Ben C

Thanks for the replies. I'll carry on as I am for now then. The bus wires will indeed follow the track layout so should be able to keep droppers to 6-8" or so. There shouldn't be more than one loco per track section at any time either. Cheers, Ben

Hi, I've recently been laying track and wiring on my OO gauge 8x8' roundy roundy. I've been soldering droppers to each length of track and each point using the Gaugemaster 7/0.2 wire I picked up from my local shop a while back after being told it was the right stuff for the job. Been doing some searching tonight with a view to ordering my bus wire and have seen lots of places mention 16/0.2 as a recommended minimum for droppers. Have I gone too small and is it worth replacing before I do the whole lot. Have only done about half of my mainline loops so far. Would be a pain to replace but not impossible. Cheers, Ben

Well, bullet has been bitten. I now have my first bit of O gauge on the way. Have ordered a couple of Peco buffers as well. Unfortunately they only had track in 12 yard packs and I only need a few for now so will order that elsewhere. Just need to build a shelf to put it on now!

Thanks. In which case a few lengths of track and something like a Heathcote simple shuttle would get something moving for minimal outlay. In the not too distant future I'll be buying a Digikiejs DR5000 for my oo gauge main layout with a view to automating parts of it eventually. That'll leave the Sprog 3 I'm using currently spare, at which point I can use the O gauge plank to start practicing with simple automation before i try doing it on a twin track mainline with storage yard!

Just having another thought, does anybody know if a Hornby HM2000 controller would be able to cope with this loco and a few wagons at low speed, as I have one spare.

Good to hear. Though not doing anything to put me off taking the plunge! Very true, 2nd hand may be an option. Though I think at £175 second hand prices aren't likely to be much lower, if at all, and it's always nice to have shiny new things!

Evening all, I was wandering what peoples opinions are of the Heljan 05? Are they reliable slow speed runners? I am currently laying track on my 8x8 oo gauge roundy roundy. I've been thinking quite a lot recently that in a year or so when the oo gauge layout is getting towards complete I would build another shelf above it for a small O gauge layout as I'm being drawn to the physical size of O more and more. My dilemma is that the Heljan 05 is currently reduced to £175! For that price I'm tempted to pick one up now and a couple of lengths of track. Even if I just set it up as a simple shuttle so it can trundle back and forth while I work on the oo gauge main layout. It does seem a bit of a bargain. Does anybody have any experience of them, good or bad? Cheers, Ben

Thanks, will look at those in the morning and put my order in.

Does anybody know where to buy/ pre order one of the R3810 sets? I've looked at all of the usual suspects and they're coming up as sold out on pre order and only giving the option to request a stock notification email. Cheers.

For the area I'm (very loosely) aiming for there were apparently B1s in use so will have to look at adding one of those, but it seems mostly K1s and V2s. I've already got the Hornby K1. Bachmann are due to release a V2 sometime soon so I think that will be on the list as well.

Many thanks again for all the input. With every reply it's becoming apparent how little I know. The layout, as mentioned, is going to be loosely based on early 60s north eastern. In an ideal world it would be based on Alnmouth on the ECML with its branch to Alnwick. In 8x8' though the best I can manage is an extremely simplified layout with just a bit of a flavour of it. So a it's a twin track mainline with branchline and a fairly minimal yard. The blood and custards I mentioned haven't been bought yet. I'd just quite like to use some as they look good to me and was just wondering if it would be within the realms of possibility to see them on the branch service. For the Deltic coaches I'll go with a formation like you've mentioned in mk1 maroons. Seems like it makes sense. Definitely a bit of rule 1 involved! Though at the minute it's just a preorder so may see if I can change it. Accurascale are also doing 'The green Howards' which is apparently as delivered in '61 so may be more suitable.

I've already got an A3 which will be on mainline passenger duties with the Deltic, also a K1 for freight. Theres then a 3MT and 4MT for local services. Will most likely have the 4MT on local goods and the 3MT with 3 or 4 blood and custard coaches. I gather by the early 60s there wouldn't have been many of these around but I'm willing to be a bit loose with the era because I like the look of them!

Thanks all for your help. I think to keep it simple I'll stick with the maroon mk1's. Given that I'm looking at early 60s would they likely have been open or corridor coaches? If I go with this sort of formation I assume the brake at each end is to allow for running around at the end of the line? Would I be right in remembering reading somewhere that a short train would sometimes have the brake in the middle, or am I imagining that?

Afternoon, Hopefully this is the right part of the forum. I currently have an Accurascale class 55 'Royal Highland Fusiliers' on order which I'm looking forward to receiving. I'm going to need some suitable coaches though. My layout is only an 8x8 under construction so limited to about 5 coaches, possibly 6 at a real push. What would be a reasonable combination given the limited numbers? My layout is roughly North Eastern based somewhere in the early 60s transition period, though not set in stone. I'm guessing I need to be looking at Maroon Mk1s? Lastly which manufacturers oo gauge coaches are best. I'm sure I'd read somewhere that the Bachmann mk1s are nicer, but on Hattons and Rails they only have a limited selection of coach types. Any pointers much appreciated! Ben

TonyMay, they're just storage roads rather than fiddle yard so shouldn't need to be in there. At worst the front sidings will be used for some of the shorter branch line trains but with 200mm height difference as mentioned and only using the front siding it shouldnt be a problem. Zombiod, good point on the running wrong line. Need to perhaps see if I can squeeze in a crossover nearer where the branch joins. Didn't mention in my last post but the idea is that the line to the inside of the station would be both the goods loop and a 3rd platform face. My thinking being that the branch trains could run down to there keeping the main lines clear, then either run around and back up the branch, or do some loops and then into the storage sidings.

After a bit of a break for a couple of months I'm getting back to the layout planning! Had to take some time to finish off decorating the nursery for the imminent arrival and sprog number 2 is now 4 weeks old. Time to crack on! I've had a bit of a play with one of my earlier plans and come up with the following. I've taken the decision to get rid of the lifting section and have a fixed duck under. I know a lot of people would disagree with this but I'm still young and mobile (unless I put my back out one day doing the layout limbo). The advantage of doing this is that I can start the branch line much earlier, I currently have it leaving the main lines at the top left. This now gives a much more palatable 1 in 40 to give me about 200mm height difference between the storage roads and the branch station above. I've also added a couple of extra sidings to the storage roads. If anyone has any thoughts please let me know.

Harlequin, a pdf would be great. You're right about the twice around idea. Too much complexity/ not enough space. Getting towards the ppint of finishing off my boards and starting to throw some track down! I'll be using code 100 streamline. Are they medium points shown on your plan?

Harlequin, thanks thats looking really interesting. Still a bit of a stretch to the top right but I can always cut off the back foot or so with the back scene. If I was being really picky I'd like a 3rd siding to make an inglenook and a road or 2 for engine storage/ a shed. Though I appreciate in the space I have I can't have it all. I'm just wondering if going twice around as suggested previously would be possible in order to gain a good length branch and also over 200mm in height without crazy inclines. Would make access to the storage roads much easier. Did you do that plan in Anyrail? If so is there any chance you could send it to me. Would save a lot of time rather than me attempting to replicate that!

Thanks for that Harlequin. I really like that. If I brought the storage roads forward a few inches I could potentially combine with Zomboids idea of going twice around to really get some height gain for the upper terminus. Means I could have slightly more complex storage as I would have good access. Also gives a really long branch line run so the trains not arriving seconds after it leaves the lower station as would have happened originally. Will have a play later and see what fits. My only concern is it's a long reach in to the top right corner!

Well, here's this evenings update. I feel that I've improved a couple of things, branch road now has better access in both directions and I've got a small inglenook yard with a headshunt, but i've lost the flowing main curve of earlier efforts. Try again tomorrow I think...

Sounds good. If I get time tonight I'll make that change so the branch platform becomes a loop with access/ exit in both directions. Will lose the goods loop on the inside and have station building there. Then try to move the goods loop towards the top of the plan. Will see what I can come up with.

Ah OK, understood. The idea of having a much longer drag up to the high level terminus is definitely something for me to consider. Ideally I'd like to have a platform for the branch at the main station so will see if I can make it work. If not though I'll definitely go with your idea to gain some extra height/ ease the incline. Another thought is to bring the storage roads forward a little so the branch could rUn round the outside of them, rather than crossing over on the top edge.

Thanks for the input Harlequin. It would certainly give a better gradient or better branch terminus height. Only bit I'm a bit lost on though, would the idea be to just not have a platform at the main station, or have it at a slightly different height on the incline?

Didn't have much time this evening but have had a quick tweak. There's now a goods loop in front of the platforms to be used as the head shunt and also means the down platform road can be used to run around to propel trucks into the sidings. Sidings are short but about right (ish) for an inglenook. Still doen't look quite right though and theres no loco facilities at present. If anyone could make any suggestions it would be appreciated. Might have a go at alternative tomorrow with the branch on the inside running round in front of the storage sidings then goods and loco facilities on the outside of the main loop on the right.

Had a bit of a play this evening. Starting to look a bit better buta bit disappointed with only managing to get quite small goods sidings once the head shunt's in. Would also mean backing out of the head shunt on to the main line or doing a bit of engine swapping, but I've got nowhere to put spare engines. Maybe bring a goods loop round the inside of the platforms to act as headshunt and run around?