I'm getting to the stage on my first exhibition layout of building placement and I'm trying to work out whether or not the building should be permanently attached or free floating. I am considering the application for a portable exhibition layout rather than a fixed layout that does not move. As I see it permanently attached buildings gives these advantages. Bed building in properly to the landscape, with no gaps or mess where the building base meets the landscape. Buildings stay properly aligned to each other Makes it quicker to set up and pack down as there are fewer things to do. Having buildings fixed means that other structures like lights and loading gauges can also be fixed, so they can all protect each other to some extent. Advantages for loose building that I can see are: Easier to modify buildings and repair them Can make the whole height profile of the boards lower, making packing more dense for transport and storage. Boards would be lighter for transportation as there would be less stuff however, you would have to carry all buildings in a box, and have to pack them securely each time to avoid damage. The other part to this question is how people attach their buildings if they do. Most modern buildings just have the walls touching the ground, no toy-like base plates of old. Do people make up a frame inside or something else. I would love to know other people's experiences and thoughts. Cheers Tony
Hi Dr Tony, Fixing buildings down is a subjective area, there are pro's and cons for both as I see it particulaly if structures are fitted with smoke units or lighting or have some kind of motorised mechanism within their function. On my layout I cut the buildings footprint out from the 4mm cork basing I use, this allows me to bring ground cover right up to the walls without unsightly gaps or joints. Lighting circuits and harnessing can be disconected via a drop down hole underneath the building which makes maintenance and modifications easy to do. I don't use any kits with obvious bases except signal posts where bases can be hidden within the surface and disguised with ground cover.
Don't bed mine down as a rule because of the need for close up photos - plus reaching over for any maintenance - must admit to a bit of cloning to hide gaps in some pics, if I can be bothered, but that is a lot easier than trying to hide a building's footprint if it has been sunk when removed for camera purposes...
As Gundah Junction is a small layout that you will allow the public to play, I mean operate, fixing the buildings down would be a priority. I would recommend using silicone to bed them in as it can easily be removed but at the same time give a permanent hold during exhibitions. Cheers, Gary.
My layout is not for exhibitions, but I would never dream of fixing buildings down (I have lights in EVERY building). I either cut a recess in the base to locate/sink as mentioned above or I use pins. This consists of a metal (brass/steel) round bar glued into each corner of the building, that then locates into a hole (Plastic hollow lollipop stick). Two other methods I have seen are as above but with sliding fit round bar in brass tubes, which then carries power to the lights. One guy uses magnets in the base and corners (or along sides) of the building.
As York Paul says, it is a bit subjective. On my Wheeldon Mill layout some of the buildings are very big, and to fix them to the base boards would make the overall height excessive for transport. On Thaxham, the buildings will be fixed as they aren't so tall. Like you mention in your post, transporting the buildings separately has its problems as they could be damaged in transport but if you take care and prepare the storage container properly then it should be fine. Pete.
I think it boils down to the structures height and weight and!! Importantly the back scene depth. My exhibition layout only has a shallow back scene. (A regret I now have but have to live with due to fact it was developed from a board I inherited) but the sand tower is twice as tall so it’s removable. But, this means that the boards can sit with one inverted over the other. The lamp posts in the yard are on plugs and dowl bases, but often as they are on the board that stays upright, usually just lifted from the board and left loose on their cables. The sand hopper tower then has to sit in another box, but also has 2 separate plugs for the flood light and the internal point motor, which run down the nearest uprights and through the base to plugs under the base board. As I design 3D model buildings it has always been a question I have not answered if I simply design the bottom to ground level or if I add a few mm of plain plastic to slot in to a surface on a layout for scenery. As yet, I haven’t.. Andy
Ummm, magnets... I sell recall now Gormo demonstrating the use of magnets for this, could easily stick some small cylinder rare earth magnets (3mm diameter by 10mm long, same as Gary uses for uncouplers) into the inside corners of a building, then something to the board, then do the scenery once the building is happy with its magnetic alignment. Thanks all for the thoughts. Cheers Tony
Tony I’m liking the idea of the magnets I now remember Gormo using to hold some items on the door module he built, I think, I have a couple of structures that are common to several of my exhibition layouts so are loose but the magnet idea M’mm I think your onto something with that would be strong enough for transport with the structures in place but easy enough to remove I have used Tacky Glue on some buildings when needed to hold firm in position as this stays tacky the structures can be eased off without damage but magnets would be much easier. Eg on structures like the water tower 4 small rare earths embedded in the corner legs and then 4 in the layout and it’s never going to move under normal use and moving etc
On Victoria Road it was a mixture of fixed and removable. The main removable section included the pavements although on the .model was made from card next time I'd use ply. The model just side on the board as looks good. You could use end boards to join two boards together to help protect the scenery. Paul
Gave the magnets a go tonight, super glued 2 cylindrical rare earth agents into the rear 2 corners of the house, then used these to line up the two to be drilled into the baseboard, superglued these in too. In the photo you can just see the magnets in the inside corners and the other 2 in the board. Be careful that you get the polarity of the magnets right, otherwise it simply won't work. This building holds very well with just the 2 magnets. For the larger buildings I might try 4 magnets, one for each corner, but that might not even be necessary. It might even be strong enough to travel like this too. I think we have a winner Cheers Tony
