Since the last post, I have laid track on the curved board and rearranged the boards to allow construction to commence on the "missing link" the interlaced interface between the two fiddle yards. I think that there will be the 3mm equivalent of the "Golden Spike Ceremony" when this one is finished!!
This will be the most challenging board on the whole layout with (I think) 16 points to juggle into a 4' x 2' space. I have already made a couple of design changes in order to make the track layout fit the space better - the last point on each fiddle yard now sits on the adjacent board, and the fiddle yard roads will fan out in pairs rather than one after the other. Phil Smith, who is beavering on a track plan for this site will probably kill me after reading this!
The box at the end of the boards contains points salvaged from my previous layout and hopefully when refurbished, these will form the mainstay of the two throats. I am still undecided whether to make the blades hanging free, or sprung loaded to save on point motors and wiring or bite the bullet and motorise all these trailing points! Watch this space!
The eagle eyed amongst you might have noticed a couple of resin loco bodies standing on the fiddle yard. The one on the left is the master for a forthcoming class 66 body kit, and the one on the right and in close up above is a "L" of "L & J" class 40 resin body. Although I am now getting it to a stage where I am happy with it (just the diagonal bars on the side grilles to go), it has needed a lot of work to make it look the part - especially the windows, main grilles, and fan. I have used parts from a damaged 3mmSMR etched kit purchased from a fellow Society member last year.
Power will be provided from a pair of Tri-Ang A-1-A motor bogies which have had their side detail ground off on a bench belt grinder and the new sides glued on, plus a pony wheel added.
Hopefully the rain will pass off and I shall be able to get painting SOON!!
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