Heinz57 Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Hi all, I am looking for some sort of lighting solution for my layout. Ideally I want to go LED, that seems to be the way forwards. The layout is 12x2ft made from three 4ft boards with a 1ft high backscene. I have seen fancy prosceniums on many layouts which look good, however because transport space is a premium, I need to keep everything to a minimum. So really I need something that I can clip or bolt onto the layout. I have seen a few options around on the internet... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GTI-Silver-LED-Flexible-Reading-Light-Clip-on-Bed-Table-Desk-Lamp-Day-White-/121305500086?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Lamps&hash=item1c3e5f09b6 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lloytron-LED-Hobby-Table-Desk-Reading-Light-Lamp-Chrome-Probe-Flexible-Clip-On-/290839920601?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Lamps&hash=item43b768ffd9 http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/lighting/desk-lamps/led-clip-desk-lamp---black-185583 But I'm still not sure. I don't want to go and buy something and it not be bright enough. Perhaps if you was to share what you use on your layout I'll get a better idea of what I need to buy. Any help/ideas are very much appreciated. Cheers, Heinz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 (edited) Lots of people use the Ikea LED lighting such as the one you mention. Unfortunately as each layout is a different shape there is no hard fast formula to lighting effects and you'll really need to just experiment with how many light strips you need and where you put them to stop shadow effects (particularly on the backscene). Just remember that it needs to be bright enough to overcome those awful orange spotlights that many sports halls use, if you're planning on making the layout exhibitable. In many ways the most effective lighting setups are where the ambient light (be it daylight, striplights or whatever) are kept out by use of a full frame around the layout - which it sounds like you don't necessarily want to do because of the portability. You may find one option to be a wooden frame across the front of the layout (the "proscenium arch" you mention) then by using some small bore plastic pipe and plumbing angles you can create a support from that to the back of the backscene, then a suitable piece of black (or sky blue if you wanted to continue the backscene) could be stretched around it - perhaps some well placed Velcro sewn in and stuck to the tube to hold in place) would help the effect. This would be particularly useful if you wanted a 'winter' effect, for example, with low blue lighting to make it look cold). The downside is that you'd have to operate from the front so as not to destroy the effect, which based on your layout design may or may not be an option. Edited October 12, 2014 by cromptonnut Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium corneliuslundie Posted October 13, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2014 There has been a lot of debate on this topic recently on another thread. I'm sure a search will find it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
corax67 Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 I use a few of these Ikea fittings on my layout (does shows and home) - http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60262659/ With LED GU10 bulbs as replacements for the halogens - gives a super spread of direct able light with no heat The bases are screwed to a ply nameplate/proscenium sitting in front of the baseboards. It's cheap, energy efficient & simple. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Deltic Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 I went for the LIDL LED lights which can be clamped onto the backscene. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Two pictures of the lighting beam for Dock Green. Early shot.... Layout set up at a show... Layout is 16 ft x 2 ft so lighting beam is 16 feet long. Breaks down into three sections for transport. Each section has two flourescent tubes. Pillars have brackets that cantilever out so that light falls on the front of the model. Hope that's of some interest. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 13, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2014 (edited) I use Warm White LED strips from Maplin, they are fixed to aluminium L girders from B&Q to give 6ft spans that are incredibly light and give off no discernible heat. The aluminium angle has to be sprayed with etch primer, Halfords is good, before being sprayed with too coat. I left the inside natural metal to help reflect the light. The girders are just wrapped up in a long cloth and tied together with Velcro straps for transit. The centre support is 3½ft deep the rig is so light it is just bolted to the back of the board. Edited October 13, 2014 by PaulRhB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heinz57 Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 Thanks chaps. In the end I decided to go for these clip on LED lamps... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lloytron-LED-Hobby-Table-Desk-Reading-Light-Lamp-Chrome-Probe-Flexible-Clip-On-/290839920601?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Lamps&hash=item43b768ffd9 I would have loved to have done a proper proscenium, like you guys have. They look awesome. But transport space for me at the moment is an absolute premium. Everything (including stock and tools) has to be kept at the bare minimum. Cheers Heinz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Fair enough. They should work well enough providing you have plenty of them. The biggest problem with spots is trying to get an even effect, by their nature they tend to concentrate light in a small area. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazmanjack Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I have purchased LED strip lights from ebay : http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/300CM-12V-5630-Cold-White-36LED-M-Hard-LED-Light-Super-Bright-LED-Bar-Strip-Lamp/321180378892?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140107090050%26meid%3Dee3cbf452b5740f095df37a5f8dc8fee%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D20140107090050%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D161081622661 This is the effect they give... Cheers, Gary. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 That looks very 'blue' and would be excellent lighting for a winter layout to enhance the feeling of coldness. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazmanjack Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 Yes, it does look 'blue'. I had the lights cranked right up on 12+ volts, but turn them down some and have the interior room lights on, rather than lights off and this is the result... Not too bad at all. Cheers, Gary. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meil Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 You bought COLD white. You should have bought warm white. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazmanjack Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 You bought COLD white. You should have bought warm white. How right you are, but they still do the job. I don't normally sit in the dark shunting the layout, so I guess the extra light is just that, extra light ! The real bonus is that they can be run off an old 12v dc controller. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 Interesting thread,wil follow this... cheers neil.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cravensdmufan Posted February 7, 2019 Share Posted February 7, 2019 Just purchased a 5ft LED batten for the railway room. When I was searching the internet I found most of the LED battens from the likes of Screwfix were not dimmable. I did try a Screwfix "daylight" one previously, but ttat was too bright and the light effect was too cold. So that's now in the garage where it's serving a useful purpose. What I needed for the layout was brightness but also something that would also give a nice ambience. Then I came across this one: https://www.astutelighting.co.uk/commercial-lighting/led-tube-lights/high-end-low-profile-led-batten-light-1-5-mtr-5ft-60-watt-dimmable-elegant-appearance-flicker-free-replacement-for-traditional-5ft-twin-florescent-fitting-sl6015d Not only is it dimmable with a handy remote control, but it has three different types of light i.e. warm, daylight and cool. All those modes are dimmable, going right down to almost dark (great for evening operating sessions!). And all contained in one neat unit with diffuser which spreads the light very evenly. It is a bit expensive at £49.50 (postage is free) but I have found it really excellent. The light fills my room. So I can have it really bright for working on the layout or bench, then can switch it to a nice warm light for when playing trains! I have no connection with the supplier - this was my first purchase - but found them very efficient. Great product. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 8, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8, 2019 'Pends what effect you are trying to create. A warm cast light will simulate sunlight, and a cold one is more suitable for a grey overcast effect. Many model railways are lit to be bathed in a permanent summer evening, and are none the worse for that, but I prefer a more cloudy and rain soaked ambience (perhaps because I model the South Wales valleys and the climate in this area is distinctly damp; if you can see the top of the mountain it's about to rain and if you can't it's raining...). More modern set layouts should, IMHO, feature colder light to represent the clear skies of the post industrial era; there was a lot more particulate pollution in the old days which dispersed and reflected both sunlight and overcast light in different ways. Pollution gave you some amazing sunsets! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RexAshton Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 I use self adhesive led strip fixed to a simple 6mm ply proscenium arch. Works well and kills the effects of leisure centre lights. Be careful of the colour temperature of your leds though. If you've built the layout under standard tungsten lights you'll really need to use warm white not bright white or you run the risk of reds looking purple and greens looking a bit too blue. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 9, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2019 (edited) Yes, it's best to build the layout under the lighting it will be displayed with if you can. I use 3x Maplin's anglepoise LEDs, £25 a pop and not available any more because Maplin's went bust, but they are very adaptable. They have both warm and cold lights, which can be used mixed or separately and with 3 brightness settings; I can create the general ambience of sunny, cloudy, and chucking it down cats 'n dogs! Edited February 9, 2019 by The Johnster 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprintex Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 10 hours ago, The Johnster said: Yes, it's best to build the layout under the lighting it will be displayed with if you can. Totally agree with this. Similar to you I'm modelling a typical British dull grey day (just after a heavy rain shower in my case) so I've used standard fluorescent tubes covered with a sleeve of car window tinting film - gives a subdued grey light and dramatically changes some of the green shades of the scenery, sometimes for the better and sometimes not! Paul 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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