My layout in the making

[Guest]

Steven this is really interesting but i dont understand a lot any chance of a beginners guide to railway layouts please also the benefits and probs between n and 00 guage?? cheers mate im looking to build a railway for my youngest but dont know where to start??

[dynamite25]

First off how much space you got nigel for the model railway and most people use 2x1 timber for the frame work with braces every 600mm and 9mm PLY or MDF for the tops,and the difference between N and OO is N is sort of half the size of OO and you can fit more in N in a 8x4 than you can with OO but OO is easier on the eyes thats why i chose it over N.And i think there is more in British OO than there is in British N but N Gauge is catching up.

There are afew DVD's and CD-ROM's you can get to help in building a model railway 1)The Hornby Step By Step Guide To Railway Modelling CD-ROM 2)Hornby: Virtual Railway 2 CD-ROM which you can use to design your layout 3)Peco Creating A Model Railway DVD,and there are plenty of books out to help building a model railways like track plan book aswell as loads of stuff on the net.

Heres some question

1)Baseboard size

2)scale N or OO

3)Era steam or diesel or both

4)Period like what year you want to set it in.

Mines both steam and diesel and no set time period so i can run anything i like really.

[dynamite25]

Also nigel have a look at this website for beginners in model railways it has loads of info to help you better,as it would take me along time to tell you it all and by looking at that site it's just all a click away.

http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/

[Guest]

Thanks Steven thats a great help your a top bloke!!!!

[dynamite25]

Got a shock this morning my goods from hattons arrived about an hour ago but i didn't recieve my email to say they have been picked and then packed,they must of forgot that they should of sent the email first before sending the goods are well nevermind atleast i got them alot quickier than the other two times.

[dynamite25]

Been trying to think how to have things on my layout after seeing a layout in the latest issue of MR so i got my trackplan and went into paint and added abit of colour to the plan to see what it would be like,and i came up with this it's not great and only half done.

Needs some more buildings added and more scenery aswell anyway have a look and tell me what you think.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/dynamite25/untitled.png

[dynamite25]

Thinking of scrapping the track plan i got and designing a new one but with the station on the 3ft side of the layout,but not sure whether to have it on the main level of the layout or on a upper level.I'm just don't feel happy with the current track plan as to why i haven't started track laying and i want to have a track plan that i am 100% happy with and until that happens my baseboard will stay bare.

Plus i have been searching the net for inspiration to help me design a great track plan and looking in every model train book and track plan books i got,but still nothing has come up to help me in designing that perfect track plan i want to do.

[dynamite25]

Well i've still not decided yet but i have added more things to the track plan to try and convince me this one is worth doing,as i've not been able to come with anything or found anything better to do anyway heres the track plan.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/dynamite25/untitled3.png

[Guest]

I think it looks pretty comprehensive mate dunno how you could improve on it

[dynamite25]

Well i have decided to stick with it as i don't think i could come up with anything better than that and that i could find anything better on the net that would fit that space.With the fiddle yard under the station i might add some track under the buildings the near the station for loco storage as that bit is empty.

[Guest]

Can you fit any more in ??????

[dynamite25]

I will still be having this on the lower level under the station.

[Guest]

bloody hell what sort of track length are we talking about in total then?

[dynamite25]

Well the layout is 21ft long and 6ft 5" wide so plenty of track to be layed on the layout.

[dynamite25]

Just been in the loft to put a chair up there for my mum and had a look at the underside of my 6x3 baseboard and wasn't sure if the braces had warped and dip alittle,due to me putting them in flat instead of upright like you normally do for the centre braces but i was going to have a track going under the baseboard towards a train lift to my fiddle yard when the layout was in my sisters bedroom,and i might still have a track going under there to another storage yard not sure yet.

And now it has dipped about 5mm or so and i need to stick a piece in upright on them two to pull them back up so there are dip free and make them more stronger,and now i ain't sure whether to dismantle that side to put them in or try and fit them with the baseboard in place i just wish i did it in the first place that way i wouldn't have to do it now.

Also i need to put a screw or a piece of dowel or a bolt to help to hold the middle of the 6x3 up in the middle as i only have a screw either end of that side of the baseboard.