Finally a new page to the blog means that a project has been completed and I have some free time at the computer to put together a few words, pictures and videos. This started out as a standard 6x4 foot baseboard (softwood frame, plywood top and MDF surround), and my list of objectives included:
- Multi-level – to have over and under bridges, and ‘loose’ the baseboard level
- To make the look of the railway having been cut into the landscape
- To use minimum 2nd radius curves, so that all of my loco fleet would run
- A design where the trains actually run to and from somewhere, but with the possibility of continuous running too
- To wire the layout, so that I could switch between Dc (analogue) and DCC (digital) by just switching over the controllers
- Remote point operation throughout, including mimic control panel
- Lighting throughout, including use of LED’s in buildings
So the basic design is a terminus station on an upper level
(hence the name Upperend!) curving down to meet the lower junction station
(Lowdowne Junction). The idea is that a train travels from Upperend, into
platform 1 of Lowdowne, then travels a complete circuit of the lower level and
into platform 2, and the travels another circuit and stops and platform 3. Whereby, it then makes the return
journey. Of course this can be
interrupted with the odd freight train, or parcels traffic, which can pass each
other on the passing loop in the station.
By using the engine shed road at Upperend, it is possible also to bring
additional loco’s on and off duty as when required. All making quite an interesting operation for
a small layout !
Of course, this was never designed for 10 coach express
trains, but is any layout on such a small board? But having said that, I have been running my
Flying Scotsman with 5 coaches!
This is a video of the layout in DC (analogue) mode:
Want to see this layout in DCC, then click here.
Other than the road vehicles and the station signs, I have
tried to keep the era and location fairly vague, as I have a wide collection of
rolling stock and enjoy seeing them all in a realistic setting. Nothing better than sitting at eye level and
watching the trains burst out of the tunnel and through the station, under the
footbridge and disappear through the cutting at the other end.
One other project which was included which is sort of
fictional, is the Dapol crane. This had
been sitting in my spares box for some time part completed, and finally I
finished this in a sort of ‘network rail’ yellow, and included wasp stripes and
light weathering. This is a fixed scenic
item, and have permanently soldered the point closed to this siding.
Items of note include the lake with the courting couple
seated on a bench, a painted and partly detailed interior to the signal box,
completely scratch built station buildings mainly from Will’s components, mimic
control box, static grasses and the use of Woodlands Scenics risers to create
smooth transition in track levels.
See the page titled ‘Lowdowne On DCC’ to further videos of
the layout being using in digital operation.
