mjcampbell

It seems I have a strange knack of not doing things the easiest way. There is a reason (whether it is a good one we shall see), and working back from where I aim to end up, I came up with the rather unusual approach of starting back to front, or more specifically, from the outside in... IMG_2626 by Michael Campbell, on Flickr So here we have a back-scene and end boards, from 3mm birch ply. I'm happy that it's ended up square - but at this stage it is rather floppy right now! IMG_2627 by Michael Campbell, on Flickr At the other end the "Super-Fiddle-Yard" I made to exhibit my previous layout, "Awngate",has been attached - I'd cunningly bought another set of split hinges at the time, so they've been aligned and attached to the frame at one end. Actually, the fiddle yard has had a softwood frame attached to the base to raise it abut 1.5", as Awngate's baseboard was very shallow and this layout's will be deeper. The frame can be unscrewed, Awngate has another show booking next year! IMG_2629 by Michael Campbell, on Flickr The second hinge round the back. B&Q do a very useful "hockey-stick" wood profile that is perfect for the top edge of a back-scene, and their £5 staple gun is an easy way to attach it.

Some pictures from Geograph - just to help set the scene. All Creative Commons Licence [some Rights Reserved] Huccaby Bridge (Copyright Steve Harvey) West Dart River, Hexworthy - The river viewed from Hexworthy Bridge (Copyright Maigheach-gheal) Swollen River Dart near Hexworthy Bridge (Copyright David Gearing) Above Hexworthy north west across Dart Valley (Copyright Mel Landells)

Welcome to Hexworthy, the terminus of a narrow gauge line deep in the wilds of Dartmoor! This is a might-have-been layout, though it has been planned to a real location, using on-line mapping data tools to check that the route and gradients are viable. BuckfastleighToHexworthyOS by Michael Campbell, on Flickr There are a number of (long disused) tin mines and some granite workings around Hexworthy, some involved significant works, such as a mill leat that runs for miles across the moor following the contour lines, to power the mine machinery. So it's not unreasonable to suppose that wanting to increase their output in such a remote location, the mine owners got together to promote a railway. The terrain is pretty hard going and the budget was limited, so inspired by developments in North Wales, narrow gauge was chosen and the line opened in the early 1870's. The railway starts in the yard of the South Devon Railway (later GWR) at Buckfastleigh which had arrived in 1872, where there were a couple of exchange sidings, and immediately starts climbing to reach Buckfast. This is where the sheds and workshops were located, there being more space. From then on the line climbs through open farmland to a halt near Scorriton, and curves over the Holne Brook valley with a small viaduct, before tackling the steepest climb to a deep cutting to reach Holne. This is the main passing station, and the point where the line re-enters the Dart valley. After a short downward stretch the rest of the route follows the valley side, climbing but getting closer to the river below, which is crossed near Dartmeet. A station here serves the main road, and became a popular tourist destination, but the final terminus is the quiet hamlet of Hexworthy, where a spur back across the river serves an incline to the various quarries, high on the moor to the south. BuckfastleighToHexworthyAltitude by Michael Campbell, on Flickr Now Tin was refined at the mines so unlike coal or slate, the outward traffic was low volume, high value. The remote location and the need for coal and stores for the mines, and to support and transport the workforce, made the railway necessary - rather like the Redlake Tramway built a few miles south, years later, where china clay was moved by pipeline. Anyway the point of this is that while gradients were considered steep, around 1 in 50 to 1 in 40 (2% to 2.5%) with a short section at 1 in 36 (2.75%), these were not unusual on NG lines and acceptable for the expected traffic, though in later years it limited train length as granite quarrying increased. GoogleMapsView by Michael Campbell, on Flickr This is the setting of the station at Hexworthy, as seen by Google from the North West. The station lies along the river bank by the narrow stone bridge (bottom left), some way from the village of course! The mines and quarries are scattered along the top of the ridge to the South (right and top). Now I plan to set my model in the present, or recent past, as a preserved line. This railway would have made a popular tourist line and although there would be no goods traffic, the works trains seen on preserved railways offer opportunities for interesting models and operation. I also like the juxtaposition of well-kept stations, locos, and coaches, with grotty maintenance wagons, workshops, stores, and even decaying stock awaiting restoration, that is often seen on "Heritage" lines. The fact that an imaginary preserved line is a great excuse to run whatever stock I please is a happy coincidence (honest...), but preservation is an era and setting that I, and many others who never knew the steam age, can relate to. Plan1 by Michael Campbell, on Flickr The idea for this layout has formed over the last couple of years, with dozens of plans sketched, but this is the final design. Earlier variants tried packing more in - with a workshop or engine shed, but I settled on "less is more" as preserved or not, I want to capture the open remote feel of the location. As well as a run-round loop there is a bay platform for spare coaches or "special" trains, this is a truncation of the old goods siding as the goods shed will be the station cafe. Along the river bank the quarry exchange siding is now used for maintenance trains, with an old shipping container or similar used as a store. Of course there will be a car-park, and maybe a playground, but it will be a quiet sleepy place between trains. IMG_1978 by Michael Campbell, on Flickr Sketches are useful but I always like to do a full-size plan before starting work. A roll of lining paper, some downloaded plans of PECO points, and a spare length of flexi-track are the essentials. A few buildings and vehicles are used to get scale - though any suitably sized object will do - and some stock placed to check clearances and perspective. It's very easy to rub out lines and move things about until things are just right - and on a small layout like this, half an inch either way can make a big difference to the way things look, and work! IMG_2028 by Michael Campbell, on Flickr

Just found this thread, looks like it will be an interesting layout! I'm pleased to see you went for code 75 streamline, it will be more fitting for an industrial line, and set-track points wouldn't look so good. Plus if you had gone down to 1st radius curves 6-coupled locos may have struggled, never mind that you'd never couple or uncouple anything - a small issue for a shunting layout! With such a complex and compact plan, have you tried a full-size mock-up to check it all fits? I find it very helpful to check clearances and radii, and that points won't sit on board joints... As for baseboard construction, have you considered foam-core board? You get 4x A1 sheets for £10 at Hobbycraft - though you might need quite a lot! The construction is as you suggest for ply - a series of formers or cross members, running both ways across the board to form an egg-box, with track bases across the top at the levels required. The difference is it doesn't weigh a ton, and it's much less like woodwork - you just need a stanley knife, a steel ruler, and a hot glue gun (or PVA for bigger joins). This was a small triangular layout I built a couple of years ago. The problem with foam-core is that while constructed in this way it is surprisingly strong, it isn't tough to knocks and handling, so it needs to be "skinned" in thin ply or MDF. 3mm will do for fascias and in this case I used 3mm for a backscene too, though it needs to be well supported. For a larger backscene 6mm may be better. Set blocks of timber into the corners of the foam-board baseboard, then stick the cut fascias / ends / backscenes onto the foam with PVA and put screws through into the corner blocks. Now that's a very small layout, but I've used the same method this week to build this (incomplete but you get the idea) 4' 6" x 15" board. The top is pretty flat but for a dropped river bank at the front, but it works just as well for more open boards. I've yet to cut the front fascia. IMG_2631 by Michael Campbell, on Flickr Underneath you see some of the bracing, there's timber around the ends (though thicker ply wouldn't have needed so much support) and a couple of thin strips so the support structure doesn't dig into the foam. The fiddle yard (which is ply and weighs more than the layout) attaches with the split hinges which needed enough timber to give a stiff end-frame to make a secure join. But most of the stiffness is from the foam-core board, and it doesn't bend or twist. Yet so far the board is under 4kg. IMG_2633 by Michael Campbell, on Flickr I'm not saying this is the best way to do it, but it would suit such a 3-dimensional scheme well without weighing a ton or needing a degree in woodwork!

A quick google found that it is indeed a Bagnall wing tank, and perhaps the best known of them all, Excelsior previously of the Kerry Tramway.

Interesting photo. Looks like a Bagnall wing tank, the dome is unusual.

Good progress with the layout Stephen. I've stuck the tube for points down with a hot glue gun, or use track pins either side at intervals. 1015-10 - just haven't been able to find a UK supplier with them in stock for a while.

That magnetic operation sounds interesting. The failing of the loop-over-pin couplings is that the loops meet and don't slide over each other, or that they uncouple unexpectedly. They need setting at perfectly identical height and dead level, and work best with loops at one end of the stock only. That's part of the reason I switched to buckeyes. The Microtrains couplings are in 10 pair packs for around £12 - 60p each doesn't seem too bad. However that's the pack I can't seem to source in the UK at the moment!

Just bear in mind that the N-gauge division of Kadee was sold off years ago and is now Microtrains. You won't find Kadee couplings in N-gauge! As for track centres and loading gauges, these locos are ALL 2' gauge... Now, how long is a piece of string? I can't help with your L&B question I'm afraid, but if you don't get much luck here, try http://ngrm-online.com/forums/ - lots of narrow gauge knowledge there!

I use N-gauge buckeye couplers (by Microtrains, Kadee are HO and up). They're not particularly expensive, but I have found them increasingly difficult to get hold of. I can tell you more if you're interested, but as a starter and using a lot of RTR I'd suggest sticking with the standard type and seeing how you get on. For magnetic operation the Greenwich type are popular, and compatible (to a degree) with the BEMO and PECO type. The PECO 009 track is "streamline" and like the streamline range in other scales is not designed to set track centres, nor even connect to make a circle, as set-track does. A range of 009 set-track has recently been launched, but as yet the points are dead-frog and personally I'd avoid dead frogs unless you like dead locos. In any case, there is no standard for track centres of narrow gauge railways, just as there is no standard for loading gauge, platform height, etc... Do post some photos of your progress!

The Parkside VoR coach kits now come with a moulded roof. Even better the roof is available separately - see DP08: http://www.parksidedundas.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_PARKSIDE_DUNDAS__ACCESSORIES_.html

That's simple, hinge all the trees at their base so they fold flat for transport. Then once the boards are set up, pull on a cord and they all stand up...

Many years ago, in an April edition of Railway Modeller, there was an article describing an underground layout under the floor of the writer's house. Perspex floor-boards revealed the stations which were located in the hall-way, behind the TV, etc... Just an idea

Nice railway room, though I'm not sure what to make of "Domestic Harmony" being in separate rooms on opposite sides of the house...

Staple a piece of cloth between the fixed and hinged parts, so when folded over the cloth is taut across the gap. No forgetting the barrier then! It will of course hang loose when folded out, but underneath and out-of-sight. The MPV has run past the office a few times in the last couple of days.

It's amazing how much bigger the layout looks from that angle!

It struck me that in order to run trains from either oval to the station, and to be able to shunt the station while running trains on the main lines, the wiring for this train set was way beyond connecting a controller to each circuit! I decided I'd better allow for three controllers, even if two would suffice most of the time, which meant having to have rotary switches rather than just 2-way. I settled on 4 main sections that can be switched to any controller, and 7 sub-sections that allow locos to be isolated. Hopefully the control panels make this all clear, and it will allow enough flexibility in operation. I made up two control panels by printing out a schematic drawn in MS Word. These were mounted on some thick plastic sheet I'd picked up somewhere, then covered in sticky-back plastic (very Blue Peter!). I'd already drilled holes for the switches so they could be fitted, then I wired the switches to a loom ending in a screw terminal "choc-block" before fitting the panels to the layout. The panels are fitted into the side of the station board, the plywood being cut away to clear the switches and allow the wiring through. The Gaugemaster controller in the middle provides controllers A and B. With the screw connectors stuck in place (hot glue works well for this) wires are run to the relevant tracks on the layout, and the "temporary" connections of the two circuits to the controllers changed to the switched arrangement. Further screw terminal blocks were used on each board and wires run from the feed rails to them, via small holes next to the rail, then they were connected back to the blocks by each panel. As the boards are permanently joined I haven't bothered with connectors, though the cables could be released from the terminal blocks if needed, provided they were labelled to aid re-connection! As you can see different coloured wires are used to help identification, it certainly makes wiring up easier. For example I used: Blue: Common return (all outside rails) Red: Main switched sections Orange or Yellow (when I ran out): sub or isolating sections Plus whatever other colours I had to hand for the controller feeds. Another block connects the panels to the controllers, and joins all the "common returns" which greatly simplifies the wiring. There is a sticky label by each terminal block with wire codes marked on. The DIN plug on the left is connecting the third controller © to a 5-pin DIN socket. As I've used the same socket as on my other (more serious) layouts, and connected the 16V AC from the Gaugemaster controller, I can use one of my usual hand-held controllers, such as this AMR example (left). However I've also wired a plug to the end of an old Hornby controller, which works surprisingly well. Either way the third controller can be used by someone outside the layout, so friends (and visiting grown ups) can operate without having to squeeze into the centre well. So after a little planning and careful wiring, I was pleased when the layout worked first time. Even better my Son is very happy, he got the hang of the somewhat complex control knobs quite quickly, and he enjoys running trains in and out of the station from the main line. He's also enjoying shunting the goods sidings!

I'm a bit behind with the story of my son's train set, so let me finish the tale of track-laying. Of course it wasn't long after half-term I was being pestered to create the upper station. These are the tools I use: pliers and small hammer for the pins, the end-cutters and screwdriver are useful for levering out pins when required. The scalpel is for trimming sleepers and slicing off the "chairs" to let the rail joiners fit. The orange-handled cutters on the left are Xuron track cutters, for years I used a slitting disk in a mini-drill which is certainly effective but the trac cutters are quicker and quieter. A fine file is used to clean up the rail end. Talking of track pins, here's a comparison. At the centre are PECO pins, long and thin and frankly (IMHO) useless. They only really work with "Sundeala board" which is basically compressed paper, sags, disintegrates, and is generally useless as a baseboard top. Even then you need to drill the sleepers with a 0.5mm bit - never mind tedious you'll be forever breaking bits too! If you use set-track you'll find the pre-drilled holes too big. Also they often protrude through the baseboard, ready to slice fingers and knuckles! The bent pin tells it all - these area fast route to frustration. So for years I've preferred Hornby pins (top left), these are strong enough to be hammered into most baseboard surfaces (including ply) without a pre-drilled hole, and are a tight fit in set-track pin holes. They will go through a sleeper too, though pre-drilling is probably a better idea I rarely bother. The head is bigger and more visible, but when laying track on a "serious" layout I glue it, adding pins around the rails and sleepers to hold it, and pull them out afterwards. So many of these Hornby pins have been used several times already! When I was running low I popped into Gaugemaster (fortuitously quite local to us) to get more Hornby pins, but saw that Gaugemaster sell their own variant (GM66 if you are interested). These are very similar to the Hornby ones but with a flatter head, and you get more in a pack for similar money. They do a "PECO" style of pin too, but these shorter ones are the ones I'd recommend! Anyway here's the finished track layout, with platforms being fitted for the upper station. The next task was to wire it all up!

You might find this link useful: http://www.minitrains.eu/mt-tech.html All the "modern" Minitrains locos I've seen run superbly, it is really hard to believe how smoothly they run for such little locos. I've got a couple of F&C chassis awaiting "projects", but I've seen the 0-8-0 and other 0-4-0's running too.

Will be interesting to see how this works. My experience with the smaller but similar Microtrains couplings was that Neodymium magnets were too strong - attracting axles - but too short a range. The couplings either didn't move enough, or snapped to the magnets up-ending the wagon! Ferrite magnets are weaker but with a longer range, and seem better suited to these couplings - they don't attract axles much, but work the couplings better. The Kadee and Microtrains magnets are ferrite. I've used cupboard catch magnets in pairs, they can work under the sleepers if the baseboard material and ballast isn't too dense. The method of raising them looks very cunning!

I promised a picture of the board in the folded-away position, so here it is! The protrusion into the room is quite small - around 12", and doesn't block the window. There's space for some storage underneath too, though admittedly it isn't pretty! The black strips you can see are foam pipe lagging, to soften the blow when crawling under the layout and coming up too soon! This is a close-up of the rear leg and the frame that holds it off the wall, the pivot bolt can be seen. Above it the front leg hangs, and in this picture the safety catch is not in use! So base-board done there was pressure to lay some track! First the board was painted grey (with emulsion tester pots) where the track was to go, realistically ballasting isn't going to be high on the priority list but a grey base looks better than plywood. The end curves are 2nd and 3rd radius set-track and the points to the inner "loop" line are Hornby set-track, but the crossover and the branch to the upper level use Peco Streamline, and the straights are flexi-track. There's no 3rd radius set-track point (a major omission I think), so I used a 2' radius streamline point which is a little larger in radius but flows well. The transition between point and straight, and the inner track at this location, were laid in flexi-track to match. Laying flexi-track and streamline points takes more work - trimming sleepers and carefully lining up the rails - but the result looks better and runs well too. Much of the track came from my train-set around the loft of my parents house, it has since spent many years in their shed too, so was well tarnished, nothing would run on it. Some vigorous cleaning with a track rubber and fibreglass pencil brought back the shine and (more importantly) the electrical conductivity. That last photo also shows the Gaugemaster double-controller set under the upper level. I wired one control to the inner track and the other to the outer track, and so we (just) had trains running by half-term!

Yes, it certainly is! With the baseboards made it was time to assemble them together. This is not a portable layout, so they were clamped together then big screws used to fix them. I guess it could come apart in the future, though I won't be worrying about splitting track or wiring at baseboard joins as that would significantly complicate things. The front and rear profiles were cut from two pieces of ply, and screwed in place spanning the board joins, hopefully making the whole thing rigid. The next trick is to pivot the board to the wall. I made up a simple frame for each rear corner: a batten screwed to the wall with a weight-bearing leg spaced away from the wall about a foot. It is this leg that the layout is bolted to with 10 mm bolts and locking nuts. The front corners simply have a leg attached also with a single bolt, so they fold down the side of the layout as it goes vertical. The layout down, the wall-battens can be seen against the wall but they don't carry the weight of the layout. The double-deck front part of the layout adds to the strength. Underneath the layout the step/box I made recently can be seen, allowing children to operate the layout and see what they are doing, as the lower track is about 3' from the ground. A close-up of one of the hing bolts, which is set about 10" into the layout. The leg is in the foreground, the wall batten can be seen behind. I forgot to take a picture of the layout stored upright, and now I'm not allowed to put it away (!), but as stowed the board is allowed to go slightly past the vertical so it gently leans on the wall. A pair of risers on the side of the layout, topped with a piece of felt to prevent marking, rest against the wall. The main weight of the layout goes down the rear legs, but enough weight is over-centre pushing against the wall to mean it isn't going to fall down. Nonetheless, just to make sure, a couple of catches are fitted to the wall battens. This simply pivot onto a protruding screw head at the side of the layout, and mean it cannot be pulled down. I left a cut-out under the rear of the front station board, where the station will be at a high level, and fitted a shelf. My old Gaugemaster "D" controller, which my Dad bought me for my train-set when I was a kid, fits nicely into the gap. It is secured with some wood strips all round and above, and a couple of large washers. When the layout is stowed upright this is pointing down, so the washers are pretty vital!

We'd arranged the room so one wall was mostly free, and I figured the best approach would be a board that folded up against the wall. I'd suggested this for my Nephew a couple of years ago and the concept (as expertly built by my sister-in-law) seems to work well. I worked out the space available was about 7' 6" long by 4' 6" wide, leaving space to access bed and wardrobes even when the layout was down - which should allow it to stay up overnight. It's also a reasonable size for a layout I thought, so I doodled a few plans which he looked at, thought about, then he gave me his brief: A double track oval for running trains - and including his sister or friends A high-level track, ideally with bridge A big station with lots of platforms Goods sidings A second station A turntable and engine shed Phew, a demanding customer! Now the space doesn't seem so big. A few more sketches later I had an idea, so tome for a full-size plan to check. Lining paper was laid out and boxes of track dug out the garage: It's ambitious but seems to work, so I got a couple of 8' x 4' sheets of 9mm Ply. I'd worked out the main board sizes I needed so I could get the timber merchants to cut it, which also meant I could get them in the car! The layout is made of 4 boards: 2 of 4' 7" by 2", one 3' 6" by 21" and one 3' 6" by 14", and all include some aspect of double-levels. Mostly cross-framing is using 2" x 1" timber but ply was used on the more complex sections, with smaller timber for screwed joints. Ply fascias on the outside are considered part of the framing, and the extra depth adds strength, while the double-deck section should add rigidity along the length of the board too. This took me quite a while, which is when I realised I'd never built a layout this large or complex before! Well, not since that layout round my parent's loft, and my Dad built the boards. Anyway here are the four boards laid out together, the rising line and upper section are clear. The front and rear fascias have yet to be fitted, as they will be cut in two sections and bridge the gaps between the three boards, adding rigidity. Note that the front has been given a slightly curved frontage to push the middle board out, easing the curve on the rising line and maximising the access hole in the middle. More soon...!