The End of the Line

You'll have noticed it's been some considerable time since my last update and there's been a couple of reasons for this.

Firstly, I've sort of lost heart with the model.  The reasons for this are:

1. The original intention was a train set that I could build and play with, with my daughter Esther, but as mentioned elsewhere in this blog, she's decidedly uninterested.
2. The size of the layout is having unforeseen implications.  Running sessions need to proceeded by 15 to 20 minutes of track cleaning (not to mention loco wheel cleaning) and often I only have 20 or 30 minutes to grab at a time.  The result is that nothing has run on the layout for 6 months.
3. The size also meant that I couldn't get sections of scenery finished to a level I was happy with, not to mention the costs of such a big undertaking.
4. Finally, the loft was never going to be an ideal location for a model railway, and having now passed through another winter, the extreme temperature swings are taking their toll.  The river in Essington village is growing mould, and the scratch-built platforms, retaining walls and pavements in Hannerton are looking rough as the brick paper is either wrinkling up, or peeling off.

The second reason for the delay is that I've undertaken a completely unrelated modelling project.  My dad was 80 at the start of April and we had no idea what to buy him, so instead I built him a diorama featuring the signal box he started his railway career in, Small Heath North.  I've added some picture below.

So, where now?  I've certainly not lost heart with railway modelling, but the realities of the situation are forcing me to put certain constraints on myself for my next project.  These are:

1. A permanent model in the loft is not an option - it must be stored in a kinder environment.
2. The only viable location for storage in our 3 bed semi is a space on top of a wardrobe in our bedroom.  At just 50cm x 40cm x 30cm this isn't alot!
3. This location also means lightweight construction is essential.
4. Minimum time to set up, clean the track and get the trains running.
5. Ideally, a continuous run layout.

With all these consideration it was clear that 00 gauge was a non starter.  I considered N gauge, but still the available space was restricting.  Then I thought about 009.  This is the same scale as 00 (4mm/foot) but represent narrow gauge track (9mm gauge, so approximately 2' 6" gauge).

Things are still very much at the planning stage, but I have developed a track plan that will fit in the available space.

The area at the bottom of the plan will be a small station with passing loop and a couple of goods sidings.  The line loops round twice, passing over itself.  The sidings at the top of the plan make up the fiddle yard and will be covered by a hill, the intention being that they will be operated 'blindly' with just 'track circuits' used to identify where trains are!

I've mocked it up in card board (you'll spot that the mock up is a mirror image of the plan above - the plan represents the intended layout).  The front section is designed to fold up on top of the back, thus keeping the whole layout within the allowed space.

Someday, soonish, I'll start off a new blog to cover progress.