ikea lack So I bought a LACK shelf.....

[Geep7]

You know how it is. You take a trip to one of Sweden's most famous exports, have a wander around the showroom, and randomly pick up something that would make a good baseboard for a layout. Now i'd been aware of the potential of the LACK floating shelves since reading about Mutton etc. in magazines and on here, so when I thought of making a small DCC test track I could put on the dining table, I bought a single 110cm LACK shelf and the Ikea trip.

 

Once I measured up the space where the shelf was to live when not on the dining table, I discovered I had enough room to add one of the shorter 30cm units. Once this arrived the shelves lived in the corner of the room, until a couple of weeks ago, when I decided to put them together. I've joined them with wooden dowels and PVA, and seems pretty solid, giving me a total length of 140cm. Now i'm always one for wanting my cake and eating it, and so my mind wandered to the idea of not just having a small DCC test track, but a full on Southern Region micro layout with 2-car multiple units, Class 73's / 33's and shunting wagons, all in 140cm x 26cm. As will become clear, it's not 100% possible to fit it all in, but i've given it a good go.

 

The next post will deal with the track plan, and what theme i'm planning to go with.

Edited March 2, 2022 by Geep7

[woodenhead]

I started back in OO with a Lack shelf, then rather like Voyager 6 in Star Trek The Motion Picture, it then got extra elements until it became a full on L shaped layout.

 

Careful what you've started

[Geep7]

2 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

I started back in OO with a Lack shelf, then rather like Voyager 6 in Star Trek The Motion Picture, it then got extra elements until it became a full on L shaped layout.

 

Careful what you've started

My wife's already worried that i'll want to extend it.... it wouldn't take much to add another shelf, joined using cabinet catches..... oh, you're right, it's definitely a rabbit hole I could so easily fall into.

[TechnicArrow]

Sounds like a solid start! I'll be interested to see where this goes (and how much it extends by ). By the sound of it your layout isn't much deeper than a standard Really Useful Box layout, although nearly twice as long. And I totally haven't been planning another one recently...

[Geep7]

So here is the trackplan i've come up with.

 

 

It's not exactly an original take on the micro, and it's a bit of a squeeze, and a bit dense, trackage wise, but fulfils everything I want the layout to do. It is however lacking a run-round loop, which I would normally include, but I just couldn't fit one in. Maybe on the next board...  

 

So the track in green represents a single track sector "stick". It over sails the end of of the layout by some 8 inches, but it's made of 2 layers of 4mm MDF, sandwiched together, so is rather strong. The bottom track in orange is the passenger line, and there will be a short platform here, enough for 2-car MU's, this will be electrified with 3rd rail. The kickback siding off of this will serve either a loading dock, or maybe a Blue Circle cement works (I have a thing for Presflo's).

 

The top 3 sidings are the freight yard. The shorter of the 3 will be for loco stabling and storing the odd brake van. The kickback siding will extend into the fiddle yard through a factory building for loading of anything the imagination can think of, and the middle siding will be a sort of general freight siding.

 

The fiddle stick will just take a Class 73, 3 wagons and a 20T BR brake van. The headshunt for the kickback will just about take the 73 plus the 3 wagons, so it'll be fun shunting this, as effectively I have an inglenook in the freight yard.

 

Scenic wise, I was originally thinking of an urban scene, with arches along the back, but I think I might have it sort of semi-urban, similar to the ex-Wimbledon - West Croydon line.

 

It'll be set in the late 60's/early 70's, Southern Region, as i'll be using the stock from my West Sands layout, so 2-Bil/2-Hals and 2-Epb/2-Hap for the passenger services (and my sound fitted 2H unit as well). For the freight, i'll mostly be using my Class 73's and 33's. I'm very tempted with the Accurascale Class 31 in green with full yellow ends, as I know the loco they are doing visited the Southern Region in the early 70's..... well, that's my excuse anyway.

 

I've made a start on getting the track laid, which i'll cover in the next post.

 

 

[Ighten]

Im a bit confused with the threeway - there doesnt seem to be any way of using it to reverse past the actual siding. (EDIT or is it suppose to connect to the green yard stick)

Edited March 4, 2022 by Ighten

[Geep7]

39 minutes ago, Ighten said:

Im a bit confused with the threeway - there doesnt seem to be any way of using it to reverse past the actual siding. (EDIT or is it suppose to connect to the green yard stick)

Yes, the green yard stick swivels like a sector plate.

[Ighten]

4 hours ago, Geep7 said:

Yes, the green yard stick swivels like a sector plate.

Ah -- now it all makes sense

[Max Legroom]

Looking forward to seeing your progress with this.

[HonestTom]

This sounds very interesting. I'm familiar with the Wimbledon to West Croydon route, and of course these days there is an IKEA next to the Ampere Way tram stop, so it's thematically appropriate...

 

I believe one early iteration of Bachman's 2-EPB actually had the correct headcode, 2, for this line. I say "I believe," because I have that model, but I lent it to a friend before the first lockdown and have yet to get it back.

[Geep7]

11 minutes ago, HonestTom said:

This sounds very interesting. I'm familiar with the Wimbledon to West Croydon route, and of course these days there is an IKEA next to the Ampere Way tram stop, so it's thematically appropriate...

I've visited that particular IKEA quite a few times, although the shelves didn't come from that store. Would have much preferred seeing a 2-EPB while I was there, rather than a tram of course.

[sb67]

Used a LACK shelf myself with a similar plan so I'm really looking  forward to seeing this progress. 

 

[Geep7]

I'll apologise now, if the track plan appears similar to other layouts out there. I guess in a limited space there are only so many permutations of track plan you can have.

 

So, progress on the, I hesitate to use the term layout, has slowed a little, as i've had other priorities at home to work on.

 

I've covered most of the surface of the shelf (except for where the fiddle stick will swivel) with Woodland Scenics 5mm foam underlay sheets. I would usually glue this down with the cheapest PVA I have to hand, but as this is a rather small project I thought I would use this to experiment with WS own foam tack glue. I think it's very much like Copydex, but doesn't have the nasty smell, and dries a lot cleaner and neater. It's also quick drying as well, the foam was stuck in about 10-15 minutes.

 

For the track bed, i'm using a mixture of the same underlay sheets or the WS continuous track bed roll. I'd used this before on my first US layout, and was rather impressed with how quiet it makes the layout.

 

The real reason for having 2 layers of 5mm foam before laying the track, is that it's difficult running wires through a solid baseboard. So with this method, I can lay the wiring and point control in channels in the bottom layer, and then cover it over.

 

As i've mentioned, i'll be using DCC control, and the points have been modified for polarity switching of the frogs. I'll be using 4 outputs of a hex frog juicer for this, as I have one spare at the moment. This gives me 2 spare outputs, should I add an additional board with a run-round. Point control will be by wire-in-tube from what will be the de-facto back of the layout.

 

Pictures usually speak a thousand words, so below is the progress I have with the 1st point at the front of the layout.

 

 

 

It looks a bit messy at the moment, but once it's all covered over, it should look ok.

Edited March 31, 2022 by Geep7

[Flying Pig]

Given that you have siding facing in both directions, I'm wondering how you are going to shunt them without a runround.

[Geep7]

2 minutes ago, Flying Pig said:

Given that you have siding facing in both directions, I'm wondering how you are going to shunt them without a runround.

Yes, that's something I've been concerned about with the plan, but I just couldn't find the space for one. However, it'll just add to the fun.

 

I think that there will be an 08 permanently on the layout to deal with arrivals. It'll live in the loco stabling siding.

 

If I find that it is an issue, i'll look at adding something on the right-hand end (perhaps a small board supporting a sector plate for a single loco?).

[Geep7]

A question has popped into my mind, and that is whether I need any catch / trap points?

 

I think I most likely need one on the bottom kickback siding that leads into the passenger line and platform. Can anyone confirm this thinking?

[Flying Pig]

2 hours ago, Geep7 said:

Yes, that's something I've been concerned about with the plan, but I just couldn't find the space for one. However, it'll just add to the fun.

 

I think that there will be an 08 permanently on the layout to deal with arrivals. It'll live in the loco stabling siding.

 

If I find that it is an issue, i'll look at adding something on the right-hand end (perhaps a small board supporting a sector plate for a single loco?).

 

How about something like this?  It's a very short runround, but it should handle the small number of wagons you can fit on the sector plate.

 

 

And yes, you do need a trap point on the front siding as it is connected to the passenger line.  There would be another where your goods sidings connect to the main line, but that's off scene.

[Geep7]

22 minutes ago, Flying Pig said:

 

How about something like this?  It's a very short runround, but it should handle the small number of wagons you can fit on the sector plate.

 

 

And yes, you do need a trap point on the front siding as it is connected to the passenger line.  There would be another where your goods sidings connect to the main line, but that's off scene.

Thanks for the suggestion. I hadn't thought about having the run-round loop on that track. However, it does mean I loose that freight siding going into the fiddle yard.

 

I did try quite a few permutations in AnyRail before settling on this one, it's like the 14th or 15th iteration of the plan, so I think I'm happy at the moment not having the run-round.

 

I did think I needed a trap on the front siding. I could get a Peco one, but it's a single rail, so I might modify a point instead....

[sb67]

That's a good idea from @Flying Pig. If you fancied a change anytime you could also not use the loop and run the layout as an inglenook style layout as well with an 08 waiting to shunt the train. 

[Geep7]

Hmmm, it's got me thinking now.....

 

If I did have the run-round loop, I could have the platform on the loop at the back, rather than on the kickback siding at the front.....

[Geep7]

So a small family emergency brought an abrupt end to my modelling evening.

 

But before I managed to get the copper clad strip laid for the current 2 exits from the sector plate.

 

However, late night, and this morning, I decided to have another play around in AnyRail to see if the run-round loop is possible, and I think I can have my cake and eat it. Thanks @Flyingpig for the suggestion.

 

I still get my kick-back into the siding in the fiddle-yard with this plan. I think in reality the track will flow a bit better than this. The headshunt at the right-hand end is now just 12" long, but it means it will take any large loco, such as a Class 47. With the plan the way it is now, I think the scenic break across the fiddle yard entrance will be a road bridge.

 

I'm off to the Basingstoke show tomorrow, so i'll probably have limited modelling time, but hopefully will have some time on Sunday to make some progress.

Edited March 31, 2022 by Geep7

[Flying Pig]

3 hours ago, Geep7 said:

I think in reality the track will flow a bit better than this

 

I don't know whether you have bought all the track, but try a medium Y between the loop and the kickback to split the angle.

[Geep7]

2 minutes ago, Flying Pig said:

 

I don't know whether you have bought all the track, but try a medium Y between the loop and the kickback to split the angle.

 

The medium Y is a good shout, and i've just tried it on the AnyRail plan, and it does look much better. However, i'm trying to use up the track I already have, as, apart from the shelf itself, I didn't want this project to cost too much. I was at one point (excuse the pun) looking at the possibility of using a double slip, but then saw how much they are.

 

If i'm honest, it doesn't look that bad on the actual board with the left-hand point, plus I can always modify it to give it a subtle curve..... but i'll have look while i'm at the show tomorrow, and see if I can pick up a cheap decent second-hand medium Y, or a brand new one, if the price isn't too bad.

[Geep7]

I've had another quick play around in AnyRail, and it appears that I can use a right-hand point instead of the Y. If I subtly curve the point to the left, I can sort of get a hybrid right-hand Y.... I have one done similarly on my Spanish layout, so I can do this, should I need to.

[Geep7]

I made it to the Basingstoke exhibition on Saturday, where I picked up a large Y and a small radius left-hand point. The LH point is to replace one that was slightly damaged, and as it is for the crossover, I want everything to run nicely. I've obviously decided to go with the Y point in the run-round loop. As @Flying Pig suggested, it makes the track flow much better.

 

On Sunday I wired up the feeds on the new points, and made a start on laying track. I've managed to get the sector plate laid, plus the track leading from the sector plate to the front 2 tracks, and the points on those tracks. Progress is slow going, as I am laying the track from the front to back to ensure I can thread the wiring through the foam as I go. It looks a bit messy at the moment with lots of extra long wires hanging everywhere.

 

It's about time I got some photos up showing the current progress, so i'll try and take some this evening.