Rethinking the layout plan...

[br-nse-fan]

Hey All

 

It's been a couple months and I have not touched my layout. I am kinda stuck and not sure what to do or where to go with the layout. I have actually thought that perhaps I have too much space? By that I mean that there is so much space that I can not decide what I want to model!

 

The space I have is 16ft long... 10ft wide at one end, and 8ft wide at the other.. there is also a peninsula of sorts that I was planning on using either as a fiddle / storage yard... or a branch terminus like Swanage.

 

Crude sketch:

 

 

 

 

So I'm kinda stuck... I'm sure most of you have seen the other plans I've come up with on here from time to time.. but I'm just not happy with them. Some of the things I would like to have would be a terminus... continuous running with a through station... goods facilities and some sort of TMD... I realize not all of it may be possible, but am open to suggestions. A multi-level layout is a possibility as I have the material to do so.

 

The layout will be mid-late 80's... somewhere on the border of of Western & Southern regions of BR... train lengths range from 5 coaches and a Class 50 down to a 416. Goods trains would (probably) be no more than 10 wagons in length.. the largest freight loco would be a Class 58.

 

I'm wide open to thoughts.. suggestions.. anything really...

 

Help!

 

I can't brain today... I have the dumb!

[PaulRhB]

It's not too much space if you don't try to cram too much in and kill the enthusiasm with the enormity of the project. You can have a basic double track circuit with a nice flowing S curve through a station on the lower part of the diagram, keep the rest of the circuit nice and simple mainline through coutryside for nice scenic views and you can include features like river bridges etc without cramming stuff in.

Keep the terminus on the peninsula and maybe a small mpd at the end where it meets the circuit, the mpd could even be built around a triangular junction for the terminus.

 

Your mention of differing levels also might allow the peninsula to be double decked, have a flying junction with the circuit climbing over a flyover bridge, Worting Junction near Basingstoke comes to mind, while the lower lines drop beneath and reach the lower peninsula. Problem is the gradients are still going to be steep so you may need a spiral hidden next to the peninsula to drop a couple of circuits to give you 12 difference in height.

[Physicsman]

I agree with Paul. I'm about to start a new layout and have 16 feet by 12 feet to play with. That will include a continuous run double track main line, goods area, branch line and fiddle yard. But most of the layout is scenic. Try to keep it simple or you'll spend all your time wiring/cleaning track or fault-finding.

 

Jeff

[br-nse-fan]

I agree with Paul. I'm about to start a new layout and have 16 feet by 12 feet to play with. That will include a continuous run double track main line, goods area, branch line and fiddle yard. But most of the layout is scenic. Try to keep it simple or you'll spend all your time wiring/cleaning track or fault-finding.

 

Jeff

 

So in other words... KISS... Keep it simple, stupid

[PaulRhB]

Yes but it will also make the layout look more realistic than cramming stuff in and open up nice sweeping views of trains running through countryside which are rarely modelled due to space limitations unless you have a really big shed over here.

[Southernboy]

Hello br-nse-fan,

 

I have to say I envy the space you have and can only picture a wonderful 'trains in the landscape' opportunity here - as has been mentioned - 'less is more'

 

Anyway, how about approaching this from a different angle - like looking at some real-life locations and working out how to adapt them to the space you have?

Or perhaps study real life train operations (like taking an original timetable between two stations of the period) and adapting them to layout form (with proper schedules and signalling etc).

 

Maybe there's some particular building / industry / geographical feature that has stuck in your mind that could form a centre piece to your layout?

 

Alternatively, for added interest perhaps you could incorporate a Faller Road System and have cars and buses running to and from your stations?

 

I don't know - I'm just clocking that you say you've hit a bit of brick wall - so am trying to think of other ways of getting you kick-started via a less-conventional train-of-thought (?)

 

Either way - good luck!

[Katier]

Your dimensions don't add up

 

Other than that I'd agree with the KISS concept.

[br-nse-fan]

Your dimensions don't add up

 

Yea.. your right.. I had another look and actually measured things...

 

it's length is 175" or 14 1/2' long... the right side is 122" or 10.1' long and the left side is 110" or 9.1' in length. The baseboards are all 2' wide, including the peninsula.. and it is 90" or 7.5' long. Starting from the left, the three sections along the bottom are 62", then the angled bit is 36" and the longest bit is 92".

 

The Faller road system is WAY outside my budget... I think I am going to stick with a static road display

 

Unfortunately, being in Canada, I don't have the opportunity to go and look at locations in life... so I need to rely on the interwebs and books

 

The idea's I have floating around in my head would be the following:

 

Peninsula : Lower level has a 5 line storage yard, and an upper level would have a single line branch based loosely on Swanage. The ramp up to the higher level would be along the entire upper (back) edge of the layout as this is against the wall.

 

Lower (front) : The 'S' curve portion would be the line(s) leading into the main station throat... I have been kinda kicking around the idea of a mixed through / terminus station. This way the MU's running to and from the branch can terminate in the station, where mainline trains continue through. No idea as to the track plan... I'll sleep on it and see what I come up with. I don't want too complicated, but I do want the ability to have operational variety.

 

Top (back) : no clue... perhaps a goods yard / loading dock off of the main line?

 

Thoughts? Comments?

 

Thanks again all!

[DavidB-AU]

What are your givens and druthers?

 

It would be tempting to cram as much track as possible into the space, but remember who will have to clean it.

 

Cheers

David

[br-nse-fan]

What are your givens and druthers?

 

It would be tempting to cram as much track as possible into the space, but remember who will have to clean it.

 

Cheers

David

 

 

I don't mind having a lot of track if it does not looked crammed! Such as a junction station... but I do agree, that baseboards covered in only track is neither realistic for most parts of the country, nor would I want to have to clean it all!

 

As for my givens and druthers (I had to look up what it meant!), they are as follows:

 

Givens:

 

- Able to run 5 coaches + a class 50 or double headed 73's

--and equivalent length goods

- At least one main line station

- At least one branch station

- At least one goods yard w/ loading facilities

-- able to accommodate maximum length of goods as noted above

 

Druthers:

 

- a TMD (I have single, double and triple line sheds)

- a second mainline station

- EMU Shed / sidings (perhaps this can be included w/ the branch station?)

- coach sidings

- a second goods yard so freight can start from one place and go to another

- merry-go-round coal loader (I have the Walthers loader)

- cement yard like Poole in the 80's (I can get the Bachmann Scenecraft model)

[Katier]

9' is nice and wide so I would work on the same concept as I thought up for a very similar layout which may even still be on the front page of this forum.

 

Fiddle yard at the left side curving into the lower straight section and feeding into your major station. This through station would feed out into the main run as a long scenic section, maybe crossing a slight valley or going out through the town into the country side. The entire mainline would be 2-3" above baseboard level to give you room for viaducts, embankments etc.

 

Exiting the station would be a junction which would drop down into the peninsular which could have a second station, a MPD, marshalling yard etc.

 

You could also get away with a small through station just before you disappear into the fiddle yard again and of course have some carriage storage around the station if you wished.

 

As for your wishes :-

 

5 coaches - you should be able to run 7-8 coaches on the mainline no trouble.

Mainline station - easy enough - would start somewhere around 2ft down the angled side, then run for around 10ft so finish ( including throat pointwork) about 2ft before the end (which is roughly where your curve would start).

Branch station - ditto although they would be fairly close together.

Coach sidings, not really needed as the Branch is unlikely to have them and your through station is, well a through station!!!

EMU - you probably could put a small depot at the Branch station

 

Goods facilities - awkward, be very hard to fit more than one in.

[Removed a/c]

An interesting topic, I am just starting down this road and have a room roughly 25ft x 14ft. Similar requirements as you br-nse-fan. I will also want to run a full length HST.

 

I have used this site to give me some ideas. http://www.freetrackplans.com/Layout-Plans.php

 

I rather liked this for my terminus station.....http://www.freetrackplans.com/1011-Kings-Cross.php

 

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

At 25' x 14' it really would be easy to build something too big and complicated. Think of a design which would fit the OP layout size and then just make the platforms a bit longer and the curves gentler.

 

For the OP, that is a really good size for a 4mm scale layout. I reckon that you should be able to include all the features you want without making it too complicated. Be a bit careful about not making the junction station overly complex though.

[Joseph_Pestell]

PS: Since you mention Swanage, you could do a lot worse than have your junction station based on Wareham with the junction itself, like Worgret, at a separate location.

[br-nse-fan]

PS: Since you mention Swanage, you could do a lot worse than have your junction station based on Wareham with the junction itself, like Worgret, at a separate location.

 

Possible... can anyone point me in the right direction for a track plan of Wareham at it's height? The current track plan does not meet my requirements exactly... I read that Wareham used to have some bay platforms? Did it ever have freight facilities?

 

I've updated my sketch with corrected measurements:

 

 

[br-nse-fan]

Did some searching online... and found this site that has a couple track plans for both Wareham and Swanage.

 

I think I can make Wareham fit into the space that I have with loads of room left over. I know the Wareham track plan is based on 1965, not the mid-80's as I will be modelling, but it should serve as a useable basis for me. I'm pretty sure the goods yards are gone now.. but I think I will include some in order to provide additional operation.

 

Can anyone provide a sketch, link or diagram to show what the lines towards Poole looks like so I can have a better idea as to what the point work connecting the goods sidings looked like?

 

Thanks!

[Joseph_Pestell]

As ever, our best friend is old-maps.co.uk.

 

These days, the level crossing has been replaced by a road bridge which goes through the site of the old goods yard.

 

The goods shed was interesting. You will note from your plan that the track went through the short dimension of the shed. Originally the track went, as in most sheds, through the long dimension. But it was accessed from a wagon turntable which was removed at some time.

 

At least one bay platform lasted until closure of the Swanage Branch in 1972.

[br-nse-fan]

I installed Anyrail on my Win XP virtual machine and had a play with the back side (top) of the layout.

 

The lower portion will be based on Wareham... with some modellers license of course.. I'll get to that one later.

 

For now, here is my initial plan for the back portion of the layout...

 

 

 

 

The explanation is as follows...

 

This is loosely based on the Furzebrook complex on the Swanage branch. I may end up reducing the number of sidings.. will have to see how things actually look.

The sidings give me a location for the 2nd goods facility too.

 

 

The MU sidings are self explanatory... since my branch station on the peninsula will be based loosely on Swanage, there really is no room for sidings to store the EMU's and DMU's that will service the line... this gives me somewhere to put them.

 

 

With most of the branch hidden, it gives the illusion of a longer run to and from Swanage... and less scenic work that needs to be done!

 

Thoughts or comments?

[Silver Sidelines]

It is your railway so you should have some idea as to what you want. Think of the layout in blocks. Do you want a terminus? Do you want some hidden sidings to store trains? Do you want a branch line? Do you want a junction? You really have to decide what is important and then join the blocks together. CJ Freezer's track plans in my opinion are an excellent starting point. They can be adapted, joined together, lengthened. They are available from PECO, or back numbers of Railway Modeller or from eBay.

 

You have a big area to fill and if you are not already practiced you will be struggling. Perhaps you should be starting with a simple continuous loop which can be developed as you gain expertise.

 

This track layout was always a favourite of mine:

 

 

There are few more where this came from.

 

Good luck

 

Ray

[Joseph_Pestell]

It is your railway so you should have some idea as to what you want. Think of the layout in blocks. Do you want a terminus? Do you want some hidden sidings to store trains? Do you want a branch line? Do you want a junction? You really have to decide what is important and then join the blocks together. CJ Freezer's track plans in my opinion are an excellent starting point. They can be adapted, joined together, lengthened. They are available from PECO, or back numbers of Railway Modeller or from eBay.

 

You have a big area to fill and if you are not already practiced you will be struggling. Perhaps you should be starting with a simple continuous loop which can be developed as you gain expertise.

 

This track layout was always a favourite of mine:

 

http://www.flickr.co...eds/5032382935/

 

There are few more where this came from.

 

Good luck

 

Ray

 

I always liked that one as well. But by modern standards the curves are far too tight and the platforms (particularly at Exmouth) too short. It would really need more space (like the 25' x 14' mentioned in the thread by another poster) in OO. At 16' x 8' it would be a great scheme for N but with the single track replaced by double track.

[Silver Sidelines]

 

 

I always liked that one as well. But by modern standards the curves are far too tight and the platforms (particularly at Exmouth) too short. It would really need more space (like the 25' x 14' mentioned in the thread by another poster) in OO. At 16' x 8' it would be a great scheme for N but with the single track replaced by double track.

Joseph

 

I hadn't realised that is was based on Exmouth. I liked the triangular junction with routes in two directions and no need for any turntable. However as you say, by the time the curves are upgraded to 36 inches you need a width approaching 12 ft (4m) if you are to run trains with six or seven carriages.

 

Thanks Ray

[br-nse-fan]

It is your railway so you should have some idea as to what you want. Think of the layout in blocks. Do you want a terminus? Do you want some hidden sidings to store trains? Do you want a branch line? Do you want a junction? You really have to decide what is important and then join the blocks together. CJ Freezer's track plans in my opinion are an excellent starting point. They can be adapted, joined together, lengthened. They are available from PECO, or back numbers of Railway Modeller or from eBay.

 

You have a big area to fill and if you are not already practiced you will be struggling. Perhaps you should be starting with a simple continuous loop which can be developed as you gain expertise.

 

This track layout was always a favourite of mine:

 

http://www.flickr.co...eds/5032382935/

 

There are few more where this came from.

 

Good luck

 

Ray

 

I like it.. but a little too advanced for me

 

This is my 4th attempt at building a layout... so I am far from a novice... my biggest issue is settling on something that I'll be happy with. May last layout was too 'basic' and had very little in the way of operational variety.

 

I have a thought that might solve some of my needs and make it less complicated at the same time... will update again shortly.

 

Thanks again to all!

[Silver Sidelines]

Joseph

 

Apologies, didn't mean to suggest that you were not up to speed modelling. I have lot more space here to build than I anticipated. I went to a lot of effort to plan the layout and then four years later I had to make revisions.

 

 

May be start simple and grow slowly. I would say, have a play with your trains, and then when you are satisfied, think about ballasting.

 

I shall look forard to reading more.

 

Regards

 

Ray

[br-nse-fan]

OK.. so I've had another play with AnyRail and have come up with this...

 

Castle Isle

 

 

 

I still have a few storage lines in the back.. they'll be long enough to hold a 4 car EMU / DMU without a problem as well as a branch goods train if I so choose. Depending on how things look as I start putting it together, I might reduce it to 3 lines in order to allow for more scenery on station side of the back scene.

 

Being based on a track plan I found for Corfe Castle, I have opted to name it 'Castle Isle'.

 

Far less complicated while still providing operational interest.

 

What say you?

[br-nse-fan]

I've done a quick knock up of Purbeck (based on Swanage) that will fit nicely in the space I have for the peninsula.

 

 

 

 

The lines curving up and to the top join to a single track and eventually connect up with Castle Isle (based on Corfe)