Pickwick Yard - Reviving An Old Model Railway Layout
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- čas přidán 27. 09. 2019
- Pickwick Yard - Reviving An Old Model Railway Layout.
Welcome to Pickwick Yard, an old model railway I started building years ago but never finished. Originally it was intended to be a small industrial shunting layout, so in this video I'll show you from start to finish how I took it from a board with some track on to a fun little model railway!
For those wanting to see some trains on Pickwick Yard here’s a running session video for you: czcams.com/video/naFeABlFwtI/video.html
It's quite inspiring to see such a nice layout quickly stand-up out of minimal parts and effort. Bravo!! 😊👏
Thanks! I definitely refer to this layout as having been "assembled" rather than modelled 😂 I just wanted something halfway decent to run trains on while I was working on a bigger layout... more on that soon hopefully 😉 Thanks for watching!
Well, honestly, it is a more than decent layout : simple plan with lots of potential and cheap, nice buildings and, most of all, an overall design that produces a nice industrial feeling, that's enough for an interesting setting where you can have fun and a realistic-looking scenery, and on a shoestring to add the most interesting quality of your work. I like it, I have the idea to model a branchline serving a foundry, I'll pick some ideas from you for this project. Thanks for the video.
Thanks! Yeah, it's a great little layout considering that it was assembled pretty quickly and it's given me plenty of operating potential over the past year since I built it. Great to hear that it's given you some ideas for your branchline - best of luck with the layout and let us know how you get on! Thanks for watching 😀
I very rarely comment on youtube but this is the second of your videos I have posted on with 20 mins of each other.
Great video, great build, and just the kind of inspiration i need as am trying to work out my first ever build!!
That's really great to hear David, so glad you enjoyed it. I'd definitely encourage you to give it a go. I like to think this video shows your first layout doesn't have to be most detailed or complicated thing in the world to still be lots of fun and still look great! Best of luck and thanks for watching 😃
This is a great track plan and it's amazing how with some TLC you brought this up to par. Lots of operating potential. I clearly don't know enough about those cardstock structures, I may humbly ask you enlighten the newbies such as myself. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! The plan is (very loosely) based on one I saw in a Hornby book years ago with an extra siding and the fiddle yard added. The card kits are from Metcalfe and are great for beginners as they're so easy to build. There are also Superquick Kits as well which are a similar concept but slightly cheaper. Hope that helps and thanks for watching 😃
Thank you for that explanation, @@ThatModelRailwayGuy ! I'll have to see if these are even available across the pond. By the way, I can't tell you how flattering and appreciative it is that you do take the time to reply to your viewers.
I have one of them Norstand blue wagons that was in this video. Its a good little layout. Does not have to be substantial. Aslong as you enjoy it either way and it runs.
Ah the good old classic Norstand wagon, I've had the one in this video since I was a kid.
Yeah definitely, I often find little shunting layouts like this are much more fun that having various trains endlessly bombing round a circuit 😅 Thanks for watching 👍
That looks like an amazing little layout! Keep it up!!
Thanks! It’s certainly served me well over the last few years. I’m really pleased with how it looks now it’s finished. Thanks for watching 😃
That looks great from a scratch set up, well done .
Thanks Peter! Yes considering it was never intended to be a serious layout it turned out much better than I expected. Thanks for watching 😃
Wow! A clear, concise, enjoyable, well-narrated video and a great little railway to boot. Great stuff!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! There's some videos of the finished layout in action here if you're interested: czcams.com/video/wsFpKukGjnE/video.html
Thanks for watching!
when someone tells you I would love a model railway but havnt got room I kept telling them that they have if they build a shunting puzzle layout like this .trouble is some of the older chaps who want to get back into this hobby still have the 8x4 oval layouts in there head and discard these great little layouts as not interesting .I have 12 assorted mini layouts in different gauges and scales and use them more than my 12 foot by 6 foot layout .this vid is a great idea . also a guy called budget model railways has a great channel . he is using the re cycling method to keep cost down and make the hobby affordable to all. also seasoned modeller jenny kirk seems to be a big fan of re purposing and re using buildings and such to make new layouts .
Absolutely! I'd love to have a large layout (still investigating ways I can make that happen 😉) but for now this is plenty to keep me occupied. I also find that it's sometimes families/parents who get stuck with the idea that a layout has to be big as they're only really aware of the large oval type layouts that take up lots of space. In fairness a shunting puzzle may not be as much fun for younger kids who want to see express trains racing round!
I'm definitely a fan of Budget Model Railways, in fact I mentioned them in the video as that's where I got the idea for the controllers from! Thanks for watching 😃
A simple inglenook design with loads of potential.
Brought back a few memories of building basic layouts using odds and ends in much the same way you have.
Nice video mate. Just shows what can be done with a bit of card and some old track.
Thanks! Yeah the whole ethos of this was to build something fairly easy in a short time frame that will provide me with plenty of fun. A small layout is better than no layout after all. Thanks for watching 😃
Fantastic.......simplicity is the key here..great imagination
Yep you've hit the nail on the head there David! Something like this is a great way to get started as a beginner or if you just want to get trains running quickly. As you can see it really doesn't take too much to get a half decent layout up and running. Thanks for watching 😃
i do enjoy seeing how much can be done on a small layout such as this ,, i think especially if your a beginner which i am , start small this way it wont become to much it can be enjoyed and its the simple ways that are the best ways ? and i do think thats a nice touch having some of your late grandfathers things on this layout so well done . Paul
Absolutely, I often think the key for beginners is to just build something and get trains running as soon as possible with basic scenery in place. Even if it's not perfect, you have something to improve on rather than just an idea in your head. Thanks for watching 😃
Great to see your old layout has been given a new lease of life! Great use of buildings and backgrounds really help disguise all the joins and paint a great scene.
Bonus points for Stepney (obviously!). 🙂👍🏻
Thanks! Yeah it's crazy to think now that this layout spent the best part of 10 years collecting dust before it was finally finished - hoping that's not the case with my current layout! And who doesn't love Stepney 😄 Thanks for watching 👍
Looks superb :)
It's good fun to operate too! Thanks for watching 😀
Nice video!
Thanks! 😃
Hello I just found it channel on my home page. this layout looks like it has a lot of potential so good luck.
Looks good mate!
Thanks Terrence, not too bad for my first proper layout. You can see it in action in some of my running session videos: czcams.com/video/GpDO87Koxow/video.html
Thanks for watching 😃
I’ve just found this channel
I think you have a lot a future potential as a model railway CZcamsr
You just need more subscribers!
Thanks, glad you think so. I've only really just started using this channel so hopefully the only way is up! Thanks for watching 😃
Yes, I think so also, and I immediately subscribed! 😊
It is maybe 20 days until the end of 2022, and now I want to see if I can challenge myself and make a micro layout before the year ends...
I'm gonna go for it,
Awesome, yeah definitely give it a go. Pickwick Yard really didn't take long at all even factoring in the track laying and constructing the buildings so it's definitely possible! Thanks for watching 😃
@@ThatModelRailwayGuy
10 days later, and the track is laid,
Nicking my dad's drill later to get the wiring done and then trying ballast for the 1st time,
Thanks for giving me the kick to do this!
@@ThatModelRailwayGuy and it is pretty much the end of the year,
The track is powered and I was able to do a very basic version of the Inglewood puzzle with what I had,
Absolutely nowhere near finished, need to sort out some hinky stuff due to all my points being passed down a generation or two, but it runs and I know what I want to do with it,
Thank you for the inspiration and I cant wait to see what you have in store for 2023,
Simple but effective
Absolutely! Was a great little project to get trains up and running quickly. Thanks for watching 😃
Cracking layout....inspired to use a similar track plan if I decide to refresh my own shunting plank (am not happy with the experimental baseboards I used).
Do you have any issues with the insulfrog points and short locos? Also, have you used isolating sections? Finally, are the points manualy controlled?
Thanks Matt, it's definitely a fun track plan and easy to adapt and make your own!
I don't have many problems with locos stalling on the points - when I do it's usually because of dirty track rather than the point itself. These are old second hand Hornby points from the 90's too, so modern points are much more consistent. If you watch my review of the Ruston 48DS you'll see even that goes over the points without needing the additional pickups from the wagon.
The layout doesn't have isolating sections as I just rely on the points to switch the power - although I admit they would be handy if you wanted to do shunt and release operations. And yes all the points are manually operated on this layout. It was only ever intended to be a quick layout for home use but thankfully I can edit out the "Hand Of God" moments in the videos!
Hope that all helps and thanks for watching 😃
what a transformation well done ps whats the demensions of the layout
Thanks Ian! It's roughly 4ft x 1ft - maybe a tad larger but definitely a good size for a fun shunting layout like this. Thanks for watching 😃
Hi - Did you call it 'Pickwick Yard' as an allusion to Dickens's novel 'The Pickwick Papers'? I am actually the author of the novel Death and Mr Pickwick, published by Random House in 2015, which tells the story behind the creation of The Pickwick Papers, and I am always interested in things which allude to the book. Incidentally, I am a friend of the model railway photographer Chris Nevard, whom you perhaps have heard of. And indeed, Chris took some publicity photos of me when the novel was launched. Best wishes Stephen Jarvis
Hi Stephen, I’m afraid there's no connection between Pickwick Yard and the Dicken's novel, it's purely a coincidence in this case. If I remember correctly, I was having trouble coming up with a name for the layout and I happened to pass by a street called something like Pickwick Lane. I changed it to Pickwick Yard which I thought sounded good and so it stuck. Sorry to disappoint you but thanks for checking the video out. All the best.
@@ThatModelRailwayGuy Oh well - but many thanks for your reply. Best wishes Stephen
@@stephenjarvis3679 Great bit of dialogue. Dickens would like both of you.
@@ThatModelRailwayGuy n
How big is that Baseboard?
The original size of the layout was 135cm x 35cm. The fiddle yard extension that was added later is 75cm x 22cm which brings the overall length to 210cm. Hope that helps and thanks for watching 😀
Just a quick question, what are the dimensions for the layout ?
Hi Chris, the original size of the layout was 135cm x 35cm. The fiddle yard extension that was added later is 75cm x 22cm which brings the overall length to 210cm. Hope that helps and thanks for watching 😀
Yes it does thank you 😊
@@chrisbaseballover Brilliant, happy to help out. If you have any more questions feel free to ask away 😃