I did a huge amount of research on the track layout using photographs in order to get the track layout ‘right’ within my confines. As part of that I realised that the current Penzance layout has been much simplified and that prior to about 1980 there was a crossover from platform 1 to a head shunt which incorporated single slips on platform 2 and 3 and a double slip on platform 4. At this time I was getting also getting fed up with having to set everything up every time I wanted to run some trains and realised that I could move the whole layout into the roof space of the garage. Doing that also allowed me to add about a metre of space in the middle of the platforms so that I could accommodate a 12 coach train. So up it went. It took me ages of playing about to get the crossover track at the station throat correct without compromising the gentle curve away of the tracks to the mainline. Here’s a photo of the final trackplan at the station throat. It looks like D1022 arriving with a Paddington train, probably the 07.30 SO with 4TSOs and a GUV at the back. I used as underlay some sort of foam flooring underlay that came in sheets and has been ideal for the job and eventually I’ll cut it back to the track profile.

Putting this photo’s up encourages me to get on with ballasting which I still haven't gotten around to.