Guest Jack Benson Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Jim, Really useful 77Ltr Christmas Tree Box And two 24ltr boxes for the paraphernalia - stock, power supplies, sandwiches etc. All fits on the rear seat or boot, no need to drop the seats. Although this may be irrelevant to your project, try getting BRM April 2018 and read Phil Parker's closing remarks about presenting Didsbury Green, lots of solid ino. Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimsmodeltrains Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 10 hours ago, Jack Benson said: Really useful 77Ltr Christmas Tree Box Thanks Jack. I wasn't really thinking of having the plank layout I'm planning to fit in a storage box as I plan to have the 'plank' layout on top of a bookshelf most of the time but knowing that there is a box like the one you mentioned is helpful, especially if I plan to store it somewhere if we have to move house. Three of the 4 micro layouts I currently have are either stored in a box or housed in a custom built bookcase. The other one, a 4 sq foot pizza, is easy fitted in the boot (or is that trunK?) of our car. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 19, 2020 Share Posted July 19, 2020 Finally, the Kadee ramps are installed and cinder ballast is complete, not fun in a confined space. The grim aspect of industrial 'grot' needs some colour and the next task is ground cover of biegegrau Acrylmasse from Stangel and a generous scattering of weeds. Another 24hrs and all the PVA will be hard and the fun task of cleaning up the lose ballast can begin, followed by attention to the backscene, some grey clouds are in order. The diesel fuelling point is a bit too large but it helps as a view blocker for the siding at the rear. Still lots to do, the 80/20 rule certainly applies to this layout but it is rather cute thanks to its minimal nature and size. Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 20, 2020 Share Posted July 20, 2020 Hiding in a file, a sketch from Peer Donner that started the process that has almost ended with MicroPlank. Peer’s original idea morphed into the crossover but the pipework will be park of the final outcome and a very little bit of Berlin will emerge. The bagger is a Busch model Stay Safe and Best Wishes to all Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 For the very few modellers of German outline who visit this thread, this link might prove rather useful:- Viessmann/Kibri downloads It was intended to build the MicroPlank as an 70s UK industrial scene, two weathered Pecketts are lurking but problems with Kadees on British outline stock did put the mockers on the idea, maybe some bright spark will provide a solution. In the meantime, the lone Henschel DHG500 performs faultlessly with the few wagons all with properly designed coupling mounts despite each from a different manufacturer - a task beyond Bachmann whose coupling heights are pot-luck. Trix and Roco - perfect compatibility Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 A minor milestone, the fuelling point is finished bar the fuel hose and guy in hi-viz plus the inevitable heavy weathering - but I also need some fire exinguishers. Ho Hum Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 21, 2020 Share Posted July 21, 2020 One final detail - These look perfect for the fuelling point - Faller 180950 and cheap from Jadlam Racing, should be here by the weekend. Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 Under the board Under the board can be interesting, if only to expose the dreadful wiring but in this case it is quite neat. The colours are generally consistent - green for common return, black/red for DC power and yellow/blue for AC. Definitely non-DCC as this would require additional compenents to be attached to the boards - central processing unit and accessory decoders - all heavy and not required. Instead a 5-pin phono DIN socket for a handheld controller and a 2-pin phono DIN socket for AC power supplied by a remote wallwart. Both Peco turnout motors are low-amp versions and have additional SPDT biased switches for turnout polarity. Layout lighting is LED strip as described by Phil Parker in Didsbury BRM Spring 2018 Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 (edited) Scenery on a plank, are you joking? Not really, every bit of land has some scenic element, whether it is vegetation, the actual surface (dirt, concrete etc.) or variations of height. No exception with the MicroPlank, it will receive some textured ground surface using various colours of Stangel Acrylmasse and the front edge of the board will have a sliver of 5mm foamboard for a subtle change of contour. This image is the foamboard being held in place whilst PVA dries. This is the result, a concrete surface and slightly raised front edge. All the structures 'plug-in' to permenant holes so that they can be removed during transit but relocate perfectly. Weeds and plenty of them, will soften the edges and the odd view blocker would not come amiss. Stay Safe Edited July 26, 2020 by Jack Benson Additional stuff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted July 25, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 25, 2020 On 21/07/2020 at 14:16, Jack Benson said: A minor milestone, the fuelling point is finished Sorry to be churlish, Jack, but should the fuel tank have a bund wall? It isn't obvious if it has one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 32 minutes ago, Oldddudders said: Sorry to be churlish, Jack, but should the fuel tank have a bund wall? It isn't obvious if it has one. It is visible even without spectacles. Now, there will be an outbreak of pedantry quoting all sorts of arcane regulations. So, go ahead, make my day. Stay Safe and Keep Quiet Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 There are a couple of wall sections left over from the last project, I wonder if a section of walling hiding the rear siding behind the fuelling point might be effective at focussing attention on the fuelling point rather than whatever is sitting in the siding? I rather like the ‘peek-a-boo’ concept even though it is rather cheesy. Just a personal preference but I find that some diorama layouts seem to lack a certain amount of vertical ‘interruptions’ to the viewer and an element of concealment is worthwhile. Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 27, 2020 Share Posted July 27, 2020 (edited) Thanks to Neil of this parish, I acquired a Trix Dhg500, unfortunately my second choice of loco was not so clever. Thankfully Trix is part of Mother Maerklin and they offer a Dhg700, which is a boxy uprated version of the original. It isn’t as simple as a body swap, the latest Trix model has a number of new features but it isn’t impossible just awkward but the result is this:- It is full of character and the transition to 70s German industrial is rather rewarding. Cheers and Stay Safe Edited July 27, 2020 by Jack Benson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 The old broken bits of walling have been painted and weathered, they look part of a neglected corner of a busy industrial system. Once the vegetation takes hold, the hard corners will soften. Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 This may sound odd but sometimes, you encounter something that is so iconic of a place and time that you just want to share it. A bit like seeing your first Landrover or a Spamcan, that sort of moment. This tiny model from Auhagen is so typical of the Berlin area that I am sure it smells of Currywurst, it is near perfect unfortunately you have to know what it is before the excitement but damn boy, it is good. A 42x46mm space is available on MicroPlank. it won't be in the centre, instead tucked away at the side but its purpose is to define the location and time. It does it so well despite being a real plain Jane of a building. All that frothing has made me rather giddy. Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 A couple of images during last year's Berlin trip. The first is a Henschel Dhg500 Lok1, the second is a Mak Lok20 on a drizzly day, hi-viz of course. The scale of the docks in Berlin is immense, at least five major sites plus small individual industrial sidings. Wandering around is not an option but as the railways come to meet the public with numerous street lines, it isn't a problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 23 minutes ago, Jack Benson said: Is that the tower of the Metcalfe Factory Entrance in the background above the cab of the shunter?! Prototype for everything... ! Steve S Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 The images are BEHALA Westhafen, one of the largest inland harbours in the EU. BEHALA is Berlin und Largerhausgesellschaft mbh, the operator of the trimodal freight hub in the heart of Berlin. Below is the main warehouse which can be seen in the background of Lok 20. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold simon b Posted July 29, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2020 1 hour ago, Jack Benson said: The images are BEHALA Westhafen, one of the largest inland harbours in the EU. BEHALA is Berlin und Largerhausgesellschaft mbh, the operator of the trimodal freight hub in the heart of Berlin. Below is the main warehouse which can be seen in the background of Lok 20. Those traveling cranes would be good fun to motorize. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 Nature has begun to invade. Basket liner* cut to size and painted with dilute PVA then dressed with static grass is impressive. The strip in the backround will be done later, the contrasts in texture are interesting. Still lots to do. *Try popping bits of basket liner in the whizzy coffee grinder thingy, repeatedly pulse and watch your fingers because the results are worth it. And wash it out afterwards. Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 One last view before the diorama goes into hibernation in its storage box until life returns to normal with exhibitions. During the interval, numerous small details will be created, the stock will receive attention and Sunday running will resume on Beaminster Road Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted August 20, 2020 Share Posted August 20, 2020 With all further work on Chandlers Row abandoned, the MicroPlank becomes my only layout capable of being exhibited. Other options include using it for both UK and German outline, not an issue as none of the fixed items are identifiable as one or the other and the modern fuelling point can be easily replaced by coal and water. In the meantime, the second Trix DHG500 has been upgraded to a DHG700 by the simple expedient of a body swap using a Maerklin, my chum is more than happy to receive a DHG500 for his Maerklin layout. Hopefully, some minor upgrades to the locos will be of interest, if only to take them to the detail level of the Hobbytrade model. In the next couple of weeks, the layout will be completed to the standard needed for exhibiting, proper LED lighting and a coat of exterior green satinwood - very calming, then back in the storage box until.................who knows? However it is not all doom and gloom, the MicroPlank shares the workshop with Beaminster Road, it is easier to run and serves a dual purpose as a test track with challenging reverse curves as well as Kadee coupling test point. More soon Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted August 22, 2020 Share Posted August 22, 2020 The impression of most industrial layouts is one of overall drabness, whereas the lack of care often results in encroaching nature. Only environments that are overtly hostile to nature seem to be without the green element. The MicroPlank is unkempt and nature is rampant, finances are not wasted on neatness just as long as the track is clear. A few of the items were removed whilst the Grassmaster went to work but now the process of applying the smaller, more delicate details can begin to be installed. Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagual Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 On 26/06/2020 at 20:28, Jack Benson said: A happy discovery - this version of the Trix Dhg500 is NEM362 compliant, just fit any swallow tail coupling. In this case, Kadees are perfect for hands-off coupling and there are quite a few lying unused in the spares drawer. The loco coupling mount is fixed, therefore #19 were used to prevent buffer lock. Kadee's have transformed my enjoyment of this hobby. Shunting, coupling and uncoupling using magnets has been so much fun and engaging. Tiny neo-magnets rather than ramps are simply popped onto steel csk screws in the four foot as shown below. Cheers and Stay Safe Great work and an excellent idea with the magnets. May I ask which ones are you using. Do they have the same or inverted polarity on each side? Also, did you have to do fiddle much with the trip pins for the couplers to work? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 Hi, A video is worth a thousand words And try Google - Kadee uncoupling neomagnets Cheers and Stay Safe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now