Model Railway Forum

A house move provided me with a 10ft x 6ft room I'd earmarked for my office. Realising there wouldn't be much in it apart from a desk, there was room for the model railway I'd wanted for a few years but never quite got round to building.

I've decided on shelves to store books, tools and other items with a U-shaped 00-gauge layout running along the top.

This will consist of a terminus with a run around loop, small engine shed, goods siding and head shunt.

From there the single line will head off under a bridge or tunnel at the end of the first scenic section, onto a curve around my desk.

This is currently a table I picked up for a fiver but I intend to build a desk along similar lines to the layout when I get a chance. This will be integral to the baseboard which runs under the window sill.

Before anyone gets the idea I'm a whizz at joinery, I'm not. It's really easy to build things like this with legs made from cheap stud timber, using strip wood from the DIY superstore for the bracing and tops of the shelves.

The baseboards are topped with MDF and designed to lift off while I'm wiring everything up and installing point motors, signals and other powered features.

I'm going to get this side of the 'U' operational and get my head around all of the electrics and installation required before I make a start on the other side, which will either be a small through halt leading to a fiddle yard, or a larger terminus.

I'm not massively into the scenery side of things as I think I'll struggle enough with getting it all up and running. I'm also more interested in playing trains than recreating spectacular rolling hills and valleys spanned by viaducts.

So it will be a loose-ish interpretation of a branch line on the Somerset Levels. I would have chosen the Fens, which are also flat, but have decided I prefer GWR stock which I've started to purchase in dribs and drabs.

Work and other commitments mean I don't have limitless time for layout building. So I'll try to update this weekly, interspersed by the odd post seeking advice, like the one RE deaing with laying track near a radiator. Thanks to forum members for the answers on that one.

I've set myself the target of completing it in a year but don't know if this is a realistic timescale.

Enviably tidy. Looks to be quite fun. It appears to be a point-to-point? An interesting feature not common to North America.

Hello Shunters
You have made a fine job with the carpentry it all looks very neat and professional.
When I laid the track for my layout I ran trains for almost two years before I started building any scenery, refining and tweaking the track where things did not work out as I had planned so just enjoy what you are building.I don’t think you can put a time limit on creating a railway they sort of just evolve as you go along. While spending time running trains I learnt so much from the guys on this forum as there is so much knowledge out there which people are willing to share,they always come up with a solution or idea for any problem that’s encountered along the way.
Looking forward to more pictures as you progress.


Puddles

Puddles wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 7:01 am When I laid the track for my layout I ran trains for almost two years before I started building any scenery, refining and tweaking the track where things did not work out as I had planned...

This what I have found. I laid all my track, started landscaping and then discovered it just wasn't working, for various reasons. So I tore it up and started again and used AnyRail to plan the track, but when I put the track down I still had to make lots of mods to the track plan. I think it is going to be several months before I even think about any permanent scenery.

My new O gauge layout was running after 4 days and scenery slowly added over the following months.

Hi Shunter,
Looks like you've made a good start.
My advice would be to take your time to ensure that your track plan gives you the operational interest and flexibility that you want (and that will vary between individuals. I certainly wouldn't do any ballasting until you are sure about your track plan.

The take you time advice is very good. I'd spent quite a while thinking about the branch line station so that more or less went down as I'd drawn it - or rather as I remembered if, because I lost the notebook I'd been doodling in.

There's quite a lot there for my meagre skills already with six points to get motors installed on and the whole shooting match wired up for DCC.

I'm now as far as what will be the start of the larger terminus with twin approach lines once I've put a little bridging piece across the gap, so I'll make the baseboards for that over the weekend and will then start thinking a bit more about possible track layouts.

I'll probably leave laying it permanently until I've got the first side up and running.

I also need to build a better work desk than the old table I'm using, marry this up to the board carrying the curve of the 'U' and incorporate a DCC test track somewhere.

It looks fantastic, and a combi office- model railway room is a great use of space, but I'd be worried that I would be distracted from work by all those lovely model trains.

Looks like the table,chair and laptop etc will have to go. You have to get your priorities right It is a great idea though. BB

Great idea but I've got to pay the bills for a few more years before I can bin the desk.