4mm Llanfair ....

[LarryG]

I welcome your thoughts gents and at least we have eliminated the box in the yard.

Regarding coal bins away from the track. I read up on goods yards and it was much better was to bag the coal directly from the wagon onto the delivery lorry. The payment to the railway to for transporting a wagon load of coal allowed the wagon to remain on the coal road for 3 days while it was unloaded. After this period additional daily charges were levied for “demurrage” (keeping the wagon beyond the agreed period). So the remaining coal was thrown off the wagons and into the coal staithes.

If the shed is opposite the station, the end loading suits where it is because it is close to the barrow crossing to the station platform.

So it's between B and C.

 

[michael mott]

Larry I am also inclined to go with C it does feel right.

Michael

 

[Geoff]

Hi Larry,

I have been following your chops and changes with interest whilst biting my tongue so to speak

In my opinion option C is by far the best as the layout looks more like a model of a railway to my eye. The scene is nicely balanced and looks right, but I agree with Mike about the coal bins and ask if you actually need them? The local coal merchant in these parts used to pull his truck up beside the coal wagons then shovel coal directly into bags on the flat of his truck, weigh them and go off on his delivery round. Sometimes he would bag the coal in the same manner and store it back in the yard at his home, which had a large secure barn with a loading platform inside it.

To take things further if you have the space for say 3 coal wagons on the goods shed siding your coal merchant could transfer his coal directly from rail wagon to his truck as described. This would allow all the goods handling facilities to be on the same site. Empties could then be stored on your current coal yard siding.



It could take several days to empty the coal wagons, but that wouldn't have any impact on using the goods shed seeing as any wagons would be stabled beyond it. It looks like there would be plenty of space for your coal office inside the yard entrance without the scene looking cramped.

Sorry if I have added to your problem, I'll get my coat

Geoff

 

[Phil O]

Hi Larry,

Can you move the box closer to the station throat? Such that bobby can see through the bridge, this would leave point rodding runs and signal wires shorter. The run round crossover would be operated by a single lever and a short length of rodding for the 2nd turnout. The fireman would work the lever.

 

[Gismorail]

I’ll agree with C Larry the scene does look balanced and the goods shed is logistically in a better position

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

The orangey/terracotta bricks have come out well on the buildings - especially in 'image C'.

Far better than the dark red/pink brick proffered as GWR 'brick red'.

As for the goods shed I'd leave it looking tired.

Out of interest would the interior walls of the goods shed be whitewashed to reflect light as shown in the examples in Historic England's The Railway Goods Shed and Warehouse in England. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiY4Nq_7If6AhXvQUEAHbp5DDgQFnoECAsQAQ&url=https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/railway-goods-shed-and-warehouse-in-england/the-railway-goods-shed-and-warehouse/&usg=AOvVaw3qEqXGD_dyyEiv6Ip_eWXj

 

[LarryG]

Thanks Dave. Internal walls of GWR goods sheds were said to be whitewashed, which quickly deteriorated. Mine are stone colour as if dirty. Afterall, steam locos passed through some sheds. I have in mind building a replacement shed, probably this winter for something to do.

 

[LarryG]

The results of recent alterations are set in stone and will be retained, but the layout is currently being shrunk. I aim to have the layout and fiddle yard on the same 14' baseboard. Trials were carried out and photos taken that were then photoshopped to give me a visual impression. Despite compression, the track layout will remain the same while incorporating medium radius points in place of large.

Track and cork were removed and the baseboard sanded down to take new 1/8" cork. New cork seen here.....

 

[GJB1947]

The results of recent alterations are set in stone and will be retained, but the layout is currently being shrunk. I aim to have the layout and fiddle yard on the same 14' baseboard. Trials were carried out and photos taken that were then photoshopped to give me a visual impression. Despite compression, the track layout will remain the same while incorporating medium radius points in place of large.

Track and cork were removed and the baseboard sanded down to take new 1/8" cork. New cork seen here.....
View attachment 170439

Larry,
do you mind if I ask how much of the 14ft will be layout, and how much fiddle yard?
Regards
Gerry

 

[Gismorail]

Noooooo Larry …….in my very humble opinion you will lose that wonderful station approach and therefore all the very impressive sense of space that you had created. Please rethink this change unless you have a problem with the original fiddle idea

 

[Paul Tomlinson]

I too like the spacious (lonely, desolate?) look of a rural station that you'd captured so well. An advantage of 4mm over 7mm, where layouts are often too cramped and busy.

 

[MoatLane]

Oh Larry -- Just as everything seemed to be coming together nicely (at last). What's amazing though is how quickly you get things done. I'm looking forward to seeing the next iteration.

 

[LarryG]

Larry,
do you mind if I ask how much of the 14ft will be layout, and how much fiddle yard?
Regards
Gerry

Around 5' if I lay the fiddle yard on the straight.

The layout will retain it's spacious appearance despite the compression. I'm laughing because I now what some people will be thinking....

 

[LarryG]

Code 75 large radius Streamline points laid out on test. Bullhead large radius will be used, however, the two points in the coal yard are medium radius because space saving here is vital if the overbridge is not to be pushed further back. It's a balancing act not to squeeze the fiddle yard.

 

[Geoff]

Looking good Larry, its always a good idea to mix large and small radius points in my opinion. I think the bridge looks better for being brought forward as well.

Geoff

 

[Nick Rogers]

Moving the bridge reminds me of Princetown Station - the branchline terminus of the Tavistock South and Launceston branch.

Looking forward to seeing the layout progresses with the new changes.

All the best,

Nick.

 

[LarryG]

Glad to see that photo Nick., as it shows one of the GWR E157 brake composites from the batch with roof rain strips in place of full length guttering.

I prefer the action to take place in front of me and so a bridge sets a limit to the scene. At Llanfair Rd I felt it was too far away. I was initially influenced by a micro layout called Bethesda Sidings before losing sight of what I was supposed to be building...

 

[JasonBz]

Bethesda Sidings (as done by Captain K) is indeed wonderful and most inspirational, but following the twists and turns along Llanfair Road does the inspiration no harm at all for me!

 

[paulc]

Hi Larry , despite what people say when it's all said and done it's your layout . If you decided to rip it all out and change scale again then its your decision, all we can do is mutter , shake our heads and support you in the next iteration of the layout .
Personally i liked the open look with the bridge further back but then i liked the layout in 7mm as well being an O gauge modeller . I'm always impressed at the speed of your builds and wonder if part of the reason for changing things around is what to do when the layout is finished .
Will the goods shed and signal box remain where they ended up ?

 

[Alan]

Perhaps Larry prefers building layouts rather than operating them.