Andy137

I think it depends on whether you're modelling a truely prototypical location or you're looking to model something which gives a "taste" of Canadian railways. If you think about it most of the trains that pass through the Rockies are through workings not actually serving many industries in the mountains themselves so a prototypical layout will be basically a tail chaser without much operational scope. Most of the grain trains for example will orginate at locations hundreds of miles from the mountain zones. If you've got room perhaps split your layout into two distinctive areas ie the mountain region and a more industrialised area where you can have a yard/industries where your trains can be formed/switch & swap power? This link is to similar mountain range layout you may be considering

Hi, Wonder if you could all have a look and comment on the attached plan for my new HO Canadian layout. Its bascially a continuous run with on one side an interchange yard and engine servicing facility with on the other a dead end rural branch line with a grain silo, team track etc. Behind this the continuous run consists of 2 hidden sidings. I'm limited width wise as at each end there is access required to the room its housed in (lifting sections either end). Idea is to have a continuous run with some operating scope. Thanks in advance

The Class 56 hauled coal traffic was a Gillingham crew turn, we used to book on at 3.50 am and travel pass to Hither Green where we'd normally pick the train up recessed in Bramdean sidings. Route would then be via Tonbridge and up the Medway Valley to New Hythe. There was a marker to stop just past the level crossing and a white light would illuminate once the dummy was pulled off to set back into Brookgate, a propelling move with 36 HAA wagons and no radio comms in those days. Once inside the sidings the train was signalled by the internal lights I think about 5 or 6 wagons being unloaded in one movement then we'd be stopped I presume for the conveyer to be cleared before pulling forward again. Once unloaded we then worked the train to Strood where another Gillingham driver took it forward DOO to Hither Green where he was relieved. Train ran normally every Tues & Thursday.

Hi, just come across this topic and may be able to clarify the relative points raised as I was a secondman/trainman at Gillingham 1987-91 and we had all the freight work on the island. 1) Re the MOD traffic this was indeed the first Gulf War 1990/91 and Ridham Dock was the destination point with VEA wagons being used. 2) Re the signalling of Westminster straight there was a 5 lever ground frame in a hut adjacent to the siding signal, coming from Queenborough there would be a proceed aspect on EV82 then we'd stop short of the points for them to be operated and then hand signalled into the siding, there was no actual entry signal. There were when I started 2 booked freights a day to Sheerness Dockyard which also served Queenborough, these from late 87 were Class 47 hauled. Normal procedure was to drop off any required traffic at Queenborough on the inward working then proceed to Sheerness and reverse on the centre road into the reception sidings, once unhooked it would then either be light engine to the Westminster straight for the outward traffic or Queenborough if there was none. It was not common for us to go light engine straight from Queenborough to the Westminster straight itself. There was also a trip working between Ridham & Sheerness using a Class 33 until that was replaced for a while with the 350 shunter & brakevan. 3) As far as I can recall I've never heard of the 350 & brakevan entering the internal part of the dockyard to save time etc, this would have been highly unofficial and not something I ever experienced. 4) Just out of interest there were in fact 2 travelling shunters based at Queenborough who we would pick up on our inward journeys, this was due to the amount of shunting/ground frame operations required on the branch. They normally didn't go to Ridham itself the shunting & frame there being conducted by the train guard/secondman. Hope this is of help.

Hi, Just found your post from a link you posted re Gaugemaster frog juicers, quick question if I may, have you mounted the actual juicers adjacent to the actual point under the baseboard or mounted them say in a cluster near to any control panel? Thanks, Andy