scottystitch

In a world where superlatives are thrown about willy-nilly, those B&W shots are simply stunning. Seriously good finishing of the layout. The subtleties around the stone setts in particular, is very high level modelling. Best Scott.

It's difficult to find one at a similar angle... Best Scott.

I'm no no position to comment on the photo at all, but if it is of any interest, Volume 2 of the RCTS Black 5 history, John Jennison quotes this engine as having three tenders in it's life: Welded 10519, Welded 9510 and Riveted 9200, the last paired January 1960. Best Scott.

I've just realised, that wording is very Trump-esque.. "It was a great helix. Very great. The greatest helix ever made. Probably. It was so great. So great. And Farish and Dapol paid for it. Not one penny of my money was spent on it" scott

In fairness, it was a very measured reply

I built a helix for a previous layout, in N gauge. It was a 1% constant gradient. and was designed to ensure that Farish & Dapol steam locomotives, both tender and locomotive drive, could haul prototypical 12 coach trains up and down. It achieved those aims, in fact it was very successful. Diesel locomotives were less of a problem; I think a Farish 47 took 19 Mk1s up and down. I don't have the dimensions to hand, but it it was roughly 18-20" radius with around 48" straights along one axis (it was essentially a rectangle with rounded corners) and lifted 2" per revolution. The helix was there to enable the storage yard to be immediately under the layout due to lack of space in the garage. It no longer exists due to a house move and a change of circumstances. I do agree with the view about devices to "enhance" adhesion, having tried DCC Concepts magnetic system and seeing no difference between with and without. Best Scott.

The railway room is approximately 17ft3 by 9ft9. First up, the entire plan, without annotations showing the extent of the layout. The fiddle yard is along a short wall, 12 inches deep. In front is a small rural terminus, roughly 3.75 inches lower and again 12 inches deep. Maximum train length is 36inches, which is roughly 6 N Gauge mark 1s. Along the top wall is a Settle and Carlisle inspired scene with the line emerging from the fiddle yard, splitting into the double track station off scene, a Kirkby Stephen style goods facility and then across a viaduct into a tunnel. Next, the line crosses the railway room entrance door. This door open sout the way. A lift out section is envisioned with a cameo scene so that anyone opening the door, with the section in place sees a scenic diorama rather than the back of a board or a hidden railway section. It also eliminates dealing with the unsightly joins if the section were part of the main scene. This would be practically the only part of the railway room with hidden track when viewed from inside the room. The line then passes over another short scenic section, possibly another viaduct and then into a tunnel for the 90 degree turn into the terminus section. The approach track may be on a ledge as it traverses sloped terrain before arriving at the opened out level area of the station. A line extends out of the fiddle yard in opposite direction, passing and descending behind the terminus board, descending along the door wall and under the intermediate station board to emerge 3.75 inches lower at the rural terminus station. The same drawing with annotations, most of which is self explanatory. The Turnouts will be controlled by MegaPoints equipment and momentary push button switches. Train control is by NCE DCC, with plug-in terminals strategically placed around the layout. I've still to decide if signalling will be by semaphore or colour light signals. Whilst the line will be operated primarily by diesel motive power, principally type 2s, steam still exists in medium sized form, such as class 5s and B1s. A shed and turntable is provided at the terminus for light turnaround maintenance. Co-housed is a diesel fuelling point. The Terminus station tracks serve as follows: 1 & 2 Goods yard; 3 Goods Shed; 4 Arrival platform with loco release; 5 Arrival platform with loco release, 6 runround road and /or storage; 7 Departure platform (arrival with loco release if required); 8 Departure platform; 9 Carriage siding with & Motorail loading/unloading; 10 Fish loading; 11 Milk loading. The intermediate station has Goods yard, Goods shed and Milk loading facilities. The rural terminus is a sleepy affair with a three coach platform with loco release, a Goods yard and a Goods shed. It was once an intermediate station on a longer branch but the line was truncated here and so the station is now the end of the line.

A couple of years ago, whilst having a wobble around whether my man cave (converted garage) layout would ever begin to see fruition, I dabbled in the idea of an imaginary island existing in the North Sea, not unlike the Isle of Man, or for that matter the Isle of Sodor, in the Irish Sea; Only "my" island would be larger. Based on this premise, I hit upon an idea to design a layout that operated as a complete system, i.e. a terminus at each end, and a couple of intermediate stations in between. In this way I laid out Bournemouth West as the first terminus, and then a Settle and Carlisle inspired station next, complete with freight holding loop sidings. Further on there was a terminus station that necessitated trans reversing to carry on further up the main line; a cement works and an oil loading facility (the island being rich in Lime and hydrocarbons, as well as granite). It was a grand scheme and really quite ludicrous, with a peninsula, helices and double deck arrangement akin to an American Model Railroad. But it was a welcome distraction and, designed on AnyRail, I still have it tucked away in a folder of fantasy layouts that will never see the light of day; I've rarely thought about it since. The wobble mentioned above revolves around the complexities of my "lifetime" layout. This has had a long and painful gestation, moving through divorces, house moves, financial issues, health issues, Nelevator issues to name a few, but I've always rested safe in the knowledge that this is the layout I "want". Lately, however, with the most recent wobbles I've realised that the layout plan has become a bit of a millstone around the neck and I've come to the conclusion that I'm ploughing on with "Perth Caledonian" (plan attached) belligerently for no other reason that that's what I've been doing for the past 8 years, and because I've bought so much stock that is tailored to the project; Having spent time reflecting on it, I've come to understand that the very notion of building and financing the railway is causing more harm than good to my health, and stepping back to look at the financial and time undertaking I simply cannot justify something on that scale anymore. Not only that, I've become disillusioned with the whole concept of the layout. Whilst I'm of the view that fiddle yards and storage yards serve an important purpose in a model railway, much as the backstage changing rooms do in a theatre, the plan as it stands involves a 16ft scenic section, whilst 35ft is hidden for storage yards and approach tracks. In other words, two thirds of the room available is being used just to get trains onto the stage. I've no reservations that I have the skills and abilities to complete the project (the bench-work is already largely complete), but the project as it stands is no longer what I want, and for health reasons, no longer what I feel I can take on. Dejected, my first thoughts were (as is usually the case) to jack it all in and list everything for sale. However, this last wobble has coincided with an item that popped up on my Pinterest feed, a map and article about pre-historic Europe, the landmass that existed before sea level rises, and the gradual disappearance of Doggerland, penultimately resulting in an Island between the UK and Denmark and finally Dogger Bank as we know it today. This immediately reminded me of the "system" layout I had dreamed up and the kernel of a new idea was nourished. The system plan was still out of the question, arguably as unwieldy as Perth Caledonian, albeit for different reasons, at its heart was exactly what I wanted: more on stage time for the trains.

Steel rail Blues by Gordon Lightfoot, although George Hamilton IV's version is superior. Best Scott.

Kato have released a car I am very interested in, an ex coal Gondola repurposed and fitted with covers for the carriage of wet distiller's grain, details here: https://www.nscaleamericantrains.co.uk/en/gondolas/36590-bethgon-protein-gondola-8-car-set-sbtx.html Kato have only released these in packs of 8, wheres I really only can use three. Is there anyone out there who could use the other five and would be interested in buying them? Best Scott.

I hope Chandwell doesn't mind me being a bit forward, pending his response, and providing the following link which provides an overview of the layout and a track plan. Best Scott.

That's very helpful, thanks. It's actually encouraging as I have a similar curve on my plan which, at it's most severe is 32" radius (6 chains if my sums are correct). I am in two minds as to whether I hide it or leave it exposed (as I'm very averse to clearly non prototypical curves in the scenic portion), but based on your layout, and with a speed restriction, it might look okay. Yours looks fine in the videos. I particularly like the shot of the simultaneous departure. Please do keep us posted on progress. Best Scott.

I wondered why the layout looked familiar, but that's it, I too have seen it on youtube. Looking good. Just for interest, do you know what the radius of the curve is from the tunnel to the station throat? Best Scott.

A very good start, looking good. It must be satisfying to get track down. Best Scott.

This might not be of interest, but you never know. This is N gauge in a 17.5ft room, but shows how I tackled the trains re-appearing on the wrong side of the layout, and may promote additional thoughts. Two storage yards co- housed on teh same board but completely separate from each-other A loop at the end of each storage yard. The layout is effectively a form of folded dog bone The size of the train obviously dictates how long yoour sidings are and therefore how much space you need for this. Best Scott

How about some very fine sandpaper? best Scott.

Ah okay Wayne, sorry about that. Looking forward to seeing King's Cross when it breaks cover Best Scott.

I'm pretty sure it is alignment rather than guttering. Look at the disrupted line of the roof shadow:

Thanks for the info both. Having looked at PaulRHBs modular system ideas, I've bitten the bullet and ordered some of his endplates and a sound fitted Bachman Baldwin. I'm not going sound for my N gauge layout, but this project will just be 2 or 3 locos, so I'd like to utilise it here. Whilst not an OCD sufferer, it would jar having some sound fitted and some not so it really is all or nothing, and since I've already ordered the Baldwin I'm holding off on getting an L&B machine. Anyway, apologies for moving the thread on a bit of a tangent. Best Scott.

Great to hear the double slip 1 in 8s are in development, Wayne! Best Scott. EDIT: I just realised maybe this isn't part of the FineTrax range, but handbuilt?

Thank you, that would be most appreciated. I've had a look at the EDM website, and it doesn't look an easy conversion, so any guidance would be fantastic... It fills me with...trepidation. Best Scott.

Almost certainly, but I'm no expert. Details of the two types here: https://railcar.co.uk/type/swindon-79xxx/operations https://railcar.co.uk/type/class-126/ Best Scott.

No problem. Technically, I don't think that is a 126. If it's the E&G InterCity units, I don't think they ever were allocated a TOPS code. The Ayr 126s were different units from memory, and not the same batch as the 79xxx units (E&G), although later some of the 79xxx vehicles were cascaded onto the Ayr route for use with the 126s. They do look almost identical, however. Best Scott

I think that's Queen Street? Best Scott

Do you have a thread anywhere covering the sound installation in these locomotives?.. Best Scott.