Thank you for all your comments.
Michael - This scenic section of the layout will be modelled after the incline, ie the incline would be to the left of the scene going down, therefore this section will be flat , so no issues re the loop having trouble starting as the incline would be down from the loop.
I’m aware that facing points and slips should be avoided totally but as the junction was salvaged from my old layout I was keen to re use it again as it’s all hand built, it has been reduced in size to fit its new location. The line off the slip will only really be used for locomotives to top up with water and then cross to the down line either light engine or as additional braking for heavy goods.
Thanks davepen , relief sidings would take up to much room on this plan as I’m looking to run a few trains with 33 wagons (5.5m long) the room is 9.5m long so even using some of the curves each end I’ll be lucky to get 10-11m. Cheers for the links.
The Johnster - re the banker , yes most of the time I will run along the scene, drop back and slow down stopping after the cross over, await the signal man to change and return light engine on the down line.
FPL- I will be modelling these.
The loop serves two purposes , 1)to allow faster trains to pass and adds to the play value 2) allows me to be able to swap long trains over from down to up lines to vary running sessions.
The signalling info given has proved very helpful, thank you so much for your guidance 👍 I may need further help.
The distance between the proposed junction signal box and the return loop signal box is approx 7m on the plan so I still think it might need one.
Thanks Harlequin - noted 👍
cheers DCB - great info and yes the bankers will operate as you have described then dropping off ready for the crossing and return trip.
Jeremy- spot on re first paragraph . Loop operation will be mainly for passing faster trains but as mentioned above for my own ease of operation to be able to swap trains from inner to outer lines, so when required the inner train will uncouple and move into the catch siding, then a loco will come from the storage board and couple up at the other end of the loop to then proceed to cross to the outer line.
The loop measures out at approx 4.2m long so this scales out at approx 200yards so it does suggest that you are correct in the scene only needing one signal box.
Thanks again for all comments and advice.