Planning, Designing and Making Railway Layouts in Small Spaces

If you want to build a model railway but feel constricted and frustrated because you only have a very limited amount of space available, then this is the book for you. The author demonstrates that a railway modeller need never be 'stuck for space', and shows the reader how to design and construct a rewarding layout in even the smallest of spaces. He emphasizes that once you have found a home for your layout, be it in a garden shed, a spare room, a bookcase or even the top of an ironing board, the same guiding principles apply. These are all fully explained in a very practical way and include the basic layout shapes, the importance of scale, standard and narrow gauges, fiddle yards, train length, curves and turnouts as well as track design elements such as head shunts, kickback sidings and run-round loops. There are individual chapters on: potential spaces; design principles; basic layout shapes; the art of compromise; levels, layers and shelves; planning your layout; baseboards; classic designs and micro-layouts. This fascinating book shows the reader that no matter how small the space, there is always a model railway layout that can be built in it. Aimed at all railway modellers of all levels of ability. Covers how to design, plan and construct a rewarding layout in the smallest of spaces i.e. garden shed, bookcase and even a micro-layout in a box file. Superbly illustrated with 131 colour photographs. Richard Bardsley is an experienced small-layout builder in N gauge and 00 gauge and exhibits widely at numerous shows.