Roundy roundy or end to end?

[roythebus1]

Tidmouth Junction. Not only did it appear at several of the MRC's exhibitions, but also on the Wogan Show on BBC1 to help promote the Rev. Wilbur Awdrey's re-re-launch of the Thomas books.

 

[RobinofLoxley]

10 hours ago, Flying Pig said:

 

Ahem...

Whoops!

[RobinofLoxley]

9 hours ago, roythebus1 said:

I built a Thomas-themed layout in 1985 in 2 weeks. It was on about a 9x3 board, had a double track main line, branch line for Thomas, double track main line terminus, loco shed with turntable and a goods yard. And 3 hidden loops. Even the mighty CJF said he wished he'd have invented that layout. It could be run as a roundy roundy and shunted in a prototype way with terminating trains needing to be shunt-ad release to get the loco out. there was just enough room t the double junction to do that with a 3-car train with a class 03 as pilot engine. i'll have to try and dig out the plans for it. It was featured in the RM of that era and appeared at many exhibitions until about 1990.

 

The 'About' is critical. I suspect what you created wouldnt have fitted on 32 wide. Obviously a first radius loop inside would be possible but that option wouldnt normally be considered today.

[roythebus1]

I suspect the board may have been 4' wide. it was a long time ago when I built it. I had a couple of existing board from a previous unfinished project. Maybe the Railway Modeller article will have that. i know the whole project was done within about 3 weeks, built in my front room with help from John Hewitt of the MRC and my 2 sons. Track was a mixture of Peco Setrack and streamline, all done on a very tight budget. It had a Hornby Dublo station with overall roof. Locos were modified Triang Flying Scotsman, Met Cam DMU, a Palitoy 03, a Triang 3F, Hornby Dublo BoCo and others. only Thomas with Annie and Clarabel were available commercially at the time.

 

I also can't remember the exct track plan, but my photos when I find them will show most of it.

 

Edited October 2, 2022 by roythebus1

[Ray H]

Is the baseboard size limited by the available space or could it be made longer/wider?

 

Some of the above comments are tempered by the current width which appears to be the limiting factor.

[Michael Hodgson]

There have been a couple of comments about the problem of reaching over a 38" baseboard.  That is only a problem if you can't get access either from the far side, or alternatively from an operating well/wells in the middle. 

 

Duck-unders to access holes or operating wells can become a pain however, especially as one gets older.  Access from the far side if fine if you only have to do so from time to time for maintenance, re-railing etc, but can also become tedious if you have to keep walking round the baseboard all the time during routine operation.

[Harlequin]

So @meatloaf,

 

If you're not dead-set on using the existing baseboard then please describe the space that the layout will live in so that we can make better suggestions to fit that space.

 

Can the layout be set up permanently? Can it go around the outside of the space (at least partly) or does it have to be an island in the middle?

 

Edited October 2, 2022 by Harlequin

[RobinofLoxley]

Minories is coming..

[bigdaveadams1]

11 hours ago, roythebus1 said:

Tidmouth Junction. Not only did it appear at several of the MRC's exhibitions, but also on the Wogan Show on BBC1 to help promote the Rev. Wilbur Awdrey's re-re-launch of the Thomas books.

 

Found it! It's the plan of the month in the April 1987 RM. According to the article, the layout was 11ft x 5ft. Sounds like it was fun to operate and kept everyone entertained. 

[roythebus1]

Sounds about right. Somewhere I've got a press photo of my 2 sons with the Rev. Awdrey doing a book signing at the show. Can you send me a link to the RM article?

[bigdaveadams1]

It’s on my Exact Editions App, so I may be able to screenshot it and send it to you. I’ll have a go tomorrow.

[roythebus1]

Thanks.

[roythebus1]

Any luck with the original RM article?

[RobinofLoxley]

So the old layout was 11 X5 which is actually double the surface area of the original poster's board. No wonder you could fit all that track on it.

[flockandroll]

On 01/10/2022 at 23:05, roythebus1 said:

I built a Thomas-themed layout in 1985 in 2 weeks. It was on about a 9x3 board, had a double track main line, branch line for Thomas, double track main line terminus, loco shed with turntable and a goods yard. And 3 hidden loops. Even the mighty CJF said he wished he'd have invented that layout. It could be run as a roundy roundy and shunted in a prototype way with terminating trains needing to be shunt-ad release to get the loco out. there was just enough room t the double junction to do that with a 3-car train with a class 03 as pilot engine. i'll have to try and dig out the plans for it. It was featured in the RM of that era and appeared at many exhibitions until about 1990.

 

I remember this in RM

[roythebus1]

Luckily Flying Pig has found the original article! i'm not sure of copyright would allow full disclosure of that on here.

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by roythebus1

[meatloaf]

So to update i did build the roundy roundy. All well and good but only one loop as i didnt really want first radius.

 

But im finding i get bored easily so looking at the plan in the OP im limited in train length to 2 coaches plus loco for passenger trains.

 

So come up with this, similar to what people were suggesting in the thread, lets me run 3 coach trains and has more operational interest. 

 

I'll use metcalfe retaining walls as a way of splitting the fiddle yard from the rest of the layout. Hopefully should be able to reach ok.

 

https://ibb.co/7YHSWy0

 

Edited November 5, 2022 by meatloaf

[Dorsetmike]

In N gauge I have a 10'x2'6" double track oval with 2 fiddle yards off the ends, one 4'6"x 15" the other 5'6" x15" giving a  roughly "U" shape total. both fiddle yards have a turntable and also facilities for cassettes.

Sort of best of both worlds, I can run fiddle yard to fiddle yard and include as many circuits of the oval as I want - if any!

Typical run could be start from left fiddle 1 (or more) circuits exit to fight fiddle yard, turn loco, run round, repeat in reverse direction, alternative chnage loco while in right fiddle. Trains can be running in both directions.

Furthere alternative run train into a cassette road and change complete train.

Main advantage from my point of view is the option for "end to end" or roundy roundy plus with cassettes I don't need so many storage roads, just a long box with 2 trays holding up to 5x 6 coach trains or 5 coach plus loco and a further tray with individual locos

 

Edited November 5, 2022 by Dorsetmike
Addition

[rogerzilla]

In N gauge you could get a nice figure-8 with a bridge, or even a double one.  You could also do it in OO but the gradients get a bit much.  It takes very careful building to keep the gradients even.

 

Edit: I'm specifically thinking of a folded figure 8, which gives gentler climbs and a much longer run than an oval. Much less of a tail-chaser.

Edited November 16, 2022 by rogerzilla