Trackwork progressing well. The photo shows the copperclad strips used at the joints of the portable modules in the staging area. They make the trackwork less prone to damage through accidental knocks when taking the pike to exhibitions / conventions and also provide for fine adjustment of rail heights through the use of screws.
Photo: AQ

Well, an update at last. The end of the summer term is a very busy time for me at work and this combined with an illness meant that I haven't been able to update the website for a while.

Model Railroad Progress Report:

Baseboards now all complete except for the road bed on the scenic section. Am thinking of using extruded foamboard as the basic road bed. In process of laying the track on to the scenic section. All non-seen trackwork (in the staging yard) is Peco Universal code 80. I am using Atlas trackwork on all of the visible sections - code 55.

I found a really good supplier / importer of a great range of items that are difficult to source in the UK and who has a very good stock of Atlas track. Great friendly service, cheap prices and a flat postage charge of £1.00: P & H Models tel. (07960 941010) - I spotted them at Arden Rail. They will be at Fleetwood (Sept.), Halifax (Sept.), Peterborough (Oct.), NMRA British Region Convention at Kegworth (Oct. / Nov.), Wakefield (my home town in Nov.) and Wigan (December).

I also set about actually doing some modelling this month. Couldn't resist ordering a set of Golden West Service Woodchip Gondolas from Model Junction. Yes I know it's UP / SP origin but I liked the graffiti. Out of the box, the finish was a bit disappointing, graffiti was there but no weathering and the model looked very 'plasticky'. I have set about roughing them up a little!

The Deluxe Innovations Golden West Service Woodchip Gondolas - after being hacked around a bit!
Photo: AQ

Model Railway Exhibitions

A Wrexham & Shropshire Class 67 shooting through Dorridgeas we waited for our train back to London from Arden Rail.

Took Marc to Arden Rail, great American Railroading exhibition. We went by train (so cheap with a Family Railcard) but met quite a few friends there from the SWANS and / or the High Wycombe club. A wealth of quality exhibits but due to the popularity, I felt it was a victim of its own success in that it felt very crowded. I had seen a number of the layouts before so for me the highlghts were Godinez, Iowa, a very small HO layout by Peter North and Knownaim City Yard by Graham and Damien Jones, a Z scale switching layout with automatic coupling.

Sweet Home Chicago at Arden Rail
Photo: AQ

Just about to set off for Dorridge (for Arden Rail) at London Marylebourne
Photo: AQ

And finally...

"Comic genius or off his rocker?" Of course I am referring to my favourite model railroad website - Free Model Train Tours and Mad Mike's other websites: Mad Mike's Enterprises, Free Ideas about Stuff and then the ultimate - Special Report. Mad Mike contacted me last month - what a genuine and sincere guy. I just love it when an individual takes on the might of a huge corporation. In England, we have a Government that always seems to take the side of big businesses over the welfare of individuals. They say it's for the greater good but they are so out of touch with ordinary people, they don't seem to know what the greater good is. I could go on about professional, career politicians who have no idea about real life, who have only ever worked as researchers for politicians and then become politicians themselves. They don't know what it's like to live and work in the real world - no experience of it. They just seem to have their own personal causes that don't mean anything to ordinary working people. Enough of politics - back to the trains. Well done Mike - even if it was doomed to failure from the start.

It is so good to see people like Mad Mike stand up for themselves.

Thanks again for the interest and kind comments on your emails.

Best wishes,

Ant.