Wednesday 4 July 2012

Google Earth view of Arne Wharf

111128_arne-wharf_IMG_1984 by nevardmedia
111128_arne-wharf_IMG_1984, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.
People often ask me about the track plan of Arne Wharf and whether it's a roundy-roundy or end to end operation, and what size it is.

Click to enlarge! Not the sharp curves!
The above Google Earth inspired view should hopefully help here, and what you're seeing is on a footprint of just 24 x 36 inches. The little spur top right is served by a little fiddle yard which folds down, but it's not necessary if you just what a train to run aroud and round. I almost forgot the scale, it's called 009, which is 1/76 running on rails that are 9mm apart - that equating to 2ft 3 inches, which is known as narrow gauge. Why 9mm? This is to take advantage of N gauge mechanisms.

The minimum radius is a nother question often asked, all I can say is that it's quite tight, the siding bottom left only really being suitable for 0-4-0 locos and short 4 wheeled wagons. At a guess the gauge is probably in the region of a 5 inch radius, maybe less, but I do know that a dinner plate was used as a template! In 009/narrow gauge it works well, but can limit what locos access which areas - but that's half the fun!
Arne Wharf will be at Model Rail Live 22/23 September at Barrow Hill Roundhouse - follow the link top righ of this page.

3 comments:

  1. Love this layout Chris, great to see an aerial pic with the fiddle yard (although I'm not sure a loop counts as a fiddle yard!)in relation to the on-stage tracks.

    How are the points powered by the way? Not immediately obvious from that pic.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I enjoyed reading your blog...great information about trains located "across the pond" from us. I have a blog about trains in the US...come'n over for a visit.


    http://www.littlemodeltrains.com/

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Chris....tried to comment on your nice railroad site but am not sure it went through...oh well, two comments are better than one anyway. I really enjoyed looking through your train site...my husband is a model train hobbyist and also have spent some time riding the rails so-to-speak...a couple of train trips throughout the western part of the United States.

    I have a blog about trains, not as through as yours, but have been told its fun to read.

    http://www.littlemodeltrains.com/

    JeaneBee - Nebraska

    ReplyDelete

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