Thunderforge Posted September 29, 2019 Share Posted September 29, 2019 (edited) I’ve been scratchbuilding some O-gauge rolling stock and decided to put together an ultra low budget micro layout for it. Inspired by folks like Jim Reid and it’s the first O-gauge layout I’ve ever started. Wish me luck...! A bit of background first; my rolling stock has a ‘Game of Thrones’ theme, using names and places from that world. Mostly because I like little jokes (ie Godswoods are sacred forests, so I have a Godswood Timber Co. wagon!) When the iron horse invaded Westeros, it was an invader welcomed, mostly, with open arms. The first private line extended eastward from Lannisport, eventually reaching the capital, King’s Landing. This was laid by the Great Westeros Railway company, and paved the way for other companies to extend their own lines thereafter. To the north of King’s Landing lay broad vistas of bleak, cold highlands and moorland, inhabited by strange folk with stranger accents. The one of the most influential companies, the Landing, North Westeros Railway, laid metals from the capital all the way up to the furthest reach of the kingdom, the Wall itself. All northern traffic is bottlenecked through Moat Caitlin, a junction from which main lines fan out to White Harbour in the east, Winterfell Road and to the Bear Island ferry in the west. On this line runs a tiny and insignificant branch which terminates at a station signposted ‘Deepwood Motte’. The station is a mile or so away from the Motte itself, but serves the Glover family and the villages nearby. There are occasional passenger services from Winterfell and the Bear Island ferry. Goods outgoing are mainly wool and textiles for the south, cattle and beer for the northern towns, troops for the war; goods inbound include wines from the Reach, salted fish from White Harbour, skins and furs from House of Bolton, farm machinery and the all important mail. There is a fledgling tourism industry for the affluent; whilst you are visiting the north please take a trip to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea; during the summer much of the beach is free of ice! However, all is not as it seems on the Westeros railways as competition between transport companies is rife, with rolling stock intentionally misdirected, rerouted or stolen, and similar from the feuding shareholders and passengers. This means that the contents of any wagon may not be what the paperwork says it is... (I’m looking at you Frey & Sons Wedding Hire Ltd!) Pictures of work in progress imminent... Edited September 29, 2019 by Thunderforge 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hando Posted September 29, 2019 Share Posted September 29, 2019 This is surreal... I like it! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 Baseboard is a thick chunk of insulation material surrounded with hardboard and topped with thick grey-board. I work at a print company on an industrial estate, so lots of access to scrap materials! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 (edited) I’ve been pretty settled on using the ‘two points’ track plan from Market Maldon, but I knew that fifty quid for a set was too much to spend, and coupled to that I didn’t feel confident enough to scratch my own, I’ve decided to go for a double track traverser running into three ‘scenic’ tracks (platform line, goods line and parcels line). There’s a loco release on the far side of the traverser. Hopefully this will allow me to play ‘inglenooks’ when I want and have more realistic moments. And I never realised how hot flexi track gets when you’re sawing it! Ouch! Edited September 29, 2019 by Thunderforge 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 The Macaroni Express is waiting in the traverser for the glue to dry... Now to make a cup of tea... where’s the kettle? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 Testing a track painting technique I saw on an American YouTube channel; paint the sleepers a bright cream (£1 tester pot of masonry paint!) and the rails red (Mournfang Brown acrylic), then wash with a mix of alcohol and black weathering powder. Or in this case the easel sweepings of a chalk pastel artist!! Before... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 After... I’m not 100% sold, but I’ll stick it down and add some ballast and see if it’s any better. It’ll be ‘offstage’ anyway. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 The ‘backstop’ end, if I may use such a dangerous phrase. The pencil scribble is to lubricate the traverser with graphite. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 Track looks a little better once ballasted, with Sainsbury’s fine grain clumping cat litter! Should look even better with some black dirt drizzled over it and some static grass too. 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 Not sure what to do about electrical contact between the traverser and normal rails. The traverser sits on the flat so no space beneath for wiring. I thought maybe use a sprung ball bearing to rest up against a brass cup? Suggestions welcome as this method seems over engineered and I’d need to make four pairs of them! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted September 29, 2019 Share Posted September 29, 2019 Re the power transfer issue. What I did was solder short lengths of brass tube (with an outside dia. less than the height of the rail) to the outside web of each rail end on both the traverser tracks & the fixed ('normal') tracks, then use a length of brass rod that slides inside the tubes to connect them. Transfers power, and holds the traverser in place. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 Thanks F-UnitMad, that’s a neat solution, minimal visual impact, and sounds easy enough for me to actually do without fluffing it up! I’d thought of using brass draw bolts from a DIY shop, but dismissed it as too big and clunky. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_J Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 I like what you've done so far with this. I too, am experimenting with re-purposed packing materials, different methods from the usual - and I use cat litter for ballast. I very much like the fantasy element too. Look forward to seeing more. Regards, Bill 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted October 1, 2019 Author Share Posted October 1, 2019 This evening I’ve glued a short length of track to a CD, then added some lolly sticks to make a wagon turntable. Unfortunately I’d not enough sticks to finish it, so it’s on pause for now. It was a Ronnie James Dio CD if you must know, but it was already scratched beforehand. Should have used Queen though; Flat bottomed rails you make the rockin’ world go round... 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted October 3, 2019 Author Share Posted October 3, 2019 One freshly planked turntable, which will need a lot of grubbying up once the glue is dry. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGDB Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 Very nice turntable. Like it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGDB Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 I am very tempted to try this scale. How long will I resist ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted October 4, 2019 Author Share Posted October 4, 2019 Thanks LGDB! I’d only had N and OO before now, but I’d recommend this scale if you like building things yourself. But a wagon kit and see how it feels :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 2 hours ago, LGDB said: I am very tempted to try this scale. How long will I resist ? Resistance is Futile!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGDB Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted October 10, 2019 Author Share Posted October 10, 2019 Not much progress to report, I’m a bit stuck until I get some bits of brass tube in the post. But here’s a pic of Lord Mormont (work in progress scratch built loco) doing a dry run of the passenger line. I’ve decided to shelve the turntable as I was having too much difficulty getting the rails to line up! 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierluk Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 What's next ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderforge Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share Posted October 21, 2019 (edited) Hi Pierluk, waiting on a bit of brass tubing to make the contacts/locking pins for the traverser, then I can plough on with it. I’d ordered it on a slow boat from China because there aren’t any brass stockists near me. On the plus side I’ve had a chance to get that loco looking more finished, I’ll post pics shortly! Edited October 21, 2019 by Thunderforge 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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