple they don't want?

the photo is excellent, thank you for uploading it, Ian.
 

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
20160126B 002.JPG 20160126B 002.JPG 20160126B 001.JPG

Cardboard mock-up of the backscene, showing the plan so far. there will be cut-outs for the trains to exit the scene. I put the building at the front edge to hide the exit, but it's a bit intrusive, I'm wondering if I could use the back end of a lorry or horse drawn wagon instead. They would be more fun to build or buy, than a building. I've raised the height of the backscene, so the unit is 50cm high in total. Should still fit on the back seat of a car?
Total weight including legs now 5Kg.

Now I need to buy the lighting. I read somewhere that the lighting should be installed before the scenery so you know how the colours will look. I think a B & Q striplight about 60cm long should do...
Already thinking of possible quest locos. Imagine the look on peoples' faces when Dick Allan's Derwent chuffs across the stage...
 

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unklian

Western Thunderer
the photo is excellent, thank you for uploading it, Ian.

No problem. I think with so many people liking this picture I better credit it a bit more. It comes from David Gladwins Magnum Opus on "A History of the British Steam Tram" , which has now run to more volumes than I can afford, the first five at about £40 each was quite enough :eek: . In volume five he made a bit of a digression and covered some of the roadside tramways that didn't use pure trams, like the Wisbech & Upwell, the Wantage and some of the Welsh narrow gauge like the Glyn Valley and the Welshpool. I can also recommend Walter Hefti's "Dampf Strassen Bahnen" ( as Geoff has too) and G E Baddeley's "The Continental Steam Tram" for fans of all that chuffed along grooved rails .

The back scene mock up is looking great by the way, and I don't mind the foreground building on the right .
 

adrian

Flying Squad
I read somewhere that the lighting should be installed before the scenery so you know how the colours will look.
I remember something similar and have a vague recollection it was either Jerry or Chris Nevard. So I'm trying to do something with the lighting on Holywell Town at the moment - it's just a baseboard at the moment!
 

geoff_nicholls

Western Thunderer
It's taken a while, but there has been progress. 40" was obvoiusly far too small even for a micro layout. I've extended it to 48" (1200mm). It's also been turned round, so the siding is at the front, the better to display parked wagons to the public. the backscene, including proscenium arch was drawn and ordered from Grainge and Hodder and its now screwed on, prior to being pinned and glued.20160613_152202.jpg 20160613_152149.jpg 20160613_152213.jpg
 
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