One of the major disadvantages of having a layout in a loft (uninsulated) is the weather - in Summer it's often just too hot to handle up there for more than a few minutes..

Yesterday the temperature was 34c (98f)!

In these circumstances, and along with work ( 7 shifts in a row yeuch!!) taking up far too much of my time, I have very little progress to report.

However the signalbox is coming along slowly, and the area of the goods yard has seen some backscene improvements started, but the hostile conditions have certainly slowed things down...

The signalbox operating floor is nearly complete, just requires some finishing touches, 1. the signalmans armchair ( mine was missing from the Wills SSAM 103 whitemetal kit - does anyone know where I could source a replacement??

2. Electric key token instrument, or Tyers no6 Tablet instrument - I don't have a clue as of yet where I will find these.....

3. various notices and instructions pinned/fixed to the rear wall.

I have just received the first of my pair of Stanier 57' 'Porthole' coaches (corridor third) from Hattons,- just awaiting the 57' brake third.

Must say they are very nice, have been reading the forum thread about these on here, and will eventually be "jacking the bodies up" with 20 thou plasticard as per Coachman's article, to match up the buffer heights with my Hawksworth and Collett coaches.

Having carefully stuck the four point handlevers down on the layout, I suddenly came to the conclusion that I had misinterpreted the correct direction for the levers to slope, after reading a thread on here on that same subject, and so they were carefully removed and reversed. I then happened to notice whilst at work at Ely (yesterday ) - that the handpoint lever in the Tamper sidings there slopes the way I had the levers originally (towards the toe of the points)...am now very confused....

Well I did say there was not much to report, so till next time.

Regards, Sigtech (Steve)