HookedAgain

Hello again, I hope that this finds everyone well. Thank you once again for everyone's suggestions, I very much appreciate everyone taking the time to contribute. Hindsight is a glorious thing and with that in mind, I wish that I had given my room dimensions to indicate an L shaped room. It would have precluded me from having to apologise and say that I am just not interested in a hinged section or lift out portion of track. Sorry for being so blunt and for possibly upsetting anyone in the process, I don't mean to, but this form of layout (in this location) isn't for me. I can certainly see how this works for most people and indeed, if I were building this in my loft, then it is probably the direction I would take. This is intended as a long term project, a little world where I can improve my modelling skills and hopefully change my wife's attitude to the hobby In terms of what would work for me, I really like the simplicity of @Steam Revival's design with @DCB's modification. This would offer two distinct station areas both with sidings for added interest and an area between which can be landscaped. However, I am intrigued by @Chimer's dual helix design which could add even more flexibility and opportunity for automation. I believe it is standard practice for a descending loco to use the inner track of the helix to minimise the effects of the gradient......

Thanks everyone, @Steam Revivalthank you for the time you have spent on the plan, I too have been messing around with SCARM as well as XTracCAD and AnyRail so please don't apologise, I really appreciate your efforts. our designs are very similar except that I fed the branch line over to the other side of the station, therefore only crossing the main line once, but I can see an aesthetic value in your approach.

Hi everyone, Thank you for your responses, I think it is time to go back to the drawing board - in this case literally!

Good morning @RobinofLoxleythank you for your message. I will edit my original post as I agree, it is somewhat ambiguous and doesn't convey what I meant. I am hoping to utilise as much space as possible for the layout, without the need for lifting out sections to access the room, as such it will be U shaped, but the dimensions of the corner at D preclude the use of a 3rd radius loop, such a loop would need to be located a corner C, hence why I had considered placing a branch line terminus at D. Finally, with regard to the era I want to model, I am not aiming for a specific year - but rather suggest scenes that may have existed somewhere during this rough time frame. For example, I wouldn't want BR liveries on locomotives, vehicles, buildings etc. and don't want locomotives etc. that hadn't been designed/built. All the best Hooked Again

Hi everyone, As the title suggests, I have recently moved home and feel myself being drawn back to the hobby. I have watched countless hours of video, poked around several forums and viewed literally hundreds of pictures, however, I am really stumped with regard to the design of my layout....... EDITED: When I first started, I had hoped that I would have room for a U-shaped run around design, unfortunately, the dimension of the end wall at (D) is too small to accommodate a double track curved loop. This means that the return loops will have to be incorporated in at the top right of the plan (C). Currently, the room is a blank canvas and apart from the 125mm square support pillar shown on the plan, clear for use. The only restriction I have placed on myself is to try to leave the area under the benchwork at D clear to enable me to have a pull out modelling bench. Probably best if I detail some must haves, would like and items to be avoided: Must have: OO Gauge Steam era, post war - pre nationalisation Scenery rich Would likes: Minimum Radius 3 preferred Permanent installation - not intended to be modular Based on Rural GWR infrastructure - no specific location Prefer to have double track main line Run around mainline track(s) (either on scenic level or via lower storage yard) Storage area/fiddle yard below main layout Branch line crossing below (or above) the main line(s) / loop Ability to feed branch line trains into loop or helix so that it could access fiddle yard Entrances / exits to helix hidden by tunnels To be avoided: Duck under or lift out sections to access room. EDITED: I don't want visitors, especially elderly relatives to have to crawl below track work or for me to have to remove sections to allow them access) - (lift out access panels in scenic areas would be ok if access from the front is not possible) The idea of placing the fiddle yard below the main display layout using helices was inspired by Charlie's Chadwick. With regard to the room layout plan, since (D) is the narrowest part of the layout, I thought of placing a branch line terminus (something like a condensed / simplified Fairford) in this corner. The sketch I have included was only a scribble to get an idea of how I could fit something in this area and could probably be condensed further by using slips in lieu of some of the points. One idea I had was to have a twin track loop running around the L shape (Between A, B and C) with the option of allowing the train to run around the loop on the scenic level or to disappear from view via a helix, through the storage yard and then reappear on the scenic layer via the other helix, however, if space is too much of a constraint, I would be prepared to have the loop run under the layout only. Perhaps the branch line could be set as an end to end line feeding a platform also fed by the mainline loop. With regard to the lower level, the storage yard would be confined to A thru C. The design of the storage yard is irrelevant at this stage apart from allowing a train to run from the output of one helix to the input of the other. Control will be via DCC++EX, I have already built an operational system that can run via a mimic panel, block detection and a handheld wireless throttle or via a laptop running JMRI. At this stage my preference is the mimic panel as I have already spent too long sitting behind a computer. Probably of little interest, but as I already have a fair bit of Peco code 75 Bullhead track, I will build the main scenic areas with this and the non scenic areas with Peco code 100, I might even use set track for the helix if used. The construction of the layout will depend upon the design, but I am tending to lean towards an open frame setup, however, this may all change! If anyone has any ideas, please feel free to speak up, any help / suggestions would be gratefully received. Cheers Hooked Again

Hi Keith & Huw, Thank you for your messages and for your advice. I will post in the Layouts & Track Design as suggested. With regard to MERG, yes I am interested and will probably submit my application within the next couple of weeks. Once again, thank you Hooked Again

Hi everyone, I have been lurking around this site for quite a while, reading as much as I can and trying to catch up with modern modelling methods. The hobby has certainly come a long way since I was last involved. I thought it would be the right time to introduce myself: From an early age I was fascinated by all things mechanical and on the rare occasions I managed to catch a glimpse of a steam locomotive, I was beside myself. Moving forward nearly 50 years and having relocated to, what I hope will be, our forever home; I have built a dedicated space within the garage, free from the intrusion of "wifey's things". I had hoped that the entire garage would be mine, but that was just too much to hope for! Originally I had planned a U shaped tail chaser but alas, the space now available will probably not allow this. I will be modelling in OO gauge and whilst the time available to me currently precludes building my own track and rolling stock, I would like the layout to be as 'prototypical' as possible. During the pandemic, I built a functioning DCC++ control station and a basic mimic panel, whilst I am computer savvy and will use the likes of JMRI to setup the layout, I don't want to be running the layout exclusively by computer, so I have also built a couple of handheld wireless throttles. Well, I think that I have probably bored those of you that took the time to read this post and for that I apologise. I hope that you will not mind the inevitable dumb questions as I progress. p.s. I was chatting with another member on this site about options for my layout and they suggested that it might be worth posing the question in the layout forum, do you think this would be acceptable? Many thanks Hooked Again