Modelling Martin Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 (edited) Hello everyone, After taking the decision to sell my other layout Robins Lane and down scale another huge layout project i decided to make another layout learning from experience and making sure i put a lot of thought and planning into this layout. The scale is OO (4mm) and the layout is in an L shape with a fiddle yard at one end and a station terminus at the other. Like my previous attempts the layout will be set in present day based on a preserved railway somewhere in the north west of England. Most of the traffic on the layout is passenger which is used to create revenue for the railway as it needs it for all the projects going on at the nearby sheds. The place i'm attempting to model: Rawtenstall Station This is a rough track plan so far at what i am trying to achieve: (More information can be found here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/76790-preserved-railway-12ft-x-13-inches/ ) A few weeks ago i started work on the four baseboard modules needed for the layout and since have begun the process of track laying. The track is mostly Hornby with a bit of Peco (code 100) although now i recognise that all the track should have all been Peco but this is just the track i have available to me. These are some pictures about my progress so far: Control wise the layout will be DCC via an NCE Powercab system as all of my trains are DCC Fitted / DCC Sound. As always comments are welcome, i don't want to mess it up! Regards, Gary Edited August 22, 2014 by Modelling Martin 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Hi Gary Great start and the track plane looks great look forward to seeing the progress of this thread mate. Keep the photo updates coming.. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 Thanks for the comment I've done a lot more on it recently which ill upload once I've taken some pics Gary 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 Gradually more and more work is being done on the layout. Since the last update i have finished off laying track work and bussed all of the track apart from the corner which i shall do with the fiddle yard. Couldn't resist getting my locos out! And I've tried my best to solder the bus together as neatly as possible: Gary 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Great photos Gary well done mate, liking the selection of liveries mate... looking neat underneath with your wiring... Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 (edited) Thanks, i need to make a more permanent connection between the boards but i think I've done ok. Edited August 22, 2014 by Modelling Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Hello everyone, Ive done a bit more work on the layout recently so i have been able to get the rest of the track down: I know a set track curve isn't i deal but its 4th radius and i couldn't fit anything bigger because of the roof and clearances with the engines. Also i didn't like the fact i didn't have anywhere to store my engines whilst i was building the layout so knocked up a couple of plastic shelves: Thanks for looking, Gary Edited August 22, 2014 by Modelling Martin 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forest2807 Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Nice work young man! I don't mean to be patronising, sorry. You put some of us old(er) gits to shame! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Thanks, much appreciated to know I'm doing it right took along time to research the right methods but i think I'm getting there. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twright Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Great work there, that wiring is very neat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share Posted March 26, 2014 (edited) Thanks, wiring is one of the elements of the hobby i quite enjoy Recently i added a tail lamp to a coal fish wagon which i enjoyed: I've got to add a load yet but its pretty much electrically finished but nothing is stuck in permanently. Next time i will mount the LED a different way so less shows through and maybe coat it with something to reduce the brightness! Gary Edited March 26, 2014 by Modelling Martin 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twright Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Good work Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted May 31, 2014 Author Share Posted May 31, 2014 (edited) Hello everyone! Over the past few weeks little bits of work have been done on the layout to try and get it to a stage where it can be operational. First was the fiddle yard; i decided upon a cassette style system with 6 cassettes capable of holding an engine and three Mk1 carriages (the longest train i can hold) and another cassette to hold the DMU and A4 which because of its lack of front coupling has to be turned off scene. Construction is just 6mm MDF for sides and 2x1 wood in the middle. They still need to be finished with some cross bracing to stop them from caving in which i think will just be rectangles of the 6mm MDF. To stop trains rolling off the end I used a nail with the point chopped off- a really fiddly process. Anyway here are a few pictures of it: At the moment connections are just crocodile clips to the end of the cassettes until i find something more permanent: Finally just a picture of the wiring- not very interesting i agree: More interesting however was adding coal to my locomotives. At the moment i am a bit weary of doing anything to them as i don't want to ruin them but i figured coal wasn't too risky but made a big effect. The fair burn and 4f have had it added (the glue in the 4f is just drying) which i think looks a lot better in comparison to the moulded coal in the black five which will be next on the list to do Coal s Geoscenics applied with watered down PVA. I've heard others use gloss varnish but i don't have any of that and i think PVA looks pretty good anyway. Also i am going to add fire irons (thats what i think there called!) and a crew at a later date so just wanted to see wether this looks right to you? Finally i have decided that the layout will be based on Rawtenstall, the terminus of the East Lancs Railway in its present form with the design of the station. It's not a strict prototype as the station approach is a little different and there is no engine shed or extra carriage siding there, I've just added it to increase the operation potential. Anyway thanks for looking and any comments are welcomed! Gary Edited May 31, 2014 by Modelling Martin 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twright Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 That coal makes a big difference, I've done it to most of mine as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted May 31, 2014 Author Share Posted May 31, 2014 That coal makes a big difference, I've done it to most of mine as well. Yeah i know, I'm going to do it to all of them now i feel confident doing them two, such a drastic improvement. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 Hi Martin, had you not stated your age I would have thought you were a more advanced and experienced modeller. Your track plan is very good and the Shed will call for lots of interesting items over a period of time. I'm impressed with the wiring as well, although I have had DCC for many years I never do a DCC bus properly so another lesson I've learned and I'm 64, hhahah. Keep the build pics coming and I'm sure you will get lots of likes from modellers a lot older than yourself. All the best, Andy. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted June 1, 2014 Author Share Posted June 1, 2014 Hi Andy thanks for your kind comments. I have also taken some more pictures of the layout and I'm actually starting to run some trains on it! Anyway here are some pictures: 4f on a demonstration freight in the station currently without the platforms or building. Class 33 is on pullman dining experience duties- I still need one more coach to complete this rake. Finally a mock up of the engine shed which i will be having on the layout. Im still not decided whether i will keep the older engine shed or wether to have water columns present or not; the station will have its own water tower anyway as per the prototype. Apologies for the bad camera work, I'm still getting to grips with the camera settings! Gary 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted July 26, 2014 Author Share Posted July 26, 2014 Hello all, Although there has not been an update for a while work has still progressed recently even if the weather is this good . Anyway Firstly i have made a proper shelf (well six 'L' brackets) to store the cassettes when not in use which so far seems to be working great: Also track work has improved drastically thanks to being weathered with Humbrol 29 from an aerosol. The uniform look of the track will also be toned down after it has been ballasted with washes etc. You may notice the white sleeper painted which stands out quite a lot! Anyway it's true to the prototype and can be seen here: I think it's to indicate to the driver where to stop the coaches so the train can 'run around' but if anyone can correct me please do! Moving down the layout a bit the shed area will have three different surfaces- DAS clay for the outside, wood for the transition between the shed and the yard and filler for the concrete hard-standing under the shed. Firstly i did the wood which will be painted and weathered in due time. And the final picture of the shed. I decided not to keep both sheds as the old one didn't really suit the modern preservation scene and made the shed seem over-crowded as most of the stock was hid. It's just a modified Pikestuff kit that was used on a previous layout and needs a bit of weathering and detail inside it to complete it. Thank you for taking an interest, Gary 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twright Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Great work Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted July 27, 2014 Author Share Posted July 27, 2014 Thanks, ballasting will be commencing this week with pictures to follow Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 Hello everyone, I've had a busy week or so doing most of the ballasting on my layout to a point where i think it's acceptable. Despite taking a long time it's still not finished with a lot of fettling to do like continually touching up the ballast and removing any unwanted pieces. I have also laid down the DAS clay which i shall be using in the engine shed area to give quite a rough appearance often found nowadays in preservation sheds like the one at Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway which i managed to take a few pictures of: Here is a picture of the first layer of DAS clay: And some pictures of when it was finished: I've still got to touch up some areas of the clay and eventually weather it further but ballasting wise it's pretty much done. After i have touched it up i may upload some more pictures with some different locos on if you want. Anyway some more pictures of the ballast (the dummy 08 is just acting as a background and something a bit more interesting than gravel! Please excuse the wonky couplings): As always comments and likes are always appreciated, Gary 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twright Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 (edited) That looks very effective Edited August 22, 2014 by Twright 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 That looks very effective Thanks, theres still some more work to do finishing the track work off then it will be all cleaned and the testing can begin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intercity 125 Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Looking good, I like the way you have used DAS clay for the loco shed area, it looks very effective. Cheers, IC125 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Martin Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 Looking good, I like the way you have used DAS clay for the loco shed area, it looks very effective. Cheers, IC125 Thanks! I used it because i was trying to avoid some of the horror stories some people have experienced with normal air drying clay cracking but i think DAS is different because it's artificial (I think!) Obviously it's not finished yet with more weathering and a lot more detail needing to be added but as a first coat and a different texture to the normal ballast on my railway i am pleased with the result. Not much interesting stuff is happening at the moment as i am strengthening the base board supports and making the layout more permanent now that the ballast has been done, Gary Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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