[Savage GT]

Hopefully starting soon, as the rest of what I need is allegedly coming next week.
This will be slow progress, and despite my scenic shortcomings, I am going to try my best to do it justice as a model railway.

As Hornby have only recently released the TT 1:120 range, there is still a lot of stuff available only as pre-order. Although Europe and Americans have had this scale available for some time.

I started with the plan I had made for my fathers 00 layout (3660mm x 1220mm), and tweaked it to my needs, then tweaked it more and fiddled, and around 14 or so revisions later, I think I have settled on my plan !

I will be going digital, and the layout is planned so I can run 2 trains around the outside loops and be shunting with a third in the inner section
This is on a 2440mm x 940mm board.

   

Baseboard done and the first parts arrived, several more since the pic, and some hopefully next week will mean I can soon start.

   

Unfortunately Hornby did not see fit to release flexi-track in the first couple of waves, so I have sourced some Tillig flexi-track which is pretty darn close to Hornby, so I should be able to make it work.

[Beejay7]

Excellent choice of scale and vey nice layout design. I look forward to seeing how your project develops. It will be interesting to see how quickly Hornby release more of the pre orders.

What I don't like so much is the way that Hornby have switched sales of this scale to online only completely cutting out their hardworking dealers from the scene.

[Serpico]

That's funny I was just thinking of doing something similar myself. Are you going to make up the whole track by buying individual pieces, or did you order one of the track sets  as well as a starting point?

[Savage GT]

I made the plan, took off the pieces that come in the train set (which is yet to come), and ordered the rest.
The planning software I used (SCARM) can list the track pieces and number required.
Of course, then I tweaked and fiddled in the planning software, and had to order some more track 
But finding the Tillig flex compatibility was a welcome breakthrough.

There is a small amount of discount buying track sets vs seperate, but its not a lot and at the moment all track sets are pre-order only.

Buying the Train set is a big money saver over buying separately and although the TT120 club is now £30 (free when I joined) it is well worth it as you get a 15% discount on everything TT120 and you also earn points for more money off every £1 you spend, not insubstantial amounts either. But they do take 21 days after you get your order to appear.

It is a pity they are doing online direct only, but to be frank, my experience so far with ordering in stock stuff has been positive.

[Serpico]

I also joined the club after seeing a post on this forum. I'm on Kent do I am going to pop down to Margate and vgo in the visiting centre to look at the track setup they have there. I'll avoid the half term in the next few weeks or I'll never get near it. I can also have a go on the Scalextric set up at the same time?

[Savage GT]

The set has arrived :)

Have to say, they look great, just as detailed as the 00 stuff, but smaller.
Bear in mind when you look at the close up pics in full size (click pic), they are way bigger then the actual items, and they still look great to me.

       
       
   

[Serpico]

[Savage GT]

I know I am doing this in a "takes as long as it takes" approach, but I didn't expect it would take me 3 days to get the track temporarily pinned, all feed wiring dropped through and holes for the piano wire (R/C servos will be under the board) to change points drilled.

But there is no rush, next job is to check circuit continuity before the feed wires are connected up.
If that is good, I can fully fix the track and then start completing the feed wiring underneath and installing point control.

It may look a bit random with the sidings, but I assure you there is a plan for everything 

   

[Savage GT]

Its been a bit frustrating, I got all the wiring done, then started sorting the underboard servo's to control the points. I completed all those and the next days plan was to hook them to to the points controller, but it briefly fired up and then died. I couldn't even run the new loco in as the points were left in a non loop position and with the motors unpowered, are locked in place. So that is currently being sorted and should be back with me soon. 
In the meantime I decided to try my hand and the first card building.

There is not a lot of buildings UK TT about at the moment, although new stuff is starting to appear, but it was mentioned by some railway guys, that often the N gauge buildings are a little over scale.
As I had a tight area for my engine shed, I decided to try and N gauge one that gave its dimensions as suitable to house the TT Larger loco's (Hornby do one but its not long enough for these locos).
Checking the door sizes and scaling too TT looked like it wasn't too far out, so I built my first Metcalfe card kit.
I do need to raise the height 8-10mm which will be done via scenery or a base extension, or both.
I still need to paint all the card edges to match the print, but for my first kit, I think it looks OK.

   

   

   

[CMOTD]

Metcalfe kits are good but expensive. If you go for download and print stuff LINK you can save money and adjust the scale as you need.