quiksilver1979

Having given this some thought, the proposed layout in general looks 'similar' to my existing layout. I've now tweaked my TMD to look more like the suggested layout and I think I'll leave my station and main lines as they are for now. I'll link up the carriage siding to main line 'off scene' as suggested and I'll also try to create a runaround loop for my goods yard as per the suggested plan... This should give me some more flexibility when shunting and sorting wagons. Still not 100% decided, but will see how I go.. I actually had a proper 'play' over the weekend and quite enjoyed it (*shock*). So will see how I go before I rip it all up and start again Really appreciate all the advice/help/feedback/time you've all given. I won't make any rash decisions and may well be back to check a few things during my design journey! Cheers, Steve.

Thanks for the idea, will give it some consideration Good points - I had thought the curve was very tight and wondered if there was some illusion to lessen the effect visually. Thanks! Wow, excellent ,thanks so much for taking the time to plan out a potential layout for me! I'll take some time to digest this, but it does look very interesting. I'll also give some thought to N Gauge - It's just the selling of all my OO stuff I'd struggle with - I'm crap at selling stuff Really appreciate the time you've taken - I'll look at this long and hard and I'll be back! Also, I count 9 RH points and 13 LH ones. Edit: I currently have 9 RH points a d 11 LH ones, so it's almost spot on - no wasted points, just an investment in another couple of LH ones! Cheers! Steve.

Ha ha, that was a stupid mistype.. I did measure it but my brain decided to change thee figure my fingers typed!! The hinged bit is 48 inches long but if I shifted the bookcase in the corner I could fit a static section that the hinged bit drops onto and links up with. The total length of that wall could the also be 100.5 inches... but would have to be slimmer across the window, which is narrower than the 48 inch hinged section... Cheers! Steve.

Sound like good ideas! The board with terminus and sidings on from wall to wall is 100.5 inches x 24 inches. The remainder of the L shape from the join in that board to level with the boxed in pipes is 63 inches x 24 inches too.. there are a few more inches (2-3) if needed towards the front of the board on the very right (the boxed pipes are in the back right corner). The hinged sectional be anything up to 18 inches but is currently 9 inches x 24 inches. Cheers. Steve.

Ok, I thought I had better post some photos of my current layout. I thought it was great when I first put it all together but now when coming to use it i'm struggling to know how to use it.. to be interesting! This is the view looking back to the wall next to the door.. one 'end' of the layout. Looking at the pic, to the right is terminus station with a DMU line along the back (a shorter platform/goods bay). The line to the left of that is the runaround/storage road. Then there's a siding for goods. Then the head shunt with some reverse sidings coming off that back towards (and under) the camera... Looking the other direction from a similar point, you can see the reverse sidings and head shunt... the 08 shunters 'hang around' up that end! The line on the left leading off to a right hand curve is the main line out. The line to the right of that is one long carriage siding (runs parallel to the main line out) I was going to have this look as if it used to go into a double tunnel mouth but have buffers and overgrowth just short of the tunnel mouth... The line to the right of those two that is a little tighter is the entrance to the TMD... I planned to have a nice road bridge coming in from the far corner to the inner corner... Then, looking back towards the same corner you can see where the main line, the carriage siding and the TMD entrance lead to... I seem to have roads in the TMD for the sake of having roads.... I notice now that to get up to the far shed, they have to go into the nearest shed first and back out! I can tweak these as they are not yet permanently wired in... Roughly level with the centre of the double tunnel mouth against the wall I was going to have the tunnel mouth (the carriage siding is a bit longer at the moment.. means I can store 3 mk2 carriages and couple/uncouple on a straight, not mid bend! I assume the carriage siding could go into the tunnel a little! So I was going to have a retaining wall or rock face between the main line this side of the tunnel mouth and the TMD so the trains would disappear 'off scene' behind the TMD in a tunnel... Then, all 'off scene' this is a hinged section that sits above my desk across the window... this is a simple run around so that I can get loco's back to the front to run back 'on scene' and into the terminus station or goods yard... Maybe I just need to tweak and then get cracking with some scenery to bring it to life.... I can run 3 carriages and a mainline diesel quite comfortably on this layout... 2 carriages looks silly, 3 I think I can just about get away with! Anyway, Any thoughts on this layout, any improvements, suggestions on how best to operate etc... Thanks! Steve.

Thanks David. Yes, I think I am conflicted! I wanted passenger trains, but do have larger diesels.. Maybe I should consider selling my Mk2 coaches (6 of them) and focus on goods shunting and a TMD? I guess I could still have a small terminus station in the background somewhere for my 108 DMU, or I could consider selling that too and focusing solely on freight... Then comes the temptation in that if I am selling my coaches and the DMU, so I sell up all my OO stuff and switch to N... I have all my grandads coaches and wagons.. hundreds of items! So I would only need to invest in new locos.. although I'm not sure if the detail in rolling stock has improved greatly in the last 30 years... I wanted to try and create something hyper realistic (scenery - not operation/layout necessarily) so thought OO was the scale to go with, but I have seen some very well made N Gague layouts recently! Hmmmmm... I think I need to sit back and have a good old ponder on this one! Cheers! If I decide to stick with OO and change my current end to end track layout and opt for a roundy roundy I will certainly look to bridge the doorway... although when inside it is very isolating! Thanks both for your suggestions and input, it's certainly helping me to think through what I really want! I think my first job is to have a look at my grandads (now mine) rolling stock and see if I would be happy with using that on a layout - if I am, then I can start thinking about selling some OO gauge stuff... hopefully for every 1.5 OO loco's I sell second hand, I can get a decent N gauge version! Food for thought, definitely! It's the whole 'class 47 needs at least 4 coaches' comment that is making me think.. I bet I could easily get an 6 coach N gauge train in the space I have with a nice run around a loop! Thanks Steve

Hi Steve, I have considered selling up and going N Gague. My grandad had an N Gague end to end layout in his box room 25 years ago, that was about 8' long and 4' wide... it was immense how much he fit in. I have also inherited about 30 of his N Gague steam locos and all his rolling stock - but none of it would run on DCC I know the detail in N Gague locos has improved greatly in recent years... I just struggle with fiddly parts of OO Gague as it is! You may have a point though. I will give it some serious thought! I could always sell 75% of my OO Gague stuff, keep some wagons and a shunter + 1 or 2 main line locos and build an end to end portable exhibition layout in my garage.... I will give it some serious thought! Thank you Steve.

I had a quick play to fit something into my room... based on SG's suggestion - hopefully this image will be visible too! Thanks, Steve.

That is an idea - we have those on our bathroom doors so would be in keeping with the rest of the house... just as long as no one mistakes the study for somewhere to relieve themselves!! Door is in the middle unfortunately, but I could rotate your design 90 degrees and have the thicker boards on the far wall (opposite the door)... just reaching over to do scenics could be an issue (and if anything derails as you say, sure it's workable though!)... well worth some thought! Brilliant, thanks for the help and advice so far! I honestly hadn't even thought of having any section wider than 2' so that opens up a whole new world of possibility for me! Cheers! Also - My work PC doesn't show the pictures in my posts, but I can access the site and the images direct... Try these links: https://s19.postimg.cc/y2z5o1e7n/Layout_Room_Plan_Original.jpg https://s19.postimg.cc/qmzw28y83/Layout_Room_Plan_Proposed.jpg The old layout I decided on but still wasn't 100% sure about (linked in a later post above)! https://s19.postimg.cc/dg1pujzj7/CFA9_C895-8_FC4-4_C4_C-98_F7-_C2_E8_B5279_E72.jpg Thanks. Steve.

I have had a carpenter look into this (my wife would not let me attempt it - the house is only 10 years old and is immaculate!) - they thought the whole frame would have to come out and be turned around which would mean replastering and reepainting around the frame! I may get a second opinion although the door to my study is immediately to the right of the main front door, so if it opened outwards could clash with that one opening inwards!! I think it'll be easier to leave the door as is.. which is a pain, but something i'll have to work around I think! See above comments Finsbury - the wife would kill me if I did anything with the door. It's off the main entrance hall way and all the doors match exactly (all 5 of them!). Good suggestion though, just not possible in my case Thank SG - very helpful and constructive! This is the kind of thing I am looking for, thank you so much for taking the time to sketch something out... the reverse loop is so that, for example, a 2 coach train hauled by a class 47 would have the loco at the head, it could do a few loops and then hit the return loop, thus ensuring the loco is still at the head of the train when heading in the other direction back into the terminus? Not sure where I would have space for the reverse loop though... I assume it could run next to the main line and does not have to cut across the middle of the loop? I've just looked again and see it does need to cut across the centre section because of the alignment of the points - the whole point of it being a reverse loop! Sorry - just to blatantly show my ignorance.... the goods yard would be for storing wagons which can be shunted into order, then picked up and taken to the Industry to be loaded/unloaded, then run back into the goods yard for storage/shunting/sorting again? I assume I would need my 08 shunter sat in a head shunt over there... Would also like a small TMD as I have quite a few diesel loco's... I'll have a think about the concept and see if I can get something workable! Thanks again, food for thought indeed! Much appreciated Steve.

Thanks Chris, Bolting the door was something I was trying to avoid as would be difficult for anyone to get in if an emergency situation occurred in there! Very much worst case scenario but I like to be prepared! I also like the fact if my elderly grandad (in his 90's) comes round, he can stand in the doorway and watch operation.. and even have a go himself from there... I'll continue thinking but a drop in section behind the door may just do the job. Would have to have a 'DO NOT OPEN' sign on the outside when i'm in there Thanks. Steve.

Hi RA, I do have a layout at present and had one with the boards in place as per the ‘proposed’ layout. I wanted to leave it as a clean slate. I did try several designs in layout software but I think it’s my experience/knowledge/creativity that is lacking! This was the final layout I tried to create before I changed to the L shape I now have... Thanks. Steve.

Thanks Chris. I did think about a hinged section but a lift out section could work if it can be forced out by opening the door... but then there is risk if someone else opened the door when the bridge was in place... food for thought though!

Thanks Phil. That’s actually what I have in my head... thought upper level near the boxed in pipes I could fit in a branch with a factory or goods shed etc... just struggling with the actual track planning! Cheers. Steve.

Thanks guys. The door to the study is off the main hallway downstairs so I really can’t change or remove this. All the doors off the hallway match! I would be in much trouble if I did anything like that! mods - please feel free to move this to a more appropriate section Cheers. Steve.