A simple interlude

It's been a but quiet on he railway front for quite a number of days. I have been expecting normal service to resume shortly, but as yet nothing.

This layout was done a few days ago and was so simple I half decided not to post it. But given the length of time since my last post I decided I would add it.

I had wondered what would happen if Isaac didn't build a railway for a while. There is never any coercion in making him get the tracks out and create a layout. I always said what ever happens that he had to be spontaneous in his building.

I suppose that's always the dilemma in writing about something that is not really in your control. I do anticipate coming home to a layout each night and when I don't I have to accept that's the way it is. My disappointment is not too great as Isaac and his brother have usually used their creative skills in some other venture. Recent achievements have included building a castle form boxes and toilet rolls, learning to colour within the lines and building a fantastic house form building blocks.

So, back to the layout: This is a really simple track which just allows a train to leave the repair shed, go through the tunnel over the bridge loop round and return. There's not much more to it than that. There is the separate circle, which I believe was mummy's track.

Until next time keep watching this space! Thanks.

The roundabout way from A to B

It's been a bit of a linear day for our sons. The first layout was built by Isaac's brother, I have no photo, but it was described to me by mum. It was a straight track with buffers either end, it had both the turntable and cross over in it, but the essential main line was the straight track. Isaac's brother then put the battery train it and ran it from one end and back again for quarter of an hour.

Later Isaac got to work on this layout. Although it looks quite complicated it is actually just a track between two points, the siding and the engine shed. It is also sprawls, which is why none of the photos quite get it all in. Despite it's simple form there are a couple of marvellous elements to it.

Starting at the engine shed you come to the loop after the bridges. Instead of taking a tight turn Isaac made a loop that had a single track in and out a set of Y points. The train is turned around and goes back down the way it came. It can either retrace the route back to the shed or continue down the line.

Continuing down the line brings it eventually to the siding, which is tucked down the side of the sofa. On the return leg the train can take a little diversion onto a small circuit. But once on there you have two choices:
1. Get very dizzy
2. Reverse off

I do like the mixture of simplicity and little twists in this track. It feels like you're taking a journey and yet not going too far.

Roots, loops and sheds

This layout has four distinct areas. Compared to some of the recent layouts that have been quite intricately woven together Isaac has reverted back to apparent simplicity here. But hidden in there are a couple of complexities that really make it work.

What struck me immediately when I came in were the trees. These are quite a rare feature on Isaac's railways. I assumed that they were decorative elements on three very closely grouped station platforms. When I mentioned this I was told that what I thought were platforms were just Isaac's solution to the fact that the trees kept falling over on the carpet. So remember, if you lack roots there's always Jenga bricks.

The entrance to the repair shed is rather grand today. Not only is approached via  along straight that brings you in high level across a viaduct, but it also has two splendid lamps at the entrance to greet the train's arrival. In contrast the engine shed is more subdued.

I particularly liked the small loop with the tunnel on. At first is seems a bit frivolous, but in fact it serves quite an important purpose of allowing the trains to turn around and face the opposite direction. This is key on a layout where all three branches involve reversing to retrace your route.

Finally, there is the little loop. Isaac's brother built this for mummy. It reminds me of Trevithick's Steam Circus. Maybe we should rename the little black engine the Catch Me If You Can.

The bottom of the box

 It was going to happen one day and today was that day. Every single piece of track was used. The evolution of this track was a fascinating journey.

Originally Isaac put together a figure of eight around the lifting bridge. There was a shot loop and then a broad one. The broad one had the single arch hump back bridge and the seven arch viaduct in it. There were two sets of points added so the engine shed and repair shed could be in the middle.

In the meantime Isaac's brother was creating a separate layout using a small loop, the cross over and a set of points. This was designated as mummy and daddy's track. But when play started the large layout was the chosen one.

There quickly arose a difference of opinion about which direction the trains should be travelling. At this point I was elbow deep in washing up and wasn't wanting to arbitrate. I tried the wisdom of Solomon tack and said if they couldn't agree the track would go away. But this just resulted in two wailing boys.

Then Isaac had an idea that he would build a second loop so that the trains would not run into each other. This seemed acceptable to all parties so I returned to the kitchen sink. To be honest I thought Isaac was just going to create a short passing loop. I knew something more was going on when a few minutes later Isaac said he didn't have enough straight pieces. I suggested using the red suspension bridge. I came in a little later to find the inner and outer loops that shared just one straight.

I loved it. It was well thought out and executed. I particularly liked the use of the two short Y points as the entrance and exit to the outer loop. I also liked the way that it passed round the table leg.

After a few minutes it was decided to incorporate the small loop. Following a bit of rearranging this became a series of sidings. including some with a curiously twisting route involving crossing over itself. I did think the siding that passed under the slope of the lifting bridge wasn't going to work, but in fact there were a few wagons that fitted under there quite neatly. There was plenty of room on this layout for every train to be used.

Good train and goods yards

Isaac's latest track was a bit of challenge to fit into one photo as it stretches right across the living room. There are two ends joined by an isthmus of track containing a couple of bridges. Interestingly the viaduct didn't make an appearance today.

Looking at the layout one end of it has certainly received more thought than the other. As I have said before Isaac is not keen on loops that once on have no exit except by reversing. But he seems to have been content to allow one to pass here. The building in the loop is a knight's castle and dragon. At the other end is a spectacular tour de force of sidings, Isaac, assisted by mummy, creating a goods yard and this was for one reason.

For the sharp eyed regular readers you may have noticed a new train. Isaac got a supplies train today in the post and both he and his brother were very excited by this. It's certainly well made and each element has something extra. Two of the trucks can be tipped and unloaded, a third rotates and the engine has a bogie. It had a nice weight to it as well. I can see that this will be coming out quite often.

It's intriguing that today's new arrival has reversed the normal cycle of Isaac's building. Often, he'll spend hours putting together a layout and then only playing in short bursts. It's like the construction is more fun than the play. But here it feels like the layout was rushed so that Isaac would have something to play with his new train on.

And then there were three.

Isaac built quite a simple layout today. Two loops that over lapped today. I love the little loop with the bridge over it. Imagine that on a full size track it would turn a railway journey into a roller coaster ride.

What interested me though was  that Isaac had added an additional siding. One for him, one for his brother and one for ??? As ever my wife had the answer. And one for mummy. A thoughtful gesture. Everyone should have a siding in their life where they can park themselves and have a little rest.