shanks522 Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 Hello all, I've taken the plunge and started building the new layout so thought a new thread was in order. The layout will be based somewhere around the Midlands WCML and is purely fictitious, I'l be taking inspiration from various locations and hopefully incorporate them all together. The whole thing is going to be around 14/16 ft long and about 2'6'' wide, It will break down into four sections for ease of storage/transport, I want to build this purely for exhibiting so I'm going to fully automate the fiddle yard to make operating simpler. One thing i will be doing is leaving the helix visible, (not on the layout itself) but i shall build a perspex casing around it as most people find it interesting at shows. This will be the shape of the boards, two straight and two curved (about 12 degrees), Blue hidden, orange visible scenic section. This is a rough trackplan i'l be working to, The layout will run on both DC and DCC. Cheers Graham. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 3, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 3, 2015 I thought from the layout name and your forum name this was going to be Liverpool based. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 Nice one, Graham. If it's a patch on Smithdown Rd, it'll be a cracker. Good luck. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted October 3, 2015 Author Share Posted October 3, 2015 I thought from the layout name and your forum name this was going to be Liverpool based. Hi Stubby, I choose Stanley Park as i have family ties with Liverpool, I was originally going to do the layout around the North West but it limits some of the trains i want so the Midlands is a compromise. cheers Graham. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted October 3, 2015 Author Share Posted October 3, 2015 Nice one, Graham. If it's a patch on Smithdown Rd, it'll be a cracker. Good luck. Thanks Pete, I'm aiming for Smithdown Rd's bigger brother, although much lighter! cheers Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted October 3, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 3, 2015 Hi Graham, Excellent - having lived in Liverpool for a while I know Stanley Park too, not to mention Smithdown Road... Looking forward to following your progress. cheers Ben A. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmthtrains - David Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 I will be following with great interest as usual. With the 390 arriving next year, and my degree finishing in the summer, I will be building a new WCML layout myself, so inspiration is vital, and I have no doubt this will be inspirational in spades... David 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
omgTrain Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 Looking forward to seeing this progress. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkie Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 Hi Graham, will be following this with interest. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted October 10, 2015 Author Share Posted October 10, 2015 Hello all, Just to show i've made a start here's a quick snap from the garage, I have built the two curved boards and the helix. I'm a little undecided but may build another two curved boards instead of straight ones as i think it might look better having the whole layout on a gentle curve? cheers Graham 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernboy Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 (edited) I'd go for curved boards - visually quite pleasing and when looking around our eyes naturally follow an arc - plus it just makes a change. Going by Smithdown and Aylestone I'm keeping an eye on Stanley Park I like the track plan - was there a planning thread somewhere that I missed? Edited October 10, 2015 by Southernboy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 Would calling it Stanley Green give a more Midlands sounding name without removing all reference to your roots? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted October 10, 2015 Author Share Posted October 10, 2015 I'd go for curved boards - visually quite pleasing and when looking around our eyes naturally follow an arc - plus it just makes a change. Going by Smithdown and Aylestone I'm keeping an eye on Stanley Park I like the track plan - was there a planning thread somewhere that I missed? Hi Mark, I think your right about an arc, i want to make the layout as visually attractive for the public as i can. I did start a planning topic a few weeks ago but then i decided to just get on with it so changed to a layout thread. cheers Graham. Would calling it Stanley Green give a more Midlands sounding name without removing all reference to your roots? You could be onto something there woodenhead, Stanley Green has a nice ring to it. cheers Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bri.s Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 (edited) Hi shanks ,I like the idea of the curved baseboards and the idea if the name Stanley green . The boards look nicely built Brian Edited October 10, 2015 by bri.s 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
87023Velocity Posted October 10, 2015 Share Posted October 10, 2015 Hi Graham, Nice work on the baseboards and agree with with other posts about the visual impact of the curved boards. Looking forward to this developing. Cheers Simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Ben Posted October 10, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 10, 2015 Hi Graham, A propos of nothing, my neighbour's name is Stanley Dwight - and he is from Liverpool. But Stanley Dwight doesn't sound very Midlandsish to me! Of course, given one of the central features of your plan you could always go for Stanley Bridge... cheers Ben A. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
omgTrain Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 I also think curved boards look great. I think it's more natural, and also just something different. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 Another thumbs-up for the gentle arc across all boards, Graham, especially following the lines of the first boards you've built. That curve invites the viewer in. I made a layout a while back where the curved front edge was opposite to yours and it actually seemed like it was pushing the viewer away from the layout. It could all be nonsense, but I think you get what I mean. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted October 20, 2015 Author Share Posted October 20, 2015 Hello all, Thanks for all the comments, Looks like another two curved boards shall be built! Also the name, Stanley Green or Stanley bridge, I like both so i may flip a coin. I haven't done much lately as work is manic, the Helix is done and track laid, just need to test it with some stock before continuing. cheers Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
omgTrain Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) Also the name, Stanley Green or Stanley bridge, I like both so i may flip a coin. I think Stanley Bridge. However Stanley Park sounds great as well. Joe Edited October 20, 2015 by omgTrain 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padishar Creel Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 Hallo, Q: What's in a Name? A: a lot. I do not feel that Stanley Green sounds Midlands enough, so not knowing where you have "placed" the layout within the West Midlands (with or without OHLE, urban or suburban) may I be cheeky enough to suggest the following? Adderley Green Saltley Park Navigation Bridge Stretchford Road es grüßt pc 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigP Posted October 21, 2015 Share Posted October 21, 2015 (edited) -- Edited January 30, 2021 by bigP Deleted 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted November 4, 2015 Author Share Posted November 4, 2015 (edited) Hello all, Thank you for all for the idea's of name's, I'm still undecided but Stanley Bridge is currently a favourite. I've had hardly any time to work on the layout but this evening quickly set up the 1st board and took a short video of a six coach HST climbing the helix. Also i picked up a pair of the new curved setrack points to test, they seem really good and will be a great space saver in the fiddle yards. cheers Graham. Edited November 5, 2015 by shanks522 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shreives Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Coming along nicely there graham. Stuart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Boco_D1 Posted November 8, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 8, 2015 Looking good, does make me question why my HST won't climb my helix, is yours 3rd radius like you said or did you go larger? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now