Design proposed for building in 2001/2002.
Use of image courtesy of Nigel Emery. Copyright remains with Nigel - why not visit his website The British Locomotive Data Site
Although orginally based on Borough Market Junction at around 1965, a revised design is emerging based on the track layout of Reading.
The basic idea is to combine a continuous run layout with an end-to-end design, and also allow me to indulge in a huge mixture of SR electrics and WR diesels - an excellent mixture of motive power, in my opinion.
The design encompasses the main-line from Paddington with seperated main and relief tracks into a large through station - the main-line trains would probably not stop that often, and would be a revised version of the classic tail-chasing layout ...... only my version would use switching on a number of fiddle-yard lines so that a number of trains would tail-chase each other through the station !
The relief lines would be stopping regularly (apart from freight passing through), and there would also be provision for a terminating local service in a bay platform. A junction would break off either side of the station linking to the electrified loop for the electric services - this allows interchange, and would be the place where diesel and electric were changed ....... bit of unusual interest there.
Finally, we would have the electric services. Basically, two bay platforms to hold DEMU's or EMU's and a through platform as part of the changeover loop. There would also be another loop line specifically for changing loco's on freight and parcels stock so as not to block the platform.
Beyond this would be a couple of small EMU stabling sidings and an engine siding for the occasional visiting electric locomotive ...... which you will see often, probably !!
Expect this layout to be as large and complicated as the original design of Burrafield, and it goes without saying that the train detection systems envisaged for Burrafield would be put into use here as well.
A panel system is being designed that allows use of manual controls should the PC link or any part of the system fail - perhaps selective isolation would work best.
To best understand my experiments in Computer control, I suggest a visit to the Computer Interaction page for further details on this subject.
Expect to see .... electrics ....
The track plan is still at the early stages of analysis and there will almost certainly be many more changes before the boards are built !!
One unusual feature will be a seperate signalling console that either be positioned out in the crowds, or centrally within the layout. As well as showing the public how a route selection system works, it also allows the computer control to be far enough away from the 12v circuits not to pick up electrical interference !!
Return to: 3MT on the Internet
December 1998 - re-designed February 2001