'Muizen' Progress - The first tracklaying

Another weekend of successful woodworking and I've been able to get the first track down, at least in 'first draft'. It's to give me an idea of whether I can keep to my plan of a minimum radii of 30-36" even on the off-scene parts; and initial tests are hopeful. Although it's not too clear in the picture all track will be laid with prototypical super-elevation or 'cant'.

I've already rebuilt the 'removable' section by the door to ease the track radii from 28" to a generous 36", and to ensure that where the track joins the main baseboard from the 'bridge' it does so perpendicularly to allow for a reliable rail joint.

The second photo shows the main off-scene area; this allows a continuous run to be achieved and also accommodates a 4-road fiddle yard for up to 6/7 coach trains plus locos, this will be laid as far as the wall in the distance. The four tracks to the right of the picture are placed to gauge the depth needed for a useable storage yard; this quarter of the layout will not be modelled.

All track is the HO-Elite system from Tillig, obtained from international models in Wales, who provide an excellent range and great, friendly service. I consider the Tillig track a good compromise for a layout that doesn't leave home. Whilst my exhibition layout Widnes Road has only hand-build turnouts, for something of the size I'm planning for Muizen I felt it really was a bit of a tall order, plus would have slowed progress by 6-12 months. The Tillig track once ballasted and weathered, and fitted with slow action Tortoise or Fulgerex point motors can look nearly as good and has all the excellent slow-running characteristics of live-frog continuous point blade turnouts.

The final shot shows the layout in context in the main basement railway room (Widnes Road has it's own room!) It really is starting to dwarf Singen Hbf, but the design allows for either layout to be operated independantly, and the central layout is easily moveable if extra room is needed at one side of the room for modelling. Next task is to get the windows in the room replaced and then the main baseboards along the longest wall can be built, and a continuous run laid.

Further real-life inspiration: Muizen (Part 1)

I recently spent some time in Belgium researching for my latest HO-scale layout; the permanent one which will take up the larger of the two basement railway rooms I am lucky to be blessed with. Whilst traveling from Antwerp to Leuven I passed through a small station Muizen with a very interesting and extremely active yard; and had to go back and take some pictures. A couple are reproduced here; I will upload some more soon.

The yard which included both hopper and container unloading facilities, was packed with pairs of Series 13 electrics; 77xx diesels and a Class 66; the station itself was a nicely compact twin island platform, with a neat row of houses which formed a ready made backscene.

Obviously the yard would have to be massively reduced in scale, but by judicious use of say, the road overbridge seen in the background (moved slightly east), only the yard throat need be modelled; the station though, could be fairly easily reproduced, at least in width, even if it may need to be slightly shortened to around 6 coaches in length.

I will start on a track plan soon.

Easter Woodworking

The Easter break gave me a few clear days to make progress on my new permanent layout. The main structural frame is taking shape with three sides of the room now having the principal wooden sub-structure in place.

The top deck is only on temporarily until the track plan is finalised at which point the track bed will be cut out allowing the rest of the scenery to be built using the open frame structural system.

The track in the foreground of the top picture is heading across the 'bridge' section which links up the complete loop and can be lifted off to allow large items (like the boards of Singen Hbf seen in the background) to be removed from the room. It is mounted on a series of pattern makers dowels which are set into the ledge on either side baseboard. I have yet to devise the system which will allow the OHLE system to cross the bridge. I'm working on it...

In the rear of the 1st photo you can just make out the structural steel work which has been fitted into the wall to allow the double-track mainline to pass through a retaining block-work wall. This was quite a daunting task but the track plan would have never worked out without it. The steel was supplied by metalsdirectuk and was supplied ready cut and finished, a top drawer service.