The Nearly Ramsgate layout.

[madpup]

Hi, this is my first go at anything like this, having had three heart attacks in a year i have had to change my hobbies,
(motorbiking, archery, and fishing on my boat) i worked at hornby when i first left school and i loved the detail in the trains
and always wished i had the time to make up a layout, now semi retired and with time on my hands i thought i might have a go,
and this is the story of my layout, please feel free to flame and throw rocks (it might be the only way i'll learn)
it started with this shot of Ramsgate i took,


I thought this would make a great layout (did i tell you i was has green as grass?)
with this idea the loft was to be changed from this...



into my dream layout, so after loads of work constuction was well and truly underway
velux windows was added,
floor was doubled boarded,
timbers was added and some was taken out,
the sides was plaster boarded,
a old carpet was layed,
a timber frame of 2x2 was constucted and 1 inch ply was layed for the base
the dog came for a look ..



i then layed the track on the westside to see how it would fit, it was at this point
i found that the Ramsgate plan would not work, (too many points, too much room needed)
undeturd i cracked on with a nearly Ramsgate layout, i layout the track, marked out the outline and removed,
i now cut up the cork and stuck down with PVA glue,



i then doped the cork with tissues,


i then printed out ballast and glued that down in strips over the cork, then the track got relayed and
pinned when i was happy with it,



i done this to south and east side of the layout too, i have been adding the ballast has i go,


yesturday i pinned the cable under the boards for the main bus and started adding droppers,
i will do this for the lights too,




this is the story so far, more as i do it...

[ChrisWV10]

Wow! What a transformation. Looks like a great space especially with the window for light. You've made good progress and you must have the patience of Job to get all that ballasting done as well. I like the escarpment along the length. How long is that? Also looks like you've built in a hatch to make a complete circuit? Or are you staying U shaped?

Like it. Looking forward to seeing more.

[mikem64]

Yes that's a super start & looks very promising, yet another layout to keep an eye on. (Maybe borrow ideas from!!!)

I assume this will be an all diesel layout ? Or could there be the odd Tourist Steamer making an appearence on Summer specials ?

Keep up the great work.

Mike.

[Michael Thornberry]

Hello Madpup,
An excellent start to what "should" be a fantastic Lay-out. You have created a great environment in your loft that will afford you many hours of modelling. We would like to have you "around" for as long as is possible so reeelaaaax, go with the flow and remain cool, calm and collected and enjoy a very-long modelling life. Cheers and Good Modelling,
Kind Regards,
Michael Thornberry.

[madpup]

Thank you guys, but i dont think you will be "borrowing" ideas from me, told you i am
brand new and very green compared to you guys,
and yes Mike there will be the odd "Tourist Steamer " lol,
Hi Chris yes it will be a ciruit (soon) the length is just under 16ft
Thank you Michael i would love to stay "around" for a while

[hobby boy]

wow, the loft has improved from that lost wasteland into a railway room. Will the layout be dcc?
Also, i'd put in the point motors now.

Andrew

[madpup]

Hi Andrew, yes its going to be dcc as for the points motors thats the bit iv been dreading,
i know its got to be done sooner rather than later, but i have so many diffrant types of points
and diffrant makes its going to be a mare to sort, but hay ho thats why its called a pastime.
regards
Mark

[Essex2Visuvesi]

depends on how difficult you want to make it.

Both peco and hornby both do surface mounted point motors which need no drilling or cutting of the baseboard

[madpup]

What i need is to see some in action to give me a idea, i might buy one of each as a tester,
spent the best part of the day working out the hatch and finshing of the corking,
friend next door dragged me out (with temption of a cold one)
didnt reailisethe temp had gone up to over 110 in the loft,
must remember to open more windows next time, lol.

[B@rney]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfindkUuLcQ

Peco Pl-11 surface mounted motor. A little video I took when they first came out.

As long as you read the instructions and wire the properly then they are not bad!!

[Dead Man's Handle]

it started with this shot of Ramsgate i took,

Three questions:

How did you get all the way up there?

...and how did you get 17999 years into the future?

Have you now abandoned the Ramsgate idea, or are there some elements you'll be incorporating?


The loft room looks great!


Ade

[madpup]

Thanks Barney i'll buy a few of them to get me started,
Ade, it wasa very big tripod, lol, before my heart attack i was taking my pilots ticket and Fitzpatrick (company building the new sidings)
asked me to do the overhead progress shots once a month, as for "back to the future" me bad,lol

[hobby boy]

Hi Andrew, yes its going to be dcc as for the points motors thats the bit iv been dreading,
i know its got to be done sooner rather than later, but i have so many diffrant types of points
and diffrant makes its going to be a mare to sort, but hay ho thats why its called a pastime.
regards
Mark

Point motors are so easy to install! i've currently got 4 on my layout but i am planning to put more in. As i have 4 different type of point motor on my layout, I've found out the cheapest point motor available is the Gaugemaster Seep PM 2 point motor. It uses an extended pin and is quite easy to wire up!

Andrew

[madpup]

OK here we go with a update, as you can see iv been busy but in the end the heat got the better of me,
so i thought i'll try out a new lens that i'v required, starting by facing north..



this is the east side..


this is the west side..


this is the North side..


As you can see there is still a bit to do but the track is 90% layed and the dcc bus is finshed,
on the westside pic you can see there is a single, which will be picked up and turned into a six road fiddlers yard,
ps if anybody wants to do a track plan for me that would be great,(cant get on with trackX cad thinggy)
more updates as and when i get on, thanks for looking,

regards
Mark

[hobby boy]

those picture look and feel weird! so what point motors are you using? I see you have some of the old hornby building here.

Andrew