Plans for the New Model Railway Layout

When I built my ‘0’ gauge layout Holmehurst I made a mock model out of paper to work out where everything went, especially as the main layout was on 4 boards, which for transporting were paired together with the scenery inside the resultant box, with the ends of each pair held as a box by pieces of plywood utilising the bolt holes to join the sections together. To make each box as small as possible it was important that all the buildings, etc. interlocked between each other.

With this experience behind me, I have made 3 models of the new layout I hope to build in the hold. Each model is 1/10th scale.

This is model No.1. The actual size will be 12ft long by 2ft wide. It is not the complete layout, but the main scenic part. It is part of a complete circle with a 12ft by 1ft wide section on the opposite side of the hold, both parts will be linked by 3inch wide sections at each end, with hinged parts to allow pedestrian access through this section of the hold. The 1ft wide section will be a large ‘fiddleyard’ section with multiple storage tracks where prepared trains will be stored ready to be used on the layout. I want to incorporate a canal scene in this layout so that I can include the rather nice scale model that someone made for me of ‘Hadar’. The blue painted area is the canal which is a terminus, with the canal disappearing into a tunnel. The lines are the railway tracks and the dotted lines are the continuation of the tracks underground. If you follow the lines you will see that it is a figure-of-eight scheme. there is also a line running into the hill side to supposedly a mine. I did originally draw this scheme with a platform in it, but since making the model I decided that I wouldn’t have a platform on the layout, it makes it too congested, and the passenger trains would just run straight through the layout. So primarily it is a railway/canal interchange.

However I was not particularly happy with this design, especially as I have always wanted to model a canal lock and to allow narrowboats to wind at the end of this terminus, the width of which as can be seen takes up a lot of space. Also it seems a tad short from the terminus to the tunnel, although this can be found in real life at Froghall on the Caldon Canal at it’s terminus, but there is a lot more space available at Froghall. So I redesigned it and produced Model No.2. However as soon as I finished it I was not happy with it, as the canal lock ended up parallel and very close to the railway track, approximately where the platform is on Model No.1 above. Hence immediately on it’s heels came model No.3 below.

Model No.3 of my proposed new model railway layout. As can be seen I have taken this one a stage further by painting it. The blue is obviously the canal, yes I know canal water isn't blue, but I have to distinguish it from the grassy/woodland areas. The grey is the railway track, the black is a road, the red is brick walls and tunnel entrances and of course the green is grass/woodland. I am much happier with this design, although the actual shape of the landscape may well change once I start building it.

Keith.

Model Railway

During this winter I have built a small model railway inside Hadar. I have been a model railway engineer since my early teens, culminating in building an ‘0’ gauge exhibition layout “Holmehurst” and exhibiting it around the country in the 1990’s. Since moving onto Hadar I tried to build a ‘009’ narrow gauge layout in a pine box, but due to the tightness of the curve, only one of the locos I had could negotiate it. Since we moved onto our residential mooring here in Warwick I had planned to build a ‘009’ layout in the garden. Having towards the end of last year been on-board a colleagues boat where he is building a ‘009’ layout around his saloon, this got me thinking.

This was the original layout from inside the box, which in this photo I have already sawn the board up and removed the curved track.

This photo is with the sections repositioned to form the new layout.

The layout has had a wood edging added to it and placed in it’s position on the shelf above the display cabinet with my ‘0’ gauge rolling stock in it.

The new section of track has been added to reconnect the original two halves.

Viewed from the end of the layout.

Electrically testing the layout with some of the existing stock having wired up the layout. The existing stock is what I kept from my late father’s layout.

Starting construction of the road bridge over the railway to divide the layout to the right, from the “fiddleyard” to the left. A “fiddleyard” is a model railway term for the rest of the railway, which is where rolling stock can be changed.

Ballasting the new section of track.

The road bridge is completed.

The baseboard and landscaping has been painted with “chocolate” emulsion paint.

Ballasting completed.

Attaching the 3 buildings and fences. the smallest building came ready made and painted, the other 2 were kits which had to be built and painted.

Trees positioned and fixed in place.

Rock face and bushes fixed in place at the end of the layout, appropriately shaped so I can still see all of the TV from my armchair!

Level crossing made from balsa wood and painted.

Scatter and foliage added. Scatter is very small material that is appropriately coloured to represent, grass, meadowland, etc..

PVA glue applied to the baseboard before sprinkling the scatter on the front of the layout on what will be a sheep field.

Applying the PVA glue at the rear of the layout behind the fencing.

The rear of the rock face has been finished off with balsa wood, and subsequently varnished, to hide the rough rear to the ‘cork’ that I used for the rock face, and the wood construction to attach it to the baseboard.

Sprinkling ‘scatter’ on using a teaspoon!

Different coloured scatter used in the station and mine area, the darker grey scatter represents the tarmac roadway. The lighter grey has just been applied and awaiting drying before removing the loose scatter.

Station and mine area scatter completed and the station platform constructed from balsa wood fixed in place
The high level line which emerges from the mine again constructed from balsa wood with tipper wagons on the mine track, which tip the material mined into the larger wagons below.

Level crossing barriers and loading gauge fitted. A loading gauge is to check that wagons are not loaded too high to clear bridges etc..

The high level line platform completed with safety barriers and access ladders, and the mine entrance constructed and all painted.

3 stages of adding ‘spilled’ mining material on and around the high level line. Stage 1: selecting a piece with a pair of tweezers. Stage 2: applying PVA glue to the selected piece. Stage 3: positioning the piece in place.

Mine workers fixed to the layout.
I then painted some wild animals and placed them in various locations around the layout.

A Badger.

A Hedgehog.

A pair of Squirrels.

A Hare running beside the track.

4 Rabbits.

Finally a Weasel scurries alongside the road.

Rock climbers on the rock face, either side of the mine. Like the wild animals I had to paint these.

A farmer with his tractor and trailer about to collect some sheep.

A Landrover crossing the road bridge. I made the ‘Hump-Backed Bridge’ sign by printing out the image on our printer and sticking it to a needle painted grey.

This model of a Baldwin 2-6-0 loco I originally built for my late father for his layout. I have repaired and repainted it and got it running quite nicely now, hope Dad likes to look down on it.

And finally station station staff and passengers were added to the layout, which has completed it.



The finished layout.

Since taking the last photo I bought some new carriages and they fouled on the fencing between the track and the footpath from the road to the platform. I therefore had to remove that piece of fencing. Also I must check the height of any future level crossings, as the steamcoach I have fouls on the one I built! I am not too bothered about this as I have enough passenger coaches for this layout.
Now I can sit back and enjoy it. In the meantime, Jo has suggested that when we stop selling coal, I should build a larger layout in the hold, which I have already started making plans for. Watch this space for when I start that project.
Keith.

What a difference a week makes.

This time last week Keith was in hospital after another back problem, but this weekend he was down in the back cabin refitting our gearbox.

It is always nice to watch a man at work.

Our gearbox was returned today, with all new seals and gaskets fitted. Rob of Kate Boats fitted it to it's mounting bracket, and Keith reconnected the 2 propshafts, the control linkage and the 2 oil cooling pipes. Hopefully we should have a oil leak free cruise this year. What a difference a week makes though. This time last week Keith was in hospital in agony and unable to move without being caused pain.

 

Whilst Keith and Rob sorted the gearbox out, I was out helping a friend to move a table from her boat to her house. I arrived back to make Keith a coffee, as Rob had done his bit.

Having done the gearbox he is looking a little uncomfortable, but he can now put his feet up and watch the 6 nations...... Come on Ireland.