OK so I have just about finished my layout now the fun begins. How do you maximize the fun factor? I am playing with Waybills and wagon cards I might add that the layout is a terminus layout with a kick back cassette fiddle yard.

The late John Flann of this forum, not only has a many threads on here but a website devoted to his modelling,  has his method of train movements
Hintock Operating Part Three - Shunting a Model Railway

and I suggest you copy what you want before the website is deleted.

Cheers Sol

Actually most of my fun with a layout is in the making of it, actual running is a by product..

Its been a fun journey so far I just want to keep it going.

Automation will keep the grey cells going mind you it is not cheap to do.

Brian

Almost finished? Track laid, scenery done, all locomotives bought, all freight and passenger cars ready to go, everything DCC'd to the nth degree…..

Have a look at some working timetables (not passenger times) to get an idea of how the prototype worked.
Run timetable sessions using a fast clock.
Add a market day special/local hunt special/horse racing special.
Run a royal train.
Add a farm move.
Add another siding. Common event in WW2.
Lift a siding (common any time).
Add a private siding.
Add a narrow gauge interchange
Have some random locomotive failures so that the timetable has to be modified.
Have some random hot axle boxes. As above.
If you haven't already done so, start some kit/scratch building.Plastic, brass, wood.
Ditto weathering.
Ditto airbrushing.
Book a course in weathering, brass model soldering, foliage/tree making.
Try dead rail (battery/radio controlled).
Build a plank in another scale/finescale.
If OO build a plank in EM or P4 (you will probably never finish).

Like The Q I am also more interested in getting there. I have yet to see a layout that was actually finished. In fact, just like the prototype.

Nigel

I couldn't agree more with Nigel's experienced sentiments. Our personal railway journeys, like life itself, continually evolve. I'm booking a course at Pendon to coincide with one of my favourite model rail exhibitions early next year, as I want to learn and acquire greater expertise.

Enjoy your journey Mark, no matter where it takes you.

Bill

Strange thing about fun - I really enjoy operating with all that comes with.  Building and painting and stuff can be a bit of a chore sometimes.  Not always but I never see an operating session as a chore.

I also spend a lot of time wargaming.  Love the building, painting, planning but some times find playing the game a chore.  Not always but I never see painting up soldiers as a chore.

I have no wish to start a "railways vs wargames" debate.

Just thought it was odd that the two hobbies are opposed when it comes to what constitutes fun.

Probably just me.

B

I think Nigel has it right, there is always something different on the prototype - not all at the same time - as a former operator at 12" to the foot that is really too much, broken rail, duff unit and a lost driver at something like 15:45 when you are starting to get units out for the pm peak is not fun. But interesting things - like engineers trying to run round in a loop which they signed oou a week before ( I tried that once!) or a football - or any special - running late, out of gauge loads are interesting too.