Its Electric!

Trains can now run on Mount Royal, as the trackwork is fully operational - apart from the turntable and a few other loose ends, that is! I can now concentrate some time and energy on the scenery - something I have really been looking forward to with great relish.

Here is a recent photograph of the seafront board, which I forgot to include in last month's blog entry. Over the winter, I extended and widened this baseboard at the narrow end, to interface with the new pier station board. Originally, the pier was planned to be much narrower and far more minimalist in design. Click on the photo for a larger view.

The other reason for the extension is the need to accommodate the ceremonial arch. The position of the foundations is marked in black on the photo. Although the extension looks very crude, it is very strong. In the long term, much of the area to the right of the arch, in the foreground, will be filled with scenery - but not for a long time yet. The framework at the back is a support for the water, which will be modelled on a foundation of 25mm foam.

The track has been changed quite a bit since my last photos 12 months ago. The main change is to the narrow gauge running through the centre of the board. The loop is now much longer, extending onto the next, as yet un-built, baseboard. Both tracks of the loop will now be operational. The standard gauge alignment has been changed slightly and is now laid with a combination of Easitrac and Fencehouses pointwork etches. There is also an additional point on the left hand track at the far end of the board. The track changes mean that I will have to rethink the scenery slightly. Some of the buildings i originally proposed to place on this board wil no longer fit. I am sure I can find other places for all of them in due course - even if on other baseboards.

For the scenery, I will concentrate on the pier station baseboard for the time being. If necessary, this may be run as a mini-layout, without other scenic boards, for the GJLC in July 2010.