witherbrow Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 well now ive permission for a wee layout and a slight 'craze' for railfreight/br blur/nse a shunting layout is in the works! its your basic shunting layout but with a predominant 'scraggy yard' theme run by a company that sells/maintains plant machinery etc.... this is the basic layout: will be buying a flat pack baseboard frame but i am still pondering what i should use for a top board - either a sheet of mdf with the obligatory cork laid on top, or 5mm foamcore board (usually used for terrain modeling) again with cork laid on top. each has its own advantages and disadvantages mdf is cheaper than foamcore but the foam is lighter and easier to work with any thought welcome Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
31A Driver Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Avoid MDF. It's heavy, and warps. I would suggest plywood, as I have just started to use it myself and would now not use anything else. At the end of the day its up to you! Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgeT Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I'd stick with 4mm plywood and 2x1 softwood for the frame work, its NEVER let me down Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
45157 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 A good friend of mine recently used a couple of "flat pack baseboards" and they made up into very strong and light assemblies, brilliant, exactly as the name said. I did question the cost when he first told me, but I have to admit it would be the way I would go if I ever started another layout from scratch. Regarding the top, as long as you support it well and protect against moisture (how much depends on where it is stored) most options will be fine, with ply probably (IMHO) being favourite. Good luck with the project. regards Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted July 13, 2010 Author Share Posted July 13, 2010 many thanks for all your comments - its true that the baseboards are expensive but as this is attempt 6/7 i want i done properly haha. will take a trip down to focus tomorrow and scout out cost and sizes of plywood - still intrigued about a few suggestions of foam core boards - quite sure these could be easily sealed and strengthened with a 50/50 mix of PVA and Water hmmmmm i might buy a pack and test it out if not im sure i could ues them for scenery. on a shopping note i bought a Ratio yard hut kit today as i fell it will look good on the layout (it does in my head ) also bought a escort xr3 in silver - i was looking for a sierra cosworth but the xr3 was the closet thing to it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium gc4946 Posted July 13, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 13, 2010 One other possibility: If The Works booksellers (usual disclaimers) still sell artists' canvases, I've bought several as a basis for compact layouts, strip off the canvas, and you have a basic wooden frame. It's OK to use 6mm/quarter inch thick ply as the baseboard top, but once I used a foamboard top for a double track N layout on a canvas frame bought from the same place seven years ago and it's still OK after all this time, without any distortion. However I don't know whether a foamboard top works in OO because the stock weighs heavier. If doing it that way make sure the foamboard is well braced, it'll need two layers for strength. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted July 15, 2010 Author Share Posted July 15, 2010 window shopping is such a great thing - but not so great with the lack of pennies anyway a trip down to focus saw the scouting of the price of a sheet of plywood - as soon as i can get someone who can cut straight (my step dad probably) ill most likely buy it along with the frame and get something started. - on a good and bad note, yesterday saw the delivery of an 08 bought on ebay: the bad news however was that it ran like a stubborn old goat - and upon a bit of lubrication the motor decided to start smoking and is now dead, however i do have a plan! to my knowledge the Hornby railroad range uses the old tooling so by my reckoning if i buy the red/black railroad 08 i can swap the bodies no fuss and even if that doesnt work i can always use the red/black one and use the shall for something else currently working on a scenic plan and trying to work out what timescale the Dapol JCB kit would fit in have a good evening guys Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted July 18, 2010 Author Share Posted July 18, 2010 things are moving ahead fairly swiftly now bits ive ordered are starting to arrive including this beauty: a silver escort XR3 one of the cars i grew up with - the hunt for a sierra cosworth is still on i hope to find on soon! apart from the 08 in my previous post the other item that has found itself being plucked from ebay is the january 2000 edition of model rail which includes some great nostalgic memories of reading it when i was 12 awwww ive devised a way of keeping the articles i still want but minimizing the amount of space all that paper would take up - 1) cut out (carefully) your chosen article(s) - get an adult to help you! 2) scan chosen article into you pc and save it 3) using open office insert the scans as you would a picture until you have the full article in one document 4) using the wonderful convert button, convert the entire document into a PDF file 5) repeat until all articles are done then have a cup of tea and enjoy Ive also used this technique for the free scalescenes kits within Hornby magazine and any other useful bits and bobs id like to keep. - this would work well for a club especially if you could make a database so you could search articles easily - now on a slight tangent - i managed to dig up a 10 year old copy of model rail (no15 Jan 2000) which has an article on converting the short MK3 Hornby coaches into class 321 EMU's, unfortunately after having a quick search i can't find the parts they used (produced by A1 models) can anybody provide any information on this as its a train i would like to have but dont want to fork out £200+ on the bratchell kit also on the layout ive ordered the flat pack frames so i should be seeing them this week i imagine, ill be using plywood as a base and i should be able to get that at the start of next month till next time.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted July 18, 2010 Author Share Posted July 18, 2010 just drew up a basic track plan - im looking to go for a scene that is 'hidden away' the obligatory hard standing along the side will be present as well as a main yard with at least one solitary building (a ratio kit i think ive ordered it from ebay but its taking its time) i hope to populate the yard with various bits of junk and a car or two. when using it during the railfreight period it will be populated with plant machinery (DIGGERS!!!!!!!!!) but when being used for a shunting puzzle it shall be a fairly empty affair although the transitions will be subtle, but more on that later when i get to start getting down to making scenery may also put bachmanns corrugated goods shed somewhere on the layout - or failing that a kitbashed platform for loading diggers and such - have also decided that dapols jcb kit will look fine on the layout (a decision helped by january 2000 model rail lol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold jamest Posted July 19, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 19, 2010 Hi, I'm planning to do something small with a little shunting interest - I'll be watching your progress with interest. Can I ask what you mean by flat-packed baseboard frame? Do you intend to purchase the bits pre-cut and assemble? regards, James Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
45157 Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Hi, I'm planning to do something small with a little shunting interest - I'll be watching your progress with interest. Can I ask what you mean by flat-packed baseboard frame? Do you intend to purchase the bits pre-cut and assemble? regards, James Apologies to witherbrow for the thread hijack. I assume it is in order to "name names" providing no commercial interest is involved, so the flat packs my good friend used were the ply version from Brilliant Baseboards which even come with enough PVA glue to complete the build. Not cheap, but I guess quality never is. regards Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted August 5, 2010 Author Share Posted August 5, 2010 Apologies to witherbrow for the thread hijack. I assume it is in order to "name names" providing no commercial interest is involved, so the flat packs my good friend used were the ply version from Brilliant Baseboards which even come with enough PVA glue to complete the build. Not cheap, but I guess quality never is. regards Stewart haha no worries about it flat pack is essentially exactly what you think except its not from ikea i got mine from ebay all made from ply and it came with all the screws/pins needed aswel as a tub of pva to help secure everything. didnt have any real trouble putting it together except when i needed my co-ordination to work just waiting on the top sheet of ply now (well more someone who can cut it straight for me) and i can get on with the layout sorry for the lack of updates my pc power supply is misbehaving but will have that sorted tonight and ill post the pictures i took of the build up for you Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted August 5, 2010 Author Share Posted August 5, 2010 ok about time a proper update took place as previously stated im using a 'flat pack' baseboard so i thought id kick it off with the building: stage one the parts second task is to assemble the outer frame which is a simple task of lining it all up and screwing it all together - everything is pre-drilled so its all easy peasy now the outerframe is done its time to put the cross braces in these are glued and nailed in (again there are holes already in place to help the nails in nearly finished! just need to glue the corners blocks in to help ridgity all done now just needs a top put in place an then we can get modelling oh by the way that big blonde thing lurking under the table...... my ever helpfull labradour dexter! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mudmagnet Posted August 6, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 6, 2010 Good looking baseboard - will be interested to see how you progress. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted August 7, 2010 Author Share Posted August 7, 2010 Good looking baseboard - will be interested to see how you progress. thank you will hopefully be getting the top tomorrow if all goes well Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted August 16, 2010 Author Share Posted August 16, 2010 nearly there! now the frames are all done and ive got a top board - ive just got to attach them. my thought is too pva it, stick a few books on it and wait for it to dry - maybe put a few pins/staples in for extra security however im always open to thoughts and wanted to know if anybody else had a technique for this? the top board is 4mm plywood have also bought a fair few kits and such which ill put up later for your viewing pleasure Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted August 16, 2010 Author Share Posted August 16, 2010 nothing done board wise yet - but should be buying some wood glue/pva tommorrow - anyway heres something different had a bit of a spending spree on ebay and bought a few kits - a Dapol jcb, brake van and two lomacs, i have an idea for a train of lomacs for transporting plant machinery, obviously this is just a test if all goes well a may buy and build some more - the story behind the train would be that it is used to transport the plant to the mainline station for loading onto a dedicated train - the jcb was built this evening (quite an enjoyable kit) and is awaiting an undercoat of black. seen here in the the main part of the Dapol lomac kit just to see if it does fit - tis quite tight but im sure a bit of storytelling can cover me on this should be fixing up the baseboard on wednesday so will have an update then i imagine ive also purchased a railroad 06 shunter delivery should be tommorrow Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted August 22, 2010 Author Share Posted August 22, 2010 have been a pondering....................................... my ponderisations have led me to a decision of no trees or tall 'things' in the layout - simply due to i will break them - no maybes no ifs or possibles - i will break them. -------------therefore i have decided to have a wild scene, now in my head i know what i want and how it will look but after a bit of shopping (window and actual) on Ebay i cant find anything that looks like i want i am going for the brambles hedgy bushy type look to give a 'nature taking over' feel - ive just thought of one idea that i will take a look into tonight. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted August 25, 2010 Author Share Posted August 25, 2010 ive been a building and im very pleased i am as previously stated i bought a few Dapol kits - today i built the two lomacs (well half) - due to being a scardy cat i didnt want to go down the buckeye route so i bought a pair of tension lock couplings that will fit the Dapol wagons. - and the outcome was most pleasing, very easy to fit and assemble - so pleased was i, i went to buy a whole lot more then realised i had no money well best get these four kits built and painted first! next kit - the brake van! as you can see they are the standard type couplings - only get two in a pack but im very pleased how things have gone here they are coupled up to my new NSE brake MK2 the couplings are a bit lower but they fit ok - as ill only be using these wagons in a single rake so as long as they attatch to each over and whatever loco i put them with it will be fine Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 well it happened again - the shunting plank didn't really progress so that attempt no.5 out the window lol anyway moving away from doom and gloom ive decided to give the plank away - as it stands its only the (very good) frame' a plywood top and the track - so a blank canvas really. its going free to whoever can pick it up if you want to donate to my flat fund please do lol please PM me if your interested the future im not completely turning away from the hobby im still building Dapol kits for the inevitable 'later in life comeback' or even to sell in a few years - im currently working on a breakdown train which should be finished this week and i think this is what ill be blogging about. On the theme of the comeback - whats the future of 00 gauge? at present i have a small but nice collection of dc locos and rolling stock which im happy to keep stuck in the loft until they are needed again in x amount of years, but the two questions i have are will dc still be around in 30/40 years time? will 00 gauge still be around in 30/40 years time? its these questions that tempt me into selling them and putting the money into my 'flat fund' even more so as ive nothing really to run them on and finding a flat at a reasonable price is not easy at the moment any thoughts or opinions are most welcome Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
45157 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 the future On the theme of the comeback - whats the future of 00 gauge? at present i have a small but nice collection of dc locos and rolling stock which im happy to keep stuck in the loft until they are needed again in x amount of years, but the two questions i have are will dc still be around in 30/40 years time? will 00 gauge still be around in 30/40 years time? its these questions that tempt me into selling them and putting the money into my 'flat fund' even more so as ive nothing really to run them on and finding a flat at a reasonable price is not easy at the moment any thoughts or opinions are most welcome I believe the simple answer to be yes, both DC and 00 gauge will still be in use in 30/40 years time. At a guess I think you could probably lay your hands on more Gauge 0 tinplate today than you could have 40 years ago and although not available ready to run 3mm (TT) scale/gauge has a very strong following. There is now a flourishing 00 gauge society and I would think that it will still be around in 30/40 years to help those modelling in that gauge/scale. I think most hobby modellers have "off times" when nothing seems to work the way you envisage it and I rekon your approach is just right ... do something else for a while. With regard to selling or storing rolling stock, it depends on what you have and your attitude to it. If you have something with some sentimental value, put it in the loft. If you have something of value that would make a serious difference to the flat fund and would not trouble you to sell then go for it. Give it a few weeks before making any final decisions though, it would be a shame to sell all your stuff for pennies (relatively) because you are a bit off the hobby at the moment (been there, done that and regret it) especially if there is plenty of room in the loft. Once you have sampled railway modelling it never leaves you, it may hide dormant for a few years while you cope with mortgages/families etc but it will come back, trains are for life I'm afraid. Good luck with the flat hunting. regards Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium M.I.B Posted January 19, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 19, 2011 I have returned to the hobby after 25 - 30 years. It stays with you for life, and lies dormant. Don't sell any rolling stock now, carefully box it up. When you re-awaken from your hibernation, anything that doesn't fit the new plan/theme can be sold off to contribute. That's what I did. If you feel the need to keep ticking over, build a kit or detail something RTR, and pol that away for later. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave777 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 will dc still be around in 30/40 years time? will 00 gauge still be around in 30/40 years time? Put this on the ‘musings’ forum and I suspect a very long discussion would be generated! Will DC be around in 30 or 40 years? I say yes, there’s too much invested in DC for it to die out. Of course DCC will be more widespread by then, but the manufacturers would be brave to make their locos DCC-only – it would mean you can’t sell to all available customers. The other thing going for it is the sheer simplicity of DC as all you need is a controller. If it were switched around the other way, you could understand DCC people being concerned about the ongoing supply of DCC chips, accessory decoders, sound chips and the like, but the fact that you only need a controller and some wire for DC means there's not a great deal of commercial support required in order to keep it alive. OO gauge is equally safe, I feel. Again the sheer amount of investment in it means it would be a brave manufacturer that moves away from it. There’s one very simple question for me that answers this query – what’s the business driver to move away from it? It’s not as if we’re all buying OO stuff and converting it to P4 or EM gauge, there’s only a relatively small band of modellers doing that (when viewed against the overall OO market), so there’s no market-driven forces to make the manufacturers change to anything else. I could possibly see the day when a new manufacturer enters the market with a range of P4 or EM gauge products, and possibly there being a companion range from one of the existing manufacturers to stand alongside their existing OO range, but a wholesale change over that means OO dies out? Nah, I can’t see it myself, and I don’t say that as someone with an interest in keeping OO going – I’d be happy for more accuracy, but equally I have to plonk my business hat on and be realistic about the possibilities of it occurring. All things considered, does it actually matter if they do die out? If you've squirelled away your locos, rolling stock, track and controller, then if they are dead and buried when you return you've got everything you need still. And I'm sure they'll be people selling their 'old OO stuff' on eBay for you to purchase Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
witherbrow Posted January 19, 2011 Author Share Posted January 19, 2011 many thanks for all you comments - i think now i shall be squirreling away my stock in a safe place until i need it again i think ill retreat to building 00 Gauge kits - rolling stock/building/cars/ whatever i can - ive taken a shine to Dapol kits recently and now my breakdown crane has turned up i can finish my breakdown train I will most likely buy the odd loco etc.... if worst comes to worst i can sell them thanks again for helping a confused modeler out! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Starting to come together nice mate Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.