Staners

I've set out a basic track plan - this isn't final and I'm still undecided on certain parts. I have brought a case for the layout which measures in at 116 x 30 x 12 cm slightly larger than the case for Bashington. For these projects I use wood based keyboard cases as they are sturdy and easy to work with. Each end of the layout will have a detachable balloon loop that will allow me to run trains round without any effort although I could put cassette fiddle yards in at a model show if there are 2 operators and have loco layovers etc realistic of a gala to add operational interest. With loops I will be able to run a 4 train service with 2/3 passenger trains a dining train and maybe a freight train. I have annotated the track plan with some pictures of roughly what I would like to achieve I still have 2 spots of the layout where I have no final plans (yellow) 1) Situated on a hill I feel this should be a cameo possibly with a talking point- maybe a church with a wedding or a farm yard with a house and barn 2) This end of the layout is going to be countryside with a large rolling hills covering the canal disappearing at the back so having a big scene at the front there would take away the viewers attention. Having just grass would look very unrealistic so something that'll add to the layout without taking attention away from other things would be great I also want to add that I intend to set the layout on a present day heritage railway although the station and surround area hasn't changed at all since the early 20th century, however I would like to add a few subtle nods to the present day, maybe a member of staff in full high-vis abiding to new health and safety, a new road sign along the road or a modernly dressed family on the canal ... Stock wise it will be similar to my other layouts, Bashington and the TVR, with 3 coach trains hauled by realistic locos and livery's.

So I'm currently designing and building a large layout that may well take a few years to build so while thats going on I want to have a smaller layout also on the go. With my layout Bashington working really well in a keyboard case I thought I would continue with this design as it has worked well. Although I will make some variations upon the basic premise of the design. These changes will include: Making the inside of the box completely scenic as appose to having a 3rd at one end non scenic Having the layout come out of the box at each end for a fiddle yard / loop The box lid will double as a back scene and frame for a lighting system Access under the baseboard will be quicker and easier as I'm planning to use Dapol semaphore and motorised point so urgent access may be necessary The baseboard will only cover part of the base of the case as I'm planning to have an embankment and canal on one side of the layout Overall the new layout will become a higher quality and detail version of Bashington.

Ok, so plans have changed a little. All but the track plan is the same: This plan allows for: A longer run, more scenic options including higher realism, more access to layout for viewing and building (building is also made easyer due to no sub baseboard gradients). I added a few ideas about how I would detail each section

Another idea for the branch.... Separate branch from the layout more and also increase the length from pulling it of from the embankment, also raising it add a sense of distance (3 cm above the main baseboard height) Also i found a picture of this single track terminus station so I could realistically have a station like on the plan. For services to the station i could use a Gronk and a brake van or a 4mt and a brake, both plausible as demonstrated by photos below

The closer section of the left hand cutting looks similar to how I want the inner section on my cutting. I was also thinking of a bridge for a road from my branch station across the cutting and curving off to the section in the corner if the curve and scenically disappearing behind the wall.

Another idea for the top left of the layout... a cutting with a high side along the wall to act as a back scene, and the inner side be lower but still prominent, also having a wide cutting to represent the line previous being double track and also to allow trains to still be viewable from a normal viewing angle. This would act as a scenic brake from the empty space on the layout where I could have a branch that's "crammed" in but is separated from the running line so it doesn't look it (design bellow).

The tunnel portal looks absolutely stunning really makes it something else!

Thank you, and your project looks great already giving me little ideas!

For the free space I was wondering if I could add a small halt similar to Berwyn Station along the section or I was thinking of a small branch with a single track terminus at the end coming from one of the stations. Also I've added some pictures to the plan to show what I'm trying to achieve with each section nothing solid just some of the land form and structures (none of the photos are mine so all credit to those whom they are) Its probably a good time to point out that this layout is based somewhere fictional but probably in the south near the sea or an estuary, also I included a few Scottish pictures so I would make there scenes more appropriate for somewhere in the south.

The current section section looks like - I feel as though the section to the top left of the layout of the layout is a bit empty, I want to have sweeping curves with majestic trains on my layout, so without taking away from this does anyone have ideas for the space - something that can add to the layout without taking away from it? thanks The layout is designed to be viewed from the bottom right and the baseboard sits at 80 cm above the floor. Bellow is the access arrangements to the board Red- Unaccessible and non viewable Yellow - Accessible but non viewable Green - Accessible and viewable

With my current layout winding down and nearing completion i'm starting to formulate ideas for a new layout. I'm wanting a layout where I can have realistic length heritage services passing in a loop then going in there separate directions and returning again. The basic trackplan of my layout will be a pinched dogbone so that a train can return from the same direction and look although its run round and turned of a turntable For this project I've found some space and put some baseboards together My current track plan looks like this: 2 scenic passing loops along with 1 non-scenic allow for up-to 4 trains running at once, I also am able to store 4 sets of coaches scenically and have space at the bottom left of the layout to store extra stock With this plan my standard rolling stock would include: 1x N class, Late Crest (DCC sound) 1x 4MT Tank, Late Crest (DCC sound) 1x Ivatt 2MT, Late Crest (DCC sound) 1x Class 33, BR Green SYP (DCC/DCC Sound) 3x mk1 standard service trains (2 in crimson and cream and one in chocolate and cream) - 1x Full Brake, 4x Second Corridor 1x mk1 pullman set - 2x Palour, 2x Corridor 1x mk1 BR blue pullman/bar train - 1x Palour, 2x Nightcap Bar 2x freight sets (one SR and one GWR)

Few extra posts 3 landrovers sit in the corner of the engineers/private siding view looking cross to the warehouses from the siding Network rail Defender sits in the updated entrance to the siding next to the porter cabins (sorry wouldn't except rotated image) Network rail 57 sits in platform 3 57 Seen again with 4 Bluebell Railway grampus wagons

Few update shots of the layout Overview of the layout The main traction of the heritage railway consists of a N class, 4MT and 14xx Southern Turbostar passes in front of the signal box on its way to Castlecliff The N class pulls a train of 12 ton ventilated boxes into Bashington on the Goods Weekend The 4MT taking brake van rides around Bashington is seen in the loop N class n.o. 31811 sits in platfom 1&2 on a layover 14xx sits in the engineers/private siding on the Goods Weekend Once again on the Goods Weekend we see the 4MT with a mixed SR set ready to depart Bashington The alley at the top right of the layout running in front of the houses The N class Brings a mixed passenger service into platform 3 - The service consists of a standard class MK1 and a MK1 Pullman on a private charter On some occations services are Top and tailed (mainly when Bashington signal box is "Locked Out" and thus movement between network rail and the heritage railway is prohibited) in this case the service is hauled by a 4MT and N class

What is your budget and what type of layout are you looking for?

Few shots of the layouts early days..... Shot from the viaduct over the layout onto the engineers/private sidings Beffore the bridge was replaced with a viaduct here is the view of the porter cabins Network Rail Class 57 sits in the engineers/private sidings Busy looking fiddle yard..... Really old photo of the track just after being laid pre-ballasting Overall veiw of the track plan... not much has changed since then..... Before putting the layout into the box I checked the track plan to make sure of distances like headhunt length etc.

N gauge DC layout built in about 6 months. I wanted a small layout to operate on and be able to take places, able to operate under DC and DCC (future-proof!), be able to run as much of my stock as possible while being plausible to a prototype, have enough capability to me entertained without having an overly extravagant track plan and not to be too big thus making the project overly ambitious. From this I created this: A small branch line terminus in the south of England served by two lines, one from the east one from the west. The western a small heritage railway (giving me any excuse to run any locos in preservation and mainline services similar to what now has happened at Swanage) and to the east a branch to the mainline allowing short passenger DMU's (once a double track line, of course cut due to beaching, the viaduct was added after hence why the trackbed doesn't have a portal) (one day I might look into the possibility of running a short section of the Riviera Sleeper that has split off at Burton Drew (interesting traction situation would arise!)). A small spur peels or to the harbour where freight operations can occur, maybe the harbour is small and thus only short freight services run (giving me a reason to run freight services with lots of variety while able to run them round in a small loop at Bashington). If you aren't already aware i'm extremely keen on having a realistic prototype that isn't stupid! While I'm all for the "its your layout do what you like" approach I prefer to make sure that its within the bounds of realism and that once it has happened or that one day it realistically might. Location of layout and surrounding railways