Ian_P

Roy, fabulous - I'll definitely be going with those SG90 servos and I just spent a few hours looking up all the Megapoints stuff as well. Very interesting, and gives me a reasonable cost solution to remote control of the points. I particularly like the plug and play aspect of the Megapoints stuff. Superb - thanks very much! Cheers Ian

Ohh, that's interesting Roy -thanks. Which servos are these? 1.20 each? That's amazing! Please let me know as that would be a much more reasonable approach at those costs. Thanks Ian

Thanks - both for your kind words, and Stan - that's a great layout you've pointed me towards - I've just spent an hour trying to build a replica in Scarm, and I've almost done it - some great ideas in that Wigan layout, simpler than my first draft, the turntable is deleted to make space, and the passing loops are shorter so shorter trains would be needed. Food for thought. NR, agreed - the simple circle layout is probably what I'll do first - just to get back up and in the flow so to speak. However the Wigan layout is a nice size - the circle is 600mm square, the Wigan layout exactly twice the area at 1200mm by 600mm. Very interesting and this has got me thinking more. Thanks again both.

Hi -my first post here, just joined today, but I've been reading this section for a few days to get a feel for the space. I've looked up a few topics and this has all been most helpful - so thanks all in advance. Not done any modelling for decades - so very rusty, and in awe of the technology strides made since 'I were a lad'. I am very inspired to model a Glyn Valley Tramway layout, and I must acknowledge the superb 'Glyn Valley Tramway' layout built by the Alton Model Railway Group - and having studied this, via photos and videos, I am keen to have a go to build something similar. The recent availability of RTR tram engines from Fourdees has tipped me over into action, I have placed an order for 2 trams, and 3 rakes of coaches as below: I am planning to get another two trams, with a second 'Glynn' to be renamed 'Chirk' or 'Ceiriog'. My thought process being that if the line had been more profitable, a fourth engine may have been purchased instead of the Baldwin. Of course I may be tempted to invest in a Bachmann Baldwin in GVT trim as well. A number of goods vans and wagons will follow at some point. Onto the layout, after getting Scarm, (which is excellent and worth the time to master) I knocked up a prototype 1800mm by 800mm layout, based on the Alton layout, with a fiddle yard at rear. After some thinking, I believe I'll model the fiddle yard as Chirk - although this may be a 'phase 2' project - the rails will be laid, with modelling scenery to follow. I'm experienced in building theatre scenery - and I hope to use this experience in creating the setting for this layout. My first concern is with point control - with 18 points, I don't see an obvious solution for how to do this - point motors will be very expensive, but manual 'hand of god' is not acceptable either. The Fourdees locos are not DCC equipped either, and adding this will invalidate any warranty. Otherwise I'm sure I'd go DCC straight off the bat. I would welcome any thoughts you may have. Best Regards Ian PS I am also thinking that it may be a good idea to model a simpler 'first' layout - smaller 600mm square and probably based on Pontfadog and Dolywern halts, and as a circular layout - with possibly the ability to connect this at a later date.