jbmccarthy

Looking forward to seeing more. Will be following with interest.

Looks fantastic!

Managed to get some time this evening, and after a rummage in the garage, I found my soldering iron! So I have prepared the three points for the layout by wiring them up, three wires two at the foot of the point for power, while there is another for the frog. It took me a while checking I had the right colours the correct way round for the polarity, double and triple-checking. I spent this time being reminded how awful I am at soldering, and why I went into software and not electronics!

Apart from the countless times, I burnt my fingers, there were some other victims tonight, and those were some of the sleepers at the bases of the points. I must have had the iron there for too long and ended up melting the sleepers. I'm hoping that I will be able to either fix them or make them less obvious once laid on the track. 

1 hour ago, d&h said:

Noticed that the stationers Ryman had the wrapping paper box on offer at the weekend, you need to buy two though!

Having to buy two is fine. Just give you an excuse to start a second box layout! Can't have a box empty!

So on Saturday, I went to the Warley exhibition, and it was great fun. I was also lucky enough to be able to pick up a baseboard from Scale Model Scenery, I'm really pleased with it, and was really please with their customer service. Last night I decided I couldn't wait and went ahead and build the baseboards, and get a general idea. Everything is easier to visualise when it's in front of you.

I also got some trains out, along with some points to get an idea of what my layout plan would look like.

I have given the sidings more room, hoping that this doesn't look too cramped and linear. However now seeing trains and track on the baseboard, I believe that I might have to make scenery changes, as I might have planned for more depth than I actually have. 

I'm still going to have a factory on this side of the layout for the two sidings to really serve. I also still like the idea of the siding at the rear, in this case with the 16T mineral wagons to disappear into the factory, even if only a little. While where the vans are, I will be having a loading platform. The space in the foreground of the two little sidings, my thinking is to have some sort of road entrance, which will allow lorries to load and serve the factory. However I'm not completely sure, but this space is nice to have, and not having it filled with more track I like.

On the right-hand side of the layout, there is a small kickback siding for stabling an engine. Even if it's to get it out the way for a larger engine to come and collect the 5 wagons at the end of the game. This line will exit the yard where the furthest point is located under a small road bridge.

Off to a flying start. What size is this? I will be following with interest. 

I think it looks great. What are you not happy about? I can't see any issues. 

Hello and welcome. Look forward to seeing your layout idea come through. 

5 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

No Muddy, No Underlay as the Locos will be at Crawl Speed, and certainly no Ballast Shoulder as it's a Yard, and so the will be some in filling between some Tracks to lose some Sleepers in the Ash / Cinder / Ballast that forms most Yards.

Looking forward to seeing you do this effect as it's similar to what I want to achieve.

1 hour ago, Moxy said:

 

Really Useful Products have a link here to their stockists, but if you find one locally, I'd recommend ringing them before you go.  Not all shops will have all the boxes in stock.  I'm sure the last one I bought (not a 77L one) was from The Range, but I can't see Really Useful Boxes on their website at the moment.

 

HTH

 

Moxy

2 minutes ago, noctilux2 said:

I always get mine from Hobbycraft if that helps.

Thanks for the retail suggestions, luckily both the range and hobbycraft are located near me. I will be sure to check them out after work. Thank you very much.

12 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

one of the most important layouts in the whole history of railway modelling

Why is this? Could I have bit of background please. 

14 hours ago, luke the train spotter said:

I've never built a parkside kit before and it was an absolute dream. It's currently standing in white primer waiting for the paint shop.

The van looks great. You said it went together well, would this be something a complete begginer could do?

3 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

has anyone used such sprays for track and advise of pitfalls to avoid? 

The only down side I can see is when it comes to laying the points. It might be best to not use a spray when laying those, as you'll have to ensure that the sleeper that moves the point isn't glued.

59 minutes ago, noctilux2 said:

Note:  these boxes are very easily attainable at this particular time of year.

So I need to purchase the 77 litre version of a useful box for my SMS baseboard. I don't really want to order it from amazon, as the delivery drivers round my way like to throw things over the fence.

Do you know of any phyiscal retailers where I would be able to purchase one of these? I'm sturggling to find a store.

23 minutes ago, jetmorgan said:

Right started the first of my layout threads....Ball Spond Road. Posted some of the early pictures of the baseboard building but more to come

Thanks, I have found the thread. Have started following that, it's off to a great start.

Watching this layout develop with interest. Some great wood work there.

10 hours ago, jetmorgan said:

Thanks for that...more pics to come in the next day or so. Not so sure about the great modelling as I'm back to being a beginner. Also have to start some threads for my other modelling efforts, including 2 layouts so will have to start those as well this weekend.

Look forarwd to more pictures. When you have started the threads for the other layouts please share them here, would like to follow those as well.

Such a great scene will start following this with interest. Some great modelling here.

Great, really liked your last one. Looking forward to seeing this one progress!

Like the plan, and the idea of a shuttle. For laying the cork I'm planning on using copydex however I'm not sure if its appropriate for foam. 

I look forward to seeing this layout progress. 

Hello, and welcome.

On 19/11/2019 at 07:07, Jerry1975 said:

Hi,

 

Sounds good to me, the area bottom left, you could have a crossing for access and possibly some sort of yard office or possibly a unloading / loading area with a crane or fork lift truck or just a wide crossing and a low relief building bottom left that would go flush with the backscene if you have one, just some ideas.

 

Jerry

Thank you for your input, I really like the idea of a yard office, with some access to the wider world. Also if there is some space after this some low relief industrial building, with a loading point on the shared access road.

On 19/11/2019 at 07:33, CloggyDog said:

Tim Horn is still very much in business, despite his website woes. Had a delivery from him within the past month. 

 

Ping him an email, I know he keeps the more popular boards in stock and his baseboards are top quality in both design and material and o together very easily. 

Thanks, I will keep him in mind for my next project. However, for this project, I have completely settled on the SMS layout in a box baseboard.

16 minutes ago, sb67 said:

 

Not a silly question at all! 

The sector plate is on a strip of ply that sit's on top of the baseboard and pivots on a screw at one end. The rest of the track is laid on cork tiles which bring the level up to the sector plate. As there's only one track on it I've just put stop blocks so when it's pushed in either direction it lines up with the tracks. 

Hope that make sense, I've posted a pic which might help.

 

Steve.

 

Thanks for answering this. I very new to all this still, so not sure what is what. The sector plate from this angle really clears things up.

1 hour ago, Andrew P said:

It was a couple of things, and if you compare the two plans it will help you to understand my thinking.

The first being the right hand Fiddle Yard and in particular the wall that separates it from the Layout, and it looked quite intimidating and compressing that end of the Layout, especially once there are Buildings on top.

The second was it's operation, bear in mind, it will be at home 99% of the time, so I'll be operating from the Front for a better visual experience. So viewing inside the Fiddle Yard and changing the Point proved problematic after some push testing with Stock.

The last very lame excuse is the excuse to bring in and shunt Fuel Tanks for re filling the Main Tank and also more Light Engine Movements.

The Layout looks more open and Rural now.

 

Thanks for asking the question.

Thanks for the insight into the design process. Just goes to show a good level of testing and incremental design is the best approach.