Sunday, January 03, 2010

Height restrictions

Engine shed in the boxI'm finalising my ideas nicely for the box layout but every one seems to throw up new issues. On the plan there is an engine shed. I have decided to use an Airfix kit for this, partly to save some effort but also because it looks very nice and (I think) will detail up well.

But, the box has a top so before I can work out how much space I have under the baseboard, I need to work out how much there needs to be above it. After much searching in my stash, I couldn't find an engine shed kit. Luckily, Castle Trains were open on a Sunday and hanging on the rack, I was able to rectify this omission.

Popping the shed front on the baseboard I discovered that I couldn't measure the airspace left as the lid is a little bit hollow. Luckily I have a big pile of leaflets for the Leamington & Warwick Model Railway Exhibition. Putting these under the kit part in ever increasing quantities raised this up until it nearly hits the sky. Then I measured the pile to find I can get 30mm under the plywood.

The good news is that this is just enough space for a Peco point motor. The bad news is that I can get 34 or 21mm deep wood strip.

3 comments:

Michael Campbell said...

SEEP Point motors are shallower! I got one under my Shoebox layout Southon Yard (which also had severe height restrictions, so I know your problem) and that had an under board depth of about 16mm (1/2" timber and a layer of 4mm MDF, cut out for access, to prevent warping). I even managed to motorise a turntable under there! See:
http://picasaweb.google.com/campbellsonline/ModelRalwayPics?authkey=Gv1sRgCNub8rX6xsmLpgE#5402981818588692290

Phil Parker said...

Seep might be shallower but do they include a locking device ? Peco do and it's essential for PCB track work as the points don't lock themselves in the same way RTR ones do.

Michael Campbell said...

It's never been an issue for me, but it looks like they do a version with locking mechanism:
http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=PM-4&style=main&strType=

I've always found them robust and easy to install, and already have a switch build in for the frog!