Anon - DEMU challenge layout

Knottingley Wagon Repair Shop by Richard Sandland

I have always admired Class 56 locomotives for sheer brute power accompanied by spectacular sound effects and they were the last diesels to be built by BREL Crewe where my father worked. I became a frequent visitor to the Monk Fryston area to visit friends and nearby Knottingley depot has a good vantage point from an adjacent bank, where almost all photographs of the location are taken.

The inspiration for this particular model came from viewing The Model Railways Shunting Puzzles Website created by Adrian Wymann. This describes diorama layouts which though small have operational interest. The project initially began in EM gauge when I was given some point work by a fellow member of Wirral Finescale, Mike Turner. The club exhibits layouts in OO Finescale and P4 and it soon became evident that commencing work in a gauge that was not supported by anyone else in the group was a non-starter. The announcement of the S4/DEMU Challenge prompted a re-evaluation of the idea and in a desire to actually see a project through to completion. I entered…..

The locomotives to be used are from Hornby, Bachmann, Vi trains, Dapol and Mainline. The revised Hornby Class 56 due late 2007 is eagerly awaited and will form the backbone of the fleet. Wagons are from Hornby, Bachmann, Replica and Dapol with a few kit built thrown in for good measure. Buildings on the layout will be kit bashed from Heljan sources along with a Knightwing loco washer and Express Models lighting towers. Track and point work are by the P4 Track Co.

The layout is DCC operated using a Lenz set 100. The points are worked by Tortoise point motors controlled from the handset by a switching device. The layout has been mainly built by Richard Sandland and Mike Turner but with plenty of help and advice from Tim Rogers and Dave Skipsey.

Progress photos as at September 2007, Click on photo to enlarge.

P4 Track Co. points placed on Templot printout of track layout	Mock up of Wagon Repair Shop, additional low relief buildings will extend from left side up to front edge of layout.
Shelf under layout doubles as lid during transportation. Layout supported by 3 engineering stands (from Aldi) and will be covered by a black curtain hung from the underside of the facia.	Lighting towers from Express Models
Looking along the layout towards the Wagon Repair end.	Looking back towards the Fiddle yard end showing integral lighting gantry with low voltage halogen lights. Curved front facia will extend from the top of the lights to level with the base of the FY grey front with a cut out made with a router centrally to give a viewing aperture.
Fiddle Yard board with cassette. Interior will house Lenz Set 100 and transformers for low voltage lighting. Hole on extreme right to plug handset for frontal operation.	Vi trains Class 37 converted to P4 with Branchlines wheels next to as yet unmodified Bachmann 08
Hornby HAAs with Bachmann 08.