Brierley Canal Road

[rue_d_etropal]

I agree, boxfile layouts have been around for longer. Ithink the 2004 was one of the first official competitions, but had forgotten Carl's , and there were some ingenious ones there. Been a member of the Gn15 Gnatterbox for many years and many of the challenges had links.

I also remember a OO9 layout in a boxfile, back in about 1969,

Now I have just seen the details for the latest, the Cakebox challenge and that is even more challenging, unless you think like me and turn everything on its foot!

 

These challenges are , for me, not about following the norm, but about being creative and different. Its not just about being skillful with your hands but also exercise your brain cells.

[Booking Hall]

Without checking the original challenge(I have seen references to it somewhere), I can't say more, but from what I have seeen of most ' build it in, or on' type challenges, they tend to restrict it to the actual container or footprint, plus possibly a fiddle stick for off-scene. Even then, it is fun to try and bend the rules a bit, without actually breaking them.

One reason , possibly main/original reason for my building on the box lid was to enable taller buildings to be built. Locating items so they don't clash when box is closed, is part of the fun. It is not just boxfiles, the layout I had at Pendle Forest exhibition a few years ago was built as a box which split into two halves to create layout. Getting everything to fit and not clash was tricky, but double, with no loss of detail. I am planning some more layouts using this idea, for bigger layouts as not everything I want to build will fit in a boxfile.

 

Just found the details of the 2004 challenge set by the OO gauge association

http://www.doubleogauge.com/boxfile/rules.htm

Interesting to read the rules for that particular challenge Simon. It wouldn't actually take much to modify the canopy and flats/backscene to come within their rules, but I'm 13 years too late to enter!! I won't be altering it as I'm perfectly content with the way I've done it and I've succeeded in my own personal challenge. It's time to put the last finishing touches to Brierley Canal Road and move on to the next project (may well be a small 0 gauge layout).

[Booking Hall]

I've kept a running total of the cost of the items I've had to buy to build this layout, although with some items, the actual cost to the layout is less, as there are parts/quantities left over for other models. I've also included postage where necessary. It's surprising how much costs mount up, even when trying to buy as cheaply as possible and use free household items where possible.

 

BOX FILE LAYOUT COSTS       box files £7.98 points (2nd hand) £14.00 track (2nd hand) £2.00 Model Railway Scenery low relief factory £3.99 backscene (Incl. Postage) £6.00 footbridge and platform £8.25 magnets for box fronts £1.34 barge wreck £3.24 Scalescenes boiler house £2.99 Scalescenes blue brick scratchbuilder sheet £2.50 GWR spear point fencing £4.00 plastic duct £1.65 foldback clips £2.99 magnets for bridges etc. £7.29 Peco loco lift £10.00 Copydex £4.59 Pecoscene gas lamps £2.50 Peco buffer stops x3 £5.00 jack plug and socket £2.50 tube and rod for lid standopens £5.23 teddy bear fur (incl postage) £2.60 tacky wax (incl postage) £4.91 radio truck as coalman's office (2nd hand) £0.50 Scalescenes concrete floor £1.99 Oil drums (incl P&P) £2.50 yard point levers £3.50 electronics £13.56 TOTAL £127.60

[mjcampbell]

I guess that's around £50/foot? - I wonder how that compares to larger layouts!

 

I build a box-file layout a few years back for a competition at Expo-NG. I can't remember the exact rules but it was one box-file, I made it so it could close up, and any removed buildings fitted a separate box-file, though of course controllers etc. did not. Rules vary according to challenge, and in this case you've adopted your own rules - I see nothing wrong with that!

[Booking Hall]

I guess that's around £50/foot? - I wonder how that compares to larger layouts!

 

I build a box-file layout a few years back for a competition at Expo-NG. I can't remember the exact rules but it was one box-file, I made it so it could close up, and any removed buildings fitted a separate box-file, though of course controllers etc. did not. Rules vary according to challenge, and in this case you've adopted your own rules - I see nothing wrong with that!

Hi Michael, perhaps the cost/sq ft would be a better measure, which in this case works out at £45.45/ft sq. (including the fiddle yard). I suspect a similar exercise for larger layouts might show a unit cost less than that, due to economies of scale, after all, my layout is quite densely packed; but I could be wrong as larger layout = more track (usually) and more complicated electrics, and of course timber for baseboards isn't cheap!

Edited October 10, 2017 by Booking Hall

[Booking Hall]

 

 Hello Paul and Hello all,

 

Interesting about the costs, I've worked this out in 0 Gauge for a 4ft micro shunting layout from scratch, hope you don't mind.

 

Baseboard  £10.00   Cheap 5mm ply geodetic construction, will give from experience a 36 year (and counting) life

Track      £30.00   Rail plus card sleepers and some copper clad strips for the point(s)

Loco    £35.00   From card including the chassis

Wagons     £60.00   6 off from card

2mm Card   £12.00   The grey stuff for buildings etc

Backscene  £15.00   Cheaper if you can make one yourself

Controller £30.00   Homemade and including a 1amp transformer

Odds&Ends  £30.00

 

Comes to £222.00 or £55.50 per foot.

 

Given a year to complete it £18.50 permonth.

 

Cheers - Jim

 

Great value Jim, especially as you've included locos and stock in your costs, which I haven't, as they also serve on my other layout.

[DanielB]

I've gone back over the thread but might have missed it - what did your club think of the layout?

[andyfoulger]

Speaking as one of his fellow club members ...."WOW". 

 

We were all extremely impressed.

Having followed Paul's progress via this thread I was still able to find details that I'd missed in the photos.

 

looking forward to boxes 4 through to ?

 

Andy

[Jerry1975]

Very impressive and not bad costs for the layout either, very well done.

 

Jerry.

[Booking Hall]

I've gone back over the thread but might have missed it - what did your club think of the layout?

Thanks for asking DanielB, I think they appreciated it, and whilst I don't think I've converted any of them to micro layout modelling, they said kind things about it. When I opened the boxes (with a flourish!) they were kind of surprised (in a good way).

[Booking Hall]

Very impressive and not bad costs for the layout either, very well done.

 

Jerry.

Thanks Jerry, I've really enjoyed building it, but it's obvious that operating it for a whole exhibition is going to drive me mad with boredom! I only hope that I have lots of conversations with visitors (until I build boxes 4 to . . .?)

[rue_d_etropal]

Thanks Jerry, I've really enjoyed building it, but it's obvious that operating it for a whole exhibition is going to drive me mad with boredom! I only hope that I have lots of conversations with visitors (until I build boxes 4 to . . .?)

One reason I always try to have one line with an auto shuttle,so I can have something running and talk to visitors.

[Booking Hall]

It's become clear that I wouldn't have my DJH 02 shunter built in time for the layout's first exhibition in a fortnight or so's time (Padiham Unitarian Church, 4th November), so I had a look at a Hornby 'Smokey Joe' I picked up cheaply earlier in the year. They are certainly built for speed, not exactly an asset on a box file layout! The controller I built did tame it considerably, but running was still jerky and performance over the insulfrog points was hit and miss, so I decided to see if I could improve it.

 

The loss of power over the points seemed to be more to do with loss of connection between a wheel and the rail, rather than the plastic 'frog', so I decided to compensate the rear (non-powered) axle, but try as I might, I could not get the crank pins to come out. they would move so far, but no amount of twisting and turning would persuade them to come out. Fearing that I might cause serious damage if I tried any harder, I gave up, but not before noting that there was already some up and down movement in the axle 'boxes'. I then thought that if I added ballast, this might help to maintain contact, so I filled up all the available spaces in the chassis with pieces of lead, and put a roll of it in the smokebox, above the worm gear. While I was about it, I replaced the large Hornby tension lock couplings with smaller, neater Dapol ones.

 

This all helped, but motion was still jerky, so I decided to make a flywheel to fit onto the back end of the motor, where a small part of the armature shaft sticks out. There is room within the firebox area for a flywheel, so I set to on my lathe. It took three attempts to get one that would fit and slipped tightly onto the shaft, but this did the trick, and now the loco moves along at a smooth crawl, just what I need.

 

Now to finish making a coal tender from an old wagon, and weather the whole ensemble.

 

[rue_d_etropal]

an interesting and actually a pretty obvious modification to the Smokey Joe loco. Odd no-one has thought of it before.

Edited October 17, 2017 by rue_d_etropal

[Signaller69]

Agreed, nice mod to "Smokey Joe". Are you going to add pick-ups to the tender too?

[Booking Hall]

Agreed, nice mod to "Smokey Joe". Are you going to add pick-ups to the tender too?

The thought had crossed my mind Martyn, I've fitted it with metal wheels already!

[Booking Hall]

This is another job I'd like to finish in time for Brierley Canal Road's first exhibition, motorizing a Dapol Park Royal railbus. As these worked on the London Midland Region initially, it's much more suitable for a layout set in the West Midlands, and the fact that this EAMES motorizing unit has built in compensation will be a bonus. As you can see, I've plenty railbuses to choose from, and that doesn't include the two unmade kits! Shades of Vic Berry! The body at bottom right is one I made when I was eight, and it shows! I only keep it for its sentimental value.

 

As bought on Ebay, the chassis unit is missing the pick-up's, and having had a couple of goes re-making them as they were designed (unsuccessfully, I might add) I'm going to fix a couple of small pieces of copperclad board on top of the chassis and solder pick up wires to them, taking leads to the motor from there.

 

Of course, the recent offering from Heljan will have a lot more detail on it, if my model of the AC Cars railbus is anything to go by, but I've always wanted to do this.

[Booking Hall]

Another job ticked off - chimney pot made and fitted. Bottom section and ring is a piece of plastic tube, body of pot is a straw, flaunching is plasticine.

[Signaller69]

Another job ticked off - chimney pot made and fitted. Bottom section and ring is a piece of plastic tube, body of pot is a straw, flaunching is plasticine.

That chimney pot is a work of art, much better than my efforts, hat off to you Sir!

[divibandit]

Hi Paul,

I've just found your thread...that is truly amazing!

I've had ideas about a boxfile layout so it looks like I'll have to get going with it!

 

Brilliant work, Paul!

 

Steve

[Booking Hall]

Hi Paul,

I've just found your thread...that is truly amazing!

I've had ideas about a boxfile layout so it looks like I'll have to get going with it!

 

Brilliant work, Paul!

 

Steve

Thanks Steve, glad you like it. Get going with yours, and let us see it develop!

[Booking Hall]

Attempt no. 3 to get working pickups was also unsuccessful, but no. 4 worked! This time I used 0.45mm brass handrail wire gently curved the full length of the chassis middle section, and bearing gently on top of the wheel treads. Previous attempts has tried to pick up off the back of the wheels, but I could not get the pressure right, so the wheel either skidded along, or the wire lost contact. This way the wire gives a bit of springing load to the compensated rear axle as well - a bonus. On one side I just soldered the wire to the whitemetal chassis, and used some thin copperclad for the other side. Painted black, and eventually weathered with track colour, they should be inconspicuous enough. Unfortunately, the old X04 motor and gears are a bit growly, but they'll have to do for the time being.

[Booking Hall]

Having repainted the best of the already assembled railbus bodies, and glazed it, I've set about detailing the interior. So far I've made the drivers cabin and control desk. Next job is to cut out and assemble the seating I've drawn in Autocad.

[Booking Hall]

Seats now made and fitted. Unfortunately, I've made the seat squabs too deep, so there's no legroom! This won't really be visible when the roof goes on.

Edited October 31, 2017 by Booking Hall

[mjcampbell]

Well done!

 

I find phospher bronze strip better for pick-ups than wire, it's more springy but has less force so doesn't cause so much drag (i.e. earlier attempts may have been successful...)