Any suggestions for this small low-budget OO layout?

[DJ40Something]

Hello, long-time lurking non-expert here trying to help a kid extend a small existing OO layout where he already has a baseboard, a single loop of track pinned to it, and a few bits and pieces of scenery and other hardware. The idea is to reuse as much as possible, keep changes to the existing track to a minimum, and allow for a bit of continuous running, a bit of shunting/storage, and the possibility of running 2-3 track loops independently.

Has a few buildings already accumulated over time from Xmas presents etc - cardboard Metcalfe PO331 train shed, small plastic Hornby station R8229, and a vacform plastic mountain of unknown brand with single tunnel through it that I can't quite work out where to place.

Most of this - except the mountain - is represented on the attached screencap from Anyrail. Ignore the obviously overlapping siding! Total baseboard size is 1m 73cm x 1m 15cm & can't really be extended as it has to go in a bedroom. The single loop currently on the baseboard is the outside loop on the diagram, so pretty much everything needs to go inside it or run the risk of falling off the edge of the world

There's not really a theme but the interest is in late 20th century British diesel. Has one of the Hornby Virgin Trains HST sets from maybe 25yrs ago which is pretty long but goes round the existing outside loop OK (not sure if it'd go round a tighter loop unless uncoupled) a Bachmann Class 20, small (Triang?) dock shunter and a few carriages. All analog control, and would probably like to keep it that way for cost & compatibility with cheap second-hand equipment. Has a two-track Gaugemaster controller with only one circuit being used. Open to adding another cheap controller for the shunting track if necessary. He'd like to keep the left-hand side of the layout free for some scenery, roads etc.

Any comments, suggestions, changes you'd make?

[centenary]

Hello, long-time lurking non-expert here trying to help a kid extend a small existing OO layout where he already has a baseboard, a single loop of track pinned to it, and a few bits and pieces of scenery and other hardware. The idea is to reuse as much as possible, keep changes to the existing track to a minimum, and allow for a bit of continuous running, a bit of shunting/storage, and the possibility of running 2-3 track loops independently.

Has a few buildings already accumulated over time from Xmas presents etc - cardboard Metcalfe PO331 train shed, small plastic Hornby station R8229, and a vacform plastic mountain of unknown brand with single tunnel through it that I can't quite work out where to place.

Most of this - except the mountain - is represented on the attached screencap from Anyrail. Ignore the obviously overlapping siding! Total baseboard size is 1m 73cm x 1m 15cm & can't really be extended as it has to go in a bedroom. The single loop currently on the baseboard is the outside loop on the diagram, so pretty much everything needs to go inside it or run the risk of falling off the edge of the world

There's not really a theme but the interest is in late 20th century British diesel. Has one of the Hornby Virgin Trains HST sets from maybe 25yrs ago which is pretty long but goes round the existing outside loop OK (not sure if it'd go round a tighter loop unless uncoupled) a Bachmann Class 20, small (Triang?) dock shunter and a few carriages. All analog control, and would probably like to keep it that way for cost & compatibility with cheap second-hand equipment. Has a two-track Gaugemaster controller with only one circuit being used. Open to adding another cheap controller for the shunting track if necessary. He'd like to keep the left-hand side of the layout free for some scenery, roads etc.

Any comments, suggestions, changes you'd make?

If you moved the platform to the right hand side but same position, you could extend the platform a little to make it a 2 carriage platform? You could then put a slightly larger platform below it on the outside loop?

This would free up the spur above the now moved platform on the left to add a shed or goods yard?

Just my opinion though, HTH!

[Bigmet]

...Any comments, suggestions, changes you'd make?

There's the story of my childhood, and all my friend's trainsets but one, the very much youngest son in a family with grown brothers that had moved out, so the second largest bedroom was solely dedicated to a (pretty spectacular for under 10's) H-D 3 rail layout accumulated over many years. (Seven locos! wealth indeed...)

Where we had small locos, with four wheel wagons and shorty carriages, the difficulty now is large contemporary traction and vehicles. I would suggest a storage shelf for the HST and any future 'big stuff', to be placed on the layout for occasional use (belting around!) if that's acceptable. That will enable some movement of locos and stock to make trains and run them, if that's of interest.

As for 'interest', look away now if of a sensitive disposition. By 10/11 we had collectively combined the model railway and military modelling/wargaming interests. I can tell you that the Wrenn N2 proved extremely durable under airgun fire, while (prototypically!) operating the armoured coastal defence train. (Less said about the chips in the plaster the better, fortunately the father concerned was of a very tolerant disposition toward 'adventure', having reached the UK from the antipodes as a teenage deckhand on a wool clipper, among much else of a hazardous nature due to the wars in Europe...)

Any escape route on offer? Garage, Garden shed, Loft or Attic?

[Phred]

Bigmet wrote:
the Wrenn N2 proved extremely durable under airgun fire

[kebang]

I hesitate to repost this variation as it includes a rev loop. However does have some advantages, all points are within a 12ins of a single baseboard edge and all points are served by the main 2nd rad loop. The express loco can be moved to the siding at the bottom of the layout (a terminal station?) to allow use of 1st rad. compatible loco and rolling stock.
regards, Kebang

[Mountain]

I like the last plan as one can add more sidings if needed and even have some sidings as a station. One does need a double pole double throw switch to change the current direction while negotiating the loop (In orange) and to isolate the track to this part of the loop so the current goes through the switch, but other than that, all is fine, and I would be tempted to add a level crossing on the middle of the layout and have a road going up a hill to the left, with a tunnel under it for the track to go through for added scenic effect.
Like Kebang says, all points are easy to reach so manually changing points is fine. One can drill a hole in the switch to change direction of the loop and add a piece of wire from the switch to the point so as one changes the point the switch throws at the same time as long as the throw of the switch is similar to the distance the point blades throw across. Yes. Is a nice layout plan. Nothing new about it, but it is nice.
Only other alteration apart from an extra sidings to use up the space on the left open area of the layout just for fun, is to make the bottom siding nearest the edge of the layout into a run round loop with the main line just to add a little extra interest in holding a train out the way of another passing train. The headshunt idea is great though and very prototypical as it is, though trains need to be reversed in rather than going in forwards which means reversing trains round the orange loop to get them ready for the siding at the bottom. Making the bottom siding into a means to run round a train would be useful and double up as a passing place for a second train to pass.

[DJ40Something]

Much food for thought... thanks all

[aleopardstail]

Much food for thought... thanks all

key really is just mess about, I know a lot look down on set track stuff but it is perfect for this sort of experimentation. even if you think you want something larger later that full express rake you dream of can be a single 0-4-0T and a pair of four wheel coaches while you experiment with track plans and work out which bits you actually enjoy.

there is nothing wrong either if the bit you enjoy is making it a different layout each time you set it up