F O L D I N G
More 'baseboard' than 'layout'


Folding was a design that I had floating around in my brainbox for a few years - a double-folding baseboard concept that protected the layout while in transit or storage, and which also took up a minimum amount of space when not in use.

Although the finished layout had limited operating potential the construction and modelling kept me interested through 2008, and it was a good learning experience for a number of techniques. Static grass, tracks across baseboard joints, and using some non-standard materials for landscaping such as sharp sand and wall filler were all things that I'd never tried before. Some worked better than others - I was pleased with the coal yard siding but used too much black around it, and static grass is brilliant but I applied mine too evenly (it's more like 'blobs' of grass). I could have fixed this last point of course, but I was starting to get a little bored of the layout towards the end.

Overall I'm satisfied with the result. Some things grate a little, such as the man in the coal yard standing in an odd pose, but overall I'm happy with the result.




Below is the baseboard concept in action, or Folding being Unfolded. In its closed state the layout is just over 12 inches (30cm) long and around 6 inches high. So minimal space when stored, all the scenic work is nicely protected 'inside' the folded layout, safe from any knocks or bumps.
 


Stage 1 is to fold out the right hand board and put together the electrical connectors underneath.



Stage 2 sees the left hand board unfolded, again with the connectors being joined together as we go.



Stage 3 is the simple job of folding out the backscene and then Stage 4 just requires the road overbridge to be popped on.
 
 
    


Power comes from a controller via the connector at the end, so once the rolling stock has been added we're off. Operation is a little simplistic it has to be said, and the runround loop is a bit too tight as it only just handles three wagons, and these have to be in exactly the right place to allow a loco to move past without clouting them, but I just limit myself to two... which all adds to the operating interest. Not much else to say, so here's a selection of images of the layout.