Irwell Vale roundy-roundy in 4mm RTR 1950s/60s

[Dr.Glum]

My back history is second-hand tinplate then Tri-ang Rovex down on the carpet, then 00 Tri-ang with my Dad on a layout, followed by a long TT3 layout. A long break before some 7mm building of wagons and loco kits, but only a temporary test track along the landing.
Another long break before a house move in 1999 which gave me a loft. I remembered my frustration at slow progress with kits, so plumped for RTR 00 BR. Gosh, technology had come on! Everything ran reliably. The view below is of one end in 2009, after a major rebuild (improvement) that took two years.​

Image 01 loft layout

Fast forward to 2022, living alone, only possible space is the conservatory. After an abortive try to fit the core of the loft layout, I realised I needed to start again with something less ambitious. It is a running track rather than a layout, although I enjoy card modelling, so some areas will have buildings. It is a 4 track roundy-roundy. Main board below.
Image 02 main board​

The doorway to the house was problematical: the 4 main tracks are on a curve and I wanted a spur into the house for future extensions. I took a chance on a (new to me) method of light wood skeleton and carcase of 5mm foamboard. It’s big, but I can easily lift it with the two handholds underneath. First image: testing for fit.​

Image 03

Next image, with tracks laid, but not fully dressed.​

Image 04

Apart from BR 1950s/early 60s, I have a great interest in LNWR.​

Image 05

One corner of the layout is to be built up. The part finished state is shown below.​

Image 06

​

 

[cmax]

My back history is second-hand tinplate then Tri-ang Rovex down on the carpet, then 00 Tri-ang with my Dad on a layout, followed by a long TT3 layout. A long break before some 7mm building of wagons and loco kits, but only a temporary test track along the landing.
Another long break before a house move in 1999 which gave me a loft. I remembered my frustration at slow progress with kits, so plumped for RTR 00 BR. Gosh, technology had come on! Everything ran reliably. The view below is of one end in 2009, after a major rebuild (improvement) that took two years.​

View attachment 187672

Image 01 loft layout

Fast forward to 2022, living alone, only possible space is the conservatory. After an abortive try to fit the core of the loft layout, I realised I needed to start again with something less ambitious. It is a running track rather than a layout, although I enjoy card modelling, so some areas will have buildings. It is a 4 track roundy-roundy. Main board below.
Image 02 main board​

View attachment 187673

The doorway to the house was problematical: the 4 main tracks are on a curve and I wanted a spur into the house for future extensions. I took a chance on a (new to me) method of light wood skeleton and carcase of 5mm foamboard. It’s big, but I can easily lift it with the two handholds underneath. First image: testing for fit.​

View attachment 187674

Image 03

Next image, with tracks laid, but not fully dressed.​

View attachment 187675

Image 04

Apart from BR 1950s/early 60s, I have a great interest in LNWR.​

View attachment 187676

Image 05

One corner of the layout is to be built up. The part finished state is shown below.​

View attachment 187677

Image 06

​

Welcome to WT, I like what you've done, and the main thing, you have somewhere to run your stock, there's nothing more frustrating than having the stock and no where to run them. Are your baseboards all custom made laser cut?

Gary

 

[Dr.Glum]

Welcome to WT, I like what you've done, and the main thing, you have somewhere to run your stock, there's nothing more frustrating than having the stock and no where to run them. Are your baseboards all custom made laser cut?

Gary

Thank you. Yes to the running aspect, no to the boards. In the view in the 3rd image there are 4 Tim Horn units, plus a home-made filler piece (darker front edge). The main board (end view in image 4 is a hollow core door re-purposed from the loft layout. The Peco turn-table is still in it's original hole, but is difficult to make out in the first image - the board is running across the end of the loft at an angle and the TT is just to the left of a small water tower.
The filler mentioned above is made from 9mm marine ply (an 8 x 4 sheet) and the triangular board under the station scenery is made the same way. Two lift out sections across doorways make up the rest, one specially made and the other 'temporary' from contiboard.

 

[Dr.Glum]

The lift-out section across the doorway from the house is a 56 inch span (1.43m). If I’d built it conventionally it would have been heavy and unwieldy. I used 5mm foamboard over a wooden skeleton and with the track on and the 2mm greyboard side walls, it now weighs about 7 pounds, 3.5Kg.
Image 07 underside​

Image 08 topside
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