Pot House Sidings

[Robert]

I recently came to the startling realisation, that despite the fact that I have been modelling on and off since I was 14 (more off than on, it has to be said) I have never actually finished a layout. I usually get as far as the track laying and that's it.

 

So, this time I have decided to go small - pretty much as small as possible with OO - in the hope that I can finally get something finished.

 

Inglenook Sidings is a layout that I have always admired, so this is the way that I have decided to go. I still have a couple of questions to answer before I start the layout - but I have it mapped out in my head, and partly on paper, how it will look.

 

Open questions are:

 

1. What to build the baseboard from.

 

The supporting structure is easy - it will be the standard 2x1, but I may well splash out on planed timber. Up to now, I have used sawn timber and it doesn't look too nice.

 

The baseboard surface is another issue. I have a 2m x 1m piece of chipboard upstairs, which is heavy but I have used it before with relative success. I am not a big fan of MDF, and I have never seen Sundeala in Germany so that leaves plywood. It is more expensive, but lighter. The jury is still out on this one.

 

2. How big to make the layout.

 

My intention is to run a small diesel (Class 08, or class 20) and four wheeled vans - which would make for a pretty small layout. I am considering lengthening the layout a touch to enable to finished train to draw out of the sidings and "off stage" once marshalled. The alternative is the standard Inglenook with a small headshunt terminating behind a scenic break.

 

I envisage the layout to be Inglenook Sidings meets Urban Grot - I am not sure if it is within my ability to achieve this effect, but hopefully this is an opportunity to get something finished. Otherwise I might as well give up and sell my models - which admittedly look nice in their display cabinet, but it would be nice to run them occasionally!

 

All that currently exists, is a series of sketches. Although the layout already has a name. Pot House Sidings.

 

 

[westerner]

I like the idea and the way you have plotted it out rather Iain Rice like it's just a shame your notes and sketches have come up so small that I cannot read them.

[Donw]

Inglenooks are great fun so go for it. From what I can see your plans look interesting.

Regarding baseboards;

Planned timber is better less chance of splinter for a start. I find 33mmx18mm quite adequate with 6mm ply top. I use diagonal braces to stop twist. I have posted photos on here.I would then raise the track a little so that some ground level can be below the track.

Don

[Kenton]

Are you intending to motorise the points or have them manual operated?

 

This will have an impact on your baseboard structure depth.

 

I actually prefer open frame type baseboards - in terms of scenery they allow more scope for moving away from the flat plank.

 

Don't forget that if you are motorising (and even if not) then the point tie bar needs to be well clear of any support frame.

 

The one thing that is often forgotten in tight space layouts is clearance it is not just 5+3+3 but room for clearance and any buffer stops used.

 

Using a Cl.20 will require a bigger headshunt (but why restrict yourself to a Cl.08?).

 

Ply as a baseboard surface (or if desperate, MDF or foam board)

[Robert]

Thanks very much for the comments, but I'm not sure my sketches are up to Iain Rice's standards! The reason the originals weren't larger was because of the almost illegible writing on them. Therefore, I have re-done them with a splash of colour, and more legible writing.

 

I intend the points to be motorised, and the railway will be on the high level section indicated on my new sketches. This should allow plenty of clearance to the lowest level.

 

I went to the DIY shop over the weekend, and I now have the timber for the framework. Unfortunately, ply wood was considerably more expensive than I expected, and so I will probably use the piece of chipboard that I have at home. It isn't ideal - but I am fed up with having a 2m x 1m piece of chipboard in the spare bedroom!

 

I have pretty much settled on a size for the layout. 135cm x 35cm (or maybe 40cm). My first mock-ups suggest this will provide sufficient clearance for the stock.

[Robert]

Here are the updated sketches:

 

 

[westerner]

That's better

[Robert]

This evening I have put the pieces of track I had already cut together and had a bit of mock up. Having got the track together, I found that I had underestimated the size that I would need. I am not quite sure how that happened to be honest!

 

The layout will still fit into the 150cm I had planned, but with less extra space than I thought. I might add a few centimeters to the baseboard as some of the clearances are a bit tight.

 

I think I will have to come up with some alternatives to the Peco buffer stops - which don't look very authentic anyway. The extra few centimeters gained by eliminating the Peco buffer stops will be ideal.

 

A few pictures of the measurement stages:

 

 

 

 

 

To finish off, I couldn't resist having a bit of a test run, so I borrowed the Little Guys Bachmann EZ-Command and did a little shunting!

 

[Robert]

Last Friday, I managed to get a chunk of time to construct a baseboard. The decision was made on the spur of the moment to increase the length of the baseboard to 2m. The reasoning was two fold. It will allow the train to move completely "off-scene" once shunted together and secondly, I had a 2m x 1m piece of chipboard handy. Final dimensions, 2m x 0.4m.

 

 

First the wood was cut.

 

 

A softwood frame was constructed.

 

 

The baseboard was screwed to the top, and legs were added.

 

 

Finally, track was positioned to test the feasibility of the track layout (siding length, and so forth) before the different baseboard levels are added.

[DDolfelin]

"I have pretty much settled on a size for the layout. 135mm x 35mm (or maybe 40mm)"

 

Did you mean cms?

[Robert]

Did you mean cms?

 

Whoops - I guess 135mm x 35mm really would be minimum space!

[sixoh8sixoh]

How's it going Robert?

[Robert]

Progress has stalled a bit at the moment - I've been very busy over the Summer.

 

Having said that, I hope work will be starting again shortly.

[Robert]

Yesterday evening, I made a start on constructing the Girder Bridge which will carry the headshunt over the access road.

 

[devondynosoar118]

Very nice work, I have an inglenook in N and have had lots of fun with it, also it was an ideal size for short bursts of work to finish it.

Ply is always expensive in DIY stores, I always buy from timber merchants.

[Robert]

It has been far too long since my last update! Having been busy with various other activities (such as writing a Spectrum Emulator) I have been away from my layout for a while. The weather was totally revolting today, so I decided to go into the cellar, put the radio on and do some work on the layout. I am always amazed how relaxing it can be. I must do it more often!

I wanted to get as much of the "woodwork" finished as possible, because my Son wants to help when he is here for the Bank Holiday next week and I want him to have something more interesting to do.

First of all, a piece of chipboard was marked out for the upper sidings area.



Next, I traced and cut a template out of baking paper in order to cut the upper area to shape.



It was my intention to use a fret saw to cut the chipboard to shape, but the blade was blunt and I couldn't find any new ones. I resorted to using a jigsaw, which was a good idea because it was a lot quicker!

Having cut out the necessary shape, the chipboard was secured to the baseboard using wooden pillars.  Care having been taken to ensure that none of the pillars were near any of the points.



The "middle height" area was also secured to the baseboard using the same method.



Having everything screwed together, the boards were checked for level - Success!



Finally, the track was placed on the board and checked for good running.

[Robert]

Today we made some more progress. The first job was to place the butresses of the girder bridge which will take the headshunt over the road. The butresses, which have already been painted, were attached to the baseboard with PVA. This is the first time that I have painted a stone effect, and I must admit that I am quite pleased with how it has turned out.

 

 

Next, we turned out attention to the uncoupling magnets. First of all, some cupboard closers were discombobulated for their magnets:

 

 

Then, holes were cut in the baseboard for the point motors, and pillars to which the magnets would be attached. This took a bit of time to get right - does anybody have any tips as to how to saw straight?!? I am left handed, and my saw cuts always migrate to the left. However, I got there eventually.

 

 

When the pillars had been screwed to the baseboard, the magnets were glued to the top of the pillars.

 

 

Having got the uncoupling magnets attached, we set the track up and had a shunting session to check that all was working correctly. Finally for today, we gave the baseboard a coat of brown emulsion which was left over from when the outside wall was painted!

 

[trisonic]

I'm left-handed too. I think saws are "handed" like scissors!! I tend to use my right hand now.......

 

I play guitar right-handed, hold a cricket bat rh, etc., etc. anyway.

 

Nice work by the way!

 

Best, Pete.

[Robert]

Thanks Pete - I must admit, I hadn't thought of that. I'll have to try using my right hand.

 

That didn't work with Guitar though - I learnt to play left handed when I was at school, and then gave it up at some point. I wish I hadn't now!

[Robert]

Today's job was track laying and ballasting - I was undecided as to whether there should be an area of inlayed track on the layout, but decided that for now I would ballast everything. I can always change my mind later. I picked up some special tape from Busch a while ago, which is basically double sided sticky foam, and it actually worked quite well. It would probably get a little expensive for a larger layout, but for a small one like this, it works very well.

 

Having stuck the track to the tape, the ballast can be applied to the tape.

 

 

Then, the little guy helped with spreading the ballast so that it was even.

 

 

Once the ballast was laid, it was just a question of hoovering up the excess ballast - with an old stocking on the nozzle, so that the excess ballast could be used again.

 

Having laid the headshunt, the bridge girders were attached and glued.

 

 

The final effect isn't too bad at all!

 

 

Next up were the points.

 

 

They were slightly more tricky to get the tape in the correct place, but we were quite satisfied with the final result.

 

Finally, for today - some Capacitors were salvaged from an old TV set in order to use for switching the point motors. They were unsoldered from the original PCB, cleaned up and then checked to make sure that they were still within tolerance. This has the advantage of costing nothing, and doing something for the environment!

 

[Robert]

I didn't get a lot done today that was worth photographing.  I soldered a few extra power connection wires for the sidings, made a start on the scenery and converted this pile of parts into a working shunter.

 

 

Not the easiest of Locos to chip because of the split chassis but it now runs better than it ever has, but the decoder has a few rather strange issues - I might have to swap it at some point, but it will do for the moment.

[DonBradley]

Very happy to see progress being made Robert. Well done and also thrilled to see Thomas taking part. I hope that his and your interest continue.

[Robert]

Just a small update this evening.  I got sidetracked by a couple of other things, and so haven't done any work on the layout for a couple of weeks.  Today, I got into the cellar for a couple of hours.

 

First of all, I installed a cable channel under the polystyrene that will make up the road base.  I should have done this beforehand, but somehow it managed to slip my mind until the road bed was installed.

 

A shot of the finished road bed.

 

 

The next step was the first coating of plaster for the road surface itself.  The gradient on the road is a little steep, but with the restricted width of the baseboard, it was all that was possible.  I hope that once everything is finished, it should give the illusion that there is more space than there actually is.

 

 

 

Then, the final job for today was to do some wiring.  The wires for the track feeds, and point motors are already installed, but they needed to be connected to chocolate blocks for routing to their common point.

 

[Oldddudders]

I see you're using a special sort of flux - which comes in a glass, and has a head on it. Innovative stuff.

[DonBradley]

Come on Robert. last update was the 26th June. Isn't it time for Thomas to get his hands dirty slapping plaster around to create countryside? I'm waiting to see a train shunting!