Light and portable kit construction

Hi All,

As I previously mentioned, "Watlington" is on hold until new premises with attached living quarters are found. In the meantime I have embarked on a small, portable layout using some commercial laser-cut baseboard kits to keep the "mojo" working. Our local community center woodworking shop is closed due to Covid-19, so rather than try DIY at home without the appropriate tools a ready-cut kit that only requires gluing looked interesting. The aim is to have elements from some of my favorite GWR branchline locations (Fairford, Witney, Kingham, Sarsden Halt, Aston Rowant, Notgrove) incorporated into a small layout that can be stored in a cupboard, and that will easily sit in the back of the car.

The baseboards ordered were 12" wide, 30" long, 2.5" high, and were quickly put together in an afternoon using wood glue and clamps followed by a light sanding.. I had 4 kits, giving a total length of 10 feet. I decided to join 2 kits together, so I now have 2 modules, each 5 feet long. The wood used is Baltic birch (actually Russian), 6mm (0.25") thick. At some point I will order a couple of even smaller kits to act as fiddle yards at either end. The company making them will do any size from 6" wide up, and I was quite pleased with the fit of the various bits (basically slots and tongues).

Currently waiting for some bolts that will be used to give a bit more structural strength to the joined kits. I'm mulling over whether to have a stream at one end of the layout, balanced by an embankment and bridge at the other end. Only so much you can do with a width of 12"!

Some of the current items on the getaroundtoit/wish list are:

1. Through running with a small country branchline station (goods shed, small signal,cabin, cattle dock, coal sidings, wagon turntable).
2. Double track through the station (as found on the BCDR and the Fairford line), allowing down and up running with 2 locomotives.
3. EM gauge track.
4. DCC operation with sound.
5. Fiddle yard at either end, detachable.
6. Points controlled using servos (a new one for me).

With a layout this size not very much stock is required: A small motive power stock, a few passenger carriages and freight wagons are going to be quite adequate. Two steam engines, a diesel railcar and a Warship are currently in the plan. Set in the 1950's as that gives a lot of scope for mixing late GWR and early BR stock.

No track plan yet, I'll post one soon.

Nigel

Hi All,

Some photos of the modules, as well as a track plan, Based on the 1900 OS of the area, modified slightly to incorporate the platform at Witney that encroahed on the points. Sceneic break of a bridge at one end, wood at the other.

Nigel

1. Top of the 2 baseboard modules. Two baseboard modules (30 x 12 x 2.5 inches)  joined to give 60 x 12 x 2,5 inches each. Total length 10 feet, to which will be added the 30 x 6 inch long fiddle yards at each end.




2. Underside of the baseboards showing cross pieces at 15"


3. Close-up showing construction.

Those pre-cut baseboards are a neat construction Nigel - there are at least 2 well known companies in UK manufacturing them, the downside being the cost !  I once looked at them but decided against merely on price.

Does the photo show 2 or 4 boards ?  If it's only 2, then I wonder why they didn't use the same colour ply on each one, if it's 4, and that will be their configuration, you're going to have some interesting joins to disguise …………. :roll:

Hi All,

The track plan. Overall dimension 10 x 1 foot, with fiddle yards either end, each 30 x 6 inches. This combines elements of the Fairford, the Watlington, and the BCDR branchlines. Especially the Witney passenger station on the Fairford line, which had one platform extending into the points. Double track through the station, allowing down and up running on the single track. The rest of the track plan closely follows that of Aston Rowant on the Watlington line. Hence the name, Aston Witney under Sarsden.

The plan is to use 2 scenic breaks with the scenics carried on into the fiddle yards. Thanks to Terry for his outstanding modeling approach to this. Bridge and embankment on an angle at one end, small wood at the other. I will be cutting the baseboards to get some depth for the stream, which will have a simple wood and iron bridge for the railway track. The long siding in the yard is used by the local coal merchant, who would have a wagon or 3 of coal from which the bags were loaded directly onto the lorry as required. No coal staithes as the local worthies were found of borrowing the coal after a night at the Railway Inn. Climbing into a wagon was was usually too hard for them after a few pints of the local ales .

 The plan is pretty much to scale, and calls for #6 and #8 frogs on the points.Only 6 points required, I will have to give some thought regarding WIT or solenoid control, although 6 Tortoise will not break the bank (pack of 6 less than $100 at the moment).

 Nigel

Hi Peter,

Four boards, 30"x 12" custom size, two of each joined together to give two modules 60" x 12". Price-wise not too bad, given they're made from 6mm Baltic birch ply. About 10% more expensive  than DIY. And only took an afternoon to assemble. And I can pick up one module with a finger.

All those joints will disappear when the 1/8" cork layer gets glued on and the frames are painted. Difference in color is due to sanding. Birch ply is always birch in color.

I liked them so much that in future I'm not making any more baseboards myself. Precision around +/- 1/32" , what you would expect from laser cutting. Dimensionally stable, not one screw was needed. The fiddle yards will be coming from the same supplier.

Nigel

Wow that is some rather neat woodwork! Looking forwards to seeing this one progress!

Hi Chris,

I take no credit, all I did was glue and clamp. I was originally going with 4 modules, plus 2 fiddle yards (to get away from a branchline terminus) then decided to glue and bolt 2 modules end to end to make 2 longer modules. 

The stream well is rough cut, needs sides and bottom in place. HD foam for that. More later, have to get some foam first.

Nigel