Skaleby West

[andyram]

I have decided to set up a seperate topic for my own exhibition layout, Skaleby West, in order to seperate the layout's progress from the blog that I currently write about the exhibition I organise. For those who are not familiar with the layout here is a little bit of background..

 

In 2012 I volunteered to organise a model railway event at the school where I work. I had no previous experience of organising an event. You can read about this experience in my blog entitled "What have I let myself in for!".

 As a statement of intent I decided to build a layout to exhibit at the the show as my home layout, Skaleby, was not transportable. As a result Skaleby West was born.

 

The aim of the layout was to build a small micro layout, using off the shelf materials. The size of the baseboard was fixed at 4ft x 1ft as I had acquired a sheet of MDF of this size. Upon this board I experimented with some set track to come up with a simple, but workable, track plan. I decided that I wanted the ability to run passenger trains and also shunt freight stock so a small branch station with passing / run-round loop and two sidings was created. The main through track was laid at an angle, almost corner to corner, to make maximum use of the space.

 

All track is Hornby set track and was laid on cork strips which were cut to the size of each length of track and glued down with PVA glue.

 The track was then ballasted using a mix of Woodland Scenics and Scale scenics materials.

 The station was then made using Skaledale platform pieces, mounted on a cork base in order to lift them to the appropriate level. The station building was from the Bachmann range and was mounted on a polystyrene base. The station was then detailed with various items from the Skaledale range including a trolley, lamps, benches, milk churns and whicker baskets. The station signs were free in an issue of the Hornby Magazine.

 

 The backscene is covered by one from the Gaugemaster photographic range. The Gaugemaster static grass was then used to blend the scenery to a similar colour as the grass in the photograph. The embankments were built using rolled up pieces of newspaper, covered in plaster bandage. This was then painted brown before being covered in a layer of hanging basket liner. The static grass was then glued on top. This seems to work well and the effect has been commented on by visitors to the exhbition. Several have commented favourably as to how the colour of the grass matches the photo. A roll of Gaugemaster hedging runs along the back of the layout, at the base of the photo, to hide the join.

 

 At one end of the layout I constructed a tunnel to act as a scenic break. The base of this, and the cutting was formed of polystyrene blocks from Skaledale boxes. These were cut to size before rolled up newspaper was glued into place and covered with plaster bandage. The hanging basket and static grass treatment was given to this area too.

 

 The cottage is from the Skaledale range and has been detailed with the addition of some climbing plants, produced by Noch. Further Scale Scenics scatter was used for the plants and also to cover the farm track that runs across the top of the tunnel. The tunnel mouth is also from the Skaledale range.

 

 At the front of the layout the ground was again covered by Scale Scenics materials. The signal box and lamp hut come from the Skaledale range as does the coal staithes. The grounded wagon body, that acts as the coal merchants office, is from the Bachmann range.

 

 The final building on the layout is the goods store. This was adapted from a free Hornby Magazine kit. Sadly I did not make a good job of this and it is very much on my list to replace.

 

Exhibiting

 The layout was built in just 9 months and made its debut at the 2012 Weston-on-Trent model railway show. It ran with only one fiddle yard and so represented a terminus on a partially closed branch. A second fiddle yard was temporarily made for the 2013 Weston show and so Skaleby West was displayed as a through station. A few extra pieces of detail such as extra people and some weathering had been completed between the two shows.

 Skaleby West is currently stored, out of use, awaiting our house move in May. At this point I hope to begin building a second scenic board. This will also be 4ft x1ft long and will represent more of Skaleby West village.

 The layout is available for other shows. Although its era and location has been kept deliberately vague, to allow me to run various locos from my collection, I do tend to run it as a Midland region branch at exhibitions.

 

[Andrew P]

Really nice job Andy, more pics soon I hope.

 

Bodge

[andyram]

To continue to put the flesh on the bones of the layout's life so far here are some pictures from its first exhibition outing at the Weston 2012 show.

 

A couple of pictures showing me "entertaining" (or trying to entertain) the watching public with the layout displayed in my own classroom.

 

 

Bachmann Ivatt class tank number 41324 was one of the reliable runners during that first exhibition. Here it is seen having arrived at Skaleby West with a terminating passenger train.

 

 

The scratch built goods shed was not my best effort. The roof did not fit properly. For much of the exhibition the goods shed was displayed, minus the roof, to display the detailed interior.

 

 Following setting up the layout was "dead" and did not run. It took a lot of fiddling around before the old turn off and turn back on trick got it working. It ran well throughout the day.

[andyram]

I had hoped to post pictures from the layout's outing at the Weston 2013 exhibition. Sadly all of the pictures I have from this event have been deemed "too large" by the website. So here are a few pictures taken shortly after the event. It shows Ivatt tank 41250, purchased at the Weston show, shunting the goods yard during an operating session at home. The fiddle yards were not connected so the layout ran as a shunting puzzle.

41250 pauses in the platform prior to shunting the goods yard.

The Ivatt tank reverses over the points prior to entering the loop.

A brief pause for a chat with the signalman.

The yard is shunted.

 

Ivatt tank 41250 was purchased from a trader towards the end of the Weston 2013 show and made its debut in the last hour of the event. This mobile phone shot is the only picture I have from the event that RMWeb has deemed an appropriate size.

 

Sadly the locomotive suffered a slight accident whilst running on my home layout, Skaleby. Whilst operating the layout, shortly after our house move, I was distracted by my daughter and did not notice run off the end of the layout. The buffer stops having not been reattached since the move. The dummy coupling hook broke off the rear and I will need to replace. Fortunately that seems to be the only damage.

 

[hornbyandbf3fan]

Some pictures from the aforementioned event, hopefully Andy won't mind!

 

[andyram]

I don't mind at all Will. Some very nice pictures there and one or two I have not seen before. It is nice to see a shot of the Midland 3F. The beekeeper by the cottage and the horse riders on the farm track were new additions for Weston 2013. Thanks for posting, all contributions are welcome.

[andyram]

You could always re size the pictures

 

Now, I should be able to do that no problem. But I am not greatest when it comes to computer skills!!!

[andyram]

More pictures from the layout. These show the small scenic improvements carried out around the tunnel area prior to the Weston 2013 show.

The beekeeper, attending to his hive, represents the cottage owner. It is a Harburn Hamlet figure.

The local Lord and Lady out for a ride. These are Langley Models pre-painted figures.

Skaleby West signal box was seen in "as new" condition at Weston 2012. It is seen here after it has been treated to some weathering.

[CourthsVeil]

I like these small layouts, esp. when they are well executed, as here! Will follow with interest, kep up the good work!

 

Regards

  Armin

 

PS:

You wrote:

Sadly all of the pictures I have from this event have been deemed "too large" by the website.

There's a little tutorial re. downsizing images – have a look …

[andyram]

I like these small layouts, esp. when they are well executed, as here! Will follow with interest, kep up the good work!

 

Regards

  Armin

 

PS:

You wrote:

Sadly all of the pictures I have from this event have been deemed "too large" by the website.

There's a little tutorial re. downsizing images – have a look …

 

Many thanks for the kind comments. I will post more pictures soon.

[andyram]

I have hit the RMWeb image editor and managed to compress the files from Weston 2013, although most have been posted by others already. Here are the remaining two pictures from the layout's appearence at the above show.

Ivatt tank 41324 passes through Skaleby West station with a return train.

Newly purchased Ivatt 41250 pauses at the station with its first service train.

[andyram]

A bit of a set back with the layout this week. Currently Skaleby West is stored in the spare bedroom whilst we stay in my deceased Grandad's bungalow prior to moving into our new build property. This week we have discovered this room is riddled with major damp. The floor had puddles on it. The fiddle yard board has suffered from this - mould has been found on the front board. It will need cleaning before it can return to use. Gutted!

[andyram]

I found a bit of time yesterday to scrub the affected board and managed to shift much of the mould. It looks like the damage was only superficial. I have now put the board on trestles so that it is off the floor which, I hope, will prevent further damage. I will need to check the main scenic board when I get a chance, a quick look seems to suggest that this has avoided any damage thus far.

[andyram]

We have now moved out of the damp riddled bungalow and into our new build. The scenic board was brought into the spare room straight away for checking over. It has, fortunately, not suffered from the mould problems which is a relief. The double move has produced some damage with the telephone box, bicycle and both horse riders having become detached from the board. These will need regluing.

 With my main layout, Skaleby, too large for the new spare room - Skaleby West is planned to be erected there instead. Skaleby has been relocated to the garage and is now a long term project.  Due to the room dimensions however, I cannot fit Skaleby West in its current exhibition form. It will need to fit around two walls, with the scenic section on one and the fiddle yard on another. To allow this to happen I will need to construct a small extension to all the track begin to curve around the corner before it meets the fiddle yard board. This may become my summer holiday project!

 Skaleby West is not due out again until the third Weston event on 15th November. I would like any extension to be built and displayed there.

[andyram]

The Weston 2014 show has suddenly appeared on the exhibitions bar at the side of the front page on RMWeb - it is getting that close. Major panic has set in. Skaleby West has not moved from its stored position and is  currently difficult to access. The inlaws pet rabbit came to stay during their holiday and has not returned home yet. Its sizeable pen is all but stopping me getting to the layout. I have not managed to build the extension or repair the damage.

 I have purchased a new goods shed which should replace my poor scratch built version. Whether I can find time to complete the scenic work remains to be seen. The layout will attend Weston 2014 but I will need to find some time to get this work done.

 

In the words of Corporal Jones - "DON'T PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[andyram]

I am not happy. Today has seen a backward step. The new pet cat decided to jump onto the layout today and knock over three of the station lamps. As if I have not got enough to do!

[andyram]

Finally Skaleby West has been released from storage and work has begun on trying to get it ready for the Weston show. With less than a week to go there is little time to complete the jobs but I will do my best.

 Last night the basic repair work was completed with the station lamps, telephone box and horse riders all re-glued into position. Sadly the station bike was damaged and cannot be put back. Tonight I have begun work on the goods yard. My aim is to replace the poor scratch built goods shed with a off the shelf Bachmann building bought in the summer. This is slightly smaller so some extra scenic work will be needed to plug the gap. This evening I stuck down a strip on polystyrene to fill the extra space and then covered it and the surrounding area with the grey liquid rock. This was used for the original goods yard and parts had become damaged. The whole area has now been redone. Hopefully I will be able to post some pictures later in the week.

[andyram]

A couple of pictures from Skaleby West's appearance at the Weston 2014 show.

Jinty 47279 tests the layout before opening.

Standard tank 82001 pauses at Skaleby West with a mixed train.

Ivatt tank 41250 calls at Skaleby West with a passenger service.

[andyram]

You have seen the pictures from the day, but I thought that I would add a bit more detail to Skaleby West's third exhibition outing. After managing to steal the odd hour in the week leading up to the show I was able complete the updating of the goods yard with the addition of the new Bachmann building. See below:

 

 On the day of the show I was expecting some running problems but the layout ran from the moment I plugged it in. There was some track cleaning required and as the temperature in the classroom increased there were some stalling issues on the goods yard points. Apart from that the layout ran well and attracted some favourable comments. Quite a few people praised how the back scene blended into the scenery which was nice.

 Sadly the layout suffered some damage on its return home. Whilst carrying the layout into the house the signal box fell off and the steps smashed on the ground. The damage can be seen below:

 

 

 A few other scenic items worked loose with some of the platform detail coming off too. Hopefully I will get around to beginning the repairs soon, but with no show bookings on the horizon there is no rush. I am still deciding on what to do for Weston 2015. I enjoyed operating the layout again and I am starting to warm to the idea of the extension again. I also have a loose plan for a second micro layout "Skaleby Quay" with some buildings bought for that. Decisions, decisions.

 

 In the meantime here is a picture of my trusty Railroad Jinty shunting a "repair" train back at home. The wagon is loaded with all of the items that need repairing!!

 

 

[andyram]

A small update:

 

Skaleby West has been booked for the Belper Model Railway show on Saturday 28th March. I had better get that signal box and the rest of the repairs sorted!!

[hornbyandbf3fan]

Congrats

[andyram]

Thanks Will. I am looking forward to it, although I am under no illusions, I am a last minute fill in because someone dropped out.

[hornbyandbf3fan]

An invite is an invite and you can always get more invites from the the exhibition

[Purley Oaks]

First time I've seen this thread, Andy. Some really great pics from such a small layout - really great!

Thanks for posting

Mal

[andyram]

Very true Will. I am pleased to get the opportunity to attend another exhibition so I will see what happens on the day. I have not received any invites from the layout's outings at the three Weston shows, and I do know its limitations - but you never know. I am going to put together an information sheet just in case. Even if no further invites come along I am planning to build a small extension ready for the Weston 2015 event.

 Right now the next couple of weeks will see the repair work carried out with the station detail and reattached. I still need to find a replacement signal box or at least attempt a repair of the one damaged after last year's Weston event.

 

Purley Oaks - thanks for the kind comments.