[Rail-Rider]

Hi Nathan

This depends so very much on your particular circumstances plus personal opinion of appearance and the finance available. You will probably read a tremendous variety of opinion here.

Hornby is great as a starting point, with it's tough, small sections being particularly suited to layouts that might be altered or rebuilt.
It's readily available too.

Fleischmann has the same abilities with regard to alterations etc, looks better, is tougher but won't be available quite as widely and costs a good deal more.

Any flexi-track is more suited for permanent layouts. I like flexi-track. The negatives expressed re Peco are on fairly abstruce matters and don't worry me a bit, but that is where it becomes such an individual matter - they MIGHT worry you!

.

Perhaps a basic question first:
Do you intend to mount the layout on a more or less permanent baseboard in the first instance?
If we can establish that, it will be easier to progress from there.

 

[Rail-Rider]

Then I'd suggest you can't go wrong with Hornby as a starting point.
You can always re-use it later if you do go for a baseboard and, if you want to, there is no problem with extending that using flexi-track.
I think almost anyone would agree that points/switches/turnouts are better quality and appearance from Peco than from Hornby. but lots of people happily use Hornby anyway. Probably best to stick with Hornby for your very first project.

By ALL means look at Fleischmann's Profi-track, which has all Hornby's set-track attributes combined with a much higher quality and very attractive appearance. But do look at the prices first!

 

[Rail-Rider]

I suggested there would be a wide variety of responses and we've certainly got 'em!

None of the opinions are 'wrong', absolutely NOT. Personally I'd go along with it all!
But, to minimise confusion, perhaps we should remember the starting point: that Nathan has already indicated preference for an introductory digital set from Hornby and that a baseboard is unlikely in the short term - maybe not at all.

Whether digital or not, a good value set remains his most likely starting point and his first running track will be whatever comes with it as standard. So he's going to kick off with code 100 for sure, isn't he? Further expansion would likely be in enlarging that set, still not on a baseboard, and there will be a strong inclination to match any new track with the original. I wouldn't like to speculate figures, but I'd suggest that a huge majority of UK beginners start out this way, simply because it's simpler and more economical than mixing and matching a variety of equipment.

Without a baseboard, I'd suggest that electro-frogs aren't a practical option and I don't believe they are supplied in sets, not UK sets anyway. Similar applies to finer scale track. The baseboard, or lack of it, is key to most decisions in this particular case.

Anyone who has known me for any length of time will know my personal preference for Continental equipment, finer scale track and electro-frog points etc. so no argument there. But I'm not a beginner and I've put all that to one side for this discussion.

 

[Rail-Rider]

Code 75 or anything smaller than Code 100, looks more realistic.
It really does.

One day, I surmise that something smaller than Code 100 might become a new standard in UK, but that's a while off, if indeed it ever happens.

 

[Rail-Rider]

We've rapidly drifted well beyond your initial questions haven't we, Nathan

It often happens - I hope we haven't lost you, altogether.

Without a baseboard, it seems certain that you are going to start out with a set and early extensions to that will likely be with similar set track of some sort. Electro-frog points definitely aren't a consideration at this stage and neither are the finer detail aspects of continental/UK track practice. Someone suggested earlier that ready availability is a primary consideration in the early stages and I would fully agree with that, too.

It's only when, or even IF, you decide to use a baseboard that the other considerations might arise and, even then, they might not, if you are happy with your initial choice. So, I suggest forgetting about finer scale track until closer to that time, else you might never get started at all!

When the possibility of a baseboard arises, we can always discuss it again.

In the meantime, I'd concentrate on which set you are inclined to kick off with. I would also start collecting catalogues (and price lists!) of those companies whose track has been mentioned, to allow a reasonable assessment of appearance and affordability. There is nothing quite like seeing products 'in the flesh', but well illustrated catalogues (and web sites) are the next best thing. You can have a very enjoyable time just looking through them and they should help to arrive at decisions. Have fun

 

[Rail-Rider]

I completely agree with the comments made after mine

But do check prices.

I definitely should have omitted the word "definitely"

DB, have you any more information on "Geoline"?
This is a new name to me and it has my ears all pricked up!
The (Roco) in brackets sounds as though you may have some insight on what is going on there
Come on - spill some more beans!