2mm Let's build a Layout - The Midland somewhere in the Peak District, 1915-ish.

WM183

WM183

Western Thunderer
Hi folks.

As it seems sooner or later I will have a running 2mm engine, so the next step is to get an actual layout built. I plan to stick with the Midland for now, and while eventually I may wish to do the joint Midland / LNWR station in Buxton, for now I'd like to do something a bit simpler, a bit more rural, to take advantage of 2mm's biggest strength - a railway in the countryside.

I'd like to model something rural, and the GWR does not have the monopoly on branch line termini in out of the way places. While the Midland doesn't have the library of coverage of their termini like the GWR does, I assume something fitting my desires could be found. I am imagining my 2F on the pickup goods and perhaps a 0-4-4t on the branch passenger train, though it's entirely possible this would be done with another 0-6-0 or a class 1 tank. I plan to build the layout on the by now ubiquitous ikea "LACK" shelf - I have a 26 x 110 one, and a 40 x 120 one at hand - to use. I'm picturing a small town where the railway terminates, with the typical platform with runaround and a couple back sidings with a loading bank, cattle pens, and goods shed. I was thinking of somewhere in the Peak District of Derbyshire. Anyone have any advice?

Thanks much,

Amanda
 
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John57sharp

John57sharp

Western Thunderer
I can't answer your question, but I do like the concept. I've had similar struggles to you trying to get a 2mm loco kit to work, though mine is an 08 diesel… I look forward to your progress!

John
 
JimG

JimG

Western Thunderer
WM183 said:
I'd like to model something rural, and the GWR does not have the monopoly on branch line termini in out of the way places. While the Midland doesn't have the library of coverage of their termini like the GWR does, I assume something fitting my desires could be found.
Click to expand...

You might want to look at the Midland branch lines in Gloucestershire - the Nailsworth and Stroud branches, the Dursley branch and the Thornbury branch. These branches were quite rural on the western scarp of the Cotswolds. Try and get your hands on a copy of "An Historical Survey of the Midland in Gloucestershire" by Peter Smith (ISBN 0-86093-301-6 Date 1985). This book gives track plans of all the stations on the main Bristol/Gloucester main line and the branches coming off it. There's also a lot of plans of buildings and a good few pictures of private owner wagons local to the area.

There were quite a few industries on the western Cotswold scarp, so not too rural an area. For instance, the Dursley terminus was pretty well surrounded by the Lister diesel works, and the Thornbury branch had the large quarry at Tytherington which generated a lot of rail traffic - in fact the Thornbury branch still exists today as far as this quarry and generates traffic.

Jim.
 
WM183

WM183

Western Thunderer
Hi Jim,

I will be sure to get a copy of this book! My Midland reference material is steadily growing. I'd like to see some Midland way of doing things. I don't mind doing a "fantasy" branch terminus somewhere, but pretty countryside is pretty countryside for me.

Amanda
 
JimG

JimG

Western Thunderer
WM183 said:
I will be sure to get a copy of this book! My Midland reference material is steadily growing. I'd like to see some Midland way of doing things. I don't mind doing a "fantasy" branch terminus somewhere, but pretty countryside is pretty countryside for me.
Click to expand...

Amanda,

In a way, the Bristol/Gloucester line was not typically Midland. It was built as broad gauge by Brunel and it should have become part of the Great Western. But the Great Western were slow to come to an agreement with the Bristol & Gloucester and the Midland nipped in and got themselves a line which penetrated well into GW territory. And even today you can still see evidence of Brunel's original work along the line.

Another feature in Yate, Charfield and Frocester stations was that the original goods yard layout was retained when the line was re-gauged to standard from the broad gauge. The yards consisted of a wagon turntable fed from the main lines with stubs then leading to the goods shed, loading dock, etc. These features remained until the stations were closed in the 1960s. I found a thread from over there discussing how Yate yard was shunted.

www.rmweb.co.uk

Yate Station Goods - How was is shunted?

Hi all, I recently saw a photo on eBay that intrigued me, so I bought it. Although it is undated, looking at the vehicle in the yard it is possibly around 1910 - 1920ish (at a guess). I have some questions regarding the operations of the goods yard, and I'm hoping that there is someone on RMWeb t...
www.rmweb.co.uk www.rmweb.co.uk

Jim.
 
WM183

WM183

Western Thunderer
Horses aside, I suppose I can plonk a layout down with the typically Midland premanufactured signal box, a 2F and a few wagons, and call it "A layout to get started."

Much like my 1st engine, I expect the first layout I build will be rife with problems. That's ok! It's a learning process. I am sure I can get something to be proud of regardless.

I will probably do a simple sector plate on the baseboard, and have one end of the "run around" loop be down there. Keep things on 1 simple Ikea baseboard, and remove flexible substandard baseboards from the pool of potential problems.

Something along these lines, linked respectfully from that other model railway forum:

post-10907-0-09253200-1421075824.jpg
 
WM183

WM183

Western Thunderer
The planning proceeds.

I am planning to use DG couplings - naturally - but may only install loops on one end of most of them. They seem to work well that way and the magnet pull required to activate them is quite small, which is nice.

It is time to order track! I will use the standard ol' bullhead rail + easytrack sleepers, but need to decide what to do for turnouts. I might just try to handlay them. If I settle on B8 turnouts throughout I can buy the soldering and assembly jigs for the common crossings for a bit less than a single easitrack turnout kit.

Any advice on what size turnouts to build? Most prototype ones are no 10 or longer, I believe?

Amanda
 
Stephen Freeman

Stephen Freeman

Western Thunderer
B8 and other REA geometries of that time post-date the Midland Railways existenance as a separate entity.

Best bet is to download Templot (Windows PC required), join the Templot club and see what fits in the space. There is a lot of info there and on the program itself.
 
WM183

WM183

Western Thunderer
The Templot club? Not heard of it. I shall investigate!

Amanda

Ps. While no 8 turnouts etc may be newer than the Midland itself, jigs or no jigs is sort of the choice I need to make.
 
WM183

WM183

Western Thunderer
Hi Simon, Stephen

I've spent a few hours this evening watching tutorials and sort of playing along with templot. I've tried to use it before but never really "clicked" with it. Now, I think I'm getting a few of the basics. I'll draw up a plan with it and see where it leads me. For some reason I at first thought the "templot club" was a forum or something.

I do wish to use jigs to help me with the common crossings so I'll probably settle on size 7 for now.

Amanda
 
G

garethashenden

Western Thunderer
I think getting it first might be a good idea. There are a few different ways of building turnouts in 2mm, so it might be a good idea to at least have an overview of them before you start ordering things. I think the filing jigs should be system agnostic, but there’s no need to get lots of bits for easitrack points if you then decide on soldered ones, or vise versa. I don’t have the new edition, at least not yet, but there is good information on prototype track in there as well. May help to shape what you design layout wise.
 
WM183

WM183

Western Thunderer
So!

I have ordered a bunch of track, easitrack sleepers, common crossing filing and assembly jigs, copperclad ties, and plenty of track gauges, along with the track book. I'll build a couple test turnouts on my multi-scale "test track" board to get a feeling for it before I start on my "real" layout.

I've settled on DG couplings with the loop fully made of the iron wire, and I will install loops on one end of the stock only. I will never turn my stock, and it's easy enough to add loops later should the need arise. The loop I have settled on has a dropper beneath the center of the pivot of the coupling, and allows me to decouple with either an under track magnet, or a magnet "wand" from above - handy. I like the wand idea as it avoids the "stutter" of wagon axles passing over an under track magnet, and lets me decouple more or less anywhere, should I wish. Are small push button activated electro-magnets a "thing"?

I will draw up a track plan in Templot. I am also eager to see Iain Rice's "Cameo Layouts" book reprinted, which the Wild Swan circular I received a week or so ago says is coming this summer. A big part of the allure for me of 2mm - and the Ikea shelf baseboard - is it will let me indulge my desire to model various things. One layout can be a sleepy rural terminus, while another can be a busy suburban "Minories" like station. I feel like the concept of "Cameo" layouts fits well for this, too.

For now... I await a shipment, and play with Templot. Soon!

Amanda
 
WM183

WM183

Western Thunderer
Hi folks.

I am debating moving my period to the early LMS days. Say around 1930ish. This means I can actually get transfers easily, and I do like me a lot of the "Parallel boiler era" LMS engines. Lots of Belpaire 3 and 4Fs, Patriots and Royal Scots, Fowler 4Ps, Standard compound 4-4-0s, Crabs... plus the wonderful mix of pre-grouping and LMS period I stock...

I also do have an urge to run "parcel" trains, as I love the mix of full brakes, CCTs, baggage and mail cars, and fitted vans. When did these type of trains start running on their own, and not as part of other passenger trains?
 
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