Freight
For goods trucks, some go back to the 60's with flat bed, various mineral wagons, helicopter carrier (with helicopter), Freightliner containers, Dapol Crewe 150 covered and coal wagons with various names on them. Mrs Anderson also has a fleet of refrigerated 12 ton trucks to transport her Yorkshire puddings and Scotch Eggs. These were built from Parkside Dundas kits.
A more detailed list will follow
While needs to build and run the layout, although might seem to be quite large, I have in fact rescued a lot from previous layouts. So leaving the rolling stock requirements until later we'll start with.
CONSTRUCTION
As my carpentry skills are limited (I even have the capability to make a circular saw go round corners), I wanted to keep the woodwork to a minimum. The boards are all 1/2" chipboard and are placed on dexion supports. Even though I am using boards from older layouts, I still need more Dexion where I need 1 more pack to finish it.
TRACK AND LINESIDE EQUIPMENT
The track is a mixture of Peco code 100 and Roco. The Turntable at Bonton is by Fleischman, and at York, a motorised Hornby unit. The points motors are mainly Peco above board types except in hidden and non-scenic areas where they are PL10 on mounts and York Also uses 12 of the Peco Smartswich slow acting motors, with 2 Gaugemaster and are used (with one exception) by their own track. The Roco track uses its own point motors, and there is a Fleischmann motorised uncoupling ramp in the Transformer factory siding
The overhead catenary in Leoton is Märklin K, a system I have found easy to install and use even though it doesn't look to scale. It will also be used in Bustham. In hidden / non scenic areas it is a homebrew of brass tubing for the masts with copper wire for the spans and old Peco rail for the contact wires.
BUILDINGS
Having had a couple of free Metcalfe Models with Railway Modeller Magazine I found them easy to put together and modify for lighting. I am also impressed by the sturdiness of the completed models, so Mrs. Anderson's Factory is all Metcalfe, and when the track is completely pinned down at Bonham, so will the station building. The plan is for low relief buildings at the back of Bonton along with full depth station buildings and brewery. All buildings will have either white or amber LED lighting.
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
I’ve recently upgraded to DCC for control of the layout using a Gaugemaster Prodigy 2 with a 2nd hand controller wireless remote, and a USB link for computer control. This has now been aided by Digitrax DCS52 Zephyr Express for control of accessories. The locos a gradually being converted by installation of decoders. The later models being “DCC Ready” or, in the case of the Midland Pullman set, the decoders were already fitted. Older locos are having to have the decoders soldered in. Progress can be seen below (green boxes show converted locos). The points (switches) are being converted from 2 way toggle switches to Accessory decoders with DCC Concepts ADS8fx Accessory Decoders, and can be controlled from the PC using JMRI. Digitrax and Digikrejs occupation sensors are being added controlled by a Digitrax DCS 50 Zephyr along with Multi Aspect signalling. The signalling is 3 aspect and controlled using NEC light-It decoders. There is also the option for automatic train control and rostering.
Useful links. These people have been helpful during my conversion to DCC. I have no financial links with them although I am a customer
Ken @ John Dutfield in Chelmsford https://www.johndutfieldmodelrailways.co.uk/
Kevin @ Coastal DCC https://www.coastaldcc.co.uk/
The JMRI panel for Bondale. Turnouts and signals can be changed by clicking on them. Routes can be set up and stored. When the occupancy sensors are installed, any occupied track will show up in red, and the signals affected will all have their aspects changed automatically. The turntable at the top left can also be controlled by the system.
The rolling stock requirements are that I can run the layout in different periods, from Big 4 days through BR steam, Diesel, 70’s, 2000’s. My favourites are LNER, the company my Great Grandfather worked for. Of course this would include the A3 and A4 class with Gresley and Pullman coaching stock. As this is a joint line with LMS, I have included 3 Stanier Pacifics. During Big 4 days freight duties are carried out by O2 (LNER) and Beyer Garrett (LMS) .
COACHES
Amongst my coaching stock I have Gresley Teak and suburban, LMS Composites and mail, GWR celestory to go with The lord Of The Isles And a set of Hawksworth coaches for the Kings. Pullmans (Lit) and Maunsell SR (Lit). Blood And Custard Mk 1’. S, Extra Mk3 coaches for the HST including a buffet car. And extra coaches for Eurostar. Most sets have a Restaurant car. Gradually all unlit coaches are being converted using Bridge rectifiers and LED Strips. Most coaching sets run as 6 / 7 coach rakes permanently coupled together.
For a list of coaching stock see HERE.
The rolling stock requirements are that I can run the layout in different periods, from Big 4 days through BR steam, Diesel, 70’s, 2000’s. My favourites are LNER, the company my Great Grandfather worked for. Of course this would include the A3 and A4 class with Gresley and Pullman coaching stock. As this is a joint line with LMS, I have included 3 Stanier Pacifics. During Big 4 days freight duties are carried out by O2 (LNER) and Beyer Garrett (LMS) . There are also visitors from the South Coast With Southern Merchant navy and West Country / Battle of Britain Class with the Southern Belle Pullman service, and the South Coast Express Maunsell set. And visitors from the West Country / Wales with GWR kings and Castles hauling Chocolate and cream coaches. A full list of motive power can be found HERE.
Images and text © 2011 - 2021 Chris Rohrer