chrismears

This is such a smart looking layout and the general plan is certainly one I like.

The key of the drawer idea is that the drawer remains in place and provides a place for the cassette and the trains to hide between operating sessions. As you suspected, the drawer is opened to reveal its contents. It isn't opened fully so it provides a place over which to rest the cassette and the cassette itself is clipped onto the layout and bridges over the now opened drawer. In theory, you could even pre-load these with the complete trains.

Last year, I presented the simpler version of the idea in this post:

https://princestreet.wordpress.com/2017/06/21/matchbox-part-2/

Thank you for sharing this here in the forum. I feel so flattered to see my simply little sketches in a place where so many great things happen.

Chris

Not mine but a build I was excitedly waiting for about as much as the actual model, Oly Turner's:

https://otcm.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/filthy-dirty-grubby-meet-the-model-of-2016-the-peckett-is-finished/

I knew I would want one of these and deeply regret not reserving one. Seeing finished examples with a bit of dirt on them only deepens this sense of regret. They look fantastic and from the same blog, a superb quote: "So in the simplest review ever, the Peckett is great. Get one. Get eight. All our international readers, get ONE. All our British readers, if you do not already have one why not?"

Hard not to imagine a layout for these.

Chris

I like how this has turned out.

It's a neat way to present the concept and I particularly like placing the station at the shunting lead. That kick-back siding further adds to the sense of this being an extract of a real station.

Nice looking scene. I like the overall colour tone.

I'm certainly interested in seeing more photos.

/chris

I find the best test for 2mm finescale track is to use two very light wagons coupled together. Use one wagon to push the other one through the pointwork. The pushed wagon will rise up at any gauge narrowing, check rails too far apart or other problem areas. Pushing just one wagon can hide some of these tight spots.

This is a terrific suggestion and one I do too. I find when I push just a single car through pointwork there's a natural tendancy to "help" it through. By pushing it with another, we better approximate the way it'll navigate on its own, in a train. If enough track allows, I quite like a rake of three in fact. This is what I'm doing with my Canadian stock.

Cheers

/chris

Just re-reading this thread now again. What an amazing project. I'm certainly interested in watching it unfold.

May I ask what you're planning on using to move the points? With so many and in such a concentration I was wondering if the points would be "thrown" by hand or by motor? Then what method.

/chris

Thought I'd say "Hello" in here too. I'm a big fan of Trevor's podcast and Port Rowan layout. It's a real inspiration in so many ways. Until coming across this forum, I'd really had no idea of the quality of work being done in S scale of late.

I've worked in 3mm before and always felt that it was just big enough in all the right places compared to my native N scale to make making models so much more enjoyable. Over the past few evenings I've been reprinting some drawings from my collection in 1/64 and am getting that same sense again. I've just sent in my membership to the S Scale Society and think I'll order some parts to get that first wagon or two built. Track-making is my favourite part of hobby and may give a sample of that a go too.

Thanks to everyone in this forum for sharing your work. You're a terrific group of ambassadors for this scale and present a wonderful impression. Browsing through topics here was certainly a major influence in favour of the scale for me. Thanks.

I sure enjoy reading these updates. It's coming along nicely and it was neat to learn about the rolling stock you're using. That Hornby tank engine conversion is a neat idea. Looking forward to seeing more updates as you find the time. Thanks.

By the way, I realise how little I know about broad gauge railways and modelling them but thanks to this thread I've been poking around the internet and having quite a bit of fun learning about it all. Fascinating stuff.

What a fantastic layout. I like the plan and find the idea of modelling broad gauge railways a fascinating subject. I hope you continue with this project and continue to update the thread. Thanks for sharing this project with us.