Holtwood Light Railway

[MattB]

Just a couple of photos of the stock storage area it’s a bit crammed in so I’m not making up any more rolling stock kits 

[Steve1900]

A lot of satisfying modelling contained in such a small layout - I'm impressed!

 

Many years ago I had a similar 009 layout in a box, which opened out flat and had openings cut through the hinged sides to allow half an oval in each side - gave a bigger run though of course there was nowhere to store the stock as in your layout. Still have some 009 stock and may well build another one of these days.

 

...you've got room to store 20 more wagons in that lid, get building

 

Regards

Steve

[MattB]

I would like to put another cigar box for rolling stock storage in but unfortunately the engine shed roof, lamp posts and the crane would inhibit the box when the main lid is closed. Plus any trees which I keep meaning to add....

 

I must admit having a closed lid is a good thing as it means I keep the majority of the dust out.

 

Currently adding platform edging setts and I am going to use up some of the lighter weathering powders to form a  textured surface to get away from painted balsa wood appearance. Don't want to buy anything new for this layout so I am recycling items from the small  scraps / bits box

[DanielB]

What great small space layout.

[MattB]

So I’m in the process of moving house and want to get this layout on the way to looking complete. Spent an evening adding scenic grass, working on the platform and made a coal bunker. Platform scatter is experimental I’ve not used something this fine in this manner before. Waiting for it to dry before cleaning off excess. 

 

Also ran a loco round and round 

[MattB]

So here we are in 2020 stuck indoors. Back in January I was lucky to be able to move into a new house, complete with large loft space for 00 model railway purposes. I tell you something I am well glad I managed to move when I did because if I hadn't it would have been extremely depressing.  

 

That being said unfortunately the loft at present is unusable as it needs some structural work to make it habitable and for that I need a builder...

 

The other problem is that 90% of my 00 rolling stock is unattainable as its with my parents over 100 miles away.

 

Good news though is that all the 009 rolling stock is with me here and so are all the scenic items and models.

 

I did have an idea to start working on a double 00 Inglenook layout on a small baseboard I have but it proved to be non - starter due to planning permission (no room to temporally store it (no furniture you see))  

 

I haven't had planning permission granted yet for the G gauge.....

 

So I am carrying on with this little layout since its the only thing I can operate and because its nearly complete I am having to think of new projects for it. I am one of the people able to work from home so I am only working on it on the occasional evening and weekend.

 

Oh yeah another slight problem is that I only have about 10 different types of paint so colours are a bit limited. No spray paint either.

 

I don't want to buy anything online at present.

 

Couplings 

I have tried out Greenwich couplings but they didn't work as the loop is too small. My track radii is very tight. But I did see a layout online where somebody had used the loop and hook method successfully  (loop at one end hook at the other end). Interestingly after a bit of experimenting I found that the minitrains stock with its wide loops and short wheelbase wagons works perfectly with no problems at all. and an older coupling that I made back in the nineties also seems to work so I can have a 'train' of about 6 wagons going round without any derailments. I am trying out a wider loop fixed onto the wagons and my blue diesel locomotive and so they don't stand out I am using green wire.

 

A new diesel locomotive?

I did have a small 3D printed steam tram which I painted but somehow over several months the whole of the plastic bodyshell warped into an angle and the side skirts snapped off. So I have a spare Kato 103 chassis with nothing for it. Rather than buy something online I think it would be more fun to construct something out of plasticard so I am looking at Java sugar cane locomotives as they are simple. I think I have a radiator grill somewhere that I could use and lots of light blue paint!

 

Scenery

Well the good news is that all the scenery that was in storage is now with me so basically I am planting lots of tufts all over the place and if I see a gap in the scatter it gets filled up. I found an old tree sprune that was short enough and applied some poly fibre to it and planted it.

 

Crane

Needs painting - well hopefully I have some paint that I can use and then will weather it with some weathering powder.

 

Backscene and ballasting at rear

Maybe a line of brick buildings and wood / corrugated and whatever I can build with spare scraps I have here. Something to hide the wood at the rear. Haven't yet done the ballasting along the rear (as too busy running trains)

 

Lighting

I have a bonfire kit, half wired up already but limited to where I can put the bonfire.

 

6 Wagon kits still to build and paint

If I completely run out of stuff to do then I can get on with these.

 

Various other small kits to build (and paint )

 

So anyway that should keep me going for a bit