[wiggy25]

Well this is a first for me!

I've not posted a layout plan before, just pics of all the Scalescenes stuff I've built!

Having ripped all my layout up not long after laying it, I changed the plan and went for the typical twin loop with sidings into the middle and a branch line down one side of the spare bedroom.

With limited room and working away from home a fair bit, these grand layouts are all well and good, but actually finishing, or should I say starting on the scenery is nigh on impossible!

So there is the basic layout!

Now my dad is running N-gauge and I was thinking of doing a very small simple layout, so that when he comes over he can bring his locos and have something to run.
So thats what I'm now doing, hopefully this should be very quick and will give the main layout a bit of scenic treatment in the process.
The last pic shows the left hand corner of the main OO layout, I'm going to put a baseboard tight into that corner 100mm higher than the OO track and build the N-gauge layout on that.

Using the Scalescenes tunnel portals and retaining wall kit in OO these will sit on the OO baseboard and stand about 110mm high and will go all the way round the raised N-gauge baseboard, this will provide a tunnel for the OO layout as well.
Should work quite well.

This layout is in the new Peco OO setrack plan book(Plan 1b) I've just used N-gauge instead, it will all be Peco N-gauge set track.

The straight lines running throught centre diagonally are the position of the scenic break, to the lefthand side of this will be left as non scenic with tracks in the centre of the circle to store the locos although the position of this may change slightly!

The plan book gives some very good illustrations of scenery for this layout which I will almost copy.
The 2 branch lines do run into a goods shed in the book plan, this I will change to the Scalescenes warehouse, as I have loads of card from making all the other kits and I've also built the OO warehouse so this should be a quite a challenge as its so small!

This is what the complete warehouse looks like when it's just been printed out, I prefer to do it this way so that there is minimal colour variation than if I'd printed out at different times.
Going on Holiday now in the trailer-tent, funny everybody is saying it's going to rain you will be stuck inside, ok maybe I will but the warehouse kit is coming with me so who cares!

Yep a 5pence piece just for size comparison.

As I'm using DCC, I will run Steam on OO and Diesel on N, now if I connect both layouts upto the same power-bus I should be able to control both layouts with the one controller as the loco addresses will be different.

Ian

 

[wiggy25]

Update time!

Having read a post, I cant remember who wrote it now, but it summed up what I guess is every modellers problem.
Too little time too big a layout!
We all want lots of track down with loads of operating potential, but the problem is, does it ever get past baseboard stage?
The OO gauge layout above is nothing complex really but it's amazing just how long things take to do.
Hence another reason for building the very simple easy N-gauge layout as described above, which will also provide a tunnel/scenic feature for the OO-gauge layout.

As I've never done any modelling before it will give me some much needed practice on the scenery side of things.

Now it's in position and partly built I may try and turn it round so more can be seen of it, I do like it like this though as when running the loco it does appear from nowhere.
I also need to get to the manual 'Fiddle-Yard' at the back, so it's going to be hard to turn the layout round so I can still get to it. Oh well will see how it goes, I will be making it so it can be removed, all the track connections will eventually be on plug and socket type connectors.

Here you go, enjoy.

The baseboard, with track laid and connected to the Power-bus, with the dropper wires soldered to track.

Power-bus with the dropper connections.

I've found that I dont really need to solder the dropper wires to the Power-bus, just wrapping them around it 3 times works perfectly well.

It's quite amazing how a back scene and a few buildings can transform a layout, an engine shed will be built and put over the track at the front lefthand corner.
Around the edge of the baseboard standing on the lower baseboard will be the Scalescenes tunnel portals and retaining walls in OO gauge, should look quite good, I hope!

Close up of the furthest point.

Just need the ballast, weather the rails, build the bank down to the platform from the bridges and the rest of the scenery, still it's getting there.

Fiddle-Yard

This one because it's just a laugh!! ALL buildings and platform are of course Scalescenes.

Comments, suggestions or questions.....?

Ian

 

[dwb]

QUOTE I've found that I dont really need to solder the dropper wires to the Power-bus, just wrapping them around it 3 times works perfectly well.

It may work today, but I can foresee problems in the future as the exposed copper oxidises. Get a "hunky" soldering iron, heat up the joints and let a reasonable amount of solder flow in. It may take an hour or two but it will be good insurance against frustration in the future if the connections become flaky.

The rest looks great. I'm not completely convinced by Scale Scenes buildings but the bridges and other large scale brick constructions are very good.

I particularly like the backscene. How did you produce it?

David

 

[goedel]

That reminds me of the wiring in my Grandmother's house!

:

QUOTE (dwb @ 10 Aug 2007, 17:43) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>It may work today, but I can foresee problems in the future as the exposed copper oxidises. Get a "hunky" soldering iron, heat up the joints and let a reasonable amount of solder flow in. It may take an hour or two but it will be good insurance against frustration in the future if the connections become flaky.
David

I agree that some solder is a good idea for happy long term operability - although with the wires wrapped round as shown and then soldered it will be a right pain to detach them neatly were it to be necessary in future.

I look foward to seeing how the project develops...

Goedel

 

[dwb]

QUOTE although with the wires wrapped round as shown and then soldered it will be a right pain to detach them neatly were it to be necessary in future.
I would just snip off the dropper wire which was no longer required and then make good the bare part on the main bus wire with insulating tape or heat shrink.

On my layout the main bus goes along the inside edge of the support frame. There are "chocolate" block screw connectors at one end of the frame so there is a connection every 600mm. A feeder is taken off that and then this supplies all the dropper wires in that section. I find this is more flexible and suits the fact that I change my mind a lot.

David

 

[wiggy25]

Thanks for the comments.

I have wire wrapped the OO layout like that as well, seems fine at present, been like that for over 6months.
As I also change my mind will leave it like that until I know I'm not going to change anything, makes it very easy to shift things about.

The N layout is fixed, so I could solder the joints, this was after all a simple basic layout just to give a bit of scenic detail to the OO layout and also for my dad to bring his locos over to run, even if it is only a 9inch radius circle!

When I decided to build this I set myself a target of only using set track, being very simple, quick, straight forward and only fitting in that corner.
When I saw the plan 1B in the new Peco setrack OO plan book, it was a perfect fit, so used that but in N-gauge.
Really had to hold back when building it though, when laying the track, I just kept thinking if I put an extra branch here and siding there!! It would have turned into the same size as the OO layout!!

I will post more pics as I progress.

Ian

 

[wiggy25]

Isn't the weather nice!!

Makes it quick work when waiting for polyfilla to set!!

I used cardboard formers to get the rough shape of the slope, on top of this was some papier mache only 3 strips thick just enough to give a firm enough base to lay the polyfilla on to.
I smoothed off the filla with a damp sponge before it had fully set, doesn't look too bad......from a distance, will need to go round and touch bits up...there again though mother nature isn't exactly neat and perfect hey!
I think I've got it right, it's quite hard to judge how it would really look.

I used a tester tube of brown, sorry 'Choc-Chip' matt emulsion to cover the filla covered it very well, these tubes are quite good as they have a sponge applicator on the end, for detail work just squeeze a little out of the sponge and then dab the paint brush onto the sponge!

Need it all to dry now so as some scatter can go down, should start to look the part then.
The cardboard road template has a tarmac texture sheet glued to it, this will be glued down when all has fully dried, what I may do is paint a little PVA on all the road surfaces and cover with some black tarmac scatter.

In the sun waiting to dry.

Lets get some scatter down!!

Close up of the slope, the road template will be flush with the top of the platform, just rested it there to see what it's going to look like.
I think it's all coming together quite well, like I've said never done anything like this before, it's good practice!

Ian

 

[wiggy25]

Help on ballasting!!

I've altered the road layout slightly down to the platform and I will be covering this in scatter, just not sure which colour as yet!

Started some of the scatter and ballasting.
What is the best way to ballast around the points?

Just got a nasty feeling that I will end up glueing them all up!

Thanks

Ian

 

[goedel]

QUOTE (wiggy25 @ 12 Aug 2007, 18:35) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Help on ballasting!!
What is the best way to ballast around the points?
Hello Ian,

I have found that John Whitby's Swiss N scale website is very useful on this topic, as well as being an excellent website in general.

If you are fitting point motors when this is useful:
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/john.whitby/new...ss_29_10_05.htm

Without fitting motors then it is much simpler. Examine the motion of the points closely and mark the area in which movement is required...then be careful with the glue around this area, (also it can help to keep moving the points if you fear there is glue in them until it has all dried). This page is useful for a detailed ballasting technique:
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/john.whitby/new...ss_18_02_06.htm

Goedel

 

[dwb]

Have you considered painting the sides of the rail with a rust / track coloured paint? It's a painful job, I do it with a small brush, but worth the effort IMHO. It reduces the amount of reflection and the quality of the rest of what you have done deserves it -

. The track looks a little too "pristine" at present. For an idea of what it might look like, there's a photo in my blog entry "Taking cover" which shows painted but unballasted track. The one thing to watch out for is paint getting into the rail joiners. That's not a problem for me anymore as I don't rely on them for electrical transmission anymore; that job is done by the supply bus and droppers.

David

 

[wiggy25]

QUOTE (dwb @ 12 Aug 2007, 22:11) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Have you considered painting the sides of the rail with a rust / track coloured paint? It's a painful job, I do it with a small brush, but worth the effort IMHO. It reduces the amount of reflection and the quality of the rest of what you have done deserves it -

. The track looks a little too "pristine" at present. For an idea of what it might look like, there's a photo in my blog entry "Taking cover" which shows painted but unballasted track. The one thing to watch out for is paint getting into the rail joiners. That's not a problem for me anymore as I don't rely on them for electrical transmission anymore; that job is done by the supply bus and droppers.

David

Thanks David,

The rail painting is going to be done after the ballasting

I have some dark red rust and some sleeper grime, I think a combination of the two should give a pretty good result.
I think the dark red rust is too over the top, personal taste I know.

Will make sure on the rail joiners!!

Hopefully get some more done over this week, depending where I have to be sent for work!

Will leave everything to dry now and concentrate on getting the rest of the buildings finished.....thats the plan, may just carry on with the scenic stuff though as it's starting to look the part, even if I do say so myself!

Ian

 

[Mercator II]

Hi Wiggy

Looking good!

I quickie, who did you back scene!

I have been afterone for ages of that quality for Milldale, needs to be 35' long by 1' tall enlarging to 1'6'' tall ish

Any help or ideas will be great

Brian

 

[wiggy25]

What a week!
Feels like it's lasted a month!

A couple of updates, didn't really get as much done as I wanted but hey ho got the weekend.

Still got to finish the buildings, the scnery around the buildings, rusting the rails and making the trees!

Anyway here we are:-

I covered the road ways with the Gaugemaster grey tarmac in the end, I think it looks much better!
It looks like the council have just been out and put the chippings down! If I can get chipped paint work on my motor then these folks down at Calison Halt can have the same

Ian

 

[wiggy25]

Just a couple of updates,

The photos are not great, dropped my usual camera and it's now showing red lines down the photos!

ANyway just done some trees, using the seafoam, spraying hairspray on them, and then the leaf scatter on that.
It's actually turned out better than I thought it would, makes a mess though.

I've also picked up the static grass and puffer bottle, now that is very good, tried on a small bit of card, looks very effective, need to have a good area of paper under the layout when puffing the fibres on to the board though, they go everywhere!

Will try and get a picture showing that, maydo a little bit on this layout, but it maybe too much now.

I may get round to rusting the rails at some point!!
Makes you realise just how long a large layout will take!

Oh anybody know where I can get a decent N-gauge size car,wagon,truck type vehicle from?

Thanks

Ian

 

[wiggy25]

Here is the latest shot.
The rails have now been weathered!

Used dark rusty red, then quickly went over it with sleeper grime, as the red was too red for me!

I've now built the tunnel portal that will fit around the edge of this baseboard and provide the tunnel entrance for the OO layout:-

I've not built the side wall wings as these wont be needed, as butted up to this tunnel will be the retaining walls, which if I've worked everything out correctly 'should' all line up!!

Ian

 

[7113]

QUOTE (wiggy25 @ 18 Aug 2007, 21:18) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Oh anybody know where I can get a decent N-gauge size car,wagon,truck type vehicle from?

Wiking do an assortment of N scale vehicles which may be of help, others who do a few are Rietze and Herpa.

regards

 

[dwb]

QUOTE The rails have now been weathered!

Used dark rusty red, then quickly went over it with sleeper grime, as the red was too red for me!
Excellent job; it makes such a difference.

I know what you mean about being "too red", I've had that problem in the past.

David

 

[m.levin]

Got to say you have a great layout there mate, I mean layouts.

 

[wiggy25]

Thanks guys,

Well not really done that much on the layout, moved it onto the OO and have made a start on retaining walls and tunnel portals.

Quick pic

I've written a little bit of a tutorial on my blog on making up the portals.

Ian

 

[wiggy25]

Well progress is slow, this going to work is seriously killing my modelling time!!

Now just got to finish the ground work around the shed!

Ian