Technical details
Middlebridge Shed is a Gauge 1 layout. The track is 45mm gauge, giving a nominal scale of approximately 1:32, noting Gauge 1 typically covers both scales of 1:32 and 1:30.5 (as 10mm:ft).
Visiting locomotives may vary, noting American G also includes 1:29 scale. The shed was designed with this loading gauge in mind.
The layout is built on two baseboards, both 1.2m x 0.3m for a total length of 2.4m (~8'). The baseboards are solid x mm plywood with pine framing, built in the early 2000s from offcuts from building theatre props.
Currently the layout is table-based, with plans to build appropriate legs for viewing at baseboard height of 1100mm above ground. (to do: link to accessibility and viewing height)
The track is currently sourced as LGB code 332 G scale track (to maintain compatibility with the points). Some running tests will be necessary before fixing this, as the track is particularly coarse by Gauge 1 standards and may cause issues for rolling stock.
The points are LGB G scale R1 (1200mm radius from track centre). These were selected as the shortest length points available to make the most out of the short layout length.
Currently there is no track power provided, with all locomotives being battery and remote control operated.
Signals are LED ground signals from Routemex (actually sold as O gauge, though correctly sized for some prototypically available modern shunting signals). These are manually switched with a view to automating in future. The route boxes on the shunt signals are prototypically unusual but included for fun and I expect to hand-build these.
The points are switched by servos underneath the board with 3D-printed mounts. The servos are controlled by a BLOCKsignalling SRV4 with manual switches brought out to the same control panel as for the signalling.
Middlebridge Shed drawn up in Anyrail.