Where to start?

Hi Will, that is indeed a very nice layout. The right side (right of you as you were filming) has even given me some ideas on my own layout.

My loft isn’t to the point yours is yet, but I’m popping up there when I can to get a little more done. Our lofts look very similar in length, but my roof is just a bit higher than yours, giving a little more room nearer to the eaves.

I’m sticking to era 2 to 5. Newer trains just don’t interest me. I’m a sucker for the Sherlock Holmes time period. My plan is to get the loft finished, then add the baseboards and do like you have done, with an opening in the middle for access, and then leave it at that until I’m familiar with just running the trains, switching points, using the RailMaster software. Then once I’m comfortable with that, I’ll start planning out scenery and buildings. Using the AnyRail software is a massive help for pre-planning layouts as I can account for the space I’ll have available.

I’m still waiting on my Hornby Elite controller, which is apparently supposed to be back in stock this month, so as of this moment, I still haven’t been able to run a single train, even though I have everything else required to do so.

One critical mistake I initially made was my positioning, i.e., where I sat to control the layout and probably the best advice I can give you before you really get going.

Originally I had two access points; one above the loft ladder [I'll come back to that, that's something else that I've just remembered!] and another in the middle, where I could reach everything in the event of derailment.

After getting to a point where everything was running, but way before the many layout tweaks I made [design is great, but can't account for how the thing feels when you're up there], after about a month I wasn't really enjoying it.

It took me another week to realise I wasn't happy sitting in the middle and wanted an overview of everything.

So, I incorporated a third opening.

One by the access, one in the middle and one by the far wall where I sit and control/observe.

I tweaked this further about two months later, insofar as rather than the entire track sit in front of me, I ran two of the four loops behind me , so the trains have 'somewhere to go'.

What I'm saying is think very carefully what you want to see as you play.

As for the access, my original loft ladder was one of those that needs some space on the loft floor when it's stored, which meant I'd have to consider the folding mechanism in relation to my baseboards and layout.

I spent some time thinking over a hinged panel and how I'd connect the track at the point the panel hinged, but then decided to change the loft ladder.

I now have one that concertina itself into a tiny space, less than the size of the access hatch and therefore doesn't impede on the track whatsoever.

I hope that helps, maybe it gives you a few things to think about.

As for my eaves height, what may not be clear is my baseboard is intentionally very high off the floor, so I still have considerable storage underneath.

Here's where I started in Dec 2019:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4mb9lo0g3h8jshb/20191230_130416_1_1.mp4?dl=0

Here's my layout but with steam, which you may prefer :)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pz86unemefsiqpw/20211204_201651_1.mp4?dl=0

By the way, I rarely run everything at once as denoted in the clips, that was just for dramatic effect to show friends and family.

The Z21 controller I use makes such activity effortless.

Still having a blast using AnyRail, using as many combinations of track pieces as I can, not because I plan to use them necessarily, but it’s a great deal of fun to make layouts, especially now that I’ve discovered how to add elevation and layers.

However, one track piece in particular that I’m struggling to find any use for is the R8076 Y point. Other than running down both sides of a station platform, it always feels like there is a better piece to use.

Does anyone have one of these in their layout that’s not used for a station that could shed some light on a good use for this piece?

I use the Y-Point in combo with 2 x R628 and standard R601 straights to form parallel roads into a Metcalfe double engine shed. Spot on spacing for the doorway.

I'm doing something similar, though slightly different from Rob. I have a left hand point going off to the first road in the engine shed. Then immediately after the straight leg of the point is another left hand point providing the second road into the shed. The straight leg of that point will lead on to passenger sidings. All sounds well - except, I cannot fit the second point in without the straight leg out to the sidings hitting the corner of the shed, and I cannot move the shed further back as it is at the end of the layout.

Sooo, I figure if I swap the second point for a 'Y' it should just nicely miss the corner of the shed. At least that is what I hope. I've had two large radius 'Y's on order for 2 or 3 weeks and they continue to be out of stock, as they seem to be with most other suppliers. I've managed to find one in Derails so I should be able to continue in a couple of days.

In general I think 'Y' points can be very useful when you want two roads of equal length, or when you wish to miss the corners of buildings joy.

I'm assuming this isn't right?

Decided I'd get a head start and fit my decoders to my locos before my Elite arrives. Got two down without any issue, then as I was fitting this to my Large Prairie, I noticed this wire sticking out. It's not supposed to be like this, right?

The "free" unterminated mauve / purple wire is perfectly normal. The decoder has nine wires but the plug only has eight pins, thus one wire has to be free. It is however, expected to be insulated if not being used to prevent shorts.

Thanks Chris, the more I looked at it and inspected it closely, I followed all the wires and found they all terminated at a corresponding pin.

Just struck me as odd that this wire would be floating free and as you point out, uninsulated.

Would putting a small length of heat shrink tubing over this to prevent shorts be acceptable?

Absolutely.....if shrunk down to make the insulation robust.

White wire is the first function and the yellow wire is the second function [both controlled by F0 directional lighting].

The green wire is the third function and the mauve / purple wire is the fourth function. The Fn controller numbers for the third and fourth function [where provided] will be stated on the relevant decoder data sheet.

For example the green wire third function on TTS decoders is typically F25. TTS does not have a free mauve / purple wire fourth function.

On a R8249, the green third function is F1 and the fourth mauve / purple function is F2. F1 can be used on the R8249 for a physical function because the R8249 is not a sound decoder, thus F1 is not reserved for sound on/off.

So it can be seen that assigned Fn numbers are a variable that is decoder specific.

I have a TTS for my Britannia Oliver Cromwell and that was what I fitted first, and as you point out, that doesn’t have a free 9th wire, which is why I was a bit confused when I got to the R8249.

That’s a mountain of knowledge there Chris, I’ve got 10 more decoders to fit and I’m sure your help will serve me well.