GWR Kevin

Hello All, After a 40+ lull of model railways (since being a kid making one with my father) I have retired at 50 after selling my IT business and decided to get back into the railway hobby and make a model layout. As an introduction I feel I am a competent modeller (ship, aircraft, AFV modelling), model engineer (Both CNC and lathe/milling) and computer/digital. I now live in near Falmouth in Cornwall after moving here from Berkshire and am interested in making a "Cornish" GWR? layout from the golden age of 20/30's in P4 gauge with full DCC control. I have no locos/rolling stock and wish to enjoy kit/scratch building my own as I am familiar with soldering and photo. I have an existing dedicated workshop with strong base units all around which is approx 7780 x 3960mm (25.5ft x 13ft) but I wish to make the layout probably an L shape along a long/short wall keeping the other walls for worktop space. I can make the depth of the layout approx 1m or slightly more so would like preferably to provide a hidden loop at the back for continuous running. My father used to work as a youngster on the SDJR so that and/or GWR flavour is preferred but I don't necessarily want an exact replica track layout but would like to include the following features: Main station and adjacent village - Cornish Riviera trains? Cornish type fishing arbour - Pilchards to London? Countryside with bridge over river/stream Fiddle yard I will probably scratch build my own scenery as I am used to doing this for many years of historical wargaming and have a 3D printer which I am interested in using for various details, etc I was thinking of proceeding by: 1) Roughing out a track layout perhaps with assistance of what seem to be very helpful forums 2) Buying a simple goods wagon to assemble (plastic top with brass P4 chassis) - recommendations? 3) Buying a small loco to practice my assembly skills - Brassmaster or similar springs to mind but recommendations welcome 4) Buying the basic bones of a DCC system (I am interested in using iTrains for control with some form of manual dial throttle (ESU?) 5) Buying and assembling a simple say 1.5m test board/points track in P4 just to trial assembling/configuring and laying track, ballast and signal/point control with DCC Once I have then accomplished the above then I feel I will be in a good position having the skills necessary to start on the real base boards, etc for full layout. I don't know if there is much of a club scene in my area (near Falmouth) but obviously that will be good for advice and also to contribute back as I can. I have found lots of online resources for DCC, iTrains, loco/scenery building but its a minefield for track planning so I am at this stage asking if anyone can point me in the direction of some interesting track layouts which may suit some/all of the above so I can get my head around this and sketch things out before then drawing something up in Anyrail for only group feedback in more detail. Recommendations of books/websites also welcome. Thank you VERY much if you read this far for reaching the end of my post and you comments/feedback are most welcome.