Track in the Box

Hopefully I'll run out of terrible box jokes for titles soon.

Very much a continuation from last weeks post, I quite like the space and less restrictions offered by the second folding option, having the two baseboard halves wrap round each other. So, with a set footprint, and more importantly a preset split line, I started doodling ideas for a potential 009 layout to fit the space. 

And so a simple terminus plan materialised.

Subconsciously I suppose I've probably drawn inspiration from the Rev. Awdry's Ffarquhar MK2, Neil Brigg's Scarside & Robert Michael Shemilt's Hylton. 

I tried to avoid the obvious trope of the join being hidden totally by a bridge, though I did conceed defeat and have one cover the fiddle yard entrance/exit. For a bit of variety, the main hinge section would be disguised as a large water tower, much like the surviving structure at Peel Station, Isle of Man. The tank would act as a topper locking the two halves in places, but be detachable to allow them to fold round on each other.

The Fiddle yard consists of a single cassette, though at this size two or three could possible be stored on the folded down layout. Like many micros, they'd get there power from simply plugging into a pair of fishplates soldered on to the main layout. I did originally consider trying to squeeze in a two road sector plate, but train turning would have been a real hassle, this solution is much easier for an operator.

This is very much a layout designed for small engines, in this case a GEM Varikit was used for measurements. Even in this small space, a goods train consisting of locomotive, three 009 society four wheel wagons and a Corris brake van was possibly in the fiddle stick space.

As mentioned last week, this is all very much in the 'potentially' category at the moment. Well see if there's any traction in this for me in the coming months I'm sure...