Alastair-I

Immediately behind the insulated rail joiner and where it will sit between the sleepers (cut the web) drive a small screw into the track bed, adjust for rail height and and solder the base of the rail to the screw. Do this for each rail. That rail is then going nowhere in a hurry and there's no lateral load on the insulated joiner. You can dremel any revealed edges of the screw back, or just paint and conceal with ballast.

Thank you! You've just solved my alignment problems for a table-top thin-baseboard modular system. Just rethinking the flap back hinges concept I realise that I can use them on the upper surface of flat plates of ply or MDF where they'll provide horizontal alignment and temporarily lock the boards together. I don't mind surface mounting the alignment system or the wiring, it's a compromise I can accept. I'd originally rejected the classical use of back flap hinges because they always appear on wooden risers to fold the board.

See the loop of track on the patio now makes me realise the possible advantages of moulded-on ballast, like the Fleischmann track. But also makes me wonder why no one's developed a Scalextric style of clip together sections, with preformed junctions, stations, etc. The lay it out on the floor market must be bigger than the layout room market.

One night whilst we were staying with family, the nephews left the Lego out after they wen to bed. In not long at all, I'd finished a passable narrow gauge Meyer with articulating bogies, but couldn't rustle up enough lengths of track to have a proper play, and there weren't enough wheel sets left for rolling stock.. I can't get the nephews interested in trains.. yet.. I never did get into Duplo, always too chunky for me. The only way I will have a layout to play with trains for the time being is if it can be easy-up/down on the extending dining room table. I figure on cutting 4'x2' plywood sheets from B&Q for the base, with the track on cork to give me wiring clearance, some sort of surface mounted centring system to hold the modules together and aligned, and surface mounted wire-in-tube for the points if I don't just go with hand-levers. I've had the lining paper out, what I want to do should fit with a bit of point fettling.

Actually, the first question was "How modern is modern?", and I'm hoping this is the context you're about to provide. I take you point about twin cabs and shunting, I was thinking more of trip-workings. But, I'll counter with another question - why does the cab have to be on the firebox end? As soon as you question that design element and then assume that modernisation includes an automatic fireman with mechanical stoker fed from the bunker and automatic boiler water management, why not put the cab on the smoke box end so the bunker/stoker can be optimised without impairing the driver's cab layout and view. Just a thought.. .. For a freelance what-if design, it's looking extremely conventional and not very modern.

How modern is "modern" in this context? - so far it looks like end-of-steam plus a bit, which I admit will make it "modern image" for some. If we're talking post-2000 (or even post-1980), then one-man operation should be the goal and do away with the fireman. Computer controlled systems would look after adding fuel (lumps or coal granules/dust? - assuming it's not LPG or kerosene) and water. The cab is likely to be fly-by-wire, possibly twin cab for shunting with a control point on each end. Keep your cab-end where it is (but the operators area will be drastically reduced to make room for the automatic controls), but with another at the other end (minus bunker). The forward cab can hinge downwards or sideways for access to the smoke box. For that matter, side tanks could hinge downwards for access when empty (assuming automatic washout facilities can't be designed to operate from between the tracks). Ease of use (one man operation, automatic systems, driver visibility), cheapness of manufacture and ease of maintenance (access, symmetry and interchangability - e.g. identical side tanks left and right) are the primary design criteria. Just my two pennyworth, YMMV.

Following with interest.. I like a model with imagination!