Marky's Railway Layout

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MarkyM607
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

Post by MarkyM607 »

Thanks a massive amount Beany and Dazzled, it is nice to have support. I have a space about 5ft by 4ft to work with. The boards are actually sat on two bookcases!! (I know, not the best but it's necessary). I am really all at sea (or rails) about wiring and the like. I'm really just into this for enjoyment rather than accuracy or making it exactly like the real thing.
I don't have a lot (read none) experience of soldering so it's a little bit like- :shock: . Beany/Dazzled, if you would be wiling to help I would gratefully accept such help. I just need/want to get trains going!!.
I have found something called a link wire which works with Power Clips and it seems as though this might help with the removable section bit, as far as transferring power or keeping it going around the oval where there are no fishplates.
I was planning on using the loft but I was concerned about the temperature for the trains and the track, it can get quite cold as it's no longer warmed by the house (it's insulated floor now).
Hoping to return to modelling sometime this year!! :lol:
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Dazzled
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

Post by Dazzled »

Hi Mark. Wiring is something that gets easier with practice. Personally, I quite enjoy soldering. I call it "welding for girls" just to annoy the electrical techs at work :lol: .

Your link wire sounds like a bus bar feed. On a model railway layout this is acheved by running out feeds from a common wire(s) around the track linked in at a number of points to provide a more even power feed. A good way to feed power to the track, and less obtrusive than power clips is to solder wires to the bottoms of fish plates (track joiners) and run the wires through small holes in the baseboard directly beneath. A feed every metre or so tends to work well.
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

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Just remember not to mix the positives and negatives :lol:
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Dazzled
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

Post by Dazzled »

Ratch wrote:Just remember not to mix the positives and negatives :lol:
And don't lick your fingers and stick them in the socket :ha:
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MarkyM607
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

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Dazzled wrote:
Ratch wrote:Just remember not to mix the positives and negatives :lol:
And don't lick your fingers and stick them in the socket :ha:
The way I use glue it probably best not to lick my fingers!!. I'm having a rethink over the round and round idea. It seems a lot of work for it to be removable but it may still happen. not much progress from the pics earlier, need to nail down the oval bit first.
Hoping to return to modelling sometime this year!! :lol:
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MarkyM607
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

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It's a while since I posted here so a quick update. Work has been slow as I've drawn and redrawn the plan of what I want to do several times. I've recently added a frame to one of the two boards that make up my 'L' shaped area. This is to allow space underneath for wiring if I get that adventurous. I've been able to find two more boards of different sizes which means a round and round track is possible again. Unlike the L shape these are intended to be removable and put out of the way when not in use.
I've also been along to a local model rail club and so far so good. I did have derailing problems on my points which with local club help I've traced to the wheels, specifically the rims which being very old are larger than the modern size. The wheels are bumping up the track holder bits (technical term). I need to re-wheel the four carriages I have. Hopefully pics later. :grin:
Hoping to return to modelling sometime this year!! :lol:
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beany
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

Post by beany »

MarkyM607 wrote:The wheels are bumping up the track holder bits (technical term). I need to re-wheel the four carriages I have. Hopefully pics later. :grin:
Glad you are finding time to progress this mate. I lifted all my track to paint the baseboards last year and am still struggling to find the time or inclination to lay it all again.
I have re-wheeled and re-axled quite a bit of my rolling stock - it's so easy these days with the wheel sets being readily available. It is well worth the effort for the excellent smooth and quieter running you get. I'll post pics soon of the Romford axles I use in case you haven't seen them before - they are worth considering.
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MarkyM607
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

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beany wrote:
MarkyM607 wrote:The wheels are bumping up the track holder bits (technical term). I need to re-wheel the four carriages I have. Hopefully pics later. :grin:
Glad you are finding time to progress this mate. I lifted all my track to paint the baseboards last year and am still struggling to find the time or inclination to lay it all again.
I have re-wheeled and re-axled quite a bit of my rolling stock - it's so easy these days with the wheel sets being readily available. It is well worth the effort for the excellent smooth and quieter running you get. I'll post pics soon of the Romford axles I use in case you haven't seen them before - they are worth considering.
Thanks Beany that would be helpful. I hope you get track laying soon!, I hope to get that far sooner rather than later!!. The trucks I have are newer so they look like they have smaller rim wheels.
Hoping to return to modelling sometime this year!! :lol:
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MarkyM607
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

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Lots changed since my last post. I've returned to the round and round idea as removable sections are now much more possible, plus the landlady (mum) doesn't seem to mind it all being left standing!!!!. I still need more track as I have worked out I can get two ovals (well cornered squares) on the boards. There is also a marshalling/shunting yard for my tank engines.
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I now have four engines, King George V, Henry the Green Engine, an 0-6-0 and an 0-4-0 tank engine. There is still the problem of derailing on points but I am going to a railway model club now and re-wheeling the carriages, and probably the trucks is seeming to be the way to go. Even my 40 odd year old King George V, which I thought was needing a lot of maintenance, is now running well thanks to chaps at said Railway Club.
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P.S. I know it may seem sad to some grown ups, but I intend to get as many of the Thomas the Tank Engine range as possible. Always liked the books when I was younger and it hasn't faded yet!!. Henry was just the start, oh yes!... :lol: :lol:
Hoping to return to modelling sometime this year!! :lol:
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iggie
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

Post by iggie »

Don't blame you at all for collecting the 'Thomas' engines; they'll make an interesting feature!
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Ratch
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

Post by Ratch »

A TtT layout sounds like fun :razz:
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MarkyM607
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

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Lots of work since the last entry. Haven't managed anymore Thomas range, funds have been going on track and so on. Have just sold some spare models ( :shock: ), so should be able to get more trucks and track. Might even get Thomas!!
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A bit of bridge work!, might get some covering for it, brick effect that sort of thing. This isn't going to be a by the book layout, might not meet all 'proper' requirements but it should look okay. Also it's now officially a budget layout!! :lol:
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More bridge stuff, there are two roads going underneath to the inside area which should have a depot for coal lorries. As Little Barford Power Station is about a mile and a half away, and because my Granddad worked there for decades, coal is going to be a feature of the layout.
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Tunnel framework. Top has to be removable to allow access to the track and so on. Probably won't get changed now but any derailment would need access.
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Hoping to return to modelling sometime this year!! :lol:
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Ratch
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

Post by Ratch »

Is it going to be a viaduct :razz:
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

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Probably but I think I've made the columns too close together!!. Might have to remove one or two elsewhere. I have managed to make a card cover for the central outer three columns so that's okay. The rest might need adjusting as they are only screwed in from underneath. I should be able to remove one or two as long as the track is still supported okay. In the first picture, where the carriage is on the outer track, I have added a sloped area with some grass and fencing plus a fill in bit in the centre. :grin:
Hoping to return to modelling sometime this year!! :lol:
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Re: Marky Railway Layout

Post by Ratch »

I wouldn't worry about the spacing of the plinths 8-)
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