When I built my ‘0’ gauge layout Holmehurst I made a mock model out of paper to work out where everything went, especially as the main layout was on 4 boards, which for transporting were paired together with the scenery inside the resultant box, with the ends of each pair held as a box by pieces of plywood utilising the bolt holes to join the sections together. To make each box as small as possible it was important that all the buildings, etc. interlocked between each other.
With this experience behind me, I have made 3 models of the new layout I hope to build in the hold. Each model is 1/10th scale.
This is model No.1. The actual size will be 12ft long by 2ft wide. It is not the complete layout, but the main scenic part. It is part of a complete circle with a 12ft by 1ft wide section on the opposite side of the hold, both parts will be linked by 3inch wide sections at each end, with hinged parts to allow pedestrian access through this section of the hold. The 1ft wide section will be a large ‘fiddleyard’ section with multiple storage tracks where prepared trains will be stored ready to be used on the layout. I want to incorporate a canal scene in this layout so that I can include the rather nice scale model that someone made for me of ‘Hadar’. The blue painted area is the canal which is a terminus, with the canal disappearing into a tunnel. The lines are the railway tracks and the dotted lines are the continuation of the tracks underground. If you follow the lines you will see that it is a figure-of-eight scheme. there is also a line running into the hill side to supposedly a mine. I did originally draw this scheme with a platform in it, but since making the model I decided that I wouldn’t have a platform on the layout, it makes it too congested, and the passenger trains would just run straight through the layout. So primarily it is a railway/canal interchange.
However I was not particularly happy with this design, especially as I have always wanted to model a canal lock and to allow narrowboats to wind at the end of this terminus, the width of which as can be seen takes up a lot of space. Also it seems a tad short from the terminus to the tunnel, although this can be found in real life at Froghall on the Caldon Canal at it’s terminus, but there is a lot more space available at Froghall. So I redesigned it and produced Model No.2. However as soon as I finished it I was not happy with it, as the canal lock ended up parallel and very close to the railway track, approximately where the platform is on Model No.1 above. Hence immediately on it’s heels came model No.3 below.
Model No.3 of my proposed new model railway layout. As can be seen I have taken this one a stage further by painting it. The blue is obviously the canal, yes I know canal water isn't blue, but I have to distinguish it from the grassy/woodland areas. The grey is the railway track, the black is a road, the red is brick walls and tunnel entrances and of course the green is grass/woodland. I am much happier with this design, although the actual shape of the landscape may well change once I start building it.
Keith.
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