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Old 22nd December 2012, 14:56
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Toddington Ted Toddington Ted is offline  
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 272
After quite a period of inaction, I decided to try and improve my Andoversford 00 gauge layout, especially as I was concious that I had never wired it up properly (just enough to test the track layout and to run something!) and, after visiting more model railway shows and thinking, "I could do better than I've done with this" I decided that 2012 would be a year of improvement. I'm pleased to say that, partly due to the poor weather this year, I've largely succeeded in making a start at least. Like most hobbies, one tends to learn by experience as well as by seeing others doing it so, with advice from some helpful colleagues, I made a start on trying to improve things.
My first job was to tidy the loft up as I wanted to change a significant aspect of the layout-from being a "C" shaped end to end to a large "0" shape. The main advantage with this was that it gave me a chance to "just run trains" and at the same time, run them in and check for better smooth running. It also meant that I had to change my (inadequate) fiddle yard and turn it into a freelance set of sidings (I call it Mills Sidings after the gentleman who sold me the cottages and ground frame etc!) with a bit of scenery. I needed only 3 more 4 foot baseboard panels so I made these myself using an existing spare one as a template.
My wiring was a mess to be honest and so I decided to keep it simple and just have a basic 2-way layout where 2 trains could be run simultaneously. (I'm not into DCC but if I was starting now I probably would be) I also used the down controller to control all the sidings but in future I might add a 3rd one for this. If and when we move house I was anxious to keep the layout as moveable as possible for a fixed layout and I needed to be able to disconnect the wiring by keeping it in sections to match the 4 foot baseboards. Skilled modellers would doubtless consider my wiring improvements to still be a rat's nest but at least I know that its almost under control now!
I had thought about adding a station or halt on the new section opposite Andoversford but then thought that I would leave it as simple countryside. Even simple countryside can take a lot of detail so I think I've enough to keep me going! If I was sticking to real life, the next station would have been the M&SWJR's Andoversford & Dowdeswell Station (which closed in 1923 when the GWR absorbed the M&SWJR) but the goods yard was retained. However, I decided against this and left the station out so the trains just travel along the countryside before magically entering Mills Sidings and then the prototypical Sandywell Park Tunnel before emerging west of Andoversford Station once more.
One thing that always looked wrong to me were the trees around Andoversford Station. When built the land around the station platforms was treated to the usual GWR practice of planting Corsican or Scots pine trees. I bought a couple of professionally made ones then decided to make the rest myself. I still need to make a few more. My trees are more representative of Andoversford in BR days but since I do run BR stock as well then it isn't too bad.
So, still lots to do, and, like most people, I'm sure that I'll have many "I can do better than this" moments but that's the delight of our hobby.
I attach some photos of the recent developments; again the flash tends to make things look much harsher than they appear under normal fluorescent light.
There is no photographic evidence that GWR ROD 2-8-0s were used on my line but I would have thought it most likely, especially during WWII. I think this Bachmann model is superb and a good example of how the GWR managed to uglify a quite attractive GCR design! My next locomotive should be a Hornby 42xx in GWR livery but it seems that many of the 2012 releases will now be in 2013 as usual. I'm also looking at the new Hornby model of 2807 which would go well with 2818 - the 28xx and 2884s are a super Hornby offering in my view.
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