RMweb Gold Howl03 Posted October 23, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 23, 2015 Hi All, After finishing my small industrial layout early this year, I've been itching to start a new project. I bought a couple of ikea apa boxes at the beginning of this year. They were stored away in the loft until last week. So here goes, l have joined them both together to give a foot print of about 4' x 1', I am doing a classic shunting puzzle with an extra siding that will have a small station halt that is served by a railbus. At one end their will be a bridge that goes over a canal. As always comments welcome. Regards . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcD Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Two boxes and 4mm is cheating. APA boxes are like hen's teeth these days treat them accordingly! Have you a theme for the layout? I used a single box to produce Crackpot mining in 0-9 but when I went back to get some more boxes I was told that they weren't making them anymore. Marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Howl03 Posted October 24, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 24, 2015 Two boxes and 4mm is cheating. APA boxes are like hen's teeth these days treat them accordingly! Have you a theme for the layout? I used a single box to produce Crackpot mining in 0-9 but when I went back to get some more boxes I was told that they weren't making them anymore. Marc Hi Marc I admit splicing two together is definitely cheating. But I promise to treat them accordingly. I was gutted when IKEA stopped producing them. You only have to look through this forum to see the creative way that modellers use them. In regards to the theme, it will be a goods yard with a small station halt. At the canal end their will be a low relief warehouse that sits next to the canal. Motive power will be mostly small green diesels. Regards Paul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcD Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 Sounds interesting I wait for more photos. If a sauce of APA like boxes could be found then it would make a great challenge project for the collective to have a go at. The NG show in Kent have an annual minimal space competition with the dimensions changing each year, with some outstanding results. it would be a good way to get people into modelling. Marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Howl03 Posted October 24, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 24, 2015 Sounds interesting I wait for more photos. If a sauce of APA like boxes could be found then it would make a great challenge project for the collective to have a go at. The NG show in Kent have an annual minimal space competition with the dimensions changing each year, with some outstanding results. it would be a good way to get people into modelling. Marc Yeah definitely agree with you Marc. I think that competitions are a great way to showcase this hobby. There are certainly some very creative results. Paul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Howl03 Posted October 24, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 24, 2015 Hi all. Had a busy afternoon painting the back scene. Have kept it quite simple with just sky. Used wilko's paint testers, light blue painted on first then dark blue and white blended in. Very happy with the results. Regards Paul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rue_d_etropal Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 You can still get APA boxes on ebay. They are more expensive, but price includes postage. I have been wondering if IKEA or some company connected, takes all withdrawn stock to sell off. As for competitions and modular layouts, I was one of the very small band who tried that with Gn15 a couple of years ago. It attracted a lot of interest, but very few actually took up the challenge unfortunately. I am lucky enough to have bought a few APA boxes when they were still available, and have used them for small modules, which need to be stored and transported easily for shows. The wooden crate(mentioned on another thread), that IKEA now sell, might offer a possible home for a small layout. Not as elegant, in fact not as big, but possibly could be used in multiple. They still have the ability to be stacked, so storing them is easier. What I like about this lo cost boxes , is that they protect what is inside pretty well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul-dereham Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 As someone who is tight for space but with lots of ideas, I'm looking forward to see how this progresses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 … APA like boxes could be found then it would make a great challenge project for the collective to have a go at. The NG show in Kent have an annual minimal space competition with the dimensions changing each year, with some outstanding results. it would be a good way to get people into modelling. Marc Right, one can do very interesting things with APA boxes or the like – see there, post #3 ! Regards Armin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific231G Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I think IKEA must have a policy of withdrawing products that they discover are being misused for improper purposes; building model railways on them being among the worst offences. A few years ago they did some really useful plywood boxes that had two and three drawers side by side and made very useful instant baseboards with built in stock storage but as soon as people realised that they vanished from the shops. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Howl03 Posted October 25, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 25, 2015 I must admit every time I go to ikea I'm on the look out for potential baseboards. Is it just me? Or just a model railway thing? Armin thanks for the link. Very impressive. A little bit of modelling done today. Small station halt kit built. Tree behind strategically placed to hide join in the back boards. Thanks for all the likes and comments. Regards Paul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sng7 Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 There is an almost identical alternative to the apa box on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-WOODEN-TOY-STORAGE-UNIT-BOX-CHILDRENS-KIDS-TOYS-CHEST-BOXES-WHITE-CHEAP-/160782870842?hash=item256f67e93a:g:fREAAOxy79JSaCmJ I have brought one to do some modelling in and it looks good and you can even make holes in the side with a craft knife to connect things onto it. The ends and lid come fully assembled but you have to attach the long side panels so you can leave one out as well Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcD Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I notice the price has gone up from £10 to £25. but it looks like the APA challenge might be able to go forward. Marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Great looking little railway so far. The constraints of a box diorama I find make it much easier to get a project going as you can see it all come together and are not distracted by a vast amount of open board thinking il just do a bit over there now and come back later. Nice work Paul , keep the momentum going. I up scaled the APA diorama concept to Oscale and made some of my own box style for the layout close to the equivalent of a double APA in OO but up scale to O. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/97814-7mm-modelling-down-under-long-wait-almost-over/?p=2039996 Wishing now I had got a few more from IKEA in Australia as they were nice and cheap. To some OO work in already did a O scale APA http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/89204-humpys-flat-o-scale-in-ikea-apa-box/?p=1631818 at the time when they were phased out in Europe I asked about it here in Oz and was told in store, "no still going to be a stock line" So didn't get at the time thought it will be ok went back a few weeks later to get just in case it was the same as in Europe to discover that no stock and what stock they had, had been returned to the parent company and no reorder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Howl03 Posted October 27, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 27, 2015 Great looking little railway so far. The constraints of a box diorama I find make it much easier to get a project going as you can see it all come together and are not distracted by a vast amount of open board thinking il just do a bit over there now and come back later. Nice work Paul , keep the momentum going. I up scaled the APA diorama concept to Oscale and made some of my own box style for the layout close to the equivalent of a double APA in OO but up scale to O. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/97814-7mm-modelling-down-under-long-wait-almost-over/?p=2039996 Wishing now I had got a few more from IKEA in Australia as they were nice and cheap. To some OO work in already did a O scale APA http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/89204-humpys-flat-o-scale-in-ikea-apa-box/?p=1631818 at the time when they were phased out in Europe I asked about it here in Oz and was told in store, "no still going to be a stock line" So didn't get at the time thought it will be ok went back a few weeks later to get just in case it was the same as in Europe to discover that no stock and what stock they had, had been returned to the parent company and no reorder. Thanks SMR Chris. Micro and small layouts are very addictive. I only have a small house but even if I had a dedicated railway room I would still rather fill it with small layouts than one big one. Had a look through your thread. Some great modelling mate it may even tempt me to try some 7mm modelling in the future. Regards Paul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rue_d_etropal Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 O scale. a bit small for me, I am considering a Gauge One mini layout. , I have done 1/35th scale using 16.5mm gauge, and used 3(yes 3 boxes) to create a circle of 3 related dioramas. Each box has a quarter circle and the joining tracks are curved, leaving a curved section at back, which is in fact 2 points so trains can enter and leave the circle. http://gn15.info/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=9229 For me it is not the difficulty of the x and y dimensions but the z dimension, and fitting buildings i. I have therefore tried schemes with box high but narrow and low but wide, ie box sitting on base or back to make best use of space. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Howl03 Posted October 27, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 27, 2015 Have done a bit of work on the canal end of the layout, the building is a Scalescenes one taken from the high street backs, just doubled it up to make it larger. The canal bridge is Scalescenes paper and a wills girder panels kit. Regards Paul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Howl03 Posted October 30, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 30, 2015 Have done a bit of scenic work at the canal end of the layout it's amazing how adding a bit of green can transform a layout. Thanks again to everyone who has liked my work so far. Regards Paul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcD Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 looking good Marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 That was quick. Not messing around see you? Looks really good, too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Really nice work. reinforces what I said about the small size gives you a chance to see the layout come together. you are inspired to keep going as you can see completion not far away. Also it's a great place to try new ideas on a small layout as if it all goes pear shaped not to much to fix. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rue_d_etropal Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 My only concern with doubling up like this is that it is too easy to end up with something that is difficulty to transport and store. The small size of one box, is just about right on all counts, although I have been tempted to extend one box by 50%,, to bring its length up to just over 3ft. As I now only have a few boxes in store, I may be tempted to try this with one of the other IKEA boxes. I would have reversed the backboards as well, as the pattern of the hardboard can look a bit odd in the sky. Otherwise, looking good. It is a pity we never got a reply from IKEA when we wrote to them to show them how we were using their boxes. Maybe they were not amused, so decided to withdraw them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Howl03 Posted November 3, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2015 My only concern with doubling up like this is that it is too easy to end up with something that is difficulty to transport and store. The small size of one box, is just about right on all counts, although I have been tempted to extend one box by 50%,, to bring its length up to just over 3ft. As I now only have a few boxes in store, I may be tempted to try this with one of the other IKEA boxes.I would have reversed the backboards as well, as the pattern of the hardboard can look a bit odd in the sky. Otherwise, looking good. It is a pity we never got a reply from IKEA when we wrote to them to show them how we were using their boxes. Maybe they were not amused, so decided to withdraw them.[/quote I must admit that the pattern on the hardboard doesn't look great on the photos, although you hardly notice it when looking at it in the flesh. In terms of size I wouldn't go any bigger than two boxes. although the beauty of these boxes is how lightweight they are. Regards Paul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Howl03 Posted November 3, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2015 Have been building the Scalescenes canal boat, I must admit I was a bit dubious on how it would turn out, but I'm happy with the results. Next up is to finishing the ballesting. Always a job I don't look forward to. Regards Paul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Howl03 Posted November 6, 2015 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted November 6, 2015 Managed to get a bit more modelling done this week, have finished ballesting the track just need to weather it a little. Have completed the low relief goods shed entrance. And added more grass to the layout. Next job is to add water to the canal. This is a first for me so need to do a bit of experimenting. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Regards Paul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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