mega_mort Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Hi All, As my small layout is off to F.M.R.C Model Railway show 2015 at barrow I'd thought I'd put a little bit on here about it for everyone to look at. This layout started out as a Kedee test plank of a 3'2" x 6" board for testing shunting wagons with a 0-6-0 tank. With the demise of Bolton and District Model Railway club I wanted a little project I could work on at home. So the test plank got full electrified and the point had motors added from ones found in the club. The scenery started with a goods shed that was also found in a box in the club. A wills halt kit was also found and the small layout was started. With the station and the goods shed the layout went to Southport show as part of the Bolton and District Model railway club stand as a working demo. A few months later and no new members the club shut down. But during the clean up of the club another board was found to extend the layout and the loop was designed and added. Below is the images of this plan and the final design of the layout with a little narrow gauge line over the top as a through back to one of the boards that was used being a OO9 test track. Layout ready for transport, here you get an over all idea of the track plan, this was taken a while ago and some of the scenery has changed a little. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted September 20, 2015 Author Share Posted September 20, 2015 Finally got few minutes to make the open carriages for the narrow gauge bit on the bridge. Although I've still not decided if this will be derelict or will have have a fledgeling preservation society running a steam loco and the open carriages below. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Great compact little Model Railway your building. The facia is calling out to be painted it will give the layout a deeper look if you give it a all an over cote of black or even Brunswick Green may do the trick Nice plan for the compact space and running behind the shed is a nice scenic break between the two scenes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted September 28, 2015 Author Share Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) Thanks for the comments SMR Chris The original layout had the fiddle yard behind a taller wall and the goods shed and that's where the layout ended. behind the wall and goods shed was enough room for a class 03, a 10' wheel base wagon and a Heljan rail bus. Then after a while the extra length was added with the loop in it and the fiddle yard to give more potential. Was going to go a dark brown wood stain on the fascia, but may go black or green will see what paint tester pots are going in the shop. Edited September 28, 2015 by mega_mort Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted September 30, 2015 Author Share Posted September 30, 2015 The narrow gauge open coaches have had a lick of paint now, but still undecided to go with them or go with it derelict. Now the next task to try and weather the signal box on the layout take away some of the whiteness of it. Then to get the raspberry pi to broadcast its own wifi network so it can be used out side of home to run the layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted September 30, 2015 Author Share Posted September 30, 2015 (edited) The open carriages have now been put on the narrow gauge line behind the loco to see how they look. Now to add the couplings and some chain over the openings as some sort of safety feature for the carriages. Edited September 30, 2015 by mega_mort Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 Further scenery done with the addition of a loading gauge leaving the goods shed, currently only test fitted as needs weathering. Also due to the fact that we never told Southport MRS that Bolton and District MRS has been mothballed, still awaiting final AGM to close the club down. There was a 12 foot space set aside for us to try and get new members and display something and may be have a second hand books stall. As all the books have been got rid of now to a dealer and nothing is left of the club this layout will attend with another former member doing some demonstrations. Only problem is I have plans for the Saturday 7th November so was wondering if any one here would mind giving my little brother a hand with the layout. Its mobile phone controlled through JMRI but should be able to leave 2 andriod tabs with the software loaded onto them for use controlling the layout. Anyone interested please PM me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted October 9, 2015 Author Share Posted October 9, 2015 Layout loaded into the car ready for furness model railway show Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted October 13, 2015 Share Posted October 13, 2015 Layout loaded into the car ready for furness model railway show _20151009_082301.JPG Looking forward to the photos with your little railway on display I'm sure there would be plenty of interest in it. As it is a good demonstration of making the most of a small space. I exhibited a small O scale layout 8foot scenic section, a weekend ago and it got a lot of attention even when right next to a 58 foot O scale. With people saying that it gave them lots of ideas that they didn't need all that space and they really could fit some thing in at home. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted October 13, 2015 Author Share Posted October 13, 2015 Hi Chris, It did get quite a bit of interest but not the fact of it being such a small layout, although there was a bit of comment about the hinge in the middle and the fact it folds in on its self. The part that caused the most interest was that the whole layout was being run off a raspberry Pi 2 and the fact I had a small screen with the software running on it with one of the operators acting as signalman and changing the points on the screen. Also exhibiting in the lake district I had a few older people reminiscing about riding in the rail buses I was running on the layout. Now for the pictures of this are eerrrmmm not possible as forgot to charge camera and my phone was being used as one of the controllers for the layout. So the only shot I got was this below before it all died. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Good to know it was well received and all went well. Shows are a great place for people to get inspired hopefully you did just that with the layout over the weekend. The technology side of the hobby is getting really interesting. I have also got the wireless phone control set up but find the two wireless CVP easy DCC controllers I have are the favourites they have the old style knob you turn as I find not so young operators don't have to look at the phone to find the touch control. I find the, iphone App for control works better for me, the android phone app I have seems a little bit clunky or may be its because the android phone is a little bit old? For kids I have the App on my iPad and at full size it is great for the kids to get them involved. Re the rail car and the oldies ( Sorry not trying to offend) I had a very similar thing down in Oz with my O scale CPH single car Railmotor at the show Got told lots of stories by ex drivers and how bad the seats are. Photos of NSWGR rail motor "CPH" model and real for reference. Re no photos You will have to put a call out on RMweb for any photos from the show. As long as you had fun at the show its all good. Happy Modelling Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted October 15, 2015 Author Share Posted October 15, 2015 That rail car is very cool, On the DCC thing I happened across phone control by accident. I left home and had to return the Lenz set back to my dad, managed to keep the Lenz compact but that is very limited. Was looking through the forums here trying to find a cheep DCC controller, found the sprog thread and then the thread on using the raspberry pi. Then my inner geek got very interested in it all and it spun on from there. I agree having TABs for kids to see it is cool, but also having some sort of display running the software visible to everyone also sparks conversation. Especially if you have the track plan up with the points changing as you change them on the screen. The android app is very different on different phones, its super responsive on my Sony phone but on SWMBO Samsung it is very laggy, can take over a second for commands to be actioned at times. And on that last comment has anyone got any pictures of the layout out there from Furness model railway show??????????? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 The Sprog is a great little unit for the price I got a Sprog3 when they came out for the work bench I do a little more than the average with DCC installs so have a test track shelf with lots of gauges set up from N to O and it works fine. Haven't used it for any accessory decoders on the test track as none needed but with a set of jumper wires I use it via JMRI to do any programming needed for accessory decoders Your right re having the JMRI set up on a screen so people can see what is powering the trains without any switches in view is great. As you say the inner geek can get out easly with this stuff and you see it get out of some people when they sit down to see how it all works. Getting the interest of the Xbox generation in the hobby is starting more and more as they discover the computer control. You say to them it's an App, within seconds they have found, down loaded it and can run the layout from their hand no tethered wires to the layout and their perceptions change real fast. Re the phone types and speed, it's a Is a Samsung that I have with android and is slow to react. Will have to try on a different phone. My iPhone6 is super fast with its app and its options with the control etc I find suits me, it can also have several throttles on screen at once Saves swapping between screens or loco numbers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted October 17, 2015 Author Share Posted October 17, 2015 Multiple throttles on one device is the plus side of all this for me, hopefully the next time i'm at a show there will be a phone signal to allow people to download the app and join in the fun. Just gotta figure out why accidentally running through the fiddle yard point wrong, cause the whole lot to power off, were as running through any other point just interrupts the track feed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted October 31, 2015 Author Share Posted October 31, 2015 So another night shift at work equals work on some new stock for the layout. More narrow gauge stock this time, a closed carriage and a guards van instead of the 2 open carriages that currently sit behind the narrow gauge loco. Just built the outsides of the carriages, Now with the first lick of paint on them, . 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted November 2, 2015 Author Share Posted November 2, 2015 Now all they need is a coat of cream paint on the roof. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 (edited) Done some slight re-wiring of the layout today to see if the issue of going through the points set against the train causing the DCC short to power off the raspberry pi. Will see if it works but I think the easiest way to sort it is be more careful, and look before moving the train. Also the new carriages are in place on the bridge, also with the owners now looking down and discussing the future of the railway. The new scenic bit of the layout. Edited November 4, 2015 by mega_mort 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted November 11, 2015 Author Share Posted November 11, 2015 Finally got 5 minutes to add pictures to the layout from Southport show, annoyingly the point motor under the signal box has failed now so need to lift that off to replace the motor or at least to see what is wrong with it. Will through fine one way but pathetic throw the other way. Most likly something stuck in it but will see once signal box is off. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted October 28, 2019 Author Share Posted October 28, 2019 (edited) Hi all, Slight reboot of this thread as the layout has been out to Furness Model railway show, and may be off out again to another show. It is also getting at set of upgrades over the next few weeks/months and documenting the upgrades here. Below are pictures are of the layout when it was on show at Furness show. One shot of the whole layout set up and ready to go. As you may be able to see another reason for this layout being out on show is that Bolton Model railway club has been rebooted (YAY!!!) and this went out as a little advert for the club. Now for a couple of close ups. Edited October 28, 2019 by mega_mort Removed massive sized image for a smaller one 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted October 28, 2019 Author Share Posted October 28, 2019 Now for a couple of shots of the current upgrade in progress, which is replacement goods shed for the layout as the lights in the old cardboard one died during the show annoyingly. This has also given access to the track under the shed so i can now clear out the really bad ballasting job I did years ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mega_mort Posted November 17, 2019 Author Share Posted November 17, 2019 Got a couple of hours to myself to work on the layout, moved on a little bit with the goods shed. Work on the goods shed took longer than planned and didn't get as much done as I wanted due to the normal problem i have when working with wills plasticard sheets, they shatter as I cut through them. I even drilled holes at the corners of the opening and it still shattered. Manage to glue it back together and added some strengthening to it. After a few hours the goods shed looks like this now. Now to look at planning the floor to the shed and where to put the wires for the lights. (think my scarab truck and back into that gap.......) 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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