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My HO Loft Layout

44K views 223 replies 25 participants last post by  Norman Byrne 
#1 ·
Hi all,
This is a brief overview of my HO layout in the loft.
I started collecting Fleischmann track, locos and rolling stock back in the seventies but only had the space, and time to create a couple of temporary layouts.
In 1989, after starting my own electrical contracting business, I decided I needed some permanent office space, so I moved up into the converted loft space. Well, I didn't need all the space for an office, did I
!
I spent the next 5 years or so, on and off, designing and building my layout. It is not meant to be prototypical in any way and is purely the product of my imagination. I wanted only steam locos, but there are
probably some items of scenery and signals that belong to a more modern era. By the mid nineties, I had a working railway that I could run 8 locos on and about two thirds of the scenery completed.
The layout includes 3 round and round tracks and a shuttle line from the main station, that works its way up over 3 levels to another station on the top level. Each of the 4 tracks has a passing zone hidden
behind the scenes.
This was of course, a DC layout, and I used block signalling to run 2 locos on each of the 4 track circuits.
By this time I had noticed the onset of DCC and was amazed at what it could do (and the prices
) This left me a bit disillusioned with my layout and I left it untouched for several years running it occasionally.
This time last year, my grandson was 2 years old, he is a typical boy who loves cars and trains. That was all the excuse I needed to re-start the layout build. Being of the age where I find myself with a bit more
disposable income, I decided to go DCC, and over the past year or so I have stripped out all the spaghetti of the DC control wiring, installed a DCC bus system, soldered up hundreds of droppers. completed a lot
more scenery, including the main railway station, and invested in several DCC sound locos (all Fleischmann) and had some of my old DC locos converted to DCC sound.
The layout also incorporates an original Faller Road System. When it ran with the DC layout, it was synced with the level crossing gates and lights to stop the cars when a train approached and the barriers closed.
That went when I stripped the old control wiring out, but I will eventually re-do it with DCC control. I have new Viessmann electronic barriers in place , as the original Faller ones were controlled with lengths of
cotton that eventually tangled and snapped, the Faller level crossing house is still standing though.
The next job is to rewire all the points back and connect them to DCC control.
At the moment I am using a Fleischmann MultiMAUS system to run the locos. I have purchased a Z21 system and eventually want to run the majority of the locos with Train Controller Gold.
Below is a track layout plan. The thin red line represents the loft wall or scenery line, all track above and to the right of it cannot be seen.



Below is a brief video overview of the layout to date, please excuse the dodgy video.

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/xvQjgm8CjXo?rel=0

Regards
Alan
 
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#152 ·
QUOTE I am surprised that Faller do not offer touch up kits of paints
I've noticed that the word 'patinate' is used for what we would call weathering on Faller's website. I typed 'patina' into the search box and one item I turned up with was this:
https://www.faller.de/gb/en/Products/Model-...t-sid10102.html
Unfortunately they are not available direct from Faller at the moment which probably means that shops won't have them either but there are plenty of other sources of weathering materials. I tend to start with washes as I find them easy to apply.

David
 
#154 ·
I spent a long time browsing looking for suitable houses for my Continental Shelf layout, and trees, people ...


David
 
#155 · (Edited by Moderator)
QUOTE (Babz @ 15 Jun 2021, 14:22) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>David Thank you for the information you must know the catalogue backwards. Will keep a look out for them coming in. Babs

There are many manufacturers of weathering powders and washes, Mig and vallejo immediately spring to mind.

I have had these powders for about 20yrs, they go a long way




I was into building and converting Tamiya 1:16 scale remote control tanks about 10/15 years ago and used washes and powders along with airbrushing quite a bit.
Below are a few pics of my favorite work.. I converted and adapted a standard Sherman into Oddball's sherman from the film Kelly's Heroes
For anyone not familiar with these Tamiya tanks, apart from remote control driving with engine sounds they also have turret rotation and gun elevation along with firing sounds synched with pyrotechnic muzzle flash.
On this particular conversion, I even added a micro sound system that played several songs and tunes from the film, all remote control activated of course.















I still run them occasionally, for anyone interested in seeing my build log for this project the web link is below

https://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/forums/view...oddball+sherman

Regards
Alan
 
#158 ·
Hi all,
I am still building additional town wall sections, and I am waiting on a couple of items.
In the meantime I built this Vollmer goods depot (5715) that I got from eBay. Chose it as it was fairly large compared to any of the current Vollmer or Faller offerings I could see. I'm assuming its an old discontinued model. The instruction sheet was a bit crowded, shall we say, and not that easy to follow, but got there in the end. I now have it roughly in place and can now organize some trackwork to serve it.





Still looking for some more industry like buildings for this area.

Regards
Alan
 
#159 ·
QUOTE (Babz @ 14 Jun 2021, 12:53) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Alan I don't feel so bad now looking at other peoples work so i am going to make some moss to go on the roof when i get round to it. i add my pic of the brewery. Babs



Hi Babs,
I have ordered the brewery kit as it looks quite interesting, still awaiting its arrival, but have got this Faller 180690 smoke unit for use within it's chimney stack.

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed//TaHWAIa2zGE?rel=0

I noticed some wiring coming from your kit and wondered whether you have it as well.

Regards
Alan
 
#160 ·
That is a larger goods shed than many of the kits available at the moment.
If I had the space for an industrial complex, I would be tempted to mix, match and extend something from Auhagen - https://www.auhagen-shop.de/. I have been very impressed by their pavements, kerbs and gutters.

I didn't realise those large smoke units produced so much of the stuff!

David
 
#161 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hello Alan & David. I donot have a smoke unit for the Brewery. The wires you see are for the lighting in the Brewery and the other building. The Smoke unit you have looks rather large for the size of the Chimney. It would be Great but itmight set off my Smoke Detectors in the loft.
There is a bigger Faller model of a Brewery it may work in that.
Take Care Babs

Ps Dont forget to put the lighting in the roof plate before Gluing the plate to the outer walls.
 
#163 ·
Hi Alan. I will ask my friend which kit it is Tomorrow as i will be seeing him i also did not know there was another Brewery kit untill a couple of weeks ago. I will post on Friday or sooner if i can. It maybe a kit that they do not do anymore. I will ask. Regarding the Compatability of the Smoke machine if they say it is then it must be. It just looked too large IMHO. Take Care Babs
 
#164 ·
I made a search for 'Brewery' on the Faller website and got these results: https://www.faller.de/gb/en/Search-result.h....0.0.0.0.0.0.3=

Aside from 130960 which is on its way to Alan, there are two versions of a larger design, both listed as 'Out of stock at factory' which is rather more severe than 'delayed availability', so I take as 'We're not making these at the moment and don't plan to for a while'.

David
 
#165 ·
Hi David and Babs

Here is the link to the Faller 130960 Btewery
Faller 130960
You can see that it says "smoke generator can be fitted" But as Babs says, I don't think it means there unit, perhaps just Seuthe unit for a loco, but that wouldn't give much puff.
With some adaption of the base and the inside of the chimney stack, I have managed to do this
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed//GnNUKsQ13KE?rel=0
Now I need to find a way to recess the unit below the building, its only 30mm deep


On a more positive note, I made a couple of purchases to add to my fleet,
A Piko 52882 VT 2.09 Railbus era III , as I thought it was a nice interesting item.
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed//WMNYIkJqhqw?rel=0

Also a Hornby R1214 B17 Class East Coast Express, to which I have added a TTS sound decoder
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed//sl9vp4YAgBI?rel=0
I don't normally buy British outline as my layout is German, although I do have a couple of TTS sound locos (Flying Scotsman and Hogwarts Express), but couldn't resist this one as its named after another love of my life


Come on you Irons
By for now
Regards
Alan
 
#166 ·
Hi David and Babs

Here is the link to the Faller 130960 Btewery
Faller 130960
You can see that it says "smoke generator can be fitted" But as Babs says, I don't think it means there unit, perhaps just Seuthe unit for a loco, but that wouldn't give much puff.
With some adaption of the base and the inside of the chimney stack, I have managed to do this
YouTube
Now I need to find a way to recess the unit below the building, its only 30mm deep


On a more positive note, I made a couple of purchases to add to my fleet,
A Piko 52882 VT 2.09 Railbus era III , as I thought it was a nice interesting item.
YouTube

Also a Hornby R1214 B17 Class East Coast Express, to which I have added a TTS sound decoder
YouTube
I don't normally buy British outline as my layout is German, although I do have a couple of TTS sound locos (Flying Scotsman and Hogwarts Express), but couldn't resist this one as its named after another love of my life


Come on you Irons
By for now
Regards
Alan
Hi Alan & David I did try twice yesterday to upload the information I must have got caught in the transition to the New Software, regarding the friends Brewery . he has the Monastery Brewery I put the link up he has had it for a long time like some of us buy them and take a while to make them. I have got more than an average shop has. You will notice on the back of the Brewery you will see that the box under the chimney is quite large, But i am sure you will find a way of doing after all is that not what modelling is about.
I do like your New Red Railcars When many moons ago living in Wetter I used to travel on some of those with DB on the side a little bit different I have a few models myself of them. I was very disappointed in the DR Brawa Version. Still got to sort it out as there is no spares.
I like the New Software But i do not want ads either Hey Ho.
Babs


 
#169 ·
Hi all,
I've made a start installing the Noch roadway in place of the original beige colour one that I first installed, as you can see, its a good colour match to my Faller road system. The only down side is that they don't make any set bends for it. They say it is flexible and can be formed into bends, but its hard to get good results for tighter curves.
I've got across the unguarded level crossings and will have to wait until the turntable and loco shed are in position before deciding on the route, but I imagine it will take a sharp right just after the crossings and head around the back of the loco shed.
I've also added some grass verge and some hedgerow as a boundary to the wheat field.
I have also now cut the tracks on the removable part of the baseboard, and that seems to have turned out ok.



Well, that's all for now.
Regards
Alan
Oh, Come on England ⚽
 
#170 ·
Hi all,
I have finished the brewery kit (apart from permanently fitting the grey slate roof section)
Final location still to be sorted, but this is how it will look. I have done some additional lighting, and managed to fit the smoke unit.




Regards
Alan
 
#173 ·
Hi all,
Just thought I'd upload this little video of the brewery as I have treated myself to a dedicated video recorder, the last time I had one of those it recorded onto cassette 😄
My Nikon D5200 is great for taking photos, which is primarily what its for, but unless you don't move the camera around, it poor for video. I was getting fed up with the autofocus taking so long to kick in.



Regards
Alan
 
#174 ·
Hi all,
Not sure if I mentioned this, but when I did the new track / layout extension, I added another loading / unloading adaptor for my Trainsafe storage system, as the original one on the main layout could not accommodate my longest (210cm) cases.
I have just laid down this strip of ground cover from Jarvis Scenics called "Muddy Sandy Ditch"


Its just about the right width and will remind me not to get carried away and install some taller trees or buildings on this line









Regards
Alan
 
#175 ·
Hi all, Hope you had a good Christmas
Nothing of note happening on the actual layout at the moment, but following on from the last post about the Trainsafe tubes, after the purchase of new loco and coaches, I needed another 210cm Vision tube. Not having another location on the display wall to accommodate any more long tubes, I have made up a couple of pairs of "triple" brackets by cutting and bolting together 2 double brackets.







Regards and Happy New Year
Alan
 
#178 ·
Hi Adrian,
Here's a better view from earlier in the thread if you haven't already seen it. I've added more since then. There is also a video of them in use on page 1 of this thread if you're interested.
Also, don't be too put off by the listed shipping costs, contact them for a quote first.
Regards
Alan
Light Stairs Building Lighting Interior design
 
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