Shades of the Harz - new home at Chasewater

[PhilP]

Having secured the late Michael Heaven's "Shades of the Harz" layout, we needed to prepare somewhere to put it..
Above the Chasewater Heaths station, the 'loft' had been designed to be a usable space. At one point, it was even considered to turn it into a self-contained flat, though planning consent was never applied for.
The room is 13 feet wall to wall, but we could gain a little more if we were to 'break-out' into the eaves.. This would require boxing-in to maintain the integrity of the fire-stopping, so we hope to avoid this.

 

[PhilP]

We had cleared the larger part of the upstairs last weekend..
A temporary feed of power is available, so we can use the odd power-tool, or as here, plug in a couple of lights. - The longer fluorescent is six feet long. the floor is boarded with 8x4 sheets to give you an idea of scale.



And so it begins..
I have paused to grab a couple of shots before we get to far into the painting..



An evening`s work..
The paint had been donated, and was less than half the tub.. We used the lot, and have given about 18 feet of the room its` first coat.
The unpainted area at the far end will be divided off to house the `plumbing` for the café which occupies a large portion of the ground floor.

 

[PaulRhB]

How much can you fit in, is it just the main station or do you have more length available?

 

[PhilP]

Length is less of a problem than width..
The big 12- board station complex will go to the right of where I took the photos from, and go about two-thirds the way down the length we have in this room.. We *should* just about get to where the original layout turned OK, but as it stands, do not have the width to get the turn in..
The return leg of the layout meanders, and the boards are trapezoidal, so we may be able to reverse one or two of them to get a 'wavy straight' back up the room.

Behind where I was standing, the stairs come up. There is another room beyond them, about 30 foot, so we could break-out of the end of the station complex, 'tunnel' across the stairs, and get a return-curve to make a circuit. - This would allow continuous running with little input from the operator.. Useful with there only being two of us regularly!! It would add interest as the train would 'disappear' for a time, before re-appearing at the other side.

We may have to close-off the second room, or part of it, for secure storage..

Early days until we get it up there and laid-out.
The layout as it stands will need to be lowered, and we may need to have the main station complex almost at floor level (allowing for the thickness of the base-boards obviously). The layout climbs as it progresses round, so we will either need to allow for this, or take some (all?) of the slope out as we cut the legs down..

 

[PaulRhB]

I'd flatten it out rather than go too low and sneaking in a loop, disguised as far as possible, certainly seems a good idea. Good luck

 

[PhilP]

I'd flatten it out rather than go too low and sneaking in a loop, disguised as far as possible, certainly seems a good idea. Good luck

Well, I suppose I might need to get under it for maintenance!!

Another idea is to 'pull' the right-hand end of the station complex out from the wall a little.. Could then fit an extra point at the station 'throat' to break-out towards the wall.. Slight rising gradient, and that line could be the one that punches through the stairwell.
It would be an addition to the back of the layout, rather than 'messing' the terminus up to fit our needs..

Would still like to put it up 'as is' for one last time, but I do not think the powers that be are that willing to have us take up that much of the shed.. They are 'tunnel-vision' (no pun) on getting the 12" to the foot connected at the moment.. That, and the effort to put it up, then take it down and move it to the other end of the line. - Especially as there are presently only two of us!
It is a big ask of all concerned. Have to see what momentum we can generate post this weekend.. Guerilla tactics with lots of 'noise' on the Facilebook page might sway them I suppose?
Not that I am suggesting people 'enquire' if the layout will be setup at Brownhills at all!

 

[Loco]

This is interesting, as I aspire to build indoors myself in the future. How long is the room, with and without the space behind the staircase?

- Loco -

 

[railwayman198]

I just think it's great that this layout has been saved. Surely one of the most authentic G scale layouts.

 

[PhilP]

Loco:
I will get you some more accurate figures over the weekend..
Railwayman198:
Agreed.. The thought of the track being ripped-up, and the boards being burnt, does not bear thinking about!

Sorting out whether to keep 'the climb' will be easier than I thought..
The legs, bolts, connecting cables, and (sadly) the lights, are common to the other large scale layouts, so we will not be getting them..

If we *can* get to set it up before it moves 'upstairs', we can borrow the bits we would need, and they have offered to come over and help put it together! - Which would be a god-send for the 'hints and wrinkles'.

I have asked if we can borrow 'one of each' of the 'bits' so we can take photos, dimensioned drawings, and wiring details to make life easier..
I think there will be 'work in progress' running testing days, followed by an 'official opening' when those who ran the layout and Michaels' family will be invited to see what we have done.
More to follow..

 

[PaulRhB]

Hope you got a few 2-10-2's

 

[PhilP]

Hope you got a few 2-10-2's

Hope you lot are going to come and bring yours!!
Mob-handed, for a 'Grand Op'nin' bash..

 

[mike]

defitaly!!!!

 

[PhilP]

Mike, bring your 'national trust green' one as well. would really like to see it in the flesh, so to speak.
PhilP.

 

[PaulRhB]

I'd love to see it in its new home and the full size railway too, long way but I'll try

 

[dunnyrail]

Well I have 2, the 2-6-2, a Kamel and an LGB Mallett that would look good. About a hundred miles each way, but worth the Trip I hope. How many will you be able to fit in the Room once the layout is in there and up an running with DCC?
JonD

 

[mike]

Mike, bring your 'national trust green' one as well. would really like to see it in the flesh, so to speak.
PhilP.

give me a list, and ill bring it..

 

[PhilP]

Hope you got a few 2-10-2's

Well, post auction we now have three!!

And a rake of 6 red/cream HSB coaches, and a couple of green DR, and a few other bits..
Several lots of books as well..

The prices some of the 7mm 'O' loco's were going for was a bit of an eye-opener.. You get a lot more 'bang per buck' in G scale!!

 

[PaulRhB]

Ah but many of the O ones are unique handbuilt models. Glad to hear you got lucky with 2-10-2's I did wonder what they'd go for weathered. Had no chance of getting to the auction though.

 

[PhilP]

This is interesting, as I aspire to build indoors myself in the future. How long is the room, with and without the space behind the staircase?

- Loco -

More pictures and detail in next post..
The room is 13' 1" wide, and we have 50' 2" from (roughly) where the wall dividing off the machinery at the end will be, back to the stairs. - Pictures below will make it clearer..
I have not measured the second room (full of junk!) but think it is about 30 foot.

 

[PhilP]

Sunday, 9th March 2014.
Jane (SWMBO) joined me for the day painting..
Have been asked about dimensions, so:
Room is 13` 1" wide, and we have 50` 2" to the stairs.. About another 30` the other side, but not measured as that is our store / all the junk that was up here has moved over there until we can either sell it, or skip it!
* Two Nuneaton route indicator boxes are probably surplus to requirements if there is any genuine interest out there?*

I have highlighted the edges/joins in the 8 x 4 ply flooring sheets in this shot.. You can just make out the odd foot at the right-hand side of the room.



For those who need a little help to visualise `how much track you can fit`.. A semi-circle of LGB R3 in situ..



Jane and I spent a few hours painting.. First coat. Found another half-bucket of paint onsite, and a third of a 5 litre `tin` of `silk`.. We went over to Brownhills for a Carvery lunch at the Sidings (Tea Room / Café at the main Chasewater station), and then had to fight our way out through the traffic! - First decent Sunday this year, and everyone and there dogs were out to make the most of it.. People parked along the edge of the access road meant there was much toing and froing to get traffic past in both directions.
*Note to self: Once the railway is running again, go by train!!

Finally some shots of our progress:
Looking back to the stairs at start of day..



End of day, taken from the top of the stairs..


End of day, lookin back towards the stairs.. All the left-hand side done, and the right to the skylight..


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