Much Wittering in N gauge.

[DDolfelin]

While waiting for various deliveries of materials, I thought I'd build a little random stone bridge over a stream (as you do).

2mm plasticard forms the bridge pillars and sides.

A little work with the Dremel and diamond cutters produced something usable.

(Remember it's very small!).

[DDolfelin]

To be continued with my system for building up stream banks.

 

 

 

Much to my surprise, the stones do look prototypical with our local rubble stonework - the mortar being slapped on proud of the stonework as they repair it over the years.

 

 

Here's an illustration of my 'contour' method which works in any scale.

 

Rather than use great globs of plaster and wire netting I use plasticard and poly.

 

The shapes of the contours are cut from, say, 1mm plasticard (it doesn't matter much).

 

These are stuck at intervals and supported by strips of 2mm plasticard.

 

Now the enjoyable part.

 

Thin strips of lightest plasticard (I can see my finger through it) are glued to the supports in all different directions.

 

When covered with scatter, blown grass, gravel etc. it is all invisible and very light and strong.

 

(Strong enough to stick on plastic figures, structures etc. with poly).

 

Just a start in the picture which gives an idea.

 

 

This gives a better idea.

 

[DDolfelin]

Now I've found a system, the Dremel will be making walls, buildings etc.

 

Wish it didn't make such a noise though.

 

I'm making progress with the track.

 

I've now sorted it into different sizes!

 

Depending on the final track plan, I think I'll just need to buy some 2nd radius and maybe a few bits.

 

I'm finding it a lot more fiddly than 00.

 

Twice as fiddly in fact.

 

An urgent purchase will be a 'railer' or 'enrailer' or whatever they are called.

[DDolfelin]

Had to go near Chirk today so called at Dapol.

 

Re-Railer purchased together with a few bits.

 

Am I allowed to use a re-railer with running stock which hasn't been on the rails previously?

 

In any case I re-railed the long wagon without effort. A great little bit of plastic.

 

Unless you want a nose full of plywood splinters, it's virtually impossible to see the wheels at track level to line them up with the rails.

 

I also bought some other stuff this morning.

 

The main part was 2 x 3' x 3' cut squares of 4mm ply.

 

Now I have a final size for the layout.

 

Much Wittering will be 6' x 3' including a routed perimeter.

 

The ply (chosen for light weight) will be braced underneath with wooden struts (but no legs).

 

Also bought a Distillery wagon.

 

Two cars - a Morris Traveller and something else.

 

Some more track, pins etc.

 

I have an idea of the track plan I want to achieve but I'm going to need help accomplishing it!

 

Can't quite fathom the best way of installing turn-outs on twin tracks.

[DDolfelin]

Some progress:

 

Ply in two 3' x 3' sections now painted because SWMBO has some strange allergy to untreated wood.

Track Plan now going to get some attention for a 6' x 3' layout (unless I get dragged off for some domestic duty).

 

Coaling facility added.

 

The left hand side will be mainly Industrial and include Goods Warehouse etc.

 

[DDolfelin]

Two different controllers operating opposing track with the option of opening a tap into the two single tracks or crossing from inside to outside as shown.

 

The plan won't change much now (I hope).

 

Surprising how the open spaces are filling up with activity on my sketch pad.

 

----------------------

 

SWMBO has reached the Emma Chissett stage.

 

['Emma Chisset"

The late Kenneth Williams was at a book signing and he asked the next lady in line "To whom shall I sign it?"

"Emma Chisset," she replied.

 

After signing it he realised she meant 'How much is it?'.]

[DDolfelin]

Nothing is easy.

 

My timber underframing on one half of the baseboard (you remember it's being constructed for lightness) has gone 'boing' into a warp overnight.

 

My own fault, I know I should have made the frame and attached the ply instead of building the frame onto the ply.

 

I hadn't drilled and fitted the corner pegs yet either.

 

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Full steam ahead!

 

Warp traced to a defective piece of timber.

 

(I bought the wood ready planed and one piece was out of square in section).

 

I thought I was better at woodwork than that!

 

So, one half of baseboard fit to receive gubbins.

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At what stage in the laying of track would you solder droppers?

 

I should state that a soldering iron in my hand should come with a hazard warning as one or two Britains Zulus could testify (if they still had their heads).

 

--------------------------------

The track seems to have migratory thoughts and getting it in the same place twice is something I've yet to achieve.

 

Do you drill a hole for each side of the join or just a bigger hole to take the loop? Or, as it's pre-soldered, would you connect two droppers to a bus?

 

--------------------------------

 

I'm having great difficulties coming to terms with foam underlay.

 

I find it unrealistic and difficult to lay track on without squashing it out of shape.

 

That may be the first major re-think.

 

If so, ballasting between the sleepers in about 60' of N scale will keep me occupied for a while.

___________________________

 

I'm building a small removable hill in the meantime - something for the tunnel and the canal to disappear into.

 

At the moment it consists of some plasticard box girders and the back facings.

 

I'll put up a pic. of the box girder construction - it's very strong and simple to make with the help of my friend Lego.

 

 

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I'm in awe at the generosity of folk.

 

Bear in mind that this wasn't some sort of charity appeal.

 

Yes, the child has his problems but others are far worse off.

 

Friends just started sending stuff off their own bat - highly commendable.

 

As I say, what goes around, comes around.

 

 

[DDolfelin]

Just a couple of tunnel mouths.

 

Need scribing for stonework and imperfections concealed by paint and flora (who is a very helpful girl).

 

These tunnel mouths will be let into the plastic removable hill along with canal and other features.

 

The openings are quite tight so I may have to adapt to allow for the overlap as long carriages swing around the curve concealed by the hill.

 

 

[DDolfelin]

Some progress on the removable 'hill'.

 

(It's known in Much Wittering as 'Lilo Lil' due to the prominent features inspired by Sam.

 

Please remember this is just base work - lots to be done yet.

 

 

[DDolfelin]

The J Cloth as I have used it doesn't really work - too unyielding even when wet.

 

Maybe if it was soaked in a solution of PVA and allowed to dry slightly it might be more manageable but, as the paper kitchen towel works well and sets like a rock (handy because that's what it's supposed to be) there is little need to look further.

 

I suppose it's instant papier maché.

 

 

 

 

[DDolfelin]

I've just built a very nice little stone wall for the hill to fit against on the layout.

 

Unfortunately I forgot to put the gate in it!

 

Oh well, out with the Dremel.

 

--------------------------

 

One thing that bothers me a little.

 

I love the appearance of a long stretch of long stretches of track disappearing towards the horizon - not possible with our layouts of course.

 

One feature of the view that I describe is that the track is continuous.

 

Using the Peco track, it's never going to look continuous because there are great lumps of plastic sleeper at the end of each piece.

 

This must have some reason for being there but I haven't yet discovered what it might be.

 

It can be disguised with ballast to some extent but I still find it mildly irritating.

 

Perhaps I am alone in this?

[DDolfelin]

More wittering:

 

It's not fair!

 

A comparison between American N scale locos and poor old BR shows the following - both at supposedly discount prices from a box shifter:

 

Bachmann American 2-8-0 Consolidation Steam 'Boston & Maine' - £48 !!!

Farish Class 9F 2-10-0 incl tender: - £92 !!!

 

Comparing the pics. there is a lot more 'going on' on the American loco.

I've more or less picked those two at random but it seems common for there to be a huge price differential.

 

Maybe the Americans buy more locos and get the price down.

[DDolfelin]

I have about 200 of these to paint.

 

I've undercoated this one.

 

I feel a headache coming on.

 

-----------------

 

I've tried using the new litre of PVA bought yesterday to stick track to plywood.

 

I used pins to hold it while it dried and it seems to be rock solid (I can't get the experimental track off without damaging it).

 

I don't think that the movement of trains over it will cause it to loosen - especially as it will have more PVA to come as I ballast it.

 

------------------------

 

I suppose when an isolated section is needed you just omit the droppers at that point.

 

I'm having minor problems with the insulated joiners. I seem to get a gap in the other rail no matter how hard I try not to do it.

 

 

Flexitrak is just about to make my life easier once I've got the insulated joins sorted.

 

I don't need to get any track off (DV) - I was just testing how strong the bond was - much stronger than I thought it might be.

 

(As an aside, those track pins are lethal and attempt to escape - I dropped one and picked up three!).

 

------------------------

 

Have bought and built some Kestrel kits:

 

Church, Greenhouses, House, 4 houses, Weighbridge & hut, Station building, fencing.

 

Figures from I've forgotten where.

 

Sheep and cows.

 

Resin solder wire,

 

Slaters 2mm sheets of brick, slates and paving.

 

Some plain thin plasticard.

 

300 metres of wire (I may have some left!).

 

Some other make of sheets of stone.

 

Ratio Station canopy.

 

A bulldozer.

 

A pippette.

 

More platform edging to match that kindly given to me.

 

Some International 'clumping' in three shades.

 

Some Javis scatter (I now have huge stocks - 30 plastic boxes full - of various scatters but never the one I want to use!)

 

... and other stuff I'll remember as I come to use it.

 

 

I've ballasted six inches of track with cork granules and it looks like that will work if I can keep the material out of the point blades and avoid sticking the whole turnout down with pva.

 

 

I have made up some stone walling against future use.

 

 

So, quite a bit of activity but nothing much that warrants pictures.

[DDolfelin]

Here's a pic of half of Much Wittering.

 

 

 

Solder jobs all finished on this half on top but not yet underneath or tested.

 

No significant burns.

 

Not much to show for all the hours invested.

 

Obviously the buildings are awaiting planning confirmation before being painted/weathered/fixed.

[DDolfelin]

I'm doing mostly tedious jobs at the moment - ballasting and fencing next.

 

A lot of the interest will be on the other board with Industrial type stuff going on.

 

Over time, I want this to be the best diorama based model I have done but the scale is creating problems for me.

 

It's too easy to think 'Why do that - nobody will see it in 'N' '.

 

Most of the buildings will be scratch made but the few I have bought in kits are very 'lumpy' in terms of windows and rainwater goods especially.

 

I still haven't resolved a method of ballasting around the turnouts without clogging up the works.

 

I suspect the pointille method of painting on PVA is the only option.

 

Continuity will suffer because I have been quite liberal with the ballast on the test section to give the drainage illusion.

 

Added to that I am using my method of Cork Granules which looks good on the ordinary track but is less adaptable on turnouts with constant migration of material into the moving parts.

 

The final painting of track will help I think.

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Here's a couple of the 200 Preiser figures.

I've allowed 8 months for painting them.

Someone suggested that the best way to get a one hair paint brush was to buy a two hair and pluck one out.

Just shows how thick I can be.

I was going to get a three hair brush and pluck out two.

[DDolfelin]

Here's the new 'Clumping' stuff in use.

 

Pic. also shows my contour technique for landscaping.

 

The embankment is necessary to give the illusion that the canal is at a lower level than it really is of course.

 

I use plasticard because it's easier to meld other plastic stuff onto - and for the light weight.

 

This layout has to be easily portable.

 

 

 

I'm working on scratchbuilding the station.

 

Making jewellery would be easier.

 

If I seem to be using a scatter gun approach to the order of construction, it's just to keep my interest going and won't matter in the overall scheme.

 

Soon I'll have to take the plunge and put the roads on the baseboards - I'd like to make them all at the same time so that I don't have conflicting surfaces.

 

Has anyone tried to model the 'drop down' fence underneath the stripey bar on a crossing in N gauge?

 

 

 

 

 

[DDolfelin]

I bought some Kestrel Greenhouses but they are very crude.

 

Easy enough to scratch build even in 'N' so I'll do that in future.

 

It's a little confining to work in 'N'.

 

All the touches like rough ground and general scruffiness that give realism can't really be expressed as it's necessary to be precise with the work.

 

I've another sixteen square feet to go yet!

 

It really is very fiddly in this gauge.

 

I've left it out for the elves to work on overnight but they just left me a note:

 

"You must be joking".

 

 

[DDolfelin]

In 'N' gauge, nothing is very far from something else so the 'sections' sort of choose themselves.

 

The track cuts up the baseboards nicely and the ballasting and lineside detail easily covers any joins.

 

I have a large stock of plasticard and the 'sectional' bases don't have to be self supporting so thin stuff is OK.

 

It works for me much better than leaning over a 36" baseboard to apply detail.

 

-----------

 

I haven't tackled joining the two boards yet although there is a rough plan of action in my mind - mainly consisting of making a strong and level but temporary join of the boards before laying the facing tracks.

 

-------------------------

 

Just a pot-boiler to let you know the project is still alive.

 

Some dressing for the subsidiary platform.

 

The pencil is just to remind myself how small 'N' really is!

 

 

 

 

[DDolfelin]

Quite a few buildings in course of construction.

 

Here's an unfinished Kestrel Kit which I've altered slightly.

 

Not a great lover of these kits but they are cheap.

 

Prefer to make my own really.

 

For inf: 'Alice' is the little boy's sister.

 

 

 

"A Gown Like Alice's" is also tipping my punsman's hat to our Aussie brethren.

 

 

 

 

[DDolfelin]

I've made up the church.

 

For some reason the glazing bars are off centre.

 

If I keep it I'll cut them out and make up transfers with window bars included.

 

 

 

I told the manufacturer

 

“That’s the worst kit I’ve ever seenâ€.

 

He showed me another model kit - “This one’s much worseâ€.

 

I asked him who made it.

 

“We didâ€.

 

 

 

 

[DDolfelin]

This is a pic. of the sectional work being joined up.

 

Ignore the orange colour - it's just a pre-ballasting of cork granules and hasn't been painted yet.

 

... and ignore the crimson coach (although it may end up as a restaurant on a siding) - I just use it to check that the rails aren't gummed up with pva.

 

 

 

 

[DDolfelin]

I can say that ballasting between the sleepers in 'N' is an absolute pain in the behind.

 

I've yet to find a way, especially using my preferred cork granules, to avoid getting it on the inside of the tracks.

 

I had hoped to be able to sprinkle the material and then distribute with a soft brush first but it doesn't want to play.

 

 

 

 

The problem of Lilo Hill has been niggling away at the back of my mind.

 

Derailments / electrical problems / animal life / dust etc., are bound to occur and require the option of removal of the entire hill in an emergency.

 

Overriding requirements are light weight and security in transit.

 

Using my lightweight Pound Shop meccano I reached the following solution.

 

(The 'spacer' to which I refer is also a locking nut).

 

 

 

 

[DDolfelin]

To be continued ....

[LightningMk6]

Really enjoyed reading your progress, am just about to start an N Gauge layout myself. I'm sure I will come across some of your findings as I go along. Must admit I am not keen on the foam ballast method myself, so will have to think this one out. Thanks for posting.

[DDolfelin]

"enjoyed reading your progress"

... or lack of it!

Thanks.