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I use two Peco Locolifts put together with stripwood/foamboard rather than the floppy foam supplied as a way of manipulating my fiddle yard - so a 2 coach train or DMU fits and can be lifted/turned. An expensive approach which lets me have an intensive timetable. Two lists plus a single loco on a Locolift gives me a 4 coach train. If as "idd" suggests you could include something like that with your traverser you could get a lot of trains in/out too?

But DO REMEMBER that height can increase reach problems. Deep boards against a wall will need duck under access to the back as well!

You need to decide how you want to use your platforms and what traffic you would like to represent. As an ex-GPO man I am a bit of a nerd about Mail and Parcels trains - you might not be, and I was a regular Motorail user. Motorail doesn't need platforms (just end loading as I remember it anyway), but they do need straight drive though - so the sidings must be straight for the length of the car carriers. I have seen photos of side loading but IIRC the Scottish (Perth, Inverness) were always drive on. In the early days BR staff drove them on, but gradually (with better stock) the customer drove their own car on. Parcels do need platforms, especially at a sorting centre like Perth. Trains from Aberdeen and beyond were on one set of platforms, Inverness and beyond on another. It was a busy station, there wasn't time to leave Parcels trains (as opposed to the odd van in a stopping train) on a platform for any length of time. Much of the traffic was pre sorted into vans for example Edinburgh (stations to London), Fife and Glasow (West Coast, Wales, SE). Trains were broken up and reformed for these destinations. Even post BRUTE era (where it was easy to move pre sorted cages) trains were still reformed. I am not sure what else you might use sidings for? Obviously invent an industry, but in a station?

That looks good. It does presuppose that all Motorail and Parcels services use P5/6 for assembly/disassembly, since the headshunt is inaccssessible from P1-4 without a dosy-do through P5/6; and hence that (off scene?) to the left there would be a run-round crossover to match the one at the RH end of P5/6 . As has been said the flying (you should have seen it!) 08 would do the shunting of the NPCCS around, you still need the loco off the front of the incoming trains from the left to P6. Personally I'd have the Motorail at P9/10 and at a slight angle to the rest - out of the way and easier to get the public to bring their cars in/out. Motorail (as I think you know) consisted of 2 parts only brought together before departure - the 2nd class sleepers with some ordinary stock/brakes and the motorail car c arrying stock (which ranged from CCTs to special MK1 GUVs depending on the era). My family used them regularly and I don't ever remember open stock of any kind for the cars. So shunting motorail was a case of pulling off the car carriersamd sticking them where they could be unloaded and (after a dozing pause for the passengers) moving the stock to sidings for cleaning etc. They tended to be long trains so no bay would be big enough. I don't remember sleepers being shunted into a bay, but that is a way to keep the through lines clear, and allow time for passengers to leave - usually about half an hour IIRC. Given that this whole design is a mash up rather than attempt to model Perth, I think it's very good and will allow a lot of interesting movements. Wish I had space for something similar!

Exactly! The idea is 4 electrically separate bits of layout, so if you have (say) a shorting problem you can switch them OFF in turn to find which it affected. Therefore your 4 sections are wired through an on/off switch which is NORMALLY on - so all parts of the layout have a feed. The whole idea of DCC is to have all the layout live - so for example a sound chipped loco will continue idling in the backgroud whilst you run other locos. You only need the switches for fault finding. You would be well advised to be checking your sections for continmuity AS YOU WIRE them.

You are rushing at things, and you need to slow down and make sure you understand what you are doing, otherwise you will waste time/money/energy. Are you happy now with how this wires up?

So if the first is true (and I have read and understood it - it's what I said above), then Halsey had better explain what he doesn't understand less the last piece of his post applies!

You are confused! I cannot understand what is going on at all. You say you are using insulfrog points - so the need for insulated joiners on the frogs has gone. I note you are talking about "4 sections" and somebody somewhere above said that sections was a good idea for fault finding. BUT if you want sections you must have separate bus wires (4?) so that you can switch out sections to see which is at fault - shorted mainly. The sections lead back to switches which split the output from you DCC source. Many people do this (me included) and there are automatic ways of sensing a short and cutting the section feed. Nobody seems to have told you about that though? Leaving a short for a long time can easily damage your DCC power equipmwnt. It has a cut-off but it shouldn't be left in that state.

Thank you, I have only just seen your information. The WTT implies continuing Perth-Aberdeen, does that sound right? Any ideas on "The Fifer" and "The Kitty"?

IMHO a flagman would be absolutely fine, and quite routine for the period. If you start putting lights in (apart from operational problems) the question might the arise - why no gates across the road (I.e. isn't it a standard level crossing?). I am presuming a kind of 3 or 4 times an hour frequency - since I think some shuntimng moves will need to come across the road? This doesn't seem to be calling for anything too complicated. A colliery policeman with a flag would be fine. He could walk across from "goods inwards" with a flag as needed.

You'd certainly need something - the road traffic would need protection from the railway. This might be (I am not sure) a private NCB road, but even so there are possibilities for accidents so some form of control - most ususally flagmen to stop the traffic and wave the train across - would be essential. More problems if it's a public road?

Yeah that's the feller! You may think of having 2 if you intend to have controlled points and signals - an Accessory Bus. There are umpteen ways of connecting to the bus - from soldering (not something I like doing under the baseboard!) to using Molex connectors (easier when adding wiring later - they clip round the wire and save cutting into the bus) to the old fashioned but very reliable terminal strips. To save the "rats nest" which often arises you need to do 2 things - make (say) 2" holes in your baseboard supports so you can thread the wire through and PLAN where points etc. are going to be so you can put the bus breaks. If you have baseboard joins there is a special kind of terminal strip which is a plug and socket, a cheap and easy way of connections (and you should only need 4 pins - 2 for each bus). I have 3 line busses and 1 accessory bus, and I have short circuit trips in the 3 line busses so that a problem in (say) a fiddle yard does not prevent the main line from running etc. It is easy, just the same thing repeated a thousand times - I have half an Australian mountain's work of copper under my "only two wires needed" DCC layout!

You use those little things called fishplates and they will hold the joints tight - some are metal (conducting) and some plastic (insulating) - you will need to gradully learn why you might need the second kind. Frankly you shouldn't need to solder joints or take out sleepers - though there is sometimes a need when joining Streamline points to normal track or odd special configurations. There you just cut off the odd sleeper, and slide it underneath again when the track is fixed down (trimmed sometimes). If you were thinking of electrical supplies, it is better to provide a feed to just about every piece of track so you are NOT relying on fishplates to provide continuity. You can buy fishplates with "dropper wires" soldered on and you just need to join those to a main feed running from your controller (if DCC) you might need some isolating switches if you use DC.

You asked for opinions and you are getting them. I don't particularly agree with that statement - by all means use code 75, absolutely no reason not to. BUT much of the quality of running achieved is absolutely nothing to do with the track or the type of pointwork but more how well it is laid. You can buy track guages in order to bend flexi-track, but for a first layout maybe using Settrack curves and straights - even with Streamline points - MIGHT help you with what can be a difficult art form. I know people who can lay and ballast code 100 track so it looks superb - but it took years of practice to get there. Maybe you want a forward plan that works before your daughter's 18th birthday? I too use NCE PowerCab (much expanded now after years of use) but it's getting a bit dated, and there doesn't seem to be any development program - you may find something better (more modern/more facilities) if you look in/ask in the DCC forums. What ever you choose to do - very good luck and keep us informed.

1. Look at Woodland Scenics incline sets 2. In 00 there are various sizes (weights) of rail available. As a starter I'd stick with code 100. Peco Settrack matches with the better Streamline - better only because the range includes larger points and (e.g.) slips. 3. If you don't have stock (or not much) go DCC. It doesn't really simplify the wiring that much BUT it gives far greater control facilities (for the adults anyway!)

I'm told it's not what it used to be - but then I think this layout is proving an excellent exception. Love the terraces and the the beautiful mine buildings. Not really my area - I was Morrison Busty and Charlie. Watching NCB locos at Oxhill Crossing. Them woz the days. By the bye - weyars them cables hinnee?

Simple questions (perhaps hard answers). Why build this - yes its roundy roundy, but 1 roundy interferes with the other - to what purpose? There are no facilities - stations, goods sheds, loco sheds etc. etc - do you not want them? This might do for Scalextric but is it a railway? If you have restricted space - the traditional way would be a double cucuit with a crossover or two and a station/ goods yard in the middle. I'll get shouted at again - but go and buy a Peco layout plan book or something similar to look at. Plenty of people on here will help if you give your maximum sizes, whether the layout is accessible all round, whether you want a station etc.

Good idea, and OhOh had already suggested that, but I heard a little resistance from the OP. I think you are right and something smaller to cut the teeth on would be better.

Ah! But what were they? I wouldn't have built what you built - but Rule 1 applies - it's yours do it your way. So if you want a critique, you need to tell us what you think you got wrong. Was it the design, the emphasis on goods over passenger, too much rail/not enough. Or was it I wouldn't have used those points, the buildings could have been better (not in my opinion but it may be yours, say). We need to know to help ........

How about N Gauge to rival Pendon? Seriously - I have seen layouts which run the non-scenic bit across the back of the workbench - for example, others that have put the whole lot on top of second hand/old kitchen cabinets. Like all these things its what you want or have available. Obviously if you have a pillar drill on your workbench that idea might not work! I think most of us would kill for 16' by 10' or so - it's garage size. The PROBLEM with that is over complication which results in taking too long to get anything running and hence losing interest. I had a friend like that. What we did was rework his design so he could build a station and fiddle yard with a circular track for some fun, and move on to fill in an extra station and so on in time. Even then it never got "finished" and I had the sad job of scrapping it when he passed to the great layout in the sky. MOST big layouts I know of are either created and run by clubs or by groups of friends - amny hands etc.. If you do have the time and resources to "go big" then think modular, "how can I incrementally build this" so you can maintain enthusiasm and get some FUN out of it. No fun = give up.

The most popular are: O gauge 7mm foot scale. BIG but lovely. You wouldn't get much in 8' by 2'! 00 gauge 4mm foot scale. The most used(?) and better supplied "ready to run" scale and the one I think we were all talking about. N gauge 2mm foot scale. A popular but not as well supplied (maybe a matter of opinion that?) scale. You could get a roundy roundy layout in 8' by 2' (just!). I am of an age where just seeing and handling such small things is difficult. They are not particularly fragile just small. I am scrabbling for a photo I have somewhere which compares the three. Simply put your average Bo-Bo diesel is (very roughly) in 00 6.5" long 1.75" wide and 2" high. Double that for O and halve it for N (again roughly speaking). In 00 a train of a nain line loco and 4 carriages is something like 4'6" long. HTH

I have just seen in another thread under this topic "A snippet of Victorian London" a link as follows http://www.carendt.com/small-layout-scrapbook/page-103-november-2010/ If you go there and then to the bottom of that page under a title "WANT TO FEATURE HIGH-SPEED LOCOS AND GLITZY EXPRESSES?" you will see a beautiful "bitsa" idea (as in bitsa station - ho, ho). As you can see there is a surprising amount of operational potential. How you organise the right hand side - the feeder siding(s) or fiddle yard - is not explained. There are plenty of ways to do it though.

I would agree with that. I use DCC control throughout and their (partially) ready assembled singnals are provided with a DCC chip. Work faultlessly - but perhaps not the most beautiful representations or appropriate for all regions. HOWEVER if you are on a budget they are good for most purposes. Their GPLS are also good. I have some CR Signals GPLS which are also good - but you have to provide the DCC control separately. Mind you, if you have the money, and the patience to wait for the delivery lead times - go to Absolute Aspects, their stuff is amazing. And add the cost of DCC control. I have not used CR Signals standard colour light signals myself - but friends have used them and are very satified with them. They don't do Route Indicators, but will tailor "feathers" and PLS to your requirements.

Tha's going ter need a lot of holes in that flat roof for ropes and thingy's?

Another very good idea. Those videos may well get you started on something smaller than 8' which you can "cut your teeth on". As was being demonstrtaed, one building can easily be moved to another layout etc. The basic ideas are all there, and the idea of having just a small platform for passengers - because "they came along later". For my first layout I used 10mm black A1 size foamboard (it comes in lots of sizes and thicknesses) which I braced underneath with other foamboard cross members. It's very light and easy to use on the dining table and to stand in the corner when you need the room. You do need to be careful not to put too much pressure on it because you can push through it. 6' by 18" gave quite a good layout. The funny thing in the bottom right corner is a "cassette" I made to load up with stock and put on/take off the layout (different idea to a "fiddle yard" and smaller). The second photo shows the dockside I built under construction. You CAN make fun layouts in little space! See https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/forum/151-boxfiles-micro-layouts-dioramas/ Have fun.....