01 – Car Repair Shops

Jack Trollope
Ross-shire, Scotland

This is a car repair works, on an Industrial park, handling minor (RIP) repairs and major re-building/repair/painting and maintenance. I wanted it to be efficient in space as I have envisioned having a shop since I was a kid and would put infographics all over the space like a 10020c breakdown and safety guidelines. Since the Trackmobile only has a coupler at one end, I wanted to be able to simulate the turning of the vehicle that would take place. A short length of inset track which pulls back, rotates and pushes back into position is provided, hidden behind the main repair shop. The Trackmobile is driven onto it and is assumed to lower the road wheels, drive off, do a three-point turn, and return, raise the road wheels and lower itself back onto the track facing the opposite way.

Cars are moved between the arrival/departure track, into the repair shop, on to the paint shop and back to await collection Both the shops are fitted with traversers to allow run-rounds — the Trackmobile being assumed to have driven out of the back of the sheds on its road wheels. Both shops are deliberately angled away from the viewer to reduce the internal viewing. Buildings can be of the Rix “tin-shed” variety, or the repair shop could be a larger Walthers building fitted with an overhead crane, and PECO inspection pits. A Wills overhead crane could stand in the yard, together with wheel-sets, scrap, drums and general clutter. It would also work as a loco scrapping facility, similar to Larry’s Truck and Electric, with the Trackmobile moving around the dummy, partly dismantled locos.

(NOTE: This layout does not require any alterations to the Trackmobile, which can be used directly from the box.)