Monkey

Martin, thanks for the info. I might try my hand at picking up a LNER one and renumbering it. Would you know, or can point me towards finding out the appropriate coloured transfers to use?

Can anyone help me with information on 60033 Seagull, as she would be depicted during the 1948 Locomotive exchange trials? Am I right in thinking she would have still been in LNER blue? Obviously any images I've found have been black an white. Ideally I'd like to find a factory made OO model that is correct for the period, but I can only find pre BR models in blue, or BR Green. Any pointers towards a readymade model would be appreciated.

Ah I see. Thanks. I think that'd fit with my other idea to have a small NR depot just off to the left.

Thanks, thats exactly what I'm looking for - ideas to give the layout a story / purpose. Forgive me but I'll need tamper siding /RRAP explained to me

Cheers for the feedback Chris. That inability to come into the short platform 'the right way' was something that bothered me (see my previous post when I was trying to add a slip to 'Pacific Terminus'. But it was a feature of the original Minories, and thats what I've based this on. I'll come up with something further down the track to make this fit the story, perhaps a depot or a branchline. I'll be sure to remember what you said about track spacing too. The positions as they are aren't set in stone, I think it's more of a diagram to me and I'll test and adjust when it comes to laying it. So overall do you think it works? Am I missing any operational features to make it make sense, or do I have anything pointless in there?

Apologies for not replying for a couple of weeks, I've been busy in real-life. I've had a rethink, trying to maximise the room that I have available and to avoid the traverser. I've come up with the following which I'd really like people's views on whether it works, and also any pointers or changes to make it operationally plausible. I decided I can use the back wall of the garage too, giving me a maximum space of about 6000mm x 2010mm in an L-Shape. I wanted to keep it 2ft wide. I'll have a 1829mm x 607mm board tucked into the top right as you look at it, so all the pointwork fits on one board. I've managed to squeeze 3 x platforms that are long enough to accommodate the class 800 on my wishlist, as well as a shorter siding and bay platform, with nothing tighter than a 2nd radius curve (mostly less). The Hornby platforms are there just to help me visualise it. If this works, it should give me enough length along the top wall to still have something of a layout and a hidden fiddle yard. ????

I'm showing my naivety here, but why are they awkward? Also, I have no idea about the radii of the elbow turns, I just connected it up using flexitrack on scarm and presumed it would work. It could probably do with tidying a little, but that was to give you the gist of my idea. The two routes to platform 0 was just a nice to have, I can lose the idea if you don't think it works. What I'd really like to do is work out a second route out of platform 3 for my potential XC route.

Here's what I've got

Pretty much a direct rip-off of Phil's design, with extended platforms and a slip to allow access to Platform 0. There won't be room for anything else once we're out of the the throat but thats ok, I'm thinking modular and can put more boards in between the station and the traverser at a later date. I have more than enough to play with for now. I don't know how I'm going to allocate the upper yards. I'm thinking a small NR / BR (depending on the era) depot. Or perhaps changing the layout a little to (in the future) run a XC route from platform 3.

So two deliveries of materials later and I have two of my three boards made up. The third one is the traverser, which I'm actually enjoying building rather than dreading it as I was initially.

Thanks! Oooh, that's complicated things a bit.

I don't think it'll be a regular thing. For a start, I only own one set at the moment. Anyway, whats to stop me railing them from the layout and running them into the yard. Well I've taken the plunge and ordered the materials to knock up some boards. The final board will be the fiddle-yard / traverser or whatever I do, so for now I can make a start with the terminus end and worry about that later. Does anyone by any chance have the length of a OO 5 car class 800?

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I appreciate you taking the time to look at this for me. I think my heart is still in a minories-style layout, however the Long Rock sidings idea I like. That could be the depot / stabling for the NMT (or sleeper if I get one - not keen on 57s though, so might have a bit of artistic licence with that one and use a 59 or 37). That would open up a bit more of the second board for use and I could have maybe squeeze 2 or 3 roads into a hidden fiddle yard... After all it doesn't all have to be on the track at once does it? Then I'd avoid the dreaded traverser too. I don't anticipate much fiddling / uncoupling. It'll be mostly HSTs or DMUs. I could always top and tail other diesels or a visiting steam tour.

Doh!

That's not too bad, I've been allowing 1.5m for the 2+3 working on an average of 300mm each I thought the 43s were 265mm and the mk3s 305mm