daveblueozzie

Thanks for the comments, i think if i had thought about it more when i first started maybe i would have gone for N gauge. But the money and time spent kinda makes it a no for me to change gauges. I will keep blogging when i get some more news on what i am going to do.

As a complete beginner to the model train hobby I am learning all the time what to do and what not to do. And the mistakes I already have done. I built what I thought was a decent enough layout for my trains in DCC, 2 x roundy roundy tracks and at a lower level, I suppose what you would call a shunting yard, recently I have kinda moved away from the steam engines to the diesel engines and have bought 5 second hand locos over the last few months and fitted them with decoders, they all run smashing, ive even fitted lights into two of them. My problem is I can really only run two locos and coaches/wagons on the 2 tracks , I now realise how small the layout is ( 4ft x 8ft ), I'm running out of running room, its very frustrating not being able to run more than two trains. I have put more than one train on each track at the same time but have to watch I dont cause any accidents and derailments. Looks like I'm gonna have to have a rethink about the layout, its got to be extended somehow, but I am restricted to room ( i can make the layout a bit bigger than it is at the moment) I have been thinking about using a helix and maybe using two or three different layers to give me the amount of track I would like and to run a few trains at the same time. This is my very first blog ever on any forum, so be gentle with me regarding comments. PS. Just wanted to thank everyone for help and advice given to me over the last few months.

When i was a youngster in the 60's my dad had a boarding kennels for dogs and cats, the dog kennels were built into the vans similar to the vans shown on this thread. One of my uncles worked for the railways at the time so he probably acquired them, if i remember correctly my dad had at least 20 vans, 10 either side of a pathway with dog runs at the back of the vans. I remember as a kid the domed roofs of the vans that were covered in roofing felt of some kind with tar as the sealant which used to drip in the hot weather we used to get in those days. Sadly no pics of the vans that i remember of those days. Slightly off topic the cat kennels were built from aeroplane engine boxes from Burtonwood American aerodrome.They were delivered free on big yank trucks.

That's another reason why ive not decided on what to use yet, the way mine is set out it will have different ballasts for different areas, like you said coal dust or even slate .

Had a look for the first time at the ballasts that are available (Liverpool model rail) I see what you mean by the oo gauge ballasts seeming rather large. Not decided what to do yet, not quite at that stage in my layout, but it looks like the medium and fine grade mix is the way to go.

Thanks for all the replies, that has given me some things to consider and maybe with a bit of experimentation might turn up what im looking for.

Dont seem to be able to edit my post, sorry for the spelling it should read coarse sand.

I am wondering what is the best size ballast to use on the layout, oo gauge, ive noticed there are different grades and colours (i know the colour is personal to the layout) Is there an alternative to the shop bought stuff which seems a little pricey for what it is . Ive read somewhere that course sand could be used and coloured, and even sieved cat litter What do you the experts suggest.

Wow that's a proper job for changing points, love it.

I agree, the gutterguard would be difficult to sculpture landscape, what i intend to do is landscape on top of the flat thin layer of plaster bandage, i didn't want to fill the hole with paper in that section as i need access from the rear. it seems to have worked. and for a £1 it was worth the effort, the plaster bandage i bought from the local chemist, a bit cheaper than the model stuff.

I have used a different method, i didnt want to fill the the space with paper and i hate chicken wire, i used a product called gutter guard cost me a quid from a pound shop and you get five metres of plastic mesh, easily cut. i tried a test piece on the layout.

Richard, deffo no offence taken, i didn't know if it was meant for me or not , so thats why i replied,( it was funny.) I'm only just getting started on the model rail set up, I'm bound to make glaringly obvious mistakes and i know all red wires might seem dumb to some, but i cant see different colours when they are all together. Again no offence taken.

Dunno if your referring to my wiring, two reasons for the same colour, one its all i had, and second I'm colour blind Everything is labeled and numbered from start to finish, i know where every wire goes to, and what it does. I have a blueprint/plan (not coloured) of every detail of the wiring.

Here is a pic of my control panel now thats its nearly finished. It needs LED'S it does not look finished. After all the wiring only one point didnt work ,soon sort that out.(probably just a loose wire) fitted on the drawer runners. pulled out and tilted. The birds nest of wiring.

Ive made a start on the control panel, not wired yet but thats the next thing I'm going to do. Cheap and cheerful, nothing fancy, made the box myself out of scraps of wood i already had, used a lid off an old plastic storage box cut to size, a couple of door hinges from an old door. I used a strip of wallpaper with the track layout marked on it using highlight pens, fitted the plastic lid then drilled the holes for the switches. The switches and the wiring are the only things ive had to buy to make the control panel. When fitted to the layout it will be on extended draw runners so it can be closed when not in use, when extended ive also made it to tilt at an angle for ease of use.