00 gauge North London WCML

As most will know my previous exhibition layout AC lines is now no more. The past couple of months work has started on its replacement. This new layout will be 16' x 8' consisting of a 4 track main line running past a TMD that looks very much like a compressed version of Willesden. At one end there will be a town scene with just a set of platform ends modelled in the style of Wembely central. Wembelsden is born ….

Across the front of the layout will be a lower section showing the london underground whilst behind the depot there will be a row of house backs. The depot area will feature some intresting features like electricaly opening shed doors, the working loco lift salvaged from potters lane and hopfully a working washing plant!

The main layout will consist of 10 baseboards each being 2'x4'. These are constructed from 12mm ply frames with 9mm ply tops and feature intergrated fold up legs. Baseboard alignment is via brass dowels and 6mm coach bolts.

Heres a few pics of what iv's been up to …



















































 

My, My.  You have been busy, Dave.

Looking good.  :thumbs

Oi… Aren't you meant to be in the loft? You ain't half going to cop it when the missus' gets home?

Nice to hear from you Dave and I like where you are going with the layout.

Looking forward to seeing it develop.


Cheers


Marty

Brilliant Dave . No wonder you have been quiet, so much work done.

Cheers guys. Marty I am still in the loft with the main layout but presently a bit side tracked with the new one ….. :roll: Presently im re-boarding up the garage door (this time putting in some insulation) before clearing out the garage to make a work area big enough to assemble the 5 main scenic boards. Once these are bolted together I can build the baseboards for the front underground section. This will be a self contained end to end layout that my good friend Gary will operate at the shows whilst I supervise the automated fiddle yards on the main layout. Building the washing plant will be a challenge as I want to simulate water spray. I do have a small fog machine somewhere up in the loft that I may be able to modify somehow so we will see. ;-)

Looking forward to seeing how this one develops.
:cheers

Yesterday I had to endure a day off work as I had a bit of an issue with an inspection pit in a poorly lit garage. Thankfully the access ladder broke my fall …….. :roll:

Anyway as I had lost out on a days pay + an evenings work on Nigels layout I though I would make the effort an try and do some work on the new show layout. First I bolted the first 3 baseboards together before I fitted the modified computer power supply from Ac lines to the underside of the corner baseboard. Once mounted I made a start on wiring the power supply to the second baseboard using the spare pins in the 15 way D connector that im using for the track feeds. Anyone who is fimilar with computer power supplies will know there are 3 voltages available these being 3.3v , 5v , 12v. It is also posiable to get different voltages from these units by 'tapping' between the outputs as I found out whilst trying to dim the led strip lights in the inspection pits. These normaly run on 12v but I found them far too bright so what I have done is remove the -ve wire from the 0v conection and instead wire it to the 3.3v output. This efectivley drops the 12v to the leds by 3.3v thus dimming the leds to a more relistic level as they are now running on 8.7v. ;-)

Once I was happy with the level of the pit lighting I did a bit more butchery to potters lane by ripping out the base for the loco shed to get at the motor and lift mech for the loco lift. ( I was going to put a link to the relevent part of the potters lane build but its now missing … :roll: )

http://www.westcoastminiatures.com/page28.html

The parts removed were then modified and refitted under the repositioned loco lift in the new shed building. Once fitted the lift was tested and so far everything appears to be working fine. Todays task is to clear space in the garage so that I can bolt all 5 main scenic boards together. Once done I can then build the front and rear extension boards as well as finish off the track laying.

Glad you're OK, Dave.  The shots on the link show the layout is looking fantastic.  :thumbs

Super looking shed. The scene reminds me of the sheds at Neasden, which I used to pass on my daily commute on the Metropolitan Line.

Looking across the front of the layout. The 2 white sticks show where the tunnel ends will be for the underground section … 



From the other end. The first powered test train can also be seen …



Track laying is now complete as far as the end of board 3 (up to the white paper). The signal box is a mock up as I have to build another one the right way round to fit the area available. This will actualy be the same as the prototype at Bletchley as the model one seen here was originaly built as a 'flipped' version to fit the old garage layout.   




The wash plant will be where the 2 cassette tapes are. Last night once I had finished laying the track on board 3 I glued in the concrete base for the washer. At the back of the baseboards will be a retaining wall with a row of buildings behind. These will form the backscene for the layout.






 

Whilst I think about it im undecided on the spelling of the layouts name should it be WEMBELSDEN or WEMBLESDEN ? Im more convinced it should be the second as it looks right all thought the layouts full name should actualy be WEMBLESDEN PARK as im trying to tie the layouts name with the real area its based on ie. WEMBLEY / WILLESDEN / STONEBRIDGE PARK.

Any ideas ?   

(just relised this is my 100 post since rejoining YMR)

Being a Londoner I'd plump for Wemblesden Park. Certainly making progress, Dave. Question. Do you just build the layout around the missus, or is she factored into your track plan at the beginning?
:cheers

Fantastic what more can I say

[user=1084]Westcoast[/user] wrote:

Whilst I think about it im undecided on the spelling of the layouts name should it be WEMBELSDEN or WEMBLESDEN ? Im more convinced it should be the second as it looks right all thought the layouts full name should actualy be WEMBLESDEN PARK as im trying to tie the layouts name with the real area its based on ie. WEMBLEY / WILLESDEN / STONEBRIDGE PARK.

Any ideas ?   

(just relised this is my 100 post since rejoining YMR)

I like Wemblesden Park Dave.I come from that area and there are a lot of "Parks" in London,it sounds right.

Congratulations on your 100th post.:cheers

Great work as usual, Dave.  Are you still making bespoke buildings?

Hi Dave

Just watched the AC lines video on the link, very impressive :thumbs

The replacement is looking good already, but looking at your pictures you must have a very understanding 'other half'.
 
Washing plant is going to be interesting.


Ed

Do you just build the layout around the missus, or is she factored into your track plan at the beginning?

 

Now that would be real layout planning  Thankfully Rachel is understanding to a certain point as our house is small although she did say that if I ever left a railway in the living room for 3 weeks again she would put a hammer through it ! Sunday afternoon I motivated myself to make a start on clearing out the garage again so now the first 3 boards are set up in there.


 

I like Wemblesden Park Dave.I come from that area and there are a lot of "Parks" in London,it sounds right.

Congratulations on your 100th post.

 

Cheers Alan could you do me a favour and change the thread title to Wemblesden Park. Still a long way to go to get anywhere near the few thousand posts as 87101 but at least now im into 3 digits. ;-)

Are you still making bespoke buildings?

 

Hi Max no I gave up modelmaking for others after all the problems I had with a certain person but we wont go there …..

I am still working on the Manchester Piccadilly layout though as I was telling Peter when we met up last weekend. I realy must get round to taking some recent pics of the layout as it has moved on slightly since I last updated the thread. :thumbs

 

Thanks for changing the thread title Alan although the L & E in wemblesden still need swapping round. ( looks for tin hat…)

Your wish is my command.

Thanks Alan. :cheers