Layout Ideas

I'm thinking about layout ideas again.

I've decided I'm unlikely ever to build a American-style basement-busting permanent layout. My current lifestyle as an IT consultant looks like it's likely to revolve around frequent relocations. Therefore the only kind of layout I can build that would have a decent life expectancy are portable sectional ones that I can take with me when I move.

My present 12'x 2' layout is very much a temporary affair. I'm not totally happy about the quality of the benchwork, and the 2' width means I've got both sharp curves (8½" on the inner circuit), and room for only six roads in the fiddle yard. Because of these limitations I've never developed much scenery apart from a few buildings which can be reused on future layouts.

So what next? So far I've got three schemes under consideration. One long-term plan might be to build all three, with one or possibly two set up at any one time. All three are based on real locations, but aren't intended to be exact models. I don't really have the time or commitment to build a scale model of a real location as a solo project. Such a layout would involve scratchbuilding all the structures, as well as taking up more space than is ever likely to be available to me, even in N!. So I plan to use the basic trackplan and prototype train formations, but to to use some 'selective compression' in order to fit things into a suitable space, and to use or adapt commercially available structure kits for the buildings.

All three of these schemes are for double track mainlines, fed by enough storage roads for a representative selection of trains. I'm afraid 'shunting planks' just don't do it for me. Call it a glorified trainset if you want, but I want to capture the experience of standing by a busy main line. All are intended as home layouts, but will be built with exhibitions in mind, which means nicely ballasted Peco Code 55 trackwork rather than sectional Kato Unitrack!

Wöminsee III
This one's Swiss outline, based on a typical small passing station on the BLS main line. My plan is a cross between Blausee-Mitholz on the north ramp, and Ausserberg on the south ramp. A 10'4" x 2'8" board will just about fit in my living room, which will give me enough width to fit in ten storage roads at the back, and enough length to fit in nine coach trains of 85' long coaches. Hopefully this will be the first to see the light of day.

Restormel
Back to British outline this time; I love the running qualities of Fleischmann and Kato locos, but British prototypes are in the blood. It's based on Lostwithiel in Cornwall, although how much of it I can model depends on how much space I have to play with. I've sketched a plan to fit a drastically cut down version in a 6'x 9' wedge-shaped layout that I could just about fit in my second bedroom. But I'm not sure I can cut things down so radically and still retain the flavour of the real life location. I may have to put this one on the back burner until I've got a little bit more space.

Marine Parade
Another British scheme. At about 9'x 3' or thereabouts, this is the smallest scheme; but in terms of structures, the most ambitious. Based on the section of the sea wall at Dawlish, from the west end of the station to Kennaway tunnel. I've seen several models of the sea wall further along the coast, with the red cliffs and the tunnels, but never an attempt to model part of the town itself. I've been investigating the catalogues of various continental kit makers for suitable buildings.