Author

Timothy Watson

Date

5th November 2015

Reading Time

2 minutes

We have had a very productive two days working on the layout. The track plan at the southeastern side of the goods yard, especially at the front, has been finalised and has  gone to Keith Armes for turnout manufacture. We have included an extra crossover to allow a twelve-wagon run-round in the goods arrival sidings, without conflicting with the main up goods traffic.  This area can be worked as an independent front yard. Interestingly, we have identified a loop line that would also be an excellent way for transferring trains between the Up & Down lines.  

The goods lines fiddle yard track at the back has always had a ghastly S bend on the big fiddle yard board. This was no longer needed as any crossover of passenger trains between Up & Down main lines will now be accommodated on the Sopwith Camel-shaped southern board, therefore removing the need for this kink. We have therefore straightened it out and realigned the section, as can be seen in the photo: our goods engines will hopefully no longer need to attend agility classes.  At the same time we have laid in a straight piece of track on the new raised baseboard for loco testing.  This could be connected to the Up Goods line as a storage spur for the train that shunts the yard.  There is also now a comfortable rounded

handle in the vicinity of this siding which should help in handling this mega board.

Randall’s Knob now has a case catch to locate it positively on the layout and the roads and retaining walls are now well attached to the amazingly complicated frame that makes up this board.  It is ready for all the buildings, roads and infrastructure to go on it. Tom Knapp’s building, the ‘Paget Christian Centre’, of the London Christian  Mission is going to look spectacular at the front of the layout.  

The building was purpose made for this ministry just north of KX. You can Google map the address at Randell’s Road, which sits just above the Gas Works Tunnel portals – also made by Tom in San Francisco. 

The large goods warehouse  block sits solidly on the board and it will be possible  to shunt a few wagons in and out of it from the front goods yard under York Way.