jimmythedog

13 hours ago, Chimer said:

I thought I'd complete the exercise anyway .... that's a factory sending/receiving vanload traffic, and an associated halt, on the left hand side.

Hi Chimer,
I like that - would you mind sharing the XtrkCad file? (I'm assuming it's XtrkCad?)

Many thanks

Thanks again all, decisions, decisions...

Perhaps I'm trying to shoehorn Coldean into the space, and it's not really working?

Just realized that bottom RHS is accessible from outside anyway, so reach is not a problem there

Hi Chimer - had another stab at the RHS, but a bit concerned about the reach at bottom RHS?

Was that what you had in mind?

6 hours ago, Chimer said:

That could be developed into something.  As it stands, your maximum passenger train length would be two coaches, and even at that you'd be struggling to run round a train in the terminus. But the terminus has room to grow a bit, especially if you move the lift-out section as far to the left as possible.  It might be possible to run the continuous line behind the terminus rather than in front of it, allowing you more length for the fiddle yard.  And rather than a tiny second station on the left hand side, some sort of industry might have possibilities ......

 

I might just have a play tomorrow!

Thanks Chimer,

All good, positive criticisms - back to the drawing board...

OK, guys thanks again for all your help
Decided to have a another attempt at getting something done

Went back to Nearholmer's suggestion of basing something on Coldean
I've taken note of people's comments about the FY reach, so I decided to try putting the station's on the shorter edges (not sure if that was a suggestion from Nearholmer too?), which means that the reach to the FY is now far less, and there's now a nice simple lift out section (thinking that a viaduct may be nice there?)

Does this attempt seem feasible?

Once again, thanks for help & patience

After Phil's comments, time for a rethink
Thanks for those comments - really helps

Thanks Cam - something like this?

@Mod1 Sorry, I appear to have posted to the wrong topic, could you please move this thread to the 'Layout and Track Design' area?
Many thanks and, again, apologies

Once again, guys, thanks for all your help - you've given a great start
Apologies for posting to the wrong topic - oops
Could you please point me how to get in touch with a Mod?

Would I be right in thinking that I'd be struggling to reach the top LH corner of Coldean with my layout, as my only access is from the operating well?

OK, cuppa by my side, part two...
 

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Take a look at the Dene-type fiddle yard

Would this be "Maurice Deane"?
And, if so, would the Ffarquhar layout be an example of it?
(Again, this my noobiness coming out)
 

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See a Plan 9 herein

Is this ("Coldean"?) also an example? - Oo just spotted something - is there a clue in the name Coldean?

What "makes" a deane type fiddle yard?
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When searching for the deane layout, I came across this, and I think that would kinda nice to do:

With my limited knowledge, would I be right in saying that it's kinda like the Coldean layout?
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Oh wow!
I pop out grocery shopping, come back, and there's already a whole load of help - thanks a bunch guys, really didn't expect so much, so quick

Right, let's reply to the postings so far - I guess I'll start with AndyB's question...

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why did the first two layout attempts fail? Was there something you didn't like about them?

First of all, was my first attempts and, being human, I thought I knew best on the first one and decided that it really couldn't be that difficult to design a layout, surely?
So, an end-to-end plan was "knocked up", track laid & ballasted, everything wired up (even had servo motors switching electrofrog points, controlled by own built MERG boards), some hilly scenery built up, and buildings made up from scalescenes kits - was really pleased with myself for a short while...
At this point I guess I should emphasise my noobiness - right, and now that's out of the way...
I never realised that UK railways were like the roads i.e. trains mainly travel on the left!
This meant that I had a platform in the terminus that could never be used - a minor matter, NOT
So, up that came

For the second one, I decided to use one end of the wall for a Minories layout, and that went really well
Even had some automation with JMRI, but there was a nagging in my head...

I wanted a continuous run, and I found the "flatness" of the baseboards a bit limited - I even got incredibly frustrated with timber cross members always seeming to be under a point - grrrr

So that was the second one gone

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I'd also suggest you need a reason for the railway to exist. Was there a local industry which needed materials brought in and finished goods taken out? Where did the workforce live? Was there a town nearby that needed a station?

This is something I've really struggled with all the way thru this journey - I don't know
TBH, I think the class37 was probably not helping - I think I was trying to design a layout around a loco, and I ended up in the "wrong" era for the layout size (if that makes sense), and if I'd stuck to steam locos, I'd have been drawn towards older times, where there appeared to more of a need for, and more varied, rail freight - and probably more layout examples
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In relation to the baseboards, depending on the plan, you may want to thin one down and thicken another,

I've already built L-girder baseboards (due to my frustration with a flat baseboard), but they're loosely connected, and I am not averse to modifying them - I want to get it right this time
I'm already impressed with what advantages I've already seen with L-girders
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A rural scene will low you to make progress quicker than an urban one.

I'm really impressed by some of those out there - I've been totally engrossed the Little Muddle thread - that guy is a modelling genius
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Could I recommend that you think about having scenery below the track bed as well as above. This will help realism. You can do this using either cut out sections or L-beam construction. 

That was one of the reasons I went down the L-girder route - I have high hopes for that

I think that's enough in this post, and I'll author another one after a cuppa, in relation to the other helpful comments - once again, a big, big thank you guys

Hi all, 
Hoping someone out there can help to get me started...

After two failed attempts at building a layout, I'm hoping third time lucky 

I'm wanting to build an OO layout to fit in an area 8' 10" x 5' 9" (not a lot I know, but it is what it is - and my eyes just aren't up to N )

Three sides are up against walls, so no access from outside the layout there, but one of the longer side does have easy access, and I'm guessing a removable section on that side (don't think I'll be able to crawl under for much longer!)

Must haves?

• Some sort of continuous loop in there (prev two attempts were end-to-end, and I realise now that sometimes I would like to see trains running around)

Nice to haves?

• Based around the steam->diesel era (would that be early 60s?), as I already have a class37 (not that era, but i can live with that) and I am thinking of getting a few steam locos
• Some sort of goods/shunting area(s), as there's only so long you can watch a train go by!

Unknowns?

• Probably rural rather than urban?
• Do I need a fiddle yard? Really not sure tbh (this is where inexperience is showing)

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and really hoping I'm going to strike lucky

17 hours ago, Chimer said:

 

My initial thought and query was the same as David's - is the longer side actually around 11 feet (11 squares as drawn) or 9 (107 inches as stated)?   It makes one hell of a difference …..

Sorry, don't know what happened there!
The room is actually a touch short of 9 foot square (as shown in the later AnyRail diagram)

Thanks everyone for your input.

Thinking about it, the roundy roundy option does seem attractive, to have something running around while other stuff is going on

And with that side door hardly being used, I could justify crawling under it on the very rare occasions I need to

Based on the above, I took my first stab at trying to get some something down "on paper"

So, I came across a design in Peco's "A compendium of track plans...", and I made an attempt to translate it an into AnyRail design

It kinda fits in the bedroom, and also gives me a bit of space left over on the right (the orange square is the entrance door area, so I cannot use that, but I am willing to build in front of the door on the side)

• Do you think it would be worth pursuing this design?
• I was wondering if that space on the right could be a fiddle yard?
• Is there any shunting that could be performed? (again, I'm showing me ignorance here)

I really am appreciating the help you're all offering (even though some of the terms are still unknown to me, and I have to scurry off to look them up)

Hi Mdvle & Philou, and thanks for your replies

I've not really put much thought into removable sections yet - when I first heard about them, they seemed like a bit of work, and felt like a weak point - perhaps I should look into it more
However, given the option, I think I'd rather not have them, if at all possible - but if it becomes too restrictive, then I will obviously revisit that decision

I think I'm edging towards the steam/diesel transition era (as that was the time when I was a kid), but I was wondering whether I'd have enough room for diesel locos?

If possible, I think I'd like to have both passenger and goods, though I realise I'm probably restricted to one or two passenger coaches (DMU's?)

As for urban/rural - no real bias towards one or the other, though possibly a slight nod to rural

When it comes to those sort of questions, I'm pretty open for this initial project, but I have a feeling that as time goes by, I may then fall into particular camps, but for now, I just want to get started with something that will technically challenge me a bit, so not *too* simple

By know I guess you've picked up how much of a novice I am - completely new, so please don't take anything for granted, and throw as much stuff as you can at me - it all helps

Hi @rockershovel, thanks for the tips - I'd read about "removable" sections, but never looked any further into it, but now I will

I was kind of imagining having something running continuously around a loop, while one or two others were also performing some tasks - that stuff piques my interest and got me to thinking about the automated stuff, but again, getting ahead of myself - need to get this design started first

Thanks again

Hi all, first time post

I have a bedroom that I intend to use, but I am at a complete loss when it comes to designing the layout

I've spent endless hours reading books, magazines & surfing t'internet, but all to no avail - so I'm hoping that someone can give me the kickstart I so need

My gauge preference is OO, as N is too small for my ageing eyes & hands! (this is a retirement project, after all)

It will also be DCC and, eventually, I would love to have some form of automation - but I'm getting ahead of myself here

Anyway, here is the room along with the two door locations, and my initial thought on where the useful layout area is:

I originally though I'd have an 8'x4' board, but quickly realised that I couldn't get around the board, so I would need to cut out an access hatch

That would have given me an endless loop (which does kinda satisfy the people that simply want to watch a train go around), but leave little room for much else e.g. shunting etc.?

So, that's how I ended up with the almost U-shaped area above, though I'm not ruling out the 8x4 board yet (I could even utilize the top right corner for a fiddle/goods yard?)

I also wondered if there was any point in converting the U-shaped to an M-shape by utilizing some of the open space, or if it's even possible to get curves to go into that area?

One thing I should mention is that the door at the top right of the room, is generally unused and, at a push, I suppose I could block it up

Initially, I simply want to get the track down, get it wired, so I can "get my hands wet" and understand the implications of various choices, before I start the actual modelling, but I don't want to get it completely wrong, and become disillusioned

So, in conclusion, I have a bare canvas (perhaps that is why I feel it so daunting), and would love any form of help, just to get me going

What would you choose - 8x4 or U-shape? (or something else?)
For the latter, would an terminus at both ends work?

Sorry for being so vague, but I'm just lost for ideas at the moment