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Ideas for model railways that you might build!

Class15

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The North London Line
I’m considering doing a model layout of somewhere near home, I’ve got quite a large collection of modern era freight locos (both diesel and electric) and I think the Primrose Hill Line might be easiest with no passenger services?
 
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LUYMun

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It's been a while since I was in railway modelling, but the idea of a small, end-to-end layout depicting a rural terminus in Hampshire had always floated my thoughts.
 

Cowley

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It's been a while since I was in railway modelling, but the idea of a small, end-to-end layout depicting a rural terminus in Hampshire had always floated my thoughts.
What kind of era would you do?
 

Sad Sprinter

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I'd always like to do a long end to end layout portraying a fictional Southern Region mainline. But more realistically, I've always had the idea of an Addiscome branch like layout in South West London centred around a small, fictional terminus called Upper Tooting. Situated between Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway. I envisioned it a LCDR line branching of the "Ludgate Lines" in Battersea, running alongside the Windsor Lines for a short while before diving underneath them in a south-easterly direction. I envisioned two stations on the line - Upper Tooting and Wandsworth.

Stock I would use: Hornby class 466 NSE/Connex and Bratchell Models class 455 (peak hour services use a 455 hired in from the central division) - might stretch the artistic licence a bit and have some stabling roads at Upper Tooting for class 92s or even a Eurostar berth!

Don't know how id model the section into Clapham Junction through. I was thinking to make things easier model the Upper Tooting to Wandsworth section, and then "jump" the layout to a fictional LCDR terminus somewhere along Victoria Street. Might just model a simple island platform for the Clapham Junction terminus instead and simply "pretend" the other platforms are there.
 

GusB

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I've been meaning to add my own thoughts about building a layout. It's very much at the "armchair modelling" stage of the project and not at all high up on the priorities list, but here goes.

Era - blue/grey - probably more early 80s than 70s (I reserve the right to add a bit of colour if I so desire). Scottish region, of course, and set "somewhere in the Highlands". I haven't quite decided which line yet, although I had the thought that basing it on West Highland or Kyle/Far North practice would eliminate the need to have "proper" signals. However, I may decide to model a different line in order to have a bit more flexibility in what I can run.

It's likely to be single line with passing loop, probably with some sidings to cater for some nearby industrial site or engineering trains and a disused goods yard with a distinct whiff of decline about it.

I have a thing for Sulzer type 2s and I would like to see class 25/6/7 operating with Mk1/2 stock, perhaps with the occasional 37. I realise that the earlier types don't really mesh well with the era of Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB) signalling, but nothing is set in stone yet and I'm willing to apply a bit of modeller's licence anyway. Short trains will definitely be the order of the day as I don't have a lot of space.

My main priority is de-cluttering and freeing up that space, which means construction will probably commence in the early 2030s... :D
 

Cowley

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I've been meaning to add my own thoughts about building a layout. It's very much at the "armchair modelling" stage of the project and not at all high up on the priorities list, but here goes.

Era - blue/grey - probably more early 80s than 70s (I reserve the right to add a bit of colour if I so desire). Scottish region, of course, and set "somewhere in the Highlands". I haven't quite decided which line yet, although I had the thought that basing it on West Highland or Kyle/Far North practice would eliminate the need to have "proper" signals. However, I may decide to model a different line in order to have a bit more flexibility in what I can run.

It's likely to be single line with passing loop, probably with some sidings to cater for some nearby industrial site or engineering trains and a disused goods yard with a distinct whiff of decline about it.

I have a thing for Sulzer type 2s and I would like to see class 25/6/7 operating with Mk1/2 stock, perhaps with the occasional 37. I realise that the earlier types don't really mesh well with the era of Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB) signalling, but nothing is set in stone yet and I'm willing to apply a bit of modeller's licence anyway. Short trains will definitely be the order of the day as I don't have a lot of space.

My main priority is de-cluttering and freeing up that space, which means construction will probably commence in the early 2030s... :D

That just sounds like heaven to me. I love that era of Scottish railways.
 

D1511

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29 Jul 2023
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306
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Edinburgh
I've been meaning to add my own thoughts about building a layout. It's very much at the "armchair modelling" stage of the project and not at all high up on the priorities list, but here goes.

Era - blue/grey - probably more early 80s than 70s (I reserve the right to add a bit of colour if I so desire). Scottish region, of course, and set "somewhere in the Highlands". I haven't quite decided which line yet, although I had the thought that basing it on West Highland or Kyle/Far North practice would eliminate the need to have "proper" signals. However, I may decide to model a different line in order to have a bit more flexibility in what I can run.

It's likely to be single line with passing loop, probably with some sidings to cater for some nearby industrial site or engineering trains and a disused goods yard with a distinct whiff of decline about it.

I have a thing for Sulzer type 2s and I would like to see class 25/6/7 operating with Mk1/2 stock, perhaps with the occasional 37. I realise that the earlier types don't really mesh well with the era of Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB) signalling, but nothing is set in stone yet and I'm willing to apply a bit of modeller's licence anyway. Short trains will definitely be the order of the day as I don't have a lot of space.

My main priority is de-cluttering and freeing up that space, which means construction will probably commence in the early 2030s... :D
My plans are for something about 150 miles or so south of you, but same era, same ScR locos - except for some whistling ones with a higher RA index! :D
 

Purple Train

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16 Jul 2022
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Darkest Commuterland
I have several plans floating round my head, all of which depend on de-cluttering the space I have spent several months resolutely cluttering! Currently my favourite one is a fictitious ex-GER branch terminus with a bit of freight (in N), though that would probably be biting off more than I can chew given a) anything in the area post-1959 would need electrifying and b) I'm not sure how much modern image stuff there is for Anglia.

My second-favourite plan is a station set on a fictitious branch linking the Jewellery Line at Galton Bridge with the Cross-City Line at Longbridge. This kind of suffers from the same problem but at least it would take up (slightly) less space and have a less weird backstory than the previous plan :D

My third-favourite plan is a shunting puzzle. This is increasingly tempting as the de-cluttering becomes less and less successful!
 
Joined
1 Nov 2021
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114
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Berwick
I spent a long time photographing the closed Meltham branch. My plan was to build it as a preserved line for steam and the obvious piles of junk to Lockwood then have a ‘main line’ running across the viaduct on a loop. Sadly moved house so it only got as far as the base boards.
 

DJ_K666

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5 May 2009
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Way too far north of 75A
At the moment I have one under construction, which is a layout to entertain my daughter, boards for another and the startings of a third. Then the one I'm planning for my loft and maybe one at my club. I'm involved in building a friend's UK outline HO layout on the construction front, though thats more a case of being an extra pair of hands as HO isnt my scale. In addition I'm rejuvenating the club Harry Potter layout, although I don't count that as 'mine'. So a good few to be getting on with. I'm also building a portable test track. To set up, test locos and stock and then pack away and can be carried in a suitcase.

Plus a few rolling stock kits to do over the course of the year.
 

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