Bradfield - Gloucester Square
LAYOUT DETAILS
Scale: 4mm finescale 00 gauge
Size: 4.6M long, 0.6M wide plus operating space at rear
Period: BR late 1950’s and early 1960’s as options
Region: BR North Eastern (Ex Midland Lines)
Control: DCC Digitrax, many locos with sound
The layout is inspired by the Midland Railway’s terminus in Bradford with links via Leeds to London, Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham and Devon and links via Settle to Carlisle and Morecambe. It is not a replica of the station, but reflects its architectural style and the atmosphere of a jaded West Riding mainline terminus in the final decade of steam. The trains are run to a working timetable which is based on simplified BR summer timetable from the period, with movements controlled by working semaphore signals. The layout features Digital Command Control with on-board sound systems.
The terminal station at Bradfield G.S. has only three platforms, a central siding and a head-shunt which used to be a fish dock all once covered by an overall roof. It stands at the end of double track branch that joins the midland main line between Leeds and Skipton. Immediately outside the station the double tracks plunge into a short tunnel to head in a northerly direction towards the main line for Leeds and London or Carlisle. Loco servicing facilities and extensive goods yards are on the far side of the tunnel. Just prior to the tunnel entrance, there is a junction, which once provided access to a branch line, but now gives access to the carriage sidings laid on the old town goods yard. These sidings provide stabling for the stock of southbound expresses that originate and terminate here. Local DMU and inter-regional services are also provided from the station.
Locomotives and Stock
All rolling stock is RTR, which is gradually being weathered.
Steam – BR standard, ex-LMS and occasional ex-LNER locos, supplemented by DMU’s for local services or mainline diesels primarily Peaks (class 44/45) on expresses and a variety of Type 2 and Type 3’s for other services. Coaching stock is primarily BR mark 1, augmented by older LMS and LNER for specials together with a variety of BR and regional parcels vans.
Baseboards, lighting and legs
These are of lightweight construction using 3mm ply. Three boards aligned with hinges with removable pins. Legs are tripods with adjustable feet
PW including auto-uncoupling
Finescale “00” hand-built trackwork using SMP flexitrack soldered to copper clad sleepers. Ballast – Underlay is the thin polyfoam used to insulate laminate floors secured with rubber type adhesive and then ballasted after securing the track with the same rubber adhesive.
Electrics and control
We use the Digitrax DCC system to control the locos and accessories via a loconet. The layout is split into four wiring districts so that a short circuit does not close down the whole layout. Points are controlled by Tortoise motors and the signals are operated by model aircraft servos. Locos and stock are fitted with Kadee couplings to allow automatic uncoupling using magnets under the baseboards.
Offscene - Fiddle-yard and Traverser
These run the full length of the layout at the back with three sidings feeding a train-length traverser with arrival and departure roads.
Future Developments
Alternative timetables for summer Saturdays with seaside specials and winter Saturdays with football and rugby league specials to allow a variety of ex-LNER locos to visit.
Increase the population, fit street and yard lighting to augment the station lighting.
Scale: 4mm finescale 00 gauge
Size: 4.6M long, 0.6M wide plus operating space at rear
Period: BR late 1950’s and early 1960’s as options
Region: BR North Eastern (Ex Midland Lines)
Control: DCC Digitrax, many locos with sound
The layout is inspired by the Midland Railway’s terminus in Bradford with links via Leeds to London, Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham and Devon and links via Settle to Carlisle and Morecambe. It is not a replica of the station, but reflects its architectural style and the atmosphere of a jaded West Riding mainline terminus in the final decade of steam. The trains are run to a working timetable which is based on simplified BR summer timetable from the period, with movements controlled by working semaphore signals. The layout features Digital Command Control with on-board sound systems.
The terminal station at Bradfield G.S. has only three platforms, a central siding and a head-shunt which used to be a fish dock all once covered by an overall roof. It stands at the end of double track branch that joins the midland main line between Leeds and Skipton. Immediately outside the station the double tracks plunge into a short tunnel to head in a northerly direction towards the main line for Leeds and London or Carlisle. Loco servicing facilities and extensive goods yards are on the far side of the tunnel. Just prior to the tunnel entrance, there is a junction, which once provided access to a branch line, but now gives access to the carriage sidings laid on the old town goods yard. These sidings provide stabling for the stock of southbound expresses that originate and terminate here. Local DMU and inter-regional services are also provided from the station.
Locomotives and Stock
All rolling stock is RTR, which is gradually being weathered.
Steam – BR standard, ex-LMS and occasional ex-LNER locos, supplemented by DMU’s for local services or mainline diesels primarily Peaks (class 44/45) on expresses and a variety of Type 2 and Type 3’s for other services. Coaching stock is primarily BR mark 1, augmented by older LMS and LNER for specials together with a variety of BR and regional parcels vans.
Baseboards, lighting and legs
These are of lightweight construction using 3mm ply. Three boards aligned with hinges with removable pins. Legs are tripods with adjustable feet
PW including auto-uncoupling
Finescale “00” hand-built trackwork using SMP flexitrack soldered to copper clad sleepers. Ballast – Underlay is the thin polyfoam used to insulate laminate floors secured with rubber type adhesive and then ballasted after securing the track with the same rubber adhesive.
Electrics and control
We use the Digitrax DCC system to control the locos and accessories via a loconet. The layout is split into four wiring districts so that a short circuit does not close down the whole layout. Points are controlled by Tortoise motors and the signals are operated by model aircraft servos. Locos and stock are fitted with Kadee couplings to allow automatic uncoupling using magnets under the baseboards.
Offscene - Fiddle-yard and Traverser
These run the full length of the layout at the back with three sidings feeding a train-length traverser with arrival and departure roads.
Future Developments
Alternative timetables for summer Saturdays with seaside specials and winter Saturdays with football and rugby league specials to allow a variety of ex-LNER locos to visit.
Increase the population, fit street and yard lighting to augment the station lighting.
