Just for the fun of it!

[Woody C]

On 21/05/2021 at 23:30, ian said:

I thought he was going to make the wall a little wider to provide a nice elevated trackbed...

Strangely enough Ian, the various curves in the wall and edgings are all built to a minimum radius of 2 foot which as I explained to Mrs. Woody when questioned, is nothing to do with model railways but the ideal radius for visual utopia when  displaying plants and other items of flora and fauna that she may wish to see planted - usually by me following her instructions! Plans are of course subject to change!

[Woody C]

Thank you for the continued interest in my layout and for the comments and likes which are always much appreciated. It has been some time since my last post and even though I did highlight in my very first post that my pace of achievement in modelling was akin to glacial progress I did think I would have achieved a bit more by now. However looking back over the last few weeks I have been busy, just not with railway modelling! So whilst much of this post is not directly related to the layout I hope there is something of interest to you and I will be progressing on the layout at some point in the future as I explain later in this post!

 

One of those things that has slowed me down was that I had a cataract operation at the beginning of June. A consequence of my detached retina about a year ago. It is only when something like that happens you appreciate the gift of sight and my admiration and gratitude to the NHS for their treatment and care is overwhelming  they saved my sight and no doubt many others. If you ever have what appears to be a black part of vision in your eye as though someone has pulled a curtain over part of it get yourself to your nearest Eye Casualty ASAP. The sooner you are treated the better the chances of retaining your sight.  

 

Following on from various comments regarding my garden wall I feel compelled to share this picture with you which illustrates just how remarkably coincidences can naturally happen with no prior planning or thought as I informed Mrs Woody when, just out of interest I laid this 00 third radius curve on top of the wall. Quiet remarkable as David Coleman would say - that's showing my age!

 

 

Almost as though it was built for a garden model railway and Smudge the cat seems to be surveying the possibility!

 

 

 

And on another matter, as part of the overall project I had to re-level parts of the grassed area of my garden, which those blessed with gardening skills would refer to as a lawn, to match up with new edgings. If like me trying to cut a turf to a consistent depth turns out to be impossible with what emerges on the end of the spade being more cheese wedge shaped then flat bread, you will understand the problems of having to relay turfs which all have different depths to them. years ago I would have re-laid the turf and belted hell out of it with the back of the spade to get it to some resemblance of  level and then wonder why it died! As I get older such energetic activities are now beyond sensibility so with a bit of thought a WOW moment emerged and I created a turf cutting plank. I had an off cut of laminate flooring to which I nailed three pieces of inch and a half batten. The picture below shows it as well as the general idea of how to get consistent level turfs using an old and expendable saw riding along the top of the battens to cut off the surplus soil. You won't be using the saw for any form of woodworking again but it certainly made relaying the turfs much easier! The laminate floor is about the same width as my small spade which made cutting the turfs to the right width easy as well. Working smarter not harder as I get older! 

 

 

 

With regards to railway modelling and in particular my narrow gauge layout not a great deal has been happening with the good weather and light nights meaning gardening and cycling type activities have taken up the majority of my time and what time is left has usually been spent stretched out on the sofa in a vain attempt to cure a bad back! However many of those jobs have now been ticked off and a bit of time is being spent planning the next stage of the layout which will be an extension with a small canal wharf and some form of settlement. Its clear in my mind I just need the time! However I do now have a slight distraction in that in my man cave, otherwise known as The Room of Gloom and around which much of the gardening work has been focused now has this in it. Oh Dear! Another project and you can see my widespread varied interests with Tornado, a rather nice pair of DRS 47s and an American Alco S-2! I am though thinking of an 009 feeder line being incorporated into this - just for the fun of it!

 

Edited June 19, 2021 by Woody C

[F-UnitMad]

12 hours ago, Woody C said:

Another project and you can see my widespread varied interests with Tornado, a rather nice pair of DRS 47s and an American Alco S-2!

Now you are really getting my attention!!

 

But a wide variety of interests is only to be expected when one has been subjected to the influence of Chris Ellis and 'Model Trains'.  

[Woody C]

On 20/06/2021 at 12:38, F-UnitMad said:

Now you are really getting my attention!!

 

But a wide variety of interests is only to be expected when one has been subjected to the influence of Chris Ellis and 'Model Trains'.  

So many interests, so little time! The American interest I have had for decades and I have been so lucky to have visited the States and Canada on several occasions and on one visit I actually got a ride in the cab of an F unit. Awesome! As the journey came to an end I asked what the door leading into the hood was for. He just opened it and there was a toilet! My face must have been a picture!

 

[Woody C]

Hello,

 

Its been a while since I have even visited the forum apart from the odd two minutes every now and then so hope everyone is well?  As most of us have been taking advantage of the 'summer' and the jobs it brings I guess that modelling has been taking a back seat for many of us. However with an eye on the darker nights coming and with a gap in the Mrs. Woody timetable of jobs that need, for some inexplicable reason, to be done now, I have built the second baseboard to extend the layout. Exactly the same size (amazingly with my elastic measuring skills) as the first and constructed in the same manner with wood beaten, coerced and forced into position, usually with one or more of my selection of large hammers. The only difference though is that it does incorporate a cut out for a river and a canal wharf. The plan in my head, probably not the best place to store it, is to have a loop on the curve at the end and a siding to the canal wharf where there will be a warehouse of some sort. Inside the curve a small hamlet and that should just about fill the board. The only thing I have to do before commencing track laying is to sort out my method of joining the two boards. A number of possibilities are in mind but not sure which is best for what I need. 

 

At the moment the two boards are in the middle of my Last Great Project baseboard and although I said I might have some narrow gauge on it I didn't think this much. However there is a certain spark of an idea inspired by a certain shop layout in 00 with a hole in the middle. When questioned the owner did say that it would be the perfect site for an N gauge layout which was a fantastic idea. Who knows what may emerge on my layout - probably another list of must be done today tasks! 

 

 

 

 

 

[ian]

Said shop owner also considered 009 but it would have involved too much ripping up of parts of the OO layout.

 

That idea would have seen a NG station alongside the OO through station with a trans-shipment siding and basically a folded eight circuit as it made its way up a mountain (OK, hillock) with a scenic divider along the far side of the former operating well.

 

Just as well he didn't do it.

[F-UnitMad]

Ooh, I spy an American N scale layout lurking in the background!! Looks very nice - if there isn't one already, another layout Thread if you please, sir.!!  

I started my US outline modelling in N, many years ago now. Things have improved a lot in the scale since then. I wouldn't go back to it now, but always find US N layouts interesting.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

On 05/08/2021 at 18:00, F-UnitMad said:

Ooh, I spy an American N scale layout lurking in the background!! Looks very nice - if there isn't one already, another layout Thread if you please, sir.!!  

I started my US outline modelling in N, many years ago now. Things have improved a lot in the scale since then. I wouldn't go back to it now, but always find US N layouts interesting.

Not sure it’s N scale? Must admit I was going to ask about it too - I just thought it was HO a bit further away .  Looks to have an interesting selection of grain elevators, and do I spy the Walthers Sunrise Feed Mill at the end of the spur?

Edited August 6, 2021 by Keith Addenbrooke

[SonOfMike]

1 hour ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

I just thought it was H0 a bit further away

So did I, and now all I can think of is that scene from Father Ted 

[F-UnitMad]

2 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

Not sure it’s N scale? Must admit I was going to ask about it too - I just thought it was H0 a bit further away 

Hmm.... you could be right. Well whatever scale it is ( O scale, very far away?? ) - we want to see more of it!!  

[Keith Addenbrooke]

1 hour ago, SonOfMike said:

So did I, and now all I can think of is that scene from Father Ted 

Yup 

[Woody C]

Hello and thank you for the continued interest, likes and comments - all very much appreciated.

 

With regards to Ian's comments

 

On 05/08/2021 at 17:53, ian said:

Said shop owner also considered 009 but it would have involved too much ripping up of parts of the OO layout.

 

That idea would have seen a NG station alongside the OO through station with a trans-shipment siding and basically a folded eight circuit as it made its way up a mountain (OK, hillock) with a scenic divider along the far side of the former operating well.

 

Just as well he didn't do it.

 

I do very genuinely miss my annual pilgrimage to Shropshire and several visits to the shop for a good natter, a sweet from the tin, some great purchases and to see the 'progress' on the shop layout. I do however, for reasons beyond me, find myself feeling as though I am back in the shop when I enter my Man Cave. What ever happened to the shop layout?

 

I have laid out some track on my new baseboard following my long term vision that was thoroughly tested, checked and thought out in my mind for a long time. The idea was a loop on the bend and a siding leading off the what I term as the front of the layout  (the side with the quarry on the other baseboard) and running to the canal wharf. On the basis of this clearly ingenious plan I ordered the track which I have had for some months. Some might think good planning to have the track in stock for so long but in reality I am just a lot slower in getting things done then I think I will be. I have a stock of items that are needed for projects that probably far exceeds what I will ever be able to achieve. The other problem is that once 'in stock' item is required it will have disappeared into the 'never to be seen again until after it has been replaced with another item' store. It will then mysteriously reappear when looking for another 'in stock' item! The reality of laying out the track revealed a major issue in my plans. The siding coming off the front of the layout should actually come off the back of the layout to enable the siding to run by the canal wharf. I am now left with having to order another left hand Peco Set-Track point, butcher an n gauge point that I may have in stock as I did on the other board (details on my blog here or developing a cunning plan to reconfigure the plan using what points I have. More sleepless nights counting points! The photos below probably illustrated better than what I have written above. Hmmmm. Think I am being transported to a model shop......

 

 

 

Moving onto other matters it appears that the USA layout in the background to the photos in my last post have caused more comment, speculation and interest than the latest series of Clarksons farm if comments by 

 

Quote

On 05/08/2021 at 18:00, F-UnitMad said:

Ooh, I spy an American N scale layout lurking in the background!! Looks very nice - if there isn't one already, another layout Thread if you please, sir.!!  

I started my US outline modelling in N, many years ago now. Things have improved a lot in the scale since then. I wouldn't go back to it now, but always find US N layouts interesting.

 

 

Quote

4 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

Not sure it’s N scale? Must admit I was going to ask about it too - I just thought it was HO a bit further away .  Looks to have an interesting selection of grain elevators, and do I spy the Walthers Sunrise Feed Mill at the end of the spur?

 

 

Quote

3 hours ago, SonOfMike said:

So did I, and now all I can think of is that scene from Father Ted 

 

 

are anything to go by.

 

I can confirm it is an H0 switching layout and much as I would love to tell you I had built it I can not as I bought it from a lovely guy and skilled modeler on a well known auction site following a casual browse of items with no intention of actually buying anything! A photo below and probably a thread somewhere else when I get round to it but there is a bit more on my blog about it here.

 

 

 

[ian]

14 hours ago, Woody C said:

What ever happened to the shop layout?

Broken up - some components salvaged but much went to the tip.

 

When armageddon came it was in the process of being substantially rebuilt to make it more fit for purpose. It was built to a CJF pla that I had long wanted to build and which was a great operating layout but it had two problems for a shop layout. Firstly the single track oval meant that only one train could be in motion at a time and, in a fit of insanity, I had laid half in Code 100 and half in Code 75 rail. This was great for showing the difference between the two but meant that only modern stock could circumnavigate it. The photo above is the last one ever taken with the double tracking underway.

 

[F-UnitMad]

15 hours ago, Woody C said:

I can confirm it is an H0 switching layout

So much for my powers of observation!! N gauge!!!! D'oh!!!  

[ian]

11 minutes ago, F-UnitMad said:

So much for my powers of observation!! N gauge!!!! D'oh!!!  

 

 

[F-UnitMad]

@ian  ...as mentioned by Son of Mike, further up this page.  

 

In my defence I'd failed to notice the aisle between the layouts, looking at the photos on a phone.

That's my excuse, anyway.   

[ian]

8 hours ago, F-UnitMad said:

In my defence I'd failed to notice the aisle between the layouts, looking at the photos on a phone.

That's my excuse, anyway.   

 

I'll believe you although thousands wouldn't - but only because you've got a good avatar.

[Woody C]

Hello and thank you for looking at this post even if you are only searching for the ultimate cure for insomnia which much of my writing has gained notoriety for! Well it has been nearly two months since I started to push various track pieces around the new extended baseboard and I can reveal that I finally have solved the predicament that I outlined in my last post regarding the having misjudged my original plan in my head and having the wrong handed point/switch/turnout or whatever else they are termed as these days. The track is temporarily held in place with our good friend BluTack (usual disclaimer that other brands of similar natured sticky material can also be available at your chosen emporium for the purchase of such things) . Many uses for BluTack and a small ball of it placed on the infrared 'eye' of a computer mouse can keep the victim and their IT section engaged in solving the static cursor problem for hours. No wonder I have no friends and need to keep my location a secret! However back to the layout and it is looking like this at the moment.

 

 

Unlike my usual approach to matters of just putting the track down and then finding the problems I have even taken the precaution of ensuring my longest train fits the curved passing loop - working smarter not harder as I get older!

 

 

As the base board is over 6 foot in length it gives a fair run to the trains which will be nice but having joined the two units with dowels and wing nutted bolts lifting the pair challenges aging muscles. On their own each is an easy lift but perhaps I should have thought that one through a bit more - definitely a case of working dumber not smarter as I get older in this instance! Next job is to paint the track area black and then wire and fix the track down. Whilst I super glued the track down on the first base board I may well try the method recommended in a video on building a model railway that I have watched many times of using double sided tape. The presenter pointed out that mislaid track could easily be lifted and repositioned although I recall him stating that he didn't make mistakes himself!

Edited September 20, 2021 by Woody C

[F-UnitMad]

11 minutes ago, Woody C said:

Many uses for BluTack and a small ball of it placed on the infrared 'eye' of a computer mouse can keep the victim and their IT section engaged in solving the static cursor problem for hours

That sir, is pure genius!!

 

The layout extension is looking good, too. Reminds me that many of the layouts Chris Ellis built for 'Model Trains' had possible extensions shown on the track plan, but he only rarely built them.

[Woody C]

Thank you for the compliments. I think reading the words of Mr Ellis some 40 years ago had an influence on me. I have found my old copies of Model Trains in amongst my collection of magazines spanning some 50 years. Although I am culling my collection I will be keeping Model Trains - there is just something about them that is as fresh today as when they were first published. 

[ian]

14 hours ago, Woody C said:

Many uses for BluTack and a small ball of it placed on the infrared 'eye' of a computer mouse can keep the victim and their IT section engaged in solving the static cursor problem for hours.

 

Added to my collection of helpful hints.

 

For Halloween can I suggest chocolate-covered brussels sprouts for any trick-or-treaters who dare to knock on your door?

 

Layout is looking good - I like the way you have grafted the extension on. It almost looks like you planned it that way.

 

14 hours ago, Woody C said:

The presenter pointed out that mislaid track could easily be lifted and repositioned although I recall him stating that he didn't make mistakes himself!

 

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

 

Just for clarity - once you ballast it will be stuck down good and proper so iron out the problems before you start messing around with the Woodland Scenics.

[Woody C]

8 hours ago, ian said:

For Halloween can I suggest chocolate-covered brussels sprouts for any trick-or-treaters who dare to knock on your door?

 

Thank you Ian for this suggested visitor friendly culinary delight that no doubt Halloweener's in your area will be steering clear of next month but given that I have a liking for such strange food concoctions such as garlic bread with apricot jam - hmmmmm, tasty - I may just try the brussels for myself!

 

8 hours ago, ian said:

Layout is looking good - I like the way you have grafted the extension on. It almost looks like you planned it that way.

Please don't hurt the feelings of the word 'planned' by associating it with any thing that I do! In seriousness I did think about just building a 6 foot long baseboard when I started this project but I always had that desire to get something small built first to get something running in this scale in a relatively scenic setting. By making sure I had the routes to expansion that extension was always a possibility and to be honest there are thoughts going round my head about a link board between the two but that probably needs to stay in my mind along with all the other crazy schemes that ferment in my head along with potential new food combinations - anyone like tartar sauce and rice??? 

 

8 hours ago, ian said:

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

Well you have guided me well over the years with advice so I am going to agree but to make a mistake is human, but to blame it on someone else, that's even more human!

 

8 hours ago, ian said:

Just for clarity - once you ballast it will be stuck down good and proper so iron out the problems before you start messing around with the Woodland Scenics.

Noted and see above!

[Woody C]

Hello and for those after a repeat prescription of insomnia curing reading please continue with this post. Just to prove that yesterdays work on the layout was more than a flash in the pan I did manage to continue with some work today. That basically involved painting the track bed black to avoid any glaring bright bits if the yet to be applied ballast makes its usual bid for escape and wiring up the various sections so that they can be fastened down and tested before ballasting. I am wiring each part of the point/switch/turnout so that there is a feed at every entry/exit. I am fairly positive that I am going to bite the bullet and go DCC with this layout but I am leaving my options open at the moment so the whole layout could be sectionalised if I wanted a DC layout. There is one point left to wire and the two sidings to lay but pleased that I have not made any swear jar contributing blunders so far but I have loose change in my pocket  (remember cash?) for that jar awaiting the inevitability that will now happen! 

In my attempt to work smarter not harder I did remember to put Cotton Tree petroleum jelly (where Mrs W got that obscure brand from is beyond me but she will need another jar as it is now in my man cave) (usual disclaimer that other brands of similar natured petroleum jelly type products may also be available at your chosen emporium for the purchase of such things) under the tie rod to hopefully prevent the glue from ballasting jamming it up. I also, to future proof my options, made the relevant hole to allow for the point to be motorised in the future. I also remembered to put some masking tape over the hole to stop the ballast and glue disappearing down it. Not so much a problem in the man cave but having tried to get set ballast out of a carpet without Mrs W becoming aware of it is something I do not wish to repeat! Here are a few photos of where things have got to.

 

 

 

 

[Woody C]

Hello and in an extraordinary set of circumstances I have managed to work on the layout three days in a row (which is totally unlike me) and now have the extension board wired up and running! When I say 'wired up', which implies some professional and methodical approach, I should caution that anyone with a electrical installation background or any form of pride in wiring may best look away onto another topic at this point. 

 

 

One of the great things about small layouts is that wiring can at least be carried out in relative comfort. I really must tidy up as well!

 

 

Amazingly wiring up my trusty old Bachmann DC EZ controller and putting a loco on the track actually saw it run round all the new track. Oddly there is an issue on the old board where one of the tracks leading onto the extension board has developed a hump. Not sure what has caused this but in all probability it will be down to my poor workmanship. I will need to take it up and either relay it if possible or insert a new piece. Apart from that all seems good and I even remembered to put the insulated fishplates on the Y point as I remembered it was live frog. In theory, with it leading onto two separate dead end sidings the live frog should not cause any issues but knowing my luck..... 

 

Once I have tested a bit further and sorted the hump out I will be weathering the track and thinking about the bridge arrangements for the river crossings. Now that could well upset anyone with an engineering background.

 

 

Compared with just running on the old board there is a fair run to go round now with the extension board in place.

 

 

Now with all that excitement over with I think I need a few days of R and R but no doubt Mrs W has other ideas and there will be a series of 'must be done today' tasks instead - Oh well just hope there is no wiring involved...........

[Woody C]

Hello and having now recovered from participating in the Nations' new weekend pass time of 'Find the Fuel' I have had an opportunity to make a small amount of progress n the layout. The humped section of track on the first board has now been de-humped and things are running as they should although in the picture posted below there is a small kink in the track by the point that needs to be attended to. I need to sort out the placement of buildings to that roads and other scenery can be worked out . I bought the kits (and many other things) some time ago from an excellent but sadly now closed Aladdin's cave of railway modelling. Strangely enough it didn't sell model aircraft kits!  I always wanted these two buildings on the layout which are the Dapol nee Airfix nee Kitmaster shop and petrol station. The petrol station will be definitely 1960s when petrol was plentiful, costing 3 and 6 a gallon (not like the £1.59 a liter I paid on Sunday although Mrs Woody was happy that her car was now not empty and she could get to work on the other hand my wallet was not so happy!) , with quadruple green shield stamps, tokens towards the real genuine plastic beaker set and all served to you by an attendant who filled the car up and checked the tyres! Those of younger years will be scratching their heads but that was how it worked back then!  Anyway back to the layout and the building kits have been glued or taped together just to get a feel. Some more to come yet but this is where  am at the moment. Doing it this way does give me a chance to move them around until fully happy just like Mrs Woody was with a full tank of fuel