After my last rambling post I’ve not done much more, other than occasionally stare at the track plan. I’ve also got the base boards 99% complete.

I now have the two 700×300mm boards, which are bolted together in the middle by two M6 bolts and wingnuts. Originally I was going to use M8 bolts, but I drilled the holes a bit off-centre from eachother. M8 bolts resulted in an un-even join. Enlarging the hole was a bad idea. However, the M6 bolts have just the right amount of play to make everything fit nicely. The three leg pairs I’ve built are also attached with the same bolts. I’d messed up building them, and spaced them the same width as the frame. This means the legs didn’t go nicely under the frame. However, one side will go under, and the back will go outside the frame. It still fits, so it works for me! The M6 bolts again allow for my wonky drilled holes to align properly.

Both boards are topped off with cork now, and align beautifully. It looks like one piece until turned over! I know from last time that as long as I make sure to include a spacer between the boards when laying the track join, it’ll all fit spot on once cut through. I’ve also made sure to mark up on the top side where the screws are holding on the ply, so I don’t try fixing through them (another thing I encountered last time).

As base boards go, it’s not going to win any prizes, but I think it’s a vast improvement on the last ‘attempt’.

Pictures will follow…

As for the track plan, this is what I have so far:

The blue shaded section is a hidden ‘off-scene’ section for a fiddle yard. It uses code 80 track. I intend making one or more of the tracks go off onto a cassette storage system. That can come later though.

The section in front of it will be a fuelling area probably. A through line will probably end at a dead end for now, with a view that it could be extended off-scene in future.

A bridge viaduct provides a scenic break to allow trains to disappear into the non-scenic area, or move into the fuelling area. This will feature under-arch shops.

Next at the back right, we have a small motive depot of some description. It has no headshunt visible – we can pretend that’s off scene or something.

On the far right we have a bridge/retaining wall thing. The bridge will cover over the end of the platform, and hide the fact the tracks don’t go anywhere (yet). It provides for future expansion again.

As mentioned, there’s an island platform. I’m considering a bay platform on the lower track, turning it into a siding. A station building could then sit in front of it.

The white areas are, as yet, undecided in terms of function. Indeed, the area above the blue fiddle yard will probably end up with something on top of it. I’m considering a retaining wall along the front of it (to hide it) so something sitting on top could be plausible.

I think it’s a pretty workable layout idea. It’s not exactly prototypical, but I think it gives scope to play around. I came to the realisation I don’t have the space to run long trains at speed. Short trains shuttling in and out will have to do! Besides, this is small, and very manageable. It gives room to spend lots of time on small features, without the feeling of having a lot to do to attain a good result.

I have a tendency to lose interest in some things if it drags on too long, as there was just too much to do on the previous plan. This is a lot more manageable. So much so I can break it into halves and work on part at a time.

Tomorrow I’ll lay out the track as much as possible, and make sure things fit. All going well, I’ll get on with laying track properly next. I just have to be happy with it.

I joked to a colleague before I went off on leave that my ‘plan’ wouldn’t come to fruition. My first week was spent tidying and clearing out rubbish as I’d planned. The second week was spent buying a new TV and other random things.

A couple of times I looked at the base board and every time I did just considered it a big job I couldn’t be bothered with. I quickly realised the layout was far too big for a ‘re-beginner’ like me. I should have started much smaller. Because I’d based the initial layout plan on the size of the sheet of ply I’d purchased, it’d started off far too big anyway, and just snowballed from there.

Plan B formed quickly after deciding I couldn’t be bothered with doing the work I’d planned. The idea was to create a small-ish diorama with some Scalescenes bits, which I could cut my teeth on. I drew a quick ‘impression’ of what it would look like.

A simple viaduct with a couple of tracks running along it, and various backdrop buildings.

I set to work hacking up some spare ply to make a base. The resulting base was 700mm wide, and 300mm deep. The under support was the simplest I’d built, being simple butt joints, screwed and glued. I also simplified screwing the top on, as previously I’d been faffing about trying to screw up into the ply, rather than down into the wood.

Having built a base, I set to work building the viaduct and shops. Having built a couple of arches and the shops to go under them (a bit of kitbashing was required for this), ideas started forming about building a whole new layout, using this base as a starting point.

Out came the tape measure, and I’d quickly settled on the idea of having two identical boards side by side. These will be bolted together in the usual fashion, but also free-standing. The previous layout had no decent support, and was warping and sagging all over the shop. It was causing trains to derail when I ran them.

So basically the new layout is going to be 1400mm wide, and 300mm deep. Granted, that’s not a lot! But it will include a hidden fiddle yard, and I’m considering building in a cartridge fiddle yard as an addon. The whole thing will be capable of storing out of the way though, so it should keep clean, and it’ll be small enough to work on and look after.

I have track plans coming, and layout design on the way, which I’ll post up soon. Tomorrow I’ll build the second base board and the legs though, so I’ll be ready to start.

The original design was doomed to fail really. Poor planning, and my over-enthusiasm were my own undoing. If I’d spent a while longer working up a plan, and deciding what I actually wanted to do, then I’d have been OK. Having seen so many other layouts since, and read various bits and pieces, I spent a lot of time thinking ‘why didn’t I do that?’.

Still, it’s a new beginning. Exciting stuff!

The obvious option was to basically cut the board in half. However, the half-way point had a batten along it, so any cut would have to be offset from there. Not only that, but there’s a load of pointwork right above. I eventually found an area between two points about two thirds of the way along the board in a simpler area of the board. The track sections are straight, and the points are back to back.

The baseboard was already built so it was a bit of a retrofit. The underside battens were screwed to the top on both sides at almost exactly the point I needed to cut through, so the screws at that point were removed. I cut the whole thing in half, and then made up two new end battens to go on the ends. Whilst I was doing this I also drilled the holes for the bolts to hold it all back together. Everything was screwed back together and the end result is actually a bit sturdier I feel, my dodgy wood-working skills aside.

After a little bit of trimming, the two halves went back together fairly well. I installed the copper circuit board joiner and soldered it down. The track on the right of the joiner is glued down too, with suitable holes cut for the point motors to be fitted later. I need to pick up some more wing nuts and washers for the joint to make it secure.

The points were placed with a gap the width of the saw I used. When I cut through everything else, it all lined up flush, when pushed together. I run a wagon back and forth across it and it seemed smooth, so I’m happy. Some more soldering will need to be done to provide power feeds. Now I’m gluing track down I’m making sure to check the track butts up nicely by filing down the ends. Previously, everything was just rough-cut to fit. Some bits will need replacing and cutting down further as they don’t quite fit the gaps properly.

I did notice the track needs a darn good clean though, as it’s getting very dusty and mucky. Most of the rest has been dry-laid, so it’s just a case of pulling up bits and checking it, then gluing everything down again.

I’m now starting to think I need to build some sort of legs for the board as the shelving unit it’s standing on right now just doesn’t support it in all the right places, so it’s a bit up and down. Once that’s rectified, and track is laid, it’ll be onto the point motors and final wiring. Then I’ll have an actual working layout.

Over the last week I’d added some bolts and wingnuts to the end of the board where the return extension bit goes. The solution works – sort of. The extension bit tends to hang down a bit. Not a bit surprise I suppose. I need to figure out how to make it sit level with the main board.

That didn’t put me off starting to lay the track down properly. In the process of layout out the track again, I decided to forgo a few bits of track. Firstly, the double-slip crossover is out. As this is Code 55 track, it has a lower profile. I’d read that in some cases re-wheeling rolling stock would be required to avoid derailments. Having run various locos around and other stock, I’d not encountered any such problems – except on the double slip. It added additional headaches with wiring, in terms of getting it to switch polarities about. This all seemed like too much effort, so it had to go.

Additionally, the storage sidings at the back have turned around. This is mainly so all the points are situated at the more accessible end of the board. Not only that, the sidings will go into what is otherwise dead space at the back. As it was, the end of the rear, hidden storage was almost right next to the end of the ‘live’ sidings where I intend to put a depot. Again, I didn’t like this as it reduced the amount of space for scenery. Now I have plenty of room.

Having decided on that, I started track laying. I’d bought some pins from Wilko (the notice board type – long with a little bobble on the end) which I used to contain the flex-track on curves. Basically, I’d flex it round, using the pins to retain it. Then I’d draw an outline with a Sharpie so I knew where it belonged. I also used my Peco 6ft-way gauge to make sure the spacing was good. Radii are the same as, or less than some Code 80 Settrack I have, so that’s good. I think the Class 66s bind a little on tight curves, being CO-CO chassis, but it should be OK.

Once I’d got the track down, I added in the copper-clad PCB. I’d picked it up in Maplin. I cut a rectangle to fit over the join, which covered both tracks. I screwed it down to the board with two screws either site. Next, I pulled the webbing off the flexitrack so the rail bottoms sat flush on the PCB. Next out came the soldering iron and I put down a few tacks first to hold it in place, then ran a bead along the outside edges, plus a bit on the inside edges to retain it. It’s not exactly pretty, BUT the wheels all seem to roll over it. Finally, I used one of those funny hacksaws with the extended blade for hard to reach areas to slice along the PCB, track and all. I’d made sure to insert a spacer between to two baseboards the same thickness as the hacksaw blade, so that when the cuts were done, everything would be flush. The spacer in this case was my steel rule!

In my zeal to cut through, I twisted the saw, and snapped the blade. I replaced it with a better quality one, which whilst being longer, and thus at a higher risk of breaking, it sliced through with ease. I repeated all this for the second one, removed the spacer, and it all went together beautifully!

At this point I hadn’t glued down the tracks on the extension board yet, so I simply lifted them a bit, and used some Evostick wood glue to stick it down. I sat some weight on it for a while, and it all stuck very firmly. That Evostick is some good glue! I’ve also got some bog-standard PVA I got in Hobbycraft, but this stuff is pure awesome in a bottle!

With that done I laid out the other track, and glued down the curves at the other end. One nice thing I found using the pins to hold the track is that the track can be lifted in position; it’ll slide upwards, but retain it’s shape, and leave enough space underneath to squirt a bead of glue along, then use a spatula to spread it. Then it’s a case of lowering the track back down, and applying a weight to make it stay put. No fiddling around re-aligning it, as the pins keep it aligned. A real time-saver, and it means I could fiddle about using the pins without getting glue all over the place, or making silly mistakes. A good reason for using the cork!

Having done all that, I decided to wire up the original droppers I’d put in some time ago just to sanity-check the layout. It works as much as it can; the return curves and back section need power, but the front bit still works, save for a small dead section on one of the point frogs. Nothing I can’t fix though.

The new revised layout mean only a few of the original holes I’d drilled for point motors will now fit. Not a bit issue, as I’ll do new ones, and the old ones were mostly badly aligned. I’m still looking for a fool-proof method to align the Seep motors though. I’ve still got some track laying to do before that’s a worry though.

Quite a lot of progress!

Which I’ve done by using a small extension on one end thus:

Admittedly, since I’ve done it, I’ve re-laid that section of track, as it wasn’t great. It’s now done in two continuous pieces rather than the four I first did it in.

So now I have a nice continuous loop, and the trains run around it full tilt quite happily.

I think I could do with a couple more power droppers elsewhere, just to give a good supply, but even then there’s no dropouts, and I ran the Dapol 67 round on a fairly low speed with no problems.

The extension won’t be scenic – it’s designed to be removed when not in use, so I’ll hide the edge with a bridge or something. But it’s all good progress. 

An explanation is required. The blue section at the top will be the back of the layout. That will be mostly Code 80 track (stuff I already have). The scissor crossing is a nicety for two reasons. Firstly, it’ll be the conversion from Code 80 to Code 55, and it’ll give some flexibility in switching on the up and down lines. It’ll serve as a fiddle yard, and stock storage.

The red section on the right is the new extension. It’s a 300mm section which will be bolted onto the end. It’ll also hide under an adjacent shelf, so it won’t really be visible. Hopefully there won’t be too many derailments there. The track will be Code 55. There’s not a lot of difference in price on the flexitrack, so it was easier to extend it up.

Lastly, the main section down the front is the actual ‘live’ layout. The two straight lines down the bottom of the plan are down to the ‘station’. It’ll be a simple terminus. The scissor crossing allows switching across onto the up and down lines, and also up to the sidings. The left hand side should be a depot of some description, and the double slip allows one of the sidings to act as a sort of head shunt for the two shorter sidings. They might end up being some sort of loading bay, or something. Not really sure yet! They might be pulled around a bit more so the run more diagonally. That would give longer running lengths, but it’ll mean more of a twist – I already have a pretty tight radius in there.

The leftover space will have the usual assortment of buildings and other miscellanea. The exit point for the track will be a bridge of some description, and probably a raised roadway along the whole right hand side.

As far as realism goes, I’ve tried to keep to the spirit of things. I’ve had a look at some satellite photos of depots and stations, and I’m trying to do things as well as I can in the space confines I have. To do things properly I’d probably end up with a layout about ten times longer. What I wanted to avoid was a full loop system – I wanted something vaguely plausible. Hopefully when dressed up nicely, any oddities in the track layout will be solved.

The track has been ordered, so I’m committed now. Or should be.

Incidentally, I’ve gone for entirely electrofrog points. Probably going to end up being a really stupid idea, and require a ton of wiring and switching. But hey, that’s what makes it fun!

There’s two options I’m considering – Peco Code 80, and Peco Code 55. When I modelled in OO, I used the bog-standard Hornby stuff (or Peco equivalents). Whenever I saw other layouts, I was always struck by the fact their track looked so much better. I often put that down to the fact they had probably hand-built a lot of it. I never appreciated the fact there were different scales to chose from.

I’ve been reading up some differences, and the consensus seems to be that if you want something to Just Work, go for Code 80. If, however, you want it to look more realistic, go for Code 55.

At present I’ve not got a lot of track. I’ve got the Peco starter set, and the oval that came with the Graham Farish set I bought, and some sections of flexitrack. Naturally, that’s all Code 80, so not entirely compatible. Some people said to use Code 80 in hidden sections. It’s cheaper, so that’s a fair use for it.

There’s pros and cons for both:

Code 80

Code 55

Pros	Cons
More realistic	No catch point available (that I can find)
More flexible (flexitrack being the only option for straights)
More points available

Having mulled it over, I think I might go with the Code 55. Given that my layout is pretty small, I can use the shortest points, but balance that with using flexitrack everywhere. I can cut it to exactly the size I want, and also use it to make my curves at the end of the layout. This way I can have them at some fairly tight radii, and get more in behind the scenes, where I can use the Code 80 stuff. Well, hopefully anyway!

I’m going to go have a look at some more track tomorrow, and decide. I might change my mind and go for Code 80, but it would be nice to use the finer stuff, just to make things look really nice!

I also bought a couple of battens to fix to the underside. After a bit of cutting about, I’d managed to make a few lap joints, which I glued and screwed, then the whole thing was screwed to the top. I’m definitely no expert at woodworking, so it was a case of working slowly and carefully. The end result is below.

It’s sitting on top of a small shelving unit I bought in Wickes some time ago. The centre battens are oriented such that they sit across the top of the shelving unit, and hold it up. It leaves me (hopefully) enough room underneath for point motors, and cabling.

On the whole, it’s pretty sound, so I’m happy with it.

But this probably raises the point, why bother building it before any concrete plans? Well, it’s pretty simple – as I said earlier, there’s only a finite space, and I’m happy to work with a nice, flat base. As far as I was concerned, it made little difference, and it gives me the ability to lay things out and play about more.

It’s a good start, anyway!