Barks 1st layout, N gauge 6' x 3'

[barks]

hello everyone!

i just joined, i have too many hobbies... the story do far..........................
6 years ago i didnt know what to get my lad for xmas, he had all the usuall electronic games so i decided to see if he liked trains! i called the local builders merchant who promptly delivered an 8 x 4 foot 12mm ply sheet and some 2 x 1" to brace it with. i got a couple of locos and some rolling stock along with a bunch of track and sorted out a working layout for him. the problem was it weighed around 40kg and he couldnt move it, it never got used. we broke it up.
so 2 years later im at home after a bike accident and decided as i had loads of time on my hands i would try again....
the lesson learnt from the previous faliure was weight.. so i decided to go the complete opposite and used 6 x 3 foot 3mm ply with 1" bracing and went n guage..... you can lift it with your little finger its so light and very strong..
so i started the model, after 6 months we had to move, i got a garage, 6 months later again the garage was empty of our stuff and i comenced work once again, 6 months i was back at work and work on the model ceased....
6 months later again we had to move, we bought this time and i didnt get a garage... there was no where to continue with the model, so it sat up against a brick wall in a small shed. 2 years later (now) ive noticed some damp penetrating and im upset, i dont know what to do, ive been hanging on untill i can afford to build a garage. but im considering selling it, but then i dont think its worth anything now, there must be £300 woth of track on it?
so i thought i would post what ive done and see what you guys think.....??



























i designed it so with the points in the right direction the train can travel along all of the track, there are 3 main loops 2 with doulble stageing, and 1 that can loop around the higher section.

and thats about it...........
whats your opinion

[mumbles]

Hi
Looks like a nice start, that viaduct looks very impressive.

When you say damp.. how damp, is it ruined of will it be salvageable if kept somewhere dry? Would be a shame to loose it.

BTW one of the pics I checked was over 2000pixels wide.. Much too big!! looks like you are hosting them yourself so you would need to resize them and re-upload them

Welcome to the forum
Michael

[mattmay05]

Awesome! Thats going to be a great layout looks like it will be alot of fun!

I wouldn't sell it may regret it in the future, If its suffering from damp.. Basicly you have to dry it out bring it indoors for a while let the wood dry out. I'm a guitar builder and my wood is stored in a shed which also suffers from damp. If the wood is ok and hasnt warped and cracked you should be ok... as long as it dries out slowly.

But anyway great layout!

[Sprintex]

Looks quite a good start that, plenty of interest in the trackplan

I'd let it dry slowly and if it's OK then continue with it.

With regard to the pics as Michael said the images themselves are all 2048 pixels wide, they only come up as 759 wide because your computer is resizing them to fit the screen (hence the little magnifying glass cursor that appears to 'zoom in' on it). Original pictures need to be less than 800 pixels wide BEFORE you upload them


Paul

[Infrontcat]

Hit there

Musty say I utterly love the layout thus far. It looks as though it will be a hell of a lot of fun to operate when it's ready. Some really nice touches, especially the raised track which gives the layout much more depth. Excellent!

Tim

[barks]

thanks for the warm welcome and kind words

i cleared out everything infront of it today and it seams the bottom half is dry,? i think its because the top has been leaning on the brick wall, ive gone round the shed and used expanding foam in all the gaps and moved the model off the wall. maybe this will help. the track is rusting a little, some might say thats authentic!
whats upsetting is that i had to sell all the locos and rolling stock i had bought when i moved as i needed to find alot of cash.
ow well joining here and the encouragement has helped a good deal, ive still got loads of points and some more flexi to finish the fiddle yards in the center. i have also got the 2 engine sheds i made and about 6 kits for various things including the stations. im going to try and insulate the shed! if i can i will continue with it, i feel the bug bitting again.

thanks again
barks

[barks]

hi train brains

today ive only gone and got the layout out of the shed, i took a couple of pics in its current state then vacumed it and started cleaning the track. i use wet/dry 1200 and it cleans it perfectly then wipe it over.

anyhow ive played around with the center and want some opinions.
ive got 2 engine sheds, a goods shed but i want a coach works and im thinking a water tower by the lake?
the vehicles to enter from the right maybe through a tunnel or over a bridge,
im also adding another small station or timber works at the top of the left mountain.







opinions please

barks

[barks]

anyone??

critisism welcome

[beerandpies]

Just wishing I'd had the foresight to include as much track as you have here. Looks like an excellent start!

[barks]

thanks,

its really hard though as i just want to model the scenery! and i hate doing point motors and ive got 10 more to do!

ps i went on holiday in jamaica for 3 months once! there was redstripe included at the beech bar! didnt do alot of sight seeing...

youre layout has come on well, you could always add a top section?

barks

[beerandpies]

I'd love to spend 3 months over there! Such a relaxing place.

I'm actually considering a second layer on the back of mine... Maybe a shunting puzzle or something. That said, it's my first effort and it was always planned to be an opportunity to develop skills I don't yet have.

I'll be eagerly watching this layout develop!

[User Removed]

I think your track plan is fantastic! The viaduct is lovely!

[Spavo]

Couldn't agree more with the other guys, the track plan is excellent and the high level part is bloody high! Very nice indeed......I'm lovin it you could say...

Gav.

[barks]

well in that case i shall continue in updating the thread

beer&pipes thats exactly where i saw the upper layer going, go for it!
thanks all, its as high as i could go without wheel spinning!
the dropped out lake gives the viaduct a good deal of depth and works nicely.

so ive ordered 2 new book cases and im building a unit to hold some electrical equipment then the model can go back in my office and get finished!

im searching ebay for stock at the mo

i love it

[blooregard]

This is pretty smart, what gradients are the inclines at do they climb on the curves???

Looks like loads of fun and a great start.