MrDobilina

Feeder wires and frog power wires are in. Track flipped back over and the head shunt added alongside the twin sidings.

Every time I read this thread I’m filled with joy at how amazing your layout is and it’s continuous progress and interest. I hope my tiny layout can have at least half as much amazing attention to detail and gorgeous looking locos to run on it

Thanks for the suggestion! So far the Y is there to allow for a signal box between the short siding and the 3 way point and that siding is designed now to provide coal and maybe water too. It's 5' x 1'6''. I'm not sure I understand the y to 3way suggestion sorry! Still pretty new to this. For a head shunt would a left point be ok coming off the 3 way to provide a head shunt then the curved point coming off the left? A concept for when I have more room is to be able to have a second board to the right of the current board to extend the scene - but that's a long way down the line. (hah ) edit Something like this?

Hey guys, After a false start with a different layout I'm wanting to try to mix passenger and freight, as well as country and industrial and feel this is a great way to do this - it might not be real world accurate but I think it should be fun. The orange on the left are houses - low relief, the purple is a signal box, the red a platform crane - to allow loading of local goods that can be directly accessed by the road there, and the yellow are platforms. The cyan around the edge is the backscene that wraps around to the front to hopefully hide the edges a little better. This is all based on a design by @Harlequin done in my design thread here Some details about era etc: End of steam - Jinty/3mt/green early 08 are my current stock of locos Area - somewhere in the midlands, not a particularly well used line, supports local business and a small number of passengers - I haven't figured a work around for how the passengers would get from the plat form to the road - perhaps there is a walk through along the nearside edge, with them leaving the platform just off scene to the right. Pictures added are of the general plan, the base of the layout, the layout marked out on the base, and the track prepared before soldering. I'll update this as I go along, but thoughts and ideas/concerns are welcome!

Hey guys so it's update time I feel. As the track and one point were damaged during the move by less than careful removal men, I have stripped the track off the board and am going to replace the board tonight. I've moved away from the original plan back to Harlequins great design with one change. I've flipped the plan and swapped the point on the bottom edge with a curved point. I think this allows for a nice natural curve to the track with plenty of shunting possibilities and even a route through the area that I can play around with. I'm wanting to try to mix passenger and freight, as well as country and industrial and feel this is a great way to do this - it might not be real world accurate but I think it should be fun. The orange on the left are houses - low relief, the purple is a signal box, the red a platform crane - to allow loading of local goods that can be directly accessed by the road there, and the yellow are platforms. The cyan around the edge is the backscene that wraps around to the front to hopefully hide the edges a little better. When I look at this however, I am debating if I should move the crane to the right hand top platform, and leave that left hand siding for coal/water as harelquin originally suggested. Too many platforms might be a bit much. I think the road on the left should be quite a nice little country road - single track, and between the houses and the bushes/trees along side it would provide a nice little tunnel to look through. similarly looking from the run around look back towards the signal box should be a nice little framed view. I have no idea if this will all work or if I'll be capable of completing it with any degree of skill - I'm hoping you guys will help point out potential issues and i'll search the forums for specific things. I'm going to try and follow chris nevards directions for the sidings with the nearer one being a little over run with weeds as it's near the grass/hillside/trees at the front. Oh and some details about era etc: End of steam - Jinty/3mt/green early 08 are my current stock of locos Area - somewhere in the midlands, not a particularly well used line, supports local business and a small number of passengers - I haven't figured a work around for how the passengers would get from the plat form to the road - perhaps there is a walk through along the nearside edge, with them leaving the platform just off scene to the right. I do wish I had more space to play around with this, but it's the exact size of my desk and is easily brought up from and down to the cellar. Thoughts, comments, concerns let me know!

Hi guys, Just a quick update here. i have had a rough year to tell the truth, separated from the wife and am now living alone in a much smaller house. They layout is safe though, if a bit damaged. I have a cellar (has an airbrick though so I'm worried for winter) and the layout is stored down there for now. I'm going to come back to it in the next month or so once I'm properly settled down. I figured out the copper tape is not providing enough consistent connection (likely my laying of it) so I will be adding feeder wires throughout. A few pieces of track have come away and I think one of the points might have taken a knock so I'll have to have a look into that. Hope you're all doing well!

Hey GIlbert, Amazing pictures as always. I'm currently working my way through the whole topic as I'm still new to this! Can I ask a couple of quick questions? What sand did you use as the ballast/ground? Have you considered taking a couple of shots from directly or almost directly above at height, such as from a survey plane or something of that kind? Along these lines: Granted that is of a crash but the scene of the tracks, carriages, buildings and people is quite a lovely composite. I do like the work that's going on in the bottom right hand corner as well. For completeness for any who were interested, this was of the Leighton Buzzard train crash, an aerial view of the wreckage following the derailment of Royal Scot No. 6114 "Coldstream Guardsman" at Leighton Buzzard on 22 March 1931.

Is it me, or are those point blades on the switch on the right partway between both rails?

As usual this thread is equal parts, inspiring, amazing and depressing. How do you keep the motivation up? I have started a small layout but can't seem to motivate myself to finish the wiring!

Hey guys, things are progressing quite well with this layout, however the sector plate bit that moves keeps sticking up at one end. (As you can see in the previous post). Does anyone have any ideas on how I can keep that held down at all?

Hi guys Andy w has kindly revealed this topic! Not sure what I did but apparently I hid it. I have received my track and bits and have put together the attached. It’s not wired yet but it’s getting here. I’ve marked out the track so I can put cork under it. It’s based on fountain colliery by Chris Nevard but extended back half a foot and to the side by a foot. I’ve added a sector plate and put a 10 inch base to it. This means it can be put on a table inside and played with and it has room underneath for storage of bits.

How did I do that? How can I undo that?

Here we go - see attached. Was in skills and knowledge - layout design.

Hi guys just wondering if someone would mind telling me why my topic has been deleted? It was in the correct area and had two pages of responses. I would have liked to continue on the topic!

Hey guys you must be getting sick of me! Had a play around this afternoon and came up with the attached. I think it’s quite a nice balance. There’s a station with just enough room for 3 carriages, The goods yard has an end loading point and empties road and an unloading road. There’s a run around which can be used as goods in before the rake is broken down to its individual areas. The pink lines are the 9mm ply for the sides and centre reinforcement. The black lines are for manual point control roding underneathe the boards. Pink circles are magnets to unhook wagons and coaches. As always let me know your thoughts! Once I get my track on Monday I’ll set you know my final plans and somehow get this into a construction thread

Well I do enjoy seeing longer takes of coal wagons or other open topped wagons trundling along. But I also like a little passenger interest. The reason that in past concepts I’ve had a mini carriage siding as I often find a platform somewhat boring. Sidings can be used for many different things not just coaches, wagons are an option as is just stabling a couple larger locos. I am being given a Jinty for Christmas as well as the track, it’s a late emblem Jinty in br black. My n gauge layout is mostly gwr but I fancy doing something slightly different with this. I like the concept of end of line of an old and nearly disused line. The grass and weeds starting to reclaim the railway. This is one reason I like Chris Nevards work so much. I like the decay and operation of many of his layouts. Fountain colliery was the initial inspiration for doing this layout with the extended brew street bringing in more ideas. I like that it has shunting potential as well as a through option to a second cassette or as he does - linking both fountain colliery and brew street together to make a longer layout. Whilst they aren’t necessarily 100% prototypical they are fun and interesting to look at with some amazing details. Wow you really are good! I don’t mind overly straight lines as they tend to be straight to ease the removal of goods and the inspection of the wagons surely? EDIT Just a quick addendum, I’m enjoying this simple yet effective method of point control and frog powering https://youtu.be/vidkCRwQB-E

I’d love to know more about that, I use gimp 2 and similar for a bit of drawing fun now and again. If I could give your plan more thumbs up I would! An ingenious idea that uses the points I have to their most!I have attached an anyrail mock up with rtr buildings and other bits that I’ll describe after my responses. Thank you so much for your hard work! Great little station. Some interesting shots and even a diesel running on it. I’m not too keen on he seriously low platform. I had hoped to run mk1 coaches but I think theyd be too high surely? Ok onto the plan from harlequin. Harlequin planksville? Harlequin fockerby? Little fockerton? (Hahaha) Harlequin planktown? A name will come in time I’m sure! Anyway onto the plan. The viewing angle is from top edge is the looking towards the bottom edge. The platform being at the front of the layout and the good yard at the back. I felt this meant Way round might work well as the small platform won’t intrude on viewing the layout very much and the industrial/rural backdrop would make sense. The platform along the top is 25mm deep. Which I think is 6 scale foot? The water and coal stage in top right are acrystely sized kits. Placement might be off. Tried to put the water where either a small loco or a larger one could refuel at. Tbh I don’t know much about this as I’m still new to railways! The big pink line would be a fence for the goods yard including a gate for the entrance by rail. The other side of the entrance can still be used as a small siding if needed until the gate is opened - imagining that rather than a working gate. The road crossing is a halt and check for trains crossing - not gated but the green oblong is a gate to an industrial area that would be part of the back scene. The goods shed has been extended with a small platform - optional - to provide some unloading interest. The rusty coloured blocks are low reliefs buildings I’d have to make. I’m trying to hide the exit to the cassette by using the buildings as cover. Not sure if this would work but Chris Nevard makes great use of it here: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uep1QTF3jhU/WQbZEAHyl8I/AAAAAAAAc3Q/I5udUTetgtw3TXGIehp0vK7VT95OkxWBgCHM/IMG_6188_full.jpg?imgmax=9999 Not wanting to over complicate things but something I’ve considered recently is reducing the scenic area and extrending the back of the layout to allow a sector plate and a single road fiddle yard. I’ve added a plan of this taken from rmweb that’s ok but not perfect - thoughts concerns and ideas again are more than welcome. I apologise if I seem like I’m over planning things, I just like to have a clear idea of what to do in my head before getting on with it - and my creativity circuits need a good oiling haha

Very nice, how did you make that? I currently have 4 points immediately available to me, a three way, wye, left short and right short. All peco code 75

Good point! Just trying to keep it simple but then as you say it needs to be fun and interesting too! Hard to juggle these all around. Another lovely little layout. Shame I can't spot a track plan for it, a couple shots there make it look quite confusing. Is that on Kingsborough? Update made and another option here! the low relief might need to be ignored as I think it will be too small an area for it. ps. ive actually thought about correct left side running of trains this time! can't believe I forgot that on the last one!

I'd love to see some videos of trains running! Either stopping at the station or running through or shunting about. Also their insertion and extraction from the fiddle yard. I've started going through this thread as I'm new here, but only managed to get 86 pages through so far haha Will keep going over the next few days.

Great information again NearHolmer! I've had a think and have come up with an alternative. This is a sidings area where a runaround can be achieved by going back over the bridge to the second cassette and then back again.

Hmm I might be, I'll see what it looks like when its on the board so to speak! If it is too much, a lovely little through scenic like you posted would be just as nice thank you! I'm trying to get this complete or mostly complete by February due to a house move. I'd rather get it working and in a safe to transport state sooner rather than later Lovely jubbly! That's on my list of things to buy once I have laid, wired and ballasted! Peco sl-40?

nhy581 - where did you get those buffer stops from? They look just the ticket! I've removed the goods shed as I felt it might feel cramped in, particularly after the comments above. I get what you guys mean exactly, and I'd rather use foliage to give a sense of depth and detail rather than block out large areas of the layout with big buildings. This is mainly a small area for storage of wagons rather than a serviceable area where businesses are loading/unloading wagons with the exception of the coal tip area - I've seen this on a few layouts but I haven't seen a prototypical example yet. Please find attached a slightly updated version of the plan from last night. I've tidied up both areas of sidings and thought about the general content of the scene, green areas and more industrialised sections. I've also uploaded a version minus example vehicles so you can see the track better.

Hi guys, I'd like to start off by saying a huge thank you for your detailed and considerate responses so far. It means a lot that you guys have taken time to respond to a new persons cries for help! I'm sure it must be grating over the years! The suggestions of some layouts got me looking at an O gauge layout just titled 'the shed' I have used that concept mixed with fountain colliery and some random bits I just had in my head and have come up with the attached plan. This is very much a work in progress so please let me know if you can spot anything particularly silly! The concept is an end of line sidings/storage area. The good shed bit is very optional as it might take away from the carriage sidings at the back. I realise you tend to have a much more complicated and expanded area for carriages but I felt this was a good start and experiment. The shed in the middle would allow for displaying a larger more ornate engine as it recuperates from the days travels. I realise this is a little odd as there would normally be things like this at the station but I liked the concept of a scenic break of a static loco showing off in the middle whilst the work is carried out around it. The Johnsters suggestion of not bothering with run around track and having a release loco really helped this concept along as it means one loco can pull in with a longer rake of wagons into the bottom right siding, and another, perhaps the loco stationed in the shed, can run around and release the loco by first pushing wagons into the goods yard area (That can fit) and pulling forward into the bottom left siding with whatever is left over. the original loco can then escape. this can also form the basis of a shunt puzzle as one loco could move wagons into the good and overflow area and then reform the rake in the bottom right or bottom left. Ordering would be key here. The carriage area could be used as carriage storage or wagon storage. The top right area I might add a couple figures standing around with a drink just chin wagging after a long days work. The good yard is the biggest question, along with the use of the wye in the bottom right. It seems like it takes up a lot of room and I dont want it to look over crowded. Could someone advise me on DCC please? I've only ever used DC so far, but am interested as this could mean having two locos on the same track with out having to use breaks in the track to isolate little areas. As always, please please make any comments and suggestions, even if it's "Throw it out! that would never work!" haha just want to learn and make the most interesting and stress free layout I can

Hi guys. I have been trying hard to create a nice little shelf layout in oo. For now I’ll only have 5ft x1 to play with. I have code 75 bullhead track as it prefer the look of it. I have four turnouts- three way, small left, small right, small wye. The issue I have is that I can’t quite find that sweet spot of interesting operation and scenery in such a small area. I love the work of Chris Nevard with his brew street and fountain colliery layouts. I’d love to create a similar style layout to his fountain colliery layout but I’m suffering from creative block. Can someone please help me design something fun and interesting? A few further general points: I’m aiming at late 50s early 60s as I’ll have a Fowler 3F Jinty as my primary engine. The area will be quite run down and in its later years The layout can have one or two off scene areas that a cassette can connect to to permit rakes on and off the layout. If an extra point is needed to compete a loop instead of one I already have that’s fine The primary purpose of this layout is a small shunt puzzle with some realism