YorkshireLad

For me I like finding new ways of doing things, I'll still have toggle switches. Connecting it to Alexa makes it possible for me to automate it so it will run a scene every hour on the hour. I wanted to do that as a little display for people to see from the outside

I'm currently in the middle of making my flat a Smart Home. I thought "why not link my railway too". Obviously I can't adjust the speed but I just wanted it to switch it on and off

The layout now has a base colour and ready for track. It's amazing how much of a difference abit of paint makes

Hey everyone, I've not had time to do much because I wanted to sort a proper workspace for my tinkering. I've now finished and have plenty of space for my tools and materials. Also plenty of power sockets, lighting even eve. A 12v socket for testing when I do electrical stuff. I've started the landscaping round the tunnel using expanding foam. So I can access inside incase a train details or something I've made the top removable. Once I have the basic shape I'll be covering with plaster bandage.

Started making the supports for the huge bridge that will run all the way across the window, over the top of the lower figure of 8. This is just 1/3 of how long it will be. I'm using the Park Square Tram Bridge in Sheffield as inspiration. The bridge will have 2 lanes of track across it

It's been a while since I've updated because I've been finishing the TV unit I started. My livingroom is slowly taking shape like I planned. Here's the TV unit finished Today my plan was to get the baseboard sorted for the figure of 8 on my windowsill. It doesn't look very tidy but I'm happy with it because I've done it myself with only a little help from friends and family. Next up I need to make the track supports for the inclines. Once I've made them I'll be adding the supports for the huge bridge that will run all the way across the window.

Never thought of that, I'll see what I can do lol

I contacted my local MP to ask if I could get a copy of the blueprints for a local bridge I wanted to copy to cover the gap across my window. Well today I received them and the bridge is way too small to fill the gap. Which is gutting because my MP said if I managed it they'd love to use it for some publicity. My options are either find another bridge to reach the full 1700mm gap or use some creative licence and extend the replica by doing 3 arches instead of 1 each arch is 500mm scaled down to ngauge). Any suggestions welcome.

Just started a blog with pictures of my plans

As mentioned elsewhere on the forum, my partner left me last year and totally emptied my flat of everything. Instead of taking her to court I decided to use it as a blank canvas and do anything Id like to do. Originally I planned to have a single track running round my living room just gojng round. After realising you wouldnt be able to see it I made the decision to build it at waist height. Starting at one side of the door and going all the way round to the other side of the door. I then thought if Im going to do that I might aswel run 2 double tracks. Then i had to think how it would go past the living room window. My idea is to extend the window sill inwards so its large enough for a simple figure of 8 with a couple of sidings. I could then build a bridge from the shelf on one side of the window, over the window layout and to the shelf on the other side. So people outside can enjoy it too. I started by measuring the entire flat and drew a floor plan. Next up was to plan the size of the shelves and the window baseboard. As i had to extend the window sill inwards I thought it would be good to add shelves underneith to display my Scalextric collection. As I have plenty of spare wood left I also decided to build a media unit to go under my TV, which will be mounted to the wall. The media unit has x2 small drawers at the top for my record singles as Ive started to collect vinyl. At the bottom in the centre is a larger drawer for my albums with shelves either side to store blurays. Then shelves in the centre for a bluray player, games console and my record player. This is how far Ive got sofar. This is how I hope it will look. Its going to take me a while though as my hands are badly deformed due to my Arthritis. Alot of the fun for me is drawing plans as I like to have an idea how Id like things before I do anything

Now that sounds like a very kind offer thanks and I think I'll take you up on that haha. I'll just wait till I get my new phone because then I'll know if I have enough cash left to put diesel in my car lol

I dont have either of those. She took those too so at the moment I'm using a mobile that cost me 75p brand new from EE that only does calls & texts. I've been waiting toll I got my debts under control which I now have, so tomorrow I'll be getting a new phone

I find it funny because she even emptied out the "Crap Drawer" in the kitchen and even took the door mat too haha. I was born with severe arthritis and last year I was struggling with depression caused by the arthritis and my medication and had a breakdown. After talking to my mum I agreed to go to a clinic to get my mental health sorted, so I was away for 5month. This was the moment she chose to leave. The thing is my health is now the best its ever been, im average weight which I've never been (I've never been over 7stone, I'm now 10.9), my arthritis is under control and my mental state is the best its ever been. What I love about model railways is that there is always something new to learn and its pushing me to try new things, such as I'm building my own furniture that will not only display my slotcar collection but also doubles up as a baseboard for the railway. My hands are deformed due to the arthritis but that hasn't stopped me buying a circular saw to do all the wood cutting myself. Im doing so well that my rheumatology Dr has also asked to use pictures of my hands and the work I've done in her lectures to show her students at uni how its still possible to do things with a disability

Guess its a good job I'm woman free now then as I have more money to play with now hahaha, bet my trains will be more reliable too!

I was thinking of a Raspberry Pi system but I've never used one, I'm not scared of learning new things though. Also soldering doesn't scare me either, I'm not great but I can do it haha. If you want to see some of my other crazy projects search Youtube for "Pimp My Wheelchair Project", I can't copy and paste the link because at the moment I'm browsing the forum using my smart TV which doesn't allow copy&paste. But I think you will like it

Well she left me with a completely empty flat so I figured this was the perfect time to do something that will keep my mind occupied and she's left me with a completely black canvas. Just means I have to spread my funds between refurnishing my flat and this project, so this gives me extra time to plan everything so I do everything right the 1st time

I actually get a lot of enjoyment from just making the plans so I'm taking my time with this. Ive started making the unit for the window ledge and have been working just on that for weeks to make sure its perfect. As Ive had to extend the window ledge from 280mm to 500mm the unit will also have shelves under it to display my slotcar collection so it has multiple uses. This using is also on caster wheels so I'll be able to get behind it as all the electronics will be hidden behind this too. Really wish I had a scanner now so I could share my plans hahaha. I know its going to be expensive but that is fine as it means I can just do a bit on it at a time and learn as I go. I didn't want a plan that would be done in a couple of month

Hi everyone. In another post I've mentioned my plan to build a layout that will run on 180mm deep shelves all the way round my livingroom. There will also be a small figure of 8 layout on my livingroom window ledge which I've extended to be 500mm deep. Where the shelving layout runs across the window I will be making that into a replica of a local tram bridge to go over the window ledge layout. The idea is to have a layout that will be visible from outside so others can enjoy it too, so I want to make it fully automated so every hour the layout will run for 5-10min automatically. The shelving layout will run round the entire livingroom with the trains going back and forth automatically (not a full circuit layout due to the door). My local MP is helping me get a copy of the plans for the "Sheffield Park Square Tram Bridge" so my replica can be done perfectly to scale. I'm calling this plan 'Going Full Roy Cropper Style", for anyone that doesn't watch soaps Roy Cropper is a character on the soap Corrie who when his wife died he went a little crazy and built a huge layout filling his entire livingroom. Well last year my partner left me while I was in hospital and totally emptied my flat of everything so I came home to an empty flat. Instead of taking her to court etc I'm using this as an opportunity to start from scratch and do what I want and this plan is part of my recovery to hope focus my mind to stop my depression taking control of me. In my other thread I was advised that I will be able to do full automation using the Hornby Railmaster system, but before I buy one I want to check a few things 1st as I like to have everything planned before I do anything. Ive drawn plans of the entire thing and even done technical drawings with all the measurements for everything, when I can get access to a scanner I'll share them as I'm impressed with them myself haha. 1, Do I need a computer to do the automation, or can I do it using just a tablet? I only have a smartphone and tablet. 2, How do the trains know where to stop at stations before switching direction? I've read somewhere that using timers won't work because the speed trains travel at can be different each day depending on temperature etc. 3, would the tablet need to be switched on constantly for it to work? 4, Is there anything else you think I should know? I'm new to DCC

Today me and my uncle went to Rails for the 1st time since the new 2nd hand area was reopened. I could have spent hours in there, I love it

Always makes me feel proud to be from Sheffield and for as long as I remember Rails have always had a great service, I love searching through their 2nd hand section which I believe has been reopened at the store

Oh my god, think I just got a little too excited after watching a video of the Hornby Rail master system, I had no idea all that is now possible. As my ex left me with an empty flat I'm starting from scratch and making as much as I can into a "Smart Flat". All my lighting, heating, locks, window blinds will be controlled by voice and my phone, I'm also making it so if I have a bad day with my Arthritis and I can't get out of bed I can open my front door from my bed so I can still let visitors in or accept deliveries (Arthritis at 31 sucks). So if I can get my model railway just as automated as my flat it will be amazing with them all working together. I've contacted my local MP and he's going to try and get me the proper technical drawings of the bridge I plan on building infront of the window so I can make it perfect.

When I can use a scanner I'll post the drawings I've done for my plans. As I'm having to expand the windowsill so the figure of 8 track will fit I'm fitting shelves under it that will also display my slotcar collection (the only thing she didn't take as I've always told her they are my nephews inheratence)

Hi everyone, I wonder if you can help with a crazy idea I have. In August last year my partner left me and I had a breakdown and for my own safety I went to spend 5month in a private clinic to get my head sorted. I've had a long problem with depression due to been severely disabled and my medication has a side effect of causing depression. While I was there my ex totally cleared out the flat so I came home to nothing. Now I'm not really bothered about that as I'm using it as a reason to make a fresh start and do what I want with the flat instead of getting told what to do with it, as my ex used to do. I'm now thinking a lot clearer and happier now that I've realised I'm better off without her. Part of my recovery my counsellor said I needed to think of ways to keep my mind occupied so I've decided to do what I'm calling "doing a full Roy Cropper". For anyone who doesn't watch soaps, Roy cropper is a character from the soap Correnation Street who loves trains. When his wife died he locked himself away in his flat and built a model railway covering his living room. Originally I was planning on fitting a dado rail round the walls of my livingroom wide enough for a single ngauge track to run round the top. As usual and I'm sure many of you will know know the feeling, plans change and expand. So now I've drawn up plans to fit a 180mm shelf running round the edge of my living room starting at one side of the door all the way round to the otherside of the door. Due to the height it will need to be to go over the backs of my sofas and the radiator the shelf will run across the front window. To support this I've expanded my idea to include a small figure of 8 layout that will go on the window ledge which is 1700mm wide and will be expanded to 500mm deep so a figure of 8 using R1 curves will fit. The gap between the shelves on the walls will then be connected by a 1700mm bridge running over the window layout. The bridge will be a replica of a tram bridge in Park Square, Sheffield. So from outside my window should look amazing. The shelf layout will have a 4track station at one side of the door that then has 2 lanes going all the way round the living room to a 2track station and 2track maintenance hut at the other side of the door. All this I've drawn up technical drawings for and I think I've covered all the issues I'd have. My only problem is the electronics because I'd like to try and get it to run by itself. Would it be possible to have 2 trains running along the shelf track back and forth for 10min on the hour throughout the day? I know the window layout I can just use a standard controllor plugged into a timer at the mains, but how could I get the shelf trians to run back and forth and still allow me to change the points at the station so I can select which platform they will stop at? This is a huge project for me and it will take me a while to do it as I'm going to have to buy abit of track at a time when ever I have some funds spare, but I want to make sure I have everything planned. Sorry for the long post and thank you for taking the time to read it all.