Yes I have the Alan Gibson trainshed kit, it's formidable it weighs nearly 5 kg with all the excess. I also have
a good resistance soldering setup, which is ideal for this type of etched kit.
To answer the other questions:
there's a lift bridge to enter the room. (I hate duck unders)
the layout goes around the walls with an island in the middle housing the two termini.
I've been using DCC since 1994, and Digitrax since 2000.
I still have to move the track around slightly to creat more space in the centre, it maywell be that once I do this the return loop will be under the termini.
I'm very pleased with this design which totally fits an S&Djr theme.
It can be operated by single operator if needs be. The layout isn't too large to be completed in a resonable time frame. I have a large amount of completed buildings. Most of my stock IE. loco's and rolling stock match the theme of the layout. It avoids too many hidden staging yards using the termi instead to house stock.
I figure I'll have most of the benchwork down by Christmas, and some track. The balance of track probably by April next year, maybe sooner. It's not that complex. I'll firm up on the drawing to show clearly how Bath is connected to the layout (throught the pink track at the bottom). Note the island section is at slight different levels. I still have to discuss this plan with a mate of mine who blissfully thinks I'm just going around the room twice on a split level.
As an alternative I has considered selling all my stock, and then,
modelling H/O American or
converting to 0 gauge ( and going totally pre-war II) LMS "I like red loco's" or
sticking to a simpler layout going modular.