Following on from my Trying out N Gauge – Your Model Railway topic.

The track plan is similar to the 4' x 2' Lymbrook Yard layout by Steve Farmer which is dual track merging into single line, except I’m using a slightly bigger 5' x 2' 6" (1525mm x 762mm) baseboard to avoid 1st radius curves, and dual track throughout.

It’s a fictitious location somewhere on the main lines running out of Liverpool Street (West Anglia main line/Great Eastern main line), as I’m an LNER man at heart, a flexible time period from BR late crest through BR blue, to sectorisation, and a big dose of modellers license and rule 1.

Unfortunately, as there are no RTR modells of Class 302, 305 or 308 EMUs I’m running DMUs, although I believe Class 101s were used on rural lines throughout East Anglia from 1970.

I’m using DC at the moment while I’m testing, but the layout will eventually be DCC.

The green rectangle is a factory making ‘I’m not sure what’, and the grey rectangles are a goods shed. The blue stripe might be a ditch, river or canal, not really decided yet.

There will be a station building on the upper level with just the ends of the platforms showing at track level, hopefully giving the impression they extend back under the upper level and are much longer. 

Now that looks fun Ed and with good modelling and operational interest. A water option sounds cooler than a ditch and gives oportunity for a wharf and trans-shipment infrastructure.

Following with interest,

Best,

Bill

 

Thanks Bill.

3d views







The layout will be mainly Kato Unitrack, with some Peco flexible track in the storage areas.

It’s been slow progress as there is a small amount of play in the Kato Unitrack joints, which sometimes results in alignment problems and the track having to be lifted and re-laid.



I’ve run a bus round for power, but most of the wiring is for the Kato electric points. I was cutting the Kato point controlling cables to avoid drilling a large hole in the baseboard, as they have quite a large plug on the end. However after doing two I found the stripped wires are very fine and difficult to get into connectors (grey, lever wire connectors in the picture), so I’ve resorted to drilling larger holes.



I’ve also had to use Kato point extension cables as the points in the storage are are further away than the 90cm cable supplied with the points. The joints are the white plastic plugs. To again avoid cutting the cables I’ve looped them round the cable clips to try and keep things tidy.

In some ways it has been far more difficult than using other makes of solenoid point motors, as I’d normally cut the wires to appropriate lengths.

While testing at the weekend by I noticed a bump in the track at the crossover in the storage area. So I’ve had  to lift and re-lay the crossover. The books are weighing it down while the glue dries.

Now working on the yard area.




More as it happens.

Neat Ed - very neat.

I'm very envious of your wiring.  You clearly followed my under board method to make sure it's all neat and tidy - I wish I had !!!

N gauge DCC - nothing like setting yourself a challenge - unless you plan on only buying DCC fitted locos …….

All my locos are DCC ready Peter and I've got all the decoders.

I did some Bachmann 009 locos with Next18 decoders, so I don't thin I'll have any trouble.

I've got a sound decoder my my Class 31, which should be interesting.


Ed

I'm beginning to think I'm just creating a large shunting puzzle 




Ed

Funny you should say that Ed - I find life itself is one big shunting puzzle………

Nevertheless, it can be fun.  😉

Looking at that photo more closely Ed,  how are you joining the Pecos track to the Kato - are they similar joiners ?  

Don't know about shunting, but I'm often puzzled.

Just put it down to me age  



Ed

Petermac said

Looking at that photo more closely Ed,  how are you joining the Pecos track to the Kato - are they similar joiners ?  

From “Post #289,192”, 8th December 2023, 2:15 PM

Just raise the Peco track by 3mm, in my case I'm using cork, and the tracks can be joined with either Peco rail joiners or Kato Unijoiners.

I'm using the Peco flexitrack as I had some around and I also want to install Dapol easi-shunt magnets in the storage sidings.

I've bought Kato 20-032 magnetic uncoupler tracks for the yard area. You can just about see the black magnets in the two sidings on the left.


Ed

If it's out in east anglia, you could have a sugar beet factory, a dyke for bog snorkelling and the goods shed used for all manner of agricultural needs.

Sugar beet factory ain't a bad idea Pete, I'll look in to that, thanks  



Ed

Then you can send a few pounds of sugar to Australia.

Thought you were all sweet enough, down under  


Ed

Where the women roar and the men thunder.

Got all the track down….




………… but there's a short somewhere  


(Don't you just hate it when that happens)


Ed

Hi Ed,

Sorry to read about the short. I hope you will get it sorted soon and you will have hours of shunting ahead. The layout of the sidings at the front is interesting.

Cheers,
Claus

Thanks Claus, fixed the short so the next job is playing trains testing before starting on the scenery.

 

 

 

Ed

 

 

That’ll be a great little layout Ed… and you are progressing rapidly too. Following along.

All the best

Thanks Marty and Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you and the family.


Ed