I had missed the original thread on previous RMweb. I like the minimalist approach here - lots of room for scenic development. Any ideas /plans on the buildings - the original thread got bogged down in EM/P4 debate & I can't see much reference tothe actual design....

Hi Rich

The buildings will be based upon Nanstallon station on the Bodmin - Wadebridge line down in Cornwall. So, LSWR cottage, stone based signal box, concrete platform and SR concrete or WR pagoda waiting room. Plus some small wooden / corrugated iron huts. No plans drawn up yet of the buildings as I'm currently building a pub, bridge and works for a friend's layout.

I do however have all the bits needed to build the boards - just time required now.....

- just time required now.....

I know that feeling...

I must admit the Bodmin & Wadebridge is firing my imagination at the mo' - but I'm being individual / weird and NOT thinking of a Beattie tank! I'm thinking of Boscarne-ish in the 1980s imagining the Wenford line had stayed open. Have you seen this site - working on a Boscarne Junction style layout in P4? Grogley junction

The actual trackplan and board-shape here are very similar to the Deadwater plan in Ian Futer's book Modelling Scotlands Railways, which is of course what I based my layout on:

- With the benefit of hindsight, having the 'viewing side' on the outside of the curve seems like a nice idea at first, but from the middle of the layout you can see straight in to both fiddleyards (regardless of what you use as scenic blockers at either end!). If I was doing something like this again I'd be inclined to have the viewing side on the inside of the curve, so the curve works for rather than against you- if you see what I mean?

-It also means the 'through' line gets a more awkward alignment and tighter radius, than the siding?

Other than that it looks like a very interesting project and of the sort I am very fond of, whatever the prototype!

Thanks Russ for the observations - was thinking about the 'seeing into the fiddle' issue myself a few weeks back and trying to work out if it bothered me enough to swap the mainline curve from convex to concave. I think I'll draw up another version in a while to see how it looks. From memory part of the reason for drawing it convex was to angle the lines going into the fiddle away from the viewing side and give a bit extra offset for the 4' turntables i was considering using.

Thanks Russ for the observations - was thinking about the 'seeing into the fiddle' issue myself a few weeks back and trying to work out if it bothered me enough to swap the mainline curve from convex to concave. I think I'll draw up another version in a while to see how it looks. From memory part of the reason for drawing it convex was to angle the lines going into the fiddle away from the viewing side and give a bit extra offset for the 4' turntables i was considering using.

Yeah its a bit of a conundrum isnt it, we think curves look good, but doing it one way or the other is a compromise to either viewing or operating. Looking closely at Chris Nevard's 'Catcott Burtle' I often wonder if we aren't missing something? - on big layouts yes flowing curves look good, but on something of this size I often wonder if anyones going to complain about a 'scale' 5 ft of track being straight?

4' turntables sound way too big for this type of layout - if you send a four foot train into a five foot layout I'm sure they wont suit the layout? - I 'budgeted' for 3 foot trains, into 6 ft of visual length, and in the end realised that my trains looked better at 2'6 - that represents a type 1 or 2 diesel and about 5-7 wagons - you will get more than that behind the steam loco's you mention?

Yeah its a bit of a conundrum isnt it, we think curves look good, but doing it one way or the other is a compromise to either viewing or operating. Looking closely at Chris Nevard's 'Catcott Burtle' I often wonder if we aren't missing something? - on big layouts yes flowing curves look good, but on something of this size I often wonder if anyones going to complain about a 'scale' 5 ft of track being straight?

 

4' turntables sound way too big for this type of layout - if you send a four foot train into a five foot layout I'm sure they wont suit the layout? - I 'budgeted' for 3 foot trains, into 6 ft of visual length, and in the end realised that my trains looked better at 2'6 - that represents a type 1 or 2 diesel and about 5-7 wagons - you will get more than that behind the steam loco's you mention?

Ooops - I did actually mean to type 3' not 4'. The types of train this would hold include:

Loco (Ivatt Tank / O2 / and SR 2 coach P Set

Loco (45XX) and WR B Set

Single unit (Class 121 / 122)

Rail bus

Beattie Well Tank and clays

N Class and mixed freight

Loco (57XX or Class 22) and mixed freight

etc

All these fit nicely within the 3' turntable length. The best bit is that i can probably run about 20 years worth of locos / stock on the layout ranging from the O2 to the Class 22.

Good to see you on here Mr Ross. Will 50021 and 50046 be joining you?

You can help only after we've finished your layout, built John's and invested in some sandpaper!