jamest

Hi, I too am tempted by the lure of O gauge so I'll watch your efforts with interest - the 08 looks good. I have planned to convert an old triang Hymek using a detail kit but I'm afraid I am very tempted by the new Heljan 25, but I'm still getting my head around next to £500 for a loco! You seem to have made a good start and have the sense to take baby steps in O before committing to much space or money. All the best, James

Hi all, Time for another update. Next was the pavements and dreaded double yellows: Those photos are a little cruel as the light shows up the joins a little more than is normally obvious. I've also added the retaining wall to the upper section, ready to place the polystyrene bank against: Next the rough polystyrene shapes are added with pva and allowed to dry, before cutting to shape: I decided to add a 6mm mdf sheet to the front of the layout contoured to the terrain shape after I had shaped it with a knife - mainly because I was not exactly sure what would look right before I cut it. Regards, James

Hi, Thanks for the updates - really inspirational stuff. And you get the award for understatement of the year with "Usual weathering job" :-) Regards, James

Hi, Looking forward to seeing this develop - you sure can fit a nice continuous run in a convenient space with N gauge. all the best, James

Hi again, Hmmm yes Colin, you could have a series of layouts in a drawer set-up - but think I'll settle for one for now! More updates - remember this is much further on in reality, but I want to record it in a step by step fashion in case it is vaguely helpful for others.... I wanted to switch the hidden point from the front - cheaply. I got a 'rod' from my kids old tent that we were chucking out and used some solid core wire from some old electrical cable (the same stuff I used on Bratton Lane). The wire has the added bonus that it is strong and stiff without being too stiff - it will absorb the force from any enthusiastic point changes. I did clear a hole underneath the tie bar hole on the front point but I decided to leave it 'Hand of God' operated - I did muse over interlocking the mechanism in some way, but I want to cover it and forget it - so I want it as simple, robust and reliable as possible. I like to use scalescenes papers but the road needs to knik a bit - I know some have the ability to muck about with pdfs on the computer but I need to rely on the manual method of cutting slight angles and using the 'polygon approach': I decided to have the right hand bridge off the back-scene to add a little depth. I wanted to see how the undergrowth worked around the entry point but another option was a pedestrian bridge in parallel to the road bridge. Here is the road bridge in place, the 6mm ply was a direct substitute for the scalescenes card deck - I just covered it in concrete paper: Over on the station side I've created the pillars to support the peco girders, and the platform surface that fades out under the road into a subterrainian station: The stepped walling under the surface is to cover the wooden support but also suggests a hidden staircase. And here is a overall view - just three feet long! All the best, James

Hi all, I was not going to show this one online but, as usual, what started as a quick project has grown into something else! Background - I am thinking about new projects, possibly in O gauge. To generate some more cash I thought I could combine some of my excess 'inventory' (or crap depending on your viewpoint) and sell that on too. I have some track and a large radius point in N left over from my earlier attempt in the scale for my Son's Christmas pressie. I also have some spare ply and softwood so I thought I could knock something up for someone to buy and continue. I went with a previous arrangement of a back-scene down the middle of a 3' x 2' board with end caps of ply making a 'I' profile. This enables me to stand the layout on its end to help with storage. I was going to have a loop and a siding but decided to invest in a £3 second hand point and introduce a loop so that two trains can be managed with one controller in DC. I've also added feeds to the loops if DDC is required and all the track needs to be live. So here is the basic structure: I wanted to enable the layout to be stored vertically or horizontally: Fiddle yard/non-scenic side: Scenic side: I have blased the track with sleeper grime and ballasted with fine grey ballast: So I have primed the wood, laid the track directly on the ply, sprayed with sleeper grime on the scenic side (curved point) and ballasted. The plan was not to go much further than this and let whoever wanted it do the rest........but I sold all my N gauge rolling stock I had previously a few years ago to fund some OO stuff. Although I tested the wiring integrity with my trusty light-blub and crocodile clips, I thought I needed a train to test it - after all I could always sell it with the layout....right? So I bought a Dapol class 153 in northern livery second hand from my local shop for £45. Its a lovely model, DDC ready, with working lights, and a lovely level of detail (in my pretty uniformed opinion). And fatally I started Playing.....I mean testing.....the loops. So I was bitten by N again and decided to finish the layout, and......maybe....sell it! I'm a little disappointed I sold my N gauge stock now - note to self - I must keep things longer before deciding what to do with them! I have moved on to the end but to avoid a mammouth post I'll update this over the next few days. Regards, James

Hi David, Good progress indeed - the wiring doesn't look to bad to me - but my mantra tends to be "as long as it works, its ok". Which is fine until you have to troubleshoot something! The coaches look great - I remember being impressed with your weathering on the stock I saw on Poldeen at Minehead. All the best, James

Hi Scott, Different things suit us at different times of our lives. Sounds like you have a good circle of friends who will let you play trains if the urge returns. Might be a bit late, but don't sell all your rolling stock if you have the room to store it, you never know what you might fancy doing in the future and you can bet it will be twice as expensive to buy again. All the best, James

Hi Andy, Good luck with the sale, I've enjoyed watching the layout progress, and I'm looking forward to your next. Regards, James

Hi David, It was great to meet you today and put a face to a thread/layout. Really impressed by Poldeen in the flesh, and the quality of weathering on your stock. I'm still learning about the real railway and it was nice to sit (it would have been a bit low for me otherwise :-)) and watch the multiple moves available. I know you were the first to admit the activity was a bit intense for a remote terminus but it certainly has a lot of operational interest. I'll be keeping an eye on your progress with Fort William, and I hope our paths cross again in the future. Regards, James

Great advert for N gauge - what you fit into 10 feet is amazing. But that is the only Clue as to the gauge - when you look/photo in close I defy anyone (unless you are a real expert) to tell whether it is N, OO or O. Absolutely superb - the 'best' on here is a subjective thing - but this has to be right up there. Thanks for sharing your methods/work Regards, James

Hi, I can only add to the compliments - that is as impressive as I've seen in 4X2. From some of the other comments I guess this is your thing (layouts in small places) - you've definately mastered it! It is a nice track plan too - it would transfer up well for the space starved modeller in OO. Regards, James

Hi, Looking forward to seeing this in the flesh at Minehead soon. Regards, James

Hi andy, Great job - I've enjoyed the progress and development of the layout. I make it 2 and a half months since early April though! That explains your progress though - you've had an extra month over the rest of us! All the best, James

Hi, Not a bad effort for a side project! Fantastic work on the station building - it looks great. Enjoying following your progress - your photo's are also well thought out and executed. regards, James

Hi Martyn, Thanks for the info - nothing wrong with a nice hand drawn track plan - most of us are not neat enough with the pencil to publish our scribbling's until they are transferred to a program! I had not noticed the alternative exit to the fiddle yard until I saw the track-plan and re-examined the photos. I thought it looked like the scenic section was longer than 8 feet, but my guess was 12 - you've done a cracking job in the space available. I particularly like the idea of a dis-used turntable. Looking forward to following your progress. Cheers, James

Hi, Thanks for sharing this - cracking layout with lots of nice touches and scenes. Do you have a track-plan? you can get a reasonable idea from your photo's - but I love a trackplan :-) Could I also ask the dimensions of the layout? I'm not aiming to copy it - but I always like to get an idea of what can be achieved in certain spaces. Regards, James

Hi, Some great work there - I'm always watching and never commenting - but I have to say I love the gentle flow of the track work through the crossing and into the station. and now the scenery is filling in around it looks ever better. regards, James

Can I also ask the length of the layout - Are those halves four feet?, i.e. 8 feet long Regards, James

Hi, You have made great progress - which is probably down to good planning! Do you plan to have strictly freight only? You seem to hint at that in your early posts. I only ask because the area to the right looks like it could have a platform. Whatever this ticks a lot of boxes for me - I'll watch with interest. All the best, James

Hi, I have followed this thread from the start, as this layout ticks a lot of boxes for me, and you have executed the build to a very high standard. Great to know that you will be visiting an exhibition near to me - I will definitely be at Minehead this year. I was there last year with Bratton Lane - it is a great venue. And congrats on the magazine article too. All the best, James

Hi, This is quite simply a fantastic layout. I read the list of layouts at shows but I don't always put names to pictures. I was very happy to notice above that you are in Taunton this weekend. This is worth the trip from North Devon alone. Look forward to seeing it in the flesh. Regards, James

Hi, Thanks for the info on the lifting sections. Regards, James

Hi, I too am very interested in the storage area as you seem to have given it a lot of thought - and executed it really well. I want to go around my garage with something to watch the trains go by soon - I won't be using reverse loops but I might well incorporate some lifting sections. I still need/want to keep the car in there and I'd like to be able to get out of it after driving it into the garage! Any more info on the hinged/removal side of things would be most helpful. Although my hinged sections will be in the scenic side of the circuit. Oh yeah - your scenic side is progressing well too - I will follow with interest, good luck. Regards, James

Yes, Minehead is definitely in my range! I'll be there with my layout Bratton Lane next week - Driving very gingerly across Exmoor to get there. I'll keep an eye on this, and future, layout threads. Regards, James