RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted July 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 21, 2015 I am retiring from work next February and as well as spending more time on the Mid Hants and Severn Valley Railways I am looking forward to building my long planned OO layout which will feature a double track main line set in year 2000 with a single track preservation society line. I have been trying out plans in AnyRail for some time and the best one I have come up with so far is attached to this post. The track plan has been done using Hornby track sections for ease of design but the layout will be made using Peco Streamline products which will mean that the points are slightly longer than shown. As can be seen the main line goes from fiddle yard to fiddle yard and will feature two and three car Central Trains DMU services with those of TOC's that met up with Central Trains. There will also be some freight services using both modern diesels and also older ones in FM Rail etc. liveries. The third platform on the main line will be used for terminating DMU services and also for a very limited 3rd rail service from the small extra fiddle yard. Both sidings will have 3rd rail but that will be the fullest extent of the 3rd rail. The preservation society line runs from a terminus that I will try to make look as though it was part of a through line originally to the junction station and then to a fiddle yard. This will be run with suitable stock using three coach trains with mainly tank engines. Any comments would be most welcome. The main line fiddle yard behind the terminus station will be on a slightly higher level with a small gradient down to the junction station. This will make it easier to hide the fiddle yard while still allowing suitable access. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted July 22, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 22, 2015 I should also have said that the two short sidings at the terminus station are the loco shed. The single siding at the through station on the preservation side is a carriage siding which may become two sidings once I start track laying depending on how it looks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 If I were you I'd try to do fewer elements. Preservation, Main line and a 3rd rail branch seems like you're trying to get everything in, and the most likely thing is that the overall scene won't be that believable. If I were you I'd either ditch the 3rd rail bit or make the whole layout a DC route. Presume it must be Merseyside to go with the central trains stuff? I'd also have the preserved line finish at the station rather than run through to the LH FY. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted July 22, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 22, 2015 Thank you for those comments. Based on what you said Zomboid I am thinking of ditching the third rail and making the left hand preserved fiddle yard into a set of sidings like they have at Alresford on the Mid Hants. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Looking forward to more of this Chris... cheers neil. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted July 24, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 24, 2015 Well, after a lot more thought I have dropped the 3rd rail and will build a shelf above the main layout to do the 3rd rail. The joint station will be the terminus but there will be a main line fiddle yard behind the terminus so enable freight trains to run. The two through stations will be separated as much as possible using gradients and suitable scenic blocks. The left hand end will have two fiddle yards to give the preservation line a longer run with trains passing at the through station. The grey areas are the fiddle yards with suitable scenic covering. the bright orange is the engine shed and the brown is the roads over all the lines and down to the passing station on the preserved line. The main line through station will have a footbridge going into the back scene to keep the access away from the other through station. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 This may not matter to you, but to me, this is a main line plus junction that has fallen on hard times. It will have been built for longer treains and your proposed 2-3 coach trains should look "lost" in the platforms. I would model the stations as "bitsas" (stretching it for two of them) so that the lack of train length is less obvious. Why do you want so many stations? They are big things. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted August 2, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 2, 2015 The space considerations of stations has been something that I have been thinking about for the past week. My latest idea is to make the main line station into just the end of the platforms disappearing into the fiddle yard with the road bridge helping to block the view. The two stations on the preserved line can I think stay as three coach length given that stations like Medstead & Four Marks and Alresford on the Mid Hants were built at that length and only extended in the preservation era. My preservation society have yet to make any extensions so the lengths are right in my view. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 47137 Posted August 8, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 8, 2015 I'm looking back mostly to the first plan. On a home layout, the fiddle yard can stay visible and accessible. How about adding a terminus station at the left end for the preserved line, and remodelling the through station so the preserved line gets one platform, plus the area of the original goods yard. This could hold a loco shed or workshop. I'm thinking of Aviemore. - Richard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted August 9, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 9, 2015 Thank you for your comments. More ideas for me to think about. I do not think I want to have another terminus as that means it becomes impossible to change stock on the line during a running session. I intend to make the fiddle yards on the left side visible to make it easier to use them with the main line fiddle yard on the right side hidden behind a back scene which will not be too high so again it will be easy to change things around from the front of the layout. The preserved line has a small loco shed at the right hand terminus while the carriage sidings are at the through station which I would like to keep as a passing place for the operational interest. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightbe Posted August 10, 2015 Share Posted August 10, 2015 The layout seems a bit overdone I must admit I don't understand the 'point' of some of the things you're doing. For example, the unwieldy junction at the top; I can't make heads or tails of it. Likewise the terminus seems a bit confused too. Maybe it would turn out better if there was only one station that was both Network Rail and had a preservation line platform? That way preservation trains could make cameos while mainline DMUs shuttle along through the mainline platforms. To add to the preservation theme, keep a well-maintained platform and runaround loop along with a storage siding or two filled with woefully-neglected stock (the kind heritage railways tend to have more of than restored stock). Perhaps your intentions would be clearer if you used Streamline in Anyrail with flextrack. The settrack curves, turnouts, and spacing tend to make things messier than they actually are. Quentin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Chris, If I am reading this correctly the preservation line is the section closest to you. It appears this has the dismantle amount of sidings and platform connections is this your intention? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted August 12, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2015 The preservation side is indeed at the front. It has two platforms at the terminus while the national rail side has just one platform. The link from the national rail to platform two is only used by railtours and stock transfers. The junction just before the station on the mainline means that mainline services either run to the terminus on one side of the town or serve the through station which is slightly out of town. The preservation society through station is supposed to be near the next village and has had extra carriage sidings put in by the RPS with the kickback being to a restoration shed. I know I am trying to fit too much in the space but operation has always been the side of the hobby. Once again thank you for all your comments. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Chris Could you not move the carriage sidings to the edge of the board so they are next to the preserved lines and not seperate do by the main line. The terminus appears to have only one line into it from the main line which is a little odd. Not sure the preserved lines need two connections to the mainline I would personally remove the connection at the terminus station. Do you need as man platforms in the centre station given it is. Preserved line Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted August 12, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2015 The only connection between the two is at the terminus which sees a limited national rail service as most national rail services run on the main line. The through station on the RPS has two platforms on each side of the loop with the carriage sidings behind the station. I would have a fence between the platform and the sidings like Bridge north has between platform two and the loco shed. Just because a line is preserved does not stop it having stations with more than two platforms, Hosted Keynes and Bewdley are two that come to mind. Something that I do not know how to show on the plan is that the mainline is on a slightly higher level with the line into the terminus on a down gradient and the RPS line climbing slightly from the through station to the terminus to increase the difference between the two line for most of the layout. Putting the carriage sidings on the other side of the through station has its attractions but means the running lines are that much closer to thmain line and I thought it was a good idea to get them as far away from each other as a 24 inch baseboard allows. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 If operation is your main interest, then I'd suggest you balance it more towards the operationally interesting part, which in your present design is the RPS. (all your main line will offer is shuttling DMUs). Maybe turn the right side into a shared terminus, such as at Aberystwyth, or your middle station into a double ended terminus (eg Alton) which would allow more interest at the right hand end, which could then be a larger terminus for the RPS (perhaps a 2 platform affair with a central release road, such as at Brechin, and obviously the RPS shed would be there too). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Chris, have you thought of squeezing in an additional storage siding to the left side Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted August 12, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2015 Additional sidings both in view and in fiddle yards will be added if I can fit them in. The mainline will be DMU based but the reason for the fy to fy layout of the mainline is to allow some freight. If I can have a siding somewhere for the freight to shunt it will be added very rapidly. I did think of doing something like Alton but that would have stopped any freight so the idea was dropped. Very pleased to be getting more comments as each one makes me think that little bit more. Many thanks to you all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongRail Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Chris I have marked up some thoughts on your layout. If you used a curved set of points in the hidden sidings for the preserved line on the right you will probably fit in another siding as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted August 12, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2015 Thank you for those ideas LongRail. All of the track I have is flexible with Peco medium points so making the curves smoother is in my plan. The only reason I use the Hornby track in the above plans is that I find it a lot quicker and easier on the computer. Once track laying starts then I will improve the way things look. I use the planner to work out if things will fit. That is why I am sure I can fit more roads into the fiddle yards as the Peco Streamline track centres are closer than Hornby or Peco Setrack. I know that nowadays many junctions have been changed to the way you have the mainline to single track branch but a few still have diamonds as I had and back in 2000 there were even more around. I am not keen on curved points and do not have any in stock, so would prefer not to have to use them. Having said all that your comments have set the thought process off once more and by February when building starts who knows what I will have pplanned! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Alton has freight; the oil trains to holybourne (or something like that, it's just up the line towards Bentley) have to run round in the station as the oil terminal doesn't have the facility, hence there's a run round crossover in platforms 1 & 2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted September 11, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 11, 2015 I am sorry not to have responded before this but I have been rather busy recently. I know all about the oil trains running round at Alton but I wanted the freight traffic to be varied and therefore running from fiddle yard to fiddle yard is my preferred layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chris116 Posted January 31, 2016 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted January 31, 2016 Well my retirement has been put back again, so will be working until sometime between April and July. Work on the layout will not start until I have retired but the news that Peco are going to issue Bullhead track has set me thinking. When I start the building the first track to be laid will be the Railtrack side which will be in the code 100 streamline I already have. The preserved side of the layout will also be laid using this but the sidings could be laid using the bullhead which would make the point that track in sidings often uses lighter and older track. If by the time I come to laying the preserved section Peco have introduced points in bullhead then the whole of the preserved section could be laid using the bullhead rail providing all my stock will run through code 75 track. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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