Flying Pig

I think it would be helpful for you to post a diagram of the signalling layout you have in mind, so the experts can address the specifics of the situation.

It looks remarkably like the various British ARP style boxes. Was there some connection between the designs?

I've always liked Ipswich as a prototype, though how appropriate it is for a Scottish layout is for the OP to decide! However, the double slip really needs to be a ladder of plain points for a modern formation (it doesn't matter that these will extend between the platforms). There may also be problems coupling to freight trains on the tight curves, depending on couplers used. The rh pointwork of the station could easily be moved offscene round the corner, gaining some platform length at the expense of fidelity to the particular prototype. I agree with @mdvle about the baseboard arrangement but if they are already built it may not be easy to alter them - that's really up to the OP. Ideally planning should precede building but that isn't always possible.

I like this approach, but you probably need more siding space, especially if you want to run goods. A couple of quick thoughts: - could you continue the sidings branch round to rejoin the main at the station throat? - you could probably lengthen the platforms a little, but even so they will be rather short for the trains the layout can accommodate; the part-station dodge would work well here, using the right hand curve to hide stationary trains.

Traction avant is an interesting notion. Living with London Midland Locomotives describes a scheme to fit an axle hung geared unit to a 3F tank (never fully worked through because diesel shunters). That might work here, connected to the front axle.

Actually inside the ashpan and possibly clonking the grate. It's crying out for a jackshaft drive between the coupled axles.

If anyone wants to play website design bingo with the above link, check out this video from youtuber Atomic Shrimp's Obvious Scam is Obvious playlist:

Assuming you are working in 00, the length of an 8-12 coach train of mainline Mk1 stock (e.g. a 4 CIG) is going to be 2-3m so the platforms and car sheds are probably going to be at least that each. I think you'll need to do some significant compression to fit everything into your space.

Should have worn your hat

Ok, then model it as a marshalling yard and make it scenic- it will certainly be more interesting to look at. Can you extend the approaches onto the boards either side? If you can then laying out the yard on a sweeping curve will look better. This may eat into the space in front of the yard, but with the yard as. feature that may be less of an issue.

Why does appearance matter? If it's offscene storage, it doesn't need to look like the prototype; it just needs to work. If you want to make it scenic and even somewhat prototypical, then your design criteria are different. Btw - how does the third plan end up so wide?

Servicing facilities were not unusual at places where trains terminated - turning, watering, oiling and ash removal could all be done on a small site like this without the full facilities of a shed. It does assume that trains terminate or change engines at the station often enough to make the loco yard worthwhile though. If that doesn't happen your locos will live offstage between trains. Also, if I could be really picky, the loco yard layout could be better, as a lot of space is taken up by a long access line that needs to be kept clear and the amount of space for actually parking locos is limited.

I don't think 21st century television could do the jolly amateurishness of the original. It would create a hideous ambience of flashing lights, booming music and audience hysteria, with hyped up, over-trained competitors taking themselves dreadfully seriously. On the other hand, if they could get The Mighty Jingles and Ian 'Hubnut' Seabrook to commentate, the project might just work.

A major difference between Streamline and Hornby points is the angle the diverging tracks make. You need to be careful in how you mix them for that reason, but @Zomboid has already done that work for you in his plans. For ease of connection, you will probably want to choose Code 100 Streamline, which matches the rail in Hornby track.

The second version looks a lot more workable to me, with all three sidings accessible from the left hand line. The first looks unnecessarily awkward and less credible for that.

Assuming your inventory is two left points, one right and a single slip, the following rearrangement of the second plan may work. It avoids reverse curves but still uses the slip so the tight radius of that could still be a problem for three link couplings. Also, it will need to sit diagonally on the board so may be wider than you can fit.

Hedon is on Disused Stations here - note the very complete signalling in the first photo taken looking towards Withernsea. A 1966 version of the same view appears in John Turner's flickr collection (note many of these search results aren't actually Hedon, but some are), still fully signalled.

There's a slug on the window of my first floor flat.

I agree. While I can see the attraction of a larger loop, in this case I think it unbalances the layout and doesn't compensate for the loss of @Zomboid's nice station designs. The curved not-a-fiddleyard will probably be more of an annoyance than an advantage imo. Theoretically, if I were to extend the loop, I would take one of the earlier plans and make the vertical axis longer, turning the layout into more of an equal L. This would keep the visual focus of the layout around an operator's position by the station, though it would mean a rethink of the loco sidings as the convenient corner they occupy would be lost. Obviously, that isn't possible in the space you have.

Well, it's a plea, but it didn't help George Harrison much.

Some of you may have already seen the sad news of Shirley Rowe's recent death in the MRJ 280 thread or read her husband Dave's beautiful tribute to her in the magazine itself. As I knew Shirley slightly, Andy has invited me to start a thread here. Although I had long been aware of Dave and Shirley Rowe through their articles in modelling magazines, when I met Shirley it was in an entirely different context. As Dave describes in his MRJ article, Shirley's daughter and her partner for some reason decided it would be a good idea to stop travelling the world and reconstruct a derelict barn in the Vale of Pewsey as a family home instead. Despite being in their sixties at the time, Shirley and Dave pitched right in and worked amazingly hard. As a friend of the couple I spent several days on site, ostensibly helping with the work, and so got to know Shirley a little. She was as all who knew her will say a thoroughly lovely person. Unsurprisingly, given Shirley's quiet nature, most of the anecdotes relating to the Barn centre on Dave who was as much of a Character in that context as in the modelling world. Shirley just got on with it, usually with good cheer and often until she was clearly very tired. The only time I remember her complaining was when I trod on her trainer-clad heel while the five of us were carrying an improbably long item (a timber of some sort I think) over the broken terrain of the work site. H&S would have had a fit. I last met Shirley at her daughter's wedding a good few years ago and am greatly saddened that I will not now see her again. My sincere condolences go out to those who knew her better than I and will feel her loss more keenly. By the way for those who are interested, Dave in his inimitable fashion made a beautiful model of the Barn as it was before work started and Andy has already posted a picture in the MRJ thread and kindly allowed me to make a selection. The one below shows a wider view of the buildings and the lunar landscape within which work took place, now a very pleasant garden. What it doesn't show is the incessant rain of the first winter's work and the baking sun of the following summer, the only shelter a caravan which was itself nearing dereliction and was ultimately broken up on site.

Ok, since wobbly sketches are now in play, here's one illustrating my comments about the goods yard. The left hand blue crossover could probably be omitted if a single slip was used by the platforms instead of a diamond. Green crossover gives direct access to dock sidings. I think your rh red crossover could be omitted by substituting a trailing single slip in the junction. This was certainly done in some places and would look interesting - I don't know if the companies involved here would have countenanced it though. It would of course only allow shunts via the lower branch.

On the lower plan, the junction to the right of the station needs to be a proper double to single layout as @DavidCBroad drew it. What you have would almost certainly not be permitted in the 'traditional' era of mechanical signalling due to the facing point on the main line. Ok from about the 1960s onwards if the branch survived. It occurs to me also that access to the goods yard is a bit odd on most of your plans. Again, it would be useful to look at prototypes, but my guess is that both the LNWR and GWR would have used the conventional layout - i.e. a simple trailing crossover from the adjacent running line at the left hand end and a trailing crossover through a diamond or single slip at the right next to the platform ends. You got the left hand crossover in your first iteration, but it seems to have mutated in subsequent ones. N.B. - for prototype layouts, check the links in the pinned post at the top of the signalling forum.

A Code 100 diamond is shown modified in this post on @JamieR4489's Tuxford North thread. It appears that the long moulded checkrails on the obtuse crossings are a problem. @LNER4479 describes altering a slip for Grantham in this post.

I thought you might be interested to look at the coal concentration depot that was the remains of Norwich Victoria station. It has the sort of compact layout you're designing though of course it just handled coal. http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/n/norwich_victoria/index.shtml https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/26/87/ https://alchetron.com/Norwich-Victoria-railway-station