Good work @reddragon. 
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My Settle & Carlisle style viaduct - OO Gauge Layout
- Thread starter reddragon
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The addition of details about engineering possessions really adds to it all @reddragon.
The scale of your layout also never fails to amaze me - it might not be as massive as some large club layouts but for a personal layout, it's pretty good going to say the least. 
-Peter
reddragon
Established Member
The UP main was completed and powered up on time. Up services await the glue to dry for the possession to be lifted. The double slip in the middle will connect to the down main next, followed by the curved right & a Y for the down relief.
Again - loving the little details. Are all the workers being kept fed and watered?
-Peter
reddragon
Established Member
Its warm up there! EWS are providing the wagon and a Network Rail rake of JNAs are due to arrive on the railway tomorrow. Maybe some track ballasting or scenery work may be planned soon?Again - loving the little details. Are all the workers being kept fed and watered?
-Peter
reddragon
Established Member
Not sure yet other than the area to start. Maybe a hill?Haha
Sounds interesting - what kind of scenery work might you have in mind?
-Peter
So the track was opened just on time and the possession lifted. Note how straight the departure line is now.
The first Up service of the day is a semi fast service.
Followed by a Freighliner service
Arrangements are in for the next possession to install the double slip on the down main
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reddragon
Established Member
That's 2016 ballast, but yes I have some to do some more ballasting.
That would be cool. I suppose the main issue is the track to begin with!
Looking good! Would there be a case for connecting the line the Western crosses onto over to the platform line it leaves? The sort of thing you'd get on the real railway for quicker departures I guess?
I'm liking the shots of the long trains passing. Really goes to show how a large-scale layout makes realism easier to achieve!
-Peter
reddragon
Established Member
I was running 3 trains at once tonight. The 52 + 9 Mk2s, the 66 + 14 wagons, then 411 8-car, then 70 + 18 wagons, then 42 + 7 crimson / cream, the 53 + 8 maroon.
My 6 coach rakes are currently 8 Maroon, 7 Red & Cream, 9 Mk1 BG set 1, 9, Mk1 BG set 2, 9 Mk2 ,6 Mk 2de; + spare + 2x HST 7 & 4 car
Freight 3 rakes are 18 open, 14 container, 11 tanker
I don't know if you follow Chadwick Model Railway, but this episode gives some advice on stay alives.
I forgot to update on this actually.
I fitted the one that I’d ordered from Rails and what I’ve noticed is that after a few minutes of running once it’s warmed up there’s a fairly big difference in how it runs. It’s a lot better basically.
I’ll have a look at that video later though, thanks for that.
reddragon
Established Member
Glad it works and so small & compact!
My latest track possession closed the UP main. The new double slip & down relief points are already in place
All platforms remained open for a while but since this photo P7/8 closed when the crossing was removed. The UP main and access to P7 have been relaid and await approval for re-opening after testing.
Out of site a Network rail train has arrived on the railway
All very nice indeed. The lengths of those rakes just goes to show why loco pulling-power (i.e. traction, not if they can attract other locos to go out with
) is so important on your layout.-Peter
reddragon
Established Member
09.010 is shunting the latest arrivals the NR wagons up the new track.
At the work site the down main has reopened and returned to service for a down freight service. P8-9-10 remain closed
Since this shot the Down relief has also been connected but has yet to reopen.
This is quite a major weekend track possession that has resulted in some wrong direction workings and unusual platform alterations made possible by the new crossovers.
At the work site the down main has reopened and returned to service for a down freight service. P8-9-10 remain closed
Since this shot the Down relief has also been connected but has yet to reopen.
This is quite a major weekend track possession that has resulted in some wrong direction workings and unusual platform alterations made possible by the new crossovers.
You're certainly working through this all at quite a rate of knots @reddragon! All looks very nice. Just out of interest, do any manufacturers make points/crossovers with concrete sleepers in OO gauge? Every layout I've seen with concrete sleepers uses points with wooden sleepers, which still fits in and looks good but could pose a bit of an issue for those wanting really realistic layouts?
-Peter
reddragon
Established Member
In the real world most points have wooden sleepers but Peco do some fine scale code 75 points in concrete although they only seem to do medium LH/RH points like that.
When you have all you need then track laying is fast. Tracks, bits, glue, weights & tools!
It’s not so quick in N gauge especially when you’re using Peco finescale!
Ah OK - I looked into it a bit after making that post and found their concrete-sleeper points. They look alright but it's a limited range, as you say.
At least when gluing track, you don't have to worry about pins - the hours I've spent looking for pins and having to remove them...
-Peter
reddragon
Established Member
I have a magnifying headset with light and a track cutter
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Good news from site. All of the UP approach track work has been laid. One electrical gap existed that has been filled. Once all checks are completed testing will commence and re-opening.
The signalling & routing team are studying the new layout happy about the greater platform flexibility.
####
So the possession ended and trains are running again
The new layout including the siding line connected allows trains to go to the carriage sidings from P5-10
The stone train is now 20 wagons but on its trial run a MCA wagon failed shorting the DCC.
The MCA visited the works for a bogie lift and the removal of the steel weight which has been relocated under the stone load, the 3rd MCA to be so treated.
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Well done for the work you’ve put in to get this far @reddragon. The effort is there for all to see. Some of the trackwork looks beautiful actually.
reddragon
Established Member
Thanks
I just now how the substantial remodelling of the suburban station area to do, but first some scenery and point motors! Just need to work out how to wire up DCC points that activate signals too.
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Friday
I decided to do a haulage test today. My Bachmann class 70 was hauling the 20 wagon open rake so I added 11 tankers and it ran with 31 wagons. Next I tried adding 12 Container wagons. It was able to move a rake into the upper 30's but stalled. I replaced it with the Hattons class 66 and that successfully ran with 43 bogie wagons in tow. It was very heavy.
That = 11 TEA + 4 PTAs + 6 YGH + 4 JNA + 1 MBA + 5 MCA + 2 KFA + 6 FKA + 4 FEA = 43
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Any thoughts on the scenery then? Have you decided which area you’ll start on?
reddragon
Established Member
Hey you must have just missed my edit above!
Scenery, err yes where to start . . . . .. Be assured there will be pictures when I do
We must have posted at exactly the same time.
I am curious to see how you go about this, you’ve got a lot of area to cover but there’s no need to do loads at once. Just concentrate on one area for a bit until you’re happy with it I guess?
reddragon
Established Member
It will be somewhere left of the viaduct. I have 2 start location options, 1 LH end of viaduct & then viaduct, the other further to the leftWe must have posted at exactly the same time.
I am curious to see how you go about this, you’ve got a lot of area to cover but there’s no need to do loads at once. Just concentrate on one area for a bit until you’re happy with it I guess?
Blimey - that's quite the rake
Have you had (m)any issues with your Hattons 66? They can be quite temperamental from what I've heard.
-Peter
reddragon
Established Member
The 66 runs very well with huge haulage capability. There is the slight 'hattons wobble' but nothing too serious.Blimey - that's quite the rake
Have you had (m)any issues with your Hattons 66? They can be quite temperamental from what I've heard.
-Peter
I had to get someone else to solder in the speaker as it was too tricky for me and that was an epic task including a heavy wiring job to get it in.
The 66 is currently my best loco and the Dapol Class 52 in second.
That's good to hear. I might look into getting one - but the chance of it having a wobble or other issues puts me off. The Dapol 52 also looks really nice.
-Peter