Sheffield Exchange, Toy trains, music and fun!

[cheesysmith]

Well, it needs to be high enough to get your gut under when you end up with a loose wire (which we know will happen), but low enough for operation from the required sitting position.

[Clive Mortimore]

Clive ,

 

Just get a chair of the same height on castors .

 

Or

 

One of those office type are good with the hydraulic height adjust . This allows you to move sideways and also pump yourself up a little if you need to reach further across the layout without actually getting off your backside .

 

Remember :- comfort is a must and it allows you to maintain your fighting weight that you have taken so long to achieve .

 

Also

 

Fit a drinks area to the layout - this could be can or mug holders .

 

Consider where your plate of biscuits or sandwhich will also sit during operation .

 

Best regards from the Ayrshire riviera

 

Mike b

Thanks Mike

 

Both Hanging Hill and Pig Lane had small shelves next to the control panel for the operators' tea cups, so provision of a refreshment counter will be factored in.

 

I have considered an office type chair, I already have one. I am not too sure I will have the room for it.

 

"Diet and bar stool" says Mrs M.

 

My main concern the baseboards over the radiators and I am not redesigning the layout at this late stage. Well when we moved in in the summer it didn't occur to me now they are pumping out heat it is something I should have thought about.

 

Even as I write this I can see me being up and down like a yo yo so standing to operate may be the order of the day with a couple of strategically placed stools. 

[Clive Mortimore]

I'd build it the height of a kitchen worktop then you can always add some units/bits for storage maybe?

Hi Dan

 

I ventured into the kitchen with the tape measure, ensuring Mrs M didn't see me or she would have me measure something for the next job. The work tops are 3 ft high so 3 ft 3 ins wouldn't be too low even operating standing up.

 

As for using the baseboards to store things under, that was always in the plan, the amount of highly prized models and modelling items (Clive's tut as Mrs M calls it) needs to be placed carefully (hidden)  away, to allow easy access to all areas of the layout.

[cheesysmith]

Plus the under board storage has a bonus in ensuring harmoney and bliss (well, peace and quiet) ith the other half by hiding how much you have.

 

Or is it just me who keeps finding things i didn`t know i had?

[31A]

One thing to perhaps think about in terms of comfort might be how easy is to to work beneath the layout, if you should need to?  Mine's ended up too low to sit beneath so I have to either lie with my arms outstretched above me, or try and half sit with my back against the wall (like sitting up in bed), neither of which are comfortable!  It might be the kind of exercise which would be good for stomach muscles, if I had any left!  Luckily (touch wood) I don't have to work below it very often, but have been doing a bit recently in connecting up semaphore signal mechanisms.

[Clive Mortimore]

One thing to perhaps think about in terms of comfort might be how easy is to to work beneath the layout, if you should need to?  Mine's ended up too low to sit beneath so I have to either lie with my arms outstretched above me, or try and half sit with my back against the wall (like sitting up in bed), neither of which are comfortable!  It might be the kind of exercise which would be good for stomach muscles, if I had any left!  Luckily (touch wood) I don't have to work below it very often, but have been doing a bit recently in connecting up semaphore signal mechanisms.

Hi Steve

 

That is a good issue to think about.

 

With brain in gear these are my thoughts. I am going to be using Peco point motors directly mounted under the point, so if there is an issue with them I would be lifting the point, not working under neath to fix them. As it is a permanent layout I will be running one wire from the control panel switches or the Gaugemaster relay thingies to the track, no other connections. I know dropper wires soldered on the bottom of the rail looks better they are un-gettable and introduce a connection to the feed wires that require subterranean acrobatics. It should only be the signals which will need me to work from below, and once wired and working should not be a problem. 

 

Now to sit on the floor and reach upwards with the tape measure. Making sure Mrs M doesn't see me and call the men in the white coats.  

[westerner]

For under layout storage with Wencombe I used cheap kitchen units mounted on casters so that they were easy to move out in case I needed to get at the under side of the layout. It made things look neat.

[Clive Mortimore]

Plus the under board storage has a bonus in ensuring harmoney and bliss (well, peace and quiet) ith the other half by hiding how much you have.

 

Or is it just me who keeps finding things i didn`t know i had?

Hi Cheesy

 

I had a massive sort out before we moved in July, I never knew I had so many Limby 3 car 101s and I think two of them have never been run. 

 

36 Brush type 4s, 31 class 31s...and it was only a few years ago I downsized my collection.

 

I have given some serious thought to the storage of my toys, the ones most likely to be used on the L&Y lines under the Manchester sidings and below the Doncaster yard the ER stuff. The rest under the main station. Stuff to be built under the curve by the door, the work table will be under the baseboards there as well. The other junction and curve will house the computer and sound system.*

 

* Sound system to play loud punk and reggae music not train sounds.

[Clive Mortimore]

For under layout storage with Wencombe I used cheap kitchen units mounted on casters so that they were easy to move out in case I needed to get at the under side of the layout. It made things look neat.

Hi Alan

 

That sounds great, now to put that past the treasurer. 

 

My plan was shelving hidden by curtains

[Harlequin]

Hi Clive,

 

Re. Baseboards above radiators: Will there be tracks above the radiators? I wonder if track and standing rolling stock getting gently heated might cause problems...???

 

You could cut/drill vent holes in the corners of the baseboard, away from the tracks, to allow heat to circulate better. Maybe add some baffles under the boards to encourage warm air to flow to the vents. E.g. just staple some strips of plastic sheeting.

Edited December 17, 2017 by Harlequin

[The Stationmaster]

As far as the radiators are concerned can they be turned off or at least turned down.  And could you possibly use some of that foil backed stuff on a sort of reflective board placed between the top of the radiator and the bottom of the baseboard area?

[Clive Mortimore]

Hi Clive,

 

Re. Baseboards above radiators: Will there be tracks above the radiators? I wonder track and standing rolling stock getting gently heated might cause problems...???

 

You could cut/drill vent holes in the corners of the baseboard, away from the tracks, to allow heat to circulate better. Maybe add some baffles under the boards to encourage warm air to flow to the vents. E.g. just staple some strips of plastic sheeting.

 

As far as the radiators are concerned can they be turned off or at least turned down.  And could you possibly use some of that foil backed stuff on a sort of reflective board placed between the top of the radiator and the bottom of the baseboard area?

Hi Phil and Mike

 

Two very good ideas.

 

If I go for 3 ft 3 ins height that would give me a clearance of 7 inches on the highest radiator, I have been houses where they have had shelves almost on the radiator so It might be enough clearance. Three are mounted below windows and the window sills will be lower than the baseboard height so the heat can escape around the back of baseboard. One will have the very narrow baseboard above it so that should not contain too much heat. The one without a window above it , the baseboard will not have much track on it so Phil's vent holes sound a good idea and Mike's reflective foil sounds good to redirect the heat towards me.

[Clive Mortimore]

Going back to Phil's concern about tracks and stock above the radiators, I hadn't given that a thought. More concerned about me being cold.

[Andrew P]

Any pics of the Room yet Clive? I heard a rumour that you'd gone for PINK WALLS!

[Clive Mortimore]

Any pics of the Room yet Clive? I heard a rumour that you'd gone for PINK WALLS!

Should have painted the walls pink, the so called sky blue is too dark and needed a second coat (Mrs M was right) never mind I have have it to a standard that will do me.

 

Do you really want photos of a pile of junk in the middle of the room?

[Clive Mortimore]

Mrs M didn't catch me when I sat on the floor holding the tape measure at 3 ft 3 ins high for a couple of minutes. I found with hanging hill at 4 ft high when working under it my arms became tired very quickly, it was too high. I have an old motor bike injury which kicks in when my left arm is in an uncomfortable position very quickly, it felt Ok.

 

Looks like I am ready to use my new drill.

[Andrew P]

Should have painted the walls pink, the so called sky blue is too dark and needed a second coat (Mrs M was right) never mind I have have it to a standard that will do me.

 

Do you really want photos of a pile of junk in the middle of the room?

Y E S

Y E S

Y E S

 

[Andrew P]

Question for you Clive;  Shouldn't you be building base boards, laying Track and wiring it all up ready for tonight's running session rather than being on here?        

[Ray H]

Clive

 

Can you fix some of that polystyrene coving to the wall between the top of the radiator and the underside of the layout and fix the foil to that so that the warm air is directed from vertical to horizontal. Don't forget that hot air has a tendency to rise so you'll need to keep it away from the underside of the layout if you want it to warm the rest of the room.

[royaloak]

As far as the radiators are concerned can they be turned off or at least turned down.  And could you possibly use some of that foil backed stuff on a sort of reflective board placed between the top of the radiator and the bottom of the baseboard area?

Would it be possible to put an opening in the baseboard above the radiator and put a foil lined box in front of it to reflect the heat upwards rather than under the baseboards because heat underneath can cause shrinkage or deformation issues.

 

Would it be possible to extend the pipes on the radiator so it is mounted in the operating space, I appreciate that is quite a major change but would put the heat where it is wanted rather than under the baseboards where it isnt.

[Clive Mortimore]

Thanks guys for your suggestions.

 

Plan of room with train set. The radiator that might cause the biggest problem is the one by the door.

 

[31A]

The radiator doesn't look as though it's in an area where trains will be standing for any length of time.

 

I've got one underneath my fiddle yard; the baseboard's been above it for ten years or so (made of plywood) and trains stand above it.  Neither the baseboard nor the trains seem to have suffered from it!  I sometimes think the heat might soften the white grease that RTR manufacturers are prone to slather all over loco mechanisms, and help them to start more easily!

 

I suppose the biggest problem would be if the radiator ever needed replacing, but the fiddle yard stands on its own legs and is attached to the rest of the layout by coach bolts, so it could be taken out if necessary.

[PaulCheffus]

Thanks guys for your suggestions.

 

Plan of room with train set. The radiator that might cause the biggest problem is the one by the door.

 

radiators.png

Hi Clive

 

I have one radiator under my layout and its been there for the last 15 years. Basically there is a 2" wide slot in the baseboard for the full length of the board and this has worked very well. The slot is behind the backscene so doesn't detract from the layout.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Clive Mortimore]

Tonight I have sat down and started to sort out the signals, just the basics. What I want to achieve is a variation in the signals using the excuse of being able to sight them from half way down the platform. 

[newbryford]

 More concerned about me being cold.

 

Stop being a Southern softie. You've moved North (ish).

Get over it and have a bowl of "man up" for breakfast every day. Or wear another jumper. Sorted.

 

Sheesh..................... 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Mick