AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGG! Pt 2

[MikeDunn]

I still don't understand why one would go smaller without having a similar reason, but as I said, to each his own.

Well, I suspect that part of the reason is because you're a Yankee ...    No offence, a friend married one & he moved over here to be with her for some years; we got on very well (they're back over there now, partially due to the way the US double-dipped into their money with him being an ex-pat, I believe ...); he didn't believe some of the prices over here ...

Over here, we have high fuel costs (gas, electricity, and until very recently you could add kerosene to that list for those in the country) to heat / power the home; more rooms = larger bills.  Add on the council tax where you're penalised for larger / expensive homes.  Water charges are high too ...  No doubt others will chip in with other costs I've not included.  And as DorsetMike said, if you're on your own what's the point of a large house you can't properly manage & aren't using ?

Now, I'm a little fortunate in that both my wife & I have separate studies, and a train room we share.  But that's because we bought our present house to include my mother in an annexe we now use.  But that doesn't mean we're not looking for a smaller property about 2/3 the current size - although this won't be a "move for the sake of moving", or a shuffle of a couple of miles (there's one bloke I know who moved into another house on the same street ) !  It will likely take us closer to the NE (something like a 2-hour drive, instead of the current 5), as well as much closer to some preserved lines we like.

[Newportnobby]

The biggest benefit to those of us in the UK who have the right circumstances is to sell a largish house and move to a smaller one thus making enough cash to pay any mortgage off. This, of course, releases money to pay for model trains

[trkilliman]

You make some very relevant points Mike Dunn.

Many if not most people downsize for economic reasons. I had a heart attack 18 months back, just to compound the severe arthritis in my knees. It limits what work I can do, and more to the point who would want to employ a 60+ with these ailments?

The powers that be, the IDS/DWP appointed assessors, have more influence/say than my G.P.  Having paid into the system solidly for 45 years they see fit to stop my sickness benefit  (this sounds political, but there is no other way to convey it)

So, here's one reason why some people having strived over many years to provide a home themselves for their family via a mortgage, may find themselves at some point "downsizing" in their latter years.

[Zogbert Splod]

The title of this thread (it's too long) is really messing up the display on my tablet.  Long titles are probably OK as long as they are not configured with over long 'words'... 
Just saying.....

[MikeDunn]

Hmmm, wonder what the longest single-word title could be ...   

[trkilliman]

Nononononononononononononoononononono....yes?

[Dorsetmike]

Well I always thought the longest word was "antidisestablishmentarianism" at 28 letters had top place, however I doubt it would have much relevance to a post here, that station with the longest name, often abbreviated to LlanfairPG might possibly appear here if anyone models it in N, might have a problem with a running in board on a shortened platform tho' 

[MalcolmInN]

Hmmm, wonder what the longest single-word title could be ...   

Portillo did a railway prog from
Llanfair­pwllgwyngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch,
I wonder if we have any members there ?

Ah!  xxed in the post with Dorsetmike, thinking along the same lines !!

[Graham Walters]

A quick update on this predicament.

A couple of nights ago the  male outlaw gave me a call regardig said layout and SWMBO's idea of wanting to move, as we were discussing the in's and outs of trying to move a layout which wasn't designed to be moved, he realised the issues involved.

Then bless his heart he said he would buy me some modular baseboards for Xmas, well £200 quids worth.

Since that converation I have had an e-mail from a company called Modular baseboards, telling me they have been instructed to build and deliver to me 3 baseboards, 1 off 6' x 2'6", 1 off 5' x 2'6" and 1 off 5'x 2'.

I am supposing the said outlaw is thinking of an "L" shaped design in my 12 x 8 with room to get around, OR Swmbo has had a word and asked him to leave enough room for a sewing table. !
I could at a stretch do a "U" shape, but it would be a bit awkward fitting it in the shed, because the door is in the middle of one of the longest siddes.

Either way I am stuck as to come up with a design for an "L" or "U" shaped layout, as I'd always been working on an all round the walls.

Any idea's of where to start, any where I can get inspiration from, all I seem to end up with on AnyRail is an oval with a dead end branch

[Mito]

I think with these baseboards a round and round is out of the question unless you have one hidden track so that a train can return to where it started from.
If I had those boards I would think about a station on the largest board going to fiddle yards at either end, then you could have through running through the station. Operationally more interesting than a terminus.
My penn'th. A situation like this is good for exercising the grey matter. Good luck and keep us up to date with your progress.

[ozzie Bill.]

With the 2'6" surely you could have "dog bone" ends for at least a single track and thus get a roundy round run. Have the 2' in the middle of a U and the 'bones' on the far ends of each 2'6". That way you can have a decent long run. I would love to have so much baseboard to play with, being restricted to a single board of 5' x 2'3". Cheers, Bill.

[austinbob]

Either way I am stuck as to come up with a design for an "L" or "U" shaped layout, as I'd always been working on an all round the walls.

Any idea's of where to start, any where I can get inspiration from, all I seem to end up with on AnyRail is an oval with a dead end branch

Without trying to sound my trumpet (well!! not too loudly anyway) I had a similar predicament as I wanted a loop and an end to end as well using a U shape around 3 walls. This is what I've come up with in 'North Hampshire preserved Railway.' Link below:-
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=25611.msg274872#msg274872
The fiddle yard on the right hand side has become a 2 road terminus and bunch of sidings (viewable fiddle yard).
Hope this helps

[Newportnobby]

I agree with ozzie Bill about placement of the boards and running a 'dogbone' layout as you can get a double loop and a decent through station.

[Graham Walters]

Either way I am stuck as to come up with a design for an "L" or "U" shaped layout, as I'd always been working on an all round the walls.

Any idea's of where to start, any where I can get inspiration from, all I seem to end up with on AnyRail is an oval with a dead end branch

Without trying to sound my trumpet (well!! not too loudly anyway) I had a similar predicament as I wanted a loop and an end to end as well using a U shape around 3 walls. This is what I've come up with in 'North Hampshire preserved Railway.' Link below:-
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=25611.msg274872#msg274872
The fiddle yard on the right hand side has become a 2 road terminus and bunch of sidings (viewable fiddle yard).
Hope this helps

I like that setup, looks good, that is a bit of inspiration

[daveg]

Good luck with the house hunting, or is that a done deal now?

Moving house is so-o expensive what with legal costs and everything taxed to a level approaching madness.

Please let us know what you decide to do with the new boards.

We moved up country (Kent to Worcester) late last year, up-sizing so we could both have our own hobby space. There will come a time when the house and garden will be too big but that was accepted as part of what will happen, hopefully much later. I've got to finish my layout and have some time to run trains on it!

All the best.

Dave G