DanMacK77

I love Awdry based layouts and will be following this one with interest!

This definitely has possibilities. The switchback could serve as an engine servicing facility or somesuch. If it's to be an industry, alot of interesting switching could be done as the loco would be in the middle. Are you using all Peco track?

I love the Turntable. Really effective use of space

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2819449 is a North American example. There isn't much in the UK that resembles it. But since I know that there was some Alco switchers that were exported,adding a set of buffers on to a Lima Plymouth isnt a huge stretch.

Excellent suggestions. The plan is a little bit misleading because it uses PECO turnouts and I bashed some Atlas wants together to give me a little bit more room. It will take a locomotive and at least two possibly three vans. Plus technically that's the main line to my fiddle yard so it is extendable if need be. I do intend to add an exchange siding bought an extension and I'll probably put the engine shed their. The biggest problem with putting a turnout on the curve is it's a seven and a half inch radius so it's either a hand lay or a somewhat unreliable matching turn out for the track LOL. I will hopefully post some more information later in the week EDIT: the headshunt without the Fiddle stick is a couple mm shy of 8 inches. With a small loco and overhang, I can manage 2 wagons

It's basically a Plymouth MDT model with a slightly extended front platform. I haven't been able to find anything exactly like it but there are some similar locomotives out there. It is mostly a North American prototype but there's no saying that one couldn't have made its way across the pond.

Here's something completely different... Completely self contained (you didn't mention era or anything). Two storage tracks for a goods and passenger train if you wish. Possibly a Pannier/Autocoach combo. The headshunt will take an 0-4-0 and 2 wagons. Goods trains have to push out as there's no runaround... but the switching is facing point anyway. There could either be a couple of small industries and a goods shed/track or a slightly larger industry requiring 2 tracks. Is there space beyond the 800mm for a fiddle yard/stick or is 800mm the max length?

Actually... I can. I use the actual loop as a runaround loop at the "end of the line" to reverse the train and shunt the goods/cattle siding. The facing point (Dairy) siding is shunted on "the way back" as it were, so it's trailing point. Absolute worst case scenario, if something has to be run to the end of the line from there, I'll simply push it ahead of the loco . Ian, I will say as well, your blog is an inspiration, I've got it bookmarked. I've got a John Bull and a Norris and a love for early railways. There's a very real possibility of the 1840's making a visit to this layout, especially since I've recently discovered Newman Miniatures...

Long time lurker/member. I've long been a fan of small layouts and Carl Arendt's site. I've also loved the layouts posted here and elsewhere. Recently, the Budget Model Railways channel on youtube showed a small 00 gauge layout with 7.5in Radius curves. I had amongst my collection a loop of old Eldon 7.5"Radius brass track so I thought I'd see what I can do. I've modeled North American prototypes most of my life, but I also have an interest in the North Western Railway as a prototype (yes... Thomas) as well as British railways in general. Track is a mix of Atlas and Tyco/Roco turnouts and straights. The curves are Eldon. Track is also a mixture of steel and brass. I have a few small North American prototype 0-4-0's, along with a Playart 0-4-0T and a couple other small locos that can run on it. The name is still up in the air, but "SLTM" is for "Slightly larger than Micro", being designed to fit on a 20"X30" piece of 5mm foamcore. I only have North American stock at the moment, but due to the size, I'm definitely thinking UK prototype. The layout is a small roundy-round, but can be operated as a point-to-point. The map shows how I envision the line to actually look. The junction area may become another micro, but for now it's a 12in fiddle stick (yet to be built). I plan a scene divider down the middle as well. The side with the switchback being more built up with the side with the single siding more rural. I've operated it with my short NA stock as well as virtually on Trainplayer, and it's a good 45 minutes work running a mixed train from "one end to the other". I'm planning on doing this on a budget, so second hand stock and paper and card buildings will be the norm. It may also be "interchangable" with NA and UK buildings swapping, not sure at this point. More to come soon. Dan M