London loft build

[lozstlouis]

After a 17 year absence I have started to build a layout in my loft. Have only been at it for a couple of weeks and all the memories of hacking away at lumps of timber are coming back! I also have bit of a power tool fetish so it was an exscuse for a new saw. My job provies me with various gadgets but this wasn't one of them. Anyhow I have no formal plan in my head yet as I was just building a board to fit the space, then whack down some track and experiment with various configs.



I don't have a wide angle lens so the pics are a bit limted. Have progressed a bit more with my frame and the top sheets are being delievered 2moro. I can then cut them to fit.

[Lofty]

Welcome aboard fellow loft dweller

Lofty

[Paddy D]

hi loft guy
welcome to the club
nice saw

[lozstlouis]

thanks guys. I thought i was being a lazy bugger with the saw, but it speeds up the process big time!! i didn't just buy it for the baseboard - i have to floor board the loft or else i will coming through before long. Plus i have to finish another timber project at home. Then it'll live at work as bit of a beast to store at home.

Who knows when the Bachmann 4CEP models are being released? Janes Trains reackon it will be towards Easter if we are lucky. From what i read though the Bachmann new stuff comes when its good and ready, rather than when they announce. This about right?

[sanctuary]

OMG a Professional tool, we're not used to using the right tools for the job here.

I'm expecting very high standards of workmanship from you now and loosing the odd finger or two won't be accepted as an excuse for anything less

[edwardholmes91]

Now, that is a nice peice of kit. Just the job, I really want to get one of those. Well there are lots of things that I really want, but thats another story!

It looks just the job, and will cut battons etc. at right angles a doddle! Makita is a brilliant brand! I have bought several Makita products and been very impressed with them.

[lozstlouis]

it was a toss-up between getting it from Screwfix or RS. I bought it on a works account so i will come out of my pay at end of the month. Think it was around £170 + VAT. They do a 110V and a 240V. The DeWalt & Bosch equivs were loads more cash - like £240 upwards.

Can anyone shed any light on best way to cut flexi track? And get a good clean cut?

[dynamite25]

I use Xuron track cutters to cut my flexi track and cut the track good and leaves a slight bur but I just use the cutters to remove them.

[lozstlouis]

Am going to get some flexi today so i can start to have a bit more of an experiment with track configs. I haven't done a formal layout track plan. Thought i would busk it to start with & not stick anything down until i have got something i like the look of.



You can see from the pic above i tried some fiddles with no top. But this morning the sheets appeared and i got to work cutting them to size:



So now the frame has a top on it:



I can actually start to do some proper track work. Am thinking of raising some of the track bed in the back right corner - but i will see what i can create with the timber i have left over. Progress anyway!

I made PDFs of the Peco templates so i can get through as many as i need.

[lozstlouis]

Haven't got much done today.



I made this odd box in pic above to house part of the elevated section.



Have laid out some track but not commited anything yet. I am using an MDF top and was going to glue the track or use double sided tape. However i have seen other posts on this forum where folks have used screws with big wsher to get the flexi in position... Does this work well?

[mumbles]

Who knows when the Bachmann 4CEP models are being released? Janes Trains reackon it will be towards Easter if we are lucky. From what i read though the Bachmann new stuff comes when its good and ready, rather than when they announce. This about right?

i read that bachman didn't even have drawings for it until oct 07 and so it is probably no where near ready, with best guesses around autumn 08?
michael

[lozstlouis]

Thats dull. i was going to try and stick to the 70's & 80's southern region for my new project. However as I have only 85p in my current account to last until pay day - i won't be doing much until end of the month... zzz

[lozstlouis]

My Mrs gave me £50 to spend at my local railway emporium. So i came back with various bits and £10 change (need a haircut)...




But as you can see it has what looks like a solder iron burn on it.



It was only a tenner so i thought i may use it to try some weathering on but also see if i can get rid of the burn some how. Any ideas?

Tracksetta things are cute. Had never seen these before today. Read about but never seen...



Will be trying them out!!

[lozstlouis]

I have now "installed" my elevation. have discovered that the curve right after the top of the incline means longer stock derails at front boggie. A tad annoying but i think by packing the track up a little to get rid of the "apex" or make it softer appears to be working...



But then it is all still a "work in progress" so not too worried at this stage!





The books are applying pressure whilst i glue with PVA some of the track. Allows me to experiment whilst waiting the rest of my next phase of track to arrive...

[Infrontcat]

Hi fella

Excellent job thus far. I am most impressed with your carpentry thus far and hope that the items of random stock you have pictures are indicative of what else is to follow

I look forward to seeing the trackplan and how you intend to maximise the space available

Cheers

Tim