SteveJF

Hi Everyone, Thanks for all the feedback it will certainly help. In answer to the questions and observations: Dave, Signal arms back to front and colours reversed, oops! I can't believe did that. The distance in wagons between 13 and 16 should be 5 or 6 wagons which I was hoping would be representative of the maximum normal cut for a station like this. Re signals 9 and 10, I think your suggestion of 9 reading 'shunt to up main or good yard' and 10 reading 'set back onto down main', is better than my original idea so I'll go with that. I'm going to have to shoehorn this layout into a less than ideal space but I'm hoping I can fit 5 or 6 wagons in between signals 15 and 17, and when I put 17 and 3 there I was thinking of the fouling point for trains held at those signals. With signal 22 I was thinking I needed a signal to bring trains to a halt at the correct position to begin shunting. For the time period and company I was thinking of late thirties and an independent cross country route which was absorbed by the Southern at grouping. Not sure how feasible that Idea is but I wanted a background story which would allow as wide a variety of engines and rolling stock as possible, also a wide variety of signalling equipment as the pre grouping company was careful with its money and bought from whoever was offering the best deal at the time. Chris, For the time period and company I was thinking of late thirties and an independent cross country route which was absorbed by the Southern at grouping. Not sure how feasible that Idea is but I wanted a background story which would allow as wide a variety of engines and rolling stock as possible, also a wide variety of signalling equipment as the pre grouping company was careful with its money and bought from whoever was offering the best deal at the time. The numbering of levers around the cross over and slip was really a bit of a guess. I tried to work with the idea that levers associated with a particular move would be grouped as close as possible to save the signalman running backwards and forwards along the frame. Levers 4.5 and 19.20 are arranged this way because I thought for signalling through trains all the necessary levers would be together. However looking at it again maybe 20 would be more relevant to up trains and lever 5 to down trains. Bécasse, The plan was something I dreamt up and is coincidentally very similar to a number of stations on the DNS. When I noticed this I looked at the layout for places like Burghclere and Whitchurch but they seemed to be noticeably less complex than my plan leading me to think that maybe the diagrams I found didn't have everything in them. However from the comments it looks like mine has too much in it. Ian, If I'm honest, one of the reasons for signal 17 is that I really like the look of the old "S" type shunt ahead signals so I was trying hard to find a reason to include one, but also I was thinking that "up" trains would have to be held clear of the fouling point if the section ahead was occupied by an approaching down train so I put signal 3 in. Chris, Nick, I put lever 8 in as I've bought some Scalefour lever frame kits to use, so I would have to use a lever in one of them to control that point in order to avoid the "great hand from the sky" but now you mention it I think you're right that it shouldn't be number 8. Perhaps an un numbered one at one end of the frame? Thanks everyone for the responses, I can now make some improvements which should make things more believable. If I've made further errors in my answers please let me know, otherwise I'll post every now and again to show progress. Steve

Hi, I'm new to the forum, joined yesterday, and I'd really like some opinions on my signal plan. I've been planning to build a layout for more years than I can remember and over the years have amassed a collection of OO locos, coaches, wagons and various other items. However, I now have enough spare time and a bit of space to finally build a layout but I'm not sure how prototypical my plan is. I would appreciate any hints and tips. Thanks Steve