AJon30 Posted July 2, 2014 Author Share Posted July 2, 2014 Hello, not a lot of progress on the SHLR, as I have been working on QUESTA after its 3 day show at Quorn on the GCR (did you go, what did you think?) ready to go to Basildon for 2 days this weekend. The layout performed well running for 3 days, with only 1 point motor playing up (it was very hot in the tent!). One problem I did encounter was that my method of storing and transporting locomotives was not really acceptable, as I had a lot of minor repairs to undertake (broken steps etc) when I got back. The On30 loco's have a lot of detail that is quite delicate (even on the brass loco's) so I have tried to cut down the amount of handling that happens during operating by the use of separate engine cassettes. Also, because of the overhang it is sometimes difficult to ensure that all the wheels are on the track, which is compounded as virtually all the loco's have tenders. To reduce the handling to a minimum I have come up with the following storage boxes (I am sure these are not original but I have not seen anything similar). It is common to see the nice folding top boxes, but they suffer the same problem in that you have to lift the loco out to place it on the track and v.v. The idea is that the loco can be driven straight off the engine cassette into its storage box. Here is a general view of one of the boxes with the foam insulation which stops the loco moving around (if anyone has a better way of cutting foam I would be interested to hear it). Here is the loco on the engine cassette ready to go into the box. It is driven in until the tender meets the end piece. Then the "door" is inserted which holds the front of the loco in place. Then the top is added, with foam blocks that hold everything in place. The cassettes are made for a particular locomotive type, and labelled up so that I know which is which. They have been relatively cheap to make, the only thing I had to buy was the aluminimum strip which worked out about 1.50 per storage box and the bolt and wing nut to hold the top on, which will be another 60p or so. The wood is bits of ply offcuts from the layout construction (I never throw anything away!). I will see how they go this weekend, and will probably do something similar for the O gauge loco's on the SHLR Rgds Andrew Jones Luton MRC Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted July 2, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 2, 2014 (edited) Questa was good at Quorn, you did well! We were in the same tent. I am using wooden wine/port & plastic whisky bottle boxes to transport gauge 0 locos to Canada. Have to label clearly! Dava Edited July 2, 2014 by Dava Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 Thanks Dava. Which layout were you on? Rgds Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted July 3, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 3, 2014 Coney Hill, it has its own thread but I passed it to new owners at the show Dava Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 Ah yes, I saw that for sale at Kettering - I really like micro layouts, which SHLR sort of started out as before its growth spurts! I do like your Planet conversion of the Atlas switcher - I have one in my "to do" box. I though the GCR show was good, bigger than I expected - the only thing that, in opinion, was jarring was the racket from the 2 tinplate terrors in the corner of the tent - I felt sorry for Netherwood Sidings - they faced the noise and that drowned out their DCC loco's. Rgds Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted July 5, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 5, 2014 The Planet emigrated to Australia, me to Canada! Dava Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share Posted July 10, 2014 After a good show at Basildon with Questa, its back to the SHLR this week as I have agreed to display at the CMRA Modellers Day in Watford this Saturday and waffle on about layout design etc. I have been working on the first of the Great Barford boards which will link with the existing layout via a connection off the end of the sector plate. I have a removebale stop fitted to the sector plate when it is not being used as a through road. The first piece of track is now laid so the Great Barford boards can eb worked on without having to be link to the existing layout. Rgds Andrew Jones Luton MRC Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted July 15, 2014 Author Share Posted July 15, 2014 Work continues on the first of the Great Barford boards. The back plate has been added and a contour board to try and disguise the entrance from the sector plate Hopefully with the buildings and details added the eye will be drawn to that rather than the train. I mark out all the track positions etc full size on the board. Howevere once you have laid cork sheet the details disappear, so I make a tracing on greaseproof paper that I can then lay over the cork and mark out the positions of buildings, points etc The contour board has been built up to represent a small bank, with insulation foam. Once the glue has dried it will be covered in Sculptamold to give the final surface. It will have a brick retaining wall at the bottom. a hedge along the top and bushes etc to help hide the trains. I have used a piece of flexible plywood to to cover the right angle corner. Rgds Andrew Jones Luton MRC Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted July 19, 2014 Author Share Posted July 19, 2014 Added the basic scenery to the embankment behind the works. Tried adding sifted sawdust to the Sculpamold mix to give a more textured surface. The usual mix is 2 units of Sculptamold to 1 of water. I added 1 of sawdust and increased the water to 1.5 (I use the tops off spray cans as a measure, seems to work out about right to apply the mix while it is still workable). Natural Sculpamold can give too smooth a surface, which is fine in certain circumstances but otherwise needs covering with some form of textured finish (scatter, stacic grass etc) Once this dries we shall see what it looks like Rgds Andrew Jones luton MRC 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 Hi. Building the final Great Barford baseboard. One concern I have is trying to make sure everything is straight and level, especially when dealing with longer boards (the Great Barford boards are 5 ft long). I managed to find a 2 metre steel rectangular section tube from B&Q that I use as a level when clamping parts of the build together. While it will flex if you really try and bend it, it is ideal for a bit of gentle "clamping" Here we can see the central "spine" clamped up while the glue sets. Here is the whole structure loosely assembled with clamps prior to glue/screws to make sure everthing fits Rgds Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted July 24, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 24, 2014 Good idea. I found out the hard way don't assemble baseboards on an unflat workbench. A room with a flat (i.e level in both directions) is a useful start. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 Hello Don. Unfortunately my "workshop" is a covered car port area and last thing it is is flat or horizontal! My workbench is a piece of 25mm thick ply, supported on a couple of saw horses, which i, naively, thought would not warp. Wrong! The good thing with my battleship style of construction is that, once built, it will not warp further, so any irregularities can be overcome with some packing or the use of a surform to get it to line up. Rgds Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted July 25, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 25, 2014 With a base like that you can easily build in a twist. I find diagonal bracing like this stops any twist despite the small section. However you have to build it on a flat base. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 Yes diagonal bracing makes all the difference. Here's a baseboard I have made for the Slim Gauge Circle On30 modular group. While it is a simple concept - a trestle bridge across a creek, because the top surface is in 2 pieces it needs an "underboard" to give it rigidity It was quite flimsy until the diagonals were added then it stiffen right up. Rgds Andrew 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted August 28, 2014 Author Share Posted August 28, 2014 Wow where did that month go? Have been a tied up with other things, but have managed to get the basic trackwork cut and laid out. Now will start the wiring (droppers etc) and replacement sleepers at isolating sections/baseboard joins. Rgds Andrew Jones Luton MRC 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 At last! All the track has been laid (just a few isolating sections to cut once the track power is all connected) The wiring, on the other hand, has some way to go! Busy month coming up, SHLR will be at Daventry Show 04 October Tad-Rail, Wing on 11 October Colchester Shpw 25 October Rgds Andrew Jones Luton MRC Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Boyd Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Andrew, Isn't it time you took the dog for a walk, it hasn't moved in over a month! Cheers, Mick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 That's my sort of dog - dosen't require food or walkies (unlike some peoples!) Rgds Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted September 22, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 22, 2014 That's my sort of dog - dosen't require food or walkies (unlike some peoples!) Rgds Andrew My two may need a lot of walking but it keeps me healthy too. Nice progress on the layout. You have managed to get quite a bit of track on the board should be interesting to operate. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 Hello Don Yes it does seem a lot but is basically a run-round, with a couple of sidings and a small bay, and then a couple of lines into the Locomotive works. Hopefully once it is all ballasted in with building etc it will not appear to be so crowded. It is a similar amount of track to Kimbolton and that turned out OK Rgds Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted September 22, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 22, 2014 Hello Don Yes it does seem a lot but is basically a run-round, with a couple of sidings and a small bay, and then a couple of lines into the Locomotive works. Hopefully once it is all ballasted in with building etc it will not appear to be so crowded. It is a similar amount of track to Kimbolton and that turned out OK Rgds Andrew Hello Don Yes it does seem a lot but is basically a run-round, with a couple of sidings and a small bay, and then a couple of lines into the Locomotive works. Hopefully once it is all ballasted in with building etc it will not appear to be so crowded. It is a similar amount of track to Kimbolton and that turned out OK Rgds Andrew I wasn't being critical too simple a track plan can result in boring operation. I think the curves in the layout make it look more natural. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 Yes I agree a slight curve seems to make such a difference Rgds Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishmail Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Hi Andrew, Trackwork looks good. I would just like to ask, what have you used for the packing under the maarcway?? points. Regards John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 Thank you John for your kind comments I use Evergreen Strip Stryrene No. 179 which is 2.5mm X 6.3mm to match Peco plain track. Some people use 169 which is 2.0mm but i find that a little thin. To economise I only glue the strips (evostick) to alternate sleepers, making sure there is 1 either side of the point tie bar and 1 at the end of each point road. When the points are ballasted material goes under the aternate sleepers and keep them level. Good day at Daventry show yesterday, out at TAD-Rail at Wing next week and Colchester on the 25th. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJon30 Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hello and a belated happy New Year My New Years resolution was to post more on this thread. The end of last year was quite busy (Stodden has its 20th outing at Letchworth in November 2014) and then work has been (slowly) progressing on the new wiring on the Great Barford boards. However disaster struck when the floor in my conservatory/modelling room decided to give way! That's now been repaired so its a case of sorting out all the material, projects etc that had to be boxed up to get them out of the way and back to work Rgds Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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