Hello Alan and Stu,
                   I may as well of not bothered to Post. It would seem that ALL the confusion caused was everybody elses fault. How strange is that. I now understand my mistake was NOT staying stumm. Won't happen again,
                         Kind Regards,
                      Michael Thornberry.

Michael, if I might be so bold, I think you are being a little bit over sensitive here. Your comments prompted a very welcome clarification as things were getting a bit confused in my view as well. As with a lot of new ideas others get involved and put there own suggestions in the mix. this is fine in an around table discussion where ideas can be thrashed out and agreement reached before putting the idea out to the rest of interested parties. But an internet forum can't and doesn't work like that and ideas have to be bandied about online and it is becomes more difficult to keep track and know what is happening, hence my post about standards for the modular route.

I don't think anyone should feel that they have to stay Stumm as you put it, nor does everyone have to agree or take part if they don't wish to.

I'm looking forward to seeing how individuals design and build their boxfile layouts but also how those who want to get together and build something a bit more modular get on as well.

I'm not sure which camp I fall into yet but I think Alan just wants us all to use this as an inspiration to do something positive over the winter IF we have the time.

I must have missed something :hmm

Michael, I can't for the life of me understand why you're getting so hot under the collar.

You made some very valid comments and these were answered admirably by Alan.  There might have been some confusion and that has been cleared up - we have several "themes" running with a sinlge thread.  I also question why there is anyone, or anything to "blame".  To "blame" for what ?

As Woody said, the only way to "chip in" on an internet forum, is by writing something.  You have to read the whole thread, and OK, pretty carefully to see what's actually being said.

Keeping "stumm" as you put it, is your right, but it achieves nothing at all !!!

I thought the replies were considered, pertinent and clarifying.

What kind of a response did you want to your post ?

Hi Michael,

I can understand your initial confusion, because if you look at my question (post 49) you can see how uncertain of the position I was.
Alan answered in post 50 and then I set out how I thought things stood in post 53. Alan (in post 54) replied "correct". Surely this clarified the situation??

The bottom line is that you can do your own thing, but Alan gave some suggested standards for the few members that had asked if we could join them together.
Clearly these only were meant to apply to those who wanted to combine with others. I'm doing a stand-alone box file layout that is not to any "joining up standards" and I thought that had been made clear

Maybe some thing's got lost in the question / reply sequence that ensued, but whatever the case, your asking of the questions you did was certainly not pointless. If things are unclear to anybody, then they should certainly "bother to ask". thumbs

I hope that on reflection, you don't really think you were wasting your time posting. That would be the opposite affect to the one that Alan is trying to achieve with this project.

Back on track

How are you all doing, I know that some have started a box-file project thread, but it would be good to keep this thread updated :thumbs

I am going to lay some track today :Happy

How is it going guys, anybody else started thier box-file ?

I'm re-designing mine. I tried some track plans out and found that what I wanted to do wouldn't fit, plus the use of only one boxfile as a FY meant that the length of trains was VERY restricted.

So, I'm building a wagon works, based on the Llanberis Lake Railway museum…
More details (in my thread) later.
Stu

I'm still working mine out. I found that I was too restricted in both length and height to do a US logging layout, so I designed a dockside / Warehouse scenario. Problem now is that I've followed up some of the leads given me and my trackplan is almost identical to a micro layout built already (posted on the Carendt site). 

Even though the buildings etc. would be completely different to the one posted, I'm reluctant to use a track plan that seems  almost a copy.

Got my track plan more or less worked out.I'll be posting drawings and diagrams this weekend!!

Cheers,John.B.:thumbs

I'm still undecided but I'm seriously thinking about giving this one a go mainly because I need a break from constructing points and baseboards for my main layout

[user=3]Gwent Rail[/user] wrote:

 Problem now is that I've followed up some of the leads given me and my trackplan is almost identical to a micro layout built already (posted on the Carendt site). 

Even though the buildings etc. would be completely different to the one posted, I'm reluctant to use a track plan that seems  almost a copy.

Interesting thought Jeff.  Surely though, given the space restrictions it is unlikely that any trackplan will be original. There are only so many possible permutations.  Someone somewhere will probably have done it.  So I personally wouldn't worry about similar track plans as, as you say, it will still end up a completely different layout. It is what you do round the track plan that matters.

I wonder just how far your thoughts could be applied to any layout built? That's another can of worms though altogether.

[user=433]Bod[/user] wrote:

[user=3]Gwent Rail[/user] wrote:

 Problem now is that I've followed up some of the leads given me and my trackplan is almost identical to a micro layout built already (posted on the Carendt site). 

Even though the buildings etc. would be completely different to the one posted, I'm reluctant to use a track plan that seems  almost a copy.

Interesting thought Jeff.  Surely though, given the space restrictions it is unlikely that any trackplan will be original. There are only so many possible permutations.  Someone somewhere will probably have done it.  So I personally wouldn't worry about similar track plans as, as you say, it will still end up a completely different layout. It is what you do round the track plan that matters.

Totally agree, it's more what you put around the track that counts :thumbs

I know it's been a while since this thread has been posted in,  and I have been busy work related and haven't had any time to work on my box-file :oops: but how are you all getting on, as it would be good if one or two could make it to our little get-together in May ?

I've finally sorted out how to progress with my boxfile layout - it all got hung up on where to put the wagon turntable and how to make it. But a swiped Lego mini rotating plate and some of Ian M's foam board, plus a bit of time today might see a workable solution.

Meanwhile, I've been adding buildings along the front edge of the first box - this means the viewer will be looking down into the boxfile, not ideal, but I think will work ok.