June 2009

Bob Harper and Neil Deakin show how quick and easy it is to set up the layout, using Bob's favourite folding leg system

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Bob has used this on numerous exhibition layouts, which is why Neil does all of the work and Bob supervises.

When all of the hard work was done, Nigel Tansley (in green) turned up to have his photograph taken. Also in the picture is Neil's father, Bob, so that makes three supervisors and one worker.

Note how the backscene is so high that none of the operators will have a clue what is going on unless they stand at the front, blocking the view of any spectators. How are they going to get around that?

This is one end of the layout, showing the only bit of run-round on the whole plan - a typical Bob Harper trick to make shunting particularly difficult.

The Peco point is a temporary fixture until a hand-built one is installed.

The hole in the end board leads into the sector plate fiddle yard.

The sleepers have been individually cut from sheet basswood and stained, but this doesn't show up too well on the photos.

Cork strip is glued down and stained, then the sleepers are glued to this. Rail is the correct scale 48lb per yard, temporarily held in place with panel pins. Points are built in situ using a mixture of copper clad and timber sleepers.

October 2009

Point construction is well under way as demonstrated by Bob Harper and Bob Deakin. Neil Deakin is plotting some improvements I could make to the website, which is why, for once, he isn't doing any work.

Copper clad sleepers are used to fix the rails in position and the spaces are infilled with stained basswood

Bob Deakin shows off his prize-winning bridge to make sure the stock doesn't have to jump too big a gap.

In contrast the turntable is out of the box Peco.

November 2009

Buildings have started to be positioned, the pointwork is built, sleepers for the plain track have been glued and some rails for this are pinned in place.

Bob Deakin brought along a 3 inch brush and a few paints and the backscene has suddenly been painted. The photograph doesn't really capture how well this looks, so you will just have to come to Dean Hall to see it for yourself.

March 2010

Bob Deakin has been busy getting on with another building.

July 2010

Buildings keep appearing and the track is ballasted, well, as much as it is ever going to be.

Just over one year from the layout being started and it is almost ready for action, though with plenty of details still to be added.

December 2010

One solution to a small layout is to make the locos as small as possible. Nigel Tansley's diminutive 0-4-0 is about as small as they come.