Scalextric/ Slot car track build

[Nathan penney]

As well as my mk1 Leon Cupra R, I have another hobby- Slot cars!
After a few years without a permanent track set up it’s time to start a new track.
New table built in the loft 4.9mX 2.0m
After a day trying a few set up’s I came up with one I’m happy with, including a long pit lane to accommodate my pit building I made years ago.
Lots of work involved, going to be months/ years in the making cause it’s going to have full landscaping and detail but the basic track is designed.
Don’t know if anyone on here is interested or not but I’ll update every now again. And yes there are Seat’s going to be raced! Got a few Leon’s.

The table.

The track ( up to now)

 

[tracktoy]

Yes please very interested, have to say i am more into model trains but the landscaping and electrical issues are common I am sure.
Also good to see the MK1 out on the track as they are in real life.

 

[Nathan penney]

Yes please very interested, have to say i am more into model trains but the landscaping and electrical issues are common I am sure.
Also good to see the MK1 out on the track as they are in real life.

Ah, good to see a fellow model enthusiast. Yes there can be problems with electrics- mainly power outage if running too many cars and accessories on too large a track.
Hoping this one’s okay as it’s not overly long.
Could have got a lot more track in with flyovers and bridges etc, but I don’t really like them when I’m making it kind of realistic with detailed background.
Also the downside of slot cars compared to trains is the scale. 1.32 scale so everything is massive. Looked like a big table till I started laying track.
Most slot cars enthusiasts would go for more track but cause I’m into trucks too the paddock area behind the pit building is going to fit the team trucks I have which as you can imagine are quite large.

 

[tracktoy]

Looking forward to updates

 

[Seastormer]

Yes my digital layout went right around the perimeter of the living room, and my workmates came to race all the time. Sadly as the grandkids got older and lost interest, the missus made me pack it all away. Still all numbered for easy reassemble and have around 35 cars all chipped for digital, ready for the day I get a bigger house or the wife goes. Will be interested in following your antics, good luck with the project.

 

[Syphon]

ready for the day I get a bigger house or the wife goes.

 

[Nathan penney]

Yes my digital layout went right around the perimeter of the living room, and my workmates came to race all the time. Sadly as the grandkids got older and lost interest, the missus made me pack it all away. Still all numbered for easy reassemble and have around 35 cars all chipped for digital, ready for the day I get a bigger house or the wife goes. Will be interested in following your antics, good luck with the project.

My wife says ‘at least I know where he is’

 

[Nathan penney]

Here’s what it used to look like a few years ago.
Unfortunately I have to share the loft now with Christmas gear, camping stuff and the like hence why this time I had to build it on a table. Everything is stored underneath but at least now I can detail it properly instead of bits here and there.

 

[Bear]

Bloody brilliant mate! I do enjoy reading posts that are interesting, entertaining and informative, even if they might not be particularly relevant to me. This thread is right up there!

I'm looking forward to more updates and photos.

 

[Nathan penney]

Update.

Had my 3 kids running laps with me last weekend to make sure everything was running smoothly before going any further.
With 7 digital lane changers, pit lane game, lap counter and 4 cars running had to make sure it was going to run properly with enough power.
All good, a few offs but everything was working spot on.
Labelled all the pieces to make re laying it easier cause next job was to draw round the track and anything else that is the same thickness as the track then take it up.

Always scribble on the waste bits or else it can get very confusing when you’re left with a load of jigsaw pieces.
With a bit of fancy cutting with the jig saw it was all cut and roughly layed back down.

Kept the pieces cut out of the back section to use under the track as this will be raised up on blocks so the track will still be sat on top of a solid base.
Next job I think will be the back drop, just simple model railway sky glued to mdf board.
This may seem daft, but it’s a common thing to name your track.
So being a big fan of Le Mans, there are going to be elements of the famous race track evident on my track once it’s finished. Le Mans circuit is actually called
Circuit de la Sarthe.
Also even though my names Nathan, my nickname name at work is Arthur.
So it has to be ‘Circuit de la SArthur’

 

[tracktoy]

Dedication, looking good

 

[Nathan penney]

Update!
We now have blue sky backdrop, elevated track section and infills screwed down.

Primed mdf backboards with PVA glue, then wall paper pasted the sections of gauge-master sky backdrop onto them.
Wallpapering is not my cup of tea so it was a case of hope for the best.
It’s okay, glad it’s not a large wall.

The effect is decent enough once boards stuck on. Better than a plain white wall.
Next, relayed the track ( glad I labelled the order) and screwed down the infills.

I’d kept the sections of board cut out to use as a base for the elevated sections.
This made it a lot easier to support the track and gives it a solid base to sit on.
A few test runs to make sure different cars were okay on the raised corners and screwed down the supports.
Next job, expanding foam to fill in under the track, leaving a gap for a bridge underneath somewhere and make some hills/ viewing banking.

 

[Yern]

This is brilliant, wish I had the space to do this but years ago with 2 girls (and wife) no one other than me was interested in slot racing so my track had to go . Just an observation (forgive me and not being negative on a great project), the clouds behind the stands in img6481...they appear to be upside down?

 

[Nathan penney]

This is brilliant, wish I had the space to do this but years ago with 2 girls (and wife) no one other than me was interested in slot racing so my track had to go . Just an observation (forgive me and not being negative on a great project), the clouds behind the stands in img6481...they appear to be upside down?

Like I said, wallpapering isn’t my strong point.
To be fair I was using up off cuts on that piece so I didn’t have to buy another set.
Most will be covered with buildings once it’s done so I wasn’t that bothered.
Well spotted though.

 

[Railwayman]

Like I said, wallpapering isn’t my strong point.
To be fair I was using up off cuts on that piece so I didn’t have to buy another set.
Most will be covered with buildings once it’s done so I wasn’t that bothered.
Well spotted though.

This is a great read and I really like the model of the pit area. Did you build it from scratch or a kit?

 

[Nathan penney]

This is a great read and I really like the model of the pit area. Did you build it from scratch or a kit?

Glad you’re enjoying reading it.
Made it myself out of MDF years ago.
At the time there wasn’t a lot out there apart from Carrera and the Scalextric buildings, plus I wanted it that size to suit the old layout.
I used to be a joiner so made a few things for it over the years.
I kind of designed the new track around that pit building so I could use it.
I am changing a few bits on it eventually.
Have to work from the back of the track out though so that will be one of the last things to do.