Danny's Layout [Flaxengate] (N Gauge)

[Danny]

Fact File
Gauge: N;
Period: Current;
Inspiration: Severn Valley, Ironbridge;
Prototype: Fictitious;
Location: Spare Room;
Size: 2 m by 0.44 m;
Buildings: Not yet;
Rolling Stock: Graham Farish;
Track: Peco;
Signals: None Yet;
Vehicles: None Yet;

Thread Start
Okay, I decided my big layout is too big, a big mess really. I'm not going to abandon it, I'm just gonna have a small subordinate layout which wont cost to much or take too long to build.

The layout is set in a steep sided valey. At the top of the valley is a Dam (used to hide loop) and at the bottom is an industrial town, the railway is built in deep cuttings in the valley side crossing the river at several points.

At every step of the way if I can I'm going to add everything up and show how much it has cost so far.

Track Plan



The baseboard is 2000 mm by 440 mm made from 3 mm thick ply and avframe of 20 mm by 40 mm pine. The lefover ply and some scrap pine I used to start making the trackbed as you can see below.




Cost
--------------------------------------------------------
£2:50 - 20 mm by 40 mm pine; 2400 mm length
£2:50 - 20 mm by 40 mm pine; 2400 mm length
£0:80 - 3 mm plywood; 2000 mm by 300 mm.
£0:80 - 3 mm plywood; 2000 mm by 300 mm.
£0:00 - Scrap Pine Wood.
--------------------------------------------------------
£6:60 - Total
--------------------------------------------------------

[Lofty]

I'm just gonna have a small subordinate layout which wont cost to much or take too long to build.

So how long is 'not too long'

Good start

Lofty

[Lee]

Lovely and intresting layout you starting there and also another N gauger

[Danny]

Okay, update. I used some pine to make what I think are called "Formers". Well I'm using them as a profile for the valley and to attach the trackbed to.





Cost
--------------------------------------------------------
£0:00 - Scrap Pine Wood.
--------------------------------------------------------
£6:60 - Total
--------------------------------------------------------

[Michael]

Wow, this is pretty cool actually. Nice layout plan too.

What kind of setting is it going to be? UK? BR? Pre-BR?

[Class 60]

wow only now im reading this thread and must say what a nice plan you got, any ideas on the era setting?

[bunji]

Nice work! I'm a bit worried about your incline from the main loop to the siding bit below - looks a tad steep. Have you tested it out? If it cause problems you could try moving the point further away, giving a less steep rise. Brilliant plan though! I like the hiding of the continous loop.

[Danny]

Cheers for the comments.

I'm not sure about the Era. Most of the layout will be country side so there won't be many pointers about what time it is, although I am going to have an industrial town near the station. I'm planning on running DMU's and the occasional frieght train, so I guess that is more modern.

Nice work! I'm a bit worried about your incline from the main loop to the siding bit below - looks a tad steep. Have you tested it out? If it cause problems you could try moving the point further away, giving a less steep rise. Brilliant plan though! I like the hiding of the continous loop. :D

You're right to be worried it's about a 1 in 10 gradient. I couldn't really make it any longer because it would come close to the other side of the cutting. Also the other side of the point (shunt head or summin) wouldn't alow me to take many wagons down and up at a time (if you get me). I'm going to put a few wagons in it and use it as scenery.

Danny.

[westbrom]

Very nice plan Danny, looking forward to seeing your progress.


Neil

[ClikC]

You're right to be worried it's about a 1 in 10 gradient. I couldn't really make it any longer because it would come close to the other side of the cutting. Also the other side of the point (shunt head or summin) wouldn't alow me to take many wagons down and up at a time (if you get me).

Try raising the Single track line over the bridge, if you can get it up say 2cm , thats 2cm less to move down. Or have two drops with the siding/headshunt bit being halfway between them. or do both and you could end up with a Scale gradient.

If you ask me that layout SCREAMS Scotish Highlands or Welsh Valleys in Large Logo BR Blue.

[Derek]

Excellent layout plan Danny.
There's plenty of options for train operation for such a compact plan.

[Dave777]

Probably best to try a train up the gradient - gonna be a bummer to build it and then find the locos won't climb it


(I setup a little test rig yesterday and my Farish 0-6-0 J94 hauled three Mk I coaches up a 1 in 30 around a 9 inch curve with no problems at all, so while these wee beasties certainly have some haulage power it may be worth checking. Use your worst loco and the most stock you'll want to run (I'll only need to get two coaches up my incline, so I'm well within the operating parameters))

[Danny]

Not a major update but I have just finished off cutting out the rough shape of the facia boards made out of 3 mm plywood. I'm hoping that when I get them fixed on I can and them down to the right height. You can easily cut matterial off but harder to stick it back on.

Also I have started to modify a bridge, it was a two arch stone bridge but I have dismantled it and cut one of the arches in half. I plan to put the spare half of the cut in half arch on the other side. I am going to make it one main arch with two half arches eachside which be will mainly covered by the valey sides.

I will post some pictures up tomoro to give a better idea of what I mean.

Danny.

[Danny]

I got my bridge in place with a bit of gueey glue and used some plywood to make it level. The bridge used to be two arches but I have adapted it. Some pictures below:



I did a merger of model and photo here cause I was borred.



Danny.

[Class 60]

Danny that picture looks great The bridge looks the part