I have never built a layout before. But as a family we have fallen in love with our TT Scotsman set so I am watching and learning!!!

Edit..Great stuff..Just started a TT 120 for my dad, hes 90. I found 50 mm thick XPS blueboard is the perfect base for myTT120. It wont warp at 50 and you can dig lakes in it and throw resin straight on it (paint first lol), another 50 mm piece on top is ample for tunnels. You can stick track down with dress pins dipped in glue and it aint goin anywhere. If your sus about it warping you can push a steel curtain rod through it. Bobs your uncle (or aunty these days lol).

When I was a kid my Dad hinged my first layout to my bedroom wall and it had screw in legs before it was lowered to horizontal. The hinges were fastened to a baton that ran along the wall. That meant it was further away from the wall than just straight hinges on the wall, and allowed for track to not bash the wall when stowed. How I would adapt this is to fasten a large beam or even a box section to that rear wall. Attach your board to that beam with piano hinge. Now attach a long 2x1" narrow side up and on bottom of the front edge that is longer than the width of your end scenery. It serves two purposes, one is adding rigidity. The second is that where it lowers to the sky part of your back scene you are going to cut two rectangles to accept it as it becomes level. Add scrap ply or other lumber to the rear of your scenic break to stiffen support of where the new layout sits in those two slots. The board can be deeper than you think if you think you would be happy with it being stored at an angle rather than vertically against that back wall. Think of it as the hypotenuse of a triangle rather than one of the shorter available sides.

Well well. Simon two sheds.

Just realised I was watching in the wrong order. Old age. Now I can see the layout from the beginning.

All good stuff Simon. Only suggestion I could make is having it hinged along the bottom/back edge so that it folds up with the landscape facing the wall.

I had a layout under my bed and it always got super dusty. Needed cleaning at least every 2-3days. Anywhere where people spend a lot of time is going to have a lot of dust

good see you doing a new layout in the shed thanks lee

Ha ha 😂 the dog was like….oh no not another layout 😂

Model trains and drum kit. Good man!

Interesting plans, I look forward to seeing this come together! personally I prefer the idea of having two running lines to add some operational interest, especially since on the single track layout plan there seems to be a fair bit of empty space between the goods yard and the back of the layout. I do like the idea of the little bridge and lane, just hoping it doesn't obscure the station too much. All that said I trust whatever you decide on will look great, keep up the great work!

following this as about to embark on my first lay out although in n gauge and find your videos enjoyable and informative.

Awesome video, thank you for sharing. Having made the decision to return to model railways this year with the new TT range. I find myself struggling to make plans, but with your ideas I'm getting a little further to deciding what I want. Growing up in the hills and valleys of Mid Devon I've had plenty of inspiration from how roads have been cut through fields and valleys, in fact if I didn't know any better I'd say some of the roads could have been ex track beds. But I'm thinking of creating a fictional line that comes off of the old Exeter to Barnstaple line at Bickleigh, cuts through the Burn Valley and ends at a small station, based loosely on the layout of our drive/lane into the farm, called Lower Coombe. It'll be focused around supporting the farms and old quarry's that surround the area.

👍👍👍

Simon I would move the rear tunnel portal around the curve and down towards the station a little bit to make it look as if the was coming from some other place than the tunnel that it had just entered seconds earlier.

I like the shed wall option best. I'd be inclined to have the scenery face the shed wall and the braced layout hinged to a wall beam along the lower edge. You could have folding arm supports instead of the side beams. It would protrude more over the N scale layout but I think the added scenery protection would make that an acceptable trade off.

Good luck with the new build I think you should join the radius one shunting track up with the main line. This would just expand the operating potential greatly Nick Australia

Love the n gauge layout Simon and I'm looking forward to the TT120 layout build. Definitely prefer the positioning in the shed. More scope than the house. Good luck mate.

That inner curve track looks very isolated being only accessed via the headshunt. Good shunting practice :-)

I wish they'd brought out a small steam loco. A Jinty, maybe. They seem to be basing everything so far on the same chassis.

Looking forward to the next video Simon. I’d like to start building my TT layout too. But think I’m going to wait until I got a few more items from Hornby first

I like your first Tt layout better then the second TT layout but which ever one you do would be great to see

Keep it simple Simon (no pun intended) a simple shelf above SVR Prob around 6-9 inches wide along the walls with a station (of around 6-7 carriages + loco long), the main reason for suggesting this is looking back to your first N gauge layout is that you found it was of limited insterest! Also the added bonus would be the lighting for the SVR, One thing I might bet on is the N gauge will disappear to form a new section of the Severn Valley Railway ie just one station.

Dear Simon, Great plans, looking forward on the storage idea of the new layout, folding against the back wall Nice track design. Maybe an idea to turn the yard into an inglenook puzzle for operational interest.

Funny when you stated I thought about doing what t you ended up coming to. Under the couch was the very bad idea from the start as I know how bad and quickly it get Under them. It's going to be interesting to see how it come out with the way you plan on storing it looking forward to see how it goes. 😀

Hi Simon. I would make a 400mm deep open frame layout that runs around 4 walls of the layout shed. This would give you a complete double track mainline circle and give you the opportunity to put leds underneath for the n gauge.

excellent, I will follow your progress closely, then I might nick some ideas off you for my layout 😎

Hi Simon, one idea for storing the layout might be a sliding pivot on the back wall. So as you pull the layout out flat the back slides down the back wall in a slot until its horizontal. It can then rest on brackets at the front. A latch at the front would keep it secure when in the storage position.

I was going to suggest hanging from the shed ceiling, but folding against the wall looks even better. I do think you might be better off hinging at the back and folding it facing the wall, rather than facing out. I'd also consider putting walls around 3 sides a little taller than your scenery, so you don't accidentally crush it when you fold up.

What about something that folds out from the wall?

an interesting proposal :)

Remember that 1) dust is proportional to the square of the number of people staying in the room. So 1 person 1 dust; 2 people 4 dust, 3 people 9 dust, and so on: better stay alone. 2) dust is attracted by electricity.

Looking good Simon. How about strengthening behind that backboard in your shed with some wooden batons. Then you could attach some hinges to the batons. Attach your TT-120 board to the hinges. Then it could be hinged upwards towards the back wall when not in use. The only trouble with that is the height of scenery and buildings on the board would be limited by how far out you can attach the hinges. You would probably need a support post or two at the front of the board too. As to the layout. I am no expert, but I think 2 loops would be better maybe.

Hi Simon. I think you've hit on the best location by far. I wonder if the layout should face the wall when put away, rather than facing the room. With it's bottom edge hinged off a strong aluminium channel fixed along the top of the N-scale backscene. The two outside corners could then be supported on wires/chain from the ceiling instead of resting on fixed brackets over the n-scale side walls. Regardless, good luck with it all. Kev.

Thinking about the likely future availability of locos and rolling stock, it seems to me that Hornby are focussing on main line, and at present on Kings Cross to the north east and Scotland. At the moment I have three Gresley Pacific’s and some Pullman stock, so a Welsh shunting yard doesn’t sound like the right environment for that kit! There is no sign of a steam shutter in the TT catalogue and it is full of jam tomorrow releases of more express stuff. So, I have felt it expedient to ‘go with the flow’ and am building a kit of Durham cathedral!

Like many have mentioned, continue the R1 siding back to a point on the main line beyond the station. Otherwise, you have poor access which although fun shunting, doesn't really let you get a full train into that siding.

Hi Simon, ok, how about raising the sofa? Either raising blocks or even lockable castors? There you are - Sofa so good ......

Keep the trackplan simple,that plan just needs the yard headshunt connecting into the main and good scenery will finish it nicely.

Hi Simon, I'm interested in TT120 as a layout for my grandson. I can't run to a permanent layout so I'm looking for one I can perhaps split for storage and assemble on, guess what, a table top. I'm sure you will put a dust sheet over anything you keep under a sofa or a bed. My idea is to stand the slices up against a wall in my dining room. They need to be small enough for a seven year old to handle in case they do move round to his house. I think that the main challenge with storable layouts is any high level apparatus - signals, level crossings, station bridges etc. Really a lid is required to protect those if included. Obviously not a problem with a non-scenic layout.

What about raising the sofa by a few inches? Put a 2X4 under the legs. It’s at least an extra 2 inches of hight.

What about a drop down layout on pulleys from the roof off the shed.then use the back wall as a display area with shelves on for TT a N gauge rolling stock.

I think the only thing I would change on the second track plan is to join the first radius line with the loop near the station. You could even do it beyond and make the station 2 platforms. That way shunting would be more interesting and you can test locos out further on the first radius. However, I would be tempted to build a layout around the shed so you can light up the SVR underneath as well. The board the layout would sit on wouldn’t have to be that wide in most places even allowing for a bit of safety space in case of a derailment

I would definitely add a right hand point to the mainline and join the tight radius siding near the Peco station. That way you have a runaround track which would definitely add to operating flexibility.

Hi Simon, now I like the plan you have and as others have said just make sure you have that passing loop in. But I would consider if you’re thinking about having beams running round for the N Gauge layout lighting why not put a 300 to 450 mm board on top and run it round the shed. Make it modular so you could take a board at a time to work on. Keep it simple with just a double track running round, a few sidings here and there, include the radius 1 curves somewhere. I’ve seen a similar American layout a few years back that’s similar to that in terms of a board running around above another layout, maybe worth a thought as you could have full length trains running. Hope that’s clear and hasn’t put the cat amongst the pigeons! Cheers John

Hi Simon. I was thinking of going TT on a simple country layout. But I don’t think I Will live long enough to see appropriate locomotives.A4s, a ones, duchesses and princesses don’t cut it for me

could you attach it to the ceiling and lower it down when you want to use it

Others may have mentioned this but how about a hoist system secured to the beam above where you were thinking of putting the layout. You could still run beams above the N gauge layout to lower it on to. I’ve never been a fan of storing layouts vertically. Inevitably you forget something that falls off potentially damaging the layout below

Looking at the new layout, there is one thing I think you are missing. A passing loop to shunt with. You had it with the first design but removed it from the last version. I think your 1st radius track needs to reconnect with the main line. Othere than that, it looks like a fun little layout to build. Have fun!

Second level above yours ?

Simon I am I right in thinking that board is 1.8m x 1.0m. 👍🇦🇺

Have you considered adding a point to the end of the R1 curved track to connect it to the main loop?

Decisions, decisions… Does it need to be a solid board? Could you put it on a 1ft wide shelf running in your existing shed all the way around. High enough not to interfere with the N gauge layout.. Just a suggestion, food for thought maybe?

What about the loft, bigger layout possible?

Whatever layout you decide on I'm looking forward to watching the build from start to finish. I'm afraid I gave up on my layout, rather disappointed on the quality and too many people complaining, so was worried in case they pulled the plug on it. So cancelled all my pre orders (a lot) and my Eastener ended up at my local charity shop.

Hi I'm just thinking if you add a switch near the station you could the use that length as a storage track for say passenger cars and then when you use them you could run trains in the opposite direction which can add interest ( you could also add a turntable) just a thought) otherwise I like it

Couldn't you extend the inner right hand curve slightly Simon ?

How about investing into a new train shed that you can connect to your existing shed?

Have you ever stood up next to your n gauge layout and knocked all the locos off the track? If no you didn’t need to do this

Why not just build a 2nd level for the TT layout above N gauge rather than just a beam? I've seen many layouts with 2 levels (though normally for the same layout). Then you can use the underside for the lighting you suggest.

Why not join the inner radius 1 siding up to the oval by the station with two points, the second allowing a short spur to continue beyond maybe up to the end of the straight.

Defo in the shed mate if your like me only peace you get lol check mine out if you get time many thanks I be watching for your next video 👍

Hi Simon. How about putting the baseboard and layout under the bed. And if you've got one of those beds that almost touch the floor, then purchase one that doesn't. Simples! 👍 Paul.

Hi Simon, I have a multi level model railway in my 18’ x 8’ shed. The top section is OO gauge with a fiddle yard under neath it. Then I have recently installed desk high heritage layout which has OO and 009 trains running round. I’m planning another lower level for TT. Take a look at Facebook where I have uploaded videos and photos of this. Looking forward to your build. Thanks 🚂

You’ve got a good n gauge layout that’s still progressing why get distracted by a novelty from Hornby