It's that time of year 30th June, a time to get ready for tax and to review all your receipts. I also thought it would be good to review my progress on the train room. It has been 5 months since I gained access to building a train room. I would have expected by now to have completed much more than what I had expected. However a one month holiday and dealing with personal matters as well as juggling a young family has squeezed the time to progress with building the layout.
Benchwork commences
I have visited Bunnings, the hardware store almost every second weekend to start building the benchwork modules and also the benchwork stands. Most Bunnings outlets can cut the wood to size which is handy since doing the carpentry for the layout is not my strong point and rather look forward to doing scenery work.
I have a built the modules from 64mm x 19mm premium pine cut to lengths of 1200mm long and 600mm wide as the standard size. There are also 600mm x 600mm square modules. The modules are along the backwall as well as the right hand side wall. I have used this standard size so that if I need to dismantle it later it would be easier.
The track will be sitting on 7mm thick pine panels fixed to the modules
Below is a photo of the backwall and side wall modules
Benchwork stands
I have used Metalmate slotted steel angle purchased at Bunnings which comes in standard sizes of 600mm,900mm and 1200mm as the basis of the baseboard stands which can also act as shelving. The height of the benchwork will be 900mm so my kids can view the layout.
Below is a picture of the far end of the layout where a proposed swing bridge will link the wall layout section with the middle layout section.
Below is the proposed staging yard. The benchwork is made from modules of 300mm wide and 1200mm. As this is along the bay window the proposed trackwork will not be scenicked.
The benchwork is 85% complete and it is hoped that trackwork will begin shortly after I have completed a few of the more difficult parts of the benchwork including a swing bridge and elevating the track along a grade for the middle section.
