June 2009
Bob Harper and Neil Deakin show how quick and easy it is to set up the layout, using Bob's favourite folding leg system
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Bob has used this on numerous exhibition layouts, which is why Neil does all of the work and Bob supervises. |
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Once the first baseboard is set up, the others piggy-back on to it, giving an assembly time of less than ten minurtes. |
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When all of the hard work was done, Nigel Tansley (in green) turned up to have his photograph taken. Also in the picture is Neil's father, Bob, so that makes three supervisors and one worker.
Note how the backscene is so high that none of the operators will have a clue what is going on unless they stand at the front, blocking the view of any spectators. How are they going to get around that? |
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This is one end of the layout, showing the only bit of run-round on the whole plan - a typical Bob Harper trick to make shunting particularly difficult.
The Peco point is a temporary fixture until a hand-built one can be installed.
The hole in the end board leads into the sector plate fiddle yard. |
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The sleepers have been individually cut from sheet basswood and stained, but this doesn't show up too well on the photos.
Cork strip is glued down and stained, then the sleepers are glued to this. Rail is the correct scale 48lb per yard, temporarily held in place with panel pins. Points will be built in situ using a mixture of copper clad and timber sleepers.
Electrics will be switchable between DC and DCC. |
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October 2009
Showing the method used to piggyback one baseboard on another:
This baseboard end sits on the one shown below and then the two are clipped together with case catches.
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Point construction is well under way as demonstrated by Bob Harper and Bob Deakin. Neil Deakin is plotting some improvements I could make to the website, which is why, for once, he isn't doing any work.
Copper clad sleepers are used to fix the rails in position and the spaces are infilled with stained basswood |
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Bob Deakin shows off his prize-winning bridge to make sure the stock doesn't have to jump too big a gap.
In contrast the turntable is out of the box Peco. |
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November 2009
Buildings have started to be positioned and the backscene has had a coat of primer.
Pointwork is built, sleepers for the plain track have been glued and some rails for this are pinned in place. |
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The bridge supports are still temporary, but I can almost hear the river gushing by. |
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You go away for a few days and something happens.
Bob Deakin brought along a 3 inch brush and a few paints and the backscene has suddenly been painted. The photograph doesn't really capture how well this looks, so you will just have to come to Dean Hall to see it for yourself. |
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| A wider view of the whole layout. No doubt this will change rapidly in the next few weeks. Watch this space. |
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Showing some underside detail of the bridge. By the end of November the river bed has been sceniced....... |
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....... with the river made from a resin mix, merging into the backscene. |
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March 2010
Bob Deakin has been busy getting on with another building. |
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July 2010
Buildings keep appearing and the track is ballasted, well, as much as it is ever going to be. |
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A control panel - there must be a running evening in August - come along and see it. |
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The pipe on the left looks suspiciously as if something really nasty is about to gush out....... |
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Just over one year from the layout being started and it is almost ready for action, though with plenty of details still to be added.
The group leader is Nigel Tansley. You can see how friendly these folks are. Come down to Dean Hall on Wednesday evenings and learn from their years of experience. |
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