Parallel Curves - Messing around with track

Well, the weather abated for a bit in recent weeks but my bad back continued with a bout of sciatica which only started to disappear about a week ago.  I still have a bit of tingling in my big toe, and the occassional pain in my hip.  I supervised Ann in digging up a Yucca that would get in the way generally - of people, access to the garage and the railway.   It has however given me an idea for an extension to work on after the initial loop.  After a weekend away I had last Monday off to get supplies in for this jubilee bank holiday weekend.  So, it was more decking boards, more blue bricks and on Saturday Ann went with me to carry home some decking planks and went to Screwfix to get me some mending plates and screws.

I have had to give up some proposed real estate though to the siting of a compost bin since I'm now becoming the chief "weeder".

As everyone in the UK knows however, after Saturday the rain started - well for us it started on late Saturday afternoon.  So, not out today much.  I have been wrestling with a problem though.  On the "ideal" circuit I have a loop with nothing smaller than LGB R3 curves, to be able to cope with all locos, and to have an "up" train and a "down" train, then the inner circuit is PIKO R3 and LGB R2.  The problem is meshing these together via points.

A friend has lent me the LGB Track Planning and Technical Guide.  I'd be looking to buy my own copy if the copies around (Amazon etc) weren't so expensive.

Reading through this though and the track planning guide diagram - which is repeated in the catalogue.  

But what this doesn't make clear,until one starts to look at it closely is that there is no connection between the blue (R3) track and the Green (R2) track.  R1 (Yellow) and R2 (Green) would appear to be designed to mesh together easily but not R2 to R3.  

I have the added difficulty of the Garage not actually being at 90 degrees, more likely 80 degrees, so coming out of the curve, then the available space narrows.  Picture and playing around with railmodeller below.  

The green rectangle is a check of parallelness between the two sets of track.  

Another day off tomorrow though, so hopefully more progress and if nothing else at least restoration of a running to be able to get the trains out if I want.  Review and analysis of another corner has suggested the need for a R3 point so I'm watching and bidding at the moment on Ebay.  

A quick look last night at something else also brought out one of the first hazards of garden railways - Snail on the track !