‘Creating a diversion’

The layout came about, like, I suspect, many others, during the first 2020 Covid lockdown. My main BR layout had stalled, so I started a new project – a diversion intended to restore my modelling mojo as it were. Previewed in Show & Tell earlier this year (MR297), the layout is now complete and it has made its exhibition debut.

My grandfather worked on The Slough Estates Railway (SER) and I took this, along with a nod to The Manchester Ship Canal Railway, as an inspiration. Mind you, the SER closed in April 1973 and never went over to diesel power. It did have exchange sidings with BR, and this is represented by a dedicated siding.

I had previously built a layout consisting of five interconnected box files. However, these were all individual units that could be arranged in different formations. This time I decided to use the box file principle differently, making them into one fixed unit.

BOXIFICATIONS

The first step was to cut out the sections of the ends to allow for the permanent way. After this, I strengthened all the corners and the joints between the base and sides with runs of PVA glue. The boxes were screwed and glued together using the remaining sections of each end wall. All three box bases were treated internally to a couple of coats of clear matt from a rattle can. I have found this gives a good basis to work on, plus it combats warping.

All of the boxes were screwed and glued to an MDF base that was kindly donated to me by fellow Bubwith Railway Modellers Group member Ian Dolland. To counter its potentially porous nature, the MDF received two coats of primer, followed by two coats of black paint.

TRACK LAYING AND SCENICS

Black foam board was used as the track base. This was cut to shape and glued with PVA before Peco Code 75 track was cut to length and laid out with the short ‘Y’ point. After a bit of tweaking, it was all glued down, again with PVA. I should point out an error I made here. I only laid the track in a few of the boxes at first, as none of them were fixed to the MDF at the time. It was only after all the boxes were attached to the base that I laid the foam and track in the fiddleyard box. What I should have done was get all the boxes fixed down and then laid the rails. That way, the long (BR exchange)

siding and the line leading to the ‘Y’ point would have been continuous, rather than in sections. Lesson learned! Always use the longest possible length of track for any given location, rather than piecing together multiple sections.

The somewhat tedious job of ballasting was done in sections. I used various materials, mixed to add variety, from Woodland Scenics and others. The concrete areas are either printed Scalescenes sheets on card or painted plastic card. Non-concrete areas are, like the ballast, mixed ground cover materials. There are some grass tufts here and there for variety.

STRUCTURES

All of the buildings are rendered in low relief, created from textured plastic sheet or printed paper sheets, mounted on foamboard or card. Doors are mainly printed items, although the green sliding door is a Scale Model Scenery (SMS) laser-cut kit. The ATG warehouse is scratchbuilt from plastic card, covered in a concrete texture paint from a rattle can. In a couple of places I inserted images cropped from newspapers of urban backgrounds, in an attempt to provide depth. Listed on each side of the ATG roller door are the names of various car makers in which the company (presumably) deals. The names came from cars that I have owned over the years.

Detailing parts, such as extractor fans, air conditioning units, gates and suchlike are also by SMS. The Palisade security fencing is Wills. Other items came from the gallimaufry of odds ‘n’ ends acquired over years of modelling. The red tank is Walthers and unloading pipework is Knightwing. At the end of the long siding is a Traintech lamp that lights up when the line is in use. The miniature people are a mixed bunch, the female driver of the Kibri forklift comes from the Noch range, others are from Preiser and ‘civilianised’ NATO ground crew. The ‘Health & Safety’ rep is also by Preiser.

The two bridges are there to add height and disguise joins between the box sections. Both are removable to allow the lids to close. The pipe bridge is made from Knightwing girders, with lengths of Plastruct and Evergreen tube, mounted on plastic card. Defending the fiddleyard entrance is a bridge made of Wills Vari-girder panels, card and printed sheets. During exhibitions, this bridge carries the obligatory bus!

MAKING THINGS MOVE

Power comes from basic Gaugemaster DC controllers. The two roads are independently powered from the fiddleyard. This allows movement on one line, while setting up a train on the other. I operate a range of RTR locomotives and stock, with Hornby’s Sentinel diesels and Ruston 48DS are an obvious choice, as are ‘08s’ and an Oxford Rail Janus for shunting. Bachmann Classes 20/24 provide the ‘main line’ power. All stock is fitted with Kadee couplers and uncoupling magnets may be installed soon.

This has been an enjoyable build, including new (to me) techniques learned along the way. The layout also sustains operational interest

– I have completed three days of exhibitions without nodding off!

Credits go to my wife Jean for moral support and, as previously stated, Ian D for the MDF. Electrical advice came courtesy of fellow East Riding Finescale group member, John Wass. The plain track was provided by another ERFG member, Jeff Taylor. An honourable mention is also due to my local model shop, Grandad’s Train Shop of Selby.

Steve Grantham