Huggy

So chuffed (pardon the pun...) with my recently acquired P Class tankie in Southern green, and inspired by the many splendid micro idea from you guys in this forum, I've been messing about with Anyrail with one eye on a nicely flat piece of MDF that's laying about, for a teeny yard that's an extension from the main goods yard at a fictional inner London borough station - Filsham (possibly) - mainly for a coal and sand / ballast merchant and odd bits of PW materials, that sort of thing. It could probably be done to represent anything from the 1920s to the 50s at least. I've got a few ideas for interchangeable things like posters, inserts in the yard surface to replace certain things for different eras, to widen it's scope, should I get round to building it to a standard where I might show it. As well as the P I have a couple of Terriers and indeed a couple of little diesel shunters. No points involved, so easy to wire and feed all tracks, but it all hinges on getting a decent sector plate made. I would probably build that first on an outrigger from the main baseboard, and build up the ground in the yard with polystyrene board to get them levelled up. The rudimentary fiddle facility at the back would be long enough to accommodate a Peco loco lift, and no train would be much more than the loco and a couple of SWB wagons. Nothing is set in stone yet regarding the yard facilities, so open to ideas. The viaduct would perhaps be good with a high level line on it with a static loco / coach / whatever. Let me know what you think chaps!

Oh yeah..... holes for point operating; a very sore point. I didn't think it through when I did the only two points on the scenic section of my layout Tillingham, and should have installed the pushrod and wire hand operated bits earlier than I did. One works (just) and the other I'm having to do again and bore a bigger hole, 'cos not only does it not always carry the current in one direction (dead frogs) but derails some items. Fortunately haven;t knackered the spring mechanism. Yet. Good work here, keep it up!

Saturday Night Special - Lynyrd Skynrd

Really looking good. I've been getting the itch to do a really small urban shunting layout, and all this stuff is gold!

Running Down a Dream - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Hold On Tight - Electric Light Orchestra

Sweets for my Sweet - The Searchers

City of Tiny Lights - Frank Zappa

White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes

Gosh lots of input from you gents, much obliged! Well having had a long think about how my purely home-based layout can actually be operated, as it is very small - just 4' x 4' - and basically an oval with two scenic and three non-scenic sidings, and based on your idea and suggestions, I've decided to follow CloggyDogs recommendation of a 560mm DCC Concepts storage box. OK it's a lot of money, but it will keep my most expensive piece of rolling stock, the Bachmann/Kernow 205 two car DEMU safe from harm - and make it much easier to get on and off the layout, as it is powered. Only Hattons appear to have the 560mm ones in stock just now, and I've also ordered a Peco Loco Lift to save handling my new P Class and it's Terrier chums with their very delicate detailing. Oh, and a Peco Re-Railer for the fiddly to place items of carriage stock etc. In addition, I have ordered some cut pieces of 3mm MDF from woodsheets.com to have a bash at making some more, very simple, cassettes for some of my other less valuable rolling stock. At least I'll get to see what works best for me; I'll probably end up with more storage and handling units than actual layout! (That's the recent gig money spent; at least I don't keep buying guitars like some of my mates!)

Didn't know they did one, CloggyDog, that looks ideal, especially for getting my 205 DEMU set on and off the layout, but even at Hattons discounted price not really in my budget range,and I need more than one really, thanks for the suggestion though. Might keep an eye out for a secondhand one.

Down at the Doctors - Dr.Feelgood

That's an idea; I have bought standard pieces for buildings from them recently, very fast service certainly.

Thanks guys. Checked them out, but Grainge and Hodder don't do small cassettes as standard (only the big turntable), and custom made would be prohibitive cost-wise. Same with Tim H. I suppose they feel everyone has different requirements on build design, handles, length etc. I'm now thinking I'll need to build from scratch in MDF. A firm called woodsheets.com do cut sizes from 50mm wide and up and a reasonable price, their postage isn't too bad either, so may go down that route. I only need about 560mm length max., and I reckon 3mm MDF would do the job, glued properly and braced. It was having to buy big sheets and cut them that was putting me off!

It's been good to run a few trains in odd moments (the layout is right next to my PC ) but further progress has been halted by major room-swapping at home, and trying to clear room for more storage units etc, and a hospital visit. If all goes well, I should be able to crack on a bit with the myriad jobs that count towards a "complete" layout. Once I stop playing with my lovely new P Class tankie - what a nice job Hattons commissioned there, it looks great and runs very nicely, even over my "dead frog" points. Now I'm going to need to forward plan a little pre-Nationalisation period layout for that little gem and one of my Terriers.... but first, address the thorny problem of space and time. Now I sound like Dr.Who. Maybe a sonic screwdriver would have got all those new flatpack things done a bit quicker.....

Should I Stay or Should I Go? - The Clash

Boom, Like That - Mark Knopfler

I'm in need of a small number of fiddle yard cassettes for my 00 layout, but while I can find kits for other gauges, I can't trace any laser cutting firms selling them for 00,which seems a bit odd. Anyone know a supplier? I need them to be quite light and accurate, so building them from scratch might be a hassle taking up time I could use doing something else. Next time I'll do any fiddle facilities BEFORE the main layout.

Great stuff Matt, I have a tentative idea for something similar when I've got the current project a little more complete; small suburban diesel era terminus with a Red Star Parcels depot. It would be about the same size, so following with interest

Suddenly everyone's taking the P My tiny little representation of the locomotive thus designated turned up last week in it's No.325 Southern Green guise, what a lovely little runner, nice 'n slow after running in. Trundles round Tillingham a treat; nice one Hattons.

No More Mister Nice Guy - Alice Cooper

Dream Baby - Roy Orbison

Night of the Vampire - The Moontrekkers. (Let's see if anyone remembers THAT one!)

Waiting for Saturday Night - Dr.Feelgood

Stone Free - Jimi Hendrix