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For most of the photos on this page, you can click the image for a larger picture.

	April 2017 The east end of the layout is where the urban scene is going to be. I was always taken by the southern approaches to Birmingham New St on the Midland lines. Dark cuttings with high retaining walls. So we need to build some of the raised ground. I start by setting up some formers for the wall "batter".
	April 2017 Once all the formers are in place, I nail thin ply to the formers to give the wall base. Then I use wood strip to make the buttresses. It's similar to that used at Bradford Exchange - I thought that the curved walls there were a step too far! I use Slater's sheets for the stonework. It's best to clad the buttresses before gluing them to the wall. One buttress first and then a sheet followed by the next buttress and so on. A Surform cutter seems to be the best trimming tool providing that you don't apply too much pressure.
	April 2017 Here's a start on the other side of the cutting. Plywood formers are used as the base structure.
	October 2017 Time for the signal sighting committee to start their work. It's definitely been a useful exercise to make up some mock signals as it helps decide where they should go. This one's going to be an awkward one to make. Left to right and top to bottom Loop to Branch Starter Carriage Sidings East down distant Loop to Down Main Starter Down Main to Branch Starter Carriage Sidings East down distant Down Main Starter Most of my locos are steam but I'm allowed a Peak as they were standard fare in my youth.
	October 2017 So its a big room and it would be nice to control the trains from anywhere in the room. As you've gathered, I'm not a fan of DCC. I just want something with simple dials that control the speed but with wireless capability. There's not a lot of choice. This offering from Blue Railways seemed to fit the bill. Unfortunately it's not reliable. The controller on the side of the case is a standard controller, wired to the track and power supply. That controller and one on the other side talk Bluetooth to the wireless controller at the top. Sounds good doesn't it? 2 faults I've found so far. First, if you're at the end of the shed and you get your body in the way, you lose signal. Secondly, things are going along nicely and then you need to slow down for a signal. Sometimes, the demand to slow down gets ignored completely and the train keeps going. Not good - consigned to the bin.
	January 2018 Time to start on the other side. Here I just want to give the impression of a shallow cutting. Time for more foam cutting. Hopefully this is the last time, it's not a very pleasant job. You can see the Surform I use for cleaning up the foam and for trimming the edges of plasticard once its glued in place.
	January 2018 Another slope on the other side of the lines leading up to the urban area.
	January 2018 Once the slopes are built, I need to build the foundations for the urban area. The central rectangle will be removable so that I can get to any problems! You can see the bridged area starting to take shape.
	January 2018 6mm plywood to provide the surface.
	January 2018 The basics are complete. I've a bit more work to do on the right hand side of the bridged area.

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149 records found. Page 6 of 15 displayed.