No - it's the hatch into the loft!  I haven't yet worked out how the baseboards will go but it is intended to be walkaround, and will probably use DCC. Or radio control, but a bit tricky to fit into O2s especially those which already have boilers stuffed with lead and araldite!  The only tricky bit to reach will be the return loop which will be a ceawl under. Athough everything will be demountable, in preparation for the inevitability of one day not being able to get up to the loft. By then hopefully some children will have left home and there will be spare bedrooms!

All the best with the grand plan Chris! I've got a soft spot for the IOW and have always liked the idea of modelling a branchline as appose to a station, what you've drawn up has a lot of promise!

Cheers, Paul

I'll keep posting updates now that I've got the hang of blogging :-)

Right now it's full steam ahead on the loft conversion - thick beams are appearing to make the floor and the supports which used to come into the middle of the area are being re-engineered so they can be removed. I reckon in a couple of weeks the space will be ready and I can measure up precisely and commission the baseboards. I will have these professionally made as I have neither the tools nor space nor skill to build really good boards. The idea is that the layout will be transportable though there is no intention to exhibit it. Well, maybe part of it! I hope to have something reasonable running by Christmas. The space I have will be in the region of 14 feet by 9 feet with a 3 foot by 4 foot extension on the side which will be used for the Ryde/Sandown return loops.

The thing which has made this all possible is early retirement and taking a lump sum out of the pension!  Today I was working on Cowes signal box and have the shell complete. Got to do windows now...... the hardest bit I find.

Chris

Phew Chris, got plenty there to be going on with, good luck.

Thanks Westerham Station for the kind comments!

Pity you were sacrificed to the M25 :-)