The infinite layout

For those of you who have read the rest of the items in this blog, you will know that I start my thought processes for the design of a layout by examining what I expect from the end product. 

Making a series of decisions which will ultimately result in a creation of enduring interest. Past layouts have failed to come up to the mark because I haven't taken the full thought process to before starting work. Any problems encountering were solved 'on the hoof' with a predictable unpredictable outcome. 

I am now crystallizing my thoughts for the design of my next layout.

I know I keep banging on about the 'entertainment factor' but if you don't get that right, its a waste of time and energy to start the thing in the first place. Its hard to believe that even a layout the size and complexity of Trenholme Junction does have a finite number of different of routes and aspects. Up to date I've made nearly 200 videos on the layout, all have been published on the channel, but most of the routes have now been recorded and something else now is required.

The next layout I build will not have the luxury of the 'train shed' specifically built for the purpose, but will have a (hopefully) reasonable sized room in which to house it. Getting the best out the space available is what a good design is all about. I think having a big central station as the focus is definitely going to feature in the new layout. Another thing I've learnt about when building this layout is the use of tunnels, especially when filming gives some incredible flexibility. Tunnels (when filming) are a new take on what used to be called a 'scenic break'. The scenic break was a way of splitting the layout into several scenes. On a conventional layout the scenes usually can all be seen at once, but, from a camera you can isolate them from each other much more effectively and the use of tunnels, completely. 

The new layout will be all about filming. In order to keep a lifetime of entertainment then the layout must be infinitely expandable so as to emulate the same way exploring the real railway network.

The overview of the new design is not to design the whole layout, but to design a central hub, a complete self contained layout, in this case a large station, surrounded by tracks leading through dead end tunnels. This part of the layout will be housed in the main 'railway room'. 

In an earlier blog I posed the notion of several people contributing to building a 'piece' of a layout and then bringing the pieces together to film them all as one. There was some very minor initial excitement about this idea but not much more than that. I realised, that people probably would probably not be motivated by the idea of their piece being only usable when with all the others and maybe relying on others doesn't appeal either. This idea isn't a lost point though. The idea of another layout with a tunnel would mean that you could film both layouts as one running from one to the other via the tunnels. Continuity would be very easy to achieve especially with the 'cab rides' and 'on board' cameras.

When you think about it, this idea would create the infinite layout. 
In its simplest manifestation, an oval of track with a station. The station has a bay platform with a single line going to a tunnel. This could be a layout on the kitchen table. Out in the garage, a branch line from its tunnel  leading to a terminus. A simple terminus built on a shelf. Maximum use of space and the usual arrangement of fiddle yard is now the inside of the camera. 
To take a simple step further. If the branch line had a junction leading to a tunnel, a coal mine could be built in the shed.......

This idea also would suit those with little space for a layout, who would like to 'keep modelling' whilst waiting for families to grow up, knowing that whatever space is available in the future your current efforts will fit.

This is the idea I am to use for the next layout I build

Taking this idea a step further, there would be no reason why two (or more) people building a layout shouldn't incorporate a tunnel(s) on their layouts. 

Imagine a film, made travelling across several different layouts as one complete journey.