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In any new layout project it's important to 'get something running' as soon as possible, otherwise interest may flag and the project quickly stall. With this in mind track laying began in the station area and into the storage roads long before the new benchwork was completed. The pointwork at the St Mary's Crossing (SMX) end of the storage roads was installed, but at the Brimscombe West (BRW) end temporary track was laid in to give operational Up and Down roads - the points being left here for the time being. A new 240v AC radial main was laid in below the 'L' girder section and storage roads, sheathed in white plastic conduit to keep it out of harms way. This powers twin 13A sockets for 'Up' and 'Down' control panels and eliminates the potentially dangerous practice of 'daisy chaining' extension leads together to get power to the furthest reaches of the layout - one of a number of issues highlighted in a risk assessment carried out in 2019. New twin 13A sockets replaced second-hand ones originally installed around the layout to bring all electrical outlets up to the same standard. |
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The S&T Department also moved in to install an ex-BT 'Renown' solid-state exchange that now powers three telephones - this should avoid a lot of future shouting between operators ! By January the temporary track at the BRW end of the storage roads had been removed, and the remaining track and points installed. This marked the completion of the major programme of tracklaying, nearly 12 months after work on the new layout started. Temporary wiring allowed running over both main lines and a period of 'working up' followed to ensure no hidden snags came to light before any permanent wiring began. So far all seems to work as planned with several trial 30 wagon freight trains having been successfully banked from the station and into the storage roads with a kit-built 9F 2-10-0 as train engine and Heljan 'Large Prairie' as banking loco - all without mishap, and all under DC control without the added difficulty of having to remember all those different addresses on DCC ! |
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One not insignificant problem arose as track laying progressed. Having laid the track on cork tiles as an underlay, it suddenly struck me that it was going to be an awfully expensive and unnecessary job to lay cork tiles as underlay in the ten-road storage yard. The eventual answer was to lift the ply baseboard top and insert offcuts of cork tile to raise the level of the storage road baseboards to the same height as the rest of the track bed, with the track pinned directly to the ply surface (below, left). In practice this has not made any noticeable difference to running qualities and has saved a lot of additional expense.
Although the job of laying track was finished, however much I looked at the small goods yard I was still not happy with it. The main problem seemed to be that there was just not enough space between the Up siding and the goods shed road - it looked far too cramped - and space was needed for the eventual installation of Brimscombe's 6 ton crane in the yard (below, centre). Another weekend blitz saw the offending track lifted, the fascia removed and the width of the yard area increased by around 4". This was not without some difficulty, including new cork tiles being much thinner than the ones already used as track underlay - these have been used instead to surface the goods yard area. However, with all difficulties overcome, the track was relaid in its new position, and the fascia replaced. At the same time the backscene behind the bridge - the scenic break between layout and storage roads - was repositioned to give a little more room in the storage roads, and a shelf added to support the yard control panel (below, right). The Gaugemaster panel mounted controller was later replaced by a hand-held unit from the same manufacturer. Although not designed for O gauge, they are perfectly adequate for shunting small yards and running small O gauge layouts.
Although the job of laying track was finished, however much I looked at the small goods yard I was still not happy with it. The main problem seemed to be that there was just not enough space between the Up siding and the goods shed road - it looked far too cramped - and space was needed for the eventual installation of Brimscombe's 6 ton crane in the yard (below, centre). Another weekend blitz saw the offending track lifted, the fascia removed and the width of the yard area increased by around 4". This was not without some difficulty, including new cork tiles being much thinner than the ones already used as track underlay - these have been used instead to surface the goods yard area. However, with all difficulties overcome, the track was relaid in its new position, and the fascia replaced. At the same time the backscene behind the bridge - the scenic break between layout and storage roads - was repositioned to give a little more room in the storage roads, and a shelf added to support the yard control panel (below, right). The Gaugemaster panel mounted controller was later replaced by a hand-held unit from the same manufacturer. Although not designed for O gauge, they are perfectly adequate for shunting small yards and running small O gauge layouts.
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Why use cork tiles ?
Ordinary domestic cork wall/floor tiles have been used throughout as track underlay. In my experience over the past 30 odd years, they are much easier to work with than cork sheet - a roll of cork always seems to want to remain rolled up, even when glued down ! No matter how much weight is applied there always seems to be part that is not stuck down, has bubbled up or is simply not flat - and the one vital thing you need for decent track is a flat surface to begin with. Tiles also have the advantage over rolled cork when it comes to cutting the trackbed to shape for curves, and although I'm sure someone will prove me wrong, it seems to me that they are much less wasteful. So cork tiles - the unvarnished and non-self adhesive type - stuck down with PVA glue, and given a sanding when thoroughly dry, are what I always use. LL |
© 2021 John E Emerson and not to be reproduced in any physical or electronic form without express written permission of the author.
B A S E D O N B R I M S C O M B E
B A S E D O N B R I M S C O M B E