South Auckland Junction

[ThomasTankEngine]

Hi I like your layout idea and plan.

[Paul Palmer]

I will be following this John,looks a great start

[JohnSmithUK]

Thanks for the interest.

I have just received what will if all pans out ok, my point controllers.

switches.jpg

I'm not intending using them for their electrical switching, just to move my points. I have 0.8mm piano wire ready to go, and to drill through the toggle to join it to the switch.

If it doesn't work out, I have only lost 99p, including postage, and will still have the ten switches in the pack to play with.

[JohnSmithUK]

I have been thinking again.........

Still keeping the inglenook to keep operational interest, how about an abandoned Tyne & Wear Metro station, with adjoining warehousing?

Blue, the ghost station, and part of townscape.

Orange/Green id the overhead electrics, as the line is active, the station isn't.

Yellow, warehousing/industry.

Red, loading bay/dock.

Purple, control disguised in another building.

[JohnSmithUK]

One thing is for sure whichever I decide to do after Christmas as my baseboard is doubling as a dining table for Christmas dinner, it will have a lorry park as part of the warehouse/industrial part.

In honour of my budget aspirations for this layout, I couldn’t resist this, my first resident of the lorry park. It is even the correct scale. May need a little weathering.

[JohnSmithUK]

Hello, long time nothing done.

Today I have finalised in my mind the final layout.

Still not sure what firm the did used station will take that is represented by the box and red emergency triangle container.

The Poundland box will the location of the control box/warehouse.

Just need a bit more straight track to replace the placeholder right hand point on the platform.

Scenic breaks will be tunnel entrances, the station and associated yard is in a dip.

Feel free to mock my lack of progress.

[IanS]

Looks good - but how do you propose a loco plus coach gets to the station?

Unless it's a static display, there isn't space to access the station.

Ah, it's an abandoned station..... but you could increase interest by having a run around loop instead and it could be accessed for 'special' events or storage of either loco, wagons or carriages.

https://prnt.sc/mb6bob

[JohnSmithUK]

Looks good - but how do you propose a loco plus coach gets to the station?

Unless it's a static display, there isn't space to access the station.

Ah, it's an abandoned station..... but you could increase interest by having a run around loop instead and it could be accessed for 'special' events or storage of either loco, wagons or carriages.

https://prnt.sc/mb6bob

I like the sound of that.

This is mostly an inglenook with plenty of scenery in a confined space.

[JohnSmithUK]

Final track layout is now locked down, apart from some more straight sections I have on order.

Pictures with and without track in situ.

Next step go dig out the channels for the wire in tube. The new 0.8mm piano wire will go smoothly round all sorts of sharp and weird corners in my tests in the PTFE tubes, so will try and keep some order to it.

[IanS]

I have found that one single straight (as in top left) isn't enough to get a loco plus wagon. 1 1/2 may be enough depending on the loco.