Guest Dave.C Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I have been promising myself a railway around the loft for quite a few years. I have been ready to go for a couple of months but couldn’t quite decide on a plan. A chance reading of an online blog (thanks Sulzer27jd) drew my attention to the phrase “Try before you buy... even if you have to borrow a layout to do it”. Armed with that idea I made a list of all the good and (if any) bad points from my experiences operating Club, friends, and my own previous layouts. I further added to this by mentally scrutinising the layouts I have seen at exhibitions and even online that 'flick my switch' The plan then fell into place: The aim is to build the equivalent of of a family estate rather than a six figure sum sports car so I will certainly be following the Keep It Simple ethos, and hope to end up with something roomy and comfortable to watch trains go by. With a decent festive break this year I have been able to make a reasonably fast start. I suspect that the normal way of building a layout around a room would be to build the boards, lay the track, wire it up and then sort the scenics out. I am following more of a 'Wallace & Grommet' approach by starting at the fiddleyard and working around the room until I link up with the other end. To date I have boards fixed to two walls. On the shorter side,track is laid and wired up for the fiddleyard. The longer side has the branch line laid trainset style so I can at leest run trains up and down. A start has also been made on the scenics and backdrop behind the tracks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
A1X Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 sounds good and looks good ,i will be following with interest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dave.C Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 This neck of the woods is full of little areas where stone has been extracted at one time or another. I thought I would fill a corner with such an area that could contain an abandoned car or other fly tipped rubbish. It started as a hole stuffed with polystyrene: A layer of filler and a couple of coats of paint and its well on the way to looking half way decent. Once the daylight ceases to flow through the window the light becomes horrendous so it will get finished at a later date: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Looks good so far!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StJamesStation Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Wow, you don't mess around. I've been going 2 months on mine and only have boards with track roughly placed where I think I want it. (I have a fear of commitment so find it hard to glue and ballast) You have scenery and track and trains already. Great stuff. I'll follow with much interest. Cheers Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dave.C Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Cheers Steve, but this is just one corner, stretching out in front of the trains is a vast empty board. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toftwood Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Excelent, not my era but a great start... Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Fast work. I'm a year into mine and getting nowhere. Looks good so far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
angell328 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Looking forward to following your progress with this layout. I was Born in Redcar and Grandparents lived in Marske. Grandparents house backed right onto the line, so I have lots of happy memories watching the Steels and Potash trains going by. What got my love of the 20's started! Cheers Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dave.C Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Whilst running bits and bobs out of my little fiddle yard and along the track and back, it became apparent that a larger fiddle yard is needed. Therefore the short side will become a scenic link and I have constructed a new board on part of the other long wall. All my offcuts of track have ben used to get the feel of things, which seems to be a much better solution. All I need now is an hour or so to join it all up give it a clean and populate it with some stock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Pix Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Progressing well Dave looking forward to seeing 20s on the steel trains.... good use of offcuts. Jez Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poindexter Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Nice impromptu fiddle yard Dave! And I really like the rock face. How about modelling the 'fan house' on top of huntcliffe just after British Steel Skinningrove? I used to play there as a kid. http://www.room2850.com/2012/10/the-guibal-fanhouse-pictures/ nice building close to the railway. Guy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dave.C Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Yes, that is a nice little building Guy, I have been past it a few times on the Cleveland way. Double headed 37's had their work cut out dragging steel up there from Skinningrove. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dave.C Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Access to the railway area is in an awkward place, to allow for maximum passage but permitting trains to eventually circumnavigate the room I have incorporated a skinny section, to be known as the 'Track of death'. I really should put a retaining strip on sooner rather than later: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Looking good David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dave.C Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 This may be a sleepy point on a rundown freight line but it does boast its own yard, although it only has two sidings and a headshunt. The plan is for this yard to be wired independently from the main loop, and have its own little control point. The wire and the point rods are laid in the cork trackbed and will be covered over in time. The switch panel is just a temporary affair at the moment to check that it all works. The finished thing will include the point rods, polarity switches and input point, nicely boxed in with a hinged section and incorporated into the scenery. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 http://www.room2850.com/2012/10/the-guibal-fanhouse-pictures/ nice building close to the railway. Guy I'll bet he didn't have permission to be stood in the 4 foot for his pictures Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beresford Junction Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 I have incorporated a skinny section, to be known as the 'Track of death'. I really should put a retaining strip on sooner rather than later: Liking it all, especially the class 20 action. Having had an accident or two myself with things falling off I'd certainly advise some kind of safety wall. Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Was thinken of buying that class 20 livery!! looks the bizz, rang Hattons this morning to find out they have sold out of this rail freight livery... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Hi Arte Great looking layout, doyou have a track plan... I love the RailFreight Large Logo Livery, I have 2x in Sound and look really good together and I also like the Hoppers that you have which I think goes really well with the Class 20's in this Livery too... I like the way you have done the Rocks part, How and what did you use to cover the Polly with, looks very effective... Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dave.C Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Hi Jamie, The track plan is not complete just yet as the loop is not complete, I will probably get the chance to scribble down what I have already tomorrow. The rocks are basically a standard 'filler' from a DIY store spread over the polysterene and then painted. This is what it looked like in naked filler: It was then given a base coat of grey: Some darker grey was then added which was then 'sponged' back off: Then the browns were dry brushed on: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Hi Arte So there is more than one way of getting something naked on a layout...lol Looks affective... look forward to the track plan... and the size... Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Looking good, looking forward to the track plan David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dave.C Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I pushed on and laid some track right around the loft, as soon as I started running trains gaping flaws jumped out at me. No real damage done as it is so early in the project. Armed with my new found knowledge and clarity in what I am trying to achieve, I set about with some major rebuilding. I have rebuild the base right around and laid another temporary track right around and had a train running. I am happy to proceed knowing that I am now traveling in the right direction. Here is a pair of Class 20s with a rake of HEAs testing the route just North of the yard: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Looking good keep it up, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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