RJR

I do like your Virgin conversions, in fact the colours look very similar to some of the the US colours - is it Santa Fe or something like that? I will stick to US colours for the time being though.

Bob(K)

 

Its good to see the layout plan drawn out for all to see.  Makes for a much more interesting post. Have you tried any of the Metcalfe models yet?

Hi Les

I have tried Metcalf kits, in fact the row of terraced shops in the backscene for Middleton Station are by Metcalf. I have to say I prefer plastic models, although I will use anything if it looks right.

Bob(K)

I have been doing some testing with my new locos over the past few days, notably with the new hornby Duchess, with sound. I am quite pleased with her, although she does not run as smoothly as my Diesels. That said I have not played around with the CV settings yet so it is a bit early to pass judgement. The biggest problem is that it sets of at quite a pace, rather than a slow gradual start. I will play around with the speed settings and see if this improves. In the mean time here is a short video of her in action. It was taken at night so it is a bit dark:



Bob(K)

the video was ok Bobk,nice loco,as you say the right settings will probably make a big difference as to how she runs and the sound too.

:cheers:thumbs:thumbs:lol::lol::lol::cool:

That's good, Bob. I thought the sound as she pulls into the station was particularly nice.


 The owner of that Morris times his outings well!


 Mike

You might recall that I said that I did not do any building on the Upton to Dunton Line during my last trip home.  While much of this was to do with the Christmas and New Year festivities, if I am being honest it also has as much to do with some of my thoughts regarding the layout.

I am really pleased with some of the modelling, however, there are certain aspects which I don't like and they are beginning to bug me. They are:

The first issue is that the layout is in the centre of the room, with an operating well. This wastes space around the edges and that space is quite crammed, especially in the area of the door.  It is difficult to store stuff under the layout as access is needed from both sides.

Secondly the gradients on the layout are really too great and long trains struggle up them.

The curves are too sharp, but I am forced to have them to allow the loops to fit in and finally, despite a lot of fiddling around I cannot get one section of the base board level.  There are other issues, but I think I have enough to be going on with.

I have been seriously thinking of taking the layout apart and starting again. I think I would build around the room, with a lifting section. The room is 16'x12' roughly and so there should be room for a reasonable run.

I don't know whether to go for a tail chaser, or have a fiddle yard and through station. More work to be done on the planning side.

I mentioned my plans to SWMBO and to my surprise she has encouraged me to start again by getting a properly built, neat base board constructed.  So there we are. Probably next time I am on leave the axe will fall on the Upton to Dunton Line. After leave I will get a chippie in to do the boards so they are ready next time I am home - if I am brave enough to do it. :shock:

Bob(K)

 

Novice, if you check on my layout thread, you'll see that I have had simular thoughts to you on the end-to-end Vs fiddle yard question. My advice, such as it is, would be to go for a layout that goes all around the room and forms a continuous loop.

So far I've had changes that have converted the layout twice to and end-to-end and I've yet to be happy with either plan's operational potential.

With the size you have available (and assuming you want to utilise all of the walls, I'd have a non-scenic fiddle yard, about 2ft 6ins wide along one of the 12ft walls and make the other 3 sides 2ft to 2ft 6ins wide and scenic (the width of the scenic boards being dependant on the maximum width you are comfortable with reaching across).

I'd also be looking at a base level height of at least 42".

When it's possible a plan of the room, showing windows, door, radiators etc. would be a good idea and will enable us to make better comments, but those are my initial thoughts. 

Editorial PS. Without question, I would be making the decision to start again and make maximum use of the space you have. There's no way your discontent will grow any less whilst you still have the space to change the things you don't like.

Bob, Jeff has eloquently described the ideal situation, well almost. If you are a one-man band user, a terminal station with a good sized fiddle yard will keep you busy for ages but incorporating, at least one continuous run allows locos to be run in & that you can also sit back to watch while partaking in your favourite beverage.

Bob

I myself was in the same situation as yourself last April May i was not happy with the shed layout set up as it was then.

I have taken on a major task but i am pleased i have done it as i know i would be major unhappy if i had not gone ahead.

I would agree to keep at least 1 continuos run with perhaps a lift up allowing for future creaking bones and muscles.

Perhaps ask members for layout ideas for your space availble from them you can perhaps come up with an overall plan that you like.

Whiile in Baghdad a few sketch ideas may well be beneficial.

Tim sharpen that axe again

cheers Brian

 

Jeff's point about baseboard height is a good one, and it's something you can address [if needed] by rebuilding. I wish I could!
 As for continuous running, I'm all for it. As Ron says, it's very relaxing sitting and gazing with your favourite beverage in hand.
 As I see it, a well-planned tail chaser can be operated as a point-to-point any time you like, and the through line can always be disguised as a dead end or branch line, with fascinating scope for modelling.
 Hurry home, Bob. We want to see what you come up with!

 Mike

Thanks guys for all your suggestions, which have more or less confirmed my own thoughts and helped me make up my mind one issue.  I will go for a continuous loop for all the reasons stated above. I have yet to make up my mind whether to have a full scenic loop or have a non scenic area as a fiddle yard.  I have enclosed a sketch. Yellow is a possible baseboard area, with blue being the operating area. Bear in mind I am doing this from memory and from a few measurements sent out by SWMBO so there may be a slight discrepancy when it comes to the real thing:






I hope you can make it out:  If I was to go for a continuous loop around the walls, with a 2ft board I could achieve some thing like this.  The scale is one square = 1ft. There could be a lifting hatch in front of the door.

The room is an attic bedroom, so wall A-D and B-C are sloping, and the higher the board the shorter C-D and A-B become. Window in wall B-C is in the roof, whereas window in wall A-D is flush with the board, but that could become a lowered area, with a bridge.

As I am keen to have a main line through station I think that should go in either area A-C, or at a push C-B, with curved platforms. I would welcome ideas.

Bob(K)

Bob

A quick reply to your post here you like many you are missing the obvious i often see these plans members and other people do

Why have the door opening inwards have it so it opens outwards that way look at the space you gain its not actually a major job to reverse the way a door opens

If done properly it will not look any dfferant from the outside of the room.

Most broom cupboard doors open outwards so im surprised more people dont think about it.

And if you were getting a chippy to fit in baseboards it would be an easy job for him to do.

cheers Brian

Hi Bob

What about arranging the baseboards something like below (sorry about the rough drawing)!!



Baseboard can be a lot wider if you can reach get to both sides.

Martin

Thanks again guys. Two very interesting ideas for me to ponder.  Will need to talk nicely to SWMBO before I start changing doors around though!

Bob(K)

Bob

heres my little update of your original sketch






cheers Brian

Now that I like, Brian. I see a lot of peninsular plans on American layouts, but few on UK layouts. If my calculations are correct, turning that door and making a peninsular would give an extra 16 square feet of baseboard space. That's like gaining an extra 2ft x 8ft layout, or put another way a little bit more than Chris Nevard's "Cement Quay" including fiddle yard :exclam:exclam:exclam

[user=52]henryparrot[/user] wrote:

Bob

heres my little update of your original sketch

cheers Brian

Brian/Jeff I did consider a peninsular style layout but I didn't think there would be enough room for a mainline station as the area would be no more than about 5 feet, given the curves needed to get the track back on to the main board.  I am not sure the platforms would be long enough for a decent length train.  I reckon you need a minimum platform length of 7ft for a six car train plus loco. I suppose you could curve the platforms out on to the main board.  That might be worth a look as it has planted the seeds of an emerging idea. I will update the plan based on Brian's ideas and come back.

Again thanks for the ideas keep them coming. I am about to go into negotiations regarding the door opening outwards - wish me luck.

Bob(K)

Bob,

I'm sure you've thought of it but orienting the boards this way will allow a 7ft terminal station and 3ft wide working areas.






cheers

that plan is very simmilar to my setup, i have 6 ft stations but could easily
get 8ft .

thumbs:lol::lol::lol::cool: