I have a sheet of plywood sitting on the lounge floor, to mark out the layout trackwork.  But it won’t get done tonight!  However, some helpful advice has been received!

Phil wrote…..

Hi, Jon!

Have you seen Jago Hazzard’s channel on YouTube?
Some interesting clips and stories including some about London Railways.  It was the view of the London & Greenwich line arches that made think of you, since you had blogged that you were trying to re-create some railway arches.
See them at 3:50 into this clip:

Take care, stay well!

Phil.

I’ve also received some thoughts from Duncan.  This may be a bit of a challenge, an interurban Grand Union on steroids!

Once you get the hang of making track, are you going to tackle something like this?

In a word, no.

Next email was interesting.  I see that FineTrax are going to make 4mm scale track (in any gauge) like this, with integral rail chairs, and ‘N’ gauge track may be upgraded and follow.

I don’t know if you remember the Wye point I made for the magic roundabout? Basically, it’s a 3-D Printed base, including chairs, and then I threaded Peco code 60 rail in. I was surprised how easy it was, and how well it worked:

The ‘magic roundabout’ was nothing to do with Zebedee, but is an interesting multi-directional train turntable Duncan helped build for the Stuttgart Nm setup.  He continues…..

Anyway, I’d be wary of tackling slips, but turnouts and crossings could be done fairly easily this way I think. Even something huge, like Newcastle junction, is just more 3-D printed pieces, and thread the track in. The track planning software always uses set pieces, like individual points, but it wouldn’t be hard to make a really flowing junction, like in the photos, and then make individual pieces from that:

Newcastle Central. Photo: Ben Brooksbank. Wikipedia Commons

Sorry, Duncan, haven’t got the room, even in ‘N’!!!!!

Just to calm me down, here’s another picture of West Croydon, with the carriage sidings and the old loco shed site to the left.  The retaining wall was indented for a small turntable to take the small LBSCR tank locos used for suburban services prior to electrification.

Anyhow, many thanks to Phil and Duncan – all very interesting and it keeps me on my toes.  I think I shall return to that sheet of ply in the morning, when I have some natural light to work with.

And I must finish with a picture of the REAL Magic Roundabout.  Formative viewing for my A-level and university years.  Probably explains a lot…..