Cellars & Basements

The cellar or basement of a house can for some be ideal. There is normally quite a sizeable space, although it is not uncommon for such an area to be a dumping ground for those household items that are no longer needed but possibly too precious to discard completely.

Such an area may need to have the ‘clutter’ rearranged and stored tidily so that an ideal space can be created. What you then do with the space does depend on how large you envisage your layout to become, but you may find that such an area will have support pillars and posts and be mindful of having continued access to services such as gas and electric meters, as well as water stop cocks.

Bedroom

This could be a spare room or a child’s room, especially if the hobby is going to be shared between the parents and the children. This is a great location, however again you will have to consider the size of the layout compared to the area of the room. If it is being used as a bedroom, then consideration has to be given to the storage or positioning of the layout. If there is space under the bed, then that would make an ideal storage area for the right sized layout. Worthy of note is that undoubtedly there will be windows in the room that will normally require access if only to be opened, cleaned and the curtains drawn. Then there is the bedroom door and access to wardrobes and cabinet drawers to be considered. Such rooms are normally well lit and have ample power sockets and of course, are usually heated. So, in many respects, such a room is an ideal location for a layout.

Garage

Another classic location for a model railway layout is a garage. Nowadays many garages tend to be used as storage areas rather than a place to park the car overnight, however even if you do use the building as intended, a garage is another suitable building to house a layout. Similar to the basement or cellar, a garage is often used as a dumping ground for items, but with a modicum of reorganisation, plus some possibly overdue clearance, a space can be created for a layout either centred or along one or two walls in the shape of an ‘L’. If however the garage is used to store a car, then providing on the construction of the garage, a layout can be suspended from the rafters and lowered via a pulley.

Another alternative is to have the layout fixed and hinged to a wall which again can be lowered using pulleys. As previously stated, a small amount of space might be available in the shape of an ‘L’ along two walls which can provide enough space for an up and down layout.

Attic or roof space

The attic is a favourite place to locate a model railway, certainly in the UK, but in many respects, an attic or roof area is very similar to that of the garage in as much as any layout will suffer from extreme temperature changes unless the space is suitably insulated. Again, these roof areas tend to be used as a dumping ground, but like the garage and the basement space with a degree of organisation mixed with good housekeeping and an element of rubbish clearance, this can be a suitable option.

Unless already fitted, a floor and electrics for light and power will need to be added. Roof trusses may be an issue, and these will have to be allowed for when positioning the layout baseboard, while at the same time taking into account the headroom. If you are lucky enough to have a house where trusses are not a problem, then maybe the attic is the place for your layout but access must be a consideration as it may include having to climb a ladder or steps which may not be that easy when carrying your latest model railway acquisition.

Garden shed

Many modellers invest in a garden shed to house their dream layout. It is not something that those new to the hobby would necessarily consider but something that one can aspire to later in the hobby building process. These sheds are available in various sizes and are normally supplied and assembled by the manufacturer.

Power can be included during the build or installed later once it is known where the layout will be positioned, and the power points required. Obviously, these buildings would benefit from being properly insulated, as they will suffer from being hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

Remember...

Please remember all the locations previously mentioned are just a general guide as to where you could position a layout. In simple terms, you can build a layout to any size, dimension and space available, within reason. Hornby TT:120 is particularly suited to this.

A simple end-to-end layout can even be positioned on a window-sill, or indeed a bookshelf. Even some have been incorporated into coffee tables or cake boxes - although operating such a layout does have its own challenges.

Just take your time, locate a suitable area and then start planning your layout, be it large or small but whatever the size, make it your own