blue or Red?

Hello again Cap'n B.

My honest opinion is that is way to complicated. If it was me I would change the fiddleyard to a cassette and a single siding, this would allow a greater depth of scenic board (depth of scenery is everything in N scale). I would also remove a couple of those sidings next to the platform to free up a bit of space there and also move the track away from the right hand end of the baseboard so it doesnt look like the track stops right on the edge of the baseboard.

Thats my opinion anyway, feel free to ignore it (like you did about my 2mm finescale comment! )

Missy

I would agree with Missy that 'less is more'. The plan as it stands is far too complicated, and I don't think it is going to capture Padstow (well, acording to the trackplan in the links in your previous post). I'll now just toss out some random thoughts (its late Friday night here so theres a few beers behind this).

If I was designing a track plan for this, I would locate the station bulding in the center (or maginally offset) and include the wharf trackage as well. It helps set the scene.

I would have a hard think about how you are going to operate this (and not just at exhibitions). How are you going to shunt the sidings without a decent length backshunt? You say that you would like to take it to some local shows. Your plan here might work for an exhibition, but it also has to work for the other 360 days of the year when its not at an exhibition.

With your space avaliable, Is it possible to use the back wall of the garage for the fiddle yard (putting the layout into an L shape)? If its behind the layout it is not going to be easily accessable for operation. If you could run the main line across the bridge

For my current layout Paekakariki (NZ prototype) I made a 3D scale model (ah la Barry Norman) to see if it would work visually. I'm not convinced that your current plan will 'work'

The layout is N gauge (TT scale) and 12' long not counting the staging yards. Even having built this, There are still things I would want to change now, but can't for a variety of reasons (mostly space and baseboard geometry).

Cheers,

Rhys.

(Sorry this is a bit blunt, its just how us Kiwi's are made)

Missy, Rhys, Thank you for your feedback, it is always read with genuine interest. What follows, then, is my reasoning for having come to the conclusions / design I have, for it is through debate that I learn and my thinking is converted. No need to apologise for being blunt Rhys (I'm off to Lords to watch Eng vs NZ in the cricket in a few weeks time so I'm hoping we'll get our own back then!)

Anyhow, to address your points:

Firstly, who's saying I'm ignoring 2mm fine scale? ;-) I'd like to know more, however as I said in my previous post, my time to spend on the layout is limited, so I need to achieve maximum progress for my time. That's not to say rushing anything, or only using ready-to-plant buildings etc, I fully e intend Tom build a model railway, not a train set, but is there enough difference between 2mmFS & Peco code 55 to warrant building my own track & changing wheelsets, etc? I await your opinion / experience here.

With regards to the comments over space etc, I'm fascinated by your comments. If I can work out how to attach to this post I will, otherwise I'll do another blog entry, but I have a Padstow Harbour Council drawing of the station and you will see just how close to the prototype that track layout is. As Mr RedgateModels will know / see when he visits for the 'Obby 'Oss festival, there is a cliff that runs the whole length across other back behind the station and yard area, leaving a very finite space between it and the sea / harbour. This is one of the reasons (childhood holidays notwithstanding) that attracted me to model the station, as it can be modelled relatively accurately because its depth is constrained.

I could, if need be, lose the middle of the 5 sidings without losing too much authenticity, although I think that that was where the spare coaching stock for the ACE was held between return trips if the station needed to be cleared for a local train. There is in fact a good length headshunt that runs across the girder bridge that is a good 2' long, double that if you measure from the start of the sidings themselves. Ideally it'd be longer though, I agree.

Sadly the space available in my garage is rather fixed Rhys (various doors & a lathe that I don't fancy moving!) so no chance for a separate fiddle yard. I could of course reduce the size of the one round the back, but really the design process was fit the station on, and fit the fiddle yard round the back. An alternative could be to use a spiral and have it below instead.

With regards to running at home, I can work on the layout fully assembled in my garage, but as you point out I'd not have access to the fiddle yard. I could do a limited running session in there, but would obviously have to remember what was where. With careful negotiations with the household authorities I could get temporary running rights in the dining room, that would allow all-round access. The two boards would probably be 4' & 5' long, due to where the point work has ended up.

Thank you though, both, for the reassurance that if anything I have gone too far the other way, and I'm unlikely to have trouble with too much space!

Chuffs away!

Cap'n Biggles

P.S I can't upload the pic from my iPad, so will make another blog entry instead. Give me 5...