7mm in 7 foot - A tribute layout- Alston Sidings

[7mmin7foot]

The title really says what it is...   a 7mm layout in 7 foot.

 

Back Story :

I have always modelled HO is Swiss, dabbled a bit in Swiss Z and also German O Gauge.

 

Last Autumn,  my longest known and dearest friend passed away, and I inherited some of his stock and purchased  his other 'stuff' from his widow, rather than sell it on.. I just couldn't let it go... that aside, second hand values are pretty miserly. As such I offered much more than what the dealers were offering, so I could build a tribute layout to my dearest friend Richard, and using as much of his 'stuff' within.

 

He was my life and modelling 'guru' in virtually everything in my life.. always my biggest critic,  always straight talking, so he was my greatest inspiration in all matters, both life and modelling.

He was in my view, a superb modeller, highly experienced and skilled and if I can achieve only a little of his modelling skill, I will be happy..

 

Now, I have never modelled UK prototypes, so  any rivet counters or anorak enthusiasts, look away now 😀

 

Having limited space in my 10x 8 little shed...I disposed of most of my Swiss stuff and layout to fund the new project in O Gauge, aka the senior scale.

 

I have taken much inspiration from modellers on RMWeb,  Nick G - Cripple Corner, 37114 - Peasevern Yard, D9016 -Holm Road, Hither Green and many others.

 

The 'plan' was simply to use as much of his 'stock/ materials' as I could within this layout... but keeping to his most liked period and location.. somewhere North of the border, mid to late 1980's.. His stock consisted of 3 Heljan loco's, class 26 and class 27 all  with sound .

Also a number of 1/43 1980's cars... ( love all these) and some MIMM storage tanks..

 

So it was born....simply  refuelling facility, with a siding where loco's await their next duty.

 

Compared to my little HO Swiss stuff ( even with sound) the sheer 'presence' and physical size of his 1/43 stuff always left me in awe... so it just had to happen..

My tribute to my old pal, and an every visit to the shed reminder of our friendship.

 

The layout started late November 2023, after the new G&H (Grange & Hodder) boards arrived.. These are so much lighter than anything I could ever build.

Weather ( and cost of electric heating ) has limited the progress over winter, some days / weeks, no visits at all, so smaller indoor aspects were undertaken.

The layout is still very much a WIP ( work in progress) and depending on how it is received /interest here on RM Web, I am happy to post its progress.

 

As I said, I have never modelled UK prototype, so I just wanted something where I could see / hear and use Richards stock and keep my modelling therapy alive as well as my fond memories. Each time I work on the layout, it brings me so much pleasure.

So this is a WYSIWYG  layout ( what you see is what you get).

 

What this does show, is that even in a limited space of 7 foot x 2 foot, plus a 2 foot traverser... an entertaining layout is possible.

This comprises of  1@ 4foot x 2 foot board,  1@3 foot x 2 foot board plus 1@2 foot traverser

 

Here's just a few shots of my WIP ( Work In Progress) layout, just my imagination and a lot of materials from my old pal Richard.  

 

It may not be prototypical, so don't shoot me for trying !

 

Cheers

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 15 by 7mmin7foot
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[jcarta]

Great looking layout Steve, love the cars

[7mmin7foot]

Cheers Jim,

the 80's cars were the ones I most remember. Still have a few more on the shopping list sometime ;o)

 

Steve

[7mmin7foot]

 

Evolution of the fuel storage facilities.. still a long way to go..

I inherited the MIMM tanks, which also need some more work, but a great start to the scenics.

Pump house yet to be constructed, as well as more pipework etc.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2 by 7mmin7foot

[F-UnitMad]

7mm definitely has a 'presence' the smaller scales cannot match. 👍

The layout looks good so far. Any chance of some wider/overall photos to get an idea of trackplan, etc? 

[7mmin7foot]

I love the 'presence' of this O stuff compared to my HO.

 

As for the  track plan...not much to it really.. 

3 medium radius points  and flexi tracks on 2 boards 4foot and 3foot..with a 2 foot traverser.

 or 7mm in 7 foot... plus the 2 foot traverser...

 

Have to say, now the tracks in place and wired up, 'playing' does limit the modelling process a little ;o)

I am very happy with it thus far, it gives me much pleasure beetling the loco's about.

As it develops, there are loads of photo opportunities and cameo scenes to be had..

Still very much a work in progress... with oodles of modelling still to be done.

Waiting for warmer spring weather, as not being able to spray paint has limited progress a little.. but no rush.

 

Cheers

Steve

 

 

 

Edited April 2 by 7mmin7foot

[7mmin7foot]

A few more (W.I.P)  images from earlier in March this year.

I find the trial and error of placing and changing scenery very therapeutic.

 

Incidentally, other than the track which is permanently affixed / glued down, nothing else is at this point!

Partly, because I like to 'trial' different scenic aspects in alternative positions and sort of live with it , for a while, to be sure it's what I want.

Railings,  crash barriers, ground levels, pipework, building positions have all been altered in some way on this journey.

Specifically  from my seated viewing position, which determines the primary 'vista'.

 

Aside from this,  there are multiple sections of scenic areas  that can be removed and painted ( when weather permits) and detailed/ worked on , rather than in situ on the layout itself.

When these are ultimately completed, I shall affix permanently and then blend it all together.. the glueing in situ ( other than track is always one of the last things I do).

 

To quote my favourite Sci-Fi programme > 'This is the way' ... or mine anyway.

 

Cheers

Steve

 

 

Edited April 2 by 7mmin7foot
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[7mmin7foot]

BTW, the layout is DCC, using  Digitrax Zephyr  unit, the three points are DCC controlled using Cobalt motors.

All Rich's loco's are DCC and ESU XL sound equipped, though I cannot stand them all running at the same time!

 

Due to my old pals serious disabilities and illness I fitted them in Richards loco's for him, in early 2023.

However, I  am amazed that something  that's supposedly designed for an ESU pin decoder, the modeller has to snip off pins on a £200+ decoder !

Still, they are impressive beasts..

 

I have also invested in a Scottish Class 27 with Stag emblem, to complement Richards Scottish stock...I have the ESU XL chip yet to fit.

My final loco is a  Dapol 08 I have purchased which is DCC only at the moment.

This is in Cockney 'Sparra'  livery at the moment, but at some point will be repainted and numbered into an ED version.

 

I now have more than enough motive power to keep me occupied, as well as a couple of tank wagons for the fuel delivery to add a little more variety of movement.

I find the cost of some of these large XL sound chips a bit eye watering, when added to the cost of a loco itself.

The Dapol 08 will be a little cheaper as doesn't need to be an ESU XL .

 

Luckily, I don't need much more 'stuff' !  ( OR.......)

 

Cheers

Steve

 

[F-UnitMad]

52 minutes ago, 7mmin7foot said:

Luckily, I don't need much more 'stuff' !  ( OR.......)

🤣🤣🤣 ha ha ha, yeah mate we've all said that when starting a new venture!! 😉👍👍

[jcarta]

12 hours ago, 7mmin7foot said:

 

I find the cost of some of these large XL sound chips a bit eye watering, when added to the cost of a loco itself.

The Dapol 08 will be a little cheaper as doesn't need to be an ESU XL .

 

Luckily, I don't need much more 'stuff' !  ( OR.......)

 

Cheers

Steve

 

 

Steve

 

You could always remove one of the motors from the Class 26 & 27 and just fit a smaller chip as you loco's will never draw too much current on a small layout.... Just a thought. 

[7mmin7foot]

Cheers Jim,

 

The Class 26 and 27' s are  already sound chipped.. just the one left to do, but have that chip already purchased.

The Dapol 08 needs a much smaller chip, so there will be a bit of a saving there..

To be honest, unless I go mad and buy something else, what I have is sufficient for the size of layout I have..

 

Steve

[7mmin7foot]

Boys from the Black Stuff : The Tamac crew are in !

 

I had wondered how I would undertake the car park areas with tarmac, and discovered this AK Terrains Asphalt textured paint.

 

Dabbed on with paint, then 'spread' with a  wet cake icing smoother.... then the new tarmac toned down with a fine sanding block.

 

Still much to do , detailing and powders etc... but I am pleased with the overall textured look of it.

I plan a few potholes and puddles as it progresses...as well as the odd weed and  grass growths.

 

Nice to add some 'colour' to the ultra bright white foam board base layers!

 

Cheers

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 3 by 7mmin7foot

[jcarta]

The asphalt has come out really well..... it certainly looks good. 👍

Edited April 3 by jcarta

[muddys-blues]

Love it 😍

[37114]

Nice looking layout Steve,  giving me some ideas for my next layout.

[7mmin7foot]

Cheers Rob,

I took much inspiration from your Peasevern Yard and many others O Gauge on RM Web.

 

Though my scenics are more, what I had / could use from my old pals stock and use his locos and tanks etc , and work around to fit those into a layout.

7 foot in O is rather restrictive, but I am happy with this, ( and if I am honest, more so, than my Swiss HO ever was) !

 

I am confident he would be pleased at the progress  ;o)

 

Cheers

Steve

 

[jcarta]

Steve

 

I think you are doing a brilliant job and I have to agree with Rob .... It's amazing what you can fit into a small space and this is giving me quite a lot of thought.... Next stop for you, hopefully we will see this on the exhibition circuit.

[7mmin7foot]

Thanks Jim, I am indeed humbled by those comments  ;o)

 

I have tried to show that so many 'mini /small  O Gauge layouts on RM Web, have given me so many ideas.

A big thank you to all you folk for sharing your stuff on here, its been ( and still is) inspirational to me.

 

Here's another example from... Red Card Yard  built by Hoover5008... while I was grasping to find a 'plan' that worked..

When I looked to how I could make the scenic break to my traverser, he used Redutex.

This is a material I had never heard of, but blimey its expensive... but I would only do this once.. so what the heck!

 

Using a couple of L Cut bridge kits, I discovered  at Richards place, I put these to use making the scenic break / entrance/ exit to the traverser.

These were fairly old, covered in dust... I didn't even know he had them, he must have just relegated them to his stock shelf.

 

Can't say I am particularly keen on the material, ( just my personal choice, nowt wrong with them)  and doubting my skill at painting anything to look like brick.. I'd give Redutex a whirl.

Aside from the fact its so expensive, it does give a good  representation of engineering bricks ( just as on Red Card Yard).

I made the entire bridge a little slimmer ( half relief) as I wanted more layout space than bridge...

Like pretty much everything on the layout, it's incomplete and far from finished... I wanted to get the feel of the layout, and move things around until I settled on the 'vista'.

 

I also toyed with the idea of having a road, car park and portakabin at the rear... lived with it for a while,, then 'all change' and moved it to the front of the layout.

The tanks were at the far end of the layout, so they changed position too.. Then the rear road became the fuel delivery track / siding... 

This is why, I never glue anything down at this stage of the build... my themes develop like topsy... as they evolve.

Just my way... go easy on the glue... live with the scene for a while, then when ready... glue!

 

All the while, I optimize the view I prefer from my own viewing position.. diagonally from the traverser end.. giving me the longest view...

I do have a 'thing' about viewing trains head on, as well as the side view....

 

Here's the process of change ;o)

 

Cheers

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 3 by 7mmin7foot

[7mmin7foot]

A few more overview pics of the layout as of  this week, April 2024.

Still lots to do !

The far end scenics have changed again.. ( but only a little)

 

Warmer weather coming, may get to rattle a few cans  soon...    ;o)

 

Cheers

Steve

 

 

Edited April 5 by 7mmin7foot
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[7mmin7foot]

Watching Class 26 025 leaving after re-fuelling:

( and each  photo highlighting the myriad of unfinished / incomplete scenic items)

The to do list is ever growing !

 

Cheers

Steve

 

 

 

Edited April 5 by 7mmin7foot
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[Mol_PMB]

This is coming along very nicely!

 

As an aside, I've always had a soft spot for Class 26s in railfreight livery - it seemed to suit them very well.

Very few BR pilot scheme diesels lasted long enough to get into a BR livery beyond blue.

I think 20010 was the only one that wasn't a Class 26, but no doubt someone will correct me!

 

Mol

[7mmin7foot]

Cheers Mol,

 

You know more than I about BR locos, (having never modelled anything BR before).

 

Have to admit, I am so busy with the layout, I haven't even started looking at the class 26 and 27  prototype books from my old pal Richard.

That will come in time...  no rush.

 

Have to say though the Railfreight livery is my personal favourite  of all his loco stock. 

 

Steve

[jcarta]

I have to agree with you both that the 26's & 27's have a special place with me. I spent quite a few years (1978-84) going to scotland especially heading for Inverness. In those days you could always wander around the yard and nobody bothered you. Although the Railfreight livery was nice I still think you can't beat a nice grubby one in BR Blue complete with headlamps.

 

Edited April 6 by jcarta

[Mol_PMB]

21 minutes ago, jcarta said:

I have to agree with you both that the 26's & 27's have a special place with me. I spent quite a few years (1978-84) going to scotland especially heading for Inverness. In those days you could always wander around the yard and nobody bothered you. Although the Railfreight livery was nice I still think you can't beat a nice grubby one in BR Blue complete with headlamps.

 

There's some great inspiration for what the track at a Scottish diesel depot should look like!

[7mmin7foot]

Nice photo Jim,

and of the grubby track, ballast and litter too... all helps with my inspiration, thanks for that.

Additional  images welcome ;o)

 

I note though ( even on the Swiss HO models) all model manufacturers fail to  represent the warped / beat up panels look of the real locos, as your photo perfectly illustrates.

 

All model locos are pristine smooth sided...

but then they are models.. and there has to be a compromise along the way.. with our plastic trackwork, nylon grass, resin, plastic, ply buildings, little plastic men... etc etc.

 

Still... I am happy to escape  from the real world, into my little modelling world  ;o)

 

Cheers

Steve

 

Edited April 6 by 7mmin7foot