7mm , Blackney, A Glimpse of the Forest

[Alan]

Hi Alex, basically where the layout will be placed in the room they make storage underneath the layout difficult if not impossible. I decided straight legs would be better giving a greater unobstructed space for storage.
I've helped operate a layout at exhibitions that used them and they made putting the layout up and taking it down very easy. It also enabled us to vary the height of the layout depending on the type of snow we were at.

 

[Alex W]

Thanks Alan. Horses for courses I guess. The home layout, Diddington has it's own legs which permit storage underneath, while the portable layout will use Screwfix type legs which pack down easily (and fit the back of the car - I measured). I've seen a few sets in use at shows.
Alex

 

[JimG]

Alex,

Do you mean these saw horses from Screwfix?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/height-adjustable-metal-trestle/6561p

I actually got a couple to support my US switching layout but opted not to use them because they were quite difficult to get in the car. Unless I partially dismantled them again, they took up a large amount of room in my fairly large estate car. So I opted to use a much smaller set of horses which were easily stowed along with the layout as can be seen when the layout was exhibited.

US Style Track in S - Jameston & Leven River RR

Jim.

 

[Alex W]

Those are the ones Jim. I've been able to fold them down to go in the car leaving plenty of room for the layout.
Alex

 

[NHY 581]

I use the extending trestles to support my layouts when out and about. The loading of the car is pretty much the same on each occasion. The trestles are the first to go in and sit, folded and upside down, behind the front seats. Everything else follows after that.

I like the ease of use these trestles give me and it generally takes me twenty minutes to either put up or take down Mutton or Bleat Wharf.

I use trestles from B&Q which look the same and are a similar price to those above from Screwfix. However, I also have a set from LIDL which were £18 a pair last year.

Worth keeping an eye out for.

Rob.

 

[Alan]

Pleased to say that the new boards are now erected and the bookcases etc moved to their new positions. Still need to look at all the minor OO gauge stuff (Wills Brick plasticard etc and things like that) which I will probably never use again. if I get time I'll take some photos tomorrow and post them.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Still need to look at all the minor OO gauge stuff (Wills Brick plasticard etc and things like that) which I will probably never use again.

I kept a load of 4mm building materials when I moved to O scale and found some were useful. Especially the Wills cobbled sheets which make smaller setts in O scale and brick walls can be used to represent the smaller fire bricks.

It's well known if you get rid of it you'll need it a week later.

 

[Alan]

Perhaps I'll have a longer think about what to get rid off, I like the cobbles/settle idea, I believe I may have some.

 

[Alan]

As promised, if a few days late, some photos of the newly rearranged railway room. The track at the end of the baseboards is on the sector plate.

The first one taken from the door into the room.

 

[Geoff]

That looks very neat and cosy Alan, interesting that I have the same colour scheme in my own den but minus the posh border

I do like those photos of Wencombe, wish I had thought of doing something like that myself.

Geoff

 

[Alan]

Thanks Geoff, whilst the room was repainted last December, the border was there when we moved in 21 years ago. Perhaps I should not admit to that.

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

Thanks Geoff, whilst the room was repainted last December, the border was there when we moved in 21 years ago. Perhaps I should not admit to that.

Oh I wouldn’t worry about that. The Queen still has rooms in her home with wall paper Queen Victoria put up!

Ian.

 

[Alan]

I couldn't resist putting some track down to see what it might look like, this also meant some stock as well. The board does look wide but that is deliberate. Due to an N and 00 gauge upbringing and therefore liking some placement of the track in a landscape setting (see Wencombe and Kingsbridge Regis) I'd always felt that O gauge almost precluded that approach, But I thought a 2ft wide board with a simple track plan will enable me to attempt some landscaping.

The photos show the max train length.

 

[Alan]

At long last the period of track laying is starting. First was to glue the underlay down. I'm using the Woodland Scenics foam underlay and after consulting on WT what would be the best glue I opted for Copydex. I'm glad I did as two stretches had to be taken up as when the track was laid on top there were a couple of kinks. It was easy to gently pull the foam and it peeled away with tearing. The old Copydex was then rubbed of both the foam and the cork covered baseboards, re-glued and laid back down in its new position.

The track in the photos has been just cut and joined and layed on the foam to make sure there are no kinks. On the baseboard you can see the mirror with which the alignment was checked (Norman Solomon style).

As you can see a very simple layout

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

As you can see a very simple layout

That's all it needs to be really. You can more fun with the detail ....and messing about shunting.

 

[Alan]

Unfortunately track laying has been held up as I discovered one of the three "Y" points was derailing my pannier, the other two are fine. Luckily Before sticking the track down permanently I decided to have a play. My local model shop has agreed to replace it even though some of the sleepers had been trimmed ready for the point to be stuck down. Hopefully I shall be back on track (excuse the pun) next week sometime

 

[Alan]

I'm pleased to say the point problem has been resolved. Anew was picked up yesterday (a straight swap) and it works, no derailing. I can now in the near future start track laying and wiring.
I've also bought a couple of trees from Model Scenery Supplies, about a scale 35ft high. I could not resist planting them On some hanging basket liner (my preferred rough grass) on a piece of foam and taking a couple of photos a photo of the real Forest of Dean behind .

 

[Alan]

Again just having a play at what the scenery might look like at the right hand end of the layout.

 

[Jordan]

Again just having a play at what the scenery might look like at the right hand end of the layout.

View attachment 110219

View attachment 110218

View attachment 110220

Panniers & 16t minerals... can't go wrong there.

 

[Alan]

I decided that before track laying it might be better to paint the track first as with O gauge one can do a bit more with the painting than inOO gauge . So I had a practice on an off cut of track.