I have finally settled on the subject of my third linear motor T gauge layout - Dauntsey, a minor junction station on the GWR main line to Bristol in SW England. The layout will be 6' x 2', the equivalent of 33' x 11' in HO, and about the largest size I can manage as a single-board portable layout. Even with all that to play with, some compression and rearrangement will still be necessary! I was looking for a site on a GWR main line, preferably ex-broad gauge for the wider track spacing, with a small goods yard off one line and a refuge (passing) siding off the other, plus a road overbridge and a nearby canal with a lock. Having a junction for the branch to Malmesbury is a nice bonus.
Operationally, it will feature a double track main line with plenty of storage and automated shunting, half a mile of working canal, and a small working road system.
The scale will be 1:480, about 6% smaller than the normal T Gauge 1:450, since recent experience shows that the linear motor drive system works best with carriages exactly 24, 36 or 48mm long. Choosing 1:480 means that standard British 57' coaches work out to be 36mm across the buffers, and 9' wheelbase goods wagons 12mm (so two wagon bodies on a combined chassis add up to 24mm). 25 wagons per foot!
The track for the down main line (outer loop) has been assembled into roughly 1m sections and fit checked. The next task is to wire, install and test it before doing the same for the up main. The Anyrail track plan shows the full design for the rail side - these are all the functional tracks, and there will be additional non-functional ones to complete the full station plan. The points are shown in almost-finished form, and have been assembled from standard track pieces.
Operationally, it will feature a double track main line with plenty of storage and automated shunting, half a mile of working canal, and a small working road system.
The scale will be 1:480, about 6% smaller than the normal T Gauge 1:450, since recent experience shows that the linear motor drive system works best with carriages exactly 24, 36 or 48mm long. Choosing 1:480 means that standard British 57' coaches work out to be 36mm across the buffers, and 9' wheelbase goods wagons 12mm (so two wagon bodies on a combined chassis add up to 24mm). 25 wagons per foot!
The track for the down main line (outer loop) has been assembled into roughly 1m sections and fit checked. The next task is to wire, install and test it before doing the same for the up main. The Anyrail track plan shows the full design for the rail side - these are all the functional tracks, and there will be additional non-functional ones to complete the full station plan. The points are shown in almost-finished form, and have been assembled from standard track pieces.
