Shelf layout depicting British industry. Used insulfrog points to isolate the sidings, and the kickback siding can be isolated with a switch.

That's very nice Gray - I like the way you've made the whole thing scenic - fiddle yard included.

An epic photo posting stint too !!  All DC and "N" Gauge I'm guessing ?

Looks great! I it seems like a good size to have a variety of operation with.  Do you do shunting puzzles on it?

Petermac said

That's very nice Gray - I like the way you've made the whole thing scenic - fiddle yard included.

An epic photo posting stint too !!  All DC and "N" Gauge I'm guessing ?

From “Post #290,860”, 6th January 2025, 12:25 am

hi thanks for the feedback, yes it’s n gauge and dc. It’s taken about 6 weeks from start to finish and I’ve scratch built some of the stuff on it like the coal slaithes, coal hopper,engine shed and water tower. I couldn’t figure out how to add more images and I think I duplicated some. It’s on a 600 mm long shelf with an extended headhunt of 200 mm ( I should have made it on an 800 mmm shelf to start with but I’d already committed and made the back board and Perspex top cover) thanks for the comment though i appreciate it. 

D_Will said

Looks great! I it seems like a good size to have a variety of operation with.  Do you do shunting puzzles on it?

From “Post #290,861”, 6th January 2025, 2:00 am

hi, I’ve only just finished it and tested out a few puzzles using random cards of the rolling stock I printed out. I randomly placed the wagons on the sidings in a 4,3,2 configuration and then shuffled the cards and selected 5, then made a train of 5 wagons on track 1. And I tried randomly scattering the wagons about and then rearranging them in the correct order according to which industry they belong in. Track 1 being coal(ncb) track 2 goods and track 3 British steel. 

I might extend the fiddle yard extension to incorporate a cross over track. I have got a spare shelf the same size as the main layout. I will have to redo the scenery for the fuel/cement industries on the new shelf but it won’t be difficult. 
The track will connect to the main layout the same as it does now. 
My concerns are about the crossover using two points, I’ve measured it out and it looks ok, can anybody confirm that my design is correct given that I’ve got limited space. I’ve attached a drawing to show how it will look ( I just need to be able to cross from one track to the other, I can get to both tracks from the main layout but I want to be able to do it from both ends). Any suggestions or confirmation on my design are greatly appreciated thanks. 

Doesn't seem to be much room after the crossover Gray, doubt you'll get more than just a loco to be able to cross from one track to the other.

If the points were nearer the main part of the layout the tracks after the points would be longer.


 

Hi thanks Ed. I only need to get the shunter from one track to the other. Or the tankers to the other track. 

I can do such a manoeuvre further down on the main layout. But if I extend the fiddle yard both sections will be the same size 600mm each. 
And I’ll have the capability to switch tracks at both ends, there will be enough room to move 2/3 tankers and a shunter looking at the space. 

The maximum length of any loco plus wagons while still clearing the point is not very big.

You might just get the loco and one wagon to cross from one track to the other.

Thanks for the reply. There’s enough headroom on both tracks to cross over with wagons, the track extends into the main layout as seen in the photos. There is a similar sized cross over on the main layout and I can get a shunter and 3 or 4 wagons from 1 track to another. I want to have a shunter at each end one pushing one pulling, I can isolate the tracks they are on. When I do some shunting operations I seem to come across some problems that’s why I need a cross over at the other end it will simplify things. 

Got ya, it's the bit in the middle. 

Hi Ed, ye the middle bit. There’s enough room. I don’t think there’s any other option. I’ve started the shelf, I’ll order some track tomorrow. Just got to transfer this lot off the small extension (which is 220 mm long onto the left side of the new longer extension which is 600 long. That leaves 380 mm for the middle bit). 

Managed to prise the things off the old 200 mm extension and glue them down on the new 600 mm extension, ordered some new track for it. Just have to extend the back scene when it’s all dry and lay the track down and ballast. 

https://youtube.com/shorts/-HbbmkIgDkY?si=y0R9ZHUXu7VG7SIH
It works Ed. 

I was only thinking of it as being a crossover on the furthest tracks, but it’s actually a runaround track. 

Cement yard finished with some pipe work made from sprue , some 3D printed storage tanks from eBay and a hornby lyddle end fan drift building from eBay. Cement dust courtesy of polifilla and a drop of water. Just a cross section to give the impression of the industry, I suppose there would be big silos and hoppers with a conveyor in the real world.