Progress has been made on the layout during 2010. Very little has changed scenically as a lot of work has gone into enabling trains to run over more of the track, more efficiently. The main control board was slimmed down and improved. Tracks to the right hand sidings can be isolated at the end of them. A more mobile control box has been built for the main line track control. A new control panel has been built on the left hand end of the layout to control the new 'Sunset' sidings and to power up tracks in the engine shed. Engines can now be run out of the round house over the turntable and along the tracks to the sidings. The turntable is powered up and rotates; if a little jerkily. Once an engine reaches a point along the track then control over it carried out by the nearest control panel. This enables the operator to see what the engine is doing.
The 'Duchess' on the turntable having left the roundhouse and about to leave on the station side road. The house in the picture still have lighting wires to be connected up.
Another major change has been the rationalising of engines and rolling stock. This has made more room for train movements on the sidings.
A British Rail 'Mallard' has replaced the LNER version
Very little progress has been made to the scenics of the goods yard other than to remove the 'concreting' from the space between the track rails. The polystyrene and card cover was disastrous and another solution is being sought to produce a smooth surface for the yard.
Apart from adding a few more conifers very little has been done to the scene on this corner of the layout.
The industrial ('Sunset') end of the layout now sports a warehouse and offices. In this picture a newly acquired 0-6-0 tank locomotive is seen hauling a track maintenance crane and associated maintenance equipment.
This picture signals a major scenic change under way. For some time I have been unhappy about the road to no where. A 'tunnel' had already been added in the far corner to give an illusion that the industrial branch line was going somewhere. I am now building a road extension which involves a cutting with a bridge over it. As of today it has received its first papier mache coat.
I have also been unhappy about the flat space at the bottom of the hill. At the suggestion of a friend a new road will be laid along the bottom leading to a livestock loading yard. This will mean laying track to tunnel under to base of the hill, under the main line and probably around and out for a distance. The idea will be to automate an engine to go back and forth along the track.
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