Indoor / Portable / Exhibition layout

[ge_rik]

After seeing the enjoyment Gregh gets out of his little Pottery layout, I'm thinking of constructing a small indoor shunting style layout of my own which I can use when the weather is foul outside.

First phase will be a recreation of the Copper Mine sidings with 32mm coming in at one end and 45mm leaving at the other. Basing it on the Copper Mine means I can use the low relief Copper Mine buildings I've already constructed.

At first it will just have two fiddle yards but, if it's successful, I could add a 45 mm module (Canal basin) at one end and a 32mm (Mine workings) module at the other.

I might even then take it to Shows to exhibit and, at the same time, try and raise the profile of the forum by, for example, showcasing some of the 3D printed models available in the download section.

Any thoughts? Am I mad?

Rik

[drewzero1]

I think it's a great idea! It would be fun to explore the PLR's copper mine a little more in a modular form.

I've been thinking about doing a small layout myself, a little industrial fidget yard to play with in the winter, but this winter the HO scale bug bit once again so I worked on that instead.

[Phil.P]

Be careful!
We might end up with a Forum modular standard, and the layout might grow like Topsy..


Phil.P

[Peter Butler]

After seeing the enjoyment Gregh gets out of his little Pottery layout, I'm thinking of constructing a small indoor shunting style layout

At first it will just have two fiddle yards but, if it's successful, I could add a 45 mm module (Canal basin) at one end and a 32mm (Mine workings) module at the other.

I might even then take it to Shows to exhibit and, at the same time, try and raise the profile of the forum by, for example, showcasing some of the 3D printed models available in the download section.

Any thoughts? Am I mad?

Rik

Two thoughts Rik...

1. Wonderful idea.
2. Yes... you are quite mad!

There have been many references on the Forum about my SM32 displays which I take to exhibitions and vintage events. These consist of static models and occasional structures to show scale etc. For many years during my 20's and 30's I was actively involved, with others, in displaying our portable SM32 layout, so speak from experience.
I am in no doubt you are fully capable of making suitable baseboards of lightweight construction, and which locate perfectly together. This is when issue number one arises... will it be free standing on integral legs or will you be dependent on having tables provided? Not all venues have such things available.
For a professional display, presentation is crucial. You should have sufficient, matching, table covers or drapes to enhance your display and hide all transportation equipment beneath.
Do you have suitable road transport available to carry all the necessary layout boards, stock boxes and other necessary equipment?
Can another person be available for every occasion to assist in handling, set up, operation, and conversation with your audience, and those times when you suddenly feel the need to be elsewhere?
Exhibitions can be boring, tiring and exhausting, especially at our age!
Although I get great pleasure displaying and discussing my models, I try now to restrict myself to one-day shows as the journey time can also add to the problem.
However, if you have thought through the issues mentioned above and still wish to continue I'm sure you will get great pleasure from the experience, and have your layout for personal use too.
Meeting people and discussing their experiences are some of the best things which result from such occasions.

We watch closely in anticipation..... good luck!

[ge_rik]

OK Folks.....

Those previous messages and deliberations were carried out whilst sitting in our caravan in North Wales as the rain pattered down outside to the sound of lambs and their mums calling to each other through the clouds which hovered over the hills above our campsite. We're now back home (in glorious sunshine - but no sheep).

Unpacked the caravan and then started exploring the reality of my idea by using odds and sods of track which were left over from my revamp of Beeston Market station.

DSCI4106.JPG (2.25 MiB) Viewed 43523 times

Looks like it will be 20" wide by 82" long (plus fiddle yards each end).

Trying to decide whether to use the timber from a pallet which is lying around (maybe a bit too heavy) or do a proper lightweight job with plywood.

Rather than "Exhibition Standard", I'm thinking mine will be how to do things on a shoe-string.

Rik
PS - Peter's reply has overlapped with my typing of this, so I think I'll go with a light plywood box structure - and maybe trestle legs.
PPS Our village fête is in about three weeks' time ...... might be a bit too ambitious to book myself a stand at it....

[philipy]

Like Peter, I think its a fine idea and, as you know, I have already voiced not dissimilar thoughts to you about the exhibiting side of things.

82" is nominally 7ft so would that be 2 or 3 boards? For transport 2 boards at 20" x 41" even if "lightweight" would be need to be rigid and thus fairly heavy and they then either need to crate together face to face ( we used to call this a coffin!) or have some sort of bolt-on covered frame/lid for protection in transit. If you go with the coffin concept then buildings etc can be either fixed or removable. If fixed then the boards will be further apart and the coffin significantly bigger, or if removable, the coffin is smaller but you have to provide transport boxes for the buildings.

If it fits with your overall concept, I'd suggest making the the two FY's the same size so that they also coffin together, and making them the same size as the scenic boards would give a nice neat overall package.

Sorry if this is all obvious but just trying to avoid you making some of the mistakes that I've learned about through experience in the past.

Legs or trestles is your choice, but build in some sort of levelling option. Village halls can be surprisingly uneven and Marquees even more so. We once exhibited at Chatham Dockyard with a cobbled floor that had suffered for hundreds of years at the hands of naval shipbuilders...

[ge_rik]

The buildings will be removable, as they're the ones I use on my outdoor layout. I like the coffin idea of transporting the two boards together. I'll try and incorporate that into the planning.

Rik

[tommygander1941]

Looks like a great idea so far Rik!

If you need inspiration, perhaps you can come and have a little behind the scenes at the Welshpool show of the modular layout? The construction means boards aren't too heavy but are still sturdy enough. Mike Barton's brewery is a perfect example.

[ge_rik]

Looks like a great idea so far Rik!

If you need inspiration, perhaps you can come and have a little behind the scenes at the Welshpool show of the modular layout? The construction means boards aren't too heavy but are still sturdy enough. Mike Barton's brewery is a perfect example.

Thanks. I was hoping to make it to Welshpool (to show support), so this is an added incentive.

Rik

[Phil.P]

Talking Welshpool...
There is a Llanfair Show FacileBook page/group..

We are trying to generate a bit of 'mass' to this, and I am asking in Traders who will be there, will announce the fact, as details of who will be there are non-existent.

It could also do with its own entry on the UK Modelshops listings..

Phil.P

[ge_rik]

OK - advice please

I'm planning to construct the baseboards as plywood box structures, so .....

1. 9mm or 12mm ply? 9mm would be lighter but will it be robust enough?

2. I have heard of people using foamboard for baseboards. It would certainly be light but would it be durable???

3. Softwood, hardwood or marine? I assume softwood would be lighter, but would it last? Marine ply is horrendously more expensive (nearly 4x the price), is it worth the extra expense given the layout will only be stored and used indoors?

Screenshot_2025-06-28-09-41-02-492.jpg (109.13 KiB) Viewed 43139 times

Any views, advice or shared experiences gratefully received.

Rik

[GTB]

OK - advice please

I'm planning to construct the baseboards as plywood box structures, so .....

1. 9mm or 12mm ply? 9mm would be lighter but will it be robust enough?

2. I have heard of people using foamboard for baseboards. It would certainly be light but would it be durable???

3. Softwood, hardwood or marine? I assume softwood would be lighter, but would it last? Marine ply is horrendously more expensive ( 4x the price), is it worth the extra expense given the layout will only be stored and used indoors?

Any views, advice or shared experiences gratefully received.

Rik

My current HO layout has a 6' x 2' board in the fiddle yard which is made from 1/4" pine ply. The legs are made from 2" x 1" pine, cross braced and mounted to the board at each end. I can lean on it in the middle without major deflection. Not sure I could stand on it, but it is light enough to lift and carry one handed.

9mm sounds plenty strong enough, 12mm would be overkill, unless you plan on walking on the layout when set up......

The only ply available locally for less than it's weight in gold is crappy BC grade pine made in NZ. Awful stuff, claimed to be premium grade, but not in my experience, but it's adequate for the carry cases and trays I build for transporting locos and rolling stock.

Marine ply is major overkill for what you are doing. I'm told the only difference between marine ply and ordinary ply nowadays is that marine ply has no voids and knots in the interior veneers, the glue is the same. Here in Oz, hardwood marine ply is about twice the price of pine BC ply, in the green, or the blue, DIY sheds.

There is better quality ply available locally from industrial suppliers, but as always, 'locally' means two towns away and you pay extra for quality.......

I've seen baseboards made from a slab of styrofoam. I've considered it, but would skin the slab with thin ply to provide some level of durability during handling and transport. It would probably end up about as heavy as a lightweight ply baseboard.


Having been on the exhibition circuit decades ago with a 25' x 12' HO layout, I'll second what Peter said earlier-

- baseboards need to be light and strong.

- youll need at least a couple of reliable mates who will help you pack before the show, help setup at the show, help run the layout, help packup at the end and finally help unpack back at home. A one day exhibition will take at least 4 days out of your life.

- have adequate transport available. My first exhibition layout required a 2.5 ton van to be hired for the weekend.

In relation to helpers. There are always plenty of people who will turn up on the day to play trains. Only good mates will put in the hours needed for all the hard work to get there and get home.

Regards,
Graeme

[Phil.P]

Rik,
Do look at Grange and Hodder..
They have done all the hard work of working out the dimensions, and they come as laser-cut kits. They almost don't need gluing together.

Just very impressed with their offerings.

Phil.P

[Preseli Chris]

When building portable baseboards in the past I have always used 5mm/6mm ply with 2" x1" pse timber the cross bracing gives it the strength . when it comes to connecting the baseboard sections together various fittings are available from

https://www.stationroadbaseboards.co.uk

items such as cabinet makers dowels and adjustable feet are available plus many more options .

[philipy]

Back in the 1970's, the club I joined after a house move had a very successful OO exhibition layout called Meadows End. It was subsequently doubled in length and went to approx 6 or 7 exhibitions a year until at least the late 1990's ( when I moved again). We never once had any problems with the boards. When I started a layout of my own in 1990 I used the same board construction and eventually the layout grew to an L- shape 23ft x 23ft. Again no board probs. About 4 years ago that was broken up and mostly disposed of, apart from the two fiddle yard boards which are now my 3D Printer benches.
OK, construction:Outer frames of 10mm ply, doubled but with the inner pieces 15mm lower then the outer, to allow a 15mm chipboard top to sit inside the lip.
Boards joined end to end with pattern makers steel dowels to locate accurately and coach bolts to hold them tight together. The top holds everything square so unless the board is very long there is no need for cross bracing.

[Petersfield]

.... Any thoughts? Am I mad?

Rik

A glorious madness!

I think most points I would have made have already been covered but would second those PoVs which advise thinking the logistics through and recruiting reliable help. I've been on the exhibition circuit for 'indoor railways' as exhibitor, demonstrator and trader - all are hard work but can be rewarding. There's potentially a lot of prep and sorting out afterwards which can increase your time commitment several-fold. Building the layout on a shoestring could appeal to your audience (and magazine editors) but I'd advise not to skimp on the baseboard.

OK - advice please ...

2. I have heard of people using foamboard for baseboards. It would certainly be light but would it be durable???

... Any views, advice or shared experiences gratefully received.

Rik

I have used foamboard for dioramas and bases up to around three foot square. There are various thicknesses, I have gravitated to using the 10mm thick version. It is light and robust ... but ... it is easily damaged by knocks and suchlike, so I'd always protect edges and corners. Probably with the likes of ply. If you were going to use it, I'd say create a cellular box shape, at least partially shrouded in ply. Whether this would be 'better' or lighter than doing a ply box type baseboard, I'm unsure - definitely

Also - be aware some foamboard doesn't cut very cleanly. A sharp knife with a thin blade is needed but even then, this can 'snag' when you are drawing it through a cut. It's not bad enough to cause structural problems but can look messy and need covering if it was to face the audience.

And - large pieces can warp (temperature/humidity) so always brace them, either with geometry and more foamboard or with timber pieces.

Whatever you decide, good hunting!

[GAP]

.... Any thoughts? Am I mad?

Rik

A glorious madness!

I think most points I would have made have already been covered but would second those PoVs which advise thinking the logistics through and recruiting reliable help. I've been on the exhibition circuit for 'indoor railways' as exhibitor, demonstrator and trader - all are hard work but can be rewarding. There's potentially a lot of prep and sorting out afterwards which can increase your time commitment several-fold. Building the layout on a shoestring could appeal to your audience (and magazine editors) but I'd advise not to skimp on the baseboard.

OK - advice please ...

2. I have heard of people using foamboard for baseboards. It would certainly be light but would it be durable???

... Any views, advice or shared experiences gratefully received.

Rik

I have used foamboard for dioramas and bases up to around three foot square. There are various thicknesses, I have gravitated to using the 10mm thick version. It is light and robust ... but ... it is easily damaged by knocks and suchlike, so I'd always protect edges and corners. Probably with the likes of ply. If you were going to use it, I'd say create a cellular box shape, at least partially shrouded in ply. Whether this would be 'better' or lighter than doing a ply box type baseboard, I'm unsure - definitely

Also - be aware some foamboard doesn't cut very cleanly. A sharp knife with a thin blade is needed but even then, this can 'snag' when you are drawing it through a cut. It's not bad enough to cause structural problems but can look messy and need covering if it was to face the audience.

And - large pieces can warp (temperature/humidity) so always brace them, either with geometry and more foamboard or with timber pieces.

Whatever you decide, good hunting!

apply a 3mm thick veneer of ply over the foam board to give protection and a surface to work on maybe?
light weight but robust

[gilfachphil]

Can I just wave a flag for my little layout that's been to a number of exhibitions locally and been very much enjoyed by the visitors who have taken part in its operation?

viewtopic.php?t=13912

Phil

[philipy]

Can I just wave a flag for my little layout that's been to a number of exhibitions locally and been very much enjoyed by the visitors who have taken part in its operation?

viewtopic.php?t=13912

Phil

Sadly I've never seen it in the flesh as it were, but I do remember back at the time thinking how nice it looks.
Perhaps Rik should look seriously at your construction details for his? Plus the thought comes to mind that perhaps Rik could make his mate with yours and become the start of a new modular layout?

[gilfachphil]

With regard to modular layouts, surely it is best to stick with the format already in use amongst those in the NGS Modular Group?

I did wonder about making some alterations to Yr Orsaf Newydd so it could be linked into that system but in the end decided not to, a completely new module might be more sensible but I already have too many layouts in various scales!

Phil