If anyone can help with the above great, if not no worries.

So what is this massive 00 gauge layout I am building in the loft? I haven't revealed much about how the plan looks, suffice to say I have been planning Knapford Junction and Tidmouth on and off with a thousand revisions since around 2010 due to the lack of space. It is also why I cannot do it in P4 but I can do it in 00, will be hand building some track to save money too and make it more realistic. P4 layout will go above as an end to end once I decide what I am modelling.

So the plan is Tidmouth into the Tidmouth/Knapford Tunnels, the top side of which has points to be the Ballahoo Tunnels (Henry's Tunnel) although I have changed the trackplan here to be a hybrid of the TV series with their extra line removed because quite frankly the RWS trackplan makes ###### all sense. I'd like to swap the crossover around and it would make even more sense but there you go, we'll see. Anyway it then goes into Knapford Junction and then into a modular area that I can do whatever with. Keep the tracks train set style so I can bodge up different scenes, or use it for a finger point operated fiddle yard. Whatever really. Knapford will ultimately be removable so I can plug in different scenes/layouts there as time goes on. I have banged on about this concept for eons but it is important for future proofing the layout and making difference scenes.

Ok so this is the current track plan, subject to further tweaks of course...

Planning the exact dimensions is difficult in Anyrail and as I want to make a 'Big Station' that can be both a good representation of Vicarstown AND Tidmouth due to not having space to model both I devised a way to do so.

Basically make the Vicarstown trackplan and then when in 'Tidmouth Mode' cover the tracks with an extra platform each. The unwanted approach tracks can then be simply cut off with a temporary buffer stop and a bit of ballast. Simples!

The only visual compromises here would be the 3 way points in the station would look a bit odd being covered up by a platform but he ho, small sacrifice.

The other difference would be the tracks in Tidmouth Mode are not central to the canopies....but so what, they don't have to be bang on center anyway.

MPD is my researched and thousand revised version of Tidmouth.

Vicarstown MPD would likely have to be another scene on another board.

Anyway, as Anyrail wasn't accurate enough to plan the station itself and its construction I went to 3D to build a very basic but accurate model.

It is 6' x 2' exactly except the branch line track I decided at last to bung on the outside. Station can hold a 5 coach train and about half a coach if the loco is sitting outside the front.

I have tried to plan it so things are as even as possible and I ave used my long 10' PECO point on my modelling desk as a basic planner. Tracks here are 3cm wide with equal gaps, slight difference in the real world shoud not make a big issue.

I have gave the platforms 5mm clearance which is generous but after adding the edging strips it will be reduced.

I plan to make the buildings as 3D printed modules that can link together and likely would release on Shapeways although they would be cheaper buying from me directly if I do so. My 3D printer is a great friend!

Canopies I may 3D print or I may scratch build, unsure yet. For this 3D model the tracks are 5mm high, platforms 15mm high, buildings 8cm high and canopies also 8cm high. Looks about right to me.

The following picture and the text should make things clearer...




As a final thing I'm having a go at 3D printing a small control panel for my N Gauge Norramby. Name plaque is removable and has a top design that clip in. Holes for switches can be pre-designed in as seen here. Taking ages to print!

Comments welcome, please let me know what you think about all this and any possible suggestions. I'm really trying hard to make things work by being meticulous as I can. This is why I am so slow to get anything done sometimes but I have had a lot of frustrations with model railways as everything has to be in good combination for everything to work 100%.

Eeeez Goood Iniiit!