Building a "Green Field" Model Railway
Introduction to my Model Railway
This page follows my attempt to build an elaborate model railway with no previous
modelling experience. I hope my learning process will shorten someone else's curve.
I do not remember my first train or locomotive. I do remember the first locomotive that I
fell in love with, a present from my aunt. It was a small tank engine 0-4-0 or 0-6-0, made from tin without tender tracks or carriages
and probably no bigger than gauge 1. The colour scheme was grey and navy. It took a big round Ever Ready battery
which was the full of the boiler, I got many hours of fun from it before loving it to scrap. That was the
summer of 1970 - I was three years old. The first train set I remeber recieveing came at Christmas a few years later, probably 1973 (there may have been others
but their details escape me. This was wooden and came in a shoe box. Bigger than Gauge 1, 4 uncoupled wheels painted red,
a red 'boiler' with the remainder of the locomotive painted yellow. There were three red wheeled yellow wagons, each of
which took six logs inserted onto two rows of three upright dowels. The logs were red, blue and green. Coupling was
standard joinery hooks and eyes. I towed it behind me for many years using a string tied to the front eye on the locomotive.
A combination of the irish weather and the changing desires of a young child saw it fall into disuse. But I recall seeing#
parts of the body work around home up to the late eighties. Somewhere in the middle seventies I began to want a train set with metal tracks. There was one that I
used to see in the window of Pims shop in Mountmellick that I particularly wanted. This led to my first quality
train set. That set was a clockwork Hornby which came on Christmas morning 1977. OO had arrived. This was not
my first clockwork set, but was my most memorable. It came on a circle of track, with level crossing, had
a black 0-4-0T, pulling two open wagons and a "Shell" Fuel tank. The spring on the locomotive gave out
after a year. The wagons lasted many more years, but now only the base plate of the level crossing
survives. But I scarcely had time to miss it. A battery operated Joeuf arrived at Christmas 78. The battery box
was remote, so my father cut the wire, took a plug from a disused racing set and connected it to a transformer.
This was an early attempt at Irish outline RTR, but it couldn't escape its french orgins. The locomotive
was SNCF painted in CIE colours of the day, the two carriages were a good replication of the Craven rolling stock
prevalent on Irish metals of the day, but the car transporter that gave me so much fun as a child was the
manufacturers biggest slip. I have never known such an item on Irish railways, our island is too small. I have
however seen photographs of identical transporters on the SNCF. Some of the pieces have been damaged, but
the set survives in its entirety. Only the transformer/control unit has been decommissioned and that for
safety reasons. The track was never nailed down and I lacked the space, time, finances, and imagination to develop
it beyond a train set. It ran regularly throughout the eighties but there were constant problems with the
fishplates resulting in dead spots and derailments. Mothballed in '88 it was serviced and run briefly in
December '94 and again November '00, before proudly taking its place among its newer counterparts in the
spring of '01, with its oval isolated to form a folding test track for all new models Birth of a Hobby
I have a particular interest in the old rail routes and companies of Ireland. Also in 1999 I acquired a copy of Johnsons Atlas and Railway Gazeteer of Ireland (Steve Johnson). This gave me a long sought after guide to what went where and when and by whom on Irish railways.
My wife and I have moved house on average every two years or so from long before we met. In the autumn of 2000 we decided to move from the area where I grew up to the one where she was raised. We also want to make this our last move. So I decided to grasp the nettle and build my model railway.
So the die was cast. My first act was to thoroughly read Simmons' Railway Modelling. Much of what I learned formed part of my early plans, but much of what I am doing is not from that tome. Such tips as folding baseboards and using standard snap fastners from the clothing industry to join wires are invaluable.
But I choose to ingnore the corner stone philosophy of choosing a single company and or era to model. My initial ideas were to have:
Apart from the mixed grill of prototypes here, it is obvious from this that I completely underestimated the size of an OO layout.
But this is a learning process. However misguided a vision is essential. Equally important however is an openness to recogise where and when it must be changed.
The layout will now be multi-level with hidden ascents. It will be set in the 1990's and feature a mixture of current Irish stations and some closed ones as they would be if still open. Trains from the former companies will run as preserved specials, and Thomas and friends will make the occasional appearance for the benefit of my sons. All stations are modular and may be detached, so perhaps in time it may be possible to slot in Sodor stations in place of the Irish ones as required. The control panel will not be a problem because it will be software operating on a laptop that will be shaped to fit the module suite of the day.
Many ideas came and went in the early months of 2001. In addition to aspiring towards a modular layout, my planning has been modularised that it's phases can run in parallel. At the moment, a basic train set like layout is designed and being built to facilitate early running and practice signalling and operation. Protype history and station plans are still being researched, so layout design is not complete. Building of already designed sections of the layout is underway. Techniques are still being learned through a combination of trying and further research. Rolling stock is being acquired. RTR Irish outline is limited so waiting for the layout to be complete is not practical. Rolling stock kit construction is underway. Sections are being laid into the computer as they are designed so that when the hardware to interface with the layout arrives, the exercise will be plug and play. Models as they are acquired or built are already running on the now nailed down 23 year old Joeuf oval, so new arrivals can be appreciated in some flow without waiting for the first phase of the layout to be ready.
Likewise this documentation process is running alongide the whole process. Its purpose is two fold, in showing the progress and pitfalls of a new modeller, and also providing me with a reference of work done so that I do not repeat mistakes.
This may all seem very scattered. But it gives variety. Without the parallel approach, I would still be in research. The variety my method offers prevents tedium from the long labourious tasks of trawling dusty volumes for a few lines of livery details or, days of soldering drop wires to track pieces. It entertains me and holds my interest. Without this I would never get to build my model. And if I do need to take a break, at least there will be something physical in place to a) run trains on and b) provide a rolling start on a subsequent return.
When I coined this approach, any adherance prototype was strictly coincidental. However as my knowledge of Irish railway history increases, it is emerging that the railway companies of the island, also tried and erred, built what was planned while the research and planning process was continuing, and ran services as soon as sections came available.
This is my approach, and I will outline how it is progressing in the subsequent sections. It is but one beginners learning experience, and no matter how authorative the source, any modeller's advice should be carefully considered but never allowed to become something you are compelled to follow. My model is my dream, and yours is your dream.
Simmons advises research, but this is not something I planned at the beginning. Fortunately I drifted into it via the internet, and now I have to emphasise how very important is is to 'Subscribe and Research'. For example one of the companies I want to model is the GS&WR - but I was unaware any kits in this outline until I joined the Irish Railway Modellers Circle. Joining the IRRS revealed photographs of engines which can be modelled by making small adjustments to British outline RTR's. Equally I want to computerize the control of my layout without going DCC. Internet Research was essential in leading me to some possible solutions.
There are a number of good starting points.
The Internet has everything. Use it to identify special interest groups and organisation withing the hobby. It will also provide a good guide to retailers of rolling stock and accessories. Quality periodicals and publications will also have a presense on the Internet. It was via the net that I discovered a range of UK suppliers, the Railway Modeller magazine, the Irish Modellers Circle, and Marks Models - one of Irelands leading model stockists with an outlet a few minutes walk from my commuter bus stop.
Keep a firm eye on the magazine rack, the transport section, and the hobby section of a top bookstore near you. Visits to the DIY and electrical sections are also worth occasional effort. There is a lot of non railway related work involved in the initial building of the layout.
Subscribe to a few magazines and periodicals. I recomment three. A general magazine, a specialist dedicated to the area you are modelling and one on the prototypes. My general magazine is Railway Modeller by Peco, a product of my internet research. It is important to read both the articles and ads in detail when you are a beginner. The articles will provide a vast range of tips and practices accross the range of the hobby, while the ads are an essential beginners guide to what is available and there can be huge price differances and resultant savings from carefull reading. The specialist I have chosen is as a result of finding Steve Johnson's website and being directed to the Irish Railway Modellers Circle. This is a quarterly dedicated to Irish modelling scene which is not well catered for in RTR. The other periodical I subscribe to is the Journal of the Irish Railway Records Society. This provides useful information on and pictures of Irish rail happenings past and present. This one is not a product of the internet, but from my days as a rail commuter when as commuter leader, I needed the inside line on IE.
Do not over subscribe. This will lead to either more information than can be read,contradictory opinions, or repeditive details. e.g. The advertisers in Railway Modeller also advertise in British Railway Modelling. This is money that can go to another branch of the hobby.
Your stockist will provide more than simply items for sale. Most are staffed by enthusiasts, who are only too willing to share there advice and experiences. They will also be aware of new innovations and releases and by getting to know them well, such tips will come as part of general conversation. For me it is Marks Models on Hawkins St, Dublin. They also have branches on Oliver Plunkett St. in Cork and DunLaoghaire. Also in Dublin are Murphy Models on Wexford St who regularly commission RTR pieces from Bachmann and another on Capel St whoose name eludes me. There used be a very good store on Gerald Griffith St in Limerick, but I do not know if it is still trading. Feel free to contact me with details of any good store on the island of Ireland as lack of access to stock is one of the biggest restrictions facing modellers here. I will be happy to list any good store on this page.
Societies dedicated to prototype offer a wealth of information particularly in the difficult area of pre colour photography steam. In the absence of an MRC, these usually contain a scattering of dedicated modellers.
A freind in modelling is a usefull companion. This person is someone with whom you can share tools, spare parts, and two person tasks. Problems are more easily overcome when there are two people approaching them. Sharing of tools some of which will get very little use will free up some resources for spending on other items.
Trade shows and exhibitions will give you access to a wide range of models and modellers. They may help you choose your era, and any associated workshops will help in the learning process. Bigger shows will have a wide range of products on offer at competitive prices.
Choose your gauge and scale to suit your space and budget. At one point I had a vision of modelling Inchicore - the main works of the GSWR, GSR, CIE and IE. That was until I discovered that a 4mm model would occupy some 53 feet by 27 and I will be operating my models in an 18x10 or a 12x10 feet garden shed. As stated in my introduction OO choose me insofar as the train from 1978 had to have a place in any model.
Armed with my Hornby track planning symbols, I quickly realised that one level was never going to accomodate what I wanted, I planned three levels:
However I still had no idea of what I locations wanted to model, but I do want to run long trains.
I decided that while that was in search
for identity was ongoing, level one would come from the Hornby Track Plans (9th Edition). This is basically
their large terminus converted to through, and their goods yard, and a turntable section all connected
by a continuous loop, with a Simmons hinged section. The main station is coincidentally reminiscent of
Connolly Station in Dublin, the former terminus of the GNR(I).
fig 1. Plan of lower level
Planning using a single pack of symbols was proving difficult, as was securing any more of them. So I took to photo copying the sections from the Hornby book and attempting to piece them together. The was not very successful either. As a result I embarked on an internet research session where I discovered and downloaded an excellent track planning program from www.winrail.com. The layout diagram in this section is from Winrail. They have since begun to place adds in publications such as Railway Modeller which will increase their user profile. This package is good value for money, and easy to use. Additional symbols if required can be user defined, and designs can be layered. i.e. you can set it up so that turn on or off some of the detail shown.
This plan has the dual purpose of allowing trains to run while while the remainder of the layout is under construction, and afterwords will provide a run around loop, for engines, an longer approach run to the incline, and a run off from the down road. The climbing lines between the levels will be carried by strong plywood with steel rods acting as supporting pillars. Once the layout has bedded in these roads will be hidden behind access panels. Establishing an acceptable gradient was the next task. According to the Hornby track plans ninth edition, a rise of 3 inches inches (80 mm) requires a run of 44 inches (1011mm) to 65.5 inches (1967mm). However this is for short inclines. This is too steep for long distances. Some of the the locomotives can climb this gradient, but only the Lima Iarnrod Eireann model and the Hornby Duck were capable of controlling the train in desent. Using a long piece of timber and a stack of CD's, I establisied that a rise of 2.5 inches (70 mm) required a length of 100 inches perpendicular distance to control a rake of five Lima made Iarnrod Eireann mark 2 carriages. Pulling the carriages up the incline proved the easiest of the testing. Also required was the abiliy to stop and start the train on the incline in either direction. This resulted in the shallow gradient, and if a sixth carriage were to be added double heading could be required, particularly to control the train on the down road.
Fig 1a. 3d view from Winrail showing the climbing roads
So there is a basic design in place and a method of changing levels, but to what?
I have stood outside the former stations in places such as Birr, Mountmellick, Ferbane, Croom, and Horse 'n' Jockey, or seen various disused bridges and permanent ways and wondered why they were allowed to close. It fostered an interest in what the full network once was and its timetable of decline. So I am going to harness that research and model some of the closed stations of the midlands as they might be today were it not for the massacre of '63.
On a snowy night in in January '01, I joined the IRRS to research those same stations. In the subsequent months I learned plenty of valuable prototype details, but no station layouts. However the following September a speculative email to the Irish Ordanance Survey office yeilded a series of '25 inch' maps from 1908 to 1980. Birr has been purchased and the level of detail appeares usable.
Unaltered Birr would occpy 15" by 6". This has been reduced to 8" by 3" by significantly reducing all the straight sections in the station and altering some of the curvatures. The platform will have to move slightly and the area between the cattle pens and goods shed is now a shadow of its real self. The headshunt will now only accomodate small tender engines hauling short trains - typical of what served the station. The difficulty for me is that the sleek look of the track plan has become short and squating, however the confined nature of a typical small branch terminus are all the more evident in the reduced size. Equally all its roads and junctions are present on the model even if their lengths and relative positions have been compromised somewhat. As mapped in 1908, some bricks and a few loads of readymix could have seen Birr extended to accomodate full mainline trains.
The Goods Terminal occupying top left area in the plan of the lower level is nearly complete. All the track was purchased in advance. I used Hornby but not for any particular reason. All track pieces except the point work have been fitted with drop wires. This involves cutting away some sleeperes and soldering wires to the undersidest of the rails. I recommend different colours for the layout live and return rails. Where there is a natural gap in the underside of the sleepers, mark this position, and cut back about four sleepers in each direction. Solder the wire to the mark. This will allow the sleepers to be reaffixed in their original positions. Where the sleepers are part of a single moulded unit, cut about six from nearest the centre and solder on the wires here. The sleepers will reqire remodelling to reattach them in a reasonable state. When soldering the wire, hold the rail in a pliers or similar tool. This will act as a heat sink.
The board itself is cut from a disused hot press door, made from MDF. A layer of styrofoam wallpaper underlay was then laid down. Then the section of track was laid down and each piece numbered, with a corresponding number placed on the board. The drop wires were marked on the surface. The track was then lifted and insulating fishplates put on the section borders. Holes were drilled in the board to let down the drop wires.
The track was relaid with the drop wires pushed through. Some pins were fixed near the section boundaries to keep the looser insulating fishplates from comming undone. Then the first mistake was discovered. The point motors will be operated from underneath the board but no access holes were drilled. Some lifting took place, and this was corrected. The entire section was then firmly pinned down using pins from a local hardware store.
The dropwires where then trimmed and had standard clothes fastners soldered to their ends. The flip side of the fastners were connected for each section and this in turn brought to a numbered section fastner at the edge of the board. This will be used for onward connection to the central console.
The board has since been framed with 2"x1" from a differant hotpress. It will get legs next, and that will be that section fully complete.
Running close behind , the track work for the lower passenger station has been acquired and is ready for drop wiring.
The french approximation of an early CIE diseal with its pair of cravens and car transporter were my sole items of rolling stock for 22 years. They were followed by Thomas the tank engine with coaches Annie and Clarabel, Percy the Saddle Tank with a pair of trucks and a Tidmouth milk wagon. 2001 saw an ambitous ramp up of rolling stock. Two Woolich moguls in early CIE livery, 5 CIE coaches from the in green livery, a lima approximation of a seventies diesal, a lima 201 class in IE livery, 6 mark 2 and 6 mark 3 IE coaches, a 141 assembled from kit which has been assembled and painted in IE livery, a small CIE 0-4-0T, Duck, Gordon the express with three Sodor coaches and I have added James the Red Engine. There is only one brake van from the Thomas and Friends range, but a good approxinaton of the Irish one rusting in Tullamore station.
Awaiting assembly is a GSWR 0-6-0 and a set of 4 coaches.
I want a fully automated multi train layout where I can control what goes where and when. This would not be possible without Model Railway Electronics by Roger Amos (ISBN 1 85260 591 X). This book begins with simple instructions on how to stop trains automaticly in sidings, automatic reversing loops, building your own controllers and speedomenters, signals, and goes into detail on the complex circuitry required to control multiple trains on a layout from a purpose built console. The glory of this is that for existing layouts, the only modification required to the rolling stock is the fitting of magnets to trigger reed switches, while new layouts can be electronicly isolated to provide control over multiple individual trains without any modification to the rolling stock
In parallel to the acquisition of Rolling Stock, the whole sphere of control is being researched. Given the scale of layout I am planning, I am considering computer control. I do not want to modify my rolling stock as one of my trains was a gift from my late mother, so as a result I chose to go with Progressive Cab Control. Initial information on how to do this came from Roger Amos' book, and following from this I decided that the interlocking method outlined was a good candidate for automation via PC. Extensive reseach was carried out and I eventually settled on SSI (Solid State Interlocker) from GPP Software . Hardware is available to use with this software from the MERG (Model Electronic Railway Group). This approach is actually very cost effective and the level of software support is excellent. While I will be using MERG hardware, I believe it is possible to create one's own hardware, but my advice is to contact GPP Software before attempting this.
Fig 2. Schematic of lower level plan from SSI
Both books are published by Patick Stephens Limited, a division of Haynes Publishing .
The animation on this page shows a selection of my trains. These include an Iarnrod Eireann mark 2 set, a 2-6-0 Mogul in 1950's CIE livery (At least one of which was purchased by the MGWR immediately before it dissappeared into the GSR), Thomas with Annie and Clarabel, and Percy with the troublesome trucks and a Tidmouth milk wagon.
This brief animation was shot using a Sony Digital Camcorder, i-Linked to a Sony Vaio notebook. The confined nature of the layout meant that not all angles are properly focused. Using the pre installed picture gear, I created the animation from a selection of screen shots