mjcampbell Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Goodness, could you not find something to spend 12p on? Great job, well done. Whatever could have been done different, your objective of showing what could be done by a beginner on a limited budget has been successful. In that respect, including a station and using "train set" items is ideal. Of course everyone starts from somewhere - a train set, some basic tools, particular skills, a few offcuts of wood... and the budget you set is arbitrary, it is unlikely anyone has an absolute budget. But this layout is to demonstrate a point, and I think you have made that point brilliantly! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beacon Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 This must be the best thread on here for quite some time - thanks for making the effort to put it all together. It makes me wonder how after so long and so much money I have comparatively little to show for it! (null) 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed a/c Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Brilliant thread Dave and I have enjoyed every post. Regards Scott 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hippo Posted September 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 2, 2012 Brilliant. Great modelling, great idea, really well written. I have throughly enjoyed this thread Thanks Owen 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve O. Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Bravo! A great project, very well written-up too. Very entertaining. Cheers, Steve O. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted September 2, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 2, 2012 Brilliant Dave - Very engaging thread and thoroughly enjoyable to follow...what am I going to look forward to now for the next few days following that... To think that you achieved all that for something cheaper than one of these...I know which I would prefer to have 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Superb, entertaining and well written. Thank you. Out of interest, how long did it take you, it's only been a few days on here! You can't complain about lack of operating interest, there are very many layouts which cost far more and took much longer to build (guilty as charged m'Lud). You must get this to the nexr RMWeb member's day so we can see it. Ed 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Brilliant. One thing that will be interesting is to see how long the layout lasts, as it's already showing some signs of problems with the cardboard baseboard in the fiddle yard. If it has a short life, it may not be money well spent. On the other hand, as a first effort in cardboard baseboard building, the lessons learned may lead on to improving techniques that will produce longer lasting boards (if these don't last) for many more cheap layouts. Partly encouraged by this, I'm sitting here getting frustrated by Templot, trying to draw the trackplan for a low cost layout that will use stock I already have that hasn't run for many years, modelling materials that have also been cluttering up the place for years, and as many other materials that I have lying around, or can scrounge, as possible. The aim is to spend far less than £100 if possible! I think the main costs will be rail for the handbuilt track, a controller, and a few Scalescenes kits. Who else fancies the challenge of reducing their mountain of unused modelling materials? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castle Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Hi Dave, This has been a really great read and both myself and my other half have taken great pleasure in seeing the progress over the 9 days you set yourself. I have to say that this is the perfect inspiration for new modellers and I hope that it inspires as many of them as it has for many more seasoned modellers. As you say, with more time, who knows how far you could go with your £100? I think that there is a great joy in creating stuff from a collection of raw materials and in the modelling world, even the raw materials from commercial sources can be high in cost and therefore off putting for someone just starting out. By putting the materials into the 'cheap as chips' category, I suspect that you have opened the door to a whole world of kit / RTR bashing and scratch building for many people. As it says at the top of all the RMWEB pages - Modelling Inspiration... I remember reading somewhere as a boy something that has always been in the back of my mind as a model maker and is most fitting here. It was along the lines of: "A rich man may be able to buy the latest models at a whim but his poorer equivalent can produce such exquisite models out of nothing more than household materials and simple tools on his kitchen table as to make his richer brethren green with envy". Well done and thanks - now what can you do with £150? All the best, Castle 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 What can i say it has been said but very well done and food for thought for us all kev 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Metr0Land Posted September 2, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 2, 2012 Difficult to add anything not already said here, it's really inspirational. One thing did occur to me that anyone with a young family will know it's hard to justify the price of some modern stock with all the other things you need to spend on. However, using this as a template dad can buy some things cheap as chips (or mum for that matter) and at the same time teach little Johnny/Jane how to build things with cardborad and sticky back plastic, and get a result, and have useful foundations for later. Not to mention spendign quality time with the kids - hopefully not teaching them too many anglo-saxon phrases along the way! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod5 Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Dave can I just add my congratulations for not only achieving what you set out to do but keeping many of us enthralled and entertained. I also think it just shows that threads can exist without any bickering and is a true testament to your own rules. I personally thank you. 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted September 2, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 2, 2012 (edited) If RMweb had a "Best Thread" competition then this thread deserves to win hands down! Fantastic work Dave and really well written up too, an inspiration to all of us of what can be done by spending time and effort rather than cash. Will the layout appear in public? Andi Edited September 2, 2012 by Dagworth 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob.S Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Dave This has got to have been the best thread on here for a long time. Even when I have got in from work at midnight I have had to put the computer on to have a read.I do hope that this could be turned into a challenge because I for 1 would have a go. Well done again. Rob. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 (edited) Dave, Completely enthralling and inspiring. It takes me at least 9 days just to think about starting something. But to build an entire layout. Well..... Puts many of us to shame. Edited September 2, 2012 by Western Sunset 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
will5210 Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Congrats on a superb thread. Really inspiring to read and a real eye opener as to what a bit of lateral thinking can achieve! cheers Will 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 A great read Dave, well done ! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave777 Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 Thanks everyone for all your comments Out of interest, how long did it take you, it's only been a few days on here! I couldn't estimate the total build time as I didn't really keep track of it I'm afraid, but the layout was built over about an 8 week period. I kept banging on about lack of time - it was the imminent arrival of a baby that kept the pressure up, I had to get the thing finished before he popped into the world. The layout was completed at the beginning of August, but with new baby around I haven't had much time available and it was only last week that I had chance to wade through all the photos to pick out the required ones, resize, crop, etc, etc. One thing that will be interesting is to see how long the layout lasts, as it's already showing some signs of problems with the cardboard baseboard in the fiddle yard. If it has a short life, it may not be money well spent. On the other hand, as a first effort in cardboard baseboard building, the lessons learned may lead on to improving techniques that will produce longer lasting boards (if these don't last) for many more cheap layouts. You're right to point out a potential 'false economy' John - a poor baseboard isn't a good start to a reliable layout. The layout has been stored out in the garage for 3 months (during the lovely hot 'summer' we've been having...) and there's no obvious signs of deterioration yet. Good quality cardboard boxes are a must, I think - the ones I nabbed were really sturdy ones for computer peripheral delivery. The fiddleyard sagging is due to two things - as I mentioned in the thread, the scenic section has the backscene to provide some additional strength, but it's also that there's a fold in the cardboard at the point I had to strengthen, so it was a weak spot to begin with (you can see it in the photo). The scenic section also benefits from a liberal coating of diluted PVA too from the ballast and scenery of course It's really light though - I'm pretty puny but I can twirl it around with one hand. Will the layout appear in public? Blimey, don't know about that. I couldn't do hours operating it, that's for sure - there's only so much you can do with 5 wagons! I'd need to do something about point operation as well since it's all manual at present, so it's hand of God on a whole new level. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjcampbell Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 I couldn't do hours operating it, that's for sure - there's only so much you can do with 5 wagons! I'd need to do something about point operation as well since it's all manual at present, so it's hand of God on a whole new level. I don't think you should worry about that. If you do exhibit - and I think you should, it would be of great interest - just sit out front, let the punter's have a play, and you'll be busy answering questions about how you did it! As for the card baseboards, I suspect the trick would be making the sides deeper and box section, adding a back-board the whole length, and making triple-ply boards with the corrugations in different orientations, like the grain in ply. However if you were taking this layout to exhibitions I don't think it would be cheating to mount it on a wood frame, after all the point was to make a layout for a beginner - and probably to sit on a shelf, not hike around exhibitions! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul26e Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 To Dave - Thank you very much for this thread. I too have really enjoyed it and it has got me wanting to make models again. I understand with a new baby time is probably tight but have you a next project? Many Thanks Paul26e 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
devondynosoar118 Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 A great summary of a great thread. Much as I love the huge scope and detail of projects like Lime Street, Jims New Street, Grimleys TMD, Balcombe viaduct and all the other incredible threads here these small achievable layouts are what the hobby is really about for most of us. To attempt any kind of layout is an achievement but to write about it and have such an ingenious and inspiring concept to back it up, as well as obvious talent deserves all the praise given above. Thank you very much for sharing, what next? 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JohnR Posted September 2, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 2, 2012 One question - what is the exact size of the layout? I dont think it was mentioned earlier.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Grafarman Posted September 2, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 2, 2012 Truly excellent Dave; and filled with actual modelling, rather than rearranging prebuilt items - such an inspiration to all I think!! And yes, I happily 2nd, 3rd or whatever it is to get this build in a magazine... David 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Regarding manual points. Two options spring to mind.. Peco point motors come up at shows sometimes very very cheaply.. Or you can pick up Conrad point motors at £3.99 each so for barely £35 this layout can be electrified - of course that's a substantial part of the original budget but an alternative project might use, less points and/or only electrify the 'on scene' points. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katier Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Regarding the baseboard I decided to look on freecycle on a hunch. MDF Wardrobe Computer desk Shelf Unit Futon Couple of chests of drawers All strike me as potential options for a wood based, baseboard (for free). 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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