Gresley-4498

Yep, I've highlighted them on the points below in case it helps anyone.

Hi yes, Currently baseboard as pictured is 1600x 1220. Ovals are R2 and R3. The basis is the starter box and track pack system.

Well some of the fun is in dodging all those other moving trains with the one that you are driving. 🙂 I don't think it's one or the other, probably about 1/3rd of my locos are chipped. (across 00/HO/G/N/TT)

With the Digital option of the starter set, the transformer plugs directly into the track, and the control signals come from your phone, so you don't need to buy a controller. The locomotives need a chip each, but that gives them sound (£60 for bluetooth and sound is a very good price) and abc shuttle support, so the double oval you describe could have trains that stop at a station, wait a while then continue. while there are a few other locomotives milling about in sidings. I have included a picture of the simple layout that I am building at the moment, which still has some track to arrive. The blue sections denote abc sections that can stop a locomotive, which can then resume in an appropriate direction after an appropriate delay through configuration that is on the locomotive. ABC modules from tramfabriek are around £5 each I'm thinking at the moment that the 2 ovals would make the trains stop and then continue, whilst the line beside the engine shed would move from a coaling stage to a water tower. With the 3 at the bottom, one could shunt a wagon into a goods shed while the other options are still tbd.

The modern option is the DCC Sound version that controls the trains with an phone app through bluetooth. this does work really well, so I'm using this for the tt layout. Trainset controllers tend to be cheap and cheerful for the most part. I think there is a very limited market for a premium DC controller these days.

It sounds like you have a good space there and trains could run round the room (I had one of these as a kid and they are fantastic.) I would say for the first stage you are looking at is mostly joinery and collecting track. (though if you prefer, you can get some units to a height that is comfortable for you (get a comfortable chair to test) and lay the boards across the top), however a flat / level complete base that fits your space is something to think about. You can include some lowered sections in you want to include some bridges if you like. With a base board in place, that can become the starting point of working out where you would like your track to go. If you are going with the Hornby bluetooth decoders (I am with tt) then you can have digital and sound in the larger locos (and probably in the smaller ones eventually). The decoders support abc shuttles (braking modules TramFabriek's is around £4 each) which you can use to make you trains stop at stations, wait a while then head off, or configure a shunter and a wagon to go backwards and forth in a goods yard or a light loco between a coaling stage and a water tower. The Settle and Carslile buildings would probably work with your ex-LMS theme as well, but there may be more to come from peco - the ready to plant buildings are good if you haven't done a lot of modelling in past and don't want assembling building kits to be your hobby. I would echo that it's easy to get too ambitious at the beginning.

Loco comparison is interesting, I think it's the wrong wagon to compare as the dimensions will be largely dictated by the size of the shipping containers. (but as you note, it's the one you have)

Hornby have acknowledged a number of manufacturing issues with the A3/A4 and have provided some advice on resolving them, including adjustments to make them work better with Peco track, for example. There is a thread here outlining the common fixes: https://community.hornbyhobbies.com/topic/33745-the-main-a1a3a4-chassis-bogie-problems-fixes/#comment-373922 Yo can also get Hornby to make adjustments for you iirc,

I'd forgotten that they'd done a J15 at all actually - in that case it's probably even odds.

I think the J36 is more likely as they would have recent-ish (2018?) cad and analysis for it, but you can dream...

73s have a lot of livery options and synergies with what has been produced so far including Pullman livery, Caledonian Sleeper (with mk3s), gatwick express (mk2s) Network south east along with all the others. Similar story for 67s as these can also be produced in Pulman, Caledonian sleeper, Royal train (mk3s), Belmond Royal Scotsman, Silver & Diamond Jubilees, EWS. DBS Colas, Arriva etc.