4mm Llanfair ....

Nick Rogers · 28 August 2023

LarryG said:
Hi Nick, The shed is 14' x 6 '. Baseboard tapers, so it's 24" at the door because width is needed at the station for the yard, but it tapers to 15" at the other end. A by-product is the tapering also gives the illusion that the layout is longer.

Morning Larry,

Thank you for that. My plan is to move soon and ideally have a decent sized garage/garden office/shed to house my layout. It’s always good to know what can be accomplished in various spaces.

Keep up the good work,

Paul Tomlinson · 31 August 2023

Hello Larry. I still prefer the shed over the tracks from the station building, as in your pic above. Prototypically, it'd avoid the commercial vehicles driving across the station forecourt, and IMO looks more balanced, esp. in this rural setting. A favourite branch of mine is the Denbigh to Mold, and Caerwys doesn't look too dissimilar?

LarryG · 31 August 2023

I had trouble in 2022 deciding which side of the track the goods shed looked better. I suppose my preference is for this if only because the shed, loading gauge and yard crane are out of harms way, plus I have a clear view of trains especially when uncoupling...

Purchased this week on WT-Sales off 'Captain Kernow', I have a use for it carrying the daily output of Llanfair's raincoat factory.....

Herb Garden · 31 August 2023

Larry,

I'm glad it's not just me that finds goods sheds awfully hard buildings to place. They are really big things and often I find in the wrong location they can get in the way, view block and ruin the overall look of the scene.

I think you are right to put something that large towards the rear of the scene where it's volume gives backdrop rather than blocks the foreground.

But then does it partially block the bobby's view from the signal box?

Herbie

Richard Gawler · 31 August 2023

Larry, I get the feeling you prefer making to running?

So I suggest put the goods shed at the front, where it will add balance for photography. I would do this myself if only to stop me using the front of the baseboard for storing stuff. If the good shed is demountable, you have the option to lift it out for operating sessions, or to get access to work on the station behind.

JimG · 31 August 2023

Richard Gawler said:
So I suggest put the goods shed at the front, where it will add balance for photography.

I remember Iain Rice advocating view blockers on layouts to increase visual interest, and signal cabins and goods sheds were obvious candidates.

Jim.

Herb Garden · 1 September 2023

A technique I've been using on Mucklemouth is that of a scale mock up.

Allows all kinds of trying things out, redrawing and reshaping all from the comfort of your desk

I could do this full size on the baseboards but I find it easier to get it right here first

It's also easier to check the track plan works for stock movement.... Lego bricks=stock

Phil O · 2 September 2023

Hi Larry,
If you've not fixed anything down, have you thought about putting everything on a slight skew, rather than straight and parallel with the baseboard? It may pay to try skewing in both directions.

LarryG · 2 September 2023

Hi Phil O, One of the advantages of joining all the track up as a web is it can be slewed diagonally or even curved. I bent a gentle curve beyond the platform end to make it look more railwaylike and less geometrically restrictive due to using proprietary points...

LarryG · 4 September 2023

I've re-sited the signalbox and used a larger one just to try things out. There is a lot of un-used baseboard at the nearest end; a legacy of using the board built for an 0 gauge layout.

Heather Kay · 4 September 2023

LarryG said:
There is a lot of un-used baseboard at the nearest end; a legacy of using the board built for an 0 gauge layout.

That's probably no bad thing. It’ll give the 4mm scale room to breathe.

Richard Gawler · 4 September 2023

LarryG said:
There is a lot of un-used baseboard at the nearest end; a legacy of using the board built for an 0 gauge layout.

I can see this as space for interchangeable scenic modules. Perhaps, a rail-served industry; a later cattle market; and an even later superstore.

Herb Garden · 4 September 2023

I don't think having space on the baseboard is a bad thing.

I find that in very guilty of trying to squeeze in as much as possible into my designs. An extra siding here, a lineside industry there. And it just makes it cramped.

Holding back from adding too much in may help the eye be drawn to key focal points rather than being lost in a sea of features (ok in a urban layout but in a rural setting not so much)

Also I might be a lot easier to add in extra scenic features later on if it looks too empty. It may be harder to hack them out if it looks like too much

Just some thoughts I might as usual be talking nonsense

LarryG · 4 September 2023

Being a minimalist at heart, adding additional track or industry is not even tempting.

... I was thinking more along the lines of attacking it with a circular saw and removing excess baseboard.

I'm looking forward to building a new signalbox in the ever darkening evenings.

simond · 4 September 2023

I’m with Heather & Herbie.

space, the final frontier…

LarryG · 9 September 2023

The layout is now like a 'V' to give more space where it is needed. The signalbox has been moved back 6 feet from the platform edge and a platform slope made for trolleys to and from the shed.....

The curve at the platform end is 150 inches radius.

Peco bullhead track is far too flexible and is a pain! SMP bullhead is ideal but the sleepers are thinner. I have been tempted several times to simply lay Streamline code 75 and get this task out of the way quick-style....

Nick Rogers · 12 September 2023

Unless it is too late, I would stick with the better-looking Bullhead myself. The previous work you did in 4mm looked very good.

All the best,

Nick.

LarryG · 15 September 2023

Peco Code 75 flat bottom points and bullhead plain track were laid the other day, anyway bullhead points were eventually used (mostly) and the lot was sprayed 'Sleeper Grime' in readiness for the gluing & ballasting process...

Tie bars masked off before spraying. as can be seen, two points were replaced by a double slip to shorten the track formation...

Dave Holt · 15 September 2023

Track formation looks good, Larry.
Some similarities to Delph - with the double slip and short head shunt.
Dave.

LarryG · 16 September 2023

This process has been described before, but a quick run-through again will save members trawling back for it ~ if interested.

The track paint had made the track pretty rigid and so I separated sections leaving just the loop. It was then slid to one side out of the way and masking tape put where the point tiebars will lie. The long strip denotes the station platform edge (12mm from the nearest rail)...