Scalefour Forum

Well done Mike, first steps taken . You could save a bit of space (or create extra room) by eliminating the turnout in front of the road bridge and just have a single line going out to your fiddle yard. If the extra space is not an issue the turnout could be reversed to create an 'Inglenook' type of layout and add a bit of operating interest. Your fiddle yard can be either a sector plate or traverser and can be used as part of the operating section of the layout.

HTH

David

Shelfly2 has a lot to be said for it. It can be worked with push-pull and goods can be picked up and shunted around. Shelfly3 has more track but much of it may remain unused unless there is a connection at the fiddle yard end. Iain Rice has put out quite a few books on track planning based on prototype arrangements or a quick scan of the 18.83 layouts and SGW plans may also provide inspiration. When I'm looking at a plan I usually ask myself, "OK, the train is in the station, now what?". If the answer is reasonably obvious as to where wagons need to go and be picked up from it'll probably be fun to operate, if not, maybe not so much..

HTH

David

Number 2 is an Inglenook which is a classic shunting puzzle. It's probably the simplest track plan you could have that sill has operating potential.

There's lots of information on them here: http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/ ... enook.html
And here's a P4 one from the SGW: viewtopic.php?f=101&t=3745

MikeH wrote:Well the bits and bobs have arrived and tomorrow I shall have a little play about with a small straight section. Now as for keys, they usually point in the direction of oncoming trains right? What about a single branch line?

See the digest. http://www.scalefour.org/members/digests/dl.php?f=23-5-2v1-3.pdf
Regards
Keith

MikeH wrote:Now as for keys, they usually point in the direction of oncoming trains right? What about a single branch line?

Keys were put in from the opposite side of the chair from the place were the linesman found them on the ballast.