Evening all

Gosh, it's almost 3 months since I posted anything about the WC&PR. edit can't count!

Well I have been busy with the T9...

Had a blast at Expo EM North last weekend and on the journey I home I was reminded that the next show I'm exhibiting at is Clevedon's debut. Eeek

Nothing like the headlong descent into blind panic to get the juices going!

So where was I?

Oh yes, at the last local EM meeting, there were a few mutterings about which side of the layout should be the front. Well these mutterings have been developing into full blown conversations and following a visit by Gordon Gravett the other day, a decision has been made to turn the layout round.

Sounds more dramatic than it actually is since everything is demountable anyway. So I've temporarily taken down the lighting rig and turned the baseboards round. This afternoon has seen the carcassing made for the backscene. Don't worry, the photos below just show it resting on the back of the layout. There won't be any gaps and having had a good look at Simon Challis' Cheddar (S&DJR) at Expo North last week convinced me to try my hand a painting on lining paper and then getting it laminated/encapsulated. That way it can be one continuous scene which will sit in front of the carcassing. Initially I thought it was going to be a view towards the Bristol Channel but it looks like it'll actually be the back of the Curzon cinema. Check out the link here for a 1930's view.

Clevedon aerial photo

The down side of this is I will have to tart up all the buildings that don't have a back (lesson there ahem) as well as sort out some bits of unpainted scenery and replace all the sea moss trees. The up side is that the easily breakable bits are now further from the paying public. OK so the operation will have to be from the back, but with manual point operation, I actually don't mind that much. The sheds, stock and greenery will eventually act as scenic blocks and the lower height of the layout (it's about 1.1m) lets the viewer peer over.

I think this might work quite well. Oh and yes, this now means that Weston and Clevedon could theoretically be operated at the same exhibition

Overall view of the layout (sorry there's so much clutter but I needed the wide angle)

Portishead end

Weston End

Portishead end and water tower

Platform with test wagon

View through the original WCPR connection spur to the GWR Clevedon Station. The engine shed roof isn't fixed down by the way.

View over the sheds towards Weston

View over the sheds of the GWR connection

Close up of the sheds

So, next step is to replace the trees and do it properly, add a few hedges, paint the backscene, add tonnes of detailing etc etc!!

laterz