Brambleford Layout - Retaining wall

[nicolasgreenin]

This is my first attempt at making my own trees and I am quite pleased they do need a little bit more work as I can see some of the spray glue in areas, especially on the large one.

 

I might have to trim them down a little when I put them on the layout.

 

 

 

 

An artistic shot in the garden 

 

 

Lastly, an oak tree in the garden that show the spars branches and lack of foliage at the ends 

 

 

 

Please let me know your thoughts...

 

 

 

[nicolasgreenin]

Ok so I think I am addicted I can't stop.

 

I have covered a few more small trees. Some of the scatter had fallen off the other trees so I have covered a few small ones with scenic cement to see if they hold better. My only concern is that they may come out glossy.

 

 

[nicolasgreenin]

We have landed in our new home. I have bought some wood from Wickes and will make a start on the baseboards this week...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[nicolasgreenin]

The past week has been manic getting the new house sorted etc, so I haven't spent as much time as I hoped in the office working n the layout. Last night I laid the baseboards out and put the printed SCRAM plan in place.

 

I will add a photo later but I think I have set my self quite a task!

 

I have a few problems I need to workout before any work can start

• Checking that there are no frame support under any points
• I am still unsure how the frame is going together
• How do I make this portable in the future (house move not showing)
• The main station and yard is raised by 57mm I need to raise the frame in this section not sure how to best do this yet

I am beginning to think I might have bitten off more than I can chew....

 

 

 

And I still have more of the plan to add for the top section...

 

Edited August 21, 2017 by nicolasgreenin

[nicolasgreenin]

I have finished the mimic panel 

 

 

 

Then I have printed a copy and then attempted to glue it on to the test track CP and it looks terrible I have tried 3 times and it just wrinkles.

 

All I did last time was paste it on with PVA glue all I can hope is that when it dries the wrinkles disappear as it was perfect the lastime...

[nicolasgreenin]

Start on the baseboard construction has commenced....

 

I am fairly sure that what I am doing is not right but I am following the same method I used for the test track and expanding it.

I am making various boxes

 

2x 610 x 1220mm 12mm plywood board with a frame made from 18 x 68mm PSE (as per the test track) 

1x 610 x 610mm 12mm plywood board with a frame made from 18 x 68mm PSE

1x 610 x 1220mm 12mm plywood board with a frame made from 18 x 125mm PSE (18 x 144mm PSE trimmed)

1x 610 x 610mm 12mm plywood board with a frame made from 18 x 125mm PSE (18 x 144mm PSE trimmed)

 

I will also add a top board again made on 12mm ply for the raised station I will use 18 x 144mm PSE trimmed to 18 x 102mm so raise this up.

 

Then I will screw them all together and add some 700mm legs (this is designed for my children s my back will have to suffer)

 

I hope these boxes will be more than strong enough I have been using the test track as a cutting table and is very stable I am able to stand on one of these boxes and it doesn't flex so I a sure it will hold...

 

I have currently made 1 new box and have cut the PSE of the second box. I did hope to get more done last night but Ikea had delivered a new unit and that took priority and I didn't want to upset the new neighbours using the chop saw after 8pm.

[nicolasgreenin]

More progress I now the main level frames have been created and are up 

 

[nicolasgreenin]

I have ordered some woodland Scenics 3% inclines. Fingers crossed I have the right combination of inclines sets, starters and risers. I now have a headache converting inches in to millimetres.

 

The 2 inclines I need are

 

3x 0-57mm

2x 57-114mm

 

I have ordered 2x 3% incline starter, 1x 3% incline set and 1x 3/4" riser set.

 

These should arrive on Wednesday and I hope to have the main baseboard finished by then and I can position the inclines in place and with a bit of luck all my calculations will be ok. I have some polystyrene so I should be able to make some extra risers if I need too.

[nicolasgreenin]

Just a quick update spent an hour or so in the office and I have finished the main baseboards

 

 

 

Now the fun can start arranging track in the yard.

[nicolasgreenin]

This has happened by coincidence and not at all planned but the main good yard is an inglenook type puzzle in its self.

 

I have up set a whole set of modelers with this but with some variation on the theme.

 

3x 3 truck sidings and a 5 truck siding with a  5+ headshunt all able to operate with out going on to the main lines.

 

 

The track is laid out with Hornby set track and will be Peco sl100 when completed.

[nicolasgreenin]

So I have hit my first bump in the road...

 

The inclines arrived today and all my calculation have worked except 1 where the track that loops over another I have had to reposition the outer track so they loop with more clearance.

 

I can now cut and fix the top board this will be a little tight but over all, I am happy with how things are turning out.

 

 

 

 

excuse the curve radiuses the inclines are just in pinned in place for now. 

 

 

I also spent some time today preparing the Peco electro frog points by removing the 2 little links and soldering in new ones across the tracks 

 

 

[nicolasgreenin]

Today I 'ave been mostly been building bridges 

 

I need to come up with something for the twin bridges over the road and wasn't sure how until today I was on youtube and saw a guy build a ply wood bridge between 2 inclines and copied it.

 

 

They are made from 5mm ply with 3mm MDF (saved from some next wardrobe packing boxes) and Costa stirring sticks finished with a splash of gray paint this will need more coats and weathering 

 

 

The track is now beginning to go down with the cork bed and looking very good I must say working with the flex track is very satisfying. 

 

 

[Jaggzuk]

For someone who has just moved house you are making cracking progress on the layout!!  Looks very good, you must be very pleased with the progress.?

 

So nice to see it becoming a reality rather than just pans, I know how that felt when I started the build.

 

Not sure if you are planning it this way, but I would strongly recommend doing all the scenery infill around the incline before fixing the track.  Especially if you intend to use the wet plaster bandage method - see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/106602-family-8x4-oo-layout-kadee-coupling-effort/?p=2149381  As it is all rather messy, you are likely to get it all,over the track.

 

My other suggestion is to try and fill the zig zag gaps on the inclines with some form of sound deadening filler, such as old cotton materiel etc.?  My reason for this is that I left mine open and covered the top with card and then cork and it is amazing how noisy it is compared to card and cork on the MDF board.  My guess is that on the inclines it is acting like a drum skin and so the track noise is much louder.

 

The final suggestion is to decide how you will get track dropper wires from the track through the inclines and baseboard.  I found it very fiddly trying to weave the wires between the track and the baseboard, especially in the deep section of the risers.

[nicolasgreenin]

Thanks for the sage advice and you beat me to it I was going to ask you what you'd did with laying the track on the risers.

 

I have laid track and pinned it in place but I was not sue how to cover the tops. I had not thought about the filling in you make a very good point I was planning on using plaster cloth and you are right it will be messy.

 

I had help from both the kids this afternoon my Son and I were drilling and screwing the top track board while my daughter was hovering.

 

We made lots of progress

 

 

 

[nicolasgreenin]

Work has been steaming ahead.

 

I have put plaster cloth on the top of all the inclines and started the hill on the right hand side. I have laid the track in the tunnel this is the first loop completed. I have put some droppers in and soldered the main yard and the first loop. I hope to put the bus in tomorrow and test the track.

 

The hill/tunnel is not on the layout currently to allow the glue dry.

 

I have given the 2 road bridges at the front a coat of paint.

 

 

 

 

 

[Jaggzuk]

Progress indeed!! Always such a transformation once the scenery foundation starts to go down.  And a live running loop now too, cool!!  Nice bridge too,

 

On the plaster front, I assume you have yet to add the second layer of plaster?  If you are and the first has dried, then you may find spraying the first to wet it will help when the placing the second lay on top.

 

For me I did both layers in one go as the plaster sets quite quick allowing the second to be added pretty much after the first.

 

Not sure which brand you are using, but looking at yours, you have a lot of holes on show in the mesh and some of the sheets are not stuck to each other.  You should be able to really wet the sheets before application and then rub the impregnated plaster in really well such that all the holes will fill up.  You will end up with a really nice smooth rolling landscape finish with just two layers. I also found that by creating as much of the land profile with polystyrene helps with the smoothing of the plaster as none of the sheet are then having to hang in mid air.

 

Here are a couple of my pics to illustrate what I mean, I hope this is OK.

 

Landscape fully formed with polystyrene before plaster application.

 

Two layers of plaster well rubbed down and all the mesh holes filled up.

 

This plaster shell will end up really hard and strong.

 

 

 

 

[nicolasgreenin]

Thanks, Paul Great advice as always I am fairly sure that I would still be messing about with SCRAM if it were not for your help...

 

The plaster cloth I bought was from hobby craft mainly because it was £1 a roll although only 10cm x 3 m it was a lot better value than the woodland scenics. I have got 1 roll of the woodland scenics so I might use that as a second covering on the hills as the cheap cloth look like it has less plaster as I tried to get it smooth it still looks very cloth like I am thinking of getting some of the plaster and making it up wet and painting a coat on we will see. 

 

Below is the hill in place I am fairly happy but I am not sure of the scale? Do you think it looks too tall? 

 

 

I am very happy with 2 bridges for something that is made from next wardrobe packing and Costa coffee stirrers they have turned out well the next task is to weather them.

 

The loop is not currently live but I hope it will be today.

 

Tomorrow is a local model railway exhibition so we are off to get some inspiration a few things. I really would like a rake of 3 plank GWR wagons and a 57xx tank 

 

 

 

 

[nicolasgreenin]

We went to the show today and it was much bigger than I expected lots of layouts and stalls.

 

We brought a few trucks, lights, switches plus a few other little bits and bobs.

 

When we came back we had our first running session on the limited track and this through up a few issues.

 

There were a few clearance issues with the class 47 over the bridge and under the raised section nothing a razor saw didn't fix. One of the points make a relay buzz when crossed I think the frog might not be 100%.

 

Also the kids found the limits of the inclines I think I might need to add some weight to some of the locos.

 

The main thing is that they loves playing and the tunnels are the best things since sliced bread!

We went to the show today and it was much bigger than I expected lots of layouts and stalls.

 

We brought a few trucks, lights, switches plus a few other little bits and bobs.

 

When we came back we had our first running session on the limited track and this through up a few issues.

 

There were a few clearance issues with the class 47 over the bridge and under the raised section nothing a razor saw didn't fix. One of the points make a relay buzz when crossed I think the frog might not be 100%.

 

Also the kids found the limits of the inclines I think I might need to add some weight to some of the locos.

 

The main thing is that they loves playing and the tunnels are the best things since sliced bread!

[nicolasgreenin]

Hi All,

 

I have made some more progress I have now positioned the track on the top section and added the last bridge.

 

 

 

 

I still haven't tacked the plaster issues I am still trying to work out the traction issues I hope to have some more progress on this very soon.

[Jaggzuk]

Looking good.  I like the two span girder bridge.  Really starting to get a sense that the layout (track) will be in the landscape and not too cramped.

 

I see you have you mimic panel set up, got any behind the scenes details?  

 

And what make is your station?

[nicolasgreenin]

Hi Paul,

 

The station is a Metcalfe models, we have the platform kit that goes with this. I will have to get on with that at some point I did get it out of the packet so I could read the instructions.

 

I have got a pack of DCC Concepts Powerbase on order to see if this will help the locos getting up the inclines.

 

There is a mutiny in the ranks my son has said that he does not like the Kadee couplings an that I should stop thinking of using them...

[Jaggzuk]

Interesting why dos he not like them?  Is it a visual thing or an operation thing?

 

They are so much easier to work with when taking stock off a layout, you just pick them up, no hooked couplings to worry about.

 

I was having play last night with my shunting trucks now with Kadee and they are so much more fun than TLC.  About to buy some Neodymium Magnets to operate the coupling in the goods yards, so quite excited about this new operation capability.

[nicolasgreenin]

I have asked but his only response is he doesn't like them. I need t get a few trucks setup with them. The Class 47 has NEM's so I will get some set up and once the yard points are wired we can have a good play with the magnets.

 

I am sure he will come around when he sees the advantage.

 

I bought some 25x8x2mm neodymium magnets from eBay which fit under the track very nicely and more than strong enough see link below slightly smaller but same, seller highly recommended.

 

10 Magnets 25mm x 7mm x 2mm Neodymium Block strong thin oblong magnet 25x7x2 mm

 

Most of our rolling stock do not have NEM's so it is all or nothing approach to the conversion 

Edited September 13, 2017 by nicolasgreenin

[nicolasgreenin]

Yesterday I got a nice package from Hattons 2 packs of DCC Concepts Powerbase to help with the incline issues.

 

I have fitted the powerbase under the track now the little 0-4-0 can pull 4 carriages up the incline from a standing start.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am very happy all I need to do is to take up the track I have already glued down on the 2 inclines finish the rest of the track wire up the other 11 points and landscape.

 

 

[nicolasgreenin]

Hi all,

 

Not that much progress since last week we have had plenty of running the powerbase is working well I need to order another pack to complete the remaining loop and 1 of the original inclines. 

 

I have been wiring the points in slowly.  I have realised that our mimic panel is not correct but since SCRAM now requires a license I am not sure I can justify the cost for 1 small change.

 

The kadee conversion continues my son doesn't like and needs more convincing before we convert.