Building My Fiddle Yards | Part 1 | Loft Layout | Video 1
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- For the first time I am building two fiddle yards, DIY has not really been my thing and I really need to learn quickly!
Please subscribe to watch my journey and comment on what I am doing and how I can do better!
See how I get on...
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looks like a good job there, nice way to use the space to the rear as well, not thought about that, access could be a pain though for a fiddle yard may matter less.
would suggest covering the loft insulation on the floor though, makes that both useful for storage but also access under there a lot easier. may also be worth the bubble insulation along the other end - if you only do half the loft you won't get the benefit really.
for laying the pointwork out, a lot comes down to how you will be doing it, rough idea of the proposed track arrangement could help.
if I was doing that would have a track loop (twin track) going all the way around, lifting bit one end for access maybe. then have the two fiddle yards behind, but then have each side as bi directional (in effect you have four loops, two inside and two outside, with crossovers at the ends). five roads, twin track in and out, three "Y" points giving a bi-directional central road flanked by a single direction road each side, which then has a further point to give two roads either way then the central one that can be kept clear as a "through" road maybe.
means the junction either end is only two points in length to maximise the road lengths. does put four double junctions (two at each end) though.
Hi, thanks for your comprehensive comments and taking the time to do so. I will put some further chipboard flooring down at each side, just need to watch for the wires currently running over the beams and the heat coming from the spotlights in the roof below.
I plan to separate off the section for the model railway by putting up ply board and insulating that. I need to figure out a triangle shaped door system and may ask a joiner to come and do that for me as well as fit the loop boards as they have caused me some anguish so far. Id like one end liftable so I am not sliding on my knees in and out!
I am keen on the fiddle yards on the long sides so I can store my long 7, 8 and 9 coach sets for HST’s and class91’s and aim to have each yard bidirectional if needed.
It is all trial and error in going for it and I do appreciate your input. All the best😀😀😀
Lots of space there. As for the hidden fiddle yard I personally wouldn’t bother. I used flooring grade chipboard it’s 18mm thick and hasn’t warped yet after 20 plus years.
@@daliarcam5708 thanks for your feedback. That’s reassuring ! 😀
Wishing you well on your layout will be following your journey good luck mate
Thank you, that is kind of you to say so, I appreciate it 😀
Looking good, just a nod though, take time to cover the insulation as the dust is a problem to you and the layout, air passes through and if windy outside it will blow it about, nasty stuff.
Nice job buddy 👍🏻 I tried the loft but it didn’t work out for me 🙁 So good luck and I’ll follow your progress 😊
Hi, thank you for taking the time to comment, shame it didnt work our for you, hope you didnt give up on building a model railway elsewhere? Much appreciated 😀
Great job so far you have a bit of work and planning ahead of but I’m sure you will persevere with the task and good luck I’ll be keeping my eye out on you’r progress lol
Hi, I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment on this video. Yes lots of work ahead however I have time thankfully. Hopefully I will keep you interested, much appreciated! 😄
Very nice, like
thank you 😀
Hi nice to see a new layout been built. I guess your not having a back scene so you can reach the fiddle yard, or are you going to put your hand up a gap between the layout boards and the fiddle yard boards. Looking forward to seeing the progress of your layout and I have subscribed to your channel. Colin
Hi Colin. Thanks for your comment. The braces that you can see will be covered by a back scene. The Tain sets will go through the gap under the braces and I have just cut out the opening to make it big enough. The entrance will be a tunnel fascia fitting into the back scene. I can reach over the single brace to get my hands in if required although it is tight. Any major problems will have to be done by dropping the battens and removing a section of the fiddle yard base board. I am building them in separate sections for this very point. Thank you for your interest, I do appreciate it
Just great mate
@@brianrobinson2962 thank you, lots to improve upon but it’s a start. 😀
Charlie Bishop - Chadwick M R did a video on optimising Fiddle Yard point work 1 to 2 yrs ago. Looking forward to how your build progresses. The gap between your battens/trusses looks quite large, I would use your 1st gen shorter battens longways between your battens front & back to support your boards and reduce the chance of warping. i.e. the battens form a rectangle of support under the boards, or if you don't have enough just one row down the centre like what I think chippy's call noggins ?
@@Harp-House-Halt hi. Thank you for taking the time to comment on this video. 😀 it’s a good idea to brace the baseboard along the length but I was wondering how best to do it. Would I take some long screws and go through the current batten into the ends of the new batten (forming like a T shape) then screwing the base board onto the length? Thanks so much. I appreciate it.
@@SandaleModelRailway Yep screw or nail through existing battens onto ends of new length ways battens, but probably no need to secure baseboards to new battens, just let them rest on battens. You should be able to add the new battens without removing base boards, that way you can make sure they are in contact with baseboards without distorting them
@ that’s great. Thank you. …just need to cut them now to closely fit. Not my strongest point. It’s all a learning curve! 😂😂
Great job. I’ve used the same foil and it works very well. Your loft space looks just like my loft with the W frames. After the foil I covered it all with white boards but this wasn’t really necessary. Did you reinforce the floor? Just asking as you’ll be walking on it a lot.
Hi, thanks for taking the time to watch my video and comment. Glad you had a positive experience with the superfoil. The floor was reinforced as soon as I moved in 15 years go as we wanted to use it for storage. Much appreciated. 😀😃
Thanks for sharing on the channel.......The journey begins!
However, I'd urge you very strongly to first properly insulate and add at least two Velux style windows! So many loft railways end up virtually abandoned for 95% of the year after the initial enthusiasm dies down because of the space being too uninviting; too hot or cold, dark, awkward or enclosed. What ever you decide, I wish you well.
Regards Julian
PS I really don't understand how you will have adequate access to your fiddle yard for derailments and track cleaning etc! Drop the fiddle yard down 10 to 12 inches to a sub-level underneath instead!
@@theeventhorizon-valebridge9512 hi. Thank you for taking the time to comment on this video. I appreciate it. I decided against a full loft refurbishment as I don’t think we will get the return on it as we plan to stay about 5 years more. The loft does get hot when we get to 30 degrees but in the north of England it is not that often. I thought that I would prefer to enjoy the outdoors anyway at that time of year. I can get into the cavity either from the top or by dropping the boards from the batten. I am doing all this for the first time so there is a chance that my theory won’t work as well as I would like. Thanks again, much appreciated.
@@SandaleModelRailway Lol...We've all been through these processes! :) I eagerly await your series of progressions then!
Regards Julian