Proposed new layout

[Roger O]

Mod Note. Post moved from The Mess Room to Layout Track and Design where hopefully it should get more views and replies.
I’m into planning stage of building a new layout,one I’ve had in mind for a while . This is going to be built with the help of my grandsons so I’m not looking for an end to end because I think they would get bored. I intend to build it on separated boards about 3feet by 4 or 5 Ive been wandering if anyone as any ideas to accomplish this my thoughts are ,where lines go off scene ie tunnels or a branch line then run hidden around board . Below I’ve put a rough drawing of proposed station.
Awaiting your views . I’m thinking of a fiddle yard or traverser board some where.
Thanks roger o

[Mountain Goat]

Is it going to be a permanent layout or a portable one?

How large is the room you have available?

[LC&DR]

Boards 3' x 4' or 3' x 5' will be fairly cumbersome if it is intended to be portable.


Something that needs to be considered is how one reaches across the board to attend to a derailment, find two feet / two foot six is the maximum width from the board edge to a track for comfort when attending to a recalcitrant train.

[Roger O]

It is intended to be demountable and I see you concern about the size so maybe reducing the board size to 2x3 and using more boards would be better way fwd. The room available is 12x7 of clear space but I could increase it slightly if needed. It would need to be easily dismantled to individual boards when not in use.
Roger.

[cheshire lines]

I think separate baseboards is definitely the way to go.
Having lines going in 4 separate directions is ambitious, particularly if you want don't want it to be end to end.
Maybe try to link two of the ends with a loop line hidden behind a backscene (maybe the Birmingham and Dudley ends) with the other two lines ending in separate fiddle yards.

[Brian]

I do like the plan, but space is the essence. OO or N scale? Possible in N, possibly over adventitious in OO.
I have always wanted to model a Y junction where one (or both) of the arms of the Y returns back to the single end of the Y, but I wouldn't have space for the curves!

[Roger O]

Hi Brian, it would be in OO gauge I’m now thinking as you said that it might be to much for OO so I’m now thinking of building it as an end to end With two traverses one each end for myself and building a go around layout for my grandchildren first. So now the search goes on for a go around layout but I’m still going to build it on small boards so I can pack it away when not in use.