kirkheath

Been slow to catch up on this. But loving the revised plan. Looks very smooth to operate now

I think the station and goods yard laout works well and is nice. I think for the design for going into the mill though, what purpose do the two spurs (excluding the mill siding) serve? Is one of them for coal store?

Ah ok I see, that confuses matters so disregard that then haha. I will use that scenario on my layout though, as I like the idea of the two engines interacting.

Looks like you're getting there and ironing out some issues. I too am trying a similar layout with a station and an industrial "private" business in the background. As I was trying the design phase, I was informed that mainline, and the privately owned locos can't operate on each others' networks. Particularly the heavier mainline engines on the industrial tracks which may have a much lighter loading gauge, and so this lead to a need of exchange sidings being introduced. I am not sure how common this was across the other regions of the network but certainly applies to my design. Which also opens the door to being able to handle passenger workings, general freight, a freight dedicated to the private industry with the need to shunt it into the sidings. And, an industrial engine that handles the in and outbound goods where the mainline engines can pick and drop them off. On a slight tangent, but seems to work very well looking at your layout design, but to me. The perfect branch terminus of all time for Aesthetics and operational scopes is Ashburton in South Devon, just so much you can do there. Not sure, how much you may be able to transcribe and incorporate into your ideas, but may help trying to a replicate a prototypical location.

Following this with big interest layout design looks great too. Hours of fun!!

Looking excellent. Love what you’ve done with fencing and crane. Good details!

Ok I think I have something that works, pottery factory with separate sidings and loop so shunter doesn't get stuck. Exchange sidings for things in and out of the pottery site. Goods yard for general goods traffic with road access. Not fully sure on pottery layout and what could go where, but I think it's workable! Albeit I was thinking that the loop maybe where the finished goods are loaded onto the shocvans, then the other two spurs can either have raw materials with industrial loco shed or separated, but it flows operationally well in my head.

Yeah indeed Stoke-on-Trent was littered with collieries, so was thinking that’d be catered for already, but because of the kilns only the pottery factory would need open coke wagons due to the amount. And exactly my thoughts on the livestock, so most local goods not serving the factory would be short and only a handful of varied items. I had originally considered adding a CCT to the urban passenger train if it can navigate a 1R curve. Fresh fish may also be worked into he scene

Yeah that’s true I’ll have to look again. I did consider the bay to handle goods with a fence halfway across the platform to segregate the goods and passenger traffic. I thought general goods serving the suburb would mostly be fresh perishable goods like fruit and veg, little amount of livestock and parcels mainly.

Ah, I was thinking that the bay platform was sufficient for that. Or is it more the case the ground space for road vehicles?

Thank you for that! Yes I had read what they added and was trying to think best way to incorporate it. I think a simplistic approach as you sketched, is probably the best method. Maybe two roads for exchange sidings, one for the wagons coming in, and one for the loaded vans with the finished goods. That works well for the works at the back too. Now it just begs the question how do I layout the factory, do I separate the kilns and finished goods at another end, or try lump them all together in one area

Or maybe the idea of a single road with a loop to act as a reversing siding. Have 2 or 3 curved sidings on the left. And have the branch to pottery factory back right maybe?

Progress so far, not sure if this is any better, that single spur going to the left would be the branch to the factory. Maybe trying to cram a lot into the small space there, perhaps I will try another version where the sidings are to the left of the station. Not sure if I need all those sidings and that loop. If I did it the way was suggested having an “exchange siding” and LMS engine doing the shunting into the sidings then industrial takes wagons to and from pottery site. I may may be able to do it so goods is routed to platform, engine runs around dumps brakevan into the headshunt of passenger loop. Then it’s a case of the engine couples to freight again, moves back and propels wagons into a siding or two if they need to be split. Picks up shocvans and pulls them back move forward and recouple brakevan, passenger train arrives. Goods is then clear to leave. Then industrial can take wagons. There could be a point whereas, the LMS engine backs to the spur by platform ramp. Then industrial can bring loaded vans into sidings and take away the wagons. Just trying get the right design to handle the drop off haha.

Indeed it is Sir! Some assistance maybe required for sure. Cheers,

I’m in Audley (by Alsager) but do commute to cheddleton as a volunteer there