My layout in the making

[Guest]

so whats the latest on the railway front?

[dynamite25]

Not alot mate haven't done a thing for months but I will be working back on the layout next month as I need to get some bits and bobs to sort the hinged section out,and now I will be making the upper level hinge at the back so I can lift the hinged section and the upper level out the way to clean the track and fix any derailed loco or rolling stock if any happen.

As I decided that trying to reach between each level to do things isn't a good idea anymore with my back problem so I will sort that out to make it easier for me.

[Guest]

Its going to be a rearly nice layout m8!

:strong: My last layout was a 6 year marathon in the making and 2 hours in the dismantling, when i had to take it down to make room for a fourth bedroom... ho hum!

Just keep working away at it when you can and when you feel like it... I pushed myself way to hard at first then had to back off for a year to regain my sanity! The Layout sounds like its moving forward at the right pace, keep as posted as to new developments

:bravo:

[Guest]

I have been busy with mine there are pics at http://www.railwaypictures.co.uk in the box at the top right type in GCR and clck search then you will see mine in the making of!

[dynamite25]

Not posted for a while as I have not been feeling up to working on the layout but today I went up into the loft to sort a section of the layout out which is the section where the hinged section is,because over the last couple of months I have come to a decision that I won't be able to clean the tracks the way I was going to do with the hinged section above the upper level.

So now I have decided to have that section of the upper level hinge up aswell as the hinged section that attachés to it so I can lift the whole lot up to clean the tracks below and fix any train,all other sections will have cutouts where buildings will be so they can be lifted out to gain access to the lower tracks.

Here is a picture of that section with all the upper level supports removed ready for the new hinged upper level to go in which is 6ft long.

[dynamite25]

I have now fitted both MDF boards to the back piece but I need to remove them so I can recess the hinges so the boards are level and I was going to cut the second one today but it started to rain,so I fitted it to the layout but I might still cut it when I remove them but I will see and the other hinged section should be refitted back on the layout by Sunday.

I will post Pictures tomorrow and Sunday is the last day to work on the layout as Monday I am away for 4 days at my sisters in Norfolk as she is moving house and we are helping her,then two weeks after that I am on holiday for two weeks in Norfolk as my parents wanted to spend our holiday near my sister as they miss her being so far away from us.

So the two weeks I have before I go on holiday I hope to have my trains running again and the lower level point motors wired up.

[dynamite25]

Restarted work again my layout today and got the hinges recessed and refitted them and the boards too I also screwed a 25mmx50mm length of wood to the front piece and screwed the boards to that as the front piece will be screwed to the baseboard,then I stuck the hinged section on top to see how heavy it was lifting both up and I am going to have to split both sections up as it is to heavy to lift up altogether so that is my next job tomorrow.

I had an idea that it would be heavy but not that heavy but it's better to sort it now than later.

I will have pics up during the week once I got it sorted.

[dynamite25]

Got it done today but just need a few odd ends sorting out tomorrow then I can lay track down tomorrow or Wednesday.

First two pics show the new MDF sheets in place with the hinged section in place.





These next two show the hinged section in two pieces rather than one long one as before.





This one shows where the upper level section has been cut so it's in two sections.



And this one is where I had to put a support piece to support the hinged section in the middle but it will be made removable so I can still get about the loft.



But once I did all that I lifted one section up and it was a lot lighter but then I ran into another problem which is when I lift the sections up to get to the track below I only have about 8 inches clearance between the baseboard and the upper section when lifted up,because the hinged section hits the rafters above so I will have to remove the hinged sections to lift the upper level up to give me the room I need to clean the tracks below and to fix any loco and it only takes me 2 mins to undo the screws to remove the hinged sections so not a big problem.

[Guest]

Do you have any sketches of your proposed layout? I can't get my head around all those hinged parts - if you have two levels how would you get from one to another, what kinds of gradients can you get away with in 00?

[dynamite25]

Hi Alan at the moment I don't have a track plan for the whole layout as the plan is always changing the only part that won't change is the hidden sidings,there is only one incline to the upper level at the moment but there will be a second one once I got the upper level done plus there will be a viaduct for the country scene side of the layout for the upper level.

The incline on the layout now is roughly 16 ft long from 0mm to 104mm but has been made in stages so the curves are flat and the second one will be the same.

The MDF sheets will have the station on and the hinged section off that will have the main lower lines on and the second incline to the upper level,and both inclines will be hidden from sight so the trains look as if they are going somewhere and not just seen going round and round in a circle.

[dynamite25]

I was going to order all my stuff for the layout in November but decided to order some things yesterday instead So I have ordered.

Knightwing Kits From Express Models

1xPM103 Fuelling Points

1xEXL103 Lighting Kit For PM103 Fuelling Points Kit

1xPM116 Diesel/ Oil Depot

1xPM108 Drums, Packing Cases etc

Hornby and Peco Items from Hattons

6xR603 Long Straight

4xR608 3rd Radius Curve

1xR614 Left hand diamond crossing

4xJAV/PIN Packet of trackpins

2xLK56 Loco inspection pit for Code 100 track

4xSL10 Pack of 24 metal rail joiners/fishplates for Code 100 track

[dynamite25]

Fitted the rest of the supports for the upper level just need to make some L brackets for the back scene out of some 2x1 timber then I can screw the boards down and cut some ply to fill the gaps in for the upper level,I had a look through all my model railway mag's today to look for ideas for the upper level and I couldn't find anything I could use so it looks like it will be sometime before I will lay any track on the upper level.

Here are some pics of the work I've done.







I have decided that my TMD will be on the left in the pics and will be 7ftx18" as the 6" left of the 2ft wide board will be for the mainlines.

Hopefully my stuff comes tomorrow so I can lay the rest of the mainlines on the lower level.

[dynamite25]

Got a bit of work done on the layout while I still wait for my stuff from hattons so I put some supports under the MDF sheets in the middle to stop any sagging but didn't take any pics of that as I had stuff on top of that part of the layout,I also hinged the smaller section so it hinged down out the way so I can walk pass to the other side of the loft but I need to get some things from wilkos to finish it off.







And this is where I am altering the track for the hidden sidings so they are separate so I have the four long ones for the outer loop and the four short ones for the inner loop,also so I can have the trains running in different directions so I have an up line and down line on both levels but can't finish it off till I get my track from hattons which royal mail still have it.

[dynamite25]

This has been a boring two weeks as I haven't been able to do much work on the layout as I am still waiting on stuff to arrive from royal mail and will be two weeks since it was posted,but once there arrive I will be straight into the loft to get the track laid and trains running on both lower lines if and when they arrive just hope it ain't another week.

[dynamite25]

Well I can now start back on my layout after waiting two weeks for Royal Mail to deliver my goods from hattons and here is two pics of the stuff I ordered.

Items from Express models.



Going to order a few more things from Express Models before Christmas.

Items from hattons plus two extra left-hand Diamond Crossing I ordered the week after the first order.



Tomorrow I am buying a new soldering Iron and other bits and bobs for the layout plus some MDF primer paint.