Looks great in this mode - a testament to your planning! As for questions etc: 1) Yes, straighten the kink 2) No to the station: however small, it's going to dominate, and you'll lose that "watching the trains go by" USP. IRL, the station throat to even a small station would probably take up most of the length of exhibition mode. When you do the fiddle yard, you're going to need a bigger church!
Richard, your layout looks fabulous in exhibition mode. The caledonian sleeper train looks a natural fit on the line. It will be great to see how the heritage line looks when completed. Cant wait to see the next update. Many thanks Steve
Wow Richard the Layout is looking Fantastic you are a wonderful presenter so open and honest. The Trains look great. Yes you are right about the Heritage Line maybe sharper curves . Woods . Level Crossing.River Bridge. A slight distraction. Your lovely doggie looks asleep but she's on Security watch. Great Layout look forward to seeing more videos. Onwards and upwards. Best wishes Richard Crompton.Scarborough North Yorkshire.
Great work Richard. Good to see such progress. I would love to see Hadley Wood station as I used to commute from Hatfield to Kings Cross. An alternative could be a disused station, overgrown platforms with boarded up or even demolished buildings. Looking forwards to the next one.
Looks mint Thirsk 4 track chester-le-street 2 track there was also one south of York but can’t remember it’s name 2 track only locals stopped. Keep up the good work team
Agree with Thirsk. Has structure over the four lines, with 125mph through the centre. Not Chester-Le-Street purely as the mission was to have the four lines. But I totally get it. Ulleskelf, I think is the other one you’re thinking of, with the four lines. Just north of Church Fenton. Smaller station and only covers two, out of the four, main lines. Either options would be awesome for the layout. Personally I’d head for Ulleskelf. Purely as Thirsk would dominate a bit over the four running lines. Ulleskelf can be present without that factor. Great suggestions. Keep up the good work Richard.
Sorry I sent that before it was done. I like your style I love your partner the furry I'm learning about DCC you are one of the few men that I watch started watching you on the new build in your garage. You're one of two European men that iWatch. The other gentleman is from Germany. Just want to thank you for your knowledge your effort you put into your videos and what I like to call your professionalism. Having said that thank you keep them coming
Amazing to see the layout in all its exhibition glory. I have binged on this series over the last two days and you have really re-kindled my enthusiasm again after 50 years away from it all. (that does sound a long time!) Looking forward to the next video. Nice one.
The layout looks great in exhibition mode! As a suggestion; if you are going to put a small mainline station into the layout, then offset the station on the heritage line so that you don't have two stations opposite each other, as that would make the while layout too heavy in the central area.
Curious as to how you are going to build the exhibition fiddle yard to deal with the sleeper. Personally I am not bothered with a station on the mainline - I think the long trains, both passenger and intermodal frieght will look impressive enough - and as there are points, you will always have an excuse to stop trains at signals/ slow line to fast line movements etc
The layout in exhibition looks good 👍 your planning was really well thought out so really well done for that . Once again Richard love your CZcams channel. Bye for now.
my two bob's worth is what you are doing and sharing with us is absolutely brilliant and thankyou so much, ive paused the video as i comment and i thought you are gonna see challenges with a lot of similarity to pete waterman's making tracks layout which is phenomenal, then i see two guys working on that helping you which is fantastic and your bound to succeed, i have followed New Junction and new new junction since i got back into the hobby a few years ago and see you at g e t s but didnt want to bother you, i am watching and learning and appreciate your passion/enthusiasm and look forward to how this wonderful project progresses.
Looks great in exhibition mode as it does in garage mode. So very well done 👏 I'm definitely saying yes to a small main line station 👍 Already looking forward to the next update All the best Russ
Wow exhibition mode is AWESOME! It's so cool seeing such long trains. I personally like you original idea of no platform on the mainline and keeping it to the heritage line. But if you have changed your mind to add a small station go for it. You need enjoyment from your layout and if that will increase that - go for it.
Wow it’s really coming together Richard 👍🏻even the 16 coach Caledonian sleeper looks right at home…i can already imagine them flying down the layout 👍🏻brilliant
It looks great. Obvs 'it's your train set..' etc but in response to your comments about adding features to the mainline I'd probably leave as is because I think the intricacy/details and features on the low level preserved line with slow running and necessarily infrequent trains will nicely counterpoint the faster, and more frequent, mainline trains running above and create an overall sense of balance. And there can be plenty of scenic interest in even 'plain' mainline with signalling equipment, track cess and other features, control boxes, maybe a maintenance gang on one line requiring slow running etc etc.
Great to see it in Exhibition mode and really does look fantastic, I know some people already suggested it but a scaled down Thirsk or Hadley Wood are good options as watching it they would be the suggestions I would had made as well. Great Video.
You may not see this but in terms of an ECML station have a look at Thirsk, you could shorten the platforms for your layout as if it were only serving 4 or 5 car length trains, eg 220s and shorter 800s, but as it only faces the two slow lines on the 4 track mainline so you can still have fast running trains at an exhibition. Add the red brick bridge for a scenic break and the station build which hugely resembles a scale scenes kit and you’ve got a fitting station for your layout! Hope this helps :)
Although not my era, those MK5's do look impressive... fantastic effort there Richard really does look great, look forward to seeing those MK4's & 5's belting up and down the ECML!!
For a station, you could consider Sandy. Platforms on the pair of outer (slow) lines only. Another thought is a disused station. Platforms in situ but overgrown. An unusual feature rarely seen as most layouts only have space for 1 fully functioning station, so they don’t use “waste” room on a disused site.
This is looking awesome look forward to seeing it out on the exhibition circuit. In terms of a station perhaps the centre section of Doncaster this would give you 2 platforms plus 2 fast passing lines in the centre
Wow! Looking good. This looked big in garage mode, now it's absolutely enormous! If I put that sleeper train on the tail chaser section of my layout I would be able to connect the front to the back I reckon 🤣.
I was just about to say at the end that you can’t get the staff and you stole my thunder! Great minds think alike.😂😂 Thanks for the episode, I enjoyed it.👍🏻
The layouts looking great mate, One point regarding the stations ( and I know it’s already been mentioned) is off setting the stations, rather then having both in the middle. Maybe on the corner where the class 91 DVT is sat, one prime example is Thirsk using the over bridge as the scenic break on this end of the layout, you could always make it look like the platforms continue on underneath the over bridge, That way the platforms on the scenic section perhaps only need to look long enough for a coach or two on the scenic section. I’m also in Love with the MK5s Accurascale have done a cracking Job (as always), don’t forget I’ve got my set if you need a another set at exhibitions 🤣 I’ve also ordered another 68 but I’m keeping it under wraps until it arrives 🤫
4 track station with short platforms, there’s a few suitable candidates towards Kings Cross. Some good examples are Brookman’s Park or Welhan Green (the latter being local platforms only), these can only take six car trains bound for KGX/the former Northern City Line into Moorgate.
Think you answered your own question as regards to the station, if you want it go for it 😉 you could model the ends of a station at the scenic break end, a road over the tracks housing the station building etc similar to Crewe, that way you can stop any formation in the platforms.
Hi Richard, Harringay might be a good candidate, platforms on just the up and down slows, only around 120m long, just right for 5/6 coach trains, there's Green Lanes in the cutting within walking distance on the other line and even the chord to join the two lines up.
Awesome to see the layout set up in full length mode like that. I've really enjoyed following along with the progress of this! I'm glad to hear you think the 'kinks' in the mainline are too severe; can understand how it was hard to plan them out when in 'garage' mode. If you can sort those to allow better high-speed running, that'd be great. Same thing with the banking out of the tunnel too. Personally I'm not keen on the idea of a station of the mainline; I think it would work best just as a stretch of 4-track main line. I'm not so familiar with the ECML, having lived in the East Midlands for the past 12 years; but on the Midland Mainline I do know of those smaller stations, so can sort of see where you're getting at. Keep up for the fantastic work either way!
Hi Richard, Railways in churchs are becoming an everyday event so well done for doing this and that is some layout in this format and yes I do think a small station would be a good idea as a camera can be positioned on it and super shots of your mainline trains running through at high speed always good in a video and the suggestion of a link to the heritage line is well worth doing as the musuem I visited does have a "main" branch line through it ( Marks Tey-Sudbury ). Cheers Robert.
There are plenty of small stations that aren’t long enough for modern express trains, but are serviced by local stoppers made up of shorter DMUs. So a station just big enough for three and four car trains would work. Longer trains stopping there would only disembark passengers from the first three coaches as per the real railway.
If your tunnel/bridge is based on Hadley Wood, what about Hadley wood station? Coming out of the tunnel top speed, it’s a good place for train spotting Also I’ve only just noticed on your intro sequence you have a mini figure of you in each scene 😂👏
Love the vision and work so far. Quite like the idea of a disused station, maybe with little trace like at Copmanthorpe where there’s the station building (now a house) and a diverging track but little else
One of the best stations you could probably consider is a version of Welham Green. A very simple Station with very narrow platforms and only platforms on the outside of the 4 tracks so you wouldn’t need to relay any track. Personally though I would say it doesn’t need a station as it would just slow down the operation of the whole thing.
I'm really looking forward to this. I took my children to the Doncaster exhibition and there were very few layouts that inspired them. This is in no way a criticism of what was there, ultimately we are not the target audience and what was on show far surpassed anything I could make. However there was no energy, everything was slow and drab. I think there were three layouts which excited them and they all had long, colourful trains moving at speed. One had some penguins escaping from a van, my 6 year old pointed that out to me straight away, he found it very amusing! Certainly look forward to seeing it in action and thanks for sharing and being honest about both the good and bad.
Hi Richard, Great to see the layout in exhibition mode! For now the jury is out on the station, I can't think of many on the ECML that would fit, If you where to do a station I feel it needs to be at the end of a board so it looks more pleasing and not so busy in exhibition mode but so it can also be self contained in garage mode. For now I would say no to the station, bare in mind you can always use some low relief buildings on the top which would break up the scene and won't be so cluttered. I'm sure you'll get plenty of ideas in the comments, and also from talking to viewers at Model Rail Scotland, see you there, All the best Tony.
Thank you for putting together a great channel. Here in South Africa I have had to resorted to downloading episodes so that I still have access to entertainment while experiencing loadshedding (Systematic shutting down of the electricity supply in order to prevent a national blackout). My layout is nowhere near the level of sophistication and quality of yours and I seriously doubt it will ever be, because for financial reasons I resort to looking for the scraps that my children and I get to fiddle with. I still enjoy getting new ideas from what you are doing. Keep it up. Also glad that Lucy keeps I eye on you.
If you want a station for inspiration how about Sandy? Fast running in the middle roads, the Oxford to Cambridge was once there (a what if preservation) and the south of the station on the down slow has a siding that serves a small industry. The layout looks great personally I’d leave those running lines as running lines, maybe add some boards to extend it in the future. If you wanted a bit more added interest how about a railway virtual quarry like hinksey
Would love to see a time lapse vid of the taking down one "mode" of the layout into the other Just to make sure I've got the right pieces in the right place 🤣
The ECML doesn’t have too many small stations on the 4 track sections, as most of them are the commuter stations outside London. However, up in Yorkshire there are a few stations on the Leeds branch designed for local DMU/EMU services which are maybe 5 car length platforms. The other option for a station would be to consider Thirsk as an option. Platforms are designed for 8 carriages at the most but could be scaled down as Thirsk is only served by Northern & TPExpress services. The other option you could go with is having the heritage station as operational, but with abandoned mainline platforms no longer in use.
Awesome set up Richard. I was quite impressed with how big the layout is in exhibition mode. And the 16 coach Caledonian sleeper train doesn't look out of place at all. as for a station in the middle of the layout maybe something like an island platform station would look nice. - Nicholas.
Looks great in exhibition mode ! Re a station on the main line, why not model just the end of the station at one end of the layout so it would double up as a scenic break but give the impression of a much larger station. (Half relief). Looking forward to seeing more progress soon.
Thought I would check the comments, thought someone would beat me to it, and William has! 🤣I think this is an idea to look at, would then not restrict any trains stopping? Great work, Richard.
Great video as ever Richard, looks great in exhibition mode with all the full formations in place particularly, and all the hard work has paid off. Thirsk station could be good inspiration for your ideas of a station on the layout, it would allow your TPE sets to stop/start and allow LNER/Grand Central services fly through at the same time Keep up the great work as ever and hope to see you in Scotland next week for model rail Scotland Cheers James
The station is a good idea. Now, it looks like Just a long straight track, whereas in garage mode it seems so different. Yes, scencery will change things a lot. Good luck. Martin. (Thailand)
Nice work Richard the layout is fantastic what I would suggest is station for New Junction in the middle with the Heritage Line alongside similar to interchange stations
One of the most impressive layouts I've ever seen on the exhibition circuit depicted a stretch of the ECML and was simply that - no stations, churches with wedding parties, car crashes or other such clutter. Just a signal box, the odd lineside hut, and a beautifully landscaped long stretch of track with full length trains making their stately progress along the line. I think it was called Stoke Summit, and it attracted quite a crowd. It's rare to have the room to model wide open spaces like that, so I vote no to the station (but am sure it will be fantastic, whatever you do)!
Sorry I missed the premier Richard. I expected you to find adjustments to be needed. Some look intimidating to me but your enthusiasm tells me that you have it all in hand. An ECML station? How about Arlesey or Sandy? Looking forward to seeing the next update. David.
My immediate thoughts for a smaller ECML station was Thirsk, although the station likes are the two outer ones that splay outwards for the platforms with the fast lines keeping straight in the middle. Something line Northallerton might work with staggered platforms?
Hi Richard, I don’t know if you remember but I sent you an idea a while ago (long before you actually started building 😉) where there was a simple interchange with a connecting walkway down to the preserved line. It would look good to see the remnants of the old ‘original’ station on the main line alongside a modern structure where the station was reopened to connect with the heritage line as well as serve the local village. I think the station would be best suited to the left hand end near where the branch line emerges under the mainline. I can’t think of a prototype off hand, but I’m sure it could look excellent 😎 Perhaps have a road bridge under the mainline and the road traversing the heritage line with a level crossing? 🤔 As for the ‘kink in the main line, I agree it should be smoothed right out but do try to keep a nice long curve in it as it will definitely look better than a dead straight line! 😉 Great to see the beast in its full size. Fantastic! 👍🍻🍀
@@NewJunction: I am so glad that I am such a pain in the Spanish onions mate😂 If I get a chance I don't mind pinging a couple of ideas over to you cos I am thinking of doing a multi level station eventually myself. There was something similar at East Grinstead station but they were perpendicular rather than parallel. However, its well worth a look in terms of how the stations were connected 😉
Hi Richard the exhibition mode is working. The mainline kink needs to be smoothed out somewhat why not have a high level platform to incorporate it with the heritage line below? Probably nothing prototypical but may offer interest so probably a more fictitious scenario than modelling reality. Not sure if the 91’s /Mk4 and the Azuma’s have what you call an SDO facility so that longer trains can call at short platformed stations as they do down here in Cornwall! (SDO being selective Door Opening) Keep up the good work.
There is a simple solution if you think the station will be too big. Build part of a station at the end of the layout so half(?) the train is still on the scenic side and the rest is in the fiddle yard. Great progress.
Great video here Richard, nice to see what the layout will look like when it does attend exhibitions, like I said last time though I hope you will be taking it to smaller exhibitions and not just taking it to the big ones. Definitely add a station to the layout, to see trains rushing though it would make your layout really good, I live near South Elmsall station which is on the line between Doncaster and Leeds and while it may not be a 4 track mainline you get the 91s and the Azumas rushing through with the occasional freight train also rushing through then you get the 331s hauling the stopping services, if your looking to do a small station it might be worth taking inspiration from a station like south elmsall. I recently got my TPE mk5 coaches and they are very good, I run mine with my DRS class 68 but may look for a transpennine one in the future, unfortunately it looks like I may have to get in contact with support though because the cab lights don’t operate for me even though I have seen that they can be operated on dc.
Looks great mate! Loving seeing the progress from the beginning till now mate! I think a station in the middle would be out of place. I personally wouldn't put a station 😊
Layout is really starting to take shape. I think having a station in the middle of the heritage line and then the mainline going straight through will look really good. Not sure having a station on the mainline will work. All the best. Riggsy
Great idea of having a simple station which will not over power the look of the layout. Your station portal is near Potters Bar / Hadley Wood, why not consider Brookmans Park as your station (just a hop, not even a jump from PB/HW). It's in the four track section, has two island platforms which accomadates a six car DMU, and it is not unknown for main line trains to stop due to it being at the end of a section. Keep up the good work. Regards Dave
Great to follow your journey with the layout. I think a station on the main line would distract from the openess you have now created and which is quit rare in layouts. Having only a station on the heritage line would emphasize the difference in time and space of both tracks thus creating a more special layout.
Worth the effort to find all the problems now, as you say. It will be an impressive exhibition layout. It looks like there's some sagging of the boards under the main lines, and it would be so worth the effort to make those dead flat. Maybe even use a laser and add some extra supports until it's all perfect to sub-millimeter precision. Sorry to create work for you, mate :)
Very nice, can't wait to see this fully fleshed out, with trains going round in exhibition mode. I'm not sure there are any stations that suit your idea on the ECML, as all those south of Peterborough can hold 12-car 700s I'm sure (Huntingdon may be a good basis, if shrunk down), Thirsk might be good if you don't mind adding an overbridge on one end and also moving the slow lines outwards and adding the islands (that only serve the slow lines, fencing against the fast lines), then Northallerton northwards (at least to Chathill) is double track only, with Darlington offset to one side. Plus, I think I'd prefer the mainlines just to be stationless, but you could maybe add something else to make a feature of, like a substation (like at the south end of Tyne Yard), or you could even do a closed station (like Otterington, just north of Thirsk, which still has its station building and signal box, but no platforms any more). I wonder which'll turn up first, the first batch of accurascale 37s or their mk2bs?
Most of the 4 track running on the ECMLis south of Peterborough so fits 12 cars for Thameslink. You might find a shrunken down Hitchin works maybe long enough for TPE/Northern to stop at but not big enough for a 9 coach express? Hitchin has crossovers but is 2 platforms with fast lines in the middle and a little yard behind one side
Work is looking good and progressing on the layout Richard, congratulations. I did note at 7min 35sec the vertical deviation when the train was traversing the supports and board breaks, you may want to look into this. I wish you all the best and look forward to future video's, how's the garden layout coming on? Dave
Definitely agree with the link in the main lines. If you go with a station on the main line then offset it with the heritage station, but have a path between the two to link them together. Also the buffet coach in your 91/225 set is the wrong way around, the seating area is standard class
looks great in full mode, be interesting to see how you scenic the "join" between the two halves of the garage mode into a seamless scene in exhibition mode. Just a thought, in reality i'm sure there would be a connecting link between the mainline and other line (hence New Junction!) perhaps a disused trackbed would add some scenic break rather than just constant embankment along the front but would the gradient be too steep from mainline down to heritage in the short space in garage mode? A small station could work for DMUs and still allow fast trains to pass, something like Thirsk (one long one short platform for interest) or Chester-le-Street but making New Junction be located somewhere like Copmanthorpe which allows things in from Leeds as well as ECML flyers....
I would be placing a Station of some sort in the middle, straighten those couple whooies in main line, will like to the fiddle yard build as also need to build one for my layout, be off an 8ft x 4ft tail chaser so need to be able to attach & disattach when need arise to conserve space in my shed.
You could maybe have a diss-used station on the mainline I guess. Possible you could add a 4 track through station on the main with 2 thru lines on the inside.
Hi realise this is very late comment but i think Hatfield station would be interesting - its off-set using one platform from the original ECML station and, on the northbound i think the paltform from the old interchange with a line that ran from Watford on WCML thought st Albans through smallford and in Hatfield. The line from Hatfield to st Albans was taken up and turned into a cycle path (and later the route was cut by the A1 at the Hatfield tunnel but but the line from St Albans to Watford still exists with the abbey flyer
Layout looks great I agree the kink in the main line is not realistic in the modern day. A station that may be worth a look is St Neots as this does have EMU s calling but the mid two tracks are fast ECML trains
As already said by another contributor, a station may cause issues when in the other configuration. Also to echo other comments the opportunity to run full length trains on a mainline setting through open countryside is something rarely possible on a OO gauge layout, with the exception of something like Pete Watermans new exhibition layout. Finally given the sheer complexity of the project as a whole, it make more sense to keep things a bit simpler, rather than open up a million new as yet unknown issues caused by trying to incorporate a station such as already said, as to how it will work in the other set up.
I like the idea of something to draw the eye on the ECML 'upper'... but even a small station is huge... What about a bridge, and a level crossing on the lower (a little like the viaduct near Hadley wood, Hatfield/welling... they have tunnels and bridges too) as there, there is another line traveling east/west (to Enfield?) which is could mimic the heritage 'lower'?
Looks great in this mode - a testament to your planning!
As for questions etc:
1) Yes, straighten the kink
2) No to the station: however small, it's going to dominate, and you'll lose that "watching the trains go by" USP. IRL, the station throat to even a small station would probably take up most of the length of exhibition mode.
When you do the fiddle yard, you're going to need a bigger church!
Very nice work, and planning, not to mention vision for exhibition and garage modes...
Keep aiming high, all that hard work will be rewarded...
👍👍
I hope so! Haha
Also, I love your O guage garden layout...
and, I vote yes for the station on the heritage line...
looks great new sub from Canada thx for the post.😊😊👍👍
Great job Richard, I’m pleased it’s all working out so well.
Long trains look incredible
Richard, your layout looks fabulous in exhibition mode. The caledonian sleeper train looks a natural fit on the line. It will be great to see how the heritage line looks when completed. Cant wait to see the next update. Many thanks Steve
Wow Richard the Layout is looking Fantastic you are a wonderful presenter so open and honest. The Trains look great. Yes you are right about the Heritage Line maybe sharper curves . Woods . Level Crossing.River Bridge. A slight distraction. Your lovely doggie looks asleep but she's on Security watch. Great Layout look forward to seeing more videos. Onwards and upwards. Best wishes Richard Crompton.Scarborough North Yorkshire.
Awesome Richard as always!!! Cheers Onno.
Lovely to see you again today, hopefully we'll see each other again soon!
The pleasure was all mine, happy revising! FYI the flush sided tender is correct for the period it's been modelled on 😊
Brilliant, thought as much but I thought it was worth checking!
@@timbervalleyproductions always worth checking, many thanks! 😊
@@NewJunction 👍
Great work Richard. Good to see such progress. I would love to see Hadley Wood station as I used to commute from Hatfield to Kings Cross. An alternative could be a disused station, overgrown platforms with boarded up or even demolished buildings. Looking forwards to the next one.
Looks mint Thirsk 4 track chester-le-street 2 track there was also one south of York but can’t remember it’s name 2 track only locals stopped. Keep up the good work team
Agree with Thirsk. Has structure over the four lines, with 125mph through the centre. Not Chester-Le-Street purely as the mission was to have the four lines. But I totally get it.
Ulleskelf, I think is the other one you’re thinking of, with the four lines. Just north of Church Fenton. Smaller station and only covers two, out of the four, main lines.
Either options would be awesome for the layout. Personally I’d head for Ulleskelf. Purely as Thirsk would dominate a bit over the four running lines. Ulleskelf can be present without that factor.
Great suggestions.
Keep up the good work Richard.
Incredible! It looks great.
Exciting times ahead thankyou for the video 👏
Sorry I sent that before it was done. I like your style I love your partner the furry I'm learning about DCC you are one of the few men that I watch started watching you on the new build in your garage. You're one of two European men that iWatch. The other gentleman is from Germany. Just want to thank you for your knowledge your effort you put into your videos and what I like to call your professionalism. Having said that thank you keep them coming
Looks fantastic ! Like your improvement ideas and love the transit !
Thank you very much!
Amazing to see the layout in all its exhibition glory. I have binged on this series over the last two days and you have really re-kindled my enthusiasm again after 50 years away from it all. (that does sound a long time!) Looking forward to the next video. Nice one.
No to a station. Love this so much as it is different. If you want to break up the mainline, add a loop for holding a freight.
Top tip!
Looking good
The layout looks great in exhibition mode! As a suggestion; if you are going to put a small mainline station into the layout, then offset the station on the heritage line so that you don't have two stations opposite each other, as that would make the while layout too heavy in the central area.
Top tip from a top chap 😘
Brilliant,, i think a station would go, and be a asset to the layout. keep up the good work looking forward to the next installment .
Looking good Richard I think you are right about the station it would add some more play value
Curious as to how you are going to build the exhibition fiddle yard to deal with the sleeper.
Personally I am not bothered with a station on the mainline - I think the long trains, both passenger and intermodal frieght will look impressive enough - and as there are points, you will always have an excuse to stop trains at signals/ slow line to fast line movements etc
Good point!
@@NewJunction I was going to say are you not going to need a fiddle yard at each end ???
Thanks for sharing. Stay safe.
Thank you, I will
The layout in exhibition looks good 👍 your planning was really well thought out so really well done for that . Once again Richard love your CZcams channel. Bye for now.
my two bob's worth is what you are doing and sharing with us is absolutely brilliant and thankyou so much, ive paused the video as i comment and i thought you are gonna see challenges with a lot of similarity to pete waterman's making tracks layout which is phenomenal, then i see two guys working on that helping you which is fantastic and your bound to succeed, i have followed New Junction and new new junction since i got back into the hobby a few years ago and see you at g e t s but didnt want to bother you, i am watching and learning and appreciate your passion/enthusiasm and look forward to how this wonderful project progresses.
Thanks Andy, I'm glad my trifles ate of interest! Do come and say Hi next time you see me! 😄
Looks great in exhibition mode as it does in garage mode. So very well done 👏
I'm definitely saying yes to a small main line station 👍
Already looking forward to the next update
All the best
Russ
Excellent video
Thank you very much!
Wow exhibition mode is AWESOME! It's so cool seeing such long trains. I personally like you original idea of no platform on the mainline and keeping it to the heritage line. But if you have changed your mind to add a small station go for it. You need enjoyment from your layout and if that will increase that - go for it.
Thanks Jade, you're dead right!
This was another great video, this is such an interesting project!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow it’s really coming together Richard 👍🏻even the 16 coach Caledonian sleeper looks right at home…i can already imagine them flying down the layout 👍🏻brilliant
You and me both!
It looks great. Obvs 'it's your train set..' etc but in response to your comments about adding features to the mainline I'd probably leave as is because I think the intricacy/details and features on the low level preserved line with slow running and necessarily infrequent trains will nicely counterpoint the faster, and more frequent, mainline trains running above and create an overall sense of balance. And there can be plenty of scenic interest in even 'plain' mainline with signalling equipment, track cess and other features, control boxes, maybe a maintenance gang on one line requiring slow running etc etc.
Great to see it in Exhibition mode and really does look fantastic, I know some people already suggested it but a scaled down Thirsk or Hadley Wood are good options as watching it they would be the suggestions I would had made as well. Great Video.
You may not see this but in terms of an ECML station have a look at Thirsk, you could shorten the platforms for your layout as if it were only serving 4 or 5 car length trains, eg 220s and shorter 800s, but as it only faces the two slow lines on the 4 track mainline so you can still have fast running trains at an exhibition. Add the red brick bridge for a scenic break and the station build which hugely resembles a scale scenes kit and you’ve got a fitting station for your layout! Hope this helps :)
I see all comments 😁 and think is what I've gone for, watch this space for the next episode
Although not my era, those MK5's do look impressive... fantastic effort there Richard really does look great, look forward to seeing those MK4's & 5's belting up and down the ECML!!
PS: What a great hobby, so glad I got back into it :)
For a station, you could consider Sandy. Platforms on the pair of outer (slow) lines only. Another thought is a disused station. Platforms in situ but overgrown. An unusual feature rarely seen as most layouts only have space for 1 fully functioning station, so they don’t use “waste” room on a disused site.
I'm looking forward to an update, whenever that is! :)
This is looking awesome look forward to seeing it out on the exhibition circuit. In terms of a station perhaps the centre section of Doncaster this would give you 2 platforms plus 2 fast passing lines in the centre
sandy, Hitchin or St Neots would be a good start. that was my home turf and great smaller stations!
Yup i agree with that 👍
I'll take a look
Wow! Looking good. This looked big in garage mode, now it's absolutely enormous! If I put that sleeper train on the tail chaser section of my layout I would be able to connect the front to the back I reckon 🤣.
I was just about to say at the end that you can’t get the staff and you stole my thunder! Great minds think alike.😂😂 Thanks for the episode, I enjoyed it.👍🏻
The layouts looking great mate,
One point regarding the stations ( and I know it’s already been mentioned) is off setting the stations, rather then having both in the middle.
Maybe on the corner where the class 91 DVT is sat, one prime example is Thirsk using the over bridge as the scenic break on this end of the layout, you could always make it look like the platforms continue on underneath the over bridge, That way the platforms on the scenic section perhaps only need to look long enough for a coach or two on the scenic section.
I’m also in Love with the MK5s Accurascale have done a cracking Job (as always), don’t forget I’ve got my set if you need a another set at exhibitions 🤣
I’ve also ordered another 68 but I’m keeping it under wraps until it arrives 🤫
4 track station with short platforms, there’s a few suitable candidates towards Kings Cross. Some good examples are Brookman’s Park or Welhan Green (the latter being local platforms only), these can only take six car trains bound for KGX/the former Northern City Line into Moorgate.
Think you answered your own question as regards to the station, if you want it go for it 😉 you could model the ends of a station at the scenic break end, a road over the tracks housing the station building etc similar to Crewe, that way you can stop any formation in the platforms.
Hi Richard,
Harringay might be a good candidate, platforms on just the up and down slows, only around 120m long, just right for 5/6 coach trains, there's Green Lanes in the cutting within walking distance on the other line and even the chord to join the two lines up.
Awesome to see the layout set up in full length mode like that. I've really enjoyed following along with the progress of this!
I'm glad to hear you think the 'kinks' in the mainline are too severe; can understand how it was hard to plan them out when in 'garage' mode. If you can sort those to allow better high-speed running, that'd be great. Same thing with the banking out of the tunnel too.
Personally I'm not keen on the idea of a station of the mainline; I think it would work best just as a stretch of 4-track main line. I'm not so familiar with the ECML, having lived in the East Midlands for the past 12 years; but on the Midland Mainline I do know of those smaller stations, so can sort of see where you're getting at.
Keep up for the fantastic work either way!
Thanks!
Hi Richard,
Railways in churchs are becoming an everyday event so well done for doing this and that is some layout in this format and yes I do think a small station would be a good idea as a camera can be positioned on it and super shots of your mainline trains running through at high speed always good in a video and the suggestion of a link to the heritage line is well worth doing as the musuem I visited does have a "main" branch line through it ( Marks Tey-Sudbury ).
Cheers Robert.
Retford station minus the long platform on the one side, it would look perfect at the far end of the layout before the curve into the fiddle yard
There are plenty of small stations that aren’t long enough for modern express trains, but are serviced by local stoppers made up of shorter DMUs. So a station just big enough for three and four car trains would work. Longer trains stopping there would only disembark passengers from the first three coaches as per the real railway.
If your tunnel/bridge is based on Hadley Wood, what about Hadley wood station? Coming out of the tunnel top speed, it’s a good place for train spotting
Also I’ve only just noticed on your intro sequence you have a mini figure of you in each scene 😂👏
Love the vision and work so far. Quite like the idea of a disused station, maybe with little trace like at Copmanthorpe where there’s the station building (now a house) and a diverging track but little else
Good idea!
This is truly brilliant. Better than mine!
I wouldn't go that far!
One of the best stations you could probably consider is a version of Welham Green. A very simple Station with very narrow platforms and only platforms on the outside of the 4 tracks so you wouldn’t need to relay any track.
Personally though I would say it doesn’t need a station as it would just slow down the operation of the whole thing.
Sandy is on the ECML with LNER etc passing through at speed in the centre with Thameslink stopping at the station
Take a look at Northallerton station on the ECML, I think that may have what you're looking for. Layout looks fantastic in exhibition mode.
Thanks for the tip!
I'm really looking forward to this. I took my children to the Doncaster exhibition and there were very few layouts that inspired them. This is in no way a criticism of what was there, ultimately we are not the target audience and what was on show far surpassed anything I could make. However there was no energy, everything was slow and drab. I think there were three layouts which excited them and they all had long, colourful trains moving at speed. One had some penguins escaping from a van, my 6 year old pointed that out to me straight away, he found it very amusing! Certainly look forward to seeing it in action and thanks for sharing and being honest about both the good and bad.
It's gigantic!
What about the layout? 😅
Looking good! A small station would be great.
I think so too!
East Retford is a nice old station with a branch line crossing the main line via an underpass, could be adapted to link to the heritage line
Good idea!
That is the best way to go at the station, that is of the real Railway, then you’ll get it right
Hi Richard, Great to see the layout in exhibition mode! For now the jury is out on the station, I can't think of many on the ECML that would fit, If you where to do a station I feel it needs to be at the end of a board so it looks more pleasing and not so busy in exhibition mode but so it can also be self contained in garage mode. For now I would say no to the station, bare in mind you can always use some low relief buildings on the top which would break up the scene and won't be so cluttered. I'm sure you'll get plenty of ideas in the comments, and also from talking to viewers at Model Rail Scotland, see you there, All the best Tony.
Thanks Tony!
Thank you for putting together a great channel. Here in South Africa I have had to resorted to downloading episodes so that I still have access to entertainment while experiencing loadshedding (Systematic shutting down of the electricity supply in order to prevent a national blackout). My layout is nowhere near the level of sophistication and quality of yours and I seriously doubt it will ever be, because for financial reasons I resort to looking for the scraps that my children and I get to fiddle with. I still enjoy getting new ideas from what you are doing. Keep it up. Also glad that Lucy keeps I eye on you.
If you want a station for inspiration how about Sandy? Fast running in the middle roads, the Oxford to Cambridge was once there (a what if preservation) and the south of the station on the down slow has a siding that serves a small industry.
The layout looks great personally I’d leave those running lines as running lines, maybe add some boards to extend it in the future. If you wanted a bit more added interest how about a railway virtual quarry like hinksey
Amazing
Thank you! Cheers!
@@NewJunctionno problem
Would love to see a time lapse vid of the taking down one "mode" of the layout into the other
Just to make sure I've got the right pieces in the right place 🤣
The ECML doesn’t have too many small stations on the 4 track sections, as most of them are the commuter stations outside London. However, up in Yorkshire there are a few stations on the Leeds branch designed for local DMU/EMU services which are maybe 5 car length platforms. The other option for a station would be to consider Thirsk as an option. Platforms are designed for 8 carriages at the most but could be scaled down as Thirsk is only served by Northern & TPExpress services. The other option you could go with is having the heritage station as operational, but with abandoned mainline platforms no longer in use.
Thanks!
Awesome set up Richard. I was quite impressed with how big the layout is in exhibition mode. And the 16 coach Caledonian sleeper train doesn't look out of place at all. as for a station in the middle of the layout maybe something like an island platform station would look nice. - Nicholas.
Many thanks!
Looks great in exhibition mode ! Re a station on the main line, why not model just the end of the station at one end of the layout so it would double up as a scenic break but give the impression of a much larger station. (Half relief). Looking forward to seeing more progress soon.
Good idea!
Thought I would check the comments, thought someone would beat me to it, and William has! 🤣I think this is an idea to look at, would then not restrict any trains stopping? Great work, Richard.
Great video as ever Richard, looks great in exhibition mode with all the full formations in place particularly, and all the hard work has paid off. Thirsk station could be good inspiration for your ideas of a station on the layout, it would allow your TPE sets to stop/start and allow LNER/Grand Central services fly through at the same time
Keep up the great work as ever and hope to see you in Scotland next week for model rail Scotland
Cheers
James
Thanks as always James, sadly I'm not at Glasgow this year, the boss lady is expecting so can't go 😅
@@NewJunction ah fair enough, congratulations and hope everything goes OK for you and the other half in the coming days
The station is a good idea. Now, it looks like Just a long straight track, whereas in garage mode it seems so different. Yes, scencery will change things a lot. Good luck. Martin. (Thailand)
I was confused for a bit there - until I realised that you were talking about super-elevation, rather than simple embankment.
Slip of the tongue after a long couple of days lol
Nice work Richard the layout is fantastic what I would suggest is station for New Junction in the middle with the Heritage Line alongside similar to interchange stations
Thanks for the tip
T
Thirsk station just north of york on the ecml has 4 running lines and hst's fly through at 100+mph but also has local stopping services
One of the most impressive layouts I've ever seen on the exhibition circuit depicted a stretch of the ECML and was simply that - no stations, churches with wedding parties, car crashes or other such clutter. Just a signal box, the odd lineside hut, and a beautifully landscaped long stretch of track with full length trains making their stately progress along the line. I think it was called Stoke Summit, and it attracted quite a crowd. It's rare to have the room to model wide open spaces like that, so I vote no to the station (but am sure it will be fantastic, whatever you do)!
Thanks, I do enjoy Stoke summit
Sorry I missed the premier Richard. I expected you to find adjustments to be needed. Some look intimidating to me but your enthusiasm tells me that you have it all in hand. An ECML station? How about Arlesey or Sandy? Looking forward to seeing the next update. David.
My immediate thoughts for a smaller ECML station was Thirsk, although the station likes are the two outer ones that splay outwards for the platforms with the fast lines keeping straight in the middle. Something line Northallerton might work with staggered platforms?
Hi Richard,
I don’t know if you remember but I sent you an idea a while ago (long before you actually started building 😉) where there was a simple interchange with a connecting walkway down to the preserved line. It would look good to see the remnants of the old ‘original’ station on the main line alongside a modern structure where the station was reopened to connect with the heritage line as well as serve the local village. I think the station would be best suited to the left hand end near where the branch line emerges under the mainline. I can’t think of a prototype off hand, but I’m sure it could look excellent 😎 Perhaps have a road bridge under the mainline and the road traversing the heritage line with a level crossing? 🤔
As for the ‘kink in the main line, I agree it should be smoothed right out but do try to keep a nice long curve in it as it will definitely look better than a dead straight line! 😉
Great to see the beast in its full size. Fantastic! 👍🍻🍀
Its your idea that put a spanner in the works haha 😄 I'm looking forward to attempting to make it work
@@NewJunction: I am so glad that I am such a pain in the Spanish onions mate😂
If I get a chance I don't mind pinging a couple of ideas over to you cos I am thinking of doing a multi level station eventually myself. There was something similar at East Grinstead station but they were perpendicular rather than parallel. However, its well worth a look in terms of how the stations were connected
😉
Hi Richard the exhibition mode is working. The mainline kink needs to be smoothed out somewhat why not have a high level platform to incorporate it with the heritage line below? Probably nothing prototypical but may offer interest so probably a more fictitious scenario than modelling reality. Not sure if the 91’s /Mk4 and the Azuma’s have what you call an SDO facility so that longer trains can call at short platformed stations as they do down here in Cornwall! (SDO being selective Door Opening) Keep up the good work.
There is a simple solution if you think the station will be too big. Build part of a station at the end of the layout so half(?) the train is still on the scenic side and the rest is in the fiddle yard. Great progress.
Great video here Richard, nice to see what the layout will look like when it does attend exhibitions, like I said last time though I hope you will be taking it to smaller exhibitions and not just taking it to the big ones.
Definitely add a station to the layout, to see trains rushing though it would make your layout really good, I live near South Elmsall station which is on the line between Doncaster and Leeds and while it may not be a 4 track mainline you get the 91s and the Azumas rushing through with the occasional freight train also rushing through then you get the 331s hauling the stopping services, if your looking to do a small station it might be worth taking inspiration from a station like south elmsall.
I recently got my TPE mk5 coaches and they are very good, I run mine with my DRS class 68 but may look for a transpennine one in the future, unfortunately it looks like I may have to get in contact with support though because the cab lights don’t operate for me even though I have seen that they can be operated on dc.
Ah, get in touch with accrua, they'll be happy to assist!
Looks great mate! Loving seeing the progress from the beginning till now mate! I think a station in the middle would be out of place. I personally wouldn't put a station 😊
Tiny station, sort of 3 car dmu length, you could even have split platforms for the up and down with an underpass connecting them
Good idea
Layout is really starting to take shape. I think having a station in the middle of the heritage line and then the mainline going straight through will look really good. Not sure having a station on the mainline will work. All the best. Riggsy
Thanks Riggsy
Great idea of having a simple station which will not over power the look of the layout. Your station portal is near Potters Bar / Hadley Wood, why not consider Brookmans Park as your station (just a hop, not even a jump from PB/HW). It's in the four track section, has two island platforms which accomadates a six car DMU, and it is not unknown for main line trains to stop due to it being at the end of a section. Keep up the good work. Regards Dave
Thanks Dave!
Great to follow your journey with the layout. I think a station on the main line would distract from the openess you have now created and which is quit rare in layouts. Having only a station on the heritage line would emphasize the difference in time and space of both tracks thus creating a more special layout.
Worth the effort to find all the problems now, as you say. It will be an impressive exhibition layout.
It looks like there's some sagging of the boards under the main lines, and it would be so worth the effort to make those dead flat. Maybe even use a laser and add some extra supports until it's all perfect to sub-millimeter precision. Sorry to create work for you, mate :)
That was one of the advantages for getting it in this mode early, find the issues 😄
Very nice, can't wait to see this fully fleshed out, with trains going round in exhibition mode.
I'm not sure there are any stations that suit your idea on the ECML, as all those south of Peterborough can hold 12-car 700s I'm sure (Huntingdon may be a good basis, if shrunk down), Thirsk might be good if you don't mind adding an overbridge on one end and also moving the slow lines outwards and adding the islands (that only serve the slow lines, fencing against the fast lines), then Northallerton northwards (at least to Chathill) is double track only, with Darlington offset to one side. Plus, I think I'd prefer the mainlines just to be stationless, but you could maybe add something else to make a feature of, like a substation (like at the south end of Tyne Yard), or you could even do a closed station (like Otterington, just north of Thirsk, which still has its station building and signal box, but no platforms any more).
I wonder which'll turn up first, the first batch of accurascale 37s or their mk2bs?
The 37s would be my guess 😆
Most of the 4 track running on the ECMLis south of Peterborough so fits 12 cars for Thameslink. You might find a shrunken down Hitchin works maybe long enough for TPE/Northern to stop at but not big enough for a 9 coach express? Hitchin has crossovers but is 2 platforms with fast lines in the middle and a little yard behind one side
Although my personal favourite station is Morpeth, or Manors may work well for you too!
Thanks
Work is looking good and progressing on the layout Richard, congratulations. I did note at 7min 35sec the vertical deviation when the train was traversing the supports and board breaks, you may want to look into this. I wish you all the best and look forward to future video's, how's the garden layout coming on? Dave
Definitely agree with the link in the main lines. If you go with a station on the main line then offset it with the heritage station, but have a path between the two to link them together.
Also the buffet coach in your 91/225 set is the wrong way around, the seating area is standard class
looks great in full mode, be interesting to see how you scenic the "join" between the two halves of the garage mode into a seamless scene in exhibition mode.
Just a thought, in reality i'm sure there would be a connecting link between the mainline and other line (hence New Junction!) perhaps a disused trackbed would add some scenic break rather than just constant embankment along the front but would the gradient be too steep from mainline down to heritage in the short space in garage mode?
A small station could work for DMUs and still allow fast trains to pass, something like Thirsk (one long one short platform for interest) or Chester-le-Street but making New Junction be located somewhere like Copmanthorpe which allows things in from Leeds as well as ECML flyers....
I would be placing a Station of some sort in the middle, straighten those couple whooies in main line, will like to the fiddle yard build as also need to build one for my layout, be off an 8ft x 4ft tail chaser so need to be able to attach & disattach when need arise to conserve space in my shed.
Thanks
You could maybe have a diss-used station on the mainline I guess. Possible you could add a 4 track through station on the main with 2 thru lines on the inside.
Coming along very nicely. Station would be great. Something like new Southgate or St Neots. Just to name a couple.
Thanks
Hi
realise this is very late comment but i think Hatfield station would be interesting - its off-set using one platform from the original ECML station and, on the northbound i think the paltform from the old interchange with a line that ran from Watford on WCML thought st Albans through smallford and in Hatfield. The line from Hatfield to st Albans was taken up and turned into a cycle path (and later the route was cut by the A1 at the Hatfield tunnel but but the line from St Albans to Watford still exists with the abbey flyer
No point Lulu adding her expertise until you have caught up!!
Ha! She's the real expert!
Layout looks great I agree the kink in the main line is not realistic in the modern day.
A station that may be worth a look is St Neots as this does have EMU s calling but the mid two tracks are fast ECML trains
As already said by another contributor, a station may cause issues when in the other configuration. Also to echo other comments the opportunity to run full length trains on a mainline setting through open countryside is something rarely possible on a OO gauge layout, with the exception of something like Pete Watermans new exhibition layout. Finally given the sheer complexity of the project as a whole, it make more sense to keep things a bit simpler, rather than open up a million new as yet unknown issues caused by trying to incorporate a station such as already said, as to how it will work in the other set up.
Solving issues is half the hobby hehe
perhaps having the heritage double track is unrealistic too.. It's pretty unique seeing a exhibition layout being built, very interesting!
That's around the station area, inspired by my local double track heritage railway. 😁
@@NewJunctionThe Great Central Railway, Loughborough?
I like the idea of something to draw the eye on the ECML 'upper'... but even a small station is huge...
What about a bridge, and a level crossing on the lower (a little like the viaduct near Hadley wood, Hatfield/welling... they have tunnels and bridges too) as there, there is another line traveling east/west (to Enfield?) which is could mimic the heritage 'lower'?
put a station above the heritage line,then you can have a footbridge/pathway leading down to it. apart from that, looking good.