Update:
Spent a fascinating hour or two continuing to go through and grab various plans. Done the 80's editions and about half of the 70's. It is noticeable that the POTM started to dry up a bit in the late 80's and many were presented as concepts or ideas rather than an actual detailed plan within baseboard constraints. Will continue on with the reseach tomoorow but fair to say I've probably already abstracted more plans than I could actually turn into virtual railways for the rest of my life! £8.99 well spent.
Edit:
It is actually quite fascinaing doing a "cramming" flick through, how the style and tone of the magazine and indeed the hobby changed.
Without a doubt the best "POTM's" were probably in the late 70's through to the early 90's. Many based on quite imaginative adaptations of actual prototypes, which is my primary interest. After that, some issue didn't even have a Plan Of The Month or were more of a concept setout than a physical plan constrained by baseboards. The size of the featured layouts, Railway Of The Month etc., also seemed to shrink as the years roll into the late 90's. Far more shelf and minimum space layouts, probably reflecting that modern UK at least housing is not conducive to a large model railway and of course how the cost of the hobby spiralled out of control. The 60's were a mixed bag, many of the POTM's were ones that went on to feature in the various Peco track plan books, largely non-prototypical - though there is one based on the IOM steam network that is on the short list for a crack at building.
I've still got to run through the 50's copies and 2000 onwards, then I need to sit down and come up with some sort of triage where to start!
