Birth of a layout.
 

I thought it might be fun to chronicle my first real foray into railway modelling. I'll update this thread every few days or so, and I'll be asking questions, so please feel free to jump in and tell me what I'm doing wrong! :D

I'm modelling in 'N' gauge, using Peco Setrack. The track arrived on Saturday morning and, even though it was ordered with a specific track plan in mind, that plan has now been changed. The idea now is to model a fictitious preserved railway, and the trackplan now reflects that. It's an oval, one side of which will be hidden, with a passing loop and eight sidings. The baseboard is to be a cheap internal door, cut down to around 5 foot by 2 foot 6.

And that's about it so far. I've got a couple of weeks off from work starting next Monday, so that's when things will begin in earnest.

I suppose I'll have to do some decorating in order to keep the missus sweet, but hey, chucking emulsion at a wall is nothing compared to laying track!

Go for it Trev. Keep some of the white or magnolia emulsion to use on the layout. Mixed with a bit of black water paint, it makes for good roads, add some very fine sand (kids sandpit stuff), only a little though and the roads have texture.
Syd

Try that in the desert and the stuff cracks like real old roads too (darn lack of humidity :mad: ). :p I use black fine grit sandpaper for roads for the most part. The emulsion with sand sounds like a great way to make a car park though. I wonder how it would weather. Anyone have a go at it? I'd be interested in knowing--it might be just what I need.

I built a little railway museum on my layout as an excuse to display (and run) vintage stuff. The museum has trackage rights on all the mainlines for excursions. That is the only way I can justify running a Mountain or Pacific past the SD60s and 70s... :D And if anyone asks why the European stuff is running about, I say that the museum has a rich retired Brit as a member and he purchased a used Mallard for the museum to restore. :rolleyes:

Good luck with the layout, Trev.

Tom F

Thanks for the tips lads. A largish car park will be required at the front of the layout in between the diesel and steam sheds. I want the 2mm scale visitors to be overawed by the locos as they climb out of their tin boxes!

I'm currently trying to come up with a fictitious history for the preserved line. It's going to be known as the 'South Holderness Light Railway' and the station will probably be 'Hedon' (where I was brought up) which was on the long closed Hull - Withernsea branch. It's not going to be a slavish copy of the real Hedon station by any means, but I want it to have a bit of the local flavour at least. Which means no tunnels, so the track will have to disappear through the backscene disguised by plenty of trees.

And I've already decided on my next loco purchase (it's known as putting the cart before the horse :D ). I really want one of those Dapol Class 73's, preferably the large logo BR blue model.

Anyhow, track laying is due to commence next Monday. A 2mm scale Lord Mayor of Hedon will be invited to cut the first sod!!

Trev,
At least you have a name for your lay out, I have not had a single reply to my request for a name for my lay out. I'm sure someone out there will have a good name that I could use. Good luck with the cutting of the sod, hope your Lord Mayor is up to the job.

I don't recall seeing that thread. Point me to it!

I usually call mine something like, "ball and chain," or just plain, "arrrrrrrgh!." Of course, when something goes right, it is "the love of my life..." :p

Tom F

Trev
I have been through all of my postings and can't find the request I made for a name for my layout. I know that I did put it onto the board. It must be in the middle of some posting and I can't find it. So Here it is again.
I would like some ideas for a name for my N gauge model railway. To be fair I will let my wife choose the best of the best and the winner will have their name fixed to the layout under the chosen layout name.

It's mostly Great Western isn't it Syd? How about calling the station something like 'Churchwood'. Yeah I know, pretty lame. I'll try and think of some more suggestions.

Edit: Even better (or worse, depending on how you viewed my first idea), 'George Junction (for Churchwood).....GJC for short! Stop groaning!

Trev,
I thank you for your suggestions for a name. I will wait and see what other names come forward before I make up my mind.. I found my request. It is on the last set of photos I posted in the gallery. So far you are the only one to make any suggestions. I refuse to call it by the names my wife calls it. Things like "That Bloody Toy" & "Syds Junk". She likes it really.
Syd

Track laying hasn't even started, and the 2mm scale Lord Mayor is getting fed up of hanging around and waiting. :(

I wanted to glue a double layer of polystyrene ceiling tiles to the board and use them as a track base. I wanted polystyrene so that I could cut into it later on to create a pond and a small ditch/stream. This sounds unbelievable I know, but I cannot find any plain tiles in east Hull at all. I thought that B&Q would be a safe bet. Forget it. Either there on the verge of closing down or the restocking department isn't doing its job properly.

So it's beginning to look like the only other option is foam track underlay and no pond and stream. Unfortunately the budget has been exceeded for this month, so if I go for the foam underlay then I'm looking at a delay of about a fortnight. :( A friend has suggested a type of felt underlay that is generally used for laminate flooring, so if it's cheap enough I might have a look at that as an option.

Did Brunel have these kind of problems? :D

Trev
Can't you use the tiles but fix them on upside down. When you cut into them you can always full in the gaps with modeling clay. or just make them look like part of the river bank.

PS Brunel had other problems, like ships that ran agroung and little things like Box tunnel and bridges crossing the Tamar & Thames.
Syd

I thought of that Syd, but the ones that they had at the time had a very raised pattern on them, and I was worried that they might not stick correctly and come adrift in the future. The good news is that me and the missus went back to B&Q today (for emulsion :( ) and found that they must have restocked. I bought one pack of 500mm x 500mm tiles with a subdued pattern which will stick perfectly. Things are back on track! (pardon the pun!)

Any ideas on a name for your own empire yet?

Trev, so far you are the only one to offer any names, I will give it a little more time to see if there are any more names. I have to give people time to think, after all we are railway nuts so we should be able to come up with a name. I have set the model in the late 50's early 60's some where in the west country with both Southern and Midlands passing through. When I feel like it I can even have visiting locos and trains fron overseas, but that depends on who comes to see me. Our local doctor has started to build a DB layout and as it is still at the track laying stage. He tests the rolling stock on my layout. Lets face it, he just likes to see his sets running. The good thing about it is he has got his young son intrested. Power to all new young modelers.
Syd

Syd,

How about working round "Cleobury, Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway." Always thought it was a great name for a railway. Two of their locos even made it into BR days. They were rebuilt with pannier tanks and looked a bit like Collett 1366 tanks. It was a branch of the Severn Valley Line.

Can I be the first to mention the 'Weston, Clevedon and Portishead'?

The WC & P? :D

Trev
That's a good one, I live in the area and did not even think about it. There is talk of opening the Bristol - Portishead line (under the Clifton Suspension Bridge and along the river Avon) for passenger services again.
Syd

Glad to be of help Syd.

Right, I've emulsioned the ceiling, the walls will be done tomorrow and Sunday, so I'm hoping to get some track down on Monday. Fingers crossed. :) The missus has helpfully bought some new curtain rail to put up, (not flat bottomed :D ), but that's only a ten minute job at the most, so that shouldn't eat into Monday's planned start too much. It was definitely a mistake taking her to B&Q.

The South Holderness Light Railway took possession of its third locomotive early last week. It's a Class 73 in large logo BR blue, a type which has never before been seen in East Yorkshire. Should pull the punters in!

Unfortunately, it's still in storage at the moment, not even a test run to its mileage, as the track still hasn't been laid. :(

message for Syd :
With Midland, Southern and Western stock it sounds like you are creating something similar to the old Somerset and Dorset Joint Rly. Maybe imaginary names based on some of the places in this part of the country would be suitable. e.g. Shepton Farish (bit of advertising), Bedminster (where your layout lives), Sydcombe (no explanation needed).

message for Trev :
How are you going to attach your track to the polystyrene tiles?

John.

Trev,
you said, and I quote:-
Right, I've emulsion-ed the ceiling, the walls will be done tomorrow and Sunday, so I'm hoping to get some track down on Monday. Fingers crossed. The missus has helpfully bought some new curtain rail to put up, (not flat bottomed), but that's only a ten minute job at the most, so that shouldn't eat into Monday's planned start too much. It was definitely a mistake taking her to B&Q.

This was posted on 17/02/06, How come you still have not started? Even I can put up a new curtain rail in less time.
Syd.

John,
Thanks for the names for the layout, Can't use Bedminster as I live in Greenbank (wrong side of the river), I am about 50 yds from the old Midland track, now a cycle path. I have now chosen the name of 'Cripple Siding' for my layout, because when I run trains I have to change the points by hand in the shunt yard. The name came from Trev and a small brass plate will be made with the layout name 'Cripple Siding' and Trev's name on it. It will also have the Railway Forum's name on it.
Syd

Good choice Syd and a nice gesture :)

Sorry about Bedminster.....I forgot that it was a real place :o
John

Trev's idea of basing his layout around a preserved line made me think of my last British N-scale layout before I was converted to Swiss railways.
My layout had a Britsh Rail mainline leading to a terminus station (Trixham) and a Preserved Railway centre with a short running track. I have put a few photos of the layout (taken in 1991) in my gallery if anyone is interested.

John

PVA glue.

Sydcombe sounds like a good name. :)

Very impressive, and very inspiring as well John. There are a couple of features in your photos which I would have overlooked including on my own layout. But not anymore! Thanks!!!

Great layout John, it just goes to show what can be done in 'N' gauge. Remembering that there was not that much in 'N' gauge in the shops back in 1991 so a lot had to be scratch made. Well modeled
Syd

PVA must be one of the best things ever invented for modellers :)
I have also used the ordinary (non-solvent) NO MORE NAILS on polystyrene without any ill effects but it is a bit messier than PVA.
John

I know, I know. But I had to go back to work, the decorating took a lot longer than expected (looks good though, I'm quite pleased!), and we have taken the opportunity to have a major furniture rethink. However, everything is almost finished now, and the missus is pleased with the result, so it's fingers crossed for a start to be made on Sunday, which is my next day off.

It's all my own fault really, I spent my fortnights holiday slumped on the settee drinking beer and watching re-runs of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' :D

And thanks for naming your layout from one of my suggestions! It's really nice!

Trev,
Please note the name on the new photos of the layout, everyone I have told around here thinks it was the best name. So I know that we have chosen well. I will get a name plate made up when I can find some one to do it for me.
Syd

Some slight progress!!!

Well, the tiles have been glued to the door (henceforth to be referred to as 'the baseboard', in case anyone thinks that my decorating is even worse :D ), and I'm hoping to make a start on laying some track tomorrow. I want to give the Class 73 a test run!

Oh, and in keeping with the preserved railway based on Hedon routine, the plan has been revised. I'm considering making it a terminus, but doing it as though it was formerly a through station, as Hedon actually was. So the fiction is that the railway operates along the old LNER Withernsea branch between Hedon and Marfleet. A main line connection would exist from the western end of Marfleet station to the Saltend branch. So I can have visiting locomotives from the modern companies, and also from other preserved railways. :)

I've finally got around to gluing the track down!!!! But the plan got revised again. I laid the track out to do a terminus/ fiddle yard scheme, and, in short.......boring.

So we now have a single track circuit, a passing loop, a three road engine shed, a DMU bay and a four road goods yard.

I'm looking forward to 'playing' with my model trains, and to hell with prototypical realism!!!! :D

Good for you Trev.
It's your layout and you can do what you want with it.
Just Enjoy :) :) :)

John.

I'm looking forward to 'playing' with my model trains, and to hell with prototypical realism!!!!

Now you are thinking like me Trev. Only trouble is after playing for a few days you add something to the layout, then something else, then you do a bit more and well thats it you then go the full hog. In the mean time just have fun.
Syd

And in a further development, the Missus has agreed to having the layout set up permanently in our bedroom! I'll be able to leave rolling stock on the rails, and not worry too much about the height of the scenery, as I would have been if I had to carry the whole thing downstairs to play with. I'm going to have a mountain!!!!:D

Oh yes! and what did you have to promise her and how much is it going to cost?
Syd

Nothing.

But her face fell a bit when I mentioned that I'd be able to balance it on her beech and glass coffee table. Suddenly space was found upstairs.:D

You sneaky sod. That would not work with my wife. She would take a 2"x4" to me. 'Ouch'
Syd

I've spent a lot of time cultivating an air of male helplessness and stupidity. It's beginning to pay off! :D

Trev,
I must be doing something right, we went out on Saturday and just happened to call into a model shop in Bristol. She said you can spend up £100 for your birthday next month. I have to admit to going to £120, but she just said she expected that from me. Have now got a Gaugemaster double controller, two more Dapol coaches and the rest of the trees I needed. Time to do some more to the layout.
Syd