Lee m22 Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Hi! Thanks for taking a look at my new layout plan I've been working on a lump of a layout for sometime, intended to get my ever growing stock list run in and to practice (hopefully discover) my skills in N gauge. Unfortunatly, funds are being push away from the railway and so It's been rather dormant over the last few months. The good news is I'm always planning 4 layouts ahead (im a dreamer ) and instead of staring at the unfinished bulk, Ive decided to make something out of a rather large surplus of track, wood and other baseboard hardware. I'm not good at keeping to brief, but none-the-less, I've got one. I've decided the first thing I need is something with some operational ability.....for them times you just want to play trains! I want the plan to cater for the variety of stock that I've collected so far...Loco-hauled Mk1s and DMU passenger services, and a varied freight operation. The layout needs to be relatively portable...the last baseboard was overly heavy and not portable in any way, shape or form! My initial plan was something that fitted on an Ironing board (don't hold me to that!) Most improtantly, the boards have to be made with the materials I've got to hand. The base building stage will be on a budget of £0! Born is the idea then for Hare's Run! Named after the lane my parents live on, Hare's Run, is a small single platform terminus and a small yard. The station is set on the edge of a small town, with the yard now being pulled up and used less and less. The single line and headshunt for the yard disappear under the bridge into the fiddle yard...unsure how I'm going to do that bit yet. Aside the passenger service, there will be a freight working into the yard from a small rail served industry (off scene). The freight is to be brought down and held in the main siding for holding, until finally being assembled in the loop for a mainline loco to collect. A second siding will be overgrown and rarely used, while a 3rd has been ripped up altogether! A few remnants of yard life hopefully scattered to complete the scene. The mock-up I'm certainly no expert on the track layout, but I'm assuming this is pretty prototypical? Please any feedback or suggestions greatly appreciated! As the frame will have to be made out of a rather heavy wood, I've decided to use the polyfoam board to make the top surface. I'll raise the foam about an inch aboove the wooden surround frame. I quite like the idea of adding some ditches and slopes into the scene, so the foam should be handy for that. The fiddle yard will be a seperate frame, and Im unsure if I'll make a traverser or a cassette based system yet. Dc to start with, but I can't be without digital control so I'll be building with a future conversion to DCC in mind. Off to start making the boards now. More pictures to follow as it takes shape. All feedback and suggestions most welcome! Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elagage56 Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 hi this looks a cool project, i'll be interested to see what you can do in "N" based around a very similer plan to my own. you should be able to build up some good scenery around the trackplan in that space. i like the idea of ditches/slopes. myself i find "N" to small, having already come down from 1/35 armor modeling to 1/76 "OO". i'll look forward to the next pics, how are the baseboards coming along? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 Hi Yes, they are quite similar! Given a choice, I would (and always have) choose 00 over N. I'm far more confident building up the scenery and a bit of scratch building on something just a little bigger! Having said that, I've also got a never-ending desire for full length trains, and I think N is the only place I can achieve that in an average room. (one day, HSTs and Merry go rounds!) Plenty of additional space left for the rest of the scene here too. (rather daunting that I now have to try and make all that scenic clutter!) I've set the foamboard 30mm above the wooden frame. I'll taper the front down so the scenic area will actually stretch to the edge of the wood. I might fill the station end in with some spare foam, just to get that extra inch of space. The fiddle yard end will allow me to set screws into the wood frame, then solder the rails to them, again, infilling with foam. I will add an overbridge to disguise the fiddle yard, and have the scenic backboard mounted on the fiddle yard board. That way, it will be very easy to extend the layout with a second scenic board. Pictures! I doubt the HEA's or intercidy liveried mk'1s will be regular visitors to the scene, but I couldn't help myself to get them out the boxes finally! I've not decided if/how I'll motorise the points yet. Was considering a manual system, but I thing transfering the movement through two inces of foam will be asking for trouble.....probably just end up cutting the foam out and mounting the motors directly to the point bases. will be better in the DCC long run I guess! Now for the fiddle board to be built Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonas Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Lee, Plan looks great! I think you've got a good balance there, plenty to do to stop you getting bored when operating, yet plenty of space to enjoy making all those scenic bits. It's going to be great! Now get some track pinned down before July and perhaps my 08 can make the long journey up from Hereford! Stevo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 Thanks Steve. I'm sure your 08 will be most at home nudging a few wagons to and throw over here. I'll be hunting the rents house for spare point motors on thursday before I fly off to Dublin. Might have to wait til next week for some progress, but fingers crossed, it will be swift after that! Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 6, 2011 Author Share Posted July 6, 2011 At last, I've started laying some track today! As mentioned before, this layout is on a very tight budget. I've done away with my dreams of digital controlled point motors and replaced them with bits of old rail, re-enforced with brass wire and contained within drinking straws. Hi-tec me! I've only got around a foot down in 6 hours. A good sign for me, as norrmally I'd be rushing this stage in anticipation of running trains. I was intending to post some pictures, but I'm having issues with the hosting site, so I'll get them on here tomoz. Not many changes from the original plan, with exception that I've flipped the layout plan. I noticed that my turnout stock was mixed, and by flipping the design, I could get all the points of the same style without having to buy more! Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 Pictures as promised. More progress hopefully later, as I've picked up the last of the track I need to finish the scenic area. The track is currently held down with double sided sticky tape, but I'll be using a pva/water/soap mix to hold it down as soon as i've finished off the last couple of pieces of track. (I made the mistake last time of waiting til i ballasted the rails, and during the 3 weeks of spring heat, the track was moving heavily!) Then I'll be weathering with humbrol spray, then ballasting. I think I'm going to look at other ways to weather the rails on this layout too, especially the sidings. They need to look very disused! I've got a bag of matchsticks so, being lightweight, I've used them to start filling the trenches around the drinking straws, and a bit of PVA to hold it all in place. Nothing too attractive or neat, but it will all be covered up in good time. I'm going to get the big drills out and put lightning holes along the length of the supports to keep the board frames to a good weight. Again, after using scraps of wood, the beams I had to hand were rather heavy. Time to start thinking about the fiddle yard boards and board joins! Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 Finished laying the track this evening, and might even have run a loco or two up n down for good measure! The only track left to complete now is leading onto the fiddle yard board., but Ill wait until I've built it so I can cut the track in-situ. I couldn't help myself and had to get some stock out to see it on the layout. Please excuse the shoddy camera phone photos. Tomorrow...I mean today, I will hopefully get the small detail such as missing sleepers placed, and get the track glued down firmly. I'll be orderig the hardware for the second board, so I guess I'll get a break from this layout for a few days. Might give me a chance to finally weather some of me wagons B) Thanks for looking! Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonas Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Weathering the wagons, now your talking! Great to see your progress though man. Very impressive! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 Thanks Steve. Of course weathering wagons is more of an intention than a likelyhood! My skills can leave a lot to be desired! More lessons and materials required. After my day at Crwew, I still long to see that 47 dirty! One day maybe. Progress, however, constructing the traverser today. In anticipation of the alignment and toggle catches arriving in the near futre! This would be the first layout I make that gets to meet it's fiddle yard! A trip to the city this evening so perhaps a chance to get that RTC pullman coach....can hope! Steve, I'm sure you have some more wagons weathered that haven't been shown off yet...I reckon some more pics are in order Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 As expected, couldn't demonstrate any self-restraint Last one in the shop so I had to pick up this RTC mk1 pullman lab car. I think ill have to research this RTC train set and aim to recreate the full train. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 As expected, couldn't demonstrate any self-restraint Last one in the shop so I had to pick up this RTC mk1 pullman lab car. I think ill have to research this RTC train set and aim to recreate the full train. Man... Love this photo, I love any RTC Livery, did you make the coach your self, and is the Class 24 DCC or DCC Sound...? Do you have a Track Plan to hand...? Regards Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 Hi Jamie I'm afraid my skillset doesn't stretch as far as producing rolling stock. The 4 items of RTC stock are all RTR Graham Farish models. They are a limited edition run in partnership with Modelzone and the Pullman coach is the latest in this livery. I'm hoping more will follow or else I will have to start learning how to re-livery stock There is an intention to go DCC so the class 24 will recieve a chip in due course. I don't fancy my chances of fitting a speaker in an N gauge loco though...I would more than likey ruin everything trying LOL As for the layout plan. This was photographed on a test layout that I'm still semi working on. More info here Test Track. It is just an oval of track intended mainly to run dc locos in once ive gone dcc, and also to practice my scenic ablilities without ruining something more important. A pic of the RTC collection so far, Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 Well the board joining hardware arrived today, so progress wowards having a yard and a fully functional layout ( ) While the foam glues down, I thought I'd turn my hand to weathering a few loose wagons. This my first attempt unsupervised by a weathering master, so any feedback is welcome! lol I've cleaned up one plank to represent a repair, but I think it will need painting a different colour yet. Onto a VBA! Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 Good progress from today's efforts! I've finished preparing and aligning the fiddle yard board and now just wait a few more lengths of track to finish it. The electrical side has been completed to DC standards for the time being, although the bus wirs are run, and with two more connections, DCC will be plug n play I should really get to tidying up and planning the scenery, but playtime first!! A 37 makes the first visit to the yard. Next stage is to weather the track (will spray it first methinks, then ballasting. I need to decide what platform kit/scratchbuild to proceed with, then perhaps this will start to look like a rail scene rather than a barbie playmat with all this pink about! Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 It's good to finally get some stock out of their boxes! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 19, 2011 Author Share Posted July 19, 2011 Progress today, and it's a little more scenic now I've started the day by spraying the track with a dark brown to take the edge of the track. I would normally leave it at this stage and go to ballasting, but I'm curious to see if working a little more on the track improbes the look. I'll start experimenting tomorrow. After spraying the track, I've added point motors and built/painted some rail end buffers. I'd really like to make the lamps functional but I think that will have to wait for now! I've also got my road bridge portals built. Im a numpty and forgot to get anything to form the portal lining, so for the time being, I'll be sticking to just painting them. Im using GW inks to just wash the unpainted peco stone frontages. I think a few more washes are needed, and a few colours to be added, but I'm generally happy with the effect so far. Finally, I've got the edging for my platform, and I'm just trying to get a decent paint effect for the concrete finish. The fiddle yard tracks will get glued down tomorrow and I'll finally be able to operate the layout as it was planned. Hopefully I'll get to ballasting this week. I'm trying to look for terminus pictures from the late 70's/early 80's to see if there are any other good details that need to be added first, and I'm struggling to choose a station building! Nothing jumped out at me in the model shop yesterday either out ofthe box or kit form. I'm happy to have a go at scratch building, but I've not found a prototype yet. Back to the paints for me! Thanks for looking Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWJP Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Hi Lee, When you sprayed the track did you simply spray the whole lot and then clean off the railheads? Same with the pointwork? Looking forward to more updates Ross Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 19, 2011 Author Share Posted July 19, 2011 Hi Ross Pretty much just that. Spray the lot then clean the top of the rails. In the past, I've normally sprayed sections then cleaned the rail heads imediatly with tissue, but today I sprayed the lot and then used a track rubber once it was touch dry. With point work it is much the same, though I use strips of masking tape on the blades and where they contact the rails. It's more trouble than its worth trying to scrape the paint off these areas, and can lead to headaches with conductivity in the blades. The one thing I did wrong today is I forgot to trim the masking tape down to just above the railheads, so it blocked the spray between the blades a bit I've got a touch up pot somewhere of the same colour so a few spots will be needed. I use humbrom dark mud spray/arcrylic as I like the tone on the rails. I'm playing a lot with inks atm, and I'm tempted to ink the sleepers just to put a bit more contrast between them and the rails. I'll post a a pic of the results once I've experimented a bit. Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWJP Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Looks like i've found my method! Seems like a decent colour as well, so i'll have a look for that. On the ink front, have you looked at the Citadel Washes from Games Workshop? I've used them a lot for Warhammer models, and I reckon a couple of the washes would be ideal for the sleepers, they're called Gryphonne Sepia, and Devlan Mud. Cheers for the advice mate. Ross Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 You mean like these ones? They say great minds think alike lol. I've used them so far for the bridge and the concrete platform edge and they have been great. When I said Humbrol dark mud, I mean't dark brown, or number 29 in the spray can. Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWJP Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Or fools seldom differ! I think i'll probably pick up a can of the Humbrol stuff and have a test, looks like it could be ideal. Ross Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 LOl. Good news, Carful not to go too heavy on the spray. I did on my test piece today...good job its just a test piece. I find one steady pass from each side of the track does it and gets most of the track. If it needs more than that, then double the distance from the track on the next pass. Not much to show for today, despite quite a bit of progress! My piece of test track is drying atm, and I hope to have it ballasted this evening, so I can test the washes and pick out details tomoz. I've ripped most of my fiddle yard today as I wasn't quite happy with it. There were only 4 storage roads, and the longest only just held a 47 with 4 Mk1's at the loss access to one of the sidings. Ill add a pic of the new layout once it's dry but now I'll be able to store the 47 consist comfortably without blocking access to the rest of the yard. I'll also have 2 extra sidings although one will be used as a headshunt into the other. I've also managed to paint the platform edges today,so they should be ready for setting into place tomorrow. Then I'll be free to ballast the layout. As its all about watching paint and glue dry, the only picture I can offer up today is my attempt at wagon weathering. When I first planned the layout, I had all the scenic section in my mind, but now the track is down, I'm not so sure of what i might put where....Think I'll be browsing the web tonight for inspiration! Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonas Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hey man! That last wagon looks the business and it's great to see you progressing so well! The only advice I can give about your weathering is sometimes its as much about taking it off as it is slapping it on - I use really fine wet and dry in vertical strokes to 'ease' the weathering colour off and back to the original wagon colour, with the grime well and truly stuck in the sides - we need another weathering session, might encourage me to crack on with my stuff! Track colour is spot on and I'm really liking where the platform is heading. There is a lot to be proud of in this thread mucker - keep it up! By the way RWJP - Devlan Mud isn't called 'Miracle Mud' on the 40k forums for nothing! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee m22 Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Thanks boss. The weathering has gone better than I'd expected, though not quite ready to attack one of my precious locos yet mind! I've set up my test track to play with the washes on the track. I'm more interested in recreating the dirty ballast found where the diesels have stood idle, but while I'm at it, I'll see what can be done with the sleepers, if anything atall. The glue is almost fully set on the fiddle yard so as I can take the lumps of wood off now, here's a pic. It should be far more flexible and once I have a DCC system in place, much better for a full operating session! Steve we do indeed need another bout of weathering! Perhaps here for a change so we can get your stock on one of the layouts...need to get your layout going too!!! As for wet n dry paper, unfortunatly, I don't have any but as you made that suggestion re the platform, it's high up on my shopping list! Time to fill that fiddle yard! Regards Lee Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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