Committing to the Target Layout

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A Flexible Approach

It's late May 2025 and my days of playing AFL are catching up to me with my back playing up every so often usually from cold weather. This time I have a funny feeling I may have lifted a baseboard while in an awkward position and forgot to tell myself before lifting I wasn't 21 anymore so was a little limited on movement and decided to spend some time focusing on the layout planning.

Learning from my planning in Track Modelling and mucking around with SCARM and testing possible opportunities I finally decided to select the area down Radio Street near the Pinkenba Wharf. 

The target area in SCARM with the
 baseboard layer hidden

This would provide the opportunity to allow for the following:

  • Move my locos out of a cupboard and onto a layout
  • Start using all these points, joiners and flexi track I had purchased
  • Obtain new skills in wiring and electronics
  • Scratch build structures to add character to the layout
  • Explore other ideas in machinery, vehicles or even vessels
  • Provide enough area to shunt my rollingstock up and down the layout
  • Extend my layout in the future, should the opportunity arise for more space
  • Develop a plan how I would steal paints from Mrs Shunter studio without getting caught
It also brought back good childhood memories of my Grandad telling me stories about the nights he would go down and tie up the ships to make some extra money outside of his day job.

Going through this process, had taught me to have a relaxed and flexible approach to the hobby and you're not going to always have the answers. Taking the time to have a Rum, a cuppa or sit by the water allows the opportunity to stop and think ideas and challenges through before jumping in and creating, something that does not come natural to a logical box thinker like me.

Until next time, see you at the next blog!


Little Shunter
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