Progress on scenic section track laying and wiring and a little rail fanning in west London .

A few of us "Swans" (our local NMRA group) went rail fanning on what turned out to be the coldest day of the past 12 months. The photo shows a pair of sad Class 56's stored at Old Oak Common engine shed since their return from mainland Europe.

Due to various commitments, I have not had the chance to model for a while nor update the web site for a few months. Apologies! I am now planning to update the web site every two months rather than every month - much more realistic. Pleased to say that the statistics for the site remain good with 20K to 30K visits per month. This matched last winter (the figures drop to about 13K to 15K per month over summer).

January (09) saw the monthly NMRA (BR region) Swans meet - this time at my house. I decided to erect the scenic modules in the living room for all to see - without realising either the number of group members that would turn up or indeed their collective girth. Still, we all managed to fit in. Was very grateful to Aysh (my other half) for all of her help, particularly in the catering department. It was a case of reverting back to the traditional "spag bog university cooking for a huge gang menu" but with a few refinements such as decent wine rather than cheap cider and roasted vegetables in balsamic, etc.

The following Saturday a few of us went rail fanning on what turned out to be one of the coldest days over the past twelve months. We ventured up to Willesden Junction and Old Oak Common by the Western Region Mainline. This is quite an area.

A 125 mile per hour Pendolino on the West Coast Main Line heading for London Euston .

Semi-fast out of Euston passing the old 86/87 maintenance shed.

Very happy to say that after a long break, I have managed to do some modelling. As you can see, the trackwork to the main line and main siding is complete. I have yet to lay the track to the industrial siding - still messing about trying to get the magnetic uncouplers to work. Used the Woodland Scenics foam underlay - wonderful stuff, so easy to lay and very quiet compared to cork. Time will tell if it deteriorates.

A shot of the bridge module showing the hole in the river bed as a result of realigning the track. For more click here.

Through trial and error, quite a few errors actually, I have devised a new method of securing the track at the module joints; this is a crucial element for portable benchwork modules in terms of strength and alignment.

I have started wiring and, as a result of seeing Peter Borcherd's wonderful N Scale BNSF Rochelle Intermodal layout at the Benson show in January, I have started to use Anderson Pole connectors at the joins in the benchwork modules. But more about the wiring in the next update.

The middle modules of the scenic section. For more click here.
Photo of the track joints at the ends of the portable modules. the screws are fine fine adjustment of the rails. For more click here.

Also managed to make it to my club, High Wycombe Model Railway Society, the first time in ages. I gave my new GS4 4449 dcc sound loco (Kato's special run which I ordered direct from the states via their web site).

Hope you enjoy the website.

Best wishes,

Ant.