Right - firming up some ideas...

1. The Dock

'Busy' scene - probably modelling 'the dock' at mid/low tide. A chance to use my Langley' Puffer' at last (sitting on a 'barge-bed'), with their canal-boat probably in the 'lock' which dives under the building/road (want a prototype - look at the Birmingham Canal where it goes under Snow Hill Station!). Lots of scenic potential and buildings to make..

2. The Brewery

Combines my three favourite subjects - beer, rails & canals (not necessarily in that order.). I've already got the pub made , and that canal boat from (1) will come in handy!

3. The 'Poo Palace'

A potentially VERY interesting scenario, as I've never seen one modelled before! It is of course based round the building I surveyed last month (see the 'workbench' blog entries) and actually allows for some interesting loads. I've been researching.... Coal in for the boilerhouse, coke and lime for the filtration tanks, and bagged 'fertiliser' out! By setting the scene on the edge of a small industrial complex I think the scene can be made relatively compact, plus I can lose the f/y at one end.

Some interesting choices to be made - but next week will concentrate on the baseboard(s). 5' will just about fit in my 'Picasso', but it might be easier to make the 'F/Y' boards detachable. Materials? 6mm ply for sides/ends (probably made as a double layer to take the EMGS dowels) and the decks of the f/ys, but the main deck will be from high-density foam - particularly as all the scenarios require some serious holes! One beauty - no pointwork = no point-motors so not much space required beneath the boards - and the wiring should be fairly minimal as well! Might even be worth considering adding internal lighting for 'visitor appeal' bearing in mind the limited size of the layout. DCC sound? Not sure its worth it although I might consider some 'scenic sounds' (Toilets flushing???) if time permits.