First Layout Underway - Lower Salterns Halt

[GoldenOldie]

Update time.

I knew I'd learn a few things the hard way and lesson one is make sure any essential electrics issues are sorted before pinning the track down!

Fortunately I'd only done the two sets of points before I realised I hadn't used isolating fishplates when I should have... I managed to lift one set of points without issue and corrected the error, but then it occurred to me that I still need to drill the holes for the power feed joiners and fit them before I can lay lay the stretches of flexible track. Ah well, no real damage done but a case of too much haste, not enough speed. The whole issue of getting power to the track without short circuiting everything has been an interesting learning experience in itself but fortunately almost all the work is explained in the videos I'm following online, supplemented by some Peco guide books.

Meanwhile my watery experiments continue. I'm happy with the effect that I've got with Mod Podge on my test pieces but the correct shade of paint for the water that lies beneath is still eluding me. I may try some Woodland Scenics paint, and yes, it'll be green and or brown not blue.

Finally, in the last day or so the station halt platform has received a lick of suitable dark wood coloured paint. I'll give it a wash to bring out the detail and perhaps a more weathered look. Then I'll need to paint and weather the white picket fencing at the back of the platform before committing myself with some suitable shades of Southern Railway stone and green on the platform shelter.

Planning is key though, and I need to take my time and improve my timetabling! Oh, and I feel I need to give the layout a name and given it's coastal feel I'm minded to name it 'Salterns Halt', but that's not quite 100% confirmed yet.

[GoldenOldie]

Track laying is complete!

I did make a couple of mistakes but everything was fixable and it was certainly a good learning experience. I'm very glad I've kept things small for my first layout.



Those gaps in the sleepers where the two set of track feeds are is bothering me but ballasting may help. I may even slip an extra sleeper under both areas before I move onto the ballasting stage depending how easy it is and how good it looks if I attempt it. I also need to put something under the rails where they disappear off the board to the (as yet unconstructed) fiddle yard, but that shouldn't be too difficult.

The station halt is there because I like seeing it (roughly) in situ! It's not quite finished (more details here https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=56958) but 99% there.

Once I have a little more time and I've had a sit down and a stiff drink I'll update the budget and spend to date. I'm already rather glad I got my Terrier before Christmas having seen the 2022 Hornby prices for their larger engines.

[Ex-Pat]

I may even slip an extra sleeper under both areas before I move onto the ballasting stage depending how easy it is and how good it looks if I attempt it.

You may well have to cut/file away some or all of the chairs on the inserted sleepers but they will certainly look better than leaving the gaps as they are, and certainly best done before ballasting.

[joshv8]

Looking great!
I agree with Ex-Pat about trimming off the chairs to slide the sleeper underneath but if youre using Peco droppers for example it can still be difficult to get the sleepers close enough.
If need be just cut the sleeper into pieces and place the center and outer parts and glue in place leaving the space under the rail where the dropper is situated.

Maybe youre already aware so forgive me but...
Im unsure if you have used flexi track or set track but with flexi track you can slide the sleepers along the rail, you cut the chairs off the end sleeper to allow the fish plate to sit between the rail and top of the sleeper allowing you to slide the sleepers up closer to the next track section... again can be difficult if you have a dropper on the rail joiner.

Cheers,
Josh

[joshv8]

Edit double post

[GoldenOldie]

Thanks chaps, you've convinced me I have to do something about those gaps. I'll try and slip a sleeper in there but if that fails I'll cut one into pieces and try that approach, as suggested.

Maybe youre already aware so forgive me but...
Im unsure if you have used flexi track or set track but with flexi track you can slide the sleepers along the rail, you cut the chairs off the end sleeper to allow the fish plate to sit between the rail and top of the sleeper allowing you to slide the sleepers up closer to the next track section... again can be difficult if you have a dropper on the rail joiner.

Thanks Josh, I hadn't thought of that. Too late now I think but I'll bear it in mind next time around!

Next step is another complete first - soldering. I need to connect everything up, starting with getting power to the layout and then moving on to the point motors.

[GoldenOldie]

The CDU and two Peco point motors I have on the layout are now both in position, trimmed and awaiting wiring up. Hopefully that'll start tomorrow, I'm waiting for a package to arrive in the post later today.

Meanwhile I'm going to make a start on my scratchbuilt goods shed. It's a small one obviously, with a brick base and corrugated asbestos sides and roof. A couple of extra details such as guttering and drainpipes, etc will be added at the end. I'm really looking forward to this part of the build since the modelling aspects of the hobby appeal to me at least as much as the actual train operation

Lastly, here's a couple of final photos of the station halt at Lower Salterns with the weathering completed (well almost - nameboard to follow). I used weathering powders for the first time and I'm really impressed with them. I got mine from DCC Concepts and a little really does go a long way. I had to be careful not to overdo it but they do allow for some quite subtle effects. The photos wash out the colours a little, particularly the roof which does have a little green moss effect going on but until I get my DSLR sorted for some close up shots they're the best I can do for now:

[heda]

Looking good, I'm watching with interest.
You can sometimes hide the gaps in the sleepers by covering them with a barrow crossing.
Dave

[joshv8]

That's looking great mate, a pro already!
Weathering powders are great to use. I have a set of railroad powders here I actually bought for scifi modelling and they work a treat... looking foward to actually using them on a loco.
Cheers,
Josh

[GoldenOldie]

Wiring has commenced and the layout now has power.

Unfortunately some track lifting was involved but this was completed and the track relaid without mishap. I needed to do this because I'd set up the two sets of electrofrog points where they met the flexible track with insulating joiners on the inner of the 'v' lines as it left the turnout. This is standard form on most diagrams I'd seen but I hadn't clocked that it's there if the layout is a loop! On my micro layout it meant that as soon as the loco hit the insulated joiner it stopped running as it couldn't draw power from another feed. Doh! Anyway, all sorted now and all parts of the layout have power when required and no short circuits.

Soldering was a little more difficult to do in a neat fashion that I'd imagined, but with practise I'm sure I'll get better. It was fun learning a new skill but it's not very photogenic so no images in this post!

My point motors are half finished but I'm just waiting on the delivery of some plasticard so I can fit the control panel before installing and wiring the switches. Then it'll be a case of wiring the motors and the switches to the CDU (something I'm confident of doing correctly as it's covered well in the instructional videos I'm watching) and then the real moment of truth to see if they operate as expected.

The goods shed construction is also on hold as I realised I need corrugated asbestos panels, not corrugated glazed panels - yes, another 'doh!' moment - so it may be that I'll sort out the dockside wall and slipway. I'm not sure what the surface of the slipway would have been made of in the pre-WWII period so some Google image searching is required first. I'm thinking most likely some sort of concrete but worth checking.

I'm still avoiding updating the budget which is only going one way right now...

[GoldenOldie]

More progress, but my first real setback

The scratchbuilt goods shed is well underway. The brick foundation to the walls is ready for an undercoat, as is the corrugated walling above the brickwork. I had to order some extra Wills corugated asbestos panels as I managed to cut one of the end panels upside down... The base of the interior is scribed and painted but I'm not sure I'm happy with it. The small corner area I weathered with a wash of Citadel Nuln Oil hasn't worked well so that I'll definitely be looking to improve on. Getting there though.





Meanwhile the very basic control panel is in situ and the wiring is complete BUT - for some reason I can't fathom the points don't work! I'll be putting a query in the Electrics section and hopefully I'll get some good advice for how to fix it, but for now it's the 'hand of God' that's operating the points.



I think I'll try to complete the goods shed before moving onto the next scenic task, which will be ballasting.

[Bigmet]

...The small corner area I weathered with a wash of Citadel Nuln Oil hasn't worked well so that I'll definitely be looking to improve on...

I have been inside a zillion (slight exaggeration) industrial and commercial premises, and you cannot improve on that! It's the witness mark, where a barrel of 'something' leaked all over the floor, much to the displeasure of whoever in charge likes to run a tight ship. Every such floor should have one, unless it was completed or relaid last week.

[GoldenOldie]

I have been inside a zillion (slight exaggeration) industrial and commercial premises, and you cannot improve on that! It's the witness mark, where a barrel of 'something' leaked all over the floor, much to the displeasure of whoever in charge likes to run a tight ship. Every such floor should have one, unless it was completed or relaid last week.

Actually, you're right. I hadn't thought of using the wash like that, I just tried it in an out of the way area with a view to applying it over the whole floor if it looked okay. Now I may add some more 'spills' closer to where the door openings are so they're more visible. Thanks for reminding me that I'm trying to model reality, not modelling a model!