Smileyjon

Fully understand Chris. Thank you. Yes the terminus is the only 'slightly real' section whereas the remainder is more for messing with trains and watching them run and stuff . . . . So minimum or no signals here but what of the station area ? Do I place ground stop signals where the goods shed line joins the branch line and to I have stop signals at the ends of each of the 3 platforms and if so are they double sided. Showing my really limited knowledge here. Thanks again Jon

The most recent photo's are on another forum page but wondered if it would help if I posted them here:

Thank you for replying to my plea for help. So: The layout is around 17 feet long and around 4.5 feet deep, and yes the station does sit above the tunnels (this was done to reduce baseboard depth as the station area is 1.5 feet wide and 8 feet long and the board it sits on is over 9 feet long and the non scenic bit of 7 feet long Not sure of the set track radii but the minimum here is around 2.25 feet and the grades are better than 1 in 65 and the platforms are close to 6 feet in length There should be photos on the earlier pages. All your comments are on board and I will look closely at these suggestions Thank you Jon

Thanks for the heads up on the details Guys. It's eastern borders of Great Western . . . so primarily GWR and the layout is as it was in around 1957-1959 so (being a greenhorn) I assume it was an old GWR line and station of unknown construction date. Not very helpful I'm afraid. I see Ratio produce single signals or a pack of GWR ones (466) for about £11 . . . thoughts please. Thanks again Jon

I am totally lost with the principles of model railway signalling so I'm asking for help and guidance . . . please ! It's a west country theme, set in the 1950's and the plan is a little diagrammatic. I'd like a few simple signals and would like to be able to make them move . . . advice on makes / kits etc would be most welcome, together with the addition of any ground signals I thank you in anticipation. Jon

I recently received (bought) a Beyer Garratt from Olivia's, a DCC job with sound . . . . it's woked perfectly ( so far) straight from the box. I love this heavy brute !

I think I'm all sorted thanks Garry. Found the Garratt's minimum radius to be officially 17.25 ins (old money) but as I'm not going that tight I should be okay. I'm using Peco code 75 and I'm making up some cardboard curve templates and laying the 'test' oval just to be sure all is well. Playing with the various sound effects . . . not sure why it has birdsong . . . . but hey, what the heck ! All the best Jon

Good news then Garry as I am hoping to have a hidden double track which needs to fit within a 4 foot wide part of my planned (dreaming) baseboard. I'm going to lay some test track . . . basically an oval with a few mixed wiggly bits and points in the middle sections and also check for overhang. Have you had any problems over assorted point mixes ? Many thanks for that Jon

I'm brand new to this hobby and need to ask is anyone has any idea of the minimum radius that this model loco will handle at its practical limit ?

Where is that 10 year old . . . I have no idea how to start a Forum Thread . . !

Many thanks Don and Mike . . . I'll play around later today . . and I think I may need a ten year old Don ! Need to look up straw man Mike and try and work out how to move and start a 'Forum' thingy. I also take your point on depth of layout, but I still have this childhood passion for just watching trains run around a layout and have no lusting for an end to end one . . The garret is a silly buy really but when I was 40 years younger I craved a North American Big Boy but had no real desire to build an American layout so when I recently discovered the Garratt I just couldn't resist. Far too much damage to my pension fund but it comes with sound. . . . Right, back to depth. . . .today I built a simple 4 foot by 6 foot board and ordered a couple of medium points and 10 lengths of track to experiment with, hoping it looks just about okay at say 750mm radius and if it is happy on the tighter 550mm radius I'll hide the smaller and perhaps part of the larger . . . just early ideas . . . . . . Jon

Here we go then. . . a big new adventure and likely fraught with headaches and expense ! Having entered retirement I have decided to attempt a lifelong dream to build a model railway (railroad) and I'm at the thinking / trying / experimenting / shopping stage. How far I'll get . . well, who knows. So . . . It'll have to be 00 as my eyes could never cope with N. Bring back TT I say ! It'll have to be DCC after all the frustrations with childhood DC and several Loco's. It has to have some interest . . . a few little companies, a long running loop, a station, engine shed, turntable and stockyard. It has to fit in my little home. I don't have a shed, a garage, a loft or a basement so the only wall space I have is around 18 feet long by no more than 4 feet wide at one end and 5 feet wide at the other . . . problem is there is an 18 inch pier roughly mid way and this is were my maximum width also has to be around 3 feet 6 inches. . . could be worse I guess. It has to be slightly dismountable. It will have Code 75 track work. It has to have gradients. It has to have a platform/s / station at least 4 feet 6 ins long and because of the narrow width at one end, the tight radius here will have to be hidden. Date will be immediate post war, about the time BR arrived. This will allow me to run interesting older stock, shorter coaches and hopefully . . interesting loco's. Probably wester region / ish. Need a name I guess ? If anyone has any ideas PLEASE let me have 'em ! ! ! First loco . . . . A Beyer Garratt. . . well why not . . just have to do it. And finally. . . Would some kind person tell me how I add more to this blog over the coming days; weeks; months. . . . even years ? ? ?