DaveSignal

Thanks Mike for the recommendation regards using the helix system though reading through your thread it appears you had more problem with steam locos than with diesels. Could be that the more modern diesels have plenty of weight in them which gives more traction even in 4mm scale. I would think a Bachmann 47 with 7 on would climb the helix alright. What's you experience? As to my proposed layout, I'm using Long Meg as a basis with a very liberal doze of modellers' licence! I'll be moving the timeline and surmising the mine remained open far longer than it actually did. Having done a bit of investigation anhydrite is ground down and dried out gypsum in powdered form so I'm going to use PCA wagons to transport it rather than hoppers. The S&C wasn't starved of investment and still had plenty of various types of traffic running over it including the through expresses between St Pancras and Glasgow/Edinburgh, and some others too. There will be some alteration to the types of signals used. Some of the mechanical main and ground signals will be changed to colour lights.(In addition to the two already there.) Operationally, it's going to be like I'm going back to my days in the wee mechanical boxes! Not that I really miss them truth be told! I've done plenty planning. Now I need to get stuck in and actually build it!

I too am looking forward to the finished article! I have an interest as I was Signalman at Larbert North from 1988-90. Well after your time period and well after the lines through the station were slewed to allow 70mph running through the station from the previous 40mph of the old layout. From that point I'm afraid I can't help! It was a good job what with the Soda Ash Sidings on the Down side and the Ballast Sidings on the Up. From what I can recollect some of the old Signalmen saying the centre roads weren't used for passenger trains. They all used the platform roads even the non-stop ones. (Obviously stopping ones had too!)

Hi Mike. I've spend the last few nights, once the engineers' T3 possession's have went on, reading through the thread for your layout and I have to say what you have achieved is truly commendable. The level of detail with the scenic side of things and the traffic side are superb. That's the good thing about the S&C. Right the way through from the steam era, 50's and 60's, BR Blue, Sectorisation to the current privatised nonsense the infrastructure hasn't really changed so in that regard is timeless! It's given me the inspiration to push on with my own S&C layout based on a location further north - Long Meg Sidings. It's not going to be an exact replica but loosely based upon the Sidings. And set firmly in the diesel era! A recent house move means I have a ready fitted out loft conversion to use to house it. (Cleaner and warmer than the loft in the previous flat we lived in though a much smaller area.) I will have to use a helix at each end to gain access to the fiddle yards, though having read your trials with them I might have to restrict my train lengths, but on the otherhand having read the thread for Everard Junction, the helii (plural of helix?) on that layout seemed to work alright. Anyway, keep the pictures coming please! Cheers Dave.

Saw your layout at the Falkirk show today. (Think I also saw it a Perth eariler in the year.) Superbly done. Simple but very effective. As is said, sometimes less is more!