[5696Arethusa]

Hi Guys,
After a number of years of knowing that I need to scrap my layout and start again due to the standards of modern RTR being alot greater than that of the track that I'd layed some 13 years ago and the board being more "thrown together" than "constructed" now giving me some problems, I've this week made a rapid start on wiping the slate clean.

A few weeks back while reading another forum I had the "Eureka" moment that was needed to send me of on a new journey. The basic premiss has to stay the same as the last layout, in that it's to be a heritage line of a fictitious nature to accomodate me collection of locos and rolling stock.
The layout will be basic to a fault when compared to the last one where I made the classic error of craming in too much track. One end of the new layout will use a wood as the scenic break ( I'm hoping about 6 inches will give me the effect I'm after) The wood will run down to a river bank where the line will emerge crossing on a low bridge, I'm thinking a plate girder bridge or possibly trusses? The other side of theriver will be open fields with the railway running on a low embankment and a loop alongside one of the tracks. The other side of the field will be a country lane crossing the railway at a level crossing. The line then pulls into the station, platform length about a loco plus five coaches. A small goods shed will be located in the yard the same side as the station building, the other platform will have a small wooden shelter with a stone wall along the whole length of the platform and beyond behind which will be the grounds of "Broughton Hall" the only part of which that will be modeled will be the woods with the adventure playground in them. The effect I'm after here is something akin to Belton Houses boundry that runs alongside the A607. At the other end of the station the two tracks will become one and vanish under a brick built humped back bridge as that ends scenic break.

Total length of the scenic part will be 16 foot, however my loft is only 10X12 so how am I going to fit it in?
This is why the track goes right down the middle of the boards at home it will be split in two with end boards making up the turn arounds. If I'm lucky enough to take it out to play the two halves will be joined and a set off fiddle boards made to run behind the layout.

I ripped all the track up from the old layout today and will make a start on taking down the boards over the weekend if I get a chance. I have a week off the week after next so hope to get all base board construction and track laying done then and then it's on with the scenics.

Let me know what you think guys

 

[Brian Considine]

Sounds good - don't forget to take some pictures as work progress's - be nice to see them.

 

[5696Arethusa]

QUOTE (Brian Considine @ 9 May 2008, 20:19) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Sounds good - don't forget to take some pictures as work progress's - be nice to see them.
Will do.
Just to keep you all going here's a sad one

That area used to be full of track and sheds and was the main part of my MPD

 

[5696Arethusa]

Forgot it was a Grand Prix weekend so with work as well nothing was done to the layout.
Today I'm on the late so I've taken down most of the old layout board, just got to re-route some power cable and then I'll have my clean slate.
In the meantime here's some pics of the plan and a mock up on the floor.

The station building will go rourhly were those boxes are

This will be running on a low embankment, I may put an occupational crossin in.

plan for the station side

plan for the embankment

how it fits in the loft

 

[5696Arethusa]

As I mentioned I'm off this week so have made a flying start to the new layout, helped out by Brian being on his days off Monday and Tuesday this week. Big thanks there Bro

Anyway, all boards are now constructed and fitted in the loft now so here's some pics of the progress.

Should get the track laying started this evening or tomorrow.

 

[5696Arethusa]

Some pics of it in situ with track placed on and a bit of rolling stock for a sense of scale

A road over bridge will cover this end. The track on the left ends in a head shunt and the line goes down to a single track, the middle line in this shot.

View from the bridge. Twin tracks through a station with a parcels bay and a small goods shed or maybe a goods shed and some coal drops, haven't made my mind up yet.

A train to add some scale

A couple of shots of what will be the embankment

 

[Mercator II]

Looking good bro, those boards dont look so big now with trains on them!

Still ache in places from you working me hard!

Going to be good when able to 'have a play'

Going to have to get a crack on with Mill Dale

Brian

 

[7113]

QUOTE (bro sewell @ 22 May 2008, 09:24) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Still ache in places from you working me hard!

That's a feeling I know well........................................

Mind you Andii that's starting to come together nicely.

Regards

 

[ben1]

Nice!

 

[5696Arethusa]

Thanks guys.
Made a start on laying track today. First up was to lay some laminate floor underlay to try and add some sound proofing, that's the 3mm thick yellow sheeting in these pictures.

The track on the embankment is only loose layed but the track below is pinned. I intend to remove the pins when the track is ballasted so there's no rigid conection between the track and base board.
That's my longest coach, a Dapol 12 wheel dining car to check clearences and smooth running. The Dapol version has full lenght sole bars which is good for checking radius clearence on curves, Hornby cut out sections of the sole bar to allow it to negotiate tighter curves when they aquired the tooling.

Unfortunatly the plan to have four tracks on the end boards won't work I'll have to make do with three, so I'll only get two trains in each direction on the layout at a time. although it may be possible to have a short loop each end to accomodate a DMU

I'll have to have a look as I only just thought of it.
A quick bite to eat then back to it, I'd like to get all the track layed if not cut at the board joins before I go back to work (05:30 Monday thank you very much

)

 

[5696Arethusa]

Well it's been a productive day today.
All the track is laid with the exception of the two headshunts either end of the loop on the embankment.
And ......wait for it...........POWER has been fed into the tracks and we have movement, Ta-Daaaa

My trusty old Mainline J72 was the first to take to the tracks and complete a circuit

I then switched to my NRM Flying Scotsman as she's the only loco I have who really does not like tight curves

I'm glad to say that there was only one small section that needed a slight re-alignment the rest is fine.

The lines on the left of the next shot will be, from L-R coal drops, a goods shed and the parcels bay on the back edge of the platform.

This is the right hand exit from scene, the running lines go down to just a single track, I have plans for a possible extention here in the years too come. That's a small headshunt from the shed etc. on the right.

same part from the opposite angle

OK time to own up to the fact that I haven't cut any board joins yet, but it was nice to see locos move on the layout. On with the wiring tomorrow, around the Grand Prix of course

 

[5696Arethusa]

Nothing much to see today as I 've been doing the leads hat bridge the board joins. Is it just me or is the smell of solder strangely addictive, must mean that the fumes are bad for you

Anyway I still took some pics, quite pleased with some of the soldering to the rails, you can hardly see it and by the time it's painted

Still got to cut the rails though. I got this loco to rename Tornado as that's the livery she'll be out shopped in.

ot to get some conecters as well, I'm planning on doing all the wiring before I get them as I always under estimate the number of wires that need to bridge the joins

The usual copper-clad sleeper at the join, this will be very firm by the time the ballast is fixed.

A very useful tool and a bargin £20 from your nearest Woolies. Mains opperated but with the flexible extention I find it easier to get close to what needs to be cut

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (BRITHO @ 22 May 2008, 15:00) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>That's a feeling I know well........................................
I don't know what you mean !

(Keeps you out of the pub though - think of the money you save).

 

[5696Arethusa]

QUOTE (Brian Considine @ 26 May 2008, 18:52) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I don't know what you mean !

(Keeps you out of the pub though - think of the money you save).

Save money? Not last week I didn't, must have spent close to £200 on materials to build this layout with

 

[5696Arethusa]

Made a start on the bridge today and I have to say that while nothing is glued in place and I've had to build it in situ it's looking good. I also laid the river bed, this will be the first time that I've had a propper go at water.

The first offering up

Girders painted still loose

Chilli Peppers time, Under the Bridge

 

[Mercator II]

can you email your lastest pics bro, am not getting them on this bedside access system.

for eveyone else, my modelling projects are all on hold, i have been admitted to hospital this afternoon and was going to have operation tonite but its llooking more like tomorrow now (am gagging for a cup of tea) morphine is a lovely drug!

going to be off work for a fortnight at least!

Brian

 

[dwb]

I hope the op' is a success and wish you a speedy recovery Brian

David

 

[Brian Considine]

Best wishes from me too.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Get well soon brian

 

[7113]

QUOTE (bro sewell @ 29 May 2008, 21:45) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>going to be off work for a fortnight at least!

No excuse for not getting on with the layout then!

But in all seriousness I hope all goes well and you're fighting fit again soon.

Regards