Patio line

[chris]

Great Stuff.

The use of the recycled plastic as a baseboard has got a few of us watching with interest. Going forward I'll be asking you questions about expansion and contraction.

Looking forward to more progress.

[flapland101]

Thanks for your additional welcomes, this is looking like a really friendly place. I have another week left of my staycation which should give me chance to play around with my main junction to hopefully create a three coach middle platform and also a longer length set of carriage and wagon sidings. I will see if I can take a google earth style picture of the main junction and share some ideas later with you all, I am looking for ideas as I pretty new to this hobby.

In regard to question on expansion it appears in yesterdays 24c sun that the plastic expands a little more than the track with a couple of 1m gaps appearing on the straight sections in the sun. As the track was laid on Wednesday which was reasonably warm I am hopping the lack of gaps I left will leave me in good stead when the September snow arrives

Hopefully today a batch of 16t Mineral wagons will arrive from Hattons to help form a reasonable mixed rake of mineral and iron ore wagons.

[traingeekboy]

Really like seeing the pots integrated into the layout. I'm thinking some deck chairs and you've got the perfect napping spot.

Ha Ha not a single GW, i'm cracking up over that one. (cracking up meaning to laugh heartily, i have a feeling it means something different to you folks.) i thought I didn't like southern, was completely drawn to LMS red, now i'm oggling southern coaches on ebay. My taste for trains is always a moving target, thank god I have a garden layout.

Expansion... who knows what the elements will bring. such a huge part of this is having to redo little bits because there's no way to prepare for everything. Should be a fun ride.

[flapland101]

Ok created my first quick a dirty video via my iPad although not sure what the shadow of Godizila is doing in shot mind you.

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[traingeekboy]

Video looks good. I can't wait to see things develop on your layout. Any plans for scenery or structures?

Man that was a fast build, congrats!

[flapland101]

I do have a number of plans, first this week(2nd week of staycation) a little more work on the sidings and electrics and then next month start looking at first round of structures. Long term plans are for a resin based engine and carriage sheds, one perhaps two stations, possible turntable in one corner and a single line branch dropping under and around the main oval. For the platforms I am considering using foam board with plastic cover and wonder if anyone has done similar and also wonder if anyone has attempted an external turntable(manual I suspect). Also need to sort out storage for stock using under bed plastic storage boxes I suspect.

[traingeekboy]

I haven't done one yet, but i've been plotting for a cheap Atlas turntable on my layout. I was thinking of building a hinged cover for it when not in use. Another option is to use the Atlas one but mount it under table and only actually be using it's indexing mechs.

With your layout you might be able to have it be removable on its own panel.

[flapland101]

Atlas one does look straight forward and is manual.I do like your suggestion of a cover, perhaps a dust over off an old record player or music centre could do the trick. I suspect I might go for a Peco one but create a couple of small drain holes in the bottom or perhaps the Dapol C1. The Dapol one is also really cheap at £6.00 so would be a good way to experiment.

[traingeekboy]

The Atlas one is internally wired to flip the polarity as you turn a loco. This is pretty nice except it's all made out of copper strips that tend to oxidize. In your climate i think the atlas might last a season at best.

[flapland101]

Ok managed to sort out the carriage and wagon sidings out today creating a 7 track space with sidings between 1.3m and 2m in length. This allows me to have around 7 coach trains which is about the max that looks sensible on my layout and 25 or so wagon goods trains. I am considering caraiage sheds although no more than 90cm long. At the other end I am still deciding how I am going to layout out my small steam and diesel shed although I have put a photo of the current loosed laid arrangement in below. Still deciding on stations although currently thinking of a small local station in front of the siding area and a larger one on the other-side of the oval. Next task is sorting out the electric's with a proper bus system and droppers from each section.

Anyway still loving it and hope is still of interest to others. PS should have a basic Hornby green 08 tomorrow which I picked up for £23 plus PP off ebay and is DCC fitted. Now of course this isn't the highly detailed one but happy for the price.

Yard

[mick]

...Anyway still loving it and hope is still of interest to others...

You bet it is. Good progress and plenty of photographs is what we thrive on.

With all those sidings (which look excellent by the way) you've got loads of operational possibilities and the steam/diesel sheds compliment the sidings perfectly. By the time you get a couple of station incorporated into the layout it's going to be one hive of activity. It's amazing how quickly you've got to this stage.

Any progress on the turntable? I think it's going to be a case of try it and see. I don't think you're going to find many people with experiences of turntables outdoors so go for it. There's normally always a way!

[flapland101]

Glad your liking it Mick. No progress yet on a turntable although I have seen the dapol kit in the flesh. Not sure the kit will last very long as it basically an old Airfix kit and I think wouldn't last very long with its plastic running rail and wheels. I think stations and building will have to wait until October as I have other expenses in September although I do want a few more wagons, brake vans(only have one at present) and make a start on a Bachmann rake of MK1s.

[AndyR]

Seconded! I am loving the development of the layout and look forward to the next updates. I wish I had been a bit braver with my design and added some sidings from the start. I do have scope as there's a set of points waiting for some more track, but just a fairly plain loop at the moment.

[flapland101]

Andy your layout is a similar size to mine although yours has benefits as you can't see one side to another which adds to the realism. Also you have roofing felt which certainly adds to the look, I don't need it for waterproofing but might add some on the sidings and shed area one day. Do go for the sidings/passing loop as it will give you more options.

[flapland101]

OK, the hot direct sun certainly causes an expansion issue with a 2mm gap forming on the stretch in direct sun. Looks like the 1m or so of plastic decking expands about 3-4mm in 30+ direct sunlight or I suspect 2mm more than 1 yard of flex-track expands. Luckily we don't get to many days with that level of sun and also my patio only gets direct sun for about 4 hours a day in the hight of summer. Will have to check when it goes into shade that it has pulled track right out of any fishplates.

[mick]

OK, the hot direct sun certainly causes an expansion issue...

Sun? Where on earth are you? It's been grey and miserable all day here today.

I never had an issue with track expansion outdoors. If I'd got the expansion gaps correct then it was purely by luck. However, inside the shed where it was out of direct sunlight I did experience buckled rails on 2 occasions. Must simply have been the heat within the shed. Have your rails actually buckled?

[flapland101]

I am down in the smoke as my parents would say, glorious all day but touching 30c. Track hasn't buckled as the plastic decking has expanded more than the rails, which is perhaps a good thing. Now as the sun goes behind nearby buildings the gaps is already closing. Just off to do a quick track walk before starting services again.

[flapland101]

Bit of an update on the expanding planks saga. Now temperatures have fallen to August Bank Holiday levels which this year mean 18c at the moment the plastic has shrunken about 1-2mm per m. This has meant is one corner of the track all the joints have tightened and some of the track has buckled. Now this hasn't been too bad has i hadn't gone mad with track pins so there was scope to bend and not pop out of the plastic sleepers. Removing about 1.5mm off two lengths of flex-track has brought everything back in line. Was hopping to get some running in today but have been rained off twice and with more rain promised have written off today. Its going to be interesting to see what winter brings and if the plastic shrinks much more or if I am just into standard track shrinkage, hopefully just the later.

Hope to get some Scenecraft carriage sheds next weekend and wonder if anyone else has used these or similar outside, also looking at platform options and thinking about using the corrugated plastic board has anyone else tried this.

[ba14eagle]

I have a Scenecraft diesel depot building. In the 18 months its been outside, it has faded quite a lot, a number of the etched window frames have become unglued and the railings have started to rust I would suggest you need to do something to Scenecraft buildings to stop the colour fading. Skaledale buildings are a different matter - I have several of these and they have been fine, with no fading issues (as yet).

[mick]

I have a Scenecraft diesel depot building. In the 18 months its been outside, it has faded quite a lot, a number of the etched window frames have become unglued and the railings have started to rust ...

Truly prototypical!

It's strange how we want to protect some items and keep them in pristine condition and yet we look for the elements to naturally weather other areas of our layouts. Had the Scencraft building been given any protection Iain (varnish or similar) or was it just the standard product?