Makerfield, my 1970s North West UK layout

[John H-T]

Pete

Sorry same problem: no picture!

John.

[swisstrains]

Pete,
I don't know why but I couldn't open your layout plan directly (got the dreaded red cross ) so ended up downloading it onto my PC and opening it with a bit of jiggery pokery in Photoshop.
There is certainly plenty of operational interest with all those running-lines. I bet you sit for hours watching your favourite trains go round.
I agree with your comments about H & M controllers. They are great and far better than a lot of the modern junk you get nowadays. I'm using Gaugemaster controllers on my N-scale layout......they're not bad but nowhere near as robust as the H & M's.
Keep up the good work.

[meurglysIII]

I had the colour mode set wrong. I've fixed it & re-uploaded it now. Please let me know if it works.

Cheers
Pete

[Trev]

Yep, it works Pete, and I must say it's very impressive. I wish I had something like that. A couple of tins of Guinness, a plateful of sausage sandwiches and that would be me set for the day. A real 'trainspotting' style of layout and one which I would be able to lose myself in for hours. Good luck with it!

[John H-T]

Fine Pete looks great. Wish I had that much space! What are the dimensions?

John.

[meurglysIII]

Hi Folks

Sorry it took me a while to get back on this - been busy building the joinery, i'll post some pics of that soon.

The layout is approx. 16' x 8', with a large operating well in the middle. I kind of regret building it all on onme level, and not making the scenic sections wider, but hopefully there'll be other layouts.

One area where I need help is signalling, that is a way off yet, but is anyone here clued up on where signals should go & what types? - I'm thinking colour lights rather than semaphore. I'd really appreciate any help. The track nearest the centre well is the "up fast" (right to left through the station) and the two topmost lines are the slow goods/stopping passenger lines. Any ideas?

Cheers!
http://www.philroche.net/wp-content/...sExtraCold.jpg
Pete

[swisstrains]

Pete,
Looking at your layout diagram are you saying that the red track is the "up fast"? I am a bit confused because you say it passes through the station from right to left or is that with the diagram upside down?
Correct me if I'm wrong but with the station at the bottom of your diagram are the tracks from top to bottom.
1. Up fast
2. Down fast
PLATFORM
3. Up slow
4. Down slow
PLATFORM

Signalling shouldn't be too much of a problem for your layout as there are very few sets of points on the scenic section where junction indicators would be required ( I am assuming that you don't want to have signals in the storage sidings)
Most signals would be 4-aspect colour lights with possibly 3-aspect colour lights controlling the exits from the bay platform and the other sidings.

[meurglysIII]

Hi John, thanks for the quick reply.

Yes, you're right, I'm looking at the plan as I would normally view the layout, the way you have listed the running lines is correct, i.e. with the plan upside down.
1. Up fast
2. Down fast
PLATFORM
3. Up slow
4. Down slow
PLATFORM (with bay for dmu shuttle service)

Thanks for the advice re. signals. Would you recommend the ecko ones (plenty of time till I get round to doing this by the way!)

Here's how the joinery building (which has now become buidings as I've moved it to the area below the bridge at the storage sidings end of the scenic section - phew) is progressing:

http://www.clockworkcommunications.c...inerymodel.jpg

It's fitted with interior roof girders & lights, hence the wires. It's not in position yet as I need to complete it, add ratio Security fencing and pallets, clutter, vehicles etc. It's time-consuming, this modelling lark! :-)

[swisstrains]

Originally Posted by meurglysIII

...................Thanks for the advice re. signals. Would you recommend the ecko ones (plenty of time till I get round to doing this by the way!).........................

Apologies Pete, I meant to reply ages ago but it slipped my mind (as do many other things nowadays )

I haven't had anything to do with Eckon signals for a long time but I think they are still the most popular colourlight signals amongst 00 modellers and they do make the 4-aspect ones that you would require on your layout. A firm called Traintronics also make some nice looking colourlight signals but they appear to be a bit more expensive. Some pictures here:
http://www.expressmodels.co.uk/acata...intronics.html

[Trev]

Originally Posted by meurglysIII

One area where I need help is signalling

You and me both Pete. I don't have a clue when it comes to signalling.