My first layout, based on Aberystwyth.

[Class 37 37427]

I first became aware of electric model trains when i was quite a bit younger than i am now, When my dad bought me the Hornby industrial set with old Smokey Joe. This gave me many hours of fun, And eventually i got some more models of varying age. Time went by though and we sold on my old models, Bar three locomotives and rolling stock: Smokey Joe, A Bachmann 57XX, And a Bachmann Class 04. Though they received a serious battering while in store in the loft and none of them work anymore sadly, However the Bachmann 04's body shell seems okay. Bring on recent times! A little while back i bought the Bachmann Dynamis train set, While i had sold off my old models i never quite forgot the hobby. Always buying the odd magazine here and there, And eventually i came back to it. With the Dynamis i wanted more locomotives and very specific one's at that, I wanted a Class 37 and 47 mainly at the time. Now i am the proud owner of both of these, Bachmann class 37 37427 Bont-y-Bermo and Bachmann Class 47 47474 Sir Rowland Hill. Then came a standstill which is now, I have some good models with track to run them on.. But naturally trains don't run on bare plywood baseboards in an L shape in my bedroom. I was doing something wrong and it was quite obvious what it was, I was trying to buy loads of models of trains i take a fancy to... But they needed somewhere that would create a scene.. a picture of sorts. They needed a scenically detailed layout with bridges water and a station etc, And upon buying a copy of Railway modeller's December 2012 issue i had what i needed. A track plan of what i was going to model, For those of you with the Track plan special its the one of the layouts on the page before last. Railfreight i think its called. So with this track plan i needed a location to base it, I picked Wales because of the particular 37 i had picked being based at Cardiff canton with the livery its modelled in. So then came the list of things i wanted on the layout.

Some form of water represented.
A station big enough to allow accommodation for DMU's of a modest size, And at least three Mk1's or similar sized coaching stock.
Some form of shed to house my diesel locomotives.
Enough track for it to be fun to operate but not so much that it becomes cramped, And also enough to allow scenic work.
Some form of freight traffic to compliment passenger.
Plenty of cameo scenes.

With that criteria in mind i am aiming to portray perhaps not an 100% accurate railway scene, But one i can look at and feel as if perhaps its somewhere out there. The era i am using is the 1980's 90's period, And i'll be using both British Railways and Rail Sector liveried stock with perhaps the odd EWS and other more modern company's thrown in. Finally before some pictures *not good ones i am afraid!* it would seem fair to credit the inspiration behind my railway enthusiasm, My granddad who sadly died before my birth *And for that matter before my cousins birth* who passed away in 1994 i believe a good three years before i was born. He was a Stratford allocated top link driver on the eastern region, He mainly drove Classes of diesel like 31's 37's and 47's. And according to my dad had the honor of driving the royal train more than once. His name was Alf Long.
Finally here are some pictures, No track is laid right now as its all taken up pending on certain things i need before laying the track.


If the images are slightly too big or anything i do apologize.
Not much to really show im afraid, But im hoping to get cracking with the trackwork soon.

Thanks for reading, Regards Will.

[ChrisB]

Well done for getting this far. You've got a good starting point. It will take a while and you'll make a few mistakes along the way but don't get disheartened. You'll keep on learning and getting better. There's always plenty of help on here if you get stuck so don't be afraid to ask. Keep posting pictures of your progress.

 

Good luck.

[Philately]

Hi Will

 

You don't need anyone's permission to do your own thing. The key is what I call Grin Factor - enjoy what you do and don't feel upstaged by anyone else.

 

F'rinstance, my late dad was obsessed with having Continental (Marklin) trains with overhead line equipment, a mixture of 3-rail and stud contact track, lights in the carriages and everything working electrically. He never got round to scenery, not even station platforms. He would spend hours and hours messing about with screwdrivers and wire strippers, all at an elementary level electrically speaking. He wouldn't have won prizes at Warley, but he enjoyed his railway.

 

Now my railway is utterly different. It's a simple garden railway on a raised flower bed with 2 0-4-0 freelance live steam locos and a few trucks. The sight and sound of chuffing on a cold day (if you can get the butane to light in freezing conditions) is just magic. A scale model it ain't, however, and the scenery is distinctly horticultural. In garden railway terms it's seriously naff, but who cares - not me!

 

Richard

[Gwiwer]

Hi Will and welcome (or is it welcome back?) to the hobby.

 

You already have a good start there and have a good idea of the scenes you intend to represent. What yo udo and how you do it is entirely up to you. You might see refernces to "Rule 1" here which is simply a tongue-in-cheek way of saying "It's my layout and I do as I please". So please do!

 

Take a look around here as well. There is some superb modelling and a good many beginners as well. Also plenty of knowledgeable and specialist advice shold you need it.

 

If you take a look at my own project (there's a link in my signature) bear in mind that seven years ago it too started out as a beginner's first build with no skills or experience.

 

The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Take that step and enjoy all the rest on the way.

[Guest Linthorpe]

Do exactly what you want, if others do not like it that is their problem not yours.

 

Good luck

[ess1uk]

Welcome along.

At least you have what looks like nice solid baseboards to start with and room to model, so you are doing better than me already!

[treggyman]

Hi

 

Best of luck with your project.....

 

We've all been where you are & as has been said above all gone in different directions depending on where our interests lie....

 

Rule 1 is important ( it's your layout ...do what you want with it)

 

Rule 2 is vital.....Railway Modelling is a hobby & is FUN.....ENJOY what you are building & we'll enjoy watching your progress....

 

Cheers Bill

[oggy1953]

All the advice so far is correct. All i would add from personal experience is get some track down and running so that when you start to feel frustrated with progress at least you can run some trains, Keep at it and enjoy.

[Crisis Rail]

Will...

 

Don't bother...

 

This hobby sends you bonkers - (why do you think my id is as such?)

 

Lack of sleep - hair loss - divorce - debt - this site should come with a disclaimer

 

But well done for posting up and sharing the start of your project.

 

Ian

[Removed a/c]

Welcome and looking forward to seeing your progress. My layout has similar criteria has yours so will be interesting to see what you come up with.

[Class 37 37427]

Well its been a little while since i last posted, No track has been laid yet since i would prefer to have all the track i need and try out various designs, Rather than be halted half way through.

Or though the next arrival on the layout may be soon, With money in my reach with the fast approaching 25th of December.

I am not completely sure what i want this year, Hornby's Class 50 is tempting especially since 50008 *The only one I have been up close and personal with* is currently reduced in price on Hattons. Then again though i do want more 37's, Since i intend to get one for freight duty's and weather it to look realistic.

I don't want to spend too much though since i do want to get cracking with the actual layout itself, Of course i could always go bargain hunting but i feel that it doesn't always play host to all the pro's its supposed to offer though. I haven't checked out one of my local model shops though, Taunton so maybe the answer could be there.

We will see ey?

As for the layout itself the track plan is slowly building up in my head, I plan to adapt the track plan I am using to utilize the L shape of my layout.

So far this could involve having the freight area on one part and the station on the other, With hidden sidings in the corner for DMU's to use. I'm not sure how i will *if its even possible with this track plan* have hidden sidings for freight.

One option i have thought about is perhaps having a small locomotive shed next to the station and head shunt, Then having that backed up to a concrete embankment *I really have no idea what they are called* with hidden sidings inside the embankment to store more locomotives than the shed would normally be able to provide accommodation for. *By concrete embankment i mean the large walls normally seen in urban area's or at stations*

If you guys could comment your opinions on the hidden siding idea for the locomotives i would appreciate it.

 

That's all for now, Thanks for reading and have a nice day *night!*

 

*edit* Found out the name of those walls... Retaining walls.

[Class 37 37427]

Update.

 

It seems that there will be no locomotives or modelling things for Christmas.. and that's because my laptop has pushed up the daisy's and needs replacing.

With my own money that would otherwise be put into the layout..

Im not 100% certain there will be no new loco's but its highly likely.

 

Thanks, Willow.

[ChrisB]

Hi Willow

 

These things happen which is one of the reasons to get some track down. More locos are no good without it. You can always change it later but at the moment, you still can't run anything.

[class"66"]

Looks good size setup!! your plans sound great....

[Class 37 37427]

Hi Willow

 

These things happen which is one of the reasons to get some track down. More locos are no good without it. You can always change it later but at the moment, you still can't run anything.

You are quite right, I'm just waiting on some cork underlay right now. Since i intend to eventually fit some of my loco's with sound chip's i think the sound absorbing will be worthwhile, So i can listen to the locomotive's without the fear of the sound being complimented with the sound of the baseboard rumbling.