THE SHORT NORTH LAYOUT - THAT NEVER WAS

This layout was destined to be built in my double garage which at the time had no cars in it - but inhabited by a lot of... 'collectables'... and WE were the only ones who could explain why we wanted to keep them!  The fact that we found it so hard to part with things, was one of the reasons the layout was never built. It did, however, take two or more years of my life to design, using WinRail 10.0, and it featured two levels with a climb up Cowan Bank getting trains to the upper level.  I will never build it - but I think it has a lot going for it, so feel free to pinch my ideas and run with it.  Let me know how you get on.

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Over the years this mythical layout had a number of other names including 'Broadmeadow & Beyond' and 'Mullet Creek'. The layout provided options for many types of rail activity - such as load balancing in Hawkesbury River Yard - adjusting the length and tonnage weight of each train - according to historical records, adding bank engines front and rear and facing the challenge of the steep Cowan Bank, plus a goods-shed and wharf sidings and refuges.  Wyong was expanded to include some of the functionality of Gosford - loco services including a pit with ashing facilities, stockyards, run-in and reverse-in refuges, Steggles, race-day trains, timber siding shunted the wrong way - what WAS I thinking! Ourimbah and Woy Woy had many shunting options. The upper level featured Berowra and a fictitious branch to Lake Cargelligo that included sites that I loved like Ben Lomond, Lue and Carcoar.