Model Railway
In January 1999 I started building a model Railway for my son Robin (4
years old at the time). Well OK, it's for both of us really.
Click here for photos.
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Information on just what we've been doing and how we did it.
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Here's a (not really to scale) plan of things at the moment.
You can get an idea of the height at various points from the shades
of gray - the darker-the-lower. The landscaping is not yet finished , so
there are quite a few gaps, holes and precarious drops to sides of the
track. It's made in three sections which can be separated so that I can
get them upstairs to the attic to do messy work such as making and painting
the scenery.
Here's the 'spec':
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Simple enough for a 4-year-old to operate - but of course still interesting
for him.
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All sections of the track must be accessible without having to stretch
too far.
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Based on Hornby (British company)
locomotives, rolling stock etc.
The overall size (basically dictated by the space available) is 3 metres
wide, thin in the middle (Robin has to be able to reach all parts) with
a loop at each end approx 50cm in diameter.
You can think of the design as an oval that has been 'pushed-in-and-up'
in the middle. At either end, the track spirals down to go through a tunnel
under the main baseboard.
There's a single power feed in the middle of the top section.
Status reports (most recent news first):
April 27th 1999
The turntable is working! It took more time and effort than expected
but it was worth it. Many thanks to my friend Fred for help and encouragement.
April 9th 1999
Updated Detailed descriptions more information
on materials and techniques. The right-hand side of the layout now has
some plaster landscaping - hills and a road.
March 1st 1999
Trains have been running for just over a month. The turntable is installed
flush to the baseboard which looks quite good - but still not wired up.
I still need to finish (OK start) the new control panel. The speed controller
is the "simple prototype that will be replaced real soon now with the real
thing".
But the layout is working and Robin plays with it pretty well every
day.
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