Westyman Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 A long wanted idea is slowly becoming a reality, a proper model railway. As a boy I had a Hornby-Dublo 3-rail double oval on an 8 x 4 board that eventually gave way to a slot car track (sorry) and then I discovered girls..... So, now retired, it's time to do it again but properly. The roof has been re-tiled and lined, cleaned, boarded and insulated, a window added in the gable end and a plan from "Railway Modeller" adopted. I have made and installed the boards which sit atop ex-MFI base units acquired off e-bay. So here is a photo of progress so far. I am fortunate that being an older house the loft is relatively un-encumbered by woodwork as you can see. It will be a slow progress as I am learning as I go along. I have become involved in a charitable concern to provide a public model railway and was hoping that I could acquire skills from that, but at the moment I am ahead of progress with that as we seek funding to upgrade a council owned building, though we have been donated a layout so I have had experience of dismantling a layout, not the building of one. The plan has been extended by a foot on each leg to make it 9' x 9' - there is an option to extend but we'll see how it goes. Being an "L" it will be a terminus to fiddle yard and I have decided to use DCC. To that end Digitrains were patient with me and I have an NCE PowerCab. Period will be my train watching days around Solihull in late 50s early 60s. Is it true that no one makes RTR Mk1 suburban non-corridor stock? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 A nice, tidy start so far - always a good way to begin. You will find plenty of inspiration on here. I may be teaching grandmother how to suck eggs here but, if this is your first foray into DCC, I would suggest paying particular attention to the power supply to the track generally and points in particular. I presume you would rather only do it all once so take the time to do it right. You will never regret having taken a belt and braces approach. What kind of track do you intend using? Good luck and keep us posted . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFonz1 Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 Hi Westyman Quote "and a plan from "Railway Modeller" adopted" . I was wondering if you could indulge us mortals with which one please? Looks like a nice positive start please keep us updated on progress. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westyman Posted November 1, 2010 Author Share Posted November 1, 2010 Thank-you - a start yes, but there will be big gaps in progress I think, too many other things to do. Track will be Peco Code 75 with electrofrog switches. I have a shopping list and have got paper templates courtesy of Peco which I tried to put in place and realised that I need a better drawing first. The layout plan was from April 2010 RM entitled "Salcombe". Power supply will be by a bus with frequent feeds. I did do a silly little exercise last winter on a piece of 4 x 1 laying track and running a power bus down it - not that it needed it, but it was just an exercise. I have built a car 12" to the foot scale and a couple of r/c models so I consider myself fairly practical. I am also a Chartered Engineer but I'm not sure how that qualifies me to make a model railway...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westerner Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 It's good to see another Devon layout based in the South Hams area. With my imaginary Wencombe, Salcombe Harbour and now Salcombe Both the last two inspired if not totally based on the same RM article. It'll be good to see how they both progress. Good Luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westyman Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 Being in a loft which will see greater extremes of temperature than might be seen in other locations, do I have to make any allowance for contraction/expansion of the rails? And... If I use something like Woodland Scenics Trackbed under the track, which seems to recommend use of glue trackbed-to-baseboard and then glue sleepers-to-trackbed how do I keep flexitrack in place without use of track-pins? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br-nse-fan Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 Is it true that no one makes RTR Mk1 suburban non-corridor stock? I believe Bachmann used to make suburban coaches with no corridor connections, but they do not appear to be currently listed on their site. If memory serves, they were BR Blue. Airfix used to have a set of GWR suburban stock that I think Hornby picked up. Hope that helps! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westerner Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 Replica Railways do the bits for the long suburbans (64ft) which did run down that way, See my thread 64ft sububans in Protype questions(at the moment on page 2). They are not a kit as such but coach bodies flush glazing, innards, chassis, chassis details, coach weights and bogies. See the article in the Hornby mag Issue39 sept.2010. Take a look at their new website www.replicarailways.co.uk Their service is excellent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westyman Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 Thanks for that, Westerner. I see Comet do 57' NG Mark 1s as well 64' ones Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornbyhall Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 hi mate i am busy sorting my loft out as i have my layout in my spare room but there is not enough room for me as i would like my layout to be bigger you can view it at layout topics under hornbyhall yours hornbyhall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westyman Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 After a lull in proceedings with the loft layout I advanced a little more today but then DISASTER!!! I got a bit stuck on just what to do next and then a new caravan, Xmas, New Year etc etc got in the way. After seeking a bit of advice from a friend I worked out what track and went over to GeeDee Models in Nottingham (free all the way now I have bus pass as well as trail pass!!) to purchase it all. Nice lunch in a French restaurant in the next road and home again. Took the purchases up to loft and decided to give my Xmas pressie "Ince Castle" its first run on the oval I knocked up some years ago for my daughter. All going fine until the scale 175' drop to the floor off the edge..........Cab all broken, pony truck off, coupling broken...Sob! Weep! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TangmereTornado Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 LOOK OUT LOOK OUT LOOK OUT!! (crassh) ....(sniff)....no....how can this happen?! WHY? The poor Castle...(sobs quietly) ...pardon me, just wound up in mourning for your Ince Castle...hope you get 'er patched up, if that's even possible? Mind you, it has happened before...look at the state City of Glasgow was in after the Harrow and Wealdstone disaster....and she didn't fall ten scale stories off a cupboard, either! But they fixed her up: So it's gotta be possible for the Castle to fix up! You got a photo of the damage? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcml61 Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I believe Bachmann used to make suburban coaches with no corridor connections, but they do not appear to be currently listed on their site. If memory serves, they were BR Blue. Bachmann did indeed produce non-corridor 57' BR Suburbans, about 5 or 10 years ago. They were available in BR Blue, lined Maroon, and plain Crimson. I have 3 (originally) Crimson ones, which were fairly poorly painted in lined Maroon in my early days of modelling. In a few months, when I have time, I will strip, repaint, and sell them on as they no longer fit my location. A pity really as I quite like them! Sorry to hear about your 'Castle', hope you can repair it economically. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westyman Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 The damage Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted January 28, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2011 Ouch ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rammy Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Nice clean, bright loft you have there Westyman. I wish I had some natural light like that in my loft. Sorry to hear about the accident. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westyman Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Nice clean, bright loft you have there Westyman. I wish I had some natural light like that in my loft. Sorry to hear about the accident. Dave Thanks. After climbing up into that loft for over 30 years, it seemed very odd having daylight there when I popped up the trap door after the window was fitted. We are on a hill and there's a terrific view across the city from that window. There are some striplights too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
binesrail Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Poor poor Castle I feel your pain! look what my cat did to one of my models last year! But there is hope, i fixed her and now she is running quite regularly. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westerner Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Do you mean the cat or the loco Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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