Popular Post Dave777 Posted September 1, 2012 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 1, 2012 8 – Detailing And we arrive at the penultimate entry. To complete parts of the backscene I used the cgtextures website for some warehouse ends and also shop fronts for the street section. I then added some posters and nameboards to the platform. These were all printed out from the interweb after a Google search, with the station nameboards produced in Word using a downloaded BR font. Now what would be a suitable name for the station... This was a bit of an extravagance really – a brand new Corgi Trackside van. I’m not sure about the livery (either from an accuracy or 1970s timeline aspect), but since it would have needed the cost of a spray paint if we were going to change it I’ve left it alone. I haven’t stuck this onto the layout, so don’t be surprised if it moves around a bit or disappears in subsequent photos. Could have done with some weathering actually! One thing that proved surprisingly expensive was populating the layout. Figures don’t come cheap, and I didn’t actually need that many, so in the end I plumped for the absolute cheapest ones I could find which were £1.64 for a pack of 10 off eBay. Now keep in mind that the price included postage and that should give you some idea of the quality of what we were faced with... Gulp. Some tidying up and repaints managed to get them nearer to what I wanted... ...and these were then placed around the layout. This scrap load for one of the mineral wagons was made up from leftover card and straws of different shapes and sizes. A card insert with two 'legs' provided a false floor, and then everything was simply stuck down with PVA in a random fashion. A coating of primer, and then some suitably rusty shades of enamels and watercolour were applied. Really boring photos of some sleepers and some scrap bits (wire offcuts and one of the Hornby buffer stops). The sleepers are of minor interest only because they show just how little track there was left over. The straws I had left over from my oil depot were also used to create this lot of pipes sitting outside the factory. Glue them together and add some card surrounds (would have been better if I’d made them the same thickness!). Primer and enamels/watercolour to complete. These relay cabinets are scratchbuilt from card with tiny pieces of paper added for the hinges. Again, primer plus weathering to complete. Most of the details needed to be glued in place, so some normal polystyrene cement (aka, ‘model kit glue’) was used for this. Spends: Van - £1.25 Figures - £1.64 Polystyrene cement - £1 The last part tomorrow will be a short gallery of the layout in action, followed by the ‘reveal’ of the total cost and some final thoughts & comments. 37 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullie Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Fantastic thread! Really inspiring real modelling Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIFTY A Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 wow great to read has inspired me to have a crack at something but the main thing is building a layout with thrift which is realy good in this current climate we are in and certainly would make tony hart take note OUTSTANDING ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nth Degree Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Along with everyone else, I'm eagerly anticipating the final reveal, plus everything you've discovered in hindsight. This is a great thread, but no only that, it's truly inspiring. You've made everyone think that they could do what you've done. That is something very special indeed. I can only join everyone else in congratulating you unreservedly. In thinking ahead for a moment, the only thing I can see that will make anyone stop from having a go themselves is possibly the painting/weathering. To top this off with a beginners guide would be the icing on the cake. In fact, I'm sure there are some threads already on this subject here already, it's just that I haven't come across them yet. To attempt this with a budget just about everyone can afford (whether you achieve it or not) is simply brilliant. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's final instalment. Very well done. Steve 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Wow Dave, This is a brilliant thread for a great idea. It's really starting to look like a layout that's had a lot more than £100 spent on it! Looking at your posters I would suggest a north London based layout, [broadfields was based in Cockfosters and used to be the premier Triumph dealer in the area] Looking forward to tomorrow, Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed a/c Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Absolutely brilliant !!! So many ideas in this thread for new and old modellers alike. I will be pinching the idea for the pipes and also the scrap loads (never even thought of doing them like that !!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Loving it, now all we need is people to accept N-Gauge, 3mm/ft and O-Gauge challenges within the same budget *giggles* 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcm@gwr Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Loving it, now all we need is people to accept N-Gauge, 3mm/ft and O-Gauge challenges within the same budget *giggles* And what's wrong with 'S', 'T' & 'Z' scales/gauges I ask? [tongue firmly pressed in cheek!] 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Love the ad's for Marina/Allegro etc. Some personal experience? Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 And what's wrong with 'S', 'T' & 'Z' scales/gauges I ask? [tongue firmly pressed in cheek!] Nothing - although I'd love to see a success made in that budget for S and T. Z is probably doable, ok no bids so might go well above 100 but there is a Z gauge 'mixed lot' for £50 on ebay right now.. only think you'd want to add to it is probably more track ( points in the main). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nth Degree Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Loving it, now all we need is people to accept N-Gauge, 3mm/ft and O-Gauge challenges within the same budget *giggles* It may be possible in O, just. It will be severely limited though, maybe to an Inglenook. As always, the biggest expense and the most difficult acquisition will be the loco and rolling stock. You could get a Lima shunter for about £40 and the 8 (or 5) wagons for about £5 each. Lima turnouts and track for roughly £5 per turnout and per yard of track. For a 5/3/3 Inglenook you're well over your budget already and for a 3/2/2 you're just about on it so you'll have to do everything else with freebies. Should be possible with about £150 to play with though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 It may be possible in O, just. It will be severely limited though, maybe to an Inglenook. As always, the biggest expense and the most difficult acquisition will be the loco and rolling stock. You could get a Lima shunter for about £40 and the 8 (or 5) wagons for about £5 each. Lima turnouts and track for roughly £5 per turnout and per yard of track. For a 5/3/3 Inglenook you're well over your budget already and for a 3/2/2 you're just about on it so you'll have to do everything else with freebies. Should be possible with about £150 to play with though. Even £150 in this day and age is pretty damned cheap!!! Pretty sure N-gauge would do £100 no bother. 3mm-ft if you strike it lucky with Peco HOm track and don't mind running Triang - doable just about. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenBR Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Hello, I have to say that i normally just read and keep my mouth shut! but this has been a great read this morning from the start to now. Your weathering skills are to be admired, the wagons are really good. You are very good at what i call looking at the otherside of the coin. I commend you for your inginuity and showing what can be done when alternative thinking is employed. Regards 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted September 2, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 2, 2012 I have found this most inspiring and I got to thinking about my own approach some 15 or more years ago when I built my first 0 gauge layout funds were somewhat restricted. The base board was from some old plywood wall panels obtained as freebies as were screws hinges etc. I had a few lengths of C+L track plus some point kits bought some time before so that sorted the track out. Scenery was paper shell using card or scraps of hardboard or cardboard formers with some polyfilla nicked from the household supplies for texturing. An old bit of insulation was used for the grass much as Dave used the basket liner. I did use some Woodland scenics tree mat for the trees. The main expenditure was on the stock agin some was stuff I had been picking up at odd shows mainly slaters kits which I used to put together whilst away on business. I started with about 10 wagons at a cost of around £150 the big expense was the loco I bought a loco ready to run for about £220 which wasn't bad for 0 gauge. My intentions were to build from kits once I had the basic layout. For an exhibition I borrowed a loco and a coach from Alan Brackenborough. The loco a scratchbuilt GWR 633 was a relevation not only was it a superb model but the running was exemplerary. It would start smoothly and crawl along. These days commercial locos run pretty well but that was not the norm then. When Steve Naylor offered to put together a kit for me he did a superb job the kit cost about £100 all in for a 1361 dock tank. With Steve's skills it was a beautiful runner. Perhaps the biggest factor was good friends and you cannot put a price on that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted September 2, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 2, 2012 I have - Though I try not to remember! not referred to as the 'all agro' for nothing then... Great update again Dave - I am really enjoying how you have made stuff like the relay cabinets, pipes, wagon loads out of scraps of card/straws etc and once painted they look terrific. Was tempted to look back and tot up the spend...but will let you do that in your final update Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 I'm doing something similar for the Hornby magazine competition and as I am only young and in my school I didn't even have £100! However I did already have the locks, rolling stock, most of the track and other modelling items. I really like the layout Gary 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Excellent, no no one has any excuse at all really............. A truly inspirational thread giving quite a few of us food for thought! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 I'll 3rd or even 5th the "beginners budget how to re-paint / weather a wagon" to be tagged on the end 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jonte Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 I'll 3rd or even 5th the "beginners budget how to re-paint / weather a wagon" to be tagged on the end Perhaps he intends to keep it a trade secret? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daftbovine Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 I've just found this thread - it's great! Very inspiring. I wonder what the layout would have cost if you'd bought everything new off the shelf? That would be an interesting comparison. Regards Veronica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Ok waiting for the last instalment now! i've been away for 2 weeks and just had a good read on this and looking forward to seeing the whole thing in action. Amazing for the tiny budget, very impressed with the quality and very inspired! For the 2011 challenge i tried to limit myself to £20.11p (i believe i still have funds left over from that still) but it is nothing compared to this and i already had the rolling stock.....really must finish that at some point...... I like the idea of using cheap test pots, i can feel a b&q trip coming on to help me crack on with my current layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave777 Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 Perhaps he intends to keep it a trade secret? I think it's more that he feels there are others who are far better at the art of weathering than I am - there is a whole section of the forum dedicated to it afterall I can knock up a 'how to' posting though with photos. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Dave777 Posted September 2, 2012 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 2, 2012 (edited) 9 - Gallery, final thoughts… and the total cost ‘reveal’ So, 9 days later, here’s a look around the completed layout. Not sure if these are in any kind of logical order, but let's take a look at it 'in action'. Here's the fiddleyard with all stock present. As mentioned (somewhere) earlier in the thread, I had to PVA some additional pieces of cardboard in this area as it had started to sag a bit - it's probably the backscene that provides the additional strength on the scenic section. Pristine 25054 arrives with a passenger train. The chap on the platform was placed so as to act as a marker - stop here so that the back of the coach is still under the bridge in order to preserve the illusion that the train is longer. As it happens, another couple of inches forward and the effect is still maintained. One problem with photographing this layout - the fuel depot tends to get in the way of every shot Some general freight operations on the layout. Shunting vans into the factory siding. Running back with the brake van gives the spotter on the bridge something to look at. Another train arrives - accessing the fuel depot. Big scary box thing with weird controls. Rusty minerals sitting in the siding. 25054 posing. Tank wagon awaits the next usage. Busy freight days at Hundred station. Arty views though the fiddleyard exit. Looks like McKellar have some subsidence problems to deal with - I had to insert an extra bit of brick as the backscene wasn't vertical, but it still didn't line up very well Final shots - overview of the scenic section. This shot also reveals the very last piece of modelling I did on the layout - painting the front of the layout with the remains of the grey emulsion left over from the ballast. 'Google Earth'-like view. What’s it like to operate? Being honest, undoubtedly it could do with more stock, and the passenger side really doesn’t add a great deal (its biggest contribution seems to be snarling up the runround loop and blocking access to the factory siding). With freight movements, having one siding on the opposite side of the station to the others provides a handy operating snag, and if the wagons are put in as awkward an order as possible in a train it requires around 20 movements to get everything where it should be, which isn’t bad. It’s not going to keep anyone interested for hours at a time, it’s probably more like a 15 minuter before things start getting repetitive, but it’s not as if any of these things come as a big surprise. From early on we knew it was a small layout with limited operating potential. Could it be done cheaper? Very possibly. Some savings could be found by buying via a local model shop or an exhibition to avoid postage costs, but that needs to be balanced against petrol costs. And I have included some items that you might well expect people to already have, such as paintbrushes, masking tape and wire. It’s also worth considering any emulsions you already have leftover from decorating – a look through my own garage produced a suitable earthy brown and something sky coloured for a backscene. Could it be done better? Undoubtedly it could, simply by having someone with more modelling skill doing it! My Scalescenes warehouse for example is a bit ropey. But if we’re looking for things that I could have improved, if I’d had more time I could have improved the look of the trackwork by spacing out the sleepers more, and also built some more buildings from card such as the shop fronts and warehouses for example (although I had run out of the quality card, so it would have been cereal packet stuff). I would say that pasting the card onto the backscene to even out imperfections in the cardboard was probably a waste of time - various photos throughout this thread show ripples and gaps. It was really difficult to paste them on neatly. One continous roll might have worked better, or just leave them off entirely. The main reason I did it was the avoid the 90' corners, which you can see in the last two photos above I succeeded with... but I introduced various other imperfections instead The biggest area is the rolling stock however. While changing the wagons wholesale for something better would be the obvious improvement, changing the 70s-spec chunky couplings on the current stock would be one quick win, and a detailing job on the Class 25 would also raise the bar. What would I do differently? With the benefit of hindsight, what I should have done was… build a freight only layout. The money spent on the coach could have gone towards some decent minerals, and in a way I wish I’d been more imaginative with my track layout. I wanted to do something reasonably conventional as an ‘introductory’ layout, but if I wanted to build a low cost layout again I’d ditch the passenger side, go freight only, be a bit more imaginative with the trackplan and scenery, and divert a bit more money into the rolling stock side of things. Okay, it’s crunch time. This was called ‘The £100 Project’ and so the big question is did we manage to build a layout for £100? Well anyone totalling everything up through the thread would know the answer by now, but the final cost was… £99.88 Here’s the full list of what was purchased, how much and where from. Hornby Track Pack E - £22.50, model shop Peco Y point - £2.50, model shop PVA glue - £1.50, Wilkinsons Craft knife - £0.64, art supply shop Pack of A4 card sheets - £1.20, art supply shop Light blue emulsion tester pot for backscene - £1, Wilkinsons Large paintbrush - £0.50, Wilkinsons Gaugemaster flexitrack lengths x 2 - £3.30, exhibition Peco fishplates - £1.50, exhibition Wire - £1, exhibition Hacksaw for track cutting - £1.20, Wilkinsons Insulation tape for wiring - £0.25, Wilkinsons Masking tape - £0.50, Homebase Pack of modelling paintbrushes - £1.30, Wilkinsons Bachmann controller - £5, eBay (theoretical) Hornby Class 25 loco - £18, eBay Brown emulsion tester pot for ground - £1, Wilkinsons Sand for ballasting - £1, pet shop Grey emulsion tester pot for ballasting - £1, Wilkinsons Enamel paint x 6 - £3, eBay Lima box van x 2 - £6, model shop Hornby mineral wagon x 2 - £4.40, model shop Hornby TTA tank wagon - £2.20, model shop Hornby brake van – £2.99, eBay Airfix Mk II coach - £6, eBay Grey primer - £3, Wilkinsons Burnt umber watercolour - £1.70, art supply shop Hanging basket liner - £1.49, Homebase Scourers - £0.14, Tesco Drinking straws - £0.18, Tesco Corgi Ford Anglia van - £1.25, exhibition Figures - £1.64, eBay Polystyrene cement - £1, model shop Freebies: Cardboard boxes for baseboard and scenery formers (workplace) Brick sheet and warehouse kit (Scalescenes) Various card for buildings, etc (cereal packet) Earth scatter material (back garden) Okay, so this isn’t the most detailed, highest-quality layout you’ll see on RMWeb. There are some areas where realism has suffered a bit but there are also aspects where it was more the lack of time and not funds that prevented further embellishments. As I mentioned in a previous entry however, much of this is about suggesting what can be done – someone with more time than I had could produce something better. The real aim of this exercise was to simply show that you don't have to spend a fortune to create a layout. What was really interesting to me was the way that lower cost meant more actual modelling. Beyond the track and electrics, practically everything required constructing, modifying or adapting... and that ended up increasing the enjoyment and satisfaction. Is this hobby getting too expensive? Well it certainly doesn’t have to be… Edited September 2, 2012 by Dave777 84 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold colin penfold Posted September 2, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 2, 2012 superb Dave, congratulations on the best thread I've seen on here and a smashing little model 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIFTY A Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 FANTASTIC ! very much enjoyed this from start to finish and dont want it to end lol great job Dave, i think it has kept everone hooked on this thread for a good while off to my shed now to see what i can rustle up all inspired, many thanks again dave 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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