Hello, my name is Sam and I’ve been interested in model railways, like most i'm sure, since i was 10 years old when i received my first train set (Hornby intercity 125) I've been helped and inspired by loads of stuff on here and on you tube so thought i would start my own blog to see if i can achieve the interest others before me have.

I started planning my layout last year around early summer time, my father in law retired and was thinking of something to 'fill his time' and i suggested a model railway, he took to the idea and within 3 months he had converted his garage and built a huge layout (17''x 14'') i was happy to help were i could and was quite jealous of what he had created which got me thinking were i could start my own.

thinking to use my own garage was a first thought however it was so full with 'stuff' (so much 'stuff') that i was daunted by the task of clearing it all out and at the time we was also planning a kitchen extension so the garage would also be needed to store the bulk of the kitchen units we was going to up-cycle.

this led me onto to find an alternative.... my loft, we live in a 1930's semi so the house is a decent size with good ceiling height, however, this results in the loft being rather cramped, the highest point being the apex in which i can just stand fully upright and i'm only 5'10'', the loft has the usual Xmas decorations and boxes of our sons baby clothes and toys and even the crib, however this was much easier to organize than the garage.

in spring time this year with the kitchen extension well under way i got to work tidying the loft and started the joyful task of insulating around the perimeter of the loft, due to the construction of the loft space there is large area of unusable space, so after stuffing with insulation and then stapling 'shiny bubble wrap to the internal side of the rafters and a few trips to BnQ i had managed to lay boards on the area i was planning to use as a 'work area' and also with some left over ply wood sheets left by our builder (which he kindly let me have) i managed to install the base boards.

in my haste to get something in the space i made a 9' x 5' oval with a operating hole in the middle, laid three rings and started getting dizzy by how fast an analogue class 90 went around and around . for my 4 year son this was brilliant to see just how fast it would go before derailing, like how i used to 'play scaletrix' when i was younger.

after a bit more thought and planning i removed the oval shape and managed to run 2 lines around the hole of the loft space using a piece of timber bracketed to the support beam and then having a horse shoe shape for the scenic area.
i have to this point managed to lay two main lines around the entire loft and the station branch line sidings and also a branch line which cuts across the left side of the scenic and rejoins the main line.

i have carried out test runs to ensure smooth running, this has been a long process as were the base boards meet the timber that runs around the loft there is an inch in height so building up the line to a smooth gradient has for some reason been a bit of a headache especially on the right hand side were the incline is on a 3rd and 2nd radius curve.

Track Plan; the below is a rough plan of the layout, the turn table with sidings will be used as a scenic area for older steam locos to represent a heritage railway.

walcot east track plan.docx

Era; modern anything 2000's onwards

i was originally going to do a late 70's early 80's however i do seem to see many layouts of this era and not so many in the current day, i also like all the different liveries of FGW, GWR, Freightliner, Colas Rail, GBRf, EWS etc...

Location; western

the main lines and lower branch sidings are loosely based on St Erth in Cornwall and i live in Wiltshire on the GW main line so somewhere in that area, but like the Ariva trains Wales liveries also so bit of an anywhere layout.

Control; DCC layout with 2x Hornby select controllers, one used as walkabout.

im not planning on having any sound locos so don't require many function options which the select only can manage 2 (lights on/ lights off), i have heard poor reviews on the select and Hornby controllers on a hole, i did play with the E-link system but it was just too problematic so reverted back to the select which is quite honestly very simple to use, so much so my 4 year has no problem using.
i also use Hornby 8 pin DCC decoders, again i have had no issues regarding running or control and even on the older stock which have been hard wired to the motor have had no problems with operation and using the select is very easy to programme

Track; Hornby code 100

i had a lot of Hornby track already so just bought more to keep the sleeper color consistent throughout, i do have 1x double slip which is peco code 100 simply because Hornby do not do complex points, all my point work is insulfrog which so far has been quite reliable, the only issues i have is the older larger steam locos (thomas and friends Gordon) but i think this is due to the lack of weight within the loco as i have a Hornby class 67 and a Bachmann class 66 which have no issues and even a lima class 110

Stock; unusual

i currently have many varying locos from the above mentioned lima class 110 in BR blue, made in Great Britain Hornby class 43 (old), Triang Hall Class 4-6-0 (very old, was my grandfathers, struggles over points (unsurprisingly)) Thomas, James, Percy, Gordon and Toby from the Hornby Thomas and friends range (all made in GB models). these have all been purchased from ebay as i didnt want to spend £100's on brand new locos when first starting out.
more recently i have acquired many modern era diesel locos including class 08, 66, 67, class 43 HST NMT, virgin pendolino and also as i come from Swindon i felt obliged to get class 9F 2-10-0 'Evening Star'.
as of yet my rolling stock is limited, i do have a rake of 7 mk2e coaches in BR blue and grey with lights which im planning to use as a heritage rake for evening star to pull, other than this i'm saving to get some wagons for the class 66 + 67, im planning on repainting my Hornby (made in GB) class 43 which is currently in intercity executive livery to the latest GWR livery and possibly buying a rake of ex virgin mk3's and repaint to match as i cant find any were who is planning this livery.
i am 'fortunate' to be able to visit the Hornby Hobbies store in the Swindon Outlet Village which do brilliant deals on current and previous stock, all of which is Hornby but 4 for 3 on 8 coaches/ wagons/ decoders/ points and also scaledale.

Anyway, i hope i haven't rambled to much and this has intrigued you into following this blog.
im completely new at this and hopefully will improve with time.

im hoping to upload some photos of progress so far very soon.

Thanks
Sam