The owner provides an update on recent changes to his layout.

 

 

 

My fictitious O & FR Railway was described in TCH123, June 2009, in which it was intimated that there would be some changes.

 

 

Well, these changes were made just in time for last Year’s Brisbane Convention. In fact, the Friday visit open to Conventioneers was the occasion of its “shakedown” run!

 

 

What were the changes? Well, Fairley Road and the “Reading”’ fiddle yard tracks were disconnected from the rest of the layout and relocated to a new position. A new section incorporating the main line to “Reading” and the branch line to Fairley Road was added, changing the layout shape from an “L” to a “U”. The approach to Fairley Road was improved with a better transitioned curve and a lengthened lead into the yard. The loco shed siding was extended, so that now three locomotives can be stabled there – unfortunately on the one track, which is hardly prototypical. Nevertheless it provides for stabling of a tank engine to work a local service, a shunt engine and to swap an incoming tender engine with an outgoing one pointed the right way! Also it was possible to lengthen the “Reading” fiddle yard tracks and to add a third one, a house stump restricting the addition of any more. The change and the earlier lengthening of Oxhill Road yard now enables 5-car passenger trains to be operated.

 

 

The current set up is three hidden main line layover sidings each end so that Up and Down trains can meet at Oxhill and continue onwards to occupy the respective vacated tracks. There are still two branch fiddle yard sidings (“Stratford”) that feed Fairley Road station.

 

With a local passenger from FR dock to Oxhill and return, a passenger and a goods trains from Stratford to and from FR and a similar return passenger train plus an auto train that runs in and out of a “Stratford” track when it is vacant, this gives eleven trains to operate fourteen services during a sequential session.

 

 

Trains run to a sequential timetable using real time and each goods train has specified shunting moves listed in the instructions sheet. Sequences have been devised so that I can perform a session by myself, or for two operators to operate the full session. In all, the latter takes about 45 minutes.

 

The layout operates either as BR (WR and LMR) and when I want a change the stock is replaced by GWR, LMS or SR items. For the latter, I can dig out correct period stock including those interesting private owner coal opens. In a somewhat limited area about 5 metres by 3, it all adds up to variety.