Shelf layout

[blackettstreet]

I have cleared out a lot of my bedroom and now have a shelf measuring 4'8" x 9". I was hoping to build a small OO gauge scene on it (non-operational, since inserting a fiddle yard would be nigh on impossible.) So I was thinking of doing a carefully detailed urban thing, a single line with part of a platform appearing from under a bridge as well as some sidings for freight.
BUT... I have no idea what sort of freight facility to put in. I want to be able to set the model both in the 1980s, during Speedlink's lifespan, and in the last decade, interchangeably. The sidings will not be particularly long,so enormous block trains are impossible, but I was hoping to be able to have some kind of terminal which could handle various freights. I have so far come up with three ideas:
•Have a small Speedlink depot. However, there is little or no possibility of running coal, stone, oil, cement etc. which limits it a bit to mostly vans and flats. And a Speedlink depot would be long gone today.
•Have some kind of basic terminal which has no very specific facilities, so it could appear to be for handling almost anything, then run short block trains of whatever I want.
•Give up on the idea and have a loco depot instead.
So any ideas on how to get an interesting variety of freight into a facility which could operate either today or in the 1980s would be much appreciated!
To give an idea of scale, I have attached a rough outline plan made in Anyrail:

 

[deltic1989]

For the 80's, as you say Speedlink would be an ideal use for your small yard.
For more up to date scenes, maybe an engineers yard would be more appropriate?

 

[Anon Mouse]

How about Fawdon in early 80's with a Metro passing a 31 with some Speedlink waggons? That would look pretty cool!

 

[blackettstreet]

For the 80's, as you say Speedlink would be an ideal use for your small yard.
For more up to date scenes, maybe an engineers yard would be more appropriate?

That sounds like a good idea, seeing as engineer's trains can be quite short. Perhaps I could include a minimum of infrastructure, so the yard doesn't have to change between eras.

How about Fawdon in early 80's with a Metro passing a 31 with some Speedlink waggons? That would look pretty cool!

I would love to do that (seeing as I'm a Geordie ) but I'm an inexperienced modeller, and I severely doubt I could build a Metro car kit. (If they're even still available!)

 

[O L Leigh]

9 inches in incredibly narrow. Realistically speaking, having running lines means it's going to be something more akin to a siding or a loop. Either way you won't have a lot of space to play with.

Having also been through similar thought processes myself a couple of years back, I came up with the idea of modelling part of something rather than a complete something. For example, part of a yard rather than the whole yard. So for example, it could be a fuelling point or wheel lathe on a maintenance depot or a specific part of a much larger yard (e.g. sidings for track machines/MPVs as part of a larger engineers yard), or even just the headshunt of a private user yard. This would give the illusion that what you're seeing is just a small part of a much larger operation and give you more operating possibilities and interest. You can still have passing traffic (e.g. units/locos entering or exiting the depot or a passenger line) for added interest if you wish.

The other problem is the era you're modelling. By the 1980s, most of these small yards and freight connections were gone, even under the Speedlink concept. If you'd gone back a decade or two further it would have been more appropriate, with a single road goods shed for road/rail transhipment of anything from agricultural produce to industrial applications, all with rail blue DMUs and short loco-hauled sets chugging by.

HTH

O L Leigh

 

[bluenoxid]

The question to ask is what rolling stock do you have at the moment and what would you like to display.

It is the 9 inches that concern me but if height is no option, then a second level could be an option. A single track siding at the back of the layout overhanging the rear of the scene could be used displaying "stored stock" or a Multiple Unit.