Pacing yourself…
A few months ago I may have accidentally pre-ordered the Accurascale Pacer... I have a history of pre-ordering, then cancelling (as I dislike waiting, intensely dislike waiting for models). That said, the Dapol N gauge version is very poor - and this purchase is fuelled by that curious blend of nostalgia of both a Hornby model I had as a child and early train journeys with Dad...
I don't model in OO anymore though, right? So what to do with a Pacer?! I have pondered if some sort of 'upscaled' Mosslanda might be feasible using the LACK shelf footprint. There are only so many ways to arrange track in such a limited space, so layout design in this space is more about modulating different elements and choreographing a scene, a place you almost remember and can enjoy visiting. I'm imagining a suburban terminus that has seen some rationalisation. Grubby, past its best, an overall roof that has been partially removed. The cliche of the road over bridge hides an exit... but to help that, a siding cut back from the end of the platform road, very uneven track, somewhere to stable a highly detailed sound fitted locomotive, also ticking over... an animated view block... just imagine...
I'm channeling Chester, Llandudno, Manchester Victoria (before the rebuild)... memories.
Thoughts turned to alternative ideas - but by introducing more track, more operation, I can't help but feel the limitations of the space are amplified, not reduced. Sticking to the bare minimum allows us to focus on what is the real story... a passenger service terminating at a station. The DCC sound fitted Pacer (other units available) allows all the sound functions you'd expect and 'playing' with arrivals and departures doesn't need extra track.
By introducing more track, more operation, the limitations of the space are amplified
I have heard there may be a new Cameo competition (or not a competition) to accompany the release of the revised Rice title at Larkrail... perhaps this could be a great idea - something out of my usual modelling, an advert for what I love to create for customers... and good fun. We'll see, but for now, until next time, more soon...
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Years I ago I made a small fuelling point using this sort of plan, particularly with the stabled loco acting as a view block. The layout - Alexandra Sidings - didn’t last long at all but I was always pleased with the way the stabled stock worked. Looking forward to seeing this develop.
ReplyDeleteChris
Thanks Chris. It’s a tricky balance. Trying to find a topic that feels like a story I want to tell without being too cliché
DeleteI like the idea of a locomotive just sat there ticking away to itself - acting as a view blocker - for many people, this might be the main attraction, the pacer slipping in and out behind just an animated backscene.
ReplyDeleteAnd what a perfect excuse for a small stable of well weathered and interesting locos to rotate on the stable road.
I like this a lot.
Thanks John. Perhaps perfect for the modern home too…
DeleteI like this idea a lot. It would work with something a bit older than a Pacer, perhaps a 104 or 108 unit?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about a parked loco being left ticking over, most I have seen are switched off when parked. However, if you treat that cut off siding as a headshunt for some sort of off scene industry, it would make sense why it was still running.
To explain a bit further, if you move slightly west from Manchester Victoria, you reach Salford Central. Just beyond there and before you reach Salford Crescent, there is a stone/aggregates terminal where the headshunt is visible from Salford Central. In the past there has also been a scrapyard on that stretch of line, and a little further south, near Ordsall Lane, there was a rail served Guinness distribution warehouse.
Treating the cut off siding as a headshunt could give you the possibility of a changing view block, even if it's just shunting a couple of wagons in and out.
A good friend of mine, John, now long departed, who was a driver based at Strawberry Hill. One of his duties was to man the spare loco held at Woking. This was back in the days when everything was blue.
DeleteThe loco was a Crompton, or class 33 to our younger reader, and the duty was to recover any trains that broke down. John used to sit, in the warm cab all night with the engine ticking over, as he could not be sure that he could restart the beast if he turned it off.
All night he used to sit there, hoping that the good people in the nearby flats and houses would not be disturbed and get a good nights sleep.
Thanks both. I’m glad to have some real evidence of locos left running, and I had also considered it a headshunt… but equally, you could just leave it sat there, shut down. They still ping and click and hiss - not sure if ESU have those random sounds but some of my North American Soundtraxx Tsunami based locos make noises even when parked up.
DeleteWell remember seeing locos left idling at Ipswich (Usually on the stabling point, once or twice in the bay platform). I would be tempted to operate it as a 'sandwich' - the loco arrives at the start of the operating session, then lots of Pacer movements, before finishing off by shuffling the loco off again before turning the power off.
DeleteInteresting you mention a possible second cameo not-competition… I was suggesting just such a thing to Simon at SWAG… The original was before my time but it did produce some truly classic layouts
ReplyDeleteYes we’ll see what happens and now it’s ’not a competition’ and I’m no longer a judge, I can enter…
DeleteLiking the 'animated view block' idea. It's actually one time when I think sound would work (I dislike sound fitted locos as a rule), to add an extra dimension, as long as the sound was kept dialled down.
ReplyDeleteAdd a third track, and you could base it on Buxton, with the middle track stabling a spare unit.
Interesting reflection Paul. I think Buxton would need a little wider space than a Lack would allow, but I like the idea.
DeleteThese plans coupled with your recent posts on the North East are really encouraging me to have a go at building my first layout. I'm thinking Durham Elvet or some version of it stays open into the late 80's / early 90's.
ReplyDeleteI’m pleased to be encouraging something! Enjoy the scheming!
DeleteOldham King Street in O gauge (see Youtube) was similar to the top right plan, but both the top and bottom facing tracks were sidings, the top for the odd wagon, bottom for the station pilot (08 or 20) which came forward to draw stock out and move it to the other platform, thereby releasing the train engine. I saw it at the NEC and thought the plan was simple while the operations could be quite absorbing. The lower (arrivals) platform could take a 40 and two coaches PLUS the pilot of course, which needed to clear the point blades. Not quite a micro, but nicely compact in any scale.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a classic Futers, so I’m not surprised it has been reused elsewhere. I had in mind the sort of operation you mention, thanks Dave.
DeleteGood evening, James, hope you are well.
ReplyDeleteI must admit I quite enjoyed travelling on a Pacer on short journeys(!) around the Sheffield and Newcastle areas.
Are you aware Northern Rail, (are they still called that?), have a small maintenance depot, just to the south of Sheffield Station, which use to service Pacers.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/manofyorkshire/11149793686/in/photostream/
Still in use I believe for maintaining/storing various DMUs, also the odd track maintenance vehicle.
You might be able to accommodate it in your track plan or it could form the basis of another plan!
Regards
Peter
I had forgotten about Sheffield DMU depot. It’s bigger than the telephoto lens makes it look but it could be a neat little concept for someone. Thanks Peter!
DeleteFalmouth is on my to do list, single line terminus and a chocolate and cream skipper is perfect!
ReplyDeleteFalmouth could be tricky to crop effectively. Good luck!
DeleteI think I’d consider taking elements from favourite Cornish termini and sculpting something that blended them all.
Something similar to your Wrexham layout, making the canopy the main scenic feature. Plenty of overgrowth by Pacer era, to hide an exit. I struggle with amalgamations, especially Cornish ones.
DeleteWrexham works because it has an inbuilt scenic break.
DeleteYou’d need to just have the platform and canopy extending thought the whole scene I guess and some large wings to hide the exit…
In N it’s easier to do this, physically and with the size and viewing angles, in OO it will require more space. Perhaps a Lack sized layout would need 6” wings? Anyhow, good luck!