[Dynamite26]

Here some pics of my layout from when i started back in november 2005.

So here there are and the black areas are there as the loft is not that tidy as there is allsorts on show and makes the loft look really messy.

 

[Dynamite26]

Heres some pics of the baseboards that needed fitting to complete the benchwork for my new layout.

And these are 4' x 2' and 4' 1" x 2

And these next ones are 4' x 3' and 2' x 1' 9" also 4' 8" x 2' x 1' 6".

First photos are of the framework for the baseboard over the hatch way.

And the top of the framework

And heres the framework for the other baseboard

 

[winterbournecm]

Looks good so far.

Remember the old woodwaork days well. My loft layout moved on a little. Check it out

craig-munday.fotopic.net

Best wishes

Craig

 

[Dynamite26]

Heres some work that i needed to do under the 6x3 baseboard because it started to sag alittle.

So i fitted two braces on the two flat ones that had bowd causing the middle to sag alittle.

The first pic show the first one put in place.

The second one show the the incline that goes under the layout sitting on the brace which needs screwing to it.

These next ones are of the second brace before and after it was fitted to the flat brace.

A before photo

An aftered photo

And a close up of the notch cut out for the incline to sit in.

Heres the start of my track laying in the fiddle yard back in march.

Heres the two pics of the fiddle yard.

Heres another pic i took showing it better.

Heres how the fiddle yard and layout looks todate which shows not alot has happened since march.

Heres a pic on the fiddle yard from the in tracks.

Heres a pic of the tracks on the other side of the layout and the mess that needs cleaning up still.

And heres a pic on my new EWS wagons being pulled by a Virgin Class 47 loco.

Also a pic of the 3 trains i got in the fiddle yard.

Update on my layout

I have decided to split my layout into two areas which are a country side scene and town scene so a new track plan has been done but the fiddle yard will remain where it is,the town side will have the bigger station and country side will have the smaller station the diesel depot and steam sheds have been moved to the upper level as there is more room.

I have added a long viaduct and two bridges to carry the upper tracks over the lower tracks and the incline has been moved over 4 or 5 inches,and connects to the upper level further round the layout has to where it joined it before.

New Track Plan

Ok heres my new track plan i came up with this week this is just the basic track plan without buildings on it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/dyn...loftlayout2.png

Right i've added the stations and other buildings but this one has the station building at the end and above the station.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/dyn...wloftlayout.png

And this one has the station building to the side of the station instead of at the end of the station.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/dyn...loftlayout4.png

And both have a scenic board to split the countryside from the town side and both need more work doing on them still,also not sure which station idea to go with.

Another Update

Got all my trains in the fiddle and they only fill half of the fiddle yard and all have had a lap or two round the layout,also i have fitted my controller box and put one of my H&M 2000 controllers in there so i can control both tracks and i decided to run trains instead of doing the incline.

I might fit all 12 of my peco point motors in the fiddle yard tomorrow and wire them upto the switches so i can change the points instead of getting up all the time to change them by hand,also the incline will get done tomorrow for sure and then it's off the list of things to do.

Pics from Today

First pics are of my loco fleet and Rolling Stock.

Next pic is of my Hornby Orient Express train

Next two are of my control area and one of my H&M 2000 Controllers in it's place

Next three pics are of the fiddle Yard at the end i just finished yesterday

 

[Dynamite26]

The last pics are from today whereas all others are over a 6 month period from November.

 

[Dynamite26]

I got the incline sorted today but only that as for two hours i was searching the net while in the loft instead of working on the layout.

Anyway heres what the incline looked like before i changed it.

And heres what it looks like now and as you can see i reused the 6x1 board that was under the incline but just turned it over,so the cutout was on the right instead of the left and was easier than buying another 6x2 board just to cut it in half to replace the old one.

 

[Dennis David]

It's funny how when we are laying the benchwork we cannot resist places some of our trains on the track. I have exactly the same problem and always need to remember moving the rolling stock before I drop the hammer.

 

[Doug]

After having run on Plywood scenery for the past year, this time round I'm not putting track down until the background is plastered, painted and decorated.

 

[Dennis David]

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Dynamite26]

Today i started to cut the 6mm ply sheeting for the upper level but can't do much till the weather picks up as i need to cut my 9mm 4x2 and other left over 9mm sheeting into 2 Inch x 4 Feet strips for the upper level to sit on,so mostly this afternoon i have been just running trains around the layout and also move all my ply sheeting out of my bedroom into the loft.

 

[Thunder]

I can appreciate all the hard work your putting into your layout in the loft, i done a similar layout, and its not easy working in those small spaces, so well done, like to see the finished item.

 

[Dynamite26]

Thanks mate working on the 3ft side isn't to bad as i can stand up but the 2ft side which has the fiddle Yard on was abit tight as i had to stightly crouce to pin the track down but doing the upper level above it should be alot easier i hope,i also have a chair either end of the loft so i can sit down and have a rest and when i come to pin the track down for the upper level i can get on the otherside of the layout at one end and the other i will have a cutout in the 6ft x 4ft baseboard so i can get to the corners better which i still have to do.

 

[Dynamite26]

Abit of a update when i come to do the upper level i will need to get into the corners of the layout so on one side i will have a removeable 2ft square board that will have a small village on it,but the otherside i was just going to crawl under the layout to get to the back of it but i thought wait a minute i have a 2ft square piece of baseboard on the lower level that hasn't got a thing on it.

So i will cut that 2ft Square section out so i can get to the back of the layout to work on the upper level but the steam engine sheds sit over that bit on the upper level,so i will make that section removeable so i can get to the back of the layout to work on it and then replace it to operate the layout.

Heres a picture showing what section of baseboard i will be removing but the pic is of the board before the rest of the baseboards were fitted.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/dynamite25/Cutout.jpg

 

[Thunder]

Looks like you may need additional support, once you have cut out the section for access !!! You appear to be moving forward at a remarkable rate of knots, how long has it taken to get this far? I only ask because i'm envious, as it taken me years to do mine and theres still work to do.

 

[Dynamite26]

I started it back in November last year but only work on it when i can as i have a back problem and sometimes i have alot of back pain so i am unable to work on it,but it's getting there slowly and it's a long term project because of money as i am unable to work due to my back problem.

Ok i have cut the 2ft square section out and took two hours to do i have taken photos as i did it so you can see how it was done.

First Pic shows how it was before the boards were removed.

Second Pic shows the framework without the boards there.

Third Pic shows one side cutout.

Fourth Pic shows both sides removed and one section screwed back in the other way and two new legs have been fitted,aswell as the one that was in the middle before i removed that section.

Fifth Pic shows half of the baseboard refitted back in place.

Sixth Pic shows half of the second baseboards refitted back in place.

Seventh Pic shows both track put back in place so i can continue running trains again.

MY LAYOUT WEBSITE

MY PHOTO SITE OF MY LAYOUT

 

[Dynamite26]

Just alittle update on the layout.

I have manged to get the wood cut that will sit on top of the supports for the upper level to be screwed to give it more support and i had to undo one half of the fiddle yard,and reposition it 1inch towards the other half to give me more room for the supports for the upper level because when i added the extra track it took what space i was going to use for them.

Which took about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours to unpin the track and move it over and then re-pin it down but had to move the trains out of the way first so i added some sidings on the otherside of the layout,just to store the trains while i did the fiddle yard then put the trains back into the fiddle yard once finished.Tomorrow i will fit the supports and the 3 inches strips i cut today and fit the 6mm ply sheeting for the upper level.

 

[Dynamite26]

Today i got some of the supports for the upper level in place so it's piccy time again.

So here some pics of the supports i've put in for the upper level and the excess needs cutting off for the return incline.

And heres some with the 6mm board on top first one has two screws put in to hold in place and for the second one i have just place the supports in place and placed the 6mm sheet ontop.

And heres some from under the upper level.

And the last one is of a plug socket i wired up so i can plug it into my extension cable so i can use the drill over the otherside of the loft,while i have other things plugged in the extension cable on the other side.

 

[Doug]

That looks good.

A few Q's:
What will happen if a loco derails at the back of the lower-level staging? Can you reach?
How are you going to decorate the sloping backdrop? (I have the same problem to tackle).
What are you cutting your plywood with? It looks like quite a neat cut.

 

[Dynamite26]

For the upper level i have made it higher by 9mm to make it 83mm below the 6mm ply sheet for the upper level so i can get my hand further under there,also the hardboard will be removed once the upper level is done as i screwed it to the side to stop the trains falling of the layout if i happen to catch one while moving about the loft and stop it falling down through the hatch opening onto the ladding below.

Not sure yet on the backdrop yet but i know one side will be easier than the other as one side the rafters are higher up than the other side so i got more room to have a backdrop on one side than the other.

I use a number of power tools to cut my ply wood which are my Jigsaw and my Bandsaw and some times my Scrollsaw

 

[Dynamite26]

Well after seeing pictures of Gordons massive fiddle yard on another forum i thought i could lengthen mine around the bottom end so i got more space to store locos and rolling stock,so i have extended half the fiddle yard which is five roads around the bottom to the otherside aswell as the return incline.

And i will be using my hornby 2nd radius curves as i got alot of them from all the hornby train sets i have bought and need using up and two 3rd radius curves,also i might need to buy some more lengths of flexi but i won't know till i start the extension to it as i have a couple of lenghts left over from the box of flexi i bought months ago.

Anyways here the track plan of the extended fiddle yard.