Recently, I started a new layout and created a vast amount of bare baseboard with a little bit of track running on it.
Now I have an idea for another layout.
Do I really need to start another layout? No. But that’s not the way my mind works.
First the inspiration:
Inspiration 1: The Dodding’s Farm Watercress Railway.
I was given David Henshaw’s book on the railway and I am very impressed by the simplicity and charm of this little 18 inch gauge agricultural railway.
Inspiration 2: John Allen’s Timesaver Layout.
Way back in 1972 The Model Railroader published an article on the ‘Timesaver’ shunting puzzle by John Allen. Basically several wagons have to be shunted into specific positions, the operations are timed and the winner is the person, or team, who complete the puzzle in the shortest time.
I really enjoy my current shunting layout, where you have to create a train with wagons in a certain order, but a shunting layout where wagons have to be shunted into specific positions is very different operationally.
And I really fancy owning a ‘position’ based shunting puzzle.
The Idea: Create a small shunting layout, that fits on a desk or table, featuring an 18 inch gauge agricultural railway.
The layout will be the packing sheds and road transport area for a small market garden.
It will feature a loop and sidings like the ‘Timesaver’ and a river crossing like the Dodding’s farm railway.
The shunting puzzle will be to ‘spot’ various types of wagons at different points on the layout.
Packing sheds to the rear and right of the layout.
Road transport transfer area to the front.
The blue is a river, with a simple rail crossing.
Wagons will be shunted to the positions marked with the Xs
Steve's Narrow Gauge Railway Adventure 
What a wonderful pair of inspirations.
I first operated on an O scale Canadian-themed Timesaver and that convinced me to try one in HOn30 that I built in the 1990’s. It was indeed fun.
That Watercress railway is a really cool prototype. I keep thinking about it as a prototype myself in some luxurious large scale.
What fun! Looking forward to more thoughts on these.
Chris
LikeLike
Hi Chris
Wow a HOn30 Timesaver sounds great! If you have any photos it would be great to see them on you blog. An opportunity for a ‘retro’ post 😃
Thanks for confirming that Timesavers are fun to operate too, this gives me more energy to proceed with the build.
Mine will be a market garden producing mixed produce, loosly inspired by the Doddings watercress line. This will give me a variety of wagons for the shunting puzzle. Plus I could never model a prototype, someone might count the rivets 😃
All the best
Steve
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was too tempting. I know I don’t have photos but do have enough of a memory for notes and drew a sketch of its plan:
Thank you so much for reminding me of such a fond memory.
Chris
LikeLike
Hi Chris, I’ve just read your blog. Thank you so much for writing it! What a wonderful layout, I bet you wish you’d kept hold of it!
The plan is very clever. I have struggled to imagine plausible layouts that replicate the Timesaver track plan. Your use of a ferry for the kick back siding solves an issue that I had been wrangling with (and not resolved), and the double-sided station solves another challenge with the track plan (those 2 parallel sidings!).
The prototype is charming. The station building has real character, and it must have looked great in two tone green livery. I really like the Lake Louise Tramway cars, especially the half-open / half-cabbed one in the second picture. So unusual for a modeller raised in the UK!
Now I’ve seed it, this will be running around my mind for a long while. Thanks for sharing 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad you enjoyed the article. I was quite proud of that layout and it was fun. I thought of it largely because of your article reminding me. Thank you.
As you note, the challenge of the Timesaver isn’t that the small track segments are “unrealistic” but trying to account for their layout and combinations like that long switchback siding.
I kept trying variations on a long warehouse or like brick mill spanning the length of the track so the rest of the Timesaver was really built to arrange cars along the track and serving the different doors of such a mill.
Chris
LikeLike
Also, why has no one modelled a narrow gauge tramway serving a rivet factory? A lovely balance of whimsy and slogans “Ferrous’s Fasteners. It’s where the rivets count.”
Sorry. I’ll go find something helpful to do.
Chris
LikeLike
Ooooh, I so want to steal that idea 🙂
Plenty of opportunities to tease certain people with that one!
LikeLiked by 1 person
If not, then at least a small storefront on the Main Street currently housing famed industrial accountants: A. U. Dits & Company. Famed counters of nuts, bolts, washers, and rivets; and all the ways we keep whatever it is, together?
LikeLike
I’ve just ordered that book, which has been on my mind for a day or two. There have been two models of the later loco built in 005(!), I wonder if I could follow suit in 006 and build a small diorama, maybe just a line circling a watercress bed.
I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
LikeLike
Hi Paul, Good to hear from you. Great that you’ve ordered the book. It’s very interesting with a nice history and a good selection of photos. A line circling a watercress bed in OO6 would look great. I have rough drawings of the Watercress Queen ‘bubble car’ loco. If they are useful to you just let me know. There are 2 or 3 other diesel locos that ran on the line that are worth modelling too. I think they could look great in OO6. When you get the book you may feel you are spoilt for choice 🙂
LikeLike
I may well take you up on that offer. I have too many ideas at the moment, and I still haven’t finished my pizza layout, but I’m back working on it again.
It’s odd that you’ve just posted about a subject that’s recently been on my mind – must be a sign!
LikeLike