Hi folks,

Following on from Part 1 - I have a number of individual builds I was doing for this years WW1 campaign. I think there may be opportunity to combine the builds into one scene featuring the early 6 inch Howitzer, Ford Ambulance and Draisine (Crewe Tractor). The Master Box set of Tommies and Prisoners should also be coming out this year all being well and they might fit the scene too.

Individual progress so far.

Ford T (may or may not use)



Draisine (Progress so far)





6 inch Howitzer (progress so far)



On order



I had already planned to add the ambulance to the Draisine setting and as GBS have just produced a small base for its display containing a length of narrow gauge track then I should be able to marry both builds up OK.


Awaiting release




First thoughts for position, gun on a raised area , Drasine in a gully, Ford ambulance parked near the rail line with possible a small makeshift Regimental Aid Post. Prisoners returning form the line along the track, artillery crew restocking on ammmo and some medics and wounded.




I'll see how this develops.

Cheers

Al

Wow! I'll have to stay tuned on that one!!!

Another epic in the makig for sure. Will stay tuned.
J

Hi Romain and Jerry,

Thanks for looking in. I have 8 figures I didn't use on the trench build. Failing the arrival of any new ones, some of these chaps might convert for artillery crew.



Cheers

Al

Especially if we talk summer! Shirts didn't change much (if at all) and that goes for trousers and boots as well.

Go Alan go!!

Cheers

Romain

Hello Alan ,


this will be a great and very realistic scene on your diorama.

But ! Dont put everything in line with the contours of the base if you know what i mean ? It's to straight IMHO.

I suggest to put it all in a more inclined manner. You will create space and you will have a more interesting looking diorama.

Nevertheless , you are a great WWO 1 builder !

Greets ,

Kurt

Lovely models. Watching this one.
Cheers,
C.

Ah yes,I also have my eye on that set of figgies!!
I love the interaction between the troopies and the officer!! One guy is thinking"why don't you get your candy-ass over here and tote some crates as well"?
This company is really upping the bar with useful poses and a minimum of "pointing" guys.
J

Hi Romain, Kurt and Charles,

Thanks for looking in and the comments on the builds so far.

Kurt, yes the track is more likely to run across and around than straight up and down. I'll need to see what length of track I will finally have before any final placement can be done and scratch building an extension doesn't look to hard. I'd quite like a bend in the track too.

Hi Jerry,

I've converted quite a few of the MiniArt German figures, some more successful than others.

Keep you posted on developments.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

Some developing thoughts on the layout for part 2. Similar concept but the base has grown a bit. Artillery on a raised area, Narrow gauge railway running past, around and down the side of a small river. The river either disappearing into a culvert or taking a sharp bend to the right off scene. Small wooden bridge over the river capable of supporting a wagon or small vehicle. Ammo coming up to the guns, wounded returning to a temporary aid post, and ambulance transport.

Only real quandary is, is this the best use of the GBS base as it would make a very nice stand alone scene. I had thought of painting it as a desert scene for my original WW2 6 inch gun and going with something like the pic below for this scene:



however this one works as well.



The other option is to switch the artillery to the 18pdr. I might need to build both kits before I decide what works best, but on thinking on it as I have more ammo for the 6 inch gun it is probably the best option.

Anyway just rambling in public. Some pics of the new base, I would have to build up the ground work and build some track to make this work.











Cheers

Al

Very nice start to the groundwork for sure. Not an expert on the subject but is it possible for a narrow gauge RR to make a sharp bend like that? They do in mine shafts so I suppose so?
J

Hi Jerry,

When I have an even base the track bends should turn out much smoother and not quite so sharp. At least I hope so I don't know much about railways so I don't know how tight a bend could be but I intend to try and make it as gradual as possible. The other option is for a straight run across the board or just angled across it, but I have to consider fitting in the ambulance area so an S bend will probably work best.

Cheers

Al

Sounds plausible to me! I think keeping the bend gives more interest myself. Just wondered about the "radicalness" of the bend is all.
Great to see you staying with the WWI thing here.
J

Hi Jerry,

'Slow - Walking Speed' might be appropriate. I'll see how it develops once the Ford base arrives at that will probably determine the run of the track.

Cheers

Al

HI Alan, what a fascinating new build you started.
About the narrow track:
Though narrow track allows sharp bends, in your design, it just does not seem too logic since either the gun pit would have been shifted after the track was layed or the track would have had a more straight approach to the crossing before the gun was installed.
Just remember, in case a bend was needed, extra handling to the rail way steel (bending) had to be done.
But: you may keep it under the ' artistic licence' label!

Looking forward to see the neext steps!

P/

Hi Alan,

Congratulations on another fascinating project.

Regarding the curves on your light railway, the minimum curve radius for the 60 cm gauge track used by both sides in the Great War was about 30 meters. At 1/35, that scales out to an 85 mm radius. You might get away with tighter curves by using mule haulage and very short wheelbase cars.

Most photos I've seen of WWI light railways show what appears to be about 40 lbs/yd rail, very hard to bend in the field without a rail bender.

French Decauville track was much like the track used on toy railroads and came in short sections with rails riveted to steel crossties (sleepers). It was manufactured in straight and standard curved sections which could be bolted together and laid down and taken up very quickly. Decauville also manufactured the same track in 40 and 50 cm gauge, but the French military standard was 60 cm.

Some rail used in small mines in the US was as light as 18 lbs/yd and could be bent by sticking one end of a rail behind a timber and pulling on the other. Not great for high speed curves, but for a single ore car trammed by a man, it served the purpose.

If you Google WWI Light Railways, you'll find a wealth of information and photos on the subject.

Cheers,

Dick

Hi Paul and Dick,

Thanks for looking in and the thoughts and info on the track. Nothing is fixed in stone at the moment. I could run two lines of track one leading from the aid post and one curving around the gun emplacement which would allow for a more natural curve

Hand pulled and horse drawn small wagons were also a feature of the railway system so that's also an option. The British would have been using whatever track was available given the lack of plant in the early days. The tracks just ended where they ended as far as I can see.

Thanks again.

Al

Hi folks,

I've been studying some pics of various bits of track. Here's one of the short sections of track



It would seem logical to me to bolt 3 of these together rather than dig out the gun pit area especially if the track is branching off to another direction. I also don't think the bends will be as tight as they look when finally in place.



Here are some horse drawn and human drawn wagons.





a long bend



As the wagons for the tractor are about 5 1/2 ft I don't think the bend will be an issue. Also looking at the track I can see examples of both French and British style track in use.

So for the time being I'll advance with plan B

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

A bit more experimentation,

Option 1 - Are the bends too sharp? They look OK to me.



Option 2 - run the track off the board at a different angle and built up the ground to the right.



Option 3 - build a broad curving track around the gun position and a straight track that simply ends at the aid post.





Option 4 - don't include the light railway.

I have an old Italeri corner house that if cleaned up and re-painted might add a little height.



Cheers

Al

Hi Alan,

Master of the good solutions!!!!!!!!!

With the alternatives (options 1 - 4), you made the first design to the less best!
But............ that is only my humble point of view.

I like option two personally.
J

Hi Jerry/Paul,

Thanks for your thoughts.

Option 1 - maximizes the track length.

Option 2 - is less work and if I was to cut into the gun mound a bit more would soften the bend and still allow for a good length of track heading off towards the front. It has the advantage of allowing more ground work thereby taking away the isolated look of the gun position, so I'll probably opt for that.

Cheers

Al

Hi Alan,

I hope I'm not adding to the confusion, but there are even more options. Right angle turns are quite possible if a turntable is installed, and apparently they were widely used.


The above photo I think was taken in a fort of the Maginot line, but turntables were in use long before that.



The next photo is of presumably British troops installing a cast iron turntable. Some turntables were built without rails, and the cars had to be skidded around, but it was simple and it worked.



The next photo is of a scratch-built turntable for a model narrow-gauge railway.



Further research turned up the following photo of Decauville track forming a perfect circle between switch points. It's 40 cm gauge, but it does show that very tight curves are possible, although I doubt a heavy locomotive could negotiate them. Model T Fords only weighed about 1200 pounds with coachwork and all, and stripped down to a draisine, even with the addition of railroad wheels and reduction gears, they wouldn't be very heavy. Even if one derailed, four men could probably lift it back onto the track.



I also turned up a British manufacturer of 2-foot gauge portable track having British Standard (as of 1934) pre-fabricated curves of radius 13 ft 3 in, 37 ft, and 65 ft. so your original design should work.

All things are possible in modeling, the best of all possible worlds!

Cheers,

Dick

Hi Dick,

Many thanks for the pictures and the info. Turntables had crossed my mid as had switching tracks, but not being a railway person perhaps next time.

Option 2 will be easier to build I think and I was a bit concerned about the gun position looking isolated so extending that area is probably a good thing.

The Ford base should be here early next week and everything will get built off that. Another voyage of discovery.

This photo of the Draisine shows one of the wagons just tipped off the track. Had the wagons been bigger it would be more of an issue but they are quite small so bends shouldn't really be a problem.



Many thanks

Al

Hello Alan ,

however you will create the rail tracks ,this will turn out to be a very dynamic diorama for sure.The most inportant thing of all , is to take your time to build it and to keep a certain artistic freedom in mind

Greets ,

Kurt