009 micro £100 budget challenge

[luke the train spotter]

Very true. To me countryside modelling has always been more appealing for narrow gauge as I have never been able to replicate certain railway features such as a cutting on my oo gauge layout. I'm not sure how the folding mechanism works, is it possible for someone to explain it to me?

[hayfield]

Two identically shaped baseboards, inside the track circle add risers, for instance 3" (above the base boards) then join with 2 hinges on top. When folded over will give a 6" gap between the boards, the scenic section in one half must be kept below this height

 

I guess on on the non scenic board the more ingenious could make a fold back extension to the scenery

Edited August 23, 2017 by hayfield

[luke the train spotter]

Ahhhhhhhhh, thanks. I see now.

[hayfield]

Luke

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/112167-four-arches-halt/page-1

 

Go to post 10, look at the last photo, then look at the other 4 or 5 photos. Many ways of building the boards to achieve the desired results, plus a piano hinge could be used rather than 2 or more but hinges, a great idea for modern sized houses, nothing to stop you from doing the same in larger gauges 

[luke the train spotter]

Thanks. Seeing pictures always helps me visualise things. Now I see how the layout can fold up into a box!

[luke the train spotter]

I find looking at other people's narrow gauge layouts really inspiring. Are there any that you would recommend to me to look at?

[luke the train spotter]

Thinking about laying some track soon and I was wondering if 12/13/14 inch diameter curves would be alright. I don't intend to run any locos with more than 6 coupled wheels. Would that radius be alright if not which radius would I need to change to?

[bridgiesimon]

that sort of radius will be fine, 6 coupled chassis will go around much tighter curves than that but will look OTT in my opinion. Will be watching this thread with interest.

 

Best wishes

Simon

[hayfield]

Thinking about laying some track soon and I was wondering if 12/13/14 inch diameter curves would be alright. I don't intend to run any locos with more than 6 coupled wheels. Would that radius be alright if not which radius would I need to change to?

 

Luke

 

After a visit to the Ffestiniog I contacted them about the size details of the turnouts on the new section, they replied and included a drawing, admittedly neither of us will be running large Garretts, but even at half the size it would look wrong on a small 009 layout. You are correct at thinking about both the practicalities and visual appearance.  As far as I am concerned the questions are does it work and does it look right

[luke the train spotter]

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm glad that the radius curve is large enough for 6 coupled wheels as I have just bought a minitrix chassis for £14.60 (of eBay) to scratch/kit bash a body on to. I am very excited about this and I will update you with any more progress/purchases. This brings the total layout costs up to £41.50 . I will allow half of £100 budget to stock and the other half to baseboards, scenery and electrics etc. So here is a more broken down display of my expenses:

 

Rolling stock:

•Mimitrix chassis £14.60

•diesel loco £13.50

•wagon £5

Total £33.10

Left £16.90

 

Baseboards and electrics:

•track £7.20

•fish plates £1.20

 

Total £8.40

Left £41.60

 

So the grand total is £41.50 with £58.50 left to spend on the project. Hope this is helpful/interesting to those following my £100 challenge.

[hayfield]

Whilst I applaud you for building a budget layout, but if its fun to operate are you going to allow yourself some extra funds to develop it ?

[luke the train spotter]

I plan to do so. I have never ever had a round round layout so this will be something new for me to operate (for a while) before I build a branch line off it with a small junction or something like that. I've done some research into pug bashing a Dapol kit and the minitrix chassis but I haven't found any dimensions or specific instructions. If you have had any experience kit bashing a pug I would really appreciate it if you posted a picture of your model and gave some basic dimensions (height, width and length) . Thanks

[luke the train spotter]

So I've started my pug bash! Here's a quick sneak peek into my progress so far. Any comments or questions are much appreciated.

[hayfield]

Worth a go but you may end up with something too large for the loading gauge

[luke the train spotter]

It is a concern to me to some extent. My biggest concern is that it will look too wide but I can easily adapt the structures for the loco as I plan to scratch build all the structures.

[hayfield]

One of the appeals to me in marrow gauge modelling is that there are no hard and fast rules, I am new to 009 and only really collecting a small amount of stock for a fun layout. In general terms with 009 items are up scaled from N gauge, likewise 00 gauge to 0 16.5. I was lucky enough to buy a Beamo H0m loco, these are quite large items when put alongside 009 locos (being much nearer to standard gauge) and run on 12 mm gauge rather than 9 mm gauge

 

Down scaling from 00 gauge might be more in keeping with 3' gauge than 2' gauge running on TT gauge track, just an idea

[luke the train spotter]

Ahhhhhh. Ok. I will have to be careful then not to make my locos too large for 2' . I will take that into consideration. Thank you for bringing that to my attention otherwise all my trains would hate been out of scale.

[hayfield]

Just pushed the boat out for a collection of about 40 wagons,vans and coaches. Sadly my new railway room is still cut in half (need a wall taking down) and in need of plastering. So starting the layout is still a couple of months away, though I might make a start on the boards in a couple of weeks.

 

Trying to visualise if I can have an elevated section on a separate loop or more likely an industrial branch line, keeping the fold together format along with a scenic section in the rear half , which folds back on itself for transportation. Could be over complicating things

[luke the train spotter]

Sounds like some serious DIY. I like the idea of having an industrial branch - it definitely gives your layout more interesting operation. Maybe keeping structures removable would aid ease of transportation especially if your structures were quite tall like many industrial buildings.

[hayfield]

I think the whole idea is that it quickly folds up and I guess the trick is to keep everything as light as possible. On the other hand I am considering making each board 18" wide and a bit longer than the original. The trouble then is that each addition increases the weight, so the hunt is on for an ultra light weight but strong construction. In the end I guess a compromise of weight for strength will have to rule.

Edited September 5, 2017 by hayfield

[luke the train spotter]

You have to get the perfect balance then. If you want a strong light weight baseboard I'd recommend a reinforced foam baseboard with a wooden frame. It makes it a bit thicker and bulky though so not as easy to transport. Would you plan to take this layout to exhibitions?

[luke the train spotter]

Loco body has been completed and has had a coat of primer before heading into the paint shop to get a coat of green. I am still waiting for my lead weights from amazon to arrive then the loco can enter traffic.

[hayfield]

Just pushed the boat out for a collection of about 40 wagons,vans and coaches. Sadly my new railway room is still cut in half (need a wall taking down) and in need of plastering. So starting the layout is still a couple of months away, though I might make a start on the boards in a couple of weeks.

 

Trying to visualise if I can have an elevated section on a separate loop or more likely an industrial branch line, keeping the fold together format along with a scenic section in the rear half , which folds back on itself for transportation. Could be over complicating things

 

Said items arrived today and very pleased with them. 8 coaches, 6 vans and 27 wagons and a RTR diesel loco body

 

Most are made both painted and un-painted, some needing wheels nearly all require couplings. A good selection of smaller quarry wagons and 4 wheel coaches and larger stock with 2 bogie coaches, I have bought 6 other narrow gauge items this month and have several bogie coaches and 4 locos, just need a layout and more flexi track

 

The selection of items which arrived have reinforced the idea of two different circuits, one for the smaller quarry based wagons and workers coaches, the other for the larger coaches, vans and trucks. Might be worthwhile buying some s/h set track curves just to play around with a few ideas 

[bridgiesimon]

Just on case you had not heard, be warey with lead weights - do not glue with PVA as it reacts with the PVA and expands. I have seen O scale locomotives ruined as the weights push the models apart.

 

Best wishes

Simon

[luke the train spotter]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!! YOU HAVE JUST SAVED MY LOCO. Hats off to you sir for telling me that as I read your post literally the moment I was about to pour pva onto the lead weights. I should have done more research.