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dibber25
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Blog Entries posted by dibber25
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This is my first attempt at a blog, so if I get it all wrong, I apologise. Just felt it was time to share the experience of trying to adapt bits of the old layout to suit the new space. Essentially, this is 'Chris Leigh Unplanned'. I've always told people that planning a layout is essential. So just why I decided to go ahead without a plan, I'm not sure. The old (HO) layout was round the walls of a room and viewed from inside. Now its an island location, viewed from the outside. That meant that all the curves go the wrong way, for a start. I also want to build a 'OO' layout inside the HO, the two separated by a backscene. Got some nice kitchen units to provide cupboard space under one side and put half inch ply on the top. Then decided to lay hidden loops on the cabinet top, 7in below baseboard level, as need somewhere to 'store' trains. A pair of 1 in 30 inclines connect these hidden loops to the baseboard level. As they climb, the inclines cross, one up and one down, between the OO and HO layouts. I'm not sure I could have drawn a plan, even if I'd tried. In the end, I cut countless plywood curves and numerous 3 by 1 supports and fitted bits in as I went. It's now about 75% complete but the as yet unbuilt section includes the lift-up access to the central area and will be even more complex. I'm wondering just what I've got myself into......
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At approx 18.30 on March 4 the first train ran on the new layout - a complete circuit, that is. I had run over a few yards of track in the storage yard several weeks ago, but today's run marked the completion of the outer track on the British section of the layout. The honours went to a Hornby 'T9' and the Imperial Airways set. A '28xx' followed, with the same rolling stock, including a 12-wheel Pullman just in case there were any rough spots to be found.
I discovered that I've forgotten how to wire an anolog layout with Electrofrog points (if I ever knew) and I had put in far too many insulated rail joiners. I've taken out several and all now seems OK.
So now work will start on the 'up' line, if I can resist the temptation to run the Bachmann 4CEP this evening. Anyway I will run out of Woodland Scenics trackbed before long, so it will be a trip to Trains 4U in the morning.
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