 |
THE SCALEFOUR SOCIETY 18.83 LAYOUT CHALLENGE |
|
|
THE SCALEFOUR SOCIETY 18.83 LAYOUT CHALLENGE |
Merton Road by Richard Dunning
Description
A circular layout comprising a single track through line with small station
including coal yard and parcels bay.
Three-eighths of the circle is scenic with the remainder taken up by four
storage roads, arranged electrically into eight "half-loops".
Location and period
Merton Road is somewhere in the vicinity of the Wimbledon-West Croydon line and
the Tooting loops. Originally it was a joint LBSC/LSWR operation. A single track
route for reasons of economy, it was electrified in SR days and carries a token
suburban passenger service (2-car EMU sets).
To make operation more interesting it is assumed that the line is used by
through freights, sometimes inter-regional, and the occasional secondary
steam-hauled passenger service.
The period is to be late 1950s/early 1960s, allowing steam, diesel and electric
traction to be featured.
Operation
It is intended to run three trains in each direction with each stored train
occupying one half-loop in the fiddle yard. Thus there will always be an empty
half-loop available for an arriving train in either direction allowing a
complete route to be set from departure road to arrival road and requiring the
use of only one controller. There will be no attempt to replicate out and back
style operation but rather to provide variety by swapping locomotives every now
and then on a continuous stream of trains using basically the same stock. The
occasional pick up goods may shunt the yard.
