Progress on the layout

New Layout in construction

A couple of months ago I boarded out my loft, so all my LEGO is now out of the shed and up in the loft. This has given me the space to construct a whole layout in-place.



This is the current layout plan. The only piece of track I need to purchase to complete it is a L/H point. Work has already started on the Railway Station, Engine Shed, Single Box, a shop, level crossing/road, hills and tunnel mouth. More photos soon.

Things are happening...

I may not have updated my blog for a while, but I am gradually building various parts of the new layout. I've now the basics on the far right hand side, and have the main station section set-up to be worked on when I get a chance.

In terms of rolling stock, James, Percy, Diesel and Duck are almost finished (see my page on MOCpages.com), I need to source some parts on Bricklink to complete them. I have fitted some Big Ben Wheels to James, so he is now correctly running as a 2-6-0, some photos to appear here soon.

First Stage of a new layout

Firstly, as you can see, I've gone for a single track loop - this is to make it cheaper to build as I have just enough track for this design.

Secondly, on the passing loop the points will be set for clockwise trains to pass through the lower part and anti-clockwise trains to pass through the upper part. Between the points are isolated sections controlled by LEGO polarity switches to allow a train to stop at the station while another is running around the loop.

Thirdly, you'll notice the single straight section at the bottom, this is be controlled by an RCX brick which will send a train back and forth between two stations automatically when a button is pressed. This is so kids can interact with the layout.

I haven't any plans to display the layout just yet (it's going to take me a while to build it up anyway), but maybe I'll take it along to Merrist Wood next year, or maybe at one of my kid's school fairs.

2007 Merrist Wood Show

The display at the Merrist Wood Show went very well, my photos of all the displays are here. It was Thomas' and Toby's first public outing, my half of the train display started at the tan road bridge and to the right (the section in the photo above).

I learnt a few things from this show:

1. Check clearances inside tunnels (don't just worry about the entrance clearance!)
2. A display needs some interaction for the kids as they like to touch! Although they did enjoy seeing Thomas, Toby, Diesel and Bertie the Bus (some even ran along with Thomas as he was running round the track!)
3. The display needs to come apart in a more modular (and smaller) way, it not only took quite a while to setup, it was also difficult to fit such large pieces in the car!
   

A Long Awaited Update

We are finally settled in a new house that we own! So, I've now been able to get out all my LEGO in the shed and start building again properly.

I've built the church that I had been working, and I am going to be displaying at the LEGO display at the Merrist Wood Summer Show. It
will form part of a railway/town layout that I'm collaborating with David Tabner on. I'll post photos here, and in my Brickshelf account, after the show.

Other features of my half of the layout will include a row of shops (with interior lighting), railway station, roadbridge, signal box. Thomas and Toby will be running, and I hope to have Terrance and Bertie finished in time to take along.

Toby in the Brick

Here's Toby in the brick, there are some modifications to the design I came up with in MLCAD, and I've changed from using Dark Orange to Dark Gray, as you can't get 1x2 and 1x6 tiles in Dark Orange.

Troublesome Truck

Terence the Tractor

Bertie the Bus