Backintime

Thank you @DCB & @RobinofLoxley very interesting! Mark

Good morning everyone, thank you all for your comments, you have certainly provided me with some food for thought and have highlighted some of the hazards along the way! You have posed questions which have made me think about the practical requirements for operating the layout - “function over form” and that dreaded word - compromise! The practical aspects of building the layout, laying the track and powering it up don’t phase me, but as you guys have illustrated the initial design is not as simple as it would first seem. Cheers Mark

Hi Andy, you make a couple of good points here and tbh, I hadn’t thought of how many trains/locos I would have on the layout. In answer to Phil’s question, I am leaning toward a single track with a passing loop, however, if there were two loops, they would be the beginnings of a fiddle yard. Now that you have asked your questions , it makes good sense to have one Mark

Hi Phil, well that is an interesting question….. do you think that it is possible to fit a double track circuit in this space? I am tending towards a rural branch line with a passing loop if possible Mark

Hi Keith, To be honest, I think most of the track I have (setrack) is destined to be used for static display only. There is a lot of corrosion on the running surface of the rails and there seems to be a fair bit of play on the blades of the points. Long and short of it, I will be investing in new track! You comments regarding a fiddle yard are noted. Cheers Mark

Hi Andy, Ideally, I would like to run a rake of 8 coaches, but that is obviously not achievable. I would be more than happy with 3 x 60ft coaches behind a Castle class loco, I realise that a layout of this size will require compromise. Cheers Mark

pun intended 😉 Andy & Ian, thank you for your inputs and Ian, thank you for pointing me towards you designs, all very interesting and certainly food for thought! If I am understanding this correctly, one track could pass over the other (within my size constraints) by having a downward gradient on one track and up on the other? This certainly is 3D thinking 🙂, I had been trying to mock-up the distance required for an overpass when adjusting one track only, allowing for a reduction in gradient for the curves, but this approach all but halves the required distance. Thank you both! I have a couple of ideas for the entrance section which would accommodate both 2D & 3D arrangements. Cheers Mark

Hi Phil, thank you for your message, whilst disappointing to hear that my space is too small for serious gradients, I completely understand. I am planning to use an open frame layout, so as you suggest, I can give the illusion of varied terrain, I also like the idea of a terminus / branch line. Unfortunately, I can’t visualise how you would cut diagonally across a corner. May I ask how this would be achieved? Cheers Mark

Hi Andy, Thanks for your suggestions, I am tending to lean towards a rural setting with perhaps a small hamlet if space allows. I also like the idea of having some form of goods facility and possibly an engine shed, but I realise that this is a small space in real terms and I would rather have fewer buildings rather than cram too many together. Originally, I had thought of portraying three ages of transport in the layout i.e. the past: a canal, the present: the railway and the future: a large trunk road under construction - but this might be too twee and has probably been over done! once again, thank you for your inputs, Cheers Mark

Hi Ian, thank you for your reply and for the heads up re vertical clearance. DCC adds an interesting opportunity to try something different. Cheers Mark

Hello Ian, Thank you also for your post, very interesting. I have to admit that I couldn’t visualise a 2% slope and had to look it up, but (1 in 50) seems very gentle and I am sure that even my old Triang Hall class could make it up that! A couple of questions if I may: Did you use a commercial product to achieve a consistent gradient or did you engineer a local solution? How do you switch polarity on your reversing loop? Are you using DC or DCC? Thank you Mark

Hi Andy, Thank you for your response, I like the idea of a lift out section, especially as any scenery (within reason) could stay attached to the lift out section and a set of tapered pins could help to align track. My knees would probably appreciate not having to duck under the board all the time, although that option is still possible. As time goes on, I could probably engineer a pulley system or even jack screw system to help lift the board. The size of the baseboards / operating well was roughly what I was thinking. I would probably go with an irregular shaped well with curved edges rather than straight edges, but at this stage that is not important. I mentioned not wanting a flat 2D oval layout because I used to have a Hornby double oval set. I always thought of that as being a starter set and although I had some rudimentary scenery (chicken wire & papier-mâché hills) it was very basic. A terminus station is very appealing and I would not totally rule it out, but I think I would rather have a loop of some description and if it were to have gentle inclines, so much the better. Mark

Hi Andy, Sorry, should have led with that, it will be OO, I already have quite a lot of track and all my locos are OO! cheers Mark

Hi everyone, I have insulated & lined my shed and now I am looking for suggestions for a track plan please? The internal/available space is 11’ 6” x 6’ 6”, the space looks enormous but having read many of the posts on here, it is really small! The door opens out and is in the middle of the long wall. I haven’t installed any bench work yet so I am flexible but I would like to avoid a simple 2 dimensional oval. I know steam locomotives are not good at climbing inclines but the real world is not flat and I would like to replicate this if possible. I also know that it won’t sit well with many, but I won’t be modelling any specific location as I have LMS, GWR and LNER steam locomotives with both freight & passenger rolling stock, in terms of era it is probably going to be pre WW2. I don’t think I want a separate fiddle yard but beyond that….. Please be gentle with me! Cheers Mark