From the “What's Your Goal For 2018†thread: Wolseley wrote: Toto wrote: As stated above, I am planning t to commence building a layout, probably 8' by 4' 6†(2440mm by 1400mm) in area - there will be access from both sides, so I don't think 1400mm in width is excessive. Aside from not having made up my mind about one or two aspects of the plan, I haven't decided if I want to have it split into two or three boards, which it will need to be so it can be put away when the space is needed for other purposes. If I make the boards 950mm or less by 1400mm, the layout will be properly transportable, as it would then fit in the back of my car (a Škoda Octavia station wagon) although as I am not a member of a club and have never participated in exhibitions, this may not be much of an advantage. At this stage I had better add that most of the rolling stock and all of the track and signals are Hornby Dublo 3 rail. It will be a double oval in the style of 1950s layouts, with scenery being rather basic and most, if not all of the buildings will be standard Dublo ones. It will be designed more as a way to display the trains and watch them going around, rather than being realistically operated down to the last detail. Locomotives and rolling stock will, with a few exceptions, be Hornby Dublo 3 rail. Just to add a bit of variety though, I will also be constructing from kits, or converting from RTR, some ex-Caledonian locomotives in mid 1930s LMS livery. These will, of course, have to run on 3 rail track (I am using Marklin skates for these locos) and will need flangeless centre drivers to negotiate Dublo curves. The two not quite finished plans I am trying to decide between incorporate a terminal station, a through station, a goods yard and locomotive depot. The turntable does take up a fair bit of room, but my grandson wants one in the layout. The reversing loop is there not so much because it's needed operationally, but because it is a near mandatory fitting for a Dublo layout and, as it's 3 rail, there are no electrical complications  I am aiming for a design in the "classic Dublo" style, which would allow for two trains to be operated at the same time and with provision to have at least another two or three trains on the board, sitting in sidings or at platforms as well.  There will be some scenic treatment, but it's basically a place to see the trains going around, rather than a model of scenery that happens to have a train running through it. Attached is one of the plans I have come up with so far. The other one has the position of the turntable and goods yard reversed. Attached files
Here are some of the repainted (as opposed to original) items awaiting something to run on: Attached files
Very nice. A nice rake there. Just need a start on that plan and you can let that loco stretch its legs.
Interesting re the H/D couplers, designed by Sydney Pritchard - the founder of Peco, is still used by a modeller here in South Australia as he is against Kadee and the infamous tension lock. At least with these H/D couplers, easy to remove stock from the track.
The layout hasn't progressed any further, but I have finished 3 railing my Hornby (present date Hornby that is) 3 car green Class 110 DMU, using a Marklin skate on the non-powered bogie for pick up from the centre rail. It runs very nicely too, although I had to bend the skate upwards slightly in the middle to stop it hesitating when it passed over an uncoupling ramp (yes, the ramp was in the down position).
