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Ember Yard MPD


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Hello all, I have recently started on anew layout to create a micro MDP. Have always wanted to do one, so this will be this years project. Have chosen EWS to be my main fleet focus which I already have a class 56 to hand. Will be buying more over the next few months.

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Thinking of currently having it laid out like this, with the closest lane to the left being the road to the MPD, which I have a Wills industrial/retail kit that will be made in to part of the depot. It will allow locomotives also to go through to a hidden siding in what will be the fiddleyard. The track right at the back I am thinking of having unpowered for placing odd rollingstock. Trying to find a right hand setrack turn out to complete the main throat. Going to use a depot backscene from ID backscenes, and put a modern security fence across most of the back, will one or two low relief warehouses. 

 

Looking at the siding to the back right, I could get another y-point (in addition to the current one) to make to sidings, possible for fuelling. Or have a long siding, to allow 2 diesels in. Will be DC so have purchased a set of insulating connectors so I can isolate sections where needed, and will be a learning experience to wire this one up for me.

 

 

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Hello all,

 

A little update. Have cut some foam to shape to create the base and currently building a low relief industrial unit, which you can the main body of to the right. Will be placed there, which is on a raised surface. Have ordered a second Y point to have two sidings instead of one very long siding. 

 

Hoping for the entrance, that a girder bridge will go over the top which I have thought how it may affect the 3 siding, as putting foliage beside the bridges support might come out to far. Another concern I have, is the space the MPD may require.

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Edited by Nathaniel
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Another interesting looking project. I look forward to seeing progress. R/H set track points seem to be like hen’s teeth at the moment. Have you found one? I can check shop stock tomorrow but think I have only got L/H ones in stock.

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Thank you andyram.

 

Have managed to find one, though used but classed as A will be checking it thoroughly. Otherwise would have purchased a new one, as cannot always be sure used ones will work from my knowledge. 

 

Received a parcel today for more long straights and a PECO Girder bridge sides, adding to my list of little jobs.

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4 hours ago, Nathaniel said:

Thank you andyram.

 

Have managed to find one, though used but classed as A will be checking it thoroughly. Otherwise would have purchased a new one, as cannot always be sure used ones will work from my knowledge. 

 

Received a parcel today for more long straights and a PECO Girder bridge sides, adding to my list of little jobs.

 

I did check the shop and have only L/H ones anyway. Seems to be a shortage of R/H versions at the moment! 

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A quick update, have all the points and tested the 56 over the tracks, except the kickback. Also, have layered some card for the girder bridge and glued them to the girder sides. Also see in my picture are two end pieces from the wills kit, which will be spare so will form a low relief unit. Between that and the bridge going to have a wall embankment that comes down with the idea of foliage being placed above it.

 

Have checked for space at the throat to see if there is enough room for locomotives to pass the edge of the planned depot. 

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Edited by Nathaniel
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The bridge and low relief warehouse sections spray with a basecoat of Tank Grey, ready to be painted and weathered. The shed is built and very happy with its planned home. 

 

Planned projects for the next couple weeks will be to glue the backscenes, paint the bridge, and kit built buildings and form the feet of the bridge and wrap it in brick. 

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A new update.

 

glued to back scene after cutting it to size and to suit the layout, painted the visible wood parts of the baseboard and the back scene area under the bridge. The foam sheet is back in place and have added one more layer to the right end, to make it slightly higher. Have cut out a section of cork sheet, and have marked down where I want to cut it further, with marked out areas for manual levers. Going to leave it for now to allow the weight of the track to help flatten it. 

 

The low relief wills unit has been glued together, with some plasticard. Have also started painting the brick work, using revel Italian Red. Next will be to paint the top sections with a lighter grey.

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  • 2 weeks later...

An update of the work I have done on my layout over the past week. 

 

Track and ground coverage painted over and started cutting plasticard to size to, which you can see two sheets of already glued in to place. I will want to get something like modelling clay to fill gaps between it and the rails, on the outside sections. Used newspaper glued over the Styrofoam sheets, which I will need to paint over. I have also got a loose card board cut out for the small retaining wall, which would be wrapped in bricks. I may lower the end near the backscene, so that the the planned bush/foliage can be seen from the ground up.

 

 

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Yesterday evening I found some time to apply Metcalfe brick card to the bridge sections.

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Today received delivery of my second diesel, a Bachmann Class 66, seen alongside my Hornby 56, waiting for the 56 to leave before going to the shed.

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These pictures are taken earlier today, Yesterday had put in place more of the hard standing and this morning whilst watching anime, removed the top plasticard section of the part I had already glued and have fitted a new piece in its place, after filling the edge that goes against the track.

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This last one is where I will be looking to raise a little bit, as this will have a gate that can be used to access the depot, to allow vehicles to then cross the tracks.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello all, thank you all for your likes and interest in my layout.

 

Been a while since my last update, not a lot done but many small things have been done since my last update. Cannot remember when certain jobs were done, and may miss a couple small ones too.

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Most notably, I have glued the bridge supports in to place, which I need to paint part of the cardboard I used, that is somewhat visible when viewing towards the bridge. Think this was done over a couple days and the small section of retaining wall glued in to. The top is just 4 sheets of card glued together, painted, then using a modelling knife cut in to the top slightly from two angles to create the appearance of each individual section, then painted again. Above the retaining wall I will be putting  Jarvis Hedge foliage.

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I think I a going to place the low relief back of a warehouse elsewhere, as there is a nice tree on the backscene I like.

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Also glued in place the Industrial unit in to place and planted some bits of static grass around it and by one of the bridge supports. They are from a Wargaming manufacturer, and plan to place some more at a later date. They simply just stick on to the ground.

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Been trying to find equipment that could go in to the shed and also some that I could place between the sidings. Have intentions also to get some working yard lights, just not sure how many I should get, and to go for single or dual lights.

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Two new arrivals to the layout, as well as some ground work and more hardstanding put in place.

 

The newer laid hard standing is made from cork sheet and finishes off the main section of hardstanding and connects to the other side over the rails allowing one vehicle across at a time. This area at the back will then have a gate accessing the empty area in the background. Plan to get a couple cars to park there. Also seen is todays new arrival to the roster, a Class 66, number 66200, second, finding it is runs nice and slowly but finds some spots it disconnects on so will need to give it some tlc at a later date.SAM_6041.JPG.9d274601ef4ad76f1c7cc2cd5733781f.JPGSAM_6042.JPG.6d75a7abed0f8d3712d3397670e2ae6d.JPG

 

To the other end of the layout have fill the gap behind the small section of wall, firstly with a bit of styrene, then building up glued up bits of newspaper, and doing the same in front of the wall along with a little bit done against the main wall section. The bunched up newspaper wetted with PVA glue is then just covered with strips of newspaper. Seen in front of the shutters is a VW van, Oxford Diecast, purchased from KJB Models through Ebay. 

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Been also putting together two pieces of hedges trimming away and building up volume. One is to go at the back of the above photo, then will have a security fence placed in front of it. (Security fence from SMS) . Whilst the other one I am working on is to go ontop of the retaining wall above the wall.

 

Oh, just realised I missed another addition, a EWS liveried wagon, which I have placed on the non-electrified line. Have ordered a class 37 in EWS Livery, some single headed lights from ModelSigns, peco rail sleepers and more PVA glue as I am staggered at how much glue I have already used for this layout. 

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A little update and a request for opinions.

 

Glued in most of the hedging shown in the photo, just not the last inch or two as I will be wanting to put down ground cover and grass first, For the ground cover, I am using the same ballast from my first layout. Note the track ballast for this layout will be granite type ballast, and I will be looking to have some of the dark brown painted coating visible in various locations.SAM_6045.JPG.05c225890bd1a4363bdd9cc84919f27c.JPGSAM_6047.JPG.8b45b34097d7393f959431b251a48d64.JPG

 

Sorry for the shadows, hard to take photos with the window beind me during the day.

 

For the opinions I am looking for, I do not know if I prefer the new planned location for the low relief industrial unit.  I don't know if I prefer having the low relief there, or not at all. As previously mentioned, I still plan to use a security fence along the back of the layout, if having the low relief back, the fence would be in front of it with a slight gap and then run up alongside the hedge and behind the industrial low relief building with the shutters.

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Got my internet connection back now, so here is an update on my layout. Have been busy painting and placing the concrete poles for the security fencing and begun ballasting the tracks a couple days ago. Doing short sections at a time whilst adding a little more ballast and glue to bits where the ballast did not get enough glue. Am using half and half water/PVA glue mixed up with a touch of washing liquid. Not sure why when I do ballasting it never comes out first time great, compared to others using the same method. 

 

Also have now 4 locomotives with the addition of the class 37, which runs really nicely, and have installed one of the 5 lights I am using as yard lights for the layout. With the other planned locations I am unsure how to gle them in place with the polystrene underneath.

 

Anyway, here are a few pictures to show the progression.

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The ballasting is all done after applying more watered down pva glue for a few spots that did not stick. Added a few patches of the brown gravel I am using as soil surface for most of the areas, as well as some more spring type grass I have left over from my first layout. Doing it in patches to give a more unkept, but not overgrown appearance. Have a couple more patches I want to do as you can see, and plan to also get some more self adhesive tufts and hedge foliage to place around the layout, and build up behind the security fence. Have decided to keep the lower relief unit I built, where it is located I have painted the ground grey.

 

Have also received some graffiti decals from SMS in which I will place on some of the walls.

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Went out to the City Centre yesterday tp pick up my parcel for the EWS Sliding Door Van, and stopped by a couple shops. Purchased some lineside box's, some workers, a couple cars and woodlands scenic light green clumps. Was able to find any flowery tufts through. Today I am slowly working on attached the chain link fencing to the concrete posts along the back of the layout. Here is a picture of the depot and entrance.SAM_6060.JPG.4e28e5a5e2fc5e6ca7b919c0b24dc81e.JPG

 

On a side note, tried running the 37 around yesterday, and found the point motors have become all sticky, and do not move the points fully. Thought at first the points were caught or had received to much glue, but the work fine after the point motors were removed. Going to keep them as manual operated with they hand of god.

 

Need to decide what the old rail bridge will be used as, maybe a road or a path way with some bushes.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello everyone, has been a while since my last update with different interests and working going on. Have a few different things added to the layout, having check my previous posts I can see I have painted up one buffer for the showcase siding as am now calling it, and also noticed I had added a stop sign at the end of the layout for the locomotives. Nearly forgot, I found a seller on ebay selling self adhesive flowers, which some are placed around the layout adding a little more colour. I would have done these before making my current list of little jobs.

 

Other updates include adding the drains and pipes to the shed building, the low relief unit is glued in, the mock levers are painted up and glued in and also put in some short sections of yellow guard fencing (SMS). Note a few youths have broken in to the site and have vandalised some of the walls with Graffiti (also SMS)

 

Roster update, I have lost the 37. Regrettably, just within 2 weeks of having it, it made an awful sound and after inspecting it found that one of the drive shafts had come free. Worse still was that the body would not come free, the store I purchased it from has had no luck either with it, thus have been happy to refund me. Hoping to get another as I have always wanted a class 37, not sure why but they sure do look nice.

 

Here are a few photos of how the new additions look.

 

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This little layout is looking pretty good now! It's always the details like the yellow fencing, point levers and plenty of greenery that make a scene properly come to life.

It's a shame the 37 died - maybe it needed towing into the repair shed! :P

The only additions I think are necessary are one or two figures, and a little more general clutter and grubbiness. But I'm sure you've still got plans!

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Thank you TechnicArrow.

 

That's given me an idea if I ever find a scraped or dummie 37, have with some visible damage to go on to the showcase siding. Maybe won't happen, but never know.

 

I certainly have more, currently have a set of Bachmann Railway Workers in Orange vests, so a few of them will find some homes. And have the lineside box's and a bit more ground areas to cover, I am sure the ground is not that muddy, but will be keeping some of the muddy brown visible between the tracks.

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Last night after work, I got round to wiring up the 3 yard lights, and once it was dark took the below photos. Whilst they are rated for 12v with the pre-attached resistor I am currently using a 6v DC PSU adapter. Even though it is only 6v's, I am unsure if they are too bright or not. I may want to try finding a lower voltage PSU and try them with it and see. What do you guys think? PS, they are wired in parallel, not series and have yet to glue two of them in to place. 

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Hello all, I am here today with an update on some non scenery items for my layouts. A couple weeks ago ordered 3 kits from SMS, one being a twin plank and two locomotive/rolling stock trays. Built the plank a while ago and drilling holes to allow it to connect to Ember MPD, to serve as the fiddle yard. Last night, built up one of the trays which is going to be really handy,as I can more easily put locomotives away that are not on shed, especially as I get more in the future.

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  • 1 month later...

Just got this out today in place of my brewery layout to take a picture for my work colleagues who all think both layouts a really cool :). Having it out, and knowing in the back of my mind that it is not yet complete, I thought, "This layout really does look realistic."

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