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Thinking About A British Side Layout
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Ignoring the fact that I hate 4'x8's... <br /> <br />The big question is "What era"? <br />The next big issue is whether you want to have an American style railroad with British (regional) trains or a British railway company type of railway with a Briti***ype of track plan and British working. There is a vast difference. <br /> <br />Briti***rack is divided into Block Sections between Station Limits with ALL yards segregated to their own areas. Industrial switching occurs on lines further segregated. <br />You could make a good representation of this on a (dreaded) 8x4 if you were prepared to do some research and accept limitations. It is extremely rare for anyone in the UK to do a spaghetti bowl design... I just happen to live 400yards from a tiny club that does. <br /> <br />If you want modern era you can forget industrial switching: trains are basically block trains in MGR (merry-go-round) service. As in the US they often don't actually stop to load/unload. Again there is NO local freight. <br />Prototype area? EAK! <br />You could look at anywhere around London... with at least eight different Companies and different ways of applying the same principles. Then there's Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield to York inclusive, Hull, Nescastle on Tyne, Stoke on Trent, Bristol... someone's going to be annoyed because I've missed them out... <br />BUT, again, this depends on era. Up to the 60s all of these would have had most of your requirements and included steam, diesel and even electric... <br /> <br />Would you want to do 3rd rail electric, 4th rail or overhead? You get all of these round London and at least one of each in various other big built up areas. Electrification started in the 1900-1910 period. <br /> <br />Again British Railways are very distinct in their signalling... it can't look right without it. Would you want to go for colour light or semaphore? <br /> <br />Are you aware that we run left handed the same as we drive? <br /> <br />believe it or not I'm not trying to put you off. I am trying to introduce you to some of the ideas you will want to consider if you want to "have it not be toy like". <br /> <br />Can you escape from the 8x4? Please? <br /> <br />British railways are about the most country-specific and even region specific in the world... followed by the lines we built in the colonies. If you go into Europe you will find distinctive signalling and stock by country but the layout of track and workings are much more similar to each other and even to the US. <br /> <br />Hope this helps you to develop your ideas. <br /> <br />OOPS! Read the Question! <br />You say current times. <br />Well I've already blown out most industrial and local frieght. Are you looking at Pendolinos? On 8x4 they'd look like a rat in a hurry to find a drainpipe. Intense suburban is mostly electric... probably mostly electric... probably about 2/3 3rd rail or fourth because London is so big... and you don't get Pendolinos from the Thames right round the South East to at least Portsmouth. <br /> <br />Most places you'd get Pendolinos (Birmingham and Manchester for a start) the commuter service is largely clapped-out diesel Multiple Units. <br /> <br />Someone over here is going to just LOVE me! <br /> <br />You could have real fun with a layout though... thinking about it most of the current scene that fits what you describe is two tracks with vandalised platforms both sides at intervals. The signalling is primarily automatic colour light to keep the trains apart. Passenger would (roughly) alternate between two or three commuter locals and an express (possibly going slower than the locals) with frieghts running largely fixed sets off peak and at night. There would also be a mass of Pway (MoW) movements as Network Rail spend a fortune rebuilding the system. <br /> <br />Now you know why we mainly model pre-Privatisation at least if not pre 1960 and why I've gone American. <br /> <br />Have fun.
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