Testing Lego Trains (Half Term Post 1)...
Hi all. This is the first of a few posts spread across this February's half term (week off college!). Today, as I had a free day at home, I decided to try out my collection of Lego Trains & buildings on the new 2010 layout size: 9ft x 4ft. In past years, for exhibitions, we have used a 6ft x 4ft format with 2 circuits of track and plenty of buildings/people filling the gaps. I'd learnt this layout off-by-heart but, seeing as this year will be our last Warley show, we had decided to increase the size by adding another 3ft x 4ft section. Therefore, we needed more buildings, people, vehicles and track! I know the exhibition isn't until November but it does pass a good few hours away once you get into building bits & bobs! Anyway, on the new longer layout board, I decided on another 2-circuit layout. The two ovals run on the outside of the boards, with 2 sidings and one passing loop fitted, using our 4 junction tracks (points). The inner line has one siding (loading bay for overhead Crane) whilst the outer loop has the passing loop and the road to the Locomotive Works building. In total, we're using just over 100 pieces of track. This gives a very sizeable layout and leaves a 6ft x 2ft area in the middle of the inner circuit for buildings etc. There was also a section inside the passing loop that needed filling...we're getting there! Lego does also allow for some humour as shown below...!
This year, although I have many buildings of varying sizes and many trains, people & vehicles, the larger layout has made it so that my brother can include some of his models too, giving a bit of difference to the layout. To fill the gaps, I have also included some of my "unseen" models which we've simply never had room for before! The layout, although we currently only have one show (2 days long) booked for this year (Warley at the NEC in November), we can surely say that the layout looks totally different to what it has at past exhibitions! Many new features including buildings, vehicles and figures will grace the layout in 2010. Below, my brothers huge Mobile Crane model is seen filling in the gap between the passing loop on the Outer Line and the Inner Line. We have modelled this to show perhaps ongoing track renewals! The piece of track on the crane hooks is held both level and steady above the Inner Line, adding realism whilst the cones, workmen and piled track panels below finish the scene. In the background is the Locomotive Works, showing loco's inside, and, at the very back, the newly-built "Hogsmeade" Station, from the Harry Potter Films, to go with our Hogwarts Express model train! As you can see, a small but noticeable gap still exists between the roads of the passing loop...a few spotters with camera's maybe?!...
All of the 9-Volt trains ran relatively well considering theyve been in their boxes since November 2008 (Apart from the one that ran around the Christmas Tree this Xmas!). After around 6 hours of tinkering and modelling, I began to pack the layout away. The trains had a good run and we'd now got a good idea of what we had and where it would go. (In other words, it was well worth taking the 4 hours building to set it up!). I must admit though, Mum, though she was in awe at the new size of the layout, was more than happy to see the Dining Room back the way it should be afterwards(!)...not before our cat, Mitsy, got a go at controlling the trains...!
Well, everything's now reboxed and organised and back in its cupboard until November! With a bit of luck, everything should staying working(!) and in as complete a condition as possible until then! (Fingers crossed!). It should take no more than 2 hours to set it up on the Friday night prior to the November show, so I hope. We would have also had the Country Festival at Stoneleigh to do with the layout in August (in conjunction with CMES) but the show has been cancelled so thats off the list! However, anymore exhibition invites would be welcome. Its always nice to see the massive amount of enthusiasm that comes from both the young & old alike when they see the many Lego trains, buildings and figures on the layout! If you're at November's Warley, why not pop over and say 'Hello'...we'll be there! Thanks For Reading Folks. Evening All...
Hi all. This is the first of a few posts spread across this February's half term (week off college!). Today, as I had a free day at home, I decided to try out my collection of Lego Trains & buildings on the new 2010 layout size: 9ft x 4ft. In past years, for exhibitions, we have used a 6ft x 4ft format with 2 circuits of track and plenty of buildings/people filling the gaps. I'd learnt this layout off-by-heart but, seeing as this year will be our last Warley show, we had decided to increase the size by adding another 3ft x 4ft section. Therefore, we needed more buildings, people, vehicles and track! I know the exhibition isn't until November but it does pass a good few hours away once you get into building bits & bobs! Anyway, on the new longer layout board, I decided on another 2-circuit layout. The two ovals run on the outside of the boards, with 2 sidings and one passing loop fitted, using our 4 junction tracks (points). The inner line has one siding (loading bay for overhead Crane) whilst the outer loop has the passing loop and the road to the Locomotive Works building. In total, we're using just over 100 pieces of track. This gives a very sizeable layout and leaves a 6ft x 2ft area in the middle of the inner circuit for buildings etc. There was also a section inside the passing loop that needed filling...we're getting there! Lego does also allow for some humour as shown below...!
This year, although I have many buildings of varying sizes and many trains, people & vehicles, the larger layout has made it so that my brother can include some of his models too, giving a bit of difference to the layout. To fill the gaps, I have also included some of my "unseen" models which we've simply never had room for before! The layout, although we currently only have one show (2 days long) booked for this year (Warley at the NEC in November), we can surely say that the layout looks totally different to what it has at past exhibitions! Many new features including buildings, vehicles and figures will grace the layout in 2010. Below, my brothers huge Mobile Crane model is seen filling in the gap between the passing loop on the Outer Line and the Inner Line. We have modelled this to show perhaps ongoing track renewals! The piece of track on the crane hooks is held both level and steady above the Inner Line, adding realism whilst the cones, workmen and piled track panels below finish the scene. In the background is the Locomotive Works, showing loco's inside, and, at the very back, the newly-built "Hogsmeade" Station, from the Harry Potter Films, to go with our Hogwarts Express model train! As you can see, a small but noticeable gap still exists between the roads of the passing loop...a few spotters with camera's maybe?!...
All of the 9-Volt trains ran relatively well considering theyve been in their boxes since November 2008 (Apart from the one that ran around the Christmas Tree this Xmas!). After around 6 hours of tinkering and modelling, I began to pack the layout away. The trains had a good run and we'd now got a good idea of what we had and where it would go. (In other words, it was well worth taking the 4 hours building to set it up!). I must admit though, Mum, though she was in awe at the new size of the layout, was more than happy to see the Dining Room back the way it should be afterwards(!)...not before our cat, Mitsy, got a go at controlling the trains...!
Well, everything's now reboxed and organised and back in its cupboard until November! With a bit of luck, everything should staying working(!) and in as complete a condition as possible until then! (Fingers crossed!). It should take no more than 2 hours to set it up on the Friday night prior to the November show, so I hope. We would have also had the Country Festival at Stoneleigh to do with the layout in August (in conjunction with CMES) but the show has been cancelled so thats off the list! However, anymore exhibition invites would be welcome. Its always nice to see the massive amount of enthusiasm that comes from both the young & old alike when they see the many Lego trains, buildings and figures on the layout! If you're at November's Warley, why not pop over and say 'Hello'...we'll be there! Thanks For Reading Folks. Evening All... 
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