This is fantastic. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve watched it. The story telling and explanation of how it all works is so informative. I thank you for sharing this fantastic layout. Truly inspirational.
A fantastic layout. Great explanation of its story and position in the world. I myself have just started getting into operations on my layout. Having designed my layout for computer operation, with fiddle yards and stations, etc, it soon became a bit boring just to watch the computer control the trains, however , I did enjoy it at first, but wanted to run the layout with a much more hands on operation feel. So I am redesigning my layout to suit. Ive watched your videos many times, thank you for sharing they are a great help.
What a fantastic layout and your attention to the detail, waybills etc. really bring it to life. It has a real place in the railway world, every movement has a reason for it, and every wagon has a destination to be reached.
Please please please say there is a full day running session showing you rolling and planning the trains out! This is a fantastic layout and an excellent example of how to do things right. The fact you took the time to plan out a whole timetable and thought about the local area too is absolutely brilliant. Will follow with great interest.
Hi, first let me say many thanks for your comments, much appreciated. However, best intentions and all that, I have not yet produced a full day running session. When this latest bit of scenery looks more complete that it is then I will do a full day goods running session. I have been updating all my couplings, just the coal wagons to do. Stay tuned, as they say, this is a priority for early 2018 - David
Some people have it and some people don't. You have it David. I know nothing about waybills or understand anything about how railways operate but I do appreciate modelling skills from people with a natural talent such as yourself. Absolutely fabulous quality of modelling and your layout reeks of quality, I love it when you get up close to the vehicles, locos and wagons to see that you have worked your magic on them. Keep on doing what you're doing David, it's perfect. ...............Graham
Thanks Graham for your very kind words. I would love to have the space for a looped layout, I do enjoy watching the running sessions at Lakeside. As you know, I have been following your railway ever since I started Deresley and I have found your work an inspiration. I am hoping my attempt at 'realistic' operating proves as enjoyable as I think it might. It's taken a long time to get to this stage. All the best ... David
very good , my Husband is building a layout similar to Peter Denny's Buckingham Central , adapted for through running , on his layout he has a Power House, Gas Works , Brewery , Coal Mine , Dairy , grain ware houses , Sugar Refinery, he has found your videos excellent assistance and has also bought the card system for freight handling - thanks again for this
Great video David with realistic operations. Each van/wagon has a reason for being on the run and an order to be dropped off in. And a good illustration of the spratt and winkle couplers in operation.
Thanks davie, glad it gives the impression of a 'real' goods distribution system. Giving each wagon a reason to be there certainly makes shunting more interesting. Happy with the Sprat & Winkles, they did their job with no hiccups - all the uncoupling and push forward movements were filmed 'live' for this video. They still need an update though - but I'll leave that for 2017 ... David
A fascinating insight in to planned operations on a model railway. It's food for thought when I get to that stage of the build. Thank you for sharing. Paul
Superb video with excellent clear and concise commentary, very enjoyable indeed. The loco's and wagons look excellent as do the buildings, all very well weathered.
Brilliant. I’ve got an embryonic garden railway under gradual construction and I was hoping for inspiration on how wagonload freight might be represented in an interesting manner. I’d never have thought to use dice - excellent idea!
I just discovered your series of videos quite recently and am delighted with them and the amount of information you share. I happened to pop on to this one just today, and, as I'm looking for ways to adapt my present operations scheme to my planned British Railway, was intrigued. I should mention I live in the USA (don't hold that against me) and have never been to the UK. I presently model a one town rail line based on the Santa Fe called Meridian Industrial and operate it with a car waybill system of my own design though it turns out very similar to yours. My railway will be based on the Framlingham Branch of the East Coast Line. Thanks for helping to keep my interest moving along with your input.
Thanks James, apologies for the delay. I have been to the States a couple of times - great places, lovely people. Your railroad sounds good - glad I've helped 👍👍👍 ... David
Thanks again for your comment, much appreciated. Glad you liked it. It's been a while since my last video but an update is coming, now the weather has cooled a bit .. David
Hi David - I have just come across your Channel and I have subbed and dinged the bell is it looks a terrific layout. Also I am interested in the goods operating system . I will play catch up with the videos and I am delighted to find another excellent layout to watch. PS I have just bought the book. Have a Happy & Healthy 2020. Cheers Kev
Iain Rice has written some planing books for publishers here in the US as well. I'm in the planing stages of a small HO Scale switching layout and have been interested in how modelers in the UK build and operate their layouts. Your's is very well done!
David, your ability to maintain such focus, be it in operation,, buildings, rolling stock, etc...., is hugely inspiring. I am currently 'between layouts' following a house move but if I can replicate even half of your quality on my planned project (broadly based on the CJF 'Exeter Central' plan I will feel I have done very well indeed.
Nice of you to say Jim. I have plenty of on-going projects (or do I mean unfinished projects) still to complete so, in some respects, I don't feel that focussed at times. Good luck with your your new plan, and thanks again for your kind words ... David
Thankyou Greg. Yes I was influenced greatly by watching some of the large US goods operating layouts. I am hoping it proves interesting to operate on a smaller scale ... David
Thanks Tony. I don't profess it to be closely based on true prototype operations and procedures but I am certainly flattered that you think it gives that impression. I will add more, encouraged by the comments from you and others ... David
Thanks, appreciate your comment. I am about to start videoing an update to my goods operations - might take a couple of weeks. I find the book very useful and will refer to it again in the next video - David
Many thanks for your comments. I will keep posting updates and goods op videos, hopefully to fine tune as time goes by. Good luck with your version and let me know if you come up with improvements. ... David
Hi David. Great video there. I do think proper working and operation of a layout is very important rather than trains just whizzing about. I've just acquired several original Working Timetables for the S&D from the 1950's to which I'll build up the working sequences for train movements etc. Also this helps you to know what type of stock you need to acquire. For me this will be lots of milk tanks. A good example of a well operated layout is the John Elliot's Bradford Gloucester Square on You Tube is well worth a look. All Best for the Holidays and New Year. Dave
Hi Dave, thanks for your comments, much appreciated. Yes I got some working timetables (freight only at the moment), they are really useful. Thanks for the heads up on John Elliot's channel, watched a couple and have subscribed. I agree it looks a very good layout, I will watch some more over Christmas. Thanks again ... David
Thanks very much for your interesting comments. The software approach sounds fascinating. Railway traffic generating software, wow, a brilliant idea. O.K. - if this helps then I will explain my waybills. The waybill is indeed a goods movement order (like the old wagon labels). The name came from American Railroaders who run more 'operational' layouts than we do. I did toy with the idea of more than 1 waybill per wagon. But, by using only 1 per wagon, the waybill doubles as a way of tracking its position on the railway. Even when the actual wagon is (in my case) in a storage box. Like you, I just refer to the wagon by type. I know some operators number their wagons and allocate a unique waybill. I don't know that the bar codes is such a bad idea. With software the bar code could be read automatically for loading/unloading etc. (not thinking it through I know, but you have got me interested). My timing is the same. I don't get up for the 4am shift! The clock does not drive my timetable. The movements of the locos and trains determine the times throughout the day. Part of the US hobby is to have a group of operators, a clock is important to them, although they can/do alter the rate time changes. As you say, this is impractical with a solo operator. Hope this all helps. Please get back to me If I can help further, glad you found my channel - David
I ramble a lot so I reduced and removed most of my comment this morning but obviously you saw it. Thanks for your reply. I only realised after seeing a recent Kathy Millatt video comparing US and UK layouts that my railway was a little unusual as it is both operational and multiple tier (the only way to fit in the available floor space). I have found so far that barcoding in OO has three problems, firstly space for a label under the wagon, two the cost of scanners and three their physical size. OEM type modules are still quite expensive and still tricky to fit under the baseboard. In operation the idea being that a scan takes place as the wagons pass particular points e.g. yard entry and exit, including FYs at the minimum, per yard siding a luxury. I started looking around again last night, £ ouch still, but prices coming down. Using wagon running numbers is not practical due to my eyesight, multiple RTR with the same number, and weathering/wear which makes visual identification beyond wagon type impossible. That is where I see (excuse the pun) barcoding as being useful, but only if under the wagons. Oh, and most of my wagons are stored in railway network pools (aka storage boxes) too :) Another missing link in my system is timetabling the network trains for dropping and collecting from the marshalling yard, thanks for that, I laid out my own tube style map some time ago but couldn't put my finger on that obvious omission. Have ordered the book and would be interested to hear of further developments of your system whether barcoded or not, Jim :)
Hello Jim - No problem, obviously you are ahead of current technology regarding bar codes, I see the problems. Ian Rice describes the use of wagon numbers in his book. He allocates each wagon unique number which he fixes to the wagon (like a wagon label) - either on the ends or sides - can't recall. Still too fiddly for me however. Brilliant 'Network Pools' - I must stop calling them boxes (lol) - please keep my updated with progress - David
Actually association of ideas -> Iain Rice labels on wagons (too small/fiddly in OO, me too) -> how small can those square 2D barcodes be to used as a wagon label -> or easier to fit a 2D label to the underside of a wagon than the original 1D (strip). Last night found a couple of possible (£ wise) OEM scanner modules to buy and try out but how practical they are to use, and also will the supplier be interested in talking to a few off purchaser as opposed to an umpteen 1000 unit purchaser remains to be seen. But worth a try. Jim
Hi Jim. Interesting. On my first reply to your barcode idea I had in mind fitting the under the wagons. You can make them bigger and they will be invisible. WELL worth a try with the supplier - good luck - David
Hi David, I use the same type of dice operation on my layout for freight operation, but not as complicated as yours. I've got a small end to end layout so I can't sit and watch the trains go by neither. The method I use is thus: I throw the dice and the number shown indicates the amount of wagons in the consist, as it's a relatively small layout 6 is the maximum, but if I throw a "1", then that will indicate a mixed passenger/goods train. Each wagon is allocated a number and I have small cards made up numbered 1-58, (the amount wagons I have). I then draw out the amount of cards as shown on the dice. The order in which they come out is also the order in which the wagons will be in the consist, which can make for some interesting shunting for goods trains from the goods yard to the fiddle yard. I'm sure you'll agree it's amazing how much fun and varied operation this method can produce.I like the sound effects as well, I've got some CD's made up with birds singing etc, and general country sounds which really adds to the atmosphere, especially when played through a surround sound system.
Hi Mike. Thanks very much for taking the time to explain your dice operation - very interesting indeed. You have more goods wagons than me but I can handle a consist of up to 10. I am using different couplings on my passenger trains so mixed traffic is something I haven't factored in, but I will look into this. I did devise a more complicated system than the one I am using now!! - I wont go into too much detail here as I plan to video a days running session (passenger & goods) early in 2018. Glad you share the interest in ambient sound. I mixed my soundtracks (I have 2 - an early morning - cocks crowing, dogs barking, light traffic, and a daytime (seagulls, human hubbub, more traffic etc). I am working on a Sunday track, basically the daytime one with church bells added. I totally agree, it adds great atmosphere. Mine are mixed from downloaded mp3 files and played back on a continuous loop through my layout PC. I use a simple PC stereo with sub-woofer and speakers each end of the layout. I would be interested to hear more about your ambient surround sound set-up - I am guessing you play your sounds on a CD you have created. Have a great Christmas - David
Hi David, yes I just play mine on CD's which I've made up. I've got a free music mixing programme I use to multi-layer the sounds, most of the sounds I found here on RU-vid. One I did find was a loco shunting with lots of brake squeal and buffer crashing etc on it. I like the idea of making separate tracks for the time of day though, I'm going to do that soon I think. I don't know if there are many other modellers out there who take an interest in this but so far you're the only other one I've seen who has used it. Happy Christmas to you too. Mike.
I've done something similar with playing cards that I found in the Model Railway Constructor article for Alverstoke in 1981 (I think!) but your method is more sophisticated. Very interesting - thanks David.
Hello Mark, thanks for your interest. I have found my method a bit too 'sophisticated' in operation. I have simplified it a little, which has improved the operation. I will be bringing another goods train operation video out at the end of this month, or the beginning of next - David
A good way of adding operational interest. I have an end to end shelf layout (18ft) so well understand some of the limitations. I've been working passenger and mixed trains on a similar basis on this single track branch, although the concept has not been so well refined as yours. I'm further limited by a width of 12" throughout which constrains my seaside terminus to an island platform and a run round loop, as the maximum I can reasonably fit into this space. I could eliminate the loop by running push pull or railcar passenger trains, but its essential to goods and loco hauled excursion trains. A goods siding runs off the loop to a yard which is parallel to the single line of the branch, so again just with in the 12" width.
Hi, apologies for my late response. Thanks for your posting and kind comments. Your layout sounds very interesting indeed. Up to now I have concentrated on my goods operation but I too will run some passenger and mixed trains. I want an integrated passenger and goods operating service. Under my bridge is a 10 foot fiddle yard with 7 storage sidings for trains. I plan to set up my goods and passenger trains at the start of day in my fiddle yard. A bit vague after this but I would like to sort it out sometime this year. Regards ... David
David Just found this again. Not sure if you are still using this system (or indeed this layout!) but wonder if you had considered using d4, d8, d10 etc instead of d6 dice to add the variety of loading you were seeking? Good stuff.
Hi, yes I am still using the system. I had not considered other choices of dice - to be honest I never new they existed. Thanks for this - I will certainly follow this up. Really appreciate the comment - thanks 😊👍👍👍
Hi David, Well that's an interesting way of operating your railway and certainly can help give you some variation in operating. It's certainly better than just imagining which ones need dropping off and taking away. I also have that book and it seems a good read and full of useful information. Anyway hope you have a great Christmas. Cheers, Michael
Hi Michael, thanks again for your welcome comments. I am enjoying running my layout, some 'tweaks' to come !! Wishing you a very happy Christmas ... David
Fascinating David.. wonderful preparation and presentation, gives your layout a real sense of place. I model US railroads and was drawn that way because of the operating potential, especially on a small layout (my 'Greenvillle' is a 13 ft shelf with fiddle).. really interesting to see how you've modelled the operations here.. given me lots of inspiration should I build another UK layout (3mm or 4mm). Subbed. :-)
David. A really good and informative video. I have always been a fan of the waybill method but the only examples I have found are based on US practice. More to come I trust! Brian
Thanks Brian, really appreciate your comments. I agree the first examples I came across were from the US - 'waybill' seems more of an American word but I could not come up with anything better. My system will be modified as I go along - nothing is ever 'finished' in railway modelling ... David
A very satisfying little film: a really nice little railway and excellent operational ethos! Building our little worlds into the "bigger picture" of the scene beyond the fiddle yard makes sense of our operations and adds to the enjoyment of running our empires! I work my line in a similar way and have abandoned ideas of using the computer and recreated to a paper based timetabling system. keep making the videos1
Hi David, Thank you for a very interesting and informative video. I haven't yet thought much about the operation of Canal Sidings but you have inspired me to start. I have ordered a copy of Ian Rice's book and look forward to reading it. I also noticed some really nicely weathered road vehicles at Deresley. Any chance of a closer look and information on your weathering techniques in a future video? Have a great Christmas.......John
Hi John, thanks for your very kind words. Part of doing this video was to see if there were more like-minded people. Sharing ideas is part of the fun of the hobby. I will certainly do some more weathering and detailing videos. Have a great Christmas ... David
Hi there. Yes, hidden magnets. Have made a couple of videos on Spratt & Winkle couplings, here is the link to the hidden magnets. Thanks for your interest ... David ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tK7s-Amby90.html&index=4
Hello, I'm interested in railways and such, and while designing models for stations on my layout, I came across an interesting conundrum, and I hope you can help me understand something. I was interested in installing a terminating station at one part of the mainline. All main tracks leading to the platforms would end in buffers. I was confused as to how a train would leave with a service, as the engine would be stuck at the wrong end of the train. What I guess would happen is that another engine would back Down onto the coaches and take it from there, allowing the other engine to leave the platform, but I'm not sure. Would you be willing to help me understand what would happen?
waybill usa csx railroad definition, Waybill A shipping document prepared by a carrier at the point of origin showing the point of origin, destination, route, shipper, consignee, description of shipment, weight, charges and other data necessary to rate, ship and settle. It is forwarded with the shipment by mail, TDCC transmission or EDI transmission to the foreign road agent at the interchange point or mailed to destination. in your country of origin , definitions may vary.
Many thanks Allan. I think it is the same here. A label showing the detail described would be raised at the point for origin and stuck to the outside of each van. The should have been removed when the destination was reached - often the were not which led to some confusion as you would imagine ... David
David could I ask you which program you used to make your waybills? I only have 'Open Office' writer which is fine until I try to print anything! Thanks David Michael
Hi Michael. I use Photoshop elements 7. I created a template for each type of card and used the text options to create the individual cards (I even downloaded a typewriter font to make them look pukka). If you have some photo editing software you might be able to do something similar. Contact me again if you you want more information. Photoshop Elements 7 is old software and can be bought cheap on ebay. If you go that way I will willingly email my template files if you want them. - David
Hi David, I finally worked what the problem was with the printer when used with 'Open Office Writer' could you give me a rough idea of the size of your waybill cards, they look to be an ideal size. Thanks in advance David Michael
No Jim, by the end of steam they were filthy dirty. Steam was labour intensive and locos got dirty quickly. In their final years BR spent next to nothing on cleaning them, particularly lowly example like this one ... David
Great videos you have made, I'm a new subscriber to your channel, & enjoy your Modelling videos, I am currently looking for new video editing software & was wondering what one you use, Thank you & Happy Modelling TS81 (Phil)
Hi Phil, thanks for your kind comments. When I first started I used the free Windows Movie Maker software that came with my PC. Then, last year, I decided to 'upgrade' and bought a licence from NCH for their VideoPad Video Editor, which is what I have been using up to now. However, when I purchased the 12 month licence they offered a £75 pro license and a £39 licence (for the more casual user). When I clicked the options I am sure I clicked the £39 option but found I was charged £75 and my download was the full pro version. Of course it could have been me getting it wrong (it wouldn't be the first time) but, as the licence is now coming to an end I am not taking any more chances with NCH so I have recently bought MoviePlus X6 on disc - new for £35, and I am busy making my first movie with this. In short, the NCH software was great but for me the ongoing cost was too high. From what I have seen so far with MoviePlus it is simple and clear so I can't foresee any problems. From my short experience, the three editors I have used all work in pretty much in the same way. I would play around with your free software if you have some, buy your new software, don't lease it, and don't spend more than about £35 quid. Thant would be my advice - hope it helps ... David
Great video David, your waybills system looks very impressive, your explanations during the video really helped to understand how the waybill cards work.. Michael
I would like to use a similar type of waybill system on my layout eventually but after looking at yours I'm unsure how to set mine out because my layout is colliery based so the only wagon movements are between the colliery and the disposal point then back to the colliery. I have searched for information but can find no mention of how these trains would be formed or even if waybills would be used. Michael
