If you want a D19 Colin, there is an excellent set of drawings in British Railway Modelling, Jan 2006, Vol 13 No 10. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333619464015
It’s not me that’s selling it BTW!
Yes - eclectic ! Nice shot of some bread vans and a U with fine GN stock. Tell us more about the NG slip please ? B and L was my ‘local’ 3’ gauge and my father-in-law remembers its final days very well - I think the NG yard at Larne was an unofficial local playground at weekends!
I have found the ‘cameo layout’ approach of Iain Rice helpful here. Take a small scenario and build/adapt just enough track, stock etc to fit that. Great way to start in a new scale and get a feel for it quickly. http://philsworkbench.blogspot.com/2017/01/book-review-creating-cameo-layouts-by.html?m=1
If you can face a wandering RMweb thread....https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/118661-creating-cameo-layouts/
I jumped ship into 5’3” modelling last year and found this a really helpful approach. Just enough track to build to create interest without being overwhelming!
Depends what you want. You can just cut the OO track down the middle into two parallel strips as Rich says, and glue the split sleepers down at the correct distance apart, using a track gauge. Can be a really cheap way to do it - can pick up oddments of track quite cheaply and off you go!
Time in research is never wasted (I have many reference books!) but sometimes one also has to jump in and start as you say. As the Germans also say Aus Schaden wird man klug- we learn from our mistakes. Like making sure one has gapped all the copper clad sleepers before testing the wiring.....
Good move. Those 2mm books get rave reviews. Here’s another...https://www.ebay.co.uk/c/1523212446 it’s about £96 on Amazon these days so worth picking up when you see one
My experience is limited to 1 small layout but hopefully you’ll get more answers! I’m modelling a tertiary line with short rail lengths so can easily build straight panels on the bench. For curves, I build one rail on the bench then set the pieces on the layout and solder in rail no 2 when happy with the curve.
I think Marcway in Sheffield may make bespoke turnouts .http://www.marcway.net/list2.php?col=head&name=Marcway+00%2FH0+Pointwork
You can make your own flexi track quite simply with a basic jig.
I can’t speak for turnout building as I haven’t tried that yet, but building plain 5’3” track is rather rewarding and when the jig is set up you can build it fairly rapidly (7 mm scale copper clad PCB soldered track in my case)
Here’s the answer from an expert (not me!)....
The spoil trains began with 1 engine+10wagons+van on 14.11.66
20 wagon sets began running at the start of February 1967
Vans were dispensed with from 17 April 1967
Using copydex or latex glue is another alternative which allows a little more flex than straight PVA. It also allows you to peel everything off the board later rather than chipping at solidly dried PVA
Yes, if anything there seems to be a growing and informed affection round Dromahair for the line. We took our boys down last year and showed them where my mother’s railway journeys began. The hand drawn sign is perfectly in keeping with the SLNC vibe....
So sorry to hear that. Your modelling has been inspirational. My dad recognised Pettigo straight away ! Hope you can keep engaging with us all for some time to come - prayers and best wishes for now.
David