Tempfix Popular Post Rich Papper Posted January 15, 2015 Tempfix Popular Post Share Posted January 15, 2015 (edited) Oxford Road was supposed to be a bookshelf, but we all know how these things get out of hand. About 10 years ago, and living in a very small flat, I hit upon the idea that I could put a small depot shunting plank on the top of an Ikea book shelf so that I had somewhere to park the various locos I was tinkering with at the time. One board became two, then three, and when I realised how easy it was to adjust the shelves, the Underground was added beneath it. For many years it sat happily at the side of a room whilst I tinkered with bits of it until one day, I kindly chap spotted it on the DEMU Forum and asked if it would fit into the back of my car (your fault Nigel!). Since then it has been out to about 8 exhibitions and been generally well received, so I thought it was about time I got it on here. I have to confess that I am very envious of those people who use all sorts of computer wizardry and templates to plan exactly where every sleeper will go on a layout before they've even been to buy the wood. My method (and apologies to the purists out there), has always been to build a baseboard and then spend many an evening tinkering around with bits of track until I figure out what fits on it. Oxford Road is built using the traditional 2"x1" battens topped with 12mm MDF. Yes, that is as heavy as it sounds, but it was never intended to be carried to exhibitions! If I'm honest, I'm still surprised it is. It had never even occurred to me that anyone would want to see my ham-fisted efforts, especially when compared to the quality and skill seen elsewhere. There are three 3ftx1ft scenic boards and a similarly sized fiddle yard. Track is Peco code 100 with some setrack points to save space. Properly weathered it doesn't look too bad, and it does allow me to run all of my Dad's old stock (and my nephews' Thomas) without expensive re-wheeling. It was originally built as DC, but was rewired and converted to DCC about 5 years ago. Control is an NCE PowerCab. I probably only understand about 10% of what this is capable of, but I am learning. Stock is whatever comes along. Many items are ready to run, most weathered, but I am getting more proficient at repainting and detailing my own as well. Oxford Road is not based on any particular prototype. It is somewhere in West London and includes a station with sporadic DMU service, a small depot / stabling point with fuelling point and an engineers siding. Beneath runs the Bakerloo Line. I grew up in Oxford in the 1980s, the highlight of which being weekend trips to London with my Dad. A class 50 with a rake of corridor Mk1s is a proper train - far better than the Lego trains that replaced them! Here then are some pictures of the layout and a track plan to give some idea of what it looks like. I'll try to add more if the first pictures work. I hope you like it. Rich. Edited January 16, 2015 by Rich Papper 41 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pompeydave Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Really nice ,right up my street this! Quite jealous of your class 50's in 'old style' NSE livery,been looking for one for ages.Hopefully some more pics soon...........? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Wow. Enough said. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Nice start, more pics soon hopefully. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus 37 Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Really nice layout there Rich. Full of atmosphere. I too am quite jealous about those to original NSE class 50s. Unfortunately I missed the boat when Hornby produced that livery. As Andy says above, can we have some more pictures please. Cheers Marcus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nile_Griffith Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Hi there! Any chance of some more pic's info on that Royal Mail DMU you have there? Many thanks Nile Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Looks great!! wil follow this now Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blvrace Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Awesome layout Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted January 16, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 16, 2015 Great layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftwinguk Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Looks like a very nice layout. Not surprised you have been asked to exhibit it. Look forward to seeing more pictures. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Popular Post Rich Papper Posted January 16, 2015 Author Tempfix Popular Post Share Posted January 16, 2015 Thank you all for the kind comments. Will continue to add pictures, and I'll try not to be too repetitive, but being so small there's only so many bits of it to photograph! I did realise that I mentioned the Underground though, and didn't actually include a picture first time round. It isn't easy to photograph, but here are a couple. Rich 37 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Thank you all for the kind comments. Will continue to add pictures, and I'll try not to be too repetitive, but being so small there's only so many bits of it to photograph! I did realise that I mentioned the Underground though, and didn't actually include a picture first time round. It isn't easy to photograph, but here are a couple. Rich That's just downright clever. Those platform fire cabinets look "spot on". Inspiring. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Nice to see this layout on here, I was really impressed by it when I saw it at Cheltenham, the name stuck with me as I once lived on Oxford Road! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold kipford Posted January 16, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 16, 2015 Very nice Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Popular Post Rich Papper Posted January 16, 2015 Author Tempfix Popular Post Share Posted January 16, 2015 Hi there! Any chance of some more pic's info on that Royal Mail DMU you have there? Many thanks Nile Hi Nile. It's a class 114 from DC Kits, with a few bits and pieces from Bachmann and some scratchbuilt details. I originally started by trying to stretch a spare Bachmann 108 body that I had - how hard can it be? Very. Ended up more filler than plastic and was the wrong body profile to begin with anyway. I chopped the unneeded sections out of the DC Kits body and spliced in some evergreen plasticard cladding for the roller shutter doors. Some of the windows are plated over and painted on the outside, but with the top lights left clear, so I fitted those in question before painting and painted maskol over the top lights, to peel off afterwards. Simple paint job, pretty much all red. Chassis is the DC kits one supplied, but with Bachmann drive unit and bogies. Head / tail lights added and DCC'd. I remember them sitting in the bay platforms at the north end of Oxford station as a kid. I also have a Heljan 128 in matching red. Rich 26 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Lots of very nice "detail" through out... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sub39h Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 (edited) Brilliant layout! I love the RM Class 114 as well Edited January 17, 2015 by sub39h Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nile_Griffith Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Hi Nile. It's a class 114 from DC Kits, with a few bits and pieces from Bachmann and some scratchbuilt details. I originally started by trying to stretch a spare Bachmann 108 body that I had - how hard can it be? Very. Ended up more filler than plastic and was the wrong body profile to begin with anyway. I chopped the unneeded sections out of the DC Kits body and spliced in some evergreen plasticard cladding for the roller shutter doors. Some of the windows are plated over and painted on the outside, but with the top lights left clear, so I fitted those in question before painting and painted maskol over the top lights, to peel off afterwards. Simple paint job, pretty much all red. Chassis is the DC kits one supplied, but with Bachmann drive unit and bogies. Head / tail lights added and DCC'd. I remember them sitting in the bay platforms at the north end of Oxford station as a kid. I also have a Heljan 128 in matching red. Rich Hi and thank for the details and the additional photo's. I think I'm right in saying that DC kits no longer supply that 114 kit, which is a bit of a shame but not sure if I picked up on the grapevine that possibly Kernow Model Centre where looking at something. Wouldn't mind the same to go with my own Heljan 128's. Many thanks again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Hi Rich, thanks for some more really good pics, love the NSE 50, all good stuff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danfilm007 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Loving the look of it mate! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merc435 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Excellent modelling sir! I really like the little details you have added, especially the boxfiles on the shelves in the Portacabin and the seating in the underground station. More pictures please! Andy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 great looking layout Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangoman69 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 The tube station looks fantastic Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Popular Post Rich Papper Posted January 17, 2015 Author Tempfix Popular Post Share Posted January 17, 2015 (edited) Excellent modelling sir! I really like the little details you have added, especially the boxfiles on the shelves in the Portacabin and the seating in the underground station. More pictures please! Andy. Thank you. There are also filing cabinets, noticeboards, desks with mugs, computers (such as they were in the 80s), chairs and bins in the Portacabin, but they're not easy to photograph! There are also offices on the mezzanine level of the shed, and a staff mess with lockers downstairs (although perhaps the less said about the contents of these the better!). A few more, with DMUs. You can never have too many DMUs. Rich Edited January 17, 2015 by Rich Papper 22 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merc435 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 You're just showing off now!!!!!!! Brilliant ideas with the office interiors. Too many DMU's? nevaaaaaa! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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