4mm A new layout.....Fleet, control and stand off!

[Yorkshire Dave]

My dad has always had a model railway from around the mid 1950's and since moving into new accommodation (at age 91) space is somewhat restricted with the maximium available for a small layout being around 2.6 x 0.45m (8'6'' x 1'6'' roughly in ye olde english).

Like a fool I said I'll build a new one for him to run some of the stock he has - mainly 4mm SR and SECR small locos and short stock plus a bit of German HO as he swaps between the two for a change.

A start has been made on the carcass with the main board measuring 170 x 40 cm. One corner has been cut so as not to be caught when entering the room. The frame was made up from 15 x 21mm 'sticks' and the surface is 5mm ply.

As constructed there is a degree of flex but this will not be an issue once the layout is in place. All wood is glued and pinned.



The fiddle yard is 70 x 30 cm and is fixed to the main board by two hinges - all will become clear later


The fiddle yard is a 'drop hatch' as the door of the room where the layout is to reside opens inwards. In it's 'at rest' state it will look like this (the keyboard stand here is temporary as I've yet to design and build the legs).





The layout has to sit over a 89cm (35'') high chest of drawers so the legs will either be 100 or 120 cm high to let the chest of drawers provide a shelf for the controller.

The position and design of the legs are critical as to prevent toppling caused by the cantilevered fiddle yard which is unsupported in it's 'in use' state. The layout measures 2.4 x 0.4m overall.



Locking of the fiddle yard in position is done using these draw lock case catches (i.e. the catch tightens as it is closed).





This is temporary as cork sheet will be applied to the surface and the case catches reinstated.


The track plan will be based on Leysdown on the Isle of Sheppy and I'll be using the Fleischmann HO Profi track I've had around for years. OK this is not prototypical for SECR/SR/BR(S) but it will allow my dad to play trains - both 4mm and HO.

One advantage with the Profi track - no messy ballasting...

The next step is to make and formulate a solution of fitting the legs simply (whilst remaining stable) without any fiddly nuts, bolts, screws and washers - i.e. held together by gravity.

.....or art if you know your Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the 15 mile high statue of Athur Dent on Brontitall.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Made up the legs today - again from 15 x 21 sticks and 5mm ply glued and pinned..... No screws, nuts, bolts are washers required.

Here's how they slot into the baseboard....

The baseboard is inverted here but the legs can be installed whilst the baseboard is on it's side.

Legs ready to drop into runners.




Legs in the runners.





Close up of the stabilising mechanism - a slot cut in the gusset with the main runner sliding underneath the baseboard gusset.




Pushed home. It is held in by friction.







Baseboard in it' rest state on the new legs with the track bed 115 cm above the floor. There is lateral movement of about 1 cm (as viewed )and I may consider installing a brace to minimise this.




Baseboard with fiddle yard raised. There are four locos on the fiddleyard (2 SR Ns, SECR C and an O2) to test the weight carrying capacity. The fiddleyard will carry a greater weight as the fulcrum point is close to the hinges and draw catches. Although the screws in the draw catches have been tightened (and the fiddleyard is almost horizontal) since this photo was taken, I'll be replacing the current draw catches with adjustable versions and if necessary use a stick to support the fiddleyard.



Next will be the track laying - which will take all of about 15 mins.....

 

[Richard Insole]

A fine bit of craftsmanship here Dave!

I took a similar approach with the use of light materials, I just regret not taking more time and effort on bracing to the level that you have. Whilst my layout baseboards are by no means terrible, I would definitely do it better in the future

Looking forward to seeing this more, legs and all... I must admit, I love the track-laying part. trying to visualize what you can create in the small space to maximize feel as well as playtime.

Cheers,
Rich

 

[Roger Pound]

What delightful carpentry, Dave, I much admire your skill. My regards and best wishes to your father who is a few years ahead of me, age-wise. I am sure he will enjoy having something to run once again.

Roger.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

What delightful carpentry, Dave, I much admire your skill. My regards and best wishes to your father who is a few years ahead of me, age-wise. I am sure he will enjoy having something to run once again.

Thanks Roger for the wishes for my dad. I know he's looking forward to the layout which will be delivered mid-October on my next visit 'darn sarf'.

The carpentry is only from what I remember after watching my grandfather in his workshop during my formative years. In a way I enjoyed this as wood is a nice tactile medium to work with.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

A fine bit of craftsmanship here Dave!

I took a similar approach with the use of light materials, I just regret not taking more time and effort on bracing to the level that you have. Whilst my layout baseboards are by no means terrible, I would definitely do it better in the future

Looking forward to seeing this more, legs and all... I must admit, I love the track-laying part. trying to visualize what you can create in the small space to maximize feel as well as playtime.

Thanks Rich. I'm not into heavyweight baseboards capable surviving an earthquake . I prefer lightweight materials and have on occasions looked at aircraft construction to glean ideas.

The layout can be lifted and carried with one hand. As for the track plan - this has already been suggested by dad!

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Track has been laid and some scenery added. The only thing left to do is the fiddle yard and I'm waiting on deliveries to make a sector plate.

However during the sceniking I did think this would look good with overhead wires .

I've altered the fiddleyard support so it's not cantilevered - instead there is a folding leg locked by slide bolts.




Power to the fiddle yard is carried by the hinges - no dangly flying leads.


Point control. All point motors are clipped into the points and are above the board to ensure there are, again, no dangly wires below the board. Incidentally the motors and point operating lever can be inverted for placing the motors below track level out of sight.

The points can also be switched manually using the slider on top of the motor visible on the right hand side. The points are isolating and the rail power swiches are inside one of the sleepers rather than rely on a tab attached to the blade/switch rail unlike Peco.

The track plan with two of my buildings. The large 'ladestrasse' is to enable my dad to use the platform he already has together with the station building he built in 1960 from shellacked postcard.

The power supply sockets are colour coded as the 4mm banana plugs - brown/white 12v DC and green/yellow 16vAC

A Fleischmann BR95 for fun.




and finally...... bratwurst mit brötchen und senf bitte...


Although nothing spectacular and using ready ballasted Fleischmann Profi track rather than Peco snip and ballast streamline it does allow my dad to play trains with his Southern Railway stock - and his collection of German stock.

 

[LarryG]

Fast going there.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Fast going there.

Rather - it was effecively three full weekends work making the most of the daylight and the occasional weekday evening as I'll be travelling 'darn sarf' next week to deliver the layout to my dad.

Working from home has another advantage (apart from not having to commute except down the stairs) as I could set my dad's locos on the rollers to run and keep an eye on them in after servicing!

 

[LarryG]

I wonder how many builders remember running-in gears with grinding paste? No nylon gears in those days. I got called away on one occasion and got back to find the gears were no longer gears!

I started with 5-pole motors and 20-to-1 gearing, but something must have made me change my mind because I adopted Triang XO4 3-pole motors and 30-to-1 gearing later on. There was a lot of idea-exchanges between pro builders & painters in the 1970's.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Some of my dad's locos which I have serviced.

OO works SECR (before the Hornby one came along), Bachmann SECR C, two Hattons SECR Ps and the latest Hornby Terrier.

The three 0-6-0Ts are good runners after tweaking the pick-ups, as are the H and C after some running in. I am surprised the manufacturers do not put additional current pick-ups in the tenders though.



There are also 2 Bachmann Ns and a Hornby M7 which I've yet to service.

Stand off - SR style..... with two interlopers.

The Kernow O2 is a nice model but the chassis design is not too clever as the weight distribution leaves a little to be desired. In my view there is insufficient springing and flexibility in the rear truck to throw some of the weight forward onto the drivers and consequently it behaves like a lightweight rigid 0-8-0. Quite frankly a competent modeller would be better off with the old Wills kit and a decent chassis which can be sprung and balanced provide the best weight distribution for adhesion.



I also purchased a new analogue Vector Zero Three Crawler controller from Morley Controllers - specifically designed for shunting and slow speed.

After testing I'm quite impressed by the slow speed control offered to the LBSC and the three SECR tank locomotives. The M7 wasn't tested as it is yet to be serviced and the O2 was a bit indifferent - I'll be looking at this loco again. The SECR C was satisfactory.

In my opinion this controller is far superior to the popular products from Arundel and worth the £85. It comes with two handsets and a built in CDU. On the rear there are outputs for: two controlled 12vDC for the track, one uncontrolled 12vDC and one CDU for soleniod point control. During my conversation with Morley Controllers it turns out they are built in-house by themselves.


All to be packed for delivery.....

 

[Pencarrow]

Call that a standoff Dave?...

 

[simond]

I reckon they’ve got them trapped….

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Layout now in it's new home and my dad is starting to add his details. The signal box has since been changed for a British version.

Tbe picture on the wall above the layout on the far left is a LMS carriage transfer/decal my grandfather acquired during the 1930's.