My Long-Term OO Gauge Exhibition Layout

Well, here it is. This is my grand vision that I plan to build over the coming years. And I am under no illusions about the time it will probably take. Board size is 4.8m x 1.8m, made up of twelve individual boards, all 1.2m long but varying widths. It will be DCC with as many locomotives having sound fitted as possible.

The era is GWR 1930s and I have tried to incorporate as many of my desired features as possible. We have a through station which is a junction for a branch line plus a small yard for shunting wagons around. The yellow sidings on the right hand side as you look at the diagram are for a wagon works and I have a coal merchants on a small siding in the middle. 


I'm hoping that when it's ready, I can exhibit it as I think there is plenty to interest people with both through trains, trains from the branch line terminating on platform 3 and plenty of shunting going in the station yard. I'm planning for the middle area to be scenic with this being an urban setting. The station platforms are long enough for four coach trains, so I'm thinking of it as a commuter station en-route to a larger city terminus. I don't envisage running full length express trains, but I'm looking at large prairies and smaller tender locomotives such as the coming Dapol 43xx to haul the passenger trains with plenty of smaller freight trains to provide wagon for shunting.

I think it's got operational interest and leaves the option to simply have a couple of trains running round continuously if I simply want to switch off, relax and watch the trains.

Hope you like it!

Hi Sydney

I can see that your requirements for operational interest are very closely aligned to my own.  To achieve this, I concluded quite quickly that the storage area was a key element and have therefore managed to squeeze in as many train options as possible.

To enhance this, I have made space within the running sidings for a cartridge that can hold complete trains that will only run once in a blue moon - engineers, Special workings, Horse boxes, etc.  That means they do not occupy much needed running loops where I can hold stopping trains, freights etc that I will run every time I have an operating session.  [My thread "Going Large" has a track plan or two]

I see that you have the space for such a cartridge and suggest it as a thought - perhaps on the yellow track bottom right of the storage area????

Looking forward to seeing progress

Barry

Hi Jon,

Ambitious start. Looks an interesting plan. Couple of things struck me. 

Platform 3 has what look diamonds/cross overs at either end. Are they slips? You will need them if you are planning runaround operations for the branchline. Autocoaches came in 2 types, drivers and trailers. Even drivers had to be run around if the locomotive was not autogear fitted.

Same comment for the access from the yard to the up and down mainlines.

The green tracks below the goods shed are presumably wagon sidings. Even small branch line during a bad space for 12-16 wagons. Allowing 3" per wagon that's 3-4 feet. Perhaps these should be longer.

Some of the point throats look to be close the baseboards junctions. Best to allow 6" or so for mechanisms. 

1.8 m deep. Walk around layout or the storage yards against a wall? If the latter consider a hole in the middle.

Nigel

All fair points Nigel. The idea is the layout is for exhibition so there will be space 'around the outside' to walk around.
The station throats do use double slips in order to gain access to the yards and to platform 3.

I get the point about longer sidings. Space-wise not sure how easy that will be to implement. It may well end up needed an 'extra' board to make the full length 6m instead of 4.8m! The same question applies when moving the points away from the board edges! I tried to keep them at least 50mm (2 inches old money) away from the board edges. I'm intending to use DCC Concepts Cobalt point motors and I initially thought that 50mm was sufficient clearance - I may be wrong though!

Storage cassettes are definitely worth a look Barry. Never used them before, but that is no barrier if it adds to the train variety. I read through the entirety of your 'Going Large' thread last night Barry - fascinating read and congratulations (belatedly) on the new house and 'shed'.

Hi Jon,

Point throats. You need to take into account the baseboard frame and hands/fingers.Assuming a minimum of 12 mm for the frame, 50 mm does not leave that much space, as you need to allow some space for the bus connections. This is in essence a modular layout, so will need some method of securing the bus and the connections at each end.

Freight sidings. Why not curve them into the middle board on the right? See last but one comment.

4 double slips. Unusual. Certainly saves space.

You haven't mentioned whether the layout will be kept as is between shows. If so, will you be able to work from all sides? 

Having been involved with modular layouts at shows for a few years, storage is essential. otherwise it walks. Plus somewhere to assemble trains, store cassettes, do running repairs, and troubleshoot wiring. Best if this is done inside. The storage yards you have only allow one train running, one in the yard, for the up and down lines. If you use the branch line storage one more. Two more if you have 2 trains running. If you increased the height of the layout you could have interior space and additional storage lines. Plus storage space for the cassettes. You could do this with an additional board at each end or make the current ones deeper.  4.8 x 3 m would be much getter.

Now is the time to do the wiring plan, and decide whether you are going for wired controllers or wireless. Plus where the power districts will be. 

Nigel