New Sandling Junction Build Episode 12 - An Update and Reaching the Top Level. 

Following your build with great excitement and always enjoy your updates,I know it’s your railway and you can run it as you wish but your mainlines have the trains running the wrong way..I know it sounds petty but on double track uk mainlines the trains will run on the left..have you thought about having the points on your harbour around 2/3rds of the way down?..then carry on the 2 lines to the end..Will make shunting a little more difficult/fun..looking forward to the next update

Thanks for the video. Yes the lines in the harbour might be the right way to go for. There might be a train arriving, a shunter taking over and dragging the train into the loaging line, pushing out another train which is ready for departure, couple up that one to a bigger diesel and that returns to its destination. There might be a reason for another runaround track but thats becoming overcrouded, if you want to detail te harbour scene careful. As with the tunnel hill thing: I wouldn't try that. There is so many tracks on your layout and a lot of interesting movements possible that I think you can't winn by covering parts of the trackwork in a hillside in that area. One cliffs design is giving you the motivation for the highline, I think. There will be so much more options for detailing which Inwill look forward to. Best Albrecht

A very interesting looking layout. Soon the goods trains will be trundling through Kent from Dover, or suburban/ main line rolling stock taking passengers up to London.

With the idea of covering the double slip and curved point I would think it is tempting fate for ideal running I think a cutting would work with chalky sides to tie into your white cliffs idea.

Paul, I don’t know if this interest’s you, I purchased a 3mm by 480mm by 5 meters long cork roll and when fitting I only needed too cut and fit then peel back to reveal sticky side. There was no need to weight down or wait for it to dry. I even found that it could be removed using a decorating scraper and reuse it again. It was worth the extra expense ( approximately £60 - £70 pounds ). The glue side would stick down again without problems. These can be purchased at different thickness and lengths. As I had a layout 17 feet by 8 feet it was more economical for me and saved time and effort and of course no messy glue. Was very easy to remove and reuse, by the way love your channel and great layout Albert.

Many thanks for sharing your update Paul, great to see trains running on New Sandling Junction, like the tip about where and how you solder the droppers onto the rails. Regards Barry.👍

Awesome layout looking brilliant

great to see trains running !

As others have said, man made retaining walls, viaduct and cut rock rather than rolling hills! New suggestion is move the top station away from the wall/back scene and create a forecourt/road/parking area and some separation. Layout looks really busy, certainly maximizes the space

Nice 4-CEP electric multiple unit!!

Re the top track at 18 mins in, how about making it on a viaduct with the rolling hill therefore being below the top track such that it can end in a cutting where the double slip and tracks are and the tunnels starting just past all the point work. I would try to avoid hiding the double slip below scenery unless you make it a lift off section...

Looking good very good plenty of options for running different train configuration.

great see train running thanks lee

I'd not have a straight on the top bridge it would look wrong from a cab view. A sweeping curve over the 4 tracks and around the corner on a nice sweeping viaduct would look much better but that is only my opinion, it's your layout so it's what you like that really counts :)

Paul, I think you need at least one run-round crossover in your goods yard and a headshunt, otherwise the shunting will be very limited. As a scenic suggestion, how about some (750volt tramway style) dummy OLE there, as an excuse to run 70s and/or a booster? I've not seen anyone else do that.

Excellent update Paul. At the 20 min mark ( 16:18 ?) where you're working through the bridge set up, you mention about a hill covering the lower tracks further back. If I may add 2pence, because you have so many tracks at different levels (which look great by the way), the focus of the area feels more man-made rather than countryside. Not sure how to explain it but it's one of these 'feelings' one gets. Rather than hillside, perhaps a mixture of rock face and retaining wall?

I’m also taking my time getting my layout up and running. I’m trying to get Bachmann to create the trains on the Volk’s Railway that runs along the Brighton seafront.

Hi Paul, just watched your video so with ref to the harbour area l would like to put forward some points for consideration. 1 when the boats are alongside unloading, what size are the boats, for instance what height can the Derrick reach to unload the baskets etc, or would there be a small mobile crane on the dockside track to lift the baskets into the wagons for export which would require the track to run alongside the harbour wall. 2 Where are the wagons parked when they are full, perhaps a crossover (not a y point) which would accommodate the crane truck during the run round shunting procedure. 3 For vehicle loading obviously the track would be inset. I can offer more considerations for thought if you wish!!. Bob Todd

Aha the revised harbour scene now looks like what I suggested back in Episode 7 with the 2 alternative return loop configurations :) Great minds a... ?

It looks like a brilliant layout. How much longer do you think it will be before you have it ready for running trains?

Matter of interest, do you use DCC or analog trains and controllers? I’m 90% digital, although I OCCASIONALLY use my analog trains as well!!

So, Sandling Junction is a layout of the Dover area. It’s one of my favourite seaside locations, as is walking on the white cliffs!!

I wish people would stop using the word 'build' as if it were a noun. You build a building. Simple. You construct a model railway.