Mothballing a Layout for a Year

[Globibahn]

Just curious:

Has anybody ever mothballed a layout for a year and stored it in, say, an unheated garage or rented storage unit in a UK type climate?

If so what happens, does the whole thing warp into a corkscrew shape and gradually disolve with mildew ? Serious question though.

[ntpntpntp]

My exhibition layout lives crated up in its "transport coffins" in our unheated garage (meaning each board has end plates, hardboard sides and a hardboard lid).   It can be there for many months at a time, especially now it's pretty much retired and as yet I have no space to set it up permanently indoors until junior fully moves out and I get my train room back!



The fiddleyard boards stack as a single pack with a large lump of bubblewrap on top.

It all survives perfectly fine, the worst I've had is a little mould on some of the reindeer-moss I originally for bushes, and I think there was one time I found some evidence of a creature having gathered some of it for a nest     Most of that has now been replaced with home-made bushes using horse-hair and scatter.

The trackwork will tarnish a bit, but only needs a light burnish to get it shiny and ready to run.  With my method of securing track using brass screws (as per other threads) and using pattern makers' dowels for alignment  I get no problems with track shifting, it all goes together perfectly every time.


I've used the same protection method for the later baseboards, and also for my current project as I know it works 

[Globibahn]

My exhibition layout lives crated up in its "transport coffins" in our unheated garage (meaning each board has end plates, hardboard sides and a hardboard lid).   It can be there for many months at a time, especially now it's pretty much retired and as yet I have no space to set it up permanently indoors until junior fully moves out and I get my train room back!

The fiddleyard boards stack as a single pack with a large lump of bubblewrap on top.

It all survives perfectly fine, the worst I've had is a little mould on some of the reindeer-moss I originally for bushes, and I think there was one time I found some evidence of a creature having gathered some of it for a nest     Most of that has now been replaced with home-made bushes using horse-hair and scatter.

The trackwork will tarnish a bit, but only needs a light burnish to get it shiny and ready to run.  With my method of securing track using brass screws (as per other threads) and using pattern makers' dowels for alignment  I get no problems with track shifting, it all goes together perfectly every time.

I've used the same protection method for the later baseboards, and also for my current project as I know it works 

Really useful Nick thank you . Yes I imagined some sort of 'crating up' would be in order. You can get giant silica gel packs too which could be bunged in for good measure.

[swisstrains]

Just curious:

Has anybody ever mothballed a layout for a year and stored it in, say, an unheated garage or rented storage unit in a UK type climate?

If so what happens, does the whole thing warp into a corkscrew shape and gradually disolve with mildew ? Serious question though.

I hope this doesn't mean that you are planning to leave us Matt.

[Globibahn]

I hope this doesn't mean that you are planning to leave us Matt.
[/quote]

Not for a while ! I've just been doing some future planning in lockdown and was pondering a bit of time away abroad, which may require letting out my flat. It is tricky when you have a layout though, they are not exactly highly portable (unless designed as such).

[swisstrains]

Not for a while ! I've just been doing some future planning in lockdown and was pondering a bit of time away abroad, ......................

I don't blame you Matt. Travel while you're still (fairly ) young. Whatever you decide to do I wish you well.

[Globibahn]

I don't blame you Matt. Travel while you're still (fairly ) young. Whatever you decide to do I wish you well.

Thanks John sound advice, I'll keep you posted of course, I wouldn't just disappear like that!