small end terminus with industrial area 8 x 2

Hi Gormo,

Thanks again for your suggestion which as always is appreciated. I've had a pm  from Gary with an idea as well which I am going to upload onto Anyrail for posting later.

Let me get it done and posted and then we can have a look at the wisdom of both.

I will be back ASAP.

Cheers

Toto

Here is the latest idea I had for a smaller layout. based on 7 feet by 18 inches but could shrink a bit to get closer to a plank size. especially if the buildings were low relief. The cutting on the approach was to allow for modelling of low level retaining walls and a kind of hillside which would give the chance to model a bit more greenery. trees, grass gorse etc. There could be a bridge in there as well.


just something to play with.

I like the look of the last one Tom , It gives you the shunting puzzle ,is not too complicated as some of the previous ones seemed, and gives you greatest potential for practising your scenic skills which was one of your original intentions. The buildings etc could be removable so you can practice various building methods on the one plank and change them as you wish or as your skills improve. The top , left track could even incorporate a short section of platform ( just  the end) to hint at a station or halt, off scene ..again removable so you can try various methods of build
Just my threepence worth
Cheers
  Matt

Hi Matt,


I was going to keep that area for a nudist beach as well……. oh well I suppose.


cheers


Toto

Just to add a thought, at 7' you would still have room in the future to add a separate board ( module ) at one end or  the other.. Right side a sector plate / fiddle yard..left end a scenic run with the rest of the station modelled…. So at least two of the 3 boards would still fit on the shelf in your shed…add a shuttle unit with the station board..you have a mini end to end diorama to entertain ..remove scenic board and add fiddle yard and you have a shunting plank…take them out ..put all three in the car ..you have an exebition plank :cool:. 
Cheers
   Matt

Hi Matt,


exhibition plank !!!! you crack me up at times. You should go on Britains got talent. or at least appear in the Edinburgh fringe festival in one of the comedy venues. Ahhhh……… I laughed until I stopped……

That last plan looks much better, you say you want to use it as practice for scenery and buildings but some of your more busier plans have no room for buildings or scenery :-)

Less track and more scenery would be best for this plank as a practice piece

Hi Andy,


that is the idea for thinning it out. Before hand I done my usual and flooded the board with track. This time around I restrained myself as far as track went and split the available space 50 / 50 for scenery and structures. Again, this is just playing around at the moment and would not get of the drawing board until The R & GLR lower level has been wired and tested etc. Just prior to constructing the upper baseboard level. I just want to get some experience of the basics, ballasting, walling, grassing, maybe some small rock out crops.


I will be using chicken wire and plaster bandage for the cutting area. the building / structure types have not been decided yet. I would also like to attempt wire in tube for the points. Similar to Gary's method.
one big experimenting ground.


cheers


toto 

"I will be using chicken wire and plaster bandage for the cutting area."

Chicken wire? That's hard work.  Why do you want scenery strong enough to jump on? Why not just use card strips on card formers, covered with paper towels brushed with PVA, or plaster bandage? Much easier and quicker.  Like this…


 

Covered in paper towels, brushed with PVA…




End result…




Hope this helps Toto.

Terry

Absolutely excellent terry.


I like the finished result. the grasses are not too bling. A nice muted colour and much more realistic as the brighter tones that you can get. The cardboard lattice work looks easy enough. The only reason I mentioned chicken wire is that I have a full roll of the stuff already but experimenting is the name if the game. the cardboard would certainly be easier to work with and shape.


Like I said ……. a terrific finish.


cheers


Toto

Despite feeling like you are side tracking away from the main layout Tom, doing a practice plank is well worth the effort. You can make the mistakes on it, bodge it, fix it, play with it, learn from it and in the end have something to show visitors "this is what the whole layout is going to be like one day".
I did…. and do. 

I still look at the Pentrecourt Halt diorama and ask myself "did I really make that?!" 

Marty

Hi Marty,


don't believe I've seen your diorama. I presume its on the forum. I'll need to have a search for it. I had suggested doing this before but I think the R & GLR needed most of my attention as I still had the shed issues at the time. However, with that fixed and the R & GLR now approaching a position where there will be a natural break in it. ie the completion of the lower level.


I think when that has been done and its not that far away, I will go for it. I think it will be good fun as it is a layout that should be able to be built and at a stage to operate quite quickly. Not necessarily anywhere near finished but the main infrastructure in and operating.


it will be interesting to see how it goes.


cheers
Toto

Here you go Tom, 16 pages to help you sleep 

http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=1661&forum_id=52

cheers
Marty

Thanks Marty,


That's for tonight when I get home. I have had a quick run through some of it and as I suspected another master lesson on " how to " fantastic. I could be back with some queries later.


cheers for now


Toto

Here is another take on the same track plan
possibly better as the potential for scenery is better still as the layout is not so cluttered with buildings.



What do you think. This could hold more smaller features and details possibly. Maybe a foresters howf and a yard for machinery etc.


cheers


Toto 

The above plan with the forestry is based on an old rural line long since closed. The surrounding land has been re-utilised for dense forestry use and the old line fortunately enough was never lifted. In fact the two sidings by the mill have been a late addition.
the other legs lead off to other area's of the forestry where pre-processed trunks are transported from for either direct haulage off to outside mills or processing through the site mill for the purpose of finished timber sales.


There is further scope for further structures as the real processes are determined but this plan would be a great deal more rural than the last and lend itself to more soft landscaping potential.


the jury is out.


cheers


Totol   

Was the original standard gauge Toto?

Ed

Hi Ed,


both would be to OO gauge. Based on baseboards of approximately 7 feet by 18 inches but that could be trimmed in a bit. Especially on the second track plan……. Forestry.


Is that any help Ed ?


cheers


Toto

Just wondered if the prototype was a narrow gauge line.

Would have thought it unusual to have a standard gauge railway in a forestry type environment.


Ed

Will this layout be fully operational ?? If yes, what type of couplers will you be using ? If you are intending to go down the Kadee route with couplers, you must remember that they do not like uncoupling on curves…

Cheers, Gary.