Whimsy sidings. A OO shunting layout.

[toplink@()1989))((]

At the beginning of March I bought a small 4mm shunting layout on a whim (hence the title) off Ebay.

The seller told me it was a work in progress and needed some wiring etc, however once I got it home I realised it needed more than recommissioning so I finished up stripping the track and points and starting over. 

It was at this moment I had a thought, I hadn't paid very much for it so I wondered if I could build a layout using stuff I already had and not buy much else. I have had to buy a few switches but for the most part I have used electrical stuff I already had in stock.

This is what I started with.

 

 

The dowels sticking out of the front were connected to the points. Some were connected to their point in the middle of a support under the board, lord knows how he did it!

 

Anyway, I ripped them all out with the intention of fitting wire in tube above board.

At this time I asked via facebook for ideas for the scenicifying of it and a friend from Australia sent me this photo. I want to Anglify it for my own use as I can't afford to buy loads of US outline stock!

 

 

With the basics in mind I set about stripping it.

 

 

I decided to try and upgrade the points to make them more reliable. The points are Hornby insulfrogs bar one Peco insulfrog. 

I joined the switch and stock rails, isolated the crossing V and wired them as an electrofrog, the above photo is of the first one I did to see if it would work. It did, very well! So I have done all 6 and isolated them from the rest of the track and given them a dedicated power supply.

 

 

 

Track and points relayed.

 

 

All wired up and switches for point polarity fitted, control panel made, wired and connected, I also put a changeover switch in for switching between DC and DCC.

 

 

 

And that at the moment is it.

I need to make a fiddle stick next so that trains can be run off scene. I will post up progress as and when things happen.

 

Cheers for now, Pete.  

 

[ThomasG]

Hi! 
Nice concept, I like it!

 

You probably already know it, but I still wanted to send you this link:

Maybe it's a bit helpful ...

Have fun and success with the building of your layout!

 

Regards, ThomasG

 

[Mannix]

Nice start. I'm following your work with interest. What are the dimensions of your layout ? Thanks. Can I borrow a few ideas ?

[eastworld]

You could make it a colliery layout - then you could name it: https://www.forestofdeanhistory.org.uk/resources/sites-in-the-forest/whimsey-colliery/

 

Stu

[toplink@()1989))((]

On 29/03/2020 at 11:17, Mannix said:

Nice start. I'm following your work with interest. What are the dimensions of your layout ? Thanks. Can I borrow a few ideas ?

Thank you Mannix, please feel free to use any of its design.  Dimension wise it is 4ft x 16in.

 

Cheers, Pete.

[toplink@()1989))((]

A little more done, first up I've given the trackwork a whaft over with some Railmatch sleeper grime.

 

 

And knocked up a fiddle yard for cassettes which will be built later after laying some connecting track and wiring it up.

 

 

Thats it for now. Cheers, Pete.

 

 

[toplink@()1989))((]

Nearly 2 months later I suppose I should post an update though to be fair I haven't got a lot further.

The only noticeable thing is I have glued down some sieved soil as ground cover between the track work, still more to do as I ran out of soil halfway through .

I also painted some of the cork with black enamel as the pva I fixed the first load of soil down with lifted the cork, hopefully it should help.

 

 

 

I have also made up a cassette for it as an experiment to see if it will work for me.

 

 

Quite pleased with it, still a work in progress though.

 

Cheers, Pete.