Wikipedia

[Stan Williams]

A fair number of people attempted that layout but came to the conclusion it would be very difficult or almost impossible as a 4 x 2ft layout.

A couple of layouts where built by using a 5 x 2 1/2 ft baseboard which gave a slightly different look from the plan.

The biggest drawback was the first curve which had to be on an incline and hidden under scenery, not easy ?

I think Cyril Freezer gave the impression that it was a simple layout to construct ?

Stan/

[Graeme Dunbar]

Thanks for posting Blair!

Somewhere I have a Rabbit Warren trackplan traced from somewhere onto drafting film with a Rotring pen many years ago (1970s?) that I thought was the "original" but on seeing the scan and unless it turns up I won't be sure.

I also have a mental image of a photo in RM of another Rabbit Warrent layout from about that time. The thing that sticks in my mind is green (surely it was B&W photos?) painted plaster "grass" and seem to recall the texture looking a little odd, even then. Definitely no static grass, dyed lint, teddybear fur or even dyed sawdust.

Not a Rabbit Warren layout but definitely of that ilk and more recent is "Prof Klyzir's" Dynamite Canyon Tramway. It is full of gradients and twists but with return/balloon loops at either end. The cunning plan was that it used turnouts with no moving parts, not even sprung, one-way point blades.

[Hobby]

I recon S34 would be possible, the gradient only starts after it passes under the bridge under the high level so it will be steep but not impossible. To be fair to CJF he always said that an extra 6 inches on length and width of the boards would make things a lot easier. My original figure of eight was based around one of his plans, length wise it was shorter than S34 but 6" wider.

From what i remember there were several warrens and simplified warrens featured in the model railway press around that time... Apart from Giles's OOn3 layout another which I liked came in March 1970 MRC and was an HOe (HO9 back then) small addition to a large French SG layout. 5ft by 3.5ft, two circuits and a winding connecting line... Used Liliput and Egger stock.

[cp.409067]

*
A handed version of S34 built by Tim Tinknell was exhibited the Pewsey Members' Day on 19 August 2013. Shots of the layout are to be found on Mick Thornton's excellent photo report of the day. See Nos 061-066 here -

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/112461785190797901174/album/AF1QipOxu1vbIdk-dI7ymLQ4ZdhMJqdBWvpGgWIyNrPC/AF1QipN-dgbMGmZnHFA5uDUOIpnHVj7tAAKdZwNf5kF6

CP

[MickT]

Thank you for your compliment Christopher!

After clicking the link that Christopher has kindly given to take you to the first of the photos of Tim's layout, click the "i" button top right and this will open up the caption for the photo. Unfortunately when Google Images took over from Picasaweb as the hosting site for my blog, all the older reports which were migrated across have to have the captions for each image opened individually for some strange Google reason that nobody can find any logic for.

More recent reports that were created directly into Google Images after they had done their best to ruin my contentment with things and made life difficult, fortunately do not have this constraint and upon opening the text captions on any image, this facility stays open throughout the visit to that report.

Unfortunately I have not been able to keep the roving reporter blog updated since mid 2017 for a variety of reasons. I am still hoping that I may be able to catch up on lost ground at least sometime in the not too far distant future.

Mick

[cp.409067]

*
Mick

I get the caption at the bottom without needing to hit the "i" button.


CP

[cp.409067]

*
All of the caption - I am using a large screen on my desk.

CP

[Graeme Dunbar]

It may depend on browser settings. I can see all or part of the captions depending on my choice of text size or "zoom" setting (by pressing the Ctrl key and either + or -).  I lose just a letter or two of photo 061  at 100% and see it all 90%.

[Graeme Dunbar]

More rabbits including additional references to Cyril Freezer plans -

<deleted>

Oops sorry wrong link. I don't know how that got in. I'll try to find the right one!

This is what I meant to post:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/136810-cyril-freezers-009-rabbit-warren-plan/

It contains a link to a scan of the layout.

[cp.409067]

*

I happened to look at my copy "60 Plans for Small Railways" (3rd ed, March 1971) the other day and noted as follows reference the S34 plan.

(i)   As drawn and annotated by CJF it is for a 4ft x 2ft area.

(ii)   It is stated as being of minimum radius 9ins.

(iii)   However, using the scale along the bottom of the drawing that seems only to apply to the 180° curve at the right hand side of the plan.

(iv)   The curve at the left hand rear (the reverse loop) looks more like 6ins radius – I would guess CJF actually had in mind the EggerBahn 140mm radius.

(v)   The other 180° curve (front left) looks like combination of 9ins and 140mm radius.

I do not know what radius Tim Tincknel used for his mirror image version. I suspect it was greater than 140mm.


CP

[Stephen Rainsbury]

I do not know what radius Tim Tincknel used for his mirror image version. I suspect it was greater than 140mm.

I don't think I have any way of testing to see if any of my stock would run round 6" radius, but I would be very interested to know now :-)
Stephen

[B.Meldon]

I do not know what radius Tim Tincknel used for his mirror image version. I suspect it was greater than 140mm.

I don't think I have any way of testing to see if any of my stock would run round 6" radius, but I would be very interested to know now :-)
Stephen

In mnost cases it will not be the wheel base that is the problem on the tighter curves, it will be the couplings that will be the limiting factor.
In general the tighter the curve the more work you need to do modifying the couplings to prevent them form locking up because of the overhang.
Brian Meldon

[Hobby]

More rabbits including additional references to Cyril Freezer plans -

<deleted>

Oops sorry wrong link. I don't know how that got in. I'll try to find the right one!

This is what I meant to post:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/136810-cyril-freezers-009-rabbit-warren-plan/

It contains a link to a scan of the layout.

That is clearly S34, not a Rabbit Warren. Looking at S34 I would agree with Christopher that at least some of the curve on the left on the lower level is less than 9" but I also suspect it was done to keep as much of the track in view. If you put in a proper 9" curve you'd need to modify the connection between the two curves, it would still work ok but the gradient would be steeper...


My original understanding is that a "warren" layout was a single circuit which kept bending sharply back on itself, going in and out of tunnels and up and down, at least that's what both of CJF's plans show and what he seem to infer. However I've seen several layouts recently which purport to be warrens but are just several separate ovals on different levels... Certainly an easier option than a true warren!!

[Richard Pike]

My father built the Cyril Freezer layout and it was exhibited one year at the Leeds Exhibition in the early 80's in the Corn Exchange, it was sold I believe a year or so latter.  I was going to post the plans but it's got all his pencil scaling notes all over it.