Building a Model Railway - The Train Barn! Ep. 213.
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 1. 09. 2022
- I'm about to embark on an exciting challenge, building a model railway! I've got some trains and an awesome idea for a layout, but first we have to fix our barn to make it dry and draught-free so we can start building our railway.
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#modelrailway #modelrailways #trains
Architect here... first clean it out, brush down walls and ceiling, remove anything loose off the floor. You might find stone underneath. No bother if not. Build a floor supported on small footings to raise it off the dirt. Put it a new window and door with proper flashing. Repair the roof, then insulate and finish the ceiling. Install some lighting via solar and jobs done. No need to mess with walls other than cleaning them off unless you find holes that need filled. Only use lime mortar to do that as cement/concrete will damage the stone.
Oh, you have to have a canal with narrowboats as part of your model railway!
Best advice for you, (from the son of a general contractor in the states) to prep the barn, start from the top, and work your way down. Start with either a new or repair the roof from the outside to inside. Then fix the wall issues from outside to inside. Then worry about the floor. If you can't first keep the weather out, any work you put inside will fail quickly.
I concur
Crowd funding is a fantastic idea - count me in (dare I say "I'm on board"?) You're going to get a ton of suggestions, so I'll add mine: finish the barn as much as you can. You say you don't need living conditions, but know that if the temperature varies too much, your rails will buckle and trains will derail, even with gaps in the rail (same with humidity and the bench work). Do as much finishing as you can, including lighting and electrical, and do all that *after* you have your track plan so you know where to put the valances and lighting. And when the floor is finished, put in thick carpeting. I hate carpeting in a house but gravity will win at some point and your exquisite engines and cars will undoubtedly take a nose dive to the floor. You can have concrete, tile or thick carpet...you get where I'm going with this. Look forward to the vlogs!
Brilliant idea,but it would be lovely thought to include a canal running along one of your lines with silver fox floating as a reminder to all about all those beautiful places you have taken us in your adventures.Great team work all the best Sandra x
I'm very excited to see this project get filmed as it grows! đâ€đ
Hi glad your finally going to get that train layout you have wanted for a while. I remember you visiting the model shop next to a lock when you was on the canals.
I have built a model railway in my garage. I have lowered my ceiling buy plasterboard across the ceiling joists.
As for the floor I put a plastic membrane down to stop the damp and then insulation sheets down. Then on top of that I put wooden locking floor sheets. This has now made it damp and dust free.
Hope this helps. I know your ceiling needs a little more work than mine but with some timber supports across this could be fixed. Just the leaking roof will need sorting before anything would be my suggestion.
Good luck with your project. I wouldn't be without my railway. It really helps my anxiety and stress of every day life. My own little world where everything runs how I want it! Well until a train decides to not run haha.
All the best Pete
Hello from Tennessee! I wish my wife and I had such an awesome couple as you two as neighbors! You two are really the perfect example of the best qualities of a family that's living life to have fun, practice life-long learning, and building with purpose. With so much muck and misery on the internet, your vlogs have truly broken through the clouds and let the sun shine. Please continue as long as you can. I'm truly grateful to be along for the ride in the backseat!
Aww, thank you!
What a lovely idea! When I was a little girl my cousin had a train lay-out and I used to love playing with it and helping him make scenery for it.
Crowd funding idea ...... yes please! May I suggest a canal be integrated into your traaaiiiin network in some way?? Really looking forward to your next vlog . I love you guys . X
I agree, a small pump to circulate the water like a lazy river, and carve a little Silver Fox!!
Canals on model railways look so good if done correctly. As you floaty days they are always near a railway at some point. Love u guys
You really could do a littler silverfox boat - maybe just mouring on the side if you don't want to construct an entire channel
Can I suggest Colin and Shaun that you install a fire place a little bit larger than onboard Silverfox so it dries out the barn and keeps you comfortable while renovating and and building your model railway.
Brilliant ideas !
GoFundme, great !
As an Architect, (who lives in Thailand), I would advise for your initial consideration as follows :
1) The Barn to be made dry, remedial work to roof !
2) Not drafty, holes to walls, to be made good.
3) Solid floor, raised concrete floor, with appropriate damp proof membrane to walls and floor.
4) Walls lined with a composite insulation board. (Both insulation and decorative use). Treated with a waterproofing system.
5) Plans and Specification important for getting relevant costings.
6) Site plan of barn/house ?
Size of barn, ?
Inside and outside dimensions, plus diagonal dimensions.
7) A chat with the Local Authority, to ensure that you can do, what you want to do, with the barn.
They can also recommend a local Architect, who might be willing to make some free time available !
8) Services to the barn :
Water,
Sewerage,
Electricity, (Power and lighting, for both Barn and Layout).
How close to your existing house is it, for sharing of services ?
9) How far you go, with each of these points, will be up to you and the Local Authority, but should be considered if only to be discounted !
10) Just my initial thoughts to get you started !
Exciting project !
Late to the party, many good comments ... As a student I lived in an old farmhouse for a few years (sheep farm from the 1890, but looked more like a Swedish country farm with its white wood cladding). The foundation was made of huge granite blocks, dry set (absolutely no mortar). The house was on the slope of a hill, the well (and more springs) were next to the house, on the uphill side. Our "basement" looked like your barn, dirt floor. A trench had been dug all around the perimeter to direct the water seeping in towards the sump pump . A few years after I left they punt in a partial concrete slap to have a dry and level place - but they left the trenches, for good reason. So, my tips: fix the roof first. No need to dig out the barn too much, put down a concrete slab (with rebar!) once you have made sure the barn is dry both from the top and from the sides (is water running through in a storm đ?). Install a heat source (may need chimney) because, as other's said: you want it dry (this is Scotland, after all). Besides, moisture may also cause corrosion, not just wreak havoc with your woodwork. If the roof is high enough, you actually may want to build up an extra attic space - though my uncle built his apartment in a similar sloped high roof situation, and he wound up finishing the roof for a church-like look. It's actually nice - but you need to properly insulate and finish the roof then. Good luck, I hope you can see this through. After all: traaaiiins!
What a great collection you have to start with! Envy you the barn as a place to house whatever you want to build. This is going to be absolutely addictive to watch as you progress with the barn, and the Traaiins!
Colin, Shaun, what a great idea. No, it's a fantastic idea. Trains in the Barn. I really enjoyed listening to you both, and seeing how excited you are. Can't wait for the build to commence. Have a great week. Take care.
My husband is an architect and this project has piqued his interest--he says your priorities should be roof(reinforced if necessary) and flooring (concrete slab over vapor barrier), take care of any issues that make exterior waterproof. Since you apparently have it plastered on the outside, he said you can repoint ( or not) the interior walls later. He says weatherproof and go on from there. He says keep the high ceiling and sealing or painting the timbers and ceiling would cut the dust.
After that anything else could be done at leisure and to your taste.
I've built a small model railway and I've successfully converted a drafty, crooked stone building with a leaky, saggy roof into a year-round loft apartment but I've never been narrowboating. Who knew that following a narrowboating channel would get around to those! Enjoying it immensely - all aspects. In a nutshell, here's what worked for me in southern Ontario, Canada (near Toronto). I did all the structural, electrical, plumbing etc but I hired two key aspects - a concrete contractor and a spray foam insulation contractor. The contractor poured a concrete floor on top of at least 2" of blue rigid styrofoam on top of gravel. Styrofoam blocks moisture, insulates the floor so it feels warmer and it prevents frost penetration so no rebar needed in the concrete. Ours hasn't cracked anywhere. I dug out and levelled the floor and spread the gravel to save $$. The gravel provides a place / way for moisture to leave. Up above, don't build a new ceiling! Save money by fixing the roof to stop water and replace the broken / rotted rafters (or sister them with new material) yourself. Then get someone to spray foam insulation on the underside of the roof boards. Seals, insulates and provides a vapour barrier all in one. Very inexpensive compared to fussy hand fitting modern dimension insulation bats in an old building. Don't forget to protect the railroad benchwork feet from the concrete with either plastic vapour barrier or foundation seal foam strips. And with all that concrete and solid benchwork, you might want foam or cork roadbed to deaden the sound or the TRAAAAAAAAIN may rumble but not in an appealing, scale manner. Cheers. Feel free if you want to borrow on my experience with the stone building.
Hi Colin and Shaun: I worked in a lot of historic houses and museums (as a historic advisor at filmproductions of history movies and documentaries): it is fantastic that you've got an old natural stone wall, I suggest to use only natural material and methods like clay & straw isolation (check youtube for restorstion historic buildings). Don't put these modern isolation matetials on the walls (plastic, styropor etc). For the floor you need gravel and wooden planks, for the gaps you can use sheep wool. All these natural materials are cheeper than any modern stuff. I guess that you even can get it from your neighbours,
Good luck! love this idea of the train barn đđ«¶đȘđ
Unfortunately, cost, product availability, and practical application will take the lead.
Love this video. I could feel the enthusiasm all the way here in New Zealand. Just a suggestion: Could you team up with somebody like George Clark from Amazing Spaces and he will get an interesting episode and you'll get you train barn? Have a great week guys.
What you could do is build an Aqueduct and get a miniature version of Narrowboat SilverFox crossing over when the TRAIIIIINS go by
Thanks guys for a great idea with the usual hilarity but I haven't a clue how to make the barn fit for a railway it just sounds like a great idea. Take care and all the best. Stevie
One of the most peaceful things I know is being out in a cold but dry shed with a warm sweater and fingerless gloves, tinkering away on a project and listening to rain pattering on the roof. Dog sleeping on a ratty old blanket in the corner. Utter bliss. I'm looking forward to seeing this all take shape.
The towel in the bath is a lovely finishing touch, really makes the house a home.
Love the idea of the railway. I thought it would not be long before you would come up with this idea. A canal scene, would be lovely, then you could have a mini Silver Fox on it. Good luck with whatever you decide to do with it.
oh yes! a mini Silver Fox on a canal. A GREAT idea!
Excited about your plan for a model railroad. I built one in an external building and made the effort to line and insulate ceiling and walls which has paid real dividends. No dust and minimum condensation. I lined ceiling and walls with plywood rather than drywall which is great for fastening scenery, etc. The effort to build the basic room framework takes time but really pays off when you are installing the layout and for having a comfortable space to enjoy. Best of luck and remember to enjoy each part of the project.
YES, YES, YES! My dad and brother were/are mad keen train lovers and I spent many hours driving around the countryside chasing trains. They were members of every kind of railway club and Dad even had a small ride-on train - the kind you sit astride - in our back paddock. When Dad passed, my brother took all his train stuff and added it to his own substantial collection. My brother has worked on his current layout for years and it has so much wonderful detail I can spend hours looking at it. Every time my brother has to go anywhere for work (USA mostly) he spends all his free time doing train stuff. I don't know if you went ahead with the fund raiser, but I'd love to contribute. I look forward to watching your layout come together. Traaaaaain!
Sail on the roof then you can hang modle planes. Leave the walls rustic look. You should put in a canal and have model narrow boats travelling in the canal.
I love your house/barn! I could definitely live there. Just needs a little finishing touch, like ah ... everything.
I do believe you would find a whole lot of supporters around the globe who would love to see their name in your TRAIN project. Grand idea!
You might consider including a canal with locks and your favorite aqueduct. Also, a few sunbathers on your favorite beach might be a nice touch. They have a great train layout at the Science Center in Chicago which includes many amusing vignettes if you know where to find them.
I still have the train set my father built in the early sixties. It is an HO set on a 4X10 layout. I built several locomotive kits when they use to be available and they still work. Last project was a wooden truss bridge from Hunterline. 86' Howe Bridge HO Scale. A lot of parts, very enjoyable. Will enjoy watching your progress.
Ace canât wait to see it, I have some 00 track pretty much brand new if you want it can get it posted to you, canât believe you worked for Northern thatâs who I drive trains for đ
Hey guys. Letâs all come out together đ I was a train spotter too! Fascinating project. I have a very similar barn. I would suggest that you dig out the floor first and lay a concrete pad. Take advice on a damp proof course (wrong place to be damp!) and if it needs rebar (steel rods in the concrete). Once that is done, strap the walls and fix moisture proof plaster boards to the frame ( think about where you might need power points and possibly fixings for the railway layout frame and boards. Then work out what you want on your layout and where and design your boards to suit. Be prepared to be fluid in your plans and most of all, enjoy it! And think 3D! My layout is all on one level and I wish I had different levels for embankments, cuttings and bridges! Cheers Ross at East Coast DCC đđ»đŽó §ó ąó łó Łó Žó żđ
Iâd build a freestanding room inside the barn - floor, walls and ceiling with its own heat, lights and wiring.
I think a Go Fund Me is a great idea. Also reusing what you can from what is already in the barn or around your property makes a lot of sense in terms of cost savings. I'd also suggest keeping an eye out for people who might be demolishing things and see if you can pick up building materials on the cheap that way.
I honestly feel so much for everyone in the UK etc with the energy costs. I don't understand how they can get to be so overwhelmingly expensive. I won't complain about my energy rates here in Oz after seeing the possible costs for people. Anyhoo, that was a tangent, but there are ways as I am sure you are aware of being able to get building material etc for free or cheap.
And - I'm looking forward to seeing the build as well. Thank you!
Plus I loved the genuine excitement and laughter in this vlog. Thanks for sharing that.
Hi Foxes, this is an excellent idea, I can't wait to see your progress and follow your build, A couple of things I would say I had a layout when younger in the garage at my mums, it worked well in summer but in winter it was difficult the slightest condensation or damp in the air and it didn't work, tried cleaning it but I spent more time trying to get it working than enjoying using it, in the end I moved out of my mums and it was left for a few years, it corroded quite badly and ended up being skipped đ If you could create a heated environment with a fairly constant temperature hopefully you could avoid any issues. Other thought your channel is on another level to most vloggers, very professional, entertaining and well supported, have you thought about trying to link with a manufacturer? Hornby, Bachmann, Graham Farrish, Peco etc, maybe a way to positively promote their brand, model railways and receive discounted products, pre release models and generally bring the extensive cost of building your layout down. Keep up the good work Foxes, take care
James and I can't wait to see this project as it progresses. Like you two, we love trains. We go to a place called the ChooChoo Barn in Strasburg Pennsylvania that is a huge animated layout. You should check them out online for some ideas. Speaking of ideas, it would be fun to make miniature Colin and Shaun figures and place them in the village your building. Maybe even on a scale model if Narrowboat Silver Fox in a small canal section of the layout. Have fun guys! Steve & James from PA.
Love the idea. BUT you just have to have a canal in the set up with a bridge going over it with a model narrow boat and two guys on it waving at the traaaaaiiin.
Do the GoFundMe. That's a great idea and we get to watch as it develops. Colin and Shaun in hard hats, dearie me what will be next ! xx
I can't wait to see you guys start on this project. Plan out where you want all your electrical outlets for the trains and other things you want to light up. You want to make sure you have enough "juice" running to the barn to run all your trains without blowing a fuse.
That barn will make a smashing space for a model railway; will need plenty of insulation though as I bet it gets chilly there in the winter! Really looking forward to following your progress on this project.
Crowd funding a great idea. Iâm in when you get started. I love trains almost as much as your vlogs. đđ
You guys are brilliant!! Cannot wait to see what it all will look like. Remember a little farm stall somewhere with a little Shaun with a chicken under one arm and some more running around on a station platform. A canal with Silver Fox narrow boat and some swans will be nice too.đđđ
Great idea for the use of the space. Get the barn watertight and the floor leveled, including adding insulation. Also get the walls insulated and lined. The last thing you want is damp getting into your models and baseboards. Look forward to see your project developing.
Brilliant - go for it and if I've got any spare cash, then the gofundme might get some. Please have a section of your railway running parallel to a canal with Silver Fox in it. :)
Love you chaps - look forward to Friday afternoons :)
Hell yeah - I'll chuck in for the barn. Dibs on a bridge ;) G'day from Australia xx
I remember the Blue Peter train set layout. It was special because it had a hatch in the middle, accessed by crawling under the layout and popping up in the middle. You could access all of the layout from the centre.
Fabulous idea, look forward to the renovations! You must include miniatures of yourselves & Otis though đ đ€Ł
This promises to be something very special indeed. You can already hear the creative cogs turning in Colin's brain when thinking about the design of the landscape that the trains will be passing through ;) There really is nothing more mentally relaxing than being in total control of your very own model railway. A lovely, passionate and mindful project chaps. Dibs on the 'gofundme', great idea to get those interested in trains to be apart of it.
The barn walls look like my house (1850's stone build, solid walls, dirt floors, etc). They usually consist of oversized rocks in a shallow trench as a foundation,, then twin faced stone walls built with soil and mud as mortar and cast off stone lining what would be a cavity between the face stones. They are then finished with lime mortar pointing to hold the stones and the soils in place. Lime is a strong alkaline that can burn skin and eyes, (not good for the lungs either) and comes in various types depending on the application. It is good in that once walls are pointed up, it can be used as "whitewash" to reduce dust and lighten up the interior, but will retain the rustic (traditional/correct) look and feel.
The walls in barns and houses like this are described as 'breathable', they are designed to absorb a small amount of moisture when it rains and the moisture evaporates when the surrounding air (inside and out) is dry. You have to be aware that if you ask the general CZcams public, although well meaning, many folk will recommend products, materials and methods that are NOT suitable for this type of traditional build and will do more harm than good in the medium and long term. These buildings need an amount of air flow, to the masonry and to the roof timbers, simply 'sealing' holes and gaps without correct consideration or knowledge of the consequences.
Although this is an outbuilding and so not so dependant on the rules that apply to habitable rooms, take some time out to read resources such as English Heritage>Renovating Properties and Cornish Lime among others. The process can be relatively simple or you can end up overwhelmed, worse still, get 5 years down the road and it comes back to bite you on your ass.
ps. I did a similar railway layout in the attic of my previous house for Junior. Full perimeter of the attic, 6 tracks of various routes, I didn't go down the scenery building route and thankfully, when I moved I left the 'room' for the next owner and was able to repack all the track and rolling stock and bring with me to this house, to one day be reutilised.
Good luck with the project, model railways and property renovations.... my juices will be flowing đ
TRAINSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!! Sweet! I knew it would happen. The go fund me is a good idea; I live on very little, but I would love to contribute. My father had an old train set he would put under the Christmas tree. The engine made real smoke, and we loved watching it go around the tree. We were never allowed to touch it. LOL! Can you imagine four kids trying to control the train all at the same time? It's my turn...no! It's my turn! OMG!
Have a great weekend,
xoxo's Sandie
Model trains! Now youâre talking! Sooo many choices and pitfalls, great source for interesting videos!
Ok guys ---your vlog is our Friday evening ritual with a cocktail ( tonight it is a margarita)before dinner. Tonight you successfully blended 2 of my husband's loves: Foxes Afloat/Scotland and model trains ( " Train!" )
Well done!
Loved my Lionel train. Still have it in boxes there is just no room for it. Can't wait to see your train barn!
Goodluck with the barn conversion, if I could make a suggestion and it is only a suggestion , , clear it all out so you can see exactly what your dealing with ( that want cost anything) then get the floor concreted before you think about anything else , one job at a time you don't get over powered by the whole thing then .
I'm looking forward to seeing the progress on the train barn. What a great winter project! It's going to be awesome!
Converting the barn is an ace idea! Doing a train layout is a dream of my husbandâs. He recently acquired from a good friend a really large collection of rolling stock, cars, track and allâŠeven some very old pressed metal signage. They were all owned by his good friendâs dad who passed (some going back to the 1930âs and 40âs!). I just wish we had a barn like that to dedicate to the project.
Best wishes for this project!
Yes we had a train set that we added pieces to a few at a time. It was an HO scale with tons of things like a bridge, rail crossing, old fashioned caboose, older engine, etc. Sadly, it was stolen a few years back. Oh and the train station lit up and had people around it including a station master with his lantern. Sigh. Cat used to derail it then run off before we could catch him. Fun times. Your plans for the train layout sounds fantastic! Oh, oh TRAINS! We just had a five engine train pass by. About 30 a day.
Hi guys. I still have the first and only 'Hornby' train set that my dad bought me 45 years ago. Sadly, no track and the Peak Diesel Engine no longer works. The carriages are all logo'd as InterCity in blue and white. They are kept in the original box with a price stamp of ÂŁ15.99. That must have been a lot of money in 1977. Thanks dad xx
You both have wonderful ideas! Thank you for bringing me along. See you next week.
Absolutely love it. Really looking forward to the barn conversion and the build of the railway and the idea for the go fund me. Canât wait for the next update. đđđ
Hola Sean and Colin! I love the idea of a train barn! And the gofundme for financial support as well. I would like a tree named for me, please LOL. If I lived anywhere close, I'd be up in a heartbeat to help you out. If you're just wanting the space to be dry and warm enough, it would be good to insulate the ceiling; a layer of insulation (could even be spray insulation). A nice old wood floor will be warm enough; concrete is very cold underfoot. Do you have some old barn wood or other wood around? Maybe some of your neighbors would be up for a "barn raising" weekend, only it'd be a barn renovating weekend instead. Grill some hotdogs n burgers, offer lemonade and beer...and you're off! Hugs!
Great idea for the train barn!! Maybe you could incorporate a nod to your canal life when designing your train theme, with a miniature silver fox boat on a canal with train going over a bridge or run alongside the canal. Can't wait to see both of you on this project good luck guys.
This will be awesome! Don't forget a wood burner in there to keep you toasty and save on fuel?
Hi guys. I recently dismantled a large layout I had for quite a few years. I thoroughly recommend you go digital as although much more expensive brings the whole layout to life. May I suggest you take a look at ( Chadwick model railway) where you will find very helpful advice on all things model railways. Cheers and good luck.
Go fund me is an amazing idea guys and the little touch of naming random items is hilarious, keep us all updated and I'm sure people can help out, one idea for the layout could be a big main line with a preserve railway running alongside for added fun.
Donât forget to add a Canal with a little silverfox on x
This! With aquaducts!
Can use resin for the water with ducks and swans on would look amazing guys
to keep a building that old dry, you need to start with good drainage around the foundation and away from the building. a good roof and gutter system. If you don't keep the space appreciably dry then wiring contacts corrode and track cleaning is a full time job.
What a great project for this coming winter (and beyond). I am looking forward to the vlogs.
A tip I can give you with building the full layout is : Think about your access to every part of the model.
A - You can use crawling underneath to reach certain parts through small holes.
B - You can make the model in smaller sections that can be rolled to the side, or lifted up.
C - You can suspend yourself from a bridge-crane (a crane that can move in the X and Y axis), that you can integrate in the new ceiling.
This last option is often used in large-scale modelwork for animation movies. It lets you hover over the full model, while you lay belly-down on a padded board.
The C option requires more construction work, but doesn't have to be 'industrial', because it only needs to carry one person.
Look forward to seeing your new project. I loved doing a model train set up with my husband it was an N gage. We only had enough room for that. So be really good to see what you come up with.
A brilliant idea
Great news. I was a trainspotter and had several model railways over the years (Geek). It would be fantastic to see how it all develops so a vlog about it all would be much appreciated. Your ideas to fund it are sensible and should work. I would donate for my name to be included. Good luck with this latest exiting project. Keep well and safe . James.
Always nice to see chickens looking healthy and well-feathered, so compliments on that!
A brilliant new project. Love the thinking behind building a âOOâ gauge model railway in your barn. A revitalised Foxes Afloat to Steamin Traaaiiinnz, â€ïžđđđ
The railway room my step dad built for me was a table that took up the whole room with a hole in the middle so I had to crawl under it to get there where I was surrounded by my world.
A cheap floor can be pallets with flooring screwed on top of it.
Walls can be a timber frame with chipboard or 3mm plywood "with insulation behind" celling, you can buy a large roll of bubble wrap that you can staple to the roof that will help keep water out, insulate and have a light above to defuse the light. It'll be a fun project đ
My grandad had similar only he had a removable bridge, so you could walk into the room, and once inside you put the bridge in place to complete the circle layout. It saved crawling. Quite important for my over 70 yr old grandad.
Hello from the united states!,
love watching you both have been with you from the beginning!
so here in the USA we have tuff-sheds. kind of like a sturdy add on garage. i think ..keep the barn for goats!!probably save you alot more than renovating the old barn. i love the effects of the barn so keep it for sure!!
I had my garage converted six years ago so I could use it as an office. Kingspan insulation board was put under a floating floor, between the rafters of the ceiling (before covering with plasterboard), then he built a metal stud and track frame around the walls put kingspan in it and covered it with plasterboard. Then a young lad I showed up and skimmed the walls and ceiling with plaster. Since I discovered thereâs an all in one board called a sim that would have made life much easier.
Sounds like an exciting project. Looking forward to seeing your progress.
I was never into train spotting, but as a young teenager, me and a couple of mates would buy a weekâs travel pass, and travel around the West Midlands on the trains and buses, and go BUS spotting. We would buy a fleet book from West Midlands Transport with all the current bus fleet (and numbers) listed, and would mark them off as we spotted them. It was fun to plan routes to visit other parts of the region, for relatively little cost.
You are on the right track. I'd suggest contacting a local railroad club or the NMRA (National Model Railroad Association) in Britain. The President lives in England. There should be a lot of willing hands to help you out. Dust is killer of model railways - that'll give you place to start. Seeing as how you have thick walls, heating/cooling the space may be a bit easier with a split unit. This should also aid with the radio portion. Don't overlook having the radio operation being located under the railway in one spot (maybe under a hill).
Roof is number one thing to do. Looking forward to how this works out.
Fellow HO/OO scale moder railroaded here as well. You'll definitely want to start by creating a stable, dust free environment to avoid expansion/contraction issues during the various seasons. I'd support a gofundme drive for this as well. Looking forward to your build.
Ive done a fair bit of renovating property. Youre getting alot of good advice, but just a thought.... if you have a high ceiling, there is no need to go to the expense of digging the floor out. Just walk into the barn, then step up onto the floor. Viscuene, insulate and concrete, but raise the floor. (Especialy as you will not be using the 600mm area around the room to stand in because the bench will be in that space)
Good luckđđ
Excellent idea chaps! In between your train vlogs could you let us see Shaun with his chickens?
I absolutely love watching your channel. Y'all are living the dream I've had since I was 5 years old. I wish y'all the very best of luck with the train barn!
Looking forward to this build! Hopeful you will let us follow along.
Canât wait to see the Barn Railroad build. I just built a ân scaleâ layout during the pandemic and had a blast building it.
Shaun and Colin you are so much fun. Your GoFundMe Train Barn sounds like a great idea. Sounds like you are happy in your new life. Please pet Otis for me
Brilliant! Crowdfunding, yes! The minute you said go fund me, I knew we would get to have our name on some thing in the train barn. You both looked great in that color you were wearing today, especially in the rustic barn with that beautiful rust colored chicken that you picked up at the end of the vlog. Be sure to have a canal and an aqueduct in your scheme! And some locks with quaint, lovely lock keeper houses. Better stop, or Iâll ramble on way too long! Goodbye. See yâall next time! Please hug each other and Otis for me from over here in Portland, Oregon.
Very excited to see this go ahead. My dad 63 yrs ago had a train set set up in our back shed, it was huge, he was a real fireman as well, and drove the miniature train at the Otago Engineering society in Dunedin NZ, it took people around the track for a fee. His one big love and he sold it to get a deposit for a new home build. When I think now it must have been worth a fortune in those days. His father my grandfather was a driver on the steam trains, and drove the queen in 1954 when she went to NZ. He was head driver and was on the first engine. She had two engines towing her royal carriages for safety and security. So if you do a go fund me Iâll contribute so you can name something for them and their ancestry is Scotland mostly. đđđââïžđââïž
Oh my, Iâm not really into trains, but Iâm so looking forward to seeing this project unfoldâŠ..and yep, Iâll contribute to your GFM when you get it up and running Good luck boys xxx
Good morning from NZ. You two are priceless. Enjoyed the video. Loved the chooks wandering around. Can't wait to see you setting up the model railway shed. Looking forward to watching your latest video. Cheers guys. đđđđ
Go for it guys. Couldn't imagine you not having a model railway; 'traiiiiiiiiiiin', lol. It's your obvious next step. Different track levels will help accommodate your needs. One for mainline with a couple of branch lines on a lower/higher levels. Good luck with it all. Looking forwards to see what you build.
My Dad had a room dedicated to his trains. He spent hours in there. Think you gonna love it. Hope it all goes well for you. Thanks for the share. Please stay safe and take care
"We won't tell you what's in - who's in - what's in there..." I almost choked on that one! Check out Slim Potatohead who is doing a cabin rebuild for ideas. That's a HUGE layout you have in mind. You might consider building it in sections that can link together so you can move or store as needed. Good luck and don't let the roof fall in on you!
I can't wait to see your layout.It's exciting stuff!!đđđđđ
I painted the inside of an outside porch (does that make sense) with a cream coloured masonry paint. It is still going strong 4 years later. It was brick work and worked really well as it made the inside a lot lighter. Much cheaper than lining the walls and I love the stone effect. Good luck to you both. If that barn was mine I would be filling it with miniature donkeys!
Looking forward to following the improvements to the barn and the construction of the railway! There is an engineer for the CSX railroad here in the U.S. who vlogs, not only on the actual railroad, but also on building a model railway and scenery. The You Tube page is D.J.'s Trains. The railroad bit is, of course, U.S. prototype, but the scenery and painting bits might be worth a look. Cheers!
Love you guys Colin's enthusiasm and Sean's facial expressions thanks guys you cheer me up x
Yes! I would love the idea of a GoFundMe for the train barn. It sounds like such a fun adventure to follow and I would definitely like to contribute.
Great idea boys . I'd sponsor you on the gofund me. You definitely need a false ceiling though. Also, as someone has previously mentioned a small part of the layout should include a canal diorama with of course a Silver Fox narrow boat!!. A lot of hard work to come but I'm sure you'll manage your dream Colin. đđ