Greater Loftchester

Post pictures and information about your own personal model railway layout that is under construction. Keep members up-to-date with what you are doing and discuss problems that you are having.
Michaelaface
Posts: 429
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:51 am

Greater Loftchester

Post by Michaelaface »

Hello forum, I am back

I have finally worked out a way to resurrect my loft layout, I dismantled the entire thing, invested in some new powertools and have begun rebuilding the lot, and its sturdier and more level than ever! its also considerably bigger and more ambitious than ever...

However I can now present to you what will be "Greater Loftchester"

ImageIMG_1475

The layout is roughly 3.5m by 3.1m, with a terminus in the centre which is 2.1m

there will be two separate levels, a branch line on the lower level with a small terminus based on minories, and a main line on the upper level
scenic wise I plan to base it all on the suburban areas of greater Manchester, mainly the stations that are now the metrolink

ImageIMG_1478

terminus with placeholder buildings

emphasis of this layout will be more on watching trains go by rather than shunting so I plan to use hardly any points in the scenic section (big stumbling block on past layouts was trying to get them to fit in with big sweeping curves)

BR steam era

DCC control, but now I've discovered sound which has added a whole new realm of expense to the hobby, but I am genuinely surprised by the depth it adds

anyway as of tonight I completed the layout frame and the boards for the lower branch section
so here is a short video of a black 5 navigating the layout on some set track i quickly placed down to check my boards were okay

https://youtu.be/JV2U12_GMBQ

Cheers, Michaela
Last edited by Michaelaface on Sun Apr 14, 2019 11:08 pm, edited 5 times in total.
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Mountain
Posts: 5856
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2016 3:43 pm
Location: UK.

Re: Greater Loftchester

Post by Mountain »

00? EM? P4?
Michaelaface
Posts: 429
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:51 am

Re: Greater Loftchester

Post by Michaelaface »

Mountain wrote:00? EM? P4?
00, aha I’m not that adventurous yet
mjb1961
Posts: 941
Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:22 pm
Location: Telford ,Shropshire

Re: Greater Loftchester

Post by mjb1961 »

Looks like it's going to be very good ,,,your carpentry skills aren't that bad either,,,,,keep us posted ,,mjb
Michaelaface
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Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:51 am

Re: Greater Loftchester

Post by Michaelaface »

mjb1961 wrote:Looks like it's going to be very good ,,,your carpentry skills aren't that bad either,,,,,keep us posted ,,mjb
i hope so! :lol: and thank you, thats a big compliment as it's usually my carpentry skills that let me down
Ex-Pat
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Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:51 pm
Location: Newry Northern Ireland

Re: Greater Loftchester

Post by Ex-Pat »

On the carpentry front - is the right-hand baseboard horizontal frame piece actually bent (or is it an optical illusion)?

If the former, then how did you achieve it?

Definitely looks like one to follow!
Michaelaface
Posts: 429
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:51 am

Re: Greater Loftchester

Post by Michaelaface »

Ex-Pat wrote:On the carpentry front - is the right-hand baseboard horizontal frame piece actually bent (or is it an optical illusion)?

If the former, then how did you achieve it?

Definitely looks like one to follow!
Aha no it just looks weird cause it’s a panoramic picture and I rushed it at that side, all the sides are as straight and level as possible
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luckymucklebackit
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Location: Eaglesham (Again)
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Re: Greater Loftchester

Post by luckymucklebackit »

Great to see another big loft layout under development, best of luck with your project.

Jim
This Signature Left Intentionally Blank, but since I have written this and I intended to do it, this Signature is intentionally not blank. Paradox or What?
My layout - Gateside and Northbridge
Image
Dublo
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Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:54 am
Location: London

Re: Greater Loftchester

Post by Dublo »

Hello Michaela

Some nice looking baseboards a great start. Do you propose to build all of the trackwork ?
Michaelaface
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Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:51 am

Re: Greater Loftchester

Post by Michaelaface »

Dublo wrote:Hello Michaela

Some nice looking baseboards a great start. Do you propose to build all of the trackwork ?
no, I started building my own trackwork on the terminus section as a bit of an experiment, wanted to see if I could successfully built my own track work, but in hindsight, I simply do not have the time, so I'm going to limit it to just that section, the rest of the track will be peco bullhead for the scenic sections and just regular code 75 for the fiddle yard
Michaelaface
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Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:51 am

Re: Greater Loftchester

Post by Michaelaface »

Have you ever painted a large surface gray? It's one of the most boring things I've ever done, but I feel that it has really neatened up things, starting to look like a layout rather than a pile of lumber

Image

Image

I'll tidy the loft when the paint dries...
Michaelaface
Posts: 429
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:51 am

Re: Greater Loftchester

Post by Michaelaface »

here's a ROUGH idea of the track plan idea I'm going for, trying not to get bogged down, making and following one on this layout (another stumbling block of mine) but I found a fantastic picture on Britain from above which captured the area I'm basing it all on perfectly, which inspired me to make a clear plan
full plan.jpg
and the area that gave me the inspiration

https://britainfromabove.org.uk/en/imag ... .jpg[/img]
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luckymucklebackit
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Location: Eaglesham (Again)
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Re: Greater Loftchester

Post by luckymucklebackit »

Have you set up an account on that site? Thankfully it is free to do this and it allows you to zoom in on the photographs, I used it for views of the bridge I have recently built a model based on which is in the east end of Glasgow.

It is an excellent resource.

Jim
This Signature Left Intentionally Blank, but since I have written this and I intended to do it, this Signature is intentionally not blank. Paradox or What?
My layout - Gateside and Northbridge
Image
Michaelaface
Posts: 429
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:51 am

Re: Greater Loftchester *video in latest post*

Post by Michaelaface »

hello forum, I've been working hard in the loft getting everything to work before posting an update on things, anyway I've finally gotten through the first major bits of work

the trackwork for the branch line loops is all down, everything is wired up, into blocks and works correctly, the point motors are installed and wired into their decoder, the lift out section is "complete" possibly going to redo part of this, tip of the day, if you can, never have a lift out section, one of the most annoying things I've ever had to build, and I'm terrified every time a train crosses it (loft hatch is directly below, there is a cover for it though and I've had no issues)

the next task will be to finish the the track in the branch line terminus and then its on to building the upper level, but for now I'm rewarding myself by just running some trains, check out my video below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfQgg7D-o7A
Dad-1
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Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:05 pm
Location: Dorset - A mile from West Bay.

Re: Greater Loftchester *video in latest post*

Post by Dad-1 »

Hi Michaela,

Now this one is going to keep you busy for a LONG time !!
Moving from Budget to Sound ! I hope your current job pays
well.
That is quite a large space to have available, lucky old you.

Geoff T.
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