Trains4u shop layout

[Trains4U]

Building of the new shop layout at Trains4U Peterborough

[Trains4U]

So, for quite some time I've been banging on about building a new shop layout "under the stairs"

 

The old layout, an 8x4 twin track OO layout with a loop of N, was reaching the end of its usable life, and had no decent provision for testing O Gauge models.

 

I decided I needed something that can allow O, OO and N to run, but that will also give me space to demonstrate multiple DCC systems and incorporate a small workbench for quick repairs and DCC fittings on the shop floor.

 

So, I sketched out a plan, and today my friend Alan and I started...

[Trains4U]

This is how the space between the counter and staircase looked before we began:

So, over the last couple of weeks, I've taken to improving the stairs (new wood stain and anti-slip tape)
And installed back boards to reduce dust falling from the first floor.

 

Edited March 3, 2017 by Trains4U

[Trains4U]

So, this morning, I cleared away the paint stands...

And this is the space we were left with:



The basic dimensions of the layout were marked out and the materials ordered
320 ft of 2"x2" timber, 5x 8'x4' 3/4" ply sheets, 200 3" screws to start.

I went to pick up the first 160ft of timber and Alan got on with cutting and building, whilst I began disassembling the old layout (with a drill and a big saw!)

The basic frame starts to take shape:



Legs are added:




And by the end of the day, we had this:



The layout will consist of the following

A single track O gauge line running from the far corner of the layout (near the paint) round the front where it will terminate with a point and a pair of sidings, by the shopping baskets and base of the stairs
A twin track OO circuit will be added at a level 3" higher and just behind the O. This will loop around the pillar, returning back on itself making a very brief 4-line section before circling back underneath the staircase to complete the circuit. Some storage sidings will be placed here.

The gap formed by the flattened dog bone shape will form a cutout within which a workbench will be placed.

Around the metal pillar will be a small N gauge circuit and a couple of sidings, raised slightly above the level of the OO lines.

Final job of the day was to reposition the paint.
This now occupies the original location of the old layout. There is some work to do here, so it's not finished just yet.







The boards are being delivered tomorrow along with the second half of the timber

Work continues on Thursday, with the higher legs being installed and the ply boards being fitted and trimmed.

Edited March 3, 2017 by Trains4U

[Vecchio]

That's an interesting project and very good advertisement. Even you are 50.4 miles from my house I am sure I have to pop in when I am in the area...

Are you using a baseboard or you board only the area where track (or roads or buildings) will be laid?

Vecchio, always nosy

[Legend]

Looks great, but also looks like a very interesting shop. Just wish you could relocate to Glasgow. Model Rail Scotland shows that there's a lot of interest in Railways around Glasgow, although admittedly the show is so large now it attracts people from throughout UK . Still there isn't a shop with the full range of goods you obviously stock . Best wishes with the business

[Trains4U]

Looks like I need to revisit this thread and re-post some of the images, all the portrait pics are showing in landscape - looked fine on a mobile device, but not on PC...

 

To answer the question about the boarding.   the frontage will be laid at the 3' height   (Actually 2' 11-1/4", so that the board top is exactly 3')

 

We will screw in some new legs that are 3'2-1/4" high behind the front 9" of board along the front edge, then around the pillar to support the raised board for the OO.

 

The gap will be covered with a thin ply.

 

Its important that w don't board all across underneath the OO as the space will be used for stock storage and workbench area -  the workbench will be at a height of 2"4", so there will be an 11" height between the workbench and OO board where bits an pieces can be squirreled away.  - all will become clear as it comes together!

Edited February 28, 2017 by Trains4U

[Trains4U]

Work progressed yesterday evening.

 

The remaining timber was delivered on Tuesday, so we took to chopping it up with various saws, including a rather meaty circular saw - though the shop is now covered in a fine layer of sawdust!

 

The main framework was completed, and some tracks were laid out to ensure we had all our clearances determined and marked out, before laying the foundations of the raised OO gauge section

 

There are four timbers surrounding the steel column, this will be clad with MDF - The N gauge will be supported from this column, and provides space for notices and future plans to mount a TV screen.

 

 

the frame was built up by an additional 3 inches for the OO boards

 

 

You can now see the O gauge running space along the front (This will be shielded from little/sticky/light fingers by a perspex shield)

 

 

The O gauge will terminate in a pair of sidings

 

 

We then cut and fitted the first OO board under the staircase

 

 

Followed by the second, which is cut around the pillar

 

 

So, we now have our first boards down, covering approximately 8' x 5'

 

We will be continuing with the top boards early next week, then, once we have test-laid the OO trackwork, we can cut out the workbench space and continue with the boards for the O gauge and control systems.

 

This has taken about 13.5 hours so far and it feels like there is a huge amount to show for it.

 

The layout is nominally 14' x 7'  -  there is still a long way to go...

Edited March 3, 2017 by Trains4U

[Trains4U]

I've now fixed rotation of the pictures at the start of the topic, so I can't be blamed for any twisted necks!  

[Andy Y]

That's impressive for a shop test-track/layout. Looks like it will support more weight on the mezzanine floor with all that timber.

[Stubby47]

If you replaced some of the stair backboards with clear Perspex, you'd have good view of the layout as you ascend to the 2nd floor.

 

Stu

[Trains4U]

Keeping it clean might be interesting...  

 

The intention is that the part under the stairs will be mainly hidden from view.   The frontage being the main focal point.   The frontage will, in time, have scenic touches added, but the space around the pillar will be kept clean, with plain painted surfaces.  the primary purpose being to demonstrate control systems, and also to allow surface mounting of wiring and components, for instructional purposes.

 

Ultimately, this is a selling tool rather than a plaything, so it will be largely practical, with only a small portion of scenic work.

Edited March 3, 2017 by Trains4U

[Trains4U]

That's impressive for a shop test-track/layout. Looks like it will support more weight on the mezzanine floor with all that timber.

 

It'll take my weight, so it's not far off being as strong!

 

This thing is built like a battleship, It's not going anywhere!    It will, however, give us some much needed storage capacity for bulky (but mostly low value) stock, like foamboard/polystyrene, grass matting, balsa, and track.

[Liam]

Roughly how far a walk is your shop from Peterborough station? I sometimes change trains at Peterborough.

 

SVRlad

[Trains4U]

Roughly how far a walk is your shop from Peterborough station? I sometimes change trains at Peterborough.

 

SVRlad

You need to allow 30 mins

 

 

There is a Bus Service from Queensgate (Takes 6 mins to Fengate first Drove)

 

 

[Trains4U]

More work carried out today.

The final board for the OO section being prepped:




Meanwhile, I set about tidying the carpet edging on the top step (The carpet will be replaced with something better in due course)



Once the last OO board was down, we laid out some track to check the dimensions available for the workbench cutout



and to check clearances



We can now show how the O and OO are going to appear




the trackwork was measured and the cutout was, well, Cut out.





Whilst Alan secured the OO boards and put in the final fixings, I started cutting and fitting the boards for the O gauge



Now you can see how the layout will appear as a customer entering the shop



The endmost board will have a twin track terminus. I'm yet to decide, but it may be a diesel fueling point



Adding a few locos really makes a difference!





There won't be much progress over the next week, owing to other commitments and the East Anglian model show over the weekend.
Though if I can sand and paint the OO boards, I will do so.

Construction will continue next Monday, all going well.

Edited March 7, 2017 by Trains4U

[Trains4U]

Given I won't be able to perform any construction work over the next week,  I'll turn my attention to what I can do at home.

 

The layout is going to be used to demonstrate DCC systems, as well as act as a test track.

 

so, as well as a  twin track analogue controller (For both N and OO) I'll need to allow connection for up to 10 different control systems.

 

At present, I'm planning:

 

1. Hornby Select
2. Hornby Elite
3. Hornby e-link
4. Bachmann e-z command
5. Bachmann Dynamis Ultima
6. Gaugemaster Prodigy Express
7. Gaugemaster Prodigy Advance
8. ESU ECoS
9. Roco Z21
10. Spare  (Probaly NCE Powercab)

I could use a rotary switch, but they are not especially robust, and a switch for 10 outputs is fiddly to wire and not necessarily easy to acquire.

 

Instead, I'll be using a bank of DPDT switches, which will act as breakers.  Each switch will be wired to the other, but the first in the sequence set as ON will be the controller connected to the layout.   any controllers subsequently set as ON will not connect as the chain is broken.

 

The wiring will look something like this (Sketched out this morning)

 

 

Obviously repeated to 10 switches.   There is a 4 pole double throw to convert Analogue to DCC

 

I'll connect another 4PDT switch to the N track, again wired to the same controller as the OO, and a repeating bank of switches for DCC - enabling independent analogue and DCC operation of N and OO

 

O will have a DPDT between a single track controller and again, a repeating bank of switches for the DCC    so 33 switches in all.

 

its complex, but it will allow independent control of each gauge for testing and demo purposes.

 

All this will be mounted on some PVC board.

 

I'd better get my soldering iron out...

[Vecchio]

Like your wiring idea. Fool proof is key  - especially in a shop layout where a quick finger (and here it is not only the smaller fingers flicking switches.. ) could flick a switch.

[Stubby47]

Will this wiring allow multiple scales to be run at the same time, obviously using different controllers - or maybe even using the same controller...

[Trains4U]

Will this wiring allow multiple scales to be run at the same time, obviously using different controllers - or maybe even using the same controller...

 

As planned, the switching will give us ultimate flexibility of operation.

 

The N and OO will be connected to the same twin track analogue controller, and the O will have a separate analogue control.

Each gauge can be switched between DCC and Analogue, meaning each gauge can be on DCC or analogue independently of one another at any given time.

 

Also, because each scale has its own bank of switches for DCC, I could have a different DCC system operating each gauge, or the same system operating two, or all three gauges at once.

 

So we could, potentially demonstrate three different DCC systems simultaneously - or continue a demo on two gauges whilst another is being used to test an analogue loco.

Edited March 7, 2017 by Trains4U

[porkie]

Wow that's awesome planning for track wiring . Silly question time.

My layout is dc

 

Could i use this idea, to power each individual route in a fiddle yard. Instead of a matrix with diodes?

Edited March 8, 2017 by porkie

[Lowlander]

Looks great, but also looks like a very interesting shop. Just wish you could relocate to Glasgow. Model Rail Scotland shows that there's a lot of interest in Railways around Glasgow, although admittedly the show is so large now it attracts people from throughout UK . Still there isn't a shop with the full range of goods you obviously stock . Best wishes with the business

Hi Gareth

 

That looks a great idea for a layout. With instances of models having bits missing or falling off. This is a great selling tool. The buyer has the chance to "try before they buy" saving you a lot of bother as well I'd imagine. Good luck with it.

 

I have to totally agree with Legend also. The city of Glasgow and more so the west of Scotland is crying out for a good model railway shop, again! Something the size of, and as well stocked as Trains for 4u would be excellent. Hopefully somebody will see the potential.

 

Stephen

Edited March 8, 2017 by ayrmrg

[MarshLane]

Hi Gareth,

Unfortunately, I'm a little too far away to pay you a visit, but that is a superb idea for showing of DCC and de-mystifying it abit for people. Well thought out.

 

Rich

[stevejjjexcov]

I wonder of anyone in South Wales will see this post and think "mmmmm we could do with something like this in the Swansea area" cos we ain't got a lot round here. I rely on public transport and have never had a bank account. This makes travelling to distant shops difficult and mail order nigh on impossible. Bring back the friendly local model shop I say

 

Steve

 

Steve

[Trains4U]

I wonder of anyone in South Wales will see this post and think "mmmmm we could do with something like this in the Swansea area" cos we ain't got a lot round here. I rely on public transport and have never had a bank account. This makes travelling to distant shops difficult and mail order nigh on impossible. Bring back the friendly local model shop I say

 

Steve

 

Steve

 

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