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The Budget Model Railways 60cm x 23.5cm floating shelf layout challenge

Concept:
To produce a layout of any scale/gauge on a 60cm x 23.5 cm floating shelf. Thickness of the shelf does not matter but must not exceed the 60cm x 23.5cm dimensions. 
It must have at least one point/ switch and have as much operating potential as possible, ie not a single track diorama.
​Any type of track inc pre ballasted is acceptable. Ovals are acceptable if they can be fitted in, as long as there is at least one point/switch.
It must have two buildings/structures as a minimum, but this can include sheds, signal boxes etc.
Backscene can be any height. 
The fiddle yard must not exceed 60cm in length or be more than two road, it must be separate  from the scenic section, i.e. no 4ft boards with only the 60 x 23 section as a layout.
The layout should include as much second hand and recycled material and features as possible.
The objective of the challenge is to inspire people to have a go at making a micro shunting layout, especially those who have not built a layout or micro layout before, and to do so on a limited budget. 
Whilst I will be interested to see any layouts outside of the criteria, only those that meet the criteria will be featured on the website.
There is no prize or reward, or ranking 1st 2nd 3rd etc, its just a fun challenge to inspire people to enjoy making a micro layout.
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Bramel Sheretan - what a mucking fuddle

2/6/2025

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What A Mucking Fuddle by Ponders End Model Railway
This rustic OO micro layout came about from a challenge set by Mike at, Budget Model Railways, Mike also gave me the idea for the name.
Board 67 cm x 31 cm
Scenic Area 60 cm x 23.5 cm
Points 1 Y point 1 Small left-hand point
Operation based upon the Inglenook layout with reduced stock due to size constraints. I opted for a derelict theme as I don’t have an derelict section on the main layout.
At the rear of the layout I have a small holding shelf for stock and the barrier doubles as the backdrop of the scenic section. At present I have no fiddle yard and have used the last 7 cm to allow for this and at some point, excuse the pun, I will add to the fiddle yard side.
The track as you see is offset to allow for as much track as possible, it also offers a slight curve on what would be the straight and I’ve included a 2nd radius curve to compliment the design.
Buildings are scratch built, using coffee stirrers, 2mm MDF and Metcalfe brick papers. The only item purchased was the small Y point, which I think cost £9 with postage.
Overview video on YouTube
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ray baker - Snibston cement works

2/6/2025

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My interpretation of a typical cement works in Leicestershire whence I hailed. I did not have a great deal of used buildings, rolling stock or scenery but what is shown is what I had in my limited array of stock. Just like to state that Mike has encouraged me to keep my interest in modelling railways as I do not have the space nor money to have a layout that I have always dreamed of, thank you Mike.
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Chris ketch

2/6/2025

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A simple switching layout set in the Appalachian coal fields of the eastern US with simple empties in and loads out operation. The shelf was bought at 50% off for $15 US. The track is PECO 55 flex which was left over from other projects and the points are second hand from eBay. The lichen on the mountain was bought on clearence at a craft store and the rest of the scenery materials were all left over from other projects. Tge mine ripple and vehicles are also second hand. The fiddle stick was built with leftover wood scraps and the layout can be controlled with either dc power or DCC.
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steven cannon - llareggub

2/6/2025

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Used Celoflex for the baseboard and upvc wall boards for the back scene off cuts from building work at the house painted with acrylic paint.This is the first layout I've built in fifty years really enjoy Budget Model Railways keep up the good work.
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roy atkinson - Roystown halt

2/6/2025

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This is my take on a local station in a former mining area, it has had a fairly recent revamp. It still has the old sidings from the Coal Wash Plant.
The points are the wire pull set up. The power is via a home assembled power controller. It's not quite finished ( still needs static grass etc) but hopefully you will like the idea so far. The engine can shunt from one platform to the other.
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mark purnell - north of the border

2/6/2025

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Stuart Webb - Webbington halt

21/5/2025

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I just had to share my layout and hope you like the start off.
I have built loads but never completed. So I started on this before the challenge which I'm a bit gutted about I'm not starting again. All second hand and nothing new except a few buildings I picked up cheap like the peco good shed.
I wanted a loop so I could run a card system to take trains off and back at a later stage but I like having something going round while I'm shunting...
I hope this is to your liking and maybe give you a future.
25cm x 70cm is the model bit bit i built it modular with 2 fiddle yards on each end. I can pack it away when we need the dinning table.... hehe.
Hope you like it.
2 Comments

Andy Donald

21/5/2025

1 Comment

 
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​A small mining layout.
The base is cardboard painted grey covered in cement dust and stones from my garden.
The rock face is a brown paper bag covered with PVA and painted.
The trees are grape stalks dried and covered in packing material painted green with some static grass on top.
The water is pva painted.
The buildings are free downloads from the Internet and coffee stirrer for the mine entrance.
Ran with a handheld DC controller. The track is left over flex track and a spare point.
The bridge was bought from ebay for £5.50.
The hand of God for operations with stock from my other layout and a Kato chassis loco.
I am not the greatest modeller but enjoyed this an learned a lot.
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Davie Maclean - Glebe Street

21/5/2025

1 Comment

 
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My main OO layout is Scottish based and, in order to utilise existing decals, it is run by the West Glasgow line, a bit down at heel and strapped for cash, and they'll let anyone run services over their tracks.
The shelf layout is 60 x 23.5cm, with a 40cm fiddle yard. The back scene is the cardboard from the box it came in. Total cost - £7.
Everything else is either second hand or scenic material I already had on hand. Everything apart from the rolling stock and road vehicles is glued down so it can be moved about and stored without stuff falling off.
Cheers
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Kari Ikonen - KirKirsikkapuu Kääntöpöytä (Cherry Blossom Turntable)

21/5/2025

2 Comments

 
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​Its inspired by several cherry blossom layouts in N scale, I had a used roundtable that was perfect to be the "X-factor" of the layout.
The build is 60x23cm with used XP foam from a makerspace. The layout is a mix of Minitrix, Kato and Tomix track that's lightly ballasted. The gazebo is made by DM-Toys and the white building is Kibri (I think), both are used from previous projects.
Rocks used cuts of cork, static grass uses colored thread and the flowers/flock is made from cheap sponges.
Layout is perfect for a turntable shunting puzzle, as well as possible in being a pssing through module.
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