Marcyg Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 this is the second thread I've started with this name-all my layouts are called Silent Hill! Faced with a house move November/December time, I'll be moving the layout from a horrible cold dirty, 12'x9' attic to a nice new 16'x9' room, with proper windows, a proper floor, lights heating and a carpet!!! I'm now designing what to put in there. I liked my old layout before, so I decided to stick with the theme. Basically, I wanted a depot, a main station, run-through lines and somewhere to shunt a bit, not much in the space then!!! This is what I've come up with so far; What do people think? Please bare in mind there will be another 4' bolted onto the station end-it's not a terminus and the boards will be wider, I'm tempted to add another 6" so I can fit in a small freight terminal. The fiddle yard will be on the other side of the room, can't make up my mind whether to make it 2' or 3' wide though. The layout is late 80's early 90's sectorisation, so while there's quite a lot going on, I've tried to make the running lines as open as possible so HSTs can run through fast, and the longish freight trains don't look too 'odd' So there it is, not due to start for a few months yet, but I'm want to plan ahead so once the removals van is out of sight I can crack on! I'm quite looking forward to having my own den 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 Time for an update. The house move is only a couple of months away now, so I decided to get cracking with the build. The main boards are built, only the end boards to do as the layout will fit the room exactly, and to be honest, I don't know what that measurement is! However, the loco depot will sit in the far corner, and laying track there will be difficult, so this is where I started. The boards are normal 4"x1" frames with 12mm chipboard. They're heavy, but strong, and the layout isn't portable, so I wanted to build them as strong as poss to stop them warping. The cork looks tatty (it is really), but it won't notice once it's been cut. As for track laying, that's about it until the move, as I need the next board bolted on and I refuse to have board joins on a layout that'll be permanant. I'll wire this section up in the mean time. Also, the mainline plans have changed. The station is now the other end of the layout, round the corner. I felt there was too much going on the front section, so I removed most of it. I havn't got any pics of how it will be, but I'll put up pics soon as that section goes down. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Hi Marcyg, The plan looks good, I like the depot and the fact that you have staggered it as well makes it look better. Moving the station is probably a good idea, but how about a half station with just the platform ends coming out of the fiddle yard disguised by the Town above or just a Road Bridge? Good luck with the house move, I hope to be doing the same in a couple of weeks and I am looking forward to a bigger room. P.S. I lived at Cowplain / Waterlooville up to about 8 years ago. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 Hi Andy. I'm planning on doing just what you suggested. The station will be on the curve the other end to the depot, with just the platform ends poking out. I like open running lines, a bit hard to do in 16 foot, bit moving the station to one end should give the layout a bit more of an 'open' feel about it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 Not a layout update really, just a stock one. I'm half way through a 442 Wessex electric. Probably my favorite EMU class, I had to have one. I'm using Hornby Mk3 coaches, Hurst ends and Electra graphics overlays, as I can't paint to save my life As you can see, I havn't painted it in NSE grey. I know they were grey, but nearly every picture I looked at made them look white, and I'm not convinced I could get a shade that 'looks' right. They'll tone done a bit after some varnish has been applied. Still need to paint the coach ends black too. The centre car is the power unit, and has a Bachmann 159 chassis under it, giving smooth powerful performance in both directions. Eventually I'll get the correct bogies (I'm hoping the Mk3 DVT bogies are close enough) and I have some Kadee couplings here for it 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 An update on the Wessie. Building is complete, vinyl is fitted, just the cab ends to do and a coat of satin varnish. This last image shows the Mk4 coach bogies. They're pretty close to the Wessex ones, close enough for me anyway. Eventually they'll all be changed for these. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Silent Hill has not been abandoned! I moved house, then had a few problems with it, then nearly 3 months on, I finally got internet. So here it goes. Had a total replan of the layout, I like open running lines, I knew I wouldn't get much in 16', but I think I got it right. It involved shoving the station up one end, on the corner and then modelling the approach lines. The depot stayed the same as it was the only part I was happy with. The room it's in is amazing, no longer in a scorching hot/freezing cold dusty dark loft, I got an actual room! With windows! And a carpet! The first board in place. Next board in place with the track work growing Other end. The station will be here. I think it gives a more statisfying look to the layout The fiddle yard. Was hoping to get the rest of the track laid this weekend, but I didn't get the order in in time so looks like a job for next weekend. The storage yard had 15 lines, 5 for freight (the outer ones) 4 fast lines, 3 relief lines and 3 multiple unit lines. The fast lines can hold a 7 car HST, not the full 8, but there's only so much you can do in the space without making the corners so tight it restricts the trains anyway. I'm hoping the outer freight line will hold a 15 car Freightliner set, but not sure yet. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Looking good glad to here this is still going on David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Went to the delivery office today to get my items, was kinda impatient and couldn't wait till Monday! Got a bit more on the fiddle yard done. Only stopped as I ran out of fishplates The good thing about flexi, is you can quite a bit in a short space of time. The 'southern' entrance to the yard. The short sidings are where extra locos will be kept for a quick loco change before the train re-enters the layout. A more overall look at the southern end. The loco siding in the middle (with the 86 on it) is so a cross country set can be swapped from diesel to electric traction (the reverse happens on the scenic side) The 'northern' end. The track work is a bit more complex here, as this is the other end of the station, and is designed to give a variety of options with train routing. Will definatly have to wait till Monday to do any more, no model shops round here open on Sundays! The stock in the yard is just there so I could gauge how much room I have, the layout is still dead as I haven't even started on the control panel yet 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Coming along well how wide is your fiddle yard board? David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted March 2, 2014 Author Share Posted March 2, 2014 2'8". Tracks are spaced at normal Peco distance, so gives 15 tracks. Couldn't fit in any wider boards and still be able to reach the outside tracks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Ah thanks just trying to plan a possible new layout idea David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share Posted March 15, 2014 Updates are few and far between at the min as I'm currently running on a mobile broadband dongle thingy as BT are useless and havn't put our phone line in correctly. Anyhoo... I've bodged some wires into the back of my controller so I can run some trains. The track laying is complete and the wiring to the rails is also complete. My system of wiring is a bit different, but the photos are on a camera, and its too slow to upload them at the min, so that'll be an update for another time. One thing I have learnt, is most, if not all my trains - locos and stock alike - needs some pretty major work. Once I knew I was moving, I kinda ran them till they just stopped, then put them back in boxes, where they remained for well over a year. Now they need all need cleaning and some rectification work. I'll be fitting more pick ups to as much stuff as I can, and I'll be ridding all my stock of those horrid plastic wheel sets. Here's some pics I took and uploaded at someone elses house! A class 86 heads north on a Cross Country, with the 47 that had run the train in from the south in the head shunt. Silent Hill is a major change over point between diesel and electric A north bound express. Looking towards the south, was quite surprised how much I could get in, in 16' without it looking cluttered A converted HST power car heads into platform 3. The conversion was made from scratch by myself. I've just finished modifying all my HST PCs by painting the inside of the headlight space black, and on the swallow livery, painting the light surrounds silver. Again, I'll put pics up when I can finally get the net properly. I didn't plan on getting anymore 08s as I don't really have a need for them, but this Bachmann one was too good to resist, I'm a sucker for an odd livery... ... which brings me onto this... ... and this. The 40 will eventually become Aureol. Testing a few theories. Took this pic before I finished the freight roads in the fiddle yard. A good thing about the room the layout is in, is there's a small 'tunnel' between the door and the room, as it's technically an extension (even though it's a brand new house) and I can view the layout from both sides on the scenic side. Well, that's it for now. I'm currently building and panel, so hopefully I'll have a fully working layout soon 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Looking great keep it up David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Look forward to following this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 Seem to have the net back at the mo, so time for an update. Wiring... I hate it. Seems to be the one thing I really struggle with, even though it's simple open/close circuits. Still, got it all sorted now, I think One sheet of acrylic, then mark out the track plan with a CD marker pen. Was quite nerve wracking as I kinda had 1 shot to get this right. Drill all the hole, which was a struggle stepping up from the pilot hole size as acrylic splinters and had to be careful not to shatter the panel, and not to get any shards in my eyes. All switches fitted. All this panel will control is the sections. I still have manual points. The panel is big enough to expand to electric points if I have a rush of blood to the head one day. Frame for the control panel As it sits on the layout. This is the first time in 25 years I've actually got a layout to this stage, and I'm quite pleased with it. This was a nightmare. I really don't know how the guys with larger layouts and more complex wiring do it. This fried my head for 2 weeks solid My method of wiring underneath. The tracks have droppers, which then go to terminal blocks. The loom the runs from here to the control box. Everything is screwed together or uses spade couplings, so it can be swapped in and out quickly, which was dead handy when I was wiring the panel up! The looms are made from trailer lighting wire, and once the correct loom I require is identified, I'm only then dealing with 7 wires, not a huge great bundle. On the layout itself, I have the platform edges in. Now I have more definition to the tracks and their purpose 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 Actually, just noticed that's not the latest pic of the panel. I DID actually muck up, as I had to add 2 switches to the engine shed and one to the off scene loco sidings... oops! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 I bought this beauty as a present. It's the Railroad model, but I'm not worried as it'll be converted to as she was in the late 80's early 90's. The design clever thing isn't as bad as I thought, but on this loco, Hornby missed a trick not using wire for all the pipework at the back of the boiler. Still, that's a different conversation for a different topic! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Class 74 Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Wohow, this Wessex 442 looks great!!! I'd kill for that, hehe! Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Looking good - Nice work. Cheers, Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intercity 125 Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Just saw your Wessex 442. I just remembered I have some Hornby MK3s lying around... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted April 12, 2014 Author Share Posted April 12, 2014 Hmmm, want to do an update, but cant post from photobucket. Anyone else having problems? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcyg Posted April 13, 2014 Author Share Posted April 13, 2014 Thanks to someone who knows far more about computers than I do (not difficult) seems I can post pics Not really an update, but was mucking around with the camera and took a couple of pics that I thought were quite good. Even the missus was impressed and she really isn't interested in railways The Duke at sunset An HST heads south at sunset. A bit blurry as I had the wrong function on the camera at the time. Makes me want to try taking photos at sunset again and try a bit harder next time! A Dover boat train heads north past 58037 on the fuelling stage. Taken at the same time as the HST pic, but the opposite way. Still makes a difference to the normal bright daylight photos I usually end up taking Just to see how it looks really... Not done much on the layout for a while, I'm going through the fleet at the min trying to get everything running as it should 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Looking good David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard60098 Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 Great looking layout Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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