murray1 Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 (edited) I have building my own loft layout now for several years with slow progress. I have decided to share some of the past story and bring the layouts progress to the site and hopefully obtain additional knowledge and modelling skills along the way. The layout is built within the trusses of our attic with access through a hatch in the floor providing a continuous run approx. 20 feet long x 10 feet wide. Overall the boards are 2 feet wide. The plan was always to provide a scenic stretch to provide running opportunities on one side and a simple station on the other side for operational interest. Being set in Fife there is a harbour scene and the layout is complete with fiddle yard at one end and hidden tracks at the other. There was a plan for a small stabling area to display engines, but this has since developed to a small coal yard again for operational interest. Growing up in the 70s and 80s I spent a lot of time at Dalmeny station watching the trains come and go heading to and from the Forth Rail bridge towards Fife. Little did I realize how lucky I was to see such a variety of motive power on a diverse set of trains. This layout is my attempt to recreate this in miniature. Edited October 22, 2019 by murray1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
murray1 Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share Posted October 21, 2019 (edited) Here is the layout as it was in November 2015. This is the scenic side of the layout and shows how it is incorporated into the rafters. Edited October 21, 2019 by murray1 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
murray1 Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share Posted October 21, 2019 (edited) Moving forward to 2017 work started on the station area. Scalescene station buildings were built and adapted to represent more the style for 1980s North British style for area. Berko colour lights installed basic landscaping started. Hornby footbridge altered to drop height to realistic height. Think it was probably painted black in 1980 but couldn't resist painting Scottish blue and white. Track is painted rust colour and sleepers a chocolate brown colour at this stage. Ballasted using extra fine ballad and my so complains I am too neat and precise with straight lines. Edited October 21, 2019 by murray1 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
murray1 Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share Posted October 21, 2019 (edited) Rolling stock is currently mainly Hornby Railroad for the DCC ready chassis and the bodies are all Lima. I enjoy detailing and weathering and most will be fitted with TTS sound chips or full sound chips. With upgraded speakers the 40 and 47s sound okay to me. Coaching stock is all Lima, older Hornby and a Mainline restaurant. Again detailed, passengers added and lightly weathered. While building the layout cannot justify cost of latest models by Bachmann, Hornby or Oxford. Maybe later, but think I would be scared to take a £50 Coach apart to paint internally and add passengers! Edited October 21, 2019 by murray1 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BR37414 Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Looking great. May I ask what you used for your platform and your grass? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
murray1 Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 (edited) The grass is a combination of Javis and Woodland Scenic scatter. Painted all scenery with a burnt umber brown colour first then applied the scatter. Recently added a better mix and trees, fencing etc with the plan then to add static grass to add more texture. Platforms were formed with strip pine and topped with balsa wood. Platform walls are strips of Metcalfe stone paper. Edited October 22, 2019 by murray1 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigwife007 Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Nice to see another BR blue layout Murray.its looking mint looks like you certainly have plenty space to run the stock. how longs the straights? dan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
murray1 Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 1 hour ago, Pigwife007 said: Nice to see another BR blue layout Murray.its looking mint looks like you certainly have plenty space to run the stock. how longs the straights? dan Straights are about 16 feet long. Typically run 7 or 8 eight coach trains. Try to make sure full length fits into station platforms. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
murray1 Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 Currently working on harbour area. Water is several layers of gloss varnish. Fishing boat is a Scalescenes model built to 90%. Scalescenes kits provide the cottages and harbour walls. More cottages to be built shortly to complete the scene. Will be buying from Scale Model Scenery for ladders, bollards and tyres etc for harbour walls. 8 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold fishytrains Posted October 22, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 22, 2019 I like the look of the worl you have done so. I will be following with interest your progress. Regards Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigwife007 Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 16 foot long straights, superb... harbour look great too. You say you started in 2015 have you been Working on it regularly or are you like me go through fazes of action then walk away for a while. dan 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
murray1 Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 Work is very much in phases. This year saw the layout switch to DCC. This took a while at the pace I work at. The aim before winter was to improve the scenic side of the layout. Plan is to build more downloadable kits over Winter and weather more rolling stock. Next year more work is to be done in station area. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BR37414 Posted November 20, 2019 Share Posted November 20, 2019 Thanks for the info Murray! I'm going to use those ideas on my layout if you don't mind! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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