Plans for a 009 slate quarry layout.

[9402 Fredrick]

Well, with the announcement of the 009 Bachmann r-t-r Quarry Hunslets, it seems appropriately timed that I make my first 009 layout, based on a North Wales slate quarry to port and interchange gauge line. What are some materials I could use to make the quarry?

[Chameleon]

Umm... slate?

[Edge]

Yup

 

Like coal models coal, the best thing to model slate with is slate. Shale can also be used and  doesn't shatter quite so easily so may be worth looking into.

Edited January 9, 2018 by Edge

[9402 Fredrick]

I meant for the buildings aswell, I'm debating on using n-gauge track, even though it'd look out of place, but what modelling materials, other than the slate itself, should I use to make the cliffs and such aswell?

[Edge]

Grab some photos of places like the Penhryn railway - they will give you some idea of what the landscape looks like. Buldings were also generally made with local materials and so yes, slate was used to build and roof them.

 

In terms of track, N gauge will work mechanically, but it may be worth getting Peco's 009 range. They do both light rail (crazy track) with wonky sleepers and 'Main Line' track with straight ones, and both types work just as well as N gauge and look a whole lot better.

[9402 Fredrick]

I just got some pictures saved, if I do the 009 track, I'm gonna use the crazy track for the quarry area and the main line track for the other parts of the layout.

[Stevelewis]

I just got some pictures saved, if I do the 009 track, I'm gonna use the crazy track for the quarry area and the main line track for the other parts of the layout.

 

Yes  that's  a  good  idea!  That's  why  we  now  have  2  types  of     track available   from  Peco

 

Although  if  you  study  photos  of  the actual  slate  quarry  railway lines ,  you will probably  notice  that  the  only  visible part  of  the track  are  the  rails,  the sleepers  being  buried  in slate, slurry, and  the general  waste accumulated up  by  the passage  of  time

[AMJ]

Many garden centre sell slate chipping for putting around plants rather than bark mulch. For the quarry, waggon loads and general detritus in the layout will give you the best representation of slate.

[9402 Fredrick]

What controllers would work best with the 009 wired straight track? Also thanks for the help so far guys.

[hayfield]

I would buy one of the many excellent books on scenic modelling, nothing looks better than slate than slate, but weight is the issue. Personally I would make both the baseboards and scenic frames as light as possible, using only a small amount of the real stuff for final detailing.

 

As for slate, no where near as common as it use to be, look for buildings being repaired, reclamation yards etc for the odd piece or discarded pieces

[Chameleon]

You could build the quarry and hillsides from insulation foam boards. It’s solid, lightweight and easily carved into cliffs, galleries etc for the quarry. Then cover it with a thin layer of plaster and coat with scenic material and, yup, slate.

[Quarryscapes]

Slate isn't very heavy at all, not in 009 layout quantities. Shale might be easier to work with though, My last layout was a 009 slate quarry with plasticard buildings with each individual slab stuck on individually, including a half relief slate mill which was still 18" long! The hard part was getting the paint to match the real slate on the ground. I crushed up several roofing slates and graded them for the tips, for ballasting and for near dust used tor general ground cover. There was no working face on that layout, but it would be easy to set a few roofing slates on an angle to represent it and blend the joins to surrounding topography with rubble. 

[9402 Fredrick]

Thanks for the additional input, really appreciate it, now in terms of analog controllers, which would you guys suggest? Mind you I live in the states so I don't have the same wall plug setup as you guys do over in Britain.

[Kbreck]

Hi there, I too am in the states and I use a Railpower 1300 power pack from MRC for my small Skarloey layout.  It is a very basic controller, no momentum or brake action but it works great.

 

Keith

[Stevelewis]

What controllers would work best with the 009 wired straight track? Also thanks for the help so far guys.

 

Most  power  units   that  work   with  N  gauge   will be  OK  for  009,  take  a  look  at  Morley  controllers  website  they  do  one  called  VESTA  which  is  exceptional  value  for  money  or  you  could  just   use  a   Gaugemaster  Combi   for  around  £30  from  Hattons  ( other  retailers  are  available)

 

morleycontrollers.com

Edited January 11, 2018 by Stevelewis

[9402 Fredrick]

I'm probably going to get the combi for the controller, how would I get the wires from the 009 wired straight track connected to the controller?

[9402 Fredrick]

Also I've pre-ordered a few more pieces of rolling stock, will try to get some 009 slate wagon kits ordered from Dundaes Models.

[BernardTPM]

The Meridian Penrhyn 'De Winton' slate wagon kits go together very nicely.

[Happy Hippo]

Have a look at Dave Sallery's site for inspiration:

 

http://www.penmorfa.com/Slate/

[9402 Fredrick]

I gave a look at the site, very useful for my lauout, I will probably have part of the slate quarry be rabbit warren style, but with the track connecting, and a good portion of it hidden to look like the locos are in mines.

[Jub45565]

In terms of track, N gauge will work mechanically, but it may be worth getting Peco's 009 range. They do both light rail (crazy track) with wonky sleepers and 'Main Line' track with straight ones, and both types work just as well as N gauge and look a whole lot better.

Crazy track is not light rail. It's code 80, which is heavy even by modern day preserved main line narrow gauge.

 

Code 40 is about right for lightish track (original Welsh Highland, A shiver, etc), but would mean building ones own. Bits are available from several sources.

 

Agreed otherwise, photos of prototypes are invaluable to prevent modelling a model.

[Gook the Goblin]

You could build the quarry and hillsides from insulation foam boards. It’s solid, lightweight and easily carved into cliffs, galleries etc for the quarry. Then cover it with a thin layer of plaster and coat with scenic material and, yup, slate.

 

This is pretty much the approach I took for the rock face on my quarry layout Cefn Ddu. Polystyrene carved and covered in DAS modelling clay and scribed while still moist. The faces were painted and broken slate glued on.

 

I asked a friend who regularly passed through North Wales for some slate waste for my layout thinking I would get some nice broken pieces and dust for ballasting the track. I was slightly disappointed on receiving one large lump! Had to resort to breaking up by lump hammer and as Quarryscapes mentioned grading it - a poundland baking sieve worked well - to three grades.