June Website Cover

Continuing the theme of favourite photographs of my model railways. This month we move a few miles west of Misterton (aka Crewkerne) to Hewish Gates where a level crossing and goods sidings existed in the 1960s. I was taken aback when I applied the back scene to the layout, which is only 12 inches deep. It gave much greater depth and atmosphere, having almost seamlessly integrated the photographic back scene of the real location to the layout.

View the cover here.

Project 20 - 0 Gauge Layout - Part 18

The second fiddle yard. This one is for the mill end of the layout. For build details see the first fiddle yard posting.

This fiddle yard is not strictly necessary to operate the layout. Access to the sidings is always from the fiddle yard at the other end.

This fiddle yard is only required if trains are to be run along the length of the branch line. However, it also offers the opportunity to drive trains on/off the layout to/from the siding that runs under the mill overhead walkway, thereby enhancing shunting operations.


To Part 1.   

Project 20 - 0 Gauge Layout - Part 17B

The name of the mill is Hillson Paper Mills, which is an anagram of the prototype Hollins Paper Mills.

The walkway is made from 3D printed corrugated panels glued to card walls.

The sawtooth roof of the building is also 3D printed as individual panels glued to rafters.

The roof and 1st and 2nd floors are removeable in case I want to upgrade with lighting for each floor or change the machinery inside.

The second floor is a wallpaper design office, cuurently void of furniture and staff.

View from the brach line with chlorine tanker alongside.

Sidings either side of the building should be further from the building (it's the main compromises of 0 gauge to fit everything in on a small layout). Somehow, I did not test my Class 33 when setting the track distance from the building. On the left siding the hand rails that protrude from the 33 cab side hit the building corner and on the right siding, which is on a curve, the central body of the 33 hits the building wall. I had two options; remake the building to reduce its width or move the tracks, which are embedded in solid DAS clay.

The building took several weeks to make so I was not going there. Surprisingly, it was not too difficult to free the rails from the DAS clay. I used a chisel to gouge out grooves in the DAS clay and then broke the superglue joins of the live and guide rails with scalpel.

To Part 18.

To Part 1.