Chadwood - Modern 00 loft layout

[Rammy]

Another month passes by with not much action on the layout! However the time hasn't been completely wasted. I spent a few evenings finally finishing off the Scalescenes diesel depot that I started months ago. I became rather fed up during the build, not because of the kit itself but because of the materials I was using. I had been using some free card that was left over inserts from work but I had to glue 2 or 3 of these together to achieve the desired thickness. This resulted in lots of warping on the larger pieces, and that is what I got fed up of. Finally I came across a product called Finnboard which could be bought in 1 and 2mm thickness sheets. This has made the Scalescenes builds a doddle! It is easily cut and doesn't appear to warp either. To compliment the depot I have this week built the free Scalescenes inspection pits. I am going to experiment with some yellow 3mm LEDs to light them up too.
Last weekend I managed to escape the family for a few hours and went over to the Nottingham show. Whilst I was there I managed to pick up my first ever Kadees (#18, #19 and #321 uncoupler). I have seen lots of Kadees used on other layouts and I think they look so much better than standard Hornby / Bachmann couplings with the added benefit of hands free uncoupling. So on my return a #19 was fitted to 66610 as an experiment and I am very pleased with the results. I just need to get in the loft now and fit a Kadee to a container flat and give it a try.
Finally, a new arrival at Chadwood - 57012 in Freightliner livery. Although an older Hornby model, I liked the look of the weathering and thought it may fit in with my other Freightliner stock. It had a DIY lighting kit fitted (quite good too) and I am trying to extend this to add directional lighting now.
Any enough talking, here's a few pics:

57012 Freightliner Envoy


New arrival 57012 in the new diesel depot



Joined in the shed by 66610 with Kadee coupling fitted


Scalescenes inspection pit


Hopefully my next post will show all of these on the layout rather than the dining table!

Dave

[sishades]

What is finboard and how much is it? For my buildings I used mounting card from a local framing shop but the thickness is slightly more than 2mm.

[Rammy]

I got mine from 4D Modelshop . I originally emailed them and they sent me a small sample of the 0.9mm and 2mm which convinced me it was the right thing to use. It was just over £2 for the 0.9mm and £4 for the 2mm - these are 700mm x 1000mm sheets!

[Rammy]

Been having a play with some LEDs tonight to see if I could make a lighting strip for the inspection pits. Electronics is not my expertise, but I am quite pleased with the result for hardly any cost.





Just need to make 3 more now and hopefully make them a little neater!

Dave

[Rammy]

As I said, I wanted to neaten up the LEDs for the inspection pits. After spending a little time thinking about how I would install the pits I realised that the sticking out LEDS were going to make installation very awkward. Therefore I have implemented plan B. I purchased some 1206 size SMD LEDs (only 9p each) and had a work colleague solder these onto vero board. This has resulted in a much better fit and still good light.







Now I really need to crack on and get these installed on the layout!

Dave

[Rammy]

My brother has kindly finished the painting for me and returned the fuelling point and forklift trucks. I managed to get a couple of hours in the loft today to try them out. Also, as it was my birthday last week, I have a new addition to the Chadwood fleet. 08585 in Freightliner livery has joined the rest of the Freightliner fleet. I still need to wire a decoder in but I have tried it out and it runs great. Looks rather clean though so may need weathering at some point, but not sure I'm up to that yet! A bit more trackwork has been laid around the depot and in the sidings. Also spent a while fixing a problematic curve before the station which was causing lots of problems. Hopefully I'll be able to grab a few more hours in the loft this weekend to finally get some more point motors wired in.
Enough talking, here's some photos:

The painted fuelling point


Painted forklifts:


The new addition:


The Freightliner fleet:


I also had some money for my birthday, which I intend spending on the railway somehow. I stocked up today with some extra flexi track, but can't decide what to do with the rest. I am VERY tempted to splash out on a sound decoder for one of the 66's but can't be sure which one to buy. I am also nervous that it needs to work with my Hornby Select. Any advice appreciated. The other option is to buy the Vitrains Network Rail 97302 & 97304 twin pack which looks rather nice.

Dave

[egroeg93]

Buy a class 70, you know it makes sense

Lovely looking inspection pits, are they the peco kits? And can you show us what the pit looks like without the lights in? Just wondered how you've done this

[Rammy]

Lovely looking inspection pits, are they the peco kits? And can you show us what the pit looks like without the lights in? Just wondered how you've done this

The inspection pits are the FREE (yes, free!!) one's from Scalescenes.com downloaded here
Please see the photo at the top of this page for how they look without lights.

Dave

[0121modeller]

My brother has kindly finished the painting for me and returned the fuelling point and forklift trucks

Hi Dave, The forklift trucks, they look great .
Are they the white metal kit versions by Knightwing ?
I'm considering getting a couple myself.

Dave.

[Rammy]

Hi Dave, The forklift trucks, they look great .
Are they the white metal kit versions by Knightwing ?
I'm considering getting a couple myself.

Dave.

Yes they are. I'm really pleased with them. Just need a few pallets now!

[Rammy]

A new arrival at Chadwood tonight. A Hornby 153 in East Midlands Trains livery has been bought with some birthday money from my family.
Still enough left for a sound decoder though if could decide which one to buy!

Here is a brief video of it's arrival at Chadwood station:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Th68zPE-Mg

[Rammy]

I seem to spend more time buying & playing with stock rather than building the layout at the moment!
Tonight has been spent modifying my standard blue Dapol Track Cleaner into a nice new Network Rail liveried version, courtesy of some vinyls from Electra Railway Graphics:

BEFORE:



AFTER:





I am very pleased with the results. Well worth a tenner. Just need a pair of Network Rail 37's to run it round now!

Dave

[Dragonfly]

WOW! That is AWESOME!

I'm totally doing that with mine now =D

*goes to look up where to get those vinyls*

[jamest]

Hi Rammy,

Can I ask how you are getting on with the kadee's? I notice you have them fitted to your track cleaner (which does look great by the way) as well as some of the loco's you mentioned/showed earlier.

I bought some recently and hope to strategically place some magnets into my new layout but I find that the height of the standard NEM socket varies quite a lot on my stock. I really had to play with the coaches in particular.

Do you use a setting tool? I've done mine by measurement and comparison up to now but I think the setting tool would be a wise investment before I 'copy' slight errors all over my fleet!

Cheers,
James

[Rammy]

Hi James

To be honest I haven't really ran enough of my stock with them to encounter any problems yet. I have not bought a setting tool yet, I have simply replaced the existing Bachmann coupling with #18 or #19 kadees. I have them fitted to 2 of the 66s, 1 container wagon, and the track cleaner. The only problems I have had so far are the couplings falling out of the container wagon (doesn't seem to clip in properly), and the track cleaner one caught on my uncoupling magnet (but this is only temporary and will be replaced by under track magnets eventually).
Not sure that this really answers your question, but please ask if I can be of any more help.

Dave