Hello all,
So - I had enough of N Gauge (can I change my username?
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). There were too many compromises as far as I was concerned. I attended exhibitions and saw sound locos running around with reliable automatic uncoupling and thought - I can't really achieve that in N gauge, at least not with my skill level (which is basic). The level of detail on OO RTR stock was also shouting out at me whenever I saw a trade stand.
As a result, I took the drastic (and I thought expensive) step of selling my quite considerable N gauge collection on eBay and decided to put the funds back into a new OO gauge layout.
Now I'm limited on space. I'm not lucky enough to have a railway room (yet <smiles at SWMBO>) and so anything I build has to fit in the wardrobe at the end of an operating session. Luckily, it's a big wardrobe. The baseboards that I had constructed for my two previous N gauge attempts were sound and sturdy, and so most of the previous setup has been saved. The new layout 'Clifton Depot' (working title, named after the village I live in) will be built on three baseboards, all measuring 99cm by 50cm, placed end to end giving me a run of just under three meters by half a meter.
The track plan has taken a lot of work. I looked at plenty of depot/MPD/TMD type layouts and eventually came up with this...
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Thank you to those on the forum who helped me come up with this - I'm happy with and think it has plenty of potential. At the end of the day, 3m by 0.5m is never going to have long trains sweeping through the countryside (that's the plan for the next layout
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) but this suits me well - I enjoy collecting locomotives and wagons but have never really caught the carriage bug, and don't like purchasing teems and teems of the same wagon to make a long train anyway!
Clifton Depot is a modern image locomotive stabling/repair point as well as a wagon works - that way I can buy just about whatever I want (we'll almost certainly have some steam visitors!) and the location will be flexible.
I have set myself a few rules, the two most important of which are that all the locos on Clifton will have sound and everything will have Kadees fitted.
To explain the plan a little -
At the back of the layout in dark green there will be a single platform terminus station.
Red is a fuel point, while purple is a locomotive wash plant. The yellow squares are permanent under-track uncoupling magnets for the KDs. I'm not set in stone with these locations and open to suggestions (as with anything in fact!).
Light green is a little flight of fancy - I saw a wagon traverser on a layout not long ago and knew I had to have one. I have already purchased the Heljan example.
Orange is the wagon/locomotive repair shop - I only plan on modelling the front end of a larger shop.
The long spur at the back runs behind the backscene and forms a very basic fiddle yard. I plan on using loco lifts or possibly a cassette style system. Something I learned early with my N gauge plans is that a board this size can't sacrifice too much space to 'backstage' areas.
So I set to work in the garage with my basic woodworking skills, and came up with this...if you enjoy looking at beautifully constructed benchwork as seen in many threads here, please look away now. It's not pretty, but it's light (ish) strong and very practical. It also stores quite neatly when not in use. The boards latch together and have alignment dowels. The trestles are B&Q's own, very strong and have a multitude of uses. The whole thing assembles in less than 5 minutes.
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The transfer table is only in for test fitting, it's not fixed down yet.
I also wanted to share this - I purchased it from Sora Showcases, and while it was a PITA to assemble, the end result is worth it...
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See Sora Showcases
On display is my currently meager OO rolling stock collection. Loving the sound on both of these locos - next on the shopping list is an EWS 08, probably from Olivia's.
I've decided to treat myself to a ESU ECoS when the colour screen version arrives (my NCE is great, but I find the functions on sound locos a bit clunky, and very much like the interface on the ECoS having tried a friend's). This may seem extravagant for such a small layout, but what the hell! Am also going to try DCC operation of the points (probably using the NCE Switch8) which will be switched using Tortoises. All track will be Peco Code 75.
If you've stayed with me to the end of this ramble - I thank you, and welcome comments!
So - I had enough of N Gauge (can I change my username?
As a result, I took the drastic (and I thought expensive) step of selling my quite considerable N gauge collection on eBay and decided to put the funds back into a new OO gauge layout.
Now I'm limited on space. I'm not lucky enough to have a railway room (yet <smiles at SWMBO>) and so anything I build has to fit in the wardrobe at the end of an operating session. Luckily, it's a big wardrobe. The baseboards that I had constructed for my two previous N gauge attempts were sound and sturdy, and so most of the previous setup has been saved. The new layout 'Clifton Depot' (working title, named after the village I live in) will be built on three baseboards, all measuring 99cm by 50cm, placed end to end giving me a run of just under three meters by half a meter.
The track plan has taken a lot of work. I looked at plenty of depot/MPD/TMD type layouts and eventually came up with this...
Thank you to those on the forum who helped me come up with this - I'm happy with and think it has plenty of potential. At the end of the day, 3m by 0.5m is never going to have long trains sweeping through the countryside (that's the plan for the next layout
Clifton Depot is a modern image locomotive stabling/repair point as well as a wagon works - that way I can buy just about whatever I want (we'll almost certainly have some steam visitors!) and the location will be flexible.
I have set myself a few rules, the two most important of which are that all the locos on Clifton will have sound and everything will have Kadees fitted.
To explain the plan a little -
At the back of the layout in dark green there will be a single platform terminus station.
Red is a fuel point, while purple is a locomotive wash plant. The yellow squares are permanent under-track uncoupling magnets for the KDs. I'm not set in stone with these locations and open to suggestions (as with anything in fact!).
Light green is a little flight of fancy - I saw a wagon traverser on a layout not long ago and knew I had to have one. I have already purchased the Heljan example.
Orange is the wagon/locomotive repair shop - I only plan on modelling the front end of a larger shop.
The long spur at the back runs behind the backscene and forms a very basic fiddle yard. I plan on using loco lifts or possibly a cassette style system. Something I learned early with my N gauge plans is that a board this size can't sacrifice too much space to 'backstage' areas.
So I set to work in the garage with my basic woodworking skills, and came up with this...if you enjoy looking at beautifully constructed benchwork as seen in many threads here, please look away now. It's not pretty, but it's light (ish) strong and very practical. It also stores quite neatly when not in use. The boards latch together and have alignment dowels. The trestles are B&Q's own, very strong and have a multitude of uses. The whole thing assembles in less than 5 minutes.
The transfer table is only in for test fitting, it's not fixed down yet.
I also wanted to share this - I purchased it from Sora Showcases, and while it was a PITA to assemble, the end result is worth it...
See Sora Showcases
On display is my currently meager OO rolling stock collection. Loving the sound on both of these locos - next on the shopping list is an EWS 08, probably from Olivia's.
I've decided to treat myself to a ESU ECoS when the colour screen version arrives (my NCE is great, but I find the functions on sound locos a bit clunky, and very much like the interface on the ECoS having tried a friend's). This may seem extravagant for such a small layout, but what the hell! Am also going to try DCC operation of the points (probably using the NCE Switch8) which will be switched using Tortoises. All track will be Peco Code 75.
If you've stayed with me to the end of this ramble - I thank you, and welcome comments!
