[Kevan]

   

[Gordon Steadman]

I don't have time.






Or the will.

[autoavia]

For some reason there has always been hostility between railway modellers and slot racers. 

 I had TT gauge model railway in the 60s and a bit later intended to build a OO scale layout with my Father but we never had enough room for what we wanted to build. I couldn't afford to race slot cars competitively and the interest in both waned when I got into off road motorcycles and aircraft preservation.

 When my parents died I was left an unbuilt fully machined kit of a 5 inch gauge live steam engine but money was tight and I knew I would never find time to build it and, to be honest, I had driven several 5 inch gauge live steam engines and some 7and a quarter inch gauge on a huge garden railway and they didn't interest me enough to want to drive on a regular basis so I sold the kit.

 About 8 years ago I got back into slot cars, after IO was persuaded to attend SSRC for an evening and I get far more fun out of thewm than I did out of any of the railway stuff. Ideally I would get back to riding motorcycle trials again but that is another story.

 Tony you certainly got a lot for your money and at that price I would have bought it, split it up and sold it on to help pay for my slot cars.

[Anthony B]

My first love is and always will be slot cars. But reading how I got back into trains as a side hobby, made me smile - I sold off about 80% of that st batch that I bought and made back far more than I paid  

So what I am doing has now firmed up - I have German Railways, but I am not fussed at all if I have items that are not either peiod correct of even locality correct. I have what appeals to me  

Some updated pics: but as a reminder - this is what inspired me - multi level 8x4, as I loved that the trains disappear in the centre front - reappear at the right back - go accross the board -re-enter a tunnel and then go the whole way round to come out at the far left hand side and climb the bridge to the top level agani. Lots of running in a small area. Also it makes it interesting for small eyes (my grandson)

   

So from an absolute noob in building the strongest advice I can give is set out the track is your start out idea and then PLAY with it.
I realised very quickly that my 'playability' was not great. Hence some changes

I pulled this up: SO where the 3 point started - all track from there taken off

   

And then added this: and Turntable. I absolutely love it - Fleishman have this spot on - power only to track to which the bridge is pointed. Turning is incredibly realisticay slow. I love it! And of course you can turn your loco around and you have somewhere to store them.

           

This part = essentially the steam yard and shunting yard - with a cement factory at the rear, sits on the higher layer above the turntable.


       

The other invisible to the eye work has all been on the wiring. ANother lesson - dont stop halfway through wiring and take a rest for 6 months and then come back to it - took me an age to work out how the wiring worked again

[Savage GT]

Nice work Anthony 
Its been a while since I checked in this post, but glad I did.
Loving the multi levels, for my current layout, being my first, i wanted to keep it all one level and flat to keep it simple.
I know model trains, like real ones, aren't fond of steep hills, but if I make another I think it will be 2 layered.
Maybe start a new track thread for your layout, or even make a new section for people to share their non slot car layouts/hobbies ?

Gordon's brother in laws work is stunning, I can appreciate how much work it must take to make something like that.

I can understand how we all have a different preferences, but there is a common bond: modelling in miniature.