Baseboards and Trestles

The baseboard is one of the most important components of your model railway.  It is the foundation upon which the success (or otherwise) of your model will depend.  There are various methods of constructing a baseboard and the correct choice will depend on how the final model will be used.
Some layouts are permanently built into a room in the house, while others are portable.  The most important design criteria of a portable layout are the size and weight of its individual components.  Obviously, such restrictions are irrelevant when building a permanent layout.
The most popular materials used for the board itself are MDF, Plywood, Sundeala and Chipboard, all requiring a suitable timber frame to make the board rigid and keep it flat. We have found that the best materials for the baseboard cover is 9mm thick MDF with  Plywood a close second.   They are much more robust than Sundeala and lighter than Chipboard.   Moisture absorption can be a major problem with Sundeala causing the material to expand and warp.   MDF and Plywood provide an excellent base for the track as track pins and small screws (for fixing point motors etc) are held securely.   ideally, plywood should be covered with cork sheet to provide a good track base. 

Larger portable model railways may be constructed from two or more baseboards.  Where this is  the case, special care has to be taken on the design of the connection between the boards.  This will ensure accurate alignment of the scenery and more importantly the track.  Electrical connections between the various sections of the layout will also be required.  We have many years' experience in the construction and operation of both permanent and portable model railway layouts and we can use our knowledge to help you achieve first class results, first time.

Trestles

All baseboards can be supplied with separate cross braced trestles, these can be supplied in any height.  Each set of trestles comprise two frames and a scissor cross brace.  The brace is simply bolted to the frames by M6 bolts fitted with wing nuts.  An optional controller shelf clips into place during assembly.  The baseboard locates onto the top of the assembled trestles and the completed structure is both lightweight, strong and very stable.

Note: All baseboards have timber frames.  Timber, in common with all natural materials can shrink and/or warp when exposed to changing environmental conditions.  Very dry or damp conditions can adversely effect the straightness of the timber sections and as a consequence the baseboard.  We take great care to select good quality materials but cannot guarantee the long term stability of timber sections.  Warping can occur on any baseboard, but it is generally  more of a problem on the larger sizes.  To combat any possibility of distortion, we can fit 150mm deep plywood skirts all around the outside of the baseboard.  Typically, these will protrude approx 20mm above the top of the baseboard, but can be mounted to suit your individual requirements.  These skirts are usually glued and screwed around the perimeter of the baseboard eliminating any possibility of deformation.  Similar skirts can be retrofitted to any baseboard to remove any warping.

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