Well, both 'Wold's-End's' layouts are so called finished, Yep I know there are things that could be improved, but they seemed to go down ok at Mansfield exhibition, although I did have to point out that they were the same!

I have the roundy Thomas and friends layout, so I can give the N-gauge locos a good run round on that when required.

What I don't have is a OO roundy layout to give the OO locos a stretch of the legs when required.

When I say required I do actually mean I can't be bothered to do any shunting so switch em on and watch em go.

So the small spare bedroom is now almost full of layouts and other train related equipment, so a OO roundy is going to have to be on the small side.

First thing, it's not going to be anything flash just a simple roundy that I can sit and watch trains go by, so first thing I set myself was to use set track and try and keep everything to a minimum cost.

As I have the Class 153 and a Lima Deltic, it had to be a minimum of 2nd rad curves, and even that is pushing credibility a little too far!

I would liked to have used 3rd rad curves but set track point work doesn't reallyhelp in that score.

Having subscribed to Hornby magazine from issue 1 had a check through to see what I could find.

There it was in issues 2,3 and 4, good old Peter Marriott was building 'Horndale', using set track components very small and simple roundy layout.

One thing that didn't look right to me although perfectly ok for what it's going to be used for is the platform inside the circle of track.

He does mention this in the write up, but because of using 2nd rad curves the platform has to sit back a long way from the track, due to the centre overhang of any long rolling stock, making the gap an equivalent of about 8ft!

Once all the scenery detail is done it's not too much of a problem though.

Anyway to try and overcome this I thought I'd move the station to the single siding and have a double length straight which will hold the Class 153 DMU.

I carried on looking for inspiration and found in Hornby magazine 14 a layout by Chris Singer called 'Two Square'

Again this is a small N-gauge layout, simple circle of track with sidings off, and down one siding is the station and platform.

So I will try and get a combination of the two.

There will be a back scene/scenic break so that the back two loops are hidden, that way I can bring a second train out and leave the first in one of the loops.

The back scene will run diagonal from the back of the board near to the start of the curved point across to the start of the other curved point down the right hand side, sorry not too clear but will try and knock something up. to show what I mean.

Tested all the track work using Anyrail and using the parts listed in the Hornby magazine for Horndale nothing would join up!! I have no idea how he managed to do it in the magazine, a slight bit of tweakingm me thinks.

Using Anyrail I was able to select the right track parts to give me a complete circuit as shown above, although I will need to pack the outside edges up a little as the locos tend to lean some what, has anybody else done this, what did you use?

It's all 2nd rad curves with the double curved points all Peco set track.

Still it's a start and as you can see I've had everything running around without any problems or derailments....bonus!

I can now cut the baseboards to the correct size and get them on the frame.

If you have the Hornby magazines take a look, like I say issues 2,3 and 4 (Aug, Sep & Oct 2007)for the 3 part series on building Horndale and for Two Square issue 14 August 2008 page 92.

I will see if it's ok to scan and post the pics up here for those that don't have them issues, may take a while for Mike Wild to get back to me though.

Yep it is running on a DC controller just to make sure all is ok, as the power is at the end of the siding, I needed to make the insulfrog curved point DCC, no Hornby point clips, so had to use homemade ones otherwise known as staples!!! worked a treat.

Any comments or suggestions most welcome before I commit to anything major, and no I can't leave the board that big, it won't fit in the spare room otherwise I would.