Ok, where were we? Partway through our look at chart types.

We’ve already looked at the bundle, the bowl and the bucket. This week we’ll check out the locomotive and the splash.

The Locomotive…

In this shaped chart, the planets will be distributed fairly evenly around two-thirds of your chart, leaving an empty wedge of 4 signs.

Moving counter-clockwise around the chart, move your finger until you find the space. Now, keep moving your finger anti-clockwise through the space until you find a planet. This one is known as the “cutting planet” and is both the lead planet in the arrangement and probably also the most important planet to understand in your chart. It drives the rest- much like an old-fashioned steam…well, locomotive.

Although we haven’t looked at aspect patterns yet, this chart shape has the feel and energy of a Grand Trine. With many grand trines, there can be an element of wasted talent, yet the locomotive has an inbuilt imbalance in the chart that provides stamina and practicality to make the most of the potential contained within. Naturally, as with any chart with large empty spaces, the challenge is to integrate these empty signs and houses into your life. On the whole, though, if you have a locomotive shaped chart, you’re probably quite a driven person.

Although we haven’t looked much at keywords associated with the signs yet, this chart shape is associated with Aries- it’s focus is immediate, but attention span can be a tad up and down.

Check out Prince Charles’ chart. He has no planets in Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces or Aries. His cutting, or lead planet, is a fixed Moon in the very first degree of Taurus.

The Splash…

This is, surprisingly (well, surprising to me) one of the harder chart patterns to find examples of.

Planets are distributed relatively evenly around the chart, with the maximum distance between any two planets being 3 signs or 90 degrees.

People with these chart shapes have potential interests and talents in many areas- and therein lies the drawback as well…You also have the propensity to scatter your interests. It can be a little like being a jack of all trades.

This chart shape is actually fairly rare- in fact I had problems finding one- and can be likened to Mercury or Gemini, or the mutable signs in general, as you can go from subject to subject quite easily. In fact, that scattergun approach will be exaggerated if you have a large percentage of planets in mutable signs.

You are more likely to stay the course if you have a larger number of planets in fixed signs, and will start more projects with cardinals.

Jamie Oliver’s chart (almost) technically fits the bill- although we don’t know his birth-time. I’ve used 12pm.He has a lot of cardinal planets…and is involved in initiating a lot of different projects. He’s involved in charity, causes, writing, TV, youtube…etc…

David Beckham’s is also, pretty close. The largest distance between planets in his chart is the 83deg between Saturn and Pluto. Ummm football, fashion, accessories, fragrance, underwear…Not really sure what else to say about him!