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Thurso - 2mmFS


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  • RMweb Gold

Herewith my entry for the MRJ/Wild Swan Cameo layout competition.

 

Thurso - 2mm Finescale - 1979-1985

 

As described on my Thurso blog it is my intention to enter the layout into the competition. Whilst ideas have been forming over some time, the competition has actually spurred me into progressing the layout as it's good to have a deadline to work to.

 

The layout is an extract of Thurso, meaning a representation of what was there and trying to convey that in a slice of theatre approximately 1100mm x 160mm. It is meant as a standalone layout but future proofing will allow it to connect to the Fiddleyard of my Kyle extract so the two could be shown together. For that reason I have let the dimensions and fascia design be informed by those constraints.

 

A mock up has been built to test the idea...

 

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post-3290-0-81720100-1493647312_thumb.jpg

 

and from this the baseboards have been designed and cut using the laser printer at our work studio...

 

post-3290-0-49549100-1493647407_thumb.jpg

 

These have been dry assembled using masking tape to check fitting...

 

post-3290-0-88057700-1493647476_thumb.jpg

 

Following this PVA has been applied and this morning the resulting boards are pretty rigid...

 

post-3290-0-30779000-1493647548_thumb.jpg

 

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Here's an overall pic of the composition if linked with KoL...

 

post-3290-0-22575000-1493647660_thumb.jpg

 

Next jobs are order the track from the 2mm Association, fit the lights and map out the track plan...

 

To be continued...

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  • RMweb Gold

Hi Pete, looks good, I really like the open train shed idea.

 

Having spent some this afternoon attacking MDF with various Jig, circular and hand saws, not to mention sandpaper I'm jealous of your laser cutter!

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  • RMweb Gold

Hi Pete, looks good, I really like the open train shed idea.

 

Having spent some this afternoon attacking MDF with various Jig, circular and hand saws, not to mention sandpaper I'm jealous of your laser cutter!

Thanks Argos - It's certainly a good perk from work...but it gets used all the time so hard to get a slot for private stuff!

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  • RMweb Gold

excellent woodwork sir  ( its all about the design with a laser ) although I will not be partaking in this compotition I think the 2mm Diamond expo may see another layout ( depends what the rules are)

 

Thanks Nick - I was hoping to bring something to that in 2020 - had forgotten that at one point I thought I could bring CJM from Barcelona :no:
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  • RMweb Gold

Nice work as ever Pete. ;)

 

Good attention to the detail in the baseboard design as well. 

 

Look forwards to further updates.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

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  • RMweb Gold

That looks fantastic Pete. Should be a knock out entry.

 

 

 

Thanks Kris

 

Nice work as ever Pete. ;)

 

Good attention to the detail in the baseboard design as well. 

 

Look forwards to further updates.

Thanks also Mark

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  • RMweb Gold

Much sketching has been done of late. As I have mentioned on my blogs, due to work and family commitments I get to spend less time on modelling these days so when I do so, I like to try and maximise my available time rather than dithering! Sketching is my way of thinking things through, be it on a train journey or in a cafe. The following are recent ideas on the train shed, uncoupling and turnout operation.

 

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Turnout operation...

 

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Uncoupling methods...as per KoL...

 

post-3290-0-49280000-1494072305_thumb.jpg

Train shed construction...

 

Have now got the three lights for the fascia so need to shorten the wires to link them and modify the fascia slightly - hope to have an update on this tomorrow.

 

Right...off to Portsmouth to see The Alarm tonight...68 Guns will never die ;)

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  • RMweb Gold

The Alarm are still going ??? The only band to ever come out of my home town of Rhyl.

Hope it was a good gig.

Absolute Reality ;)

 

Yep, Mike Peters is the only original but the band are still great live - seen them about 25 times over the last 31 years...going to see them again Camden in 2 weeks time :yes:

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  • RMweb Gold

Lighting

 

This will be the first layout built with the lighting in place as previous layouts had it added afterwards - hoping to get the benefits of working with the 'final lights' on to help with colour match, tone and general shading.

 

This time I have opted for 3 small lights, similar brand to the ones used at KoL, which can be plugged together. I have had to modify the leads considerably in length using a chocolate box type connector and the end has a 13 amp plug socket which will be routed via the Fiddleyard enclosure. A few pics of the installation now complete...

 

post-3290-0-19457500-1494172815_thumb.jpg

Typical kitchen type cupboard light fitting...

 

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Lights off...

 

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Lights on...

 

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The end has been modified to allow the plug to pass through the adjoining Fiddle Yard...

 

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The underside of the lighting installation...all hidden by the fascia....

 

Next job - order the plain track from 2mmFS Association...the turnouts I already have...

 

Onwards ;)

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  • RMweb Gold

Evening Pete,

 

Lovely work as ever and the incorporated lighting certainly gives a subtle effect to the clean baseboard design.

 

Not long now until we'll hear the sound of a Class 37 under that train shed roof! ;) 

 

Further progress awaited! :D

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

Edited by 46444
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  • RMweb Gold

Evening Pete,

 

Lovely work as ever and the incorporated lighting certainly gives a subtle effect to the clean baseboard design.

 

Not long now until we'll hear the sound of a Class 37 under that train shed roof! ;) 

 

Further progress awaited! :D

 

Many thanks Mark

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  • RMweb Gold

This weekend saw the start of one of the 4 turnouts required. This is my fifth layout since starting modelling again in 2007 and is the most number of turnouts on one project to date :O

 

I have always struggled with this aspect in particular the frog arrangement so the new easitrac turnout kits with a pre-made frog was very welcoming. I have decided to build the turnouts individually and then mount onto a separate sheet along with the plain track which can be inlaid into the plywood structure.

 

I recently bought one of those optical visors with a light from Eileen's and I must say it has come in very useful this weekend.

 

The frog has been mounted and the requisite chairs detached from the sprues and mounted to the sleeper base for both the outer rails. I seem to be out of butanone so used Liquid Poly but think I will get some of the former as I recall it being better to work with - I also have a minging headache hence calling time on progress today :(

 

Had I not interrupted progress yesterday and today (to go watch Fulham and see the David Hockney exhibition) then I think I can probably make a turnout in a weekend...but am happy to try and get these right so am not keen to rush them either.

 

Here's a couple of pics showing my set up and where I have got to...

 

post-3290-0-50914200-1494783012_thumb.jpg

 

A small piece of 5mm foamboard allows the base and template to be aligned...

 

post-3290-0-58919300-1494783022_thumb.jpg

 

Outer rails, frog installed...the foamboard has a couple of holes drilled to accept the screws beneath the frog...

 

I also did some sketches on the tube last week of how I will modify the Fiddle Yard to KoL. This small extension piece will match the one at the other end and allow me to integrate the Daisy II base as well as collect wires from the fascia lighting together...

 

post-3290-0-75138300-1494783084_thumb.jpg

 

Front elevation showing the new end...approx 100mm...

 

post-3290-0-86197400-1494783095_thumb.jpg

 

Plan view of insert...

 

post-3290-0-85204100-1494783105_thumb.jpg

 

3D sketch to help me try and get my head around it...

 

Hope to continue on with the turnout next weekend. I was contemplating building the four in parallel but decided to try and get one under my belt to keep morale boosted ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Following a trip to Railex yesterday which topped up the mojo, work continued on the first turnout. At close of play yesterday I had formed the tie bar however without the jigs this turned out rather unsuccessful so I decided to stop and sleep on it. I decided this morning to stick with the conventional PCB sleeper arrangement and this has enabled me to almost finish it all bar the check rails.

 

I have made a 1mm white card insert to mount all the track on rather than direct to the ply. This allows me to work on it without the constraints of the fascia and cut slots for the wire in tube etc.

 

The plain track assembled last week has also been laid to the platform line and a wagon runs through it without falling off :good: ;)

 

Next job is to start turnout no.2 which will allow progress to the run-a-round siding.

 

post-3290-0-14482700-1496075922_thumb.jpg

 

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post-3290-0-32205100-1496075971_thumb.jpg

 

Having done one turnout now, I hope to try and knock out one per weekend...subject to the usual domesticity chores of life...:rolleyes:

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  • RMweb Gold

nice progress well done

Nick

 

Looks good Pete!

Best regards,

Jeremy

 

Another cracker layout on the way Pete, as ever I get as much enjoyment out of your drawings :D

Tom.

Thanks Nick, Jeremy and Tom...

Edited by bcnPete
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  • RMweb Gold

Evening folks,

 

This weekend didn't see as much progress as anticipated - scrub that 'turnout in a weekend' tosh I spoke of recently :jester:

 

Yesterday turned into one of those everything I touched went wrong moments...bits of turnout collapsing and my test wagon kept derailing running through it :angry: Solution...pack it up and call it a day and watch the Champions League Final.

 

This morning, having slept on it and in addition some good advice on wiring from a post I placed on the DCC help thread I felt a lot more positive.

 

This afternoon, I built a small podium which I will effectively use to build the track on. It's a card base which has 50mm x 5mm foamboard edges and cross bracing. The 1mm white card insert has been taped down onto it and will be removed and inserted as a whole piece into the laser cut timber box. Much easier to work on and it will also allow me to build the track in situ as I want to eliminate short sections of rail around the frog area. I can tighten up the point work a tad now this is in place.

 

Having swapped the test wagon for two coaches, it appears the wagon is too light and perhaps needs some more added weight to it...the coaches seemed to run through fine.

 

Also, a quick sketch on the train on my way to a rather dull meeting about ceilings :rolleyes: has confirmed that I will need to modify the Fiddleyard board by 100mm rather than add onto the Thurso board. This will mean that both Kyle and Thurso will be able to operate as standalone layouts or as a holistic whole ;) The 100mm contains the DCC unit as per previous sketches.

 

I may also take the opportunity to make a new Perspex sliding tray and see if I can accommodate another 1 or two tracks on it. Six roads would be ideal as I have 3 fixed trains for Kyle (Pass/Parcels/Vans) and no doubt something similiar for Thurso.

 

post-3290-0-27456900-1496600977_thumb.jpg

 

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Overall I feel a lot happier to pick up next weekend having zoomed out a tad...time to zoom in again next week ;)

Edited by bcnPete
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  • RMweb Gold

nice progress as usual the wagon will probably be ok when the check rail is added  :dontknow:

 

Thanks Nick - I think you are right - the coaches seemed to be fine...the wagons definitely need more weight though...

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • RMweb Premium

I have used some plug-together lights (for under kitchen cabinets) on my Freshwater layout, two at the front and two at the rear to try to cut down on shadows. Every time I set up at an exhibition, I have to squeeze the pairs of lights together to make the connections again.

 

Check the back-to-back of the wagon, and always use a pair of short, light wagons to test trackwork. Use a finger to move one wagon to push the other one across the point. Any tendency for the propelled wagon to rise upwards will indicate a problem with the track that needs attention.

 

Keep up the good work,

Ian

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  • RMweb Gold

I have used some plug-together lights (for under kitchen cabinets) on my Freshwater layout, two at the front and two at the rear to try to cut down on shadows. Every time I set up at an exhibition, I have to squeeze the pairs of lights together to make the connections again.

 

Check the back-to-back of the wagon, and always use a pair of short, light wagons to test trackwork. Use a finger to move one wagon to push the other one across the point. Any tendency for the propelled wagon to rise upwards will indicate a problem with the track that needs attention.

 

Keep up the good work,

 

Thanks Ian - these lights have quite chunky connectors so not been a problem to date.

 

Thanks for the advice re the wagons...will try that very soon :good:

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