luke the train spotter

Looks really good! Fantastic modeling.

Looks like a fun layout to operate.

Looks like another great project. Look forward to see how this progresses.

I forgot to attach this picture of the Hornby sentinel in pieces bit doesn't really show much but I find that pictures male everything more interesting.

So unfortunately after much progress on the layout I have experienced my first set back. The Hornby sentinel died on me yesterday and isn't running smoothly at all. Instead it seems to be running very erratically and getting very hot. It is also drawing much more current than usual. So this has resulted in a discussion with rails of Sheffield (the sentinel was a Christmas present for me this year and the loco was bought from rails of Sheffield) who have agreed to take the sentinel back in for repairs. They dont have any in stock apparently and the Crossley and Evans variant is out of production so they wont simply swap the model for a working one. I myself have checked the loco for faults checking the gears, pickups, motor, rolling resistance, back to backs and oil points but nothing has come up as a problem. At least I still have my Hornby puq which is currently providing top notch service.

Always use the chance for an extra small diorama

Would be a shame to waste such an ideal baseboard.

So when I picked up this cable drum I knew that it wasn't in mint condition but how do you hide a hole in the side of it???

Well, you stick a toy mouse in it!

Always good to have trains running so you can have a play, I mean operating session.

 

Jerry.

Definitely Jerry. Just need to try and source some short wheel based goods wagons now.

What size is the drum, and the approximate radius of the track. I've seen flexitrack squeezed down to about 9" radius and work pretty well, this looks even tighter! Anyway, nice scheme, instant baseboard on a plinth!

So the cable drum has a diameter of 24 inches exactly and the rough radius of the track is just over 9 inches but my dodgy track laying skills mean that certain areas of track work are much tighter than others. The wagons I am running are short wheel based good wagons with the largest being an LNER cattle wagon and they get around the loop no problem.

Looks good. Look forward to following your progress.

Does look really good. Lots of nice details too.

We have trains running!!!!! Yay! now this early but essential stage has made me quite happy because I have never had a roundy layout before so finally getting one is great. It is also nice and simple to watch a train go round in circles but also very satisfying I've found. So on the roster today is my Hornby Sentinel and my Hornby Caledonian pug. They have just the right wheel base length for the tight radius curves and handle them well.

Looks amazing! Cant wait to see this layout develop further.

Looks like a fun layout to operate and the scenery is great too. Looks like a thread I will now be following.

Looks like a good project. Will be following with interest.

I thought that you would use the inside face of the drum so that the "inner" made a sort of backscene and you could have a lighting pelmet.

 

PS: Am now angry with myself for throwing out a similar cable drum not that long ago.

That was an initial idea but I will use that space for an extension of the layout if everything works. I chose the top layer primarily because I can fit full size buildings onto it and I can also have the easiest access to it whilst I fine tune the track work.

Well I've never had a roundy layout before so this cable drum seems like a good idea as it saves me money on a baseboard and the faf of cutting the wood. Also makes it a bit of an unusual pizza layout as well.

Is that new wagon a Thomas and friends one by any chance? I've got one just like that and its on my to do list of repaints.

This plan looks good. Any ideas of the setting of the layout?

So I have now laid all the track in a kind of circle shape. The rails joints have now been secured with fish plates and solder. There is a kink on the rail on one of the joints which has to some extent been rectified. It looks much worse than it actually is. I have test pushed wagons over it and they are fine so I am not that worried about it. Hopefully I will get some time to wire up the track and have trains running soon.

Hi Henry Dragon looks amazing on your layout. Really impressed by the standard of modeling. how did you glue the slate down?

Hi Henry Dragon looks amazing on your layout. Really impressed by the standard of modeling. how did you glue the slate down?

The reason why I'm clamping the rails tightly is because the inside rail is moving around just after the join between the track so to keep it still and from disconnecting the joint I just clamped it down. I'm pinning the track down as I go to keep it all still.

Right so I have some progress from yesterday. I have layer half the track on one side of the cable drum. I can tell you now that flexi track is a right pain to bend to the right curve and hold it there - it is now also apparent to me that most other flexi track users wont ever need the curves to be so tight. There is so much spring in the track I had to constantly clamp it down tightly with g clamps. But regardless to the struggles half the track is down now I need to see if I can squeeze in some modeling time today to lay the other yard lf flexi track. The flexi track was given to me by a friend so this layout hasn't cost me anything yet.

Look excellent!

Good idea. Like those brute trolleys.