Billy Bookcase Fiddle Yard
If I can build a Billy Bookcase layout, then perhaps I can build a Billy Bookcase fiddle yard.
Adjoining the 80cm Billy Bookcase on which the layout lives is a 60cm Billy Bookcase. I do not think that the 60cm version is made anymore, however, I have one and it is the ideal place to locate the fiddle yard.
Although the layout itself will only accommodate short trains, I did not want the fiddle yard to be restrictive length. I therefore decided to build a traverser rather than using points. The base for the fiddle yard is a smaller replica of that used for the layout which fits snugly on top of the bookcase.
I have gone for light weight construction using a large sheet of plasticard which I got directly from Slaters. Although it is in their catalogue I could not find it in any shops. The traverser slides on two brass runners glued directly to the baseboard. It is held in place by brass strips at either end. The track is glued using a hot glue gun. The traverser is moved by hand. Alignment is achieved using home-made brass bolts which also complete the circuit to the aligned track when connected. The other side is permanently wired.
A curiosity of the Billy Bookcase when used for this purpose is the raised edges mean that the available area on the top is 4 cm shorter than the overall length. There is a 2cm gap at either end. To connect the fiddle yard to the layout this gap must be bridged. This is achieved with a piece of foam board with two track sections.
Hopefully all of this is visible in the images:
Edited by goldngreen
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