Layout

Now I've never quite worked out just how and when it was decided that I was just right for this layout, given that it wasn't my favoured prototype or location. Somehow I found myself 'persuaded' that this layout would just fit nicely in my shed and save me an awful lot of work......!

Cash changed hands and the layout was delivered with its attendant boxes to my shed. A closer inspection of the layout definitely caused me to have second thoughts but firstly let me state that the condition of the layout reflects its nearly 50 year life and it's multiple relocation's (despite it not being made to be a portable layout). In resurrecting this layout I had to define my own vision for it and take account of the changes in modelling technology and my personal expectations. I decided that I would like to make use of as much of the existing layout as possible to ensure it stayed as close to Ralph's plan as possible. Where changes were necessary, to rebuild in a more robust way and incorporate improved portability (on the basis it may pass onto someone else at some future point)

An initial appraisal found the following:-

1. Baseboards. Very old ½ inch chipboard more akin to Weetabix. Some parts had crumbled, some parts didn't have frames particularly the whole 7' of the upper loops and there were no legs.

2. Track. Made from a mixture of Copper clad and Peco spiked track with a fiber base laid on cork sheet. The rail is 2.2 mm deep by 1.8 mm wide so courser than present society rail. Much of it was soldered to PCB sleepers which had become brittle and broken or the copper had separated. The biggest issue here was the cork track bed had shrunk and come away from the base board so the track was effectively floating...bit like having healthy teeth in dodgy gums.

3. Electrics. No idea if these worked as I was going to have to be very brave to switch them on. Mainly single core copper wires of which so many had broken. A couple of home made controllers and a H&M Duette. The main control panel was linked with lots of multi pin connectors some broken and old. In the absence of documentation, I was hopeful that any of the members who operated the original layout could explain how it should work. I did have the option of a complete re-wire but this would negate much of the advantage of taking the layout. Additionally, I suspected that the control system might be quite cute in controlling routes rather than individual turnouts and sections.

4. Structures. There are many buildings for the layout and clearly they used to be more impressive. They had suffered at the hands of time and looked old and tired. They all seemed to suffer mostly from lack of reinforcement and had warped to the extent that corners had split and roofs come adrift.

5. Scenery. There was not much scenery as the layout is predominantly urban in style but the Eastern length, either side of St James park Halt was all a universal grey from years of dust accumulation. The Modroc had parted company from the baseboard revealing lightweight supports (permanent layouts don't need to be very robust). The model allotments looked like DEATH'S garden...all the plants and flowers were grey. In fact it looked quite morbid as all over the layout were the recumbent bodies of apparently deceased, 1:100 people.